The Boston Red Sox ranked 26th in home runs and 18th in OPS last season, and they are reportedly focused on improving their offense this winter.
This is a weak free-agent class and Seiya Suzuki is one of the best available hitters. The team has "checked in on" him, according to The Boston Globe's Alex Speier.
"The Sox are looking to add righthanded thump to take advantage of Fenway — the team, according to major league sources, also has checked in on free agent outfielder Seiya Suzuki," wrote Speier.
Suzuki has a .823 career OPS and hit 26 home runs for the Chicago Cubs last season. However, the biggest development for Suzuki was the fact that he was actually a good defender. His defense had been an issue in the big leagues, but he was a Gold Glove finalist in right field last season.
Suzuki has good power and could thrive at Fenway Park. He draws a ton of walks, but he pulls the ball into the air a lot as well. He could bang a ton of balls off the Green Monster and infuse the Red Sox lineup with some much-needed power from the right side.
His fit on the team would be odd, but that could change if the Red Sox clear the outfield logjam by getting rid of Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida. The Red Sox would have Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and Suzuki. It would be a lot easier to navigate at-bats for those four than it is currently with Anthony, Duran, Yoshida, Abreu and Rafaela.
Suzuki would either have to be a full-time designated hitter or learn to play left field. Abreu is a Gold Glover in right field, and the Red Sox are not going to remove him.