Boston Red Sox rumors: Chaim Bloom teases a middle infield move

Could the Boston Red Sox make a big splash in free agency this offseason when it comes to the shortstop or second base position? Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom hinted at the possibility on Monday afternoon.

In a tweet from Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, Bloom said the Boston Red Sox are “involved in the middle infield market” and quoted Bloom as saying, “We have enough flexibility and versatility with our roster that it gives us a lot of ways to add impact and add talent.”

What does this mean for the Boston Red Sox at shortstop or second base?

Xander Bogaerts is entrenched at shortstop for the Red Sox and has been called a “cornerstone player” for the franchise. However, Bogaerts has reportedly said he plans to opt out of his contract after the 2022 season, hoping to ink a longer deal in Boston or another Major League city.

Bogaerts has also reportedly said he is willing to switch to second base, which is where things get interesting with Bloom’s comment about the middle infield.

Could the Red Sox be in the market for one of the higher-priced free agent shortstops on the market? Manager Alex Cora does have a relationship with Carlos Correa from his days in Houston when he was the Astros bench coach, so that is always a possible connection.

Should the Red Sox sign a shortstop, in theory, Bogaerts could be asked to move to second base. Boston would also be protecting itself at the shortstop position should Bogaerts move on to another team after the 2022 campaign.

It’s also possible that the Red Sox could pursue Marcus Semien, the second baseman who logged an MLB-record 45 home runs with the Toronto Blue Jays last season. Boston did chase Semien last offseason before he decided to sign in Toronto, so perhaps the Red Sox can ink him this offseason and have him play alongside Bogaerts, who would stay at shortstop.

In either case, a signing to bolster the middle infield would likely be a substantial upgrade over Christian Arroyo, who played the most of any Red Sox player at second base last season, seeing action in 51 games.

Could Boston have the financial means to bring in a player like Correa or Semien, or could the Red Sox look to add someone on a lesser budget like Chris Taylor? In either case, it’s clear the Red Sox are exploring their options in the middle infield.