The Boston Red Sox entered the offseason with a few clear needs, one of which included stability at second base.
After mulling over a myriad of options, they finally landed on acquiring infielder Vaughn Grissom in a trade that sent southpaw Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves.
Before the trade for the 23-year-old budding star, however, the Red Sox reportedly tried to get a deal done involving a more veteran presence with an All-Star Game under his belt.
"According to a major league source, the Red Sox expressed some interest in acquiring infielder Jorge Polanco at the start of the offseason," MassLive's Sean McAdam revealed Friday. "The Red Sox, who were in search of someone to play second base, checked in with the Minnesota Twins to signal their interest, but talks never got beyond that introductory stage."
Polanco hit .255 with 32 extra-base hits including 14 home runs, 48 RBIs and a .789 OPS (115 OPS+) in 80 games last year, which was hampered by a nagging left hamstring strain. He produced similarly in 2022 but was bothered by left knee inflammation and lower back tightness, cutting his season to 104 games.
The switch-hitting middle infielder's last healthy season came in 2021 and was one to remember. The now-30-year-old hit .269 with 70 extra-base hits including 33 home runs, 98 RBIs and a .826 OPS (125 OPS+) in 152 games.
It would have been interesting to see how Polanco fared at Fenway Park but the prospect haul the Twins were eventually able to get in a later trade with the Seattle Mariners showed why the Red Sox backed out months ago.
Grissom has a higher ceiling and much more team control at a more affordable cost. He's done less to cement himself in the big leagues but appears to be the better choice for Boston.
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