The Boston Red Sox leadership group went into the offseason with bold claims of brighter days ahead and have since completely shifted their tone as they prepare fans for another rebuilding year.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, however, has continued a constant messaging all offseason long regarding the impending returns of two of the team's most productive sluggers in recent memory.
At this juncture, a reunion with either Justin Turner or J.D. Martinez appears extremely unlikely.
"We're still actively engaged in conversations around adding pitching and balancing out the lineup a little bit with a right-handed bat, particularly one that has some positional versatility would be helpful," Breslow told WEEI's Rob Bradford on the "Baseball Isn't Boring" podcast.
With that comment and similar quotes from earlier in the offseason, it's unlikely Boston will run it back with either aforementioned impact slugger, especially since Breslow is against the philosophy of having a prototypical everyday designated hitter.
The only way Turner returns is if Breslow drops the outfield preference and sees the former utility player as someone who still can provide enough defensive value.
Turner played 41 games at first base, 10 at second base and seven at third base but is far from a defensive stalwart and will plug up the designated hitter role for the majority of the season if added.
It's possible that the 38-year-old's semi-platoon with Triston Casas and ability to spot start at third base for Rafael Devers would clear him of this one-dimensional description that Breslow is describing, but I would not bank on it.
Martinez was about as pure of a designated hitter as possible, playing 110 games in that role and just three -- for a total of 12 innings -- in left field for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.
Instead, hope for Breslow to land outfielder/DH Jorge Soler and expect a reunion with outfielder Adam Duvall.
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