Did Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers let the fans in on the organization's offseason plans?
Thus far, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has yet to nail down his first free agent but there have been some rumors alluding to which players the former reliever has been targeting.
Devers posted an unusually cryptic Instagram post that aligns with recent reports.
The face of the Red Sox's franchise posted a picture of him at the plate with former Houston Astros catcher Martín Maldonado clearly in the frame. His captain was simply two eye emojis.
The post came just hours after it was initially reported that Boston was one of six or seven teams reportedly in the mix for Maldonado. The Red Sox met with the Gold Glove catcher's representatives at the Winter Meetings and seemingly would love to have his presence in the clubhouse, as would manager Alex Cora.
Maldonado hit .191 with 27 extra-base hits including 15 home runs, 36 RBIs and a .606 OPS (66 OPS+) in 116 games last season. The 37-year-old -- outside of some occasional pop -- will not contribute much of anything offensively.
However, he has an incredible reputation for pitch-calling as well as handling pitchers to keep emotions in check throughout a game. He could be an asset for Boston -- who's pitching staff features Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford as well as some other young hurlers who have yet to maximize their talents.
With Connor Wong cemented as the primary catcher next season, Maldonado's impending signing could force Reece McGuire out of the door.
For Maldonado to have value, it will have to be behind the scenes and defensively. Otherwise, Boston would be better off rolling with the platoon they already have in place.
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