Report: Stephen Drew signs with Boston Red Sox
By Hayden Kane
The Detroit Tigers could have used Stephen Drew. The New York Yankees could have used Stephen Drew. In the end, the Boston Red Sox ended up re-signing Stephen Drew.
It sounds like a deal that both sides entered into with the understanding that it is mutually beneficial for them to reunite for the rest of this season and this season only.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported the deal:
Source: Drew deal with #RedSox is for one year. Free agent again at end of season. Draft-pick compensation will not apply.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 20, 2014
Jon Heyman of CBS has more on the terms of the deal:
Stephen drew signs back with red. Sox. Believed he's getting pro-rated portion og $14M qualifying fugure, so estimated $10M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) May 20, 2014
Joel Sherman notes the good news for Drew, which is the fact that he will not be subject to the qualifying offer system after this season because he signed with the Red Sox mid-season.
Drew, meanwhile, gets to be fr agt again after season, but without being tied to qualifying offer because signed in season #Redsox
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) May 20, 2014
More from Boston Red Sox
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- MLB Trade Grades: Dodgers reunite with familiar face in Red Sox deal
- MLB Rumors: Braves trade package, White Sox-Reds deal, Mets disaster
From the perspective of the Red Sox, this move buys them some time and takes the pressure off their young players on the left side of the infield (Xander Bogaerts, Will Middlebrooks).
As for teams like the Yankees and the Tigers who might have been waiting for the draft to pass next month so they could sign Drew without surrendering a draft pick, it looks like they are out of luck and will have to seek infield help elsewhere.