MLB insider connects the dots between Red Sox and Jose Ramirez

Could the Boston Red Sox trade for Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez? ESPN MLB insider Buster Olney expects Chaim Bloom to make a call.

Ramirez is on a very affordable contract and coming off another exception season, in which he slashed 266/.355/.538 with 36 home runs, 103 RBI and 27 stolen bases, finishing sixth in AL MVP voting.

This likely signals the Guardians are heading in another direction, and they don’t expect Ramirez to be apart of that rebuild.

Per ESPN’s Buster Olney, “as clubs looking for infielders (like the Red Sox, Blue Jays and Astros) weigh their options, they’ll at least pose the appropriate questions about Ramirez.”

Does Jose Ramirez fit the Red Sox plans?

Per BoSox Injection’s Sean Penney, Ramirez makes sense for the Red Sox — but not at third base:

"“Ramirez would be the perfect short-term solution at second base while the Red Sox wait for Nick Yorke, who is probably two years away from the big leagues after spending last year in Single-A. Boston could also move Ramirez back to third in 2023 if J.D. Martinez departs in free agency, opening up the designated hitter role for the defensively-challenged Rafael Devers.”"

As of right now, Christian Arroyo would be Boston’s starting second baseman. Nothing against Arroyo, but for a team looking to contend for the AL East crown in 2022, that’s not good enough.

A contender will trade for Ramirez, especially given he’s guaranteed just $25 million over the next two years. The Red Sox would be wise to ensure he’s shipping up to Boston, rather than Houston or Toronto.