Red Sox have varying levels of interest in re-signing players
The Red Sox have six free agents. The team is interested in re-signing all of them, some more than others.
Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington has some interest in re-signing each of the team's six free agents, but would like to sign some more than others, reports Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
“There’s real interest. But nothing more than that,” Cherington told the Globe Monday night. “We’ve had conversations. … There’s real interest at different levels in all six of them.”
Mike Napoli, Stephen Drew and Jacoby Ellsbury each turned down a qualifying offer from the Red Sox. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Joel Hanrahan and John McDonald did not receive that offer. The Red Sox are known to have stayed in contact with both Napoli and Saltalamacchia. Boston does not have an immediate replacement for them at first base and catcher, respectively, and is keeping it's options open.
In particular, Napoli seems like he will be a main target for the Red Sox until he signs a contract, either in Boston or elsewhere. He has said he would like to remain with the team and the team says they are interested, but both sides have had slight reluctancies in the early offseason.
