The Red Sox announced before last night's game that Stephen Drew had agreed to the $14.1 million deal he rejected last December. (It will be worth $10.2 million, prorated to the time he's missed this season.)
He will take a physical today. Not yet known when he will be in uniform.
Bringing in Drew to play shortstop will move Xander Bogaerts back to third, and there was a lot speculation about that last night. (Bogaerts made two errors in last night's game.)
I think it is more damning indictment of the terrible play of Will Middlebrooks more than anything else. He is now on the DL for the second time this season, while hitting a paltry .197. His stock is dropping considerably, and I would bet he will be in another uniform before too long. He might end up back at AAA when he is eligible to come off the DL. The Sox want to keep third-baseman-of-the-future Garin Cecchini at Pawtucket for a full season, as his defense at third needs more seasoning (so Brock Holt, who has done a respectable job at third, was called up when Middlebrooks broke his finger).
Bogaerts is without question the Red Sox number one young talent, and still their shortstop of the future. Bringing in Drew tells me the Red Sox brass want to stabilize the left side of the diamond, which continues to be a headache. Bogaerts met with John Farrell after the game, and I'm sure all of that was conveyed to him.
How much can the Red Sox get out of Drew, considering he has missed the first 44 games of the season and has had no formal spring training? We'll find out.
Last night was another lost cause, as Felix Doubront allowed two home runs and left in the fifth inning after experiencing shoulder fatigue. The Sox cut a Toronto 6-0 lead to 7-4 by the eighth inning, but that was as close as they would come.
Five straight losses, four at home. 20-24 overall, with a 10-15 record at home. They trail first-place Baltimore by only 3 1/2 games, but it sure feels like a lot more than that.
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