The Boston Red Sox will lose one of the franchise's most storied players after the 2016 season when designated hitter David Ortiz retires. The club will undoubtedly search for a formidable replacement, and two big names come to mind, but it'll be a matter of fitting them into the budget.
Toronto Blue Jays sluggers Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are among the prime catalysts in the league's best offense, and both will be free agents after this season, but their price could be prohibitive. It's not entirely clear what each MLB veteran is looking for, but rumors and reports have suggested Bautista wants somewhere around five years and $150 million while Encarnacion wants to maximize the amount of years in any deal he receives.
Considering the Red Sox have splurged in free agency in recent seasons, it's unknown if the club would be willing to invest multiple years and top dollar to a couple of aging veterans despite the success of Bautista and Encarnacion over the past five seasons.
According to Baseball-Reference, the Red Sox have a $197.5 million payroll in 2016, and that number may not get much smaller in subsequent seasons. They'll have Ortiz's contract come off the books after this year (as well as those of Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa), and they have the power to exercise club options over Clay Buchholz and Ryan Hanigan, which would free up some money, but overall, the team has multiple long-term commitments in addition to players nearing the arbitration process.
"They are both righthanded hitters, and what's wrong with that at Fenway Park? Absolutely nothing," Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe said of the two potential replacements for Ortiz. "Bautista and Encarnacion are pretty ferocious hitters at Rogers Centre, but Fenway would likely benefit them as well. Both like Boston and its ballpark.
"The problem, of course, would be salary.
"Both sluggers, on the verge of free agency, are understandably looking for huge, long-term deals."
Boston has Brock Holt, Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Joe Kelly and Robbie Ross entering their first year of arbitration next offseason, and that potential contract extension for outfielder Mookie Betts could also be revisited depending on how both sides feel about it.
In 2017, the Red Sox will have a minimum payroll of $148.8 million (guaranteed contracts) and a maximum of $203.4 million (depending on arbitration salaries and contract options), according to Baseball-Referece. That number doesn't get much smaller in 2018, when they're guaranteed a $121.2 million payroll with a maximum figure of $184.2 million. Even the 2019 season could feature a $189.7 million payroll.
It'll be no easy task for the Red Sox to sign another premier free agent after the 2016 season, even though the team's ownership said this offseason the luxury tax wasn't a big deal, because Pablo Sandoval and Rusney Castillo are likely bound to cost them millions even if both were to be traded away at some point.
So while many are beginning to speculate as to who will replace Ortiz in Boston, it's a long way away from happening and will probably require a number of significant discussions among the team's front office and ownership.
