The Napoli deal could fall apart, which would leave Boston hurting at first base.
Adam LaRoche hit 33 home runs and 100 RBI last year, adding a Gold Glove for his play in the field. The Red Sox are negotiating with the first baseman as their deal with Mike Napoli could be in jeopardy.
The Boston Red Sox are reportedly negotiating with free agent first baseman Adam LaRoche, and that can mean only one thing.
The Red Sox have not given up on bringing Mike Napoli to Boston, but unresolved issues about Napoli's health have left the club looking for a new option at first base.
It might also make the club think twice about trading either Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Ryan Lavarnway, though the market for those catchers appears soft, anyway.
Nearly a month ago, the Red Sox and Napoli agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract that was designed to supply a starting first baseman and part-time catcher. Concerns about a hip condition arose during Napoli's physical, and negotiations were renewed with Boston reportedly seeking insurance or a shorter deal.
Cleveland's signing of Nick Swisher last weekend has left LaRoche as the only appealing free agent first baseman on the market. The left-handed LaRoche hit 33 home runs for Washington last year, and the Nationals have shown some interest in retaining him.
They offered him a $13.3 million qualifying offer, which LaRoche declined.
The issue with both Washington and Boston appears to be the length of the contract. This offseason has been marked by a consistent effort from most teams to acquire players on shorter terms, even if that means paying more per year.
LaRoche, 33, wants a three-year deal. In the days before Christmas, the Nationals appeared to be close to signing him again, but Boston's re-entry and LaRoche's own delay have added to the intrigue.
Signing LaRoche would cost the Red Sox a second-round draft pick. It's a small but significant reward for finishing with one of baseball's bottom-10 records last season; otherwise, Boston would have to cough up a first-round pick
Losing a draft pick for LaRoche remains a main reason Boston would still prefer Napoli to LaRoche, if a reworked deal can be done.
If the Red Sox sign LaRoche, they could walk away from the Napoli deal on medical grounds. They could also keep LaRoche and still come to agreement with Napoli, leaving them with both players.
That's a long shot, if not out of the question altogether. It would leave the Red Sox overloaded at first place unless they consider a very expensive platoon - or use Napoli as a catcher more prominently than expected.
That would seem impractical if the hip injury is truly a concern for the present.
The Red Sox worked out insurance clauses with J.D. Drew and John Lackey, and Drew's took more than a month. Napoli's situation appears to have grown beyond procedural grounds, and as the player and team remain mum on his status, speculation has increased that the deal may fall through.