The latest hot stove rumblings for the Red Sox are not about acquiring a player, but dealing one, as Ken Rosenthat reports that multiple teams have expressed interest in acquiring Marco Scutaro from the Red Sox.
Scutaro, signed last offseason to a two-year deal with team and player options for a third, was brought in off a career-season to try and fill the oft-troublesome shortstop position. While his production did not match up with what he had done in 2009 with the Blue Jays, Scutaro played through injuries all year long while providing a solid presence up-the-middle. With a salary of just $5 million next year, Scutaro should be an affordable starting option for a number of teams looking for infield help.
The Red Sox would replace Scutaro with Jed Lowrie, who filled in at shortstop down the stretch for the Red Sox when they felt the injured Scutaro would do better at second base. After hitting an impressive .287/.381/.526, Lowrie told Alex Speier that he feels he's ready for the job:
I think I've made this clear and I'll reiterate it again. I don't think I'm a utility player. I believe that I'm an everyday middle infielder.
If the Red Sox were to deal Scutaro, they'd likely be looking for bullpen help, and that's about the return they could expect. But with Lowrie ready to take over, and Scutaro costing $5 million, it might not be too surprising if they accepted a deal involving prospects.