According to FOX Sports.com’s Ken Rosenthal, the Boston Red Sox are inching closer to signing free agent Mark Teixeira.
The Red Sox are making progress in their quest to sign free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira, according to a major-league source.
“Headway was being made earlier today,” one source said.
A rival general manager whose plans could be affected by the Red Sox’s addition of Teixeira also indicated that a deal was getting closer.
Teixeira is the Red Sox’s No. 1 offseason target. They view him as the perfect fit for the middle of their order.
Teixeira is seeking a 10-year contract for at least $20 million per season. The Red Sox preference would be to sign him to a deal between six and eight years.
With CC Sabathia taken, Teixeira is now the biggest prize on the free-agent market. He hit 33 home runs and had 121 RBIs as a member of the Braves and Angels last season. Teixeira has never hit less than 26 homers in his six major-league seasons.
This would be a fantastic move for the Red Sox because they not only get a quality hitter, but a young quality hitter for the middle of their lineup. He might not have Manny Ramirez’s pop, but again, he’s younger and comes with less baggage.
Conversely, this would be a huge blow for the Angels, who have made Teixeira their number one offseason target. The Orioles and Nationals have also shown interest in the first basemen, although it appears that the only real suitors for his services are the BoSox and Halos.
