Red Sox Sign Former All-Star Slugger

It was only two years ago that he was named to the All-Star team, so perhaps the Boston Red Sox could stumble into something that might be of some help to them this season, as they've signed slugger CJ Cron to a minor league contract. 

CJ Cron is headed to Boston pic.twitter.com/9GJnBNqYH1

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 1, 2024

Cron, now 34, put together several strong years from 2018 through 2022, averaging close to 30 home runs a year in each of those full seasons. Granted, two of those years came in the high altitude of Coors Field, where his home/road splits with the Colorado Rockies were even more extreme than usually expected for a Rockies player. 

But Cron had a few positive OPS+ seasons in his earlier career as well, with the LA Angels and Tampa Bay Rays. Last year, however, split between Colorado and the Angels, he had his worst offensive season since 2017, batting just .248 with 12 dingers, with a career-low 87 OPS+. In fairness, he was dealing with a back injury that hampered him all season.

If healthy and able to crack the Red Sox roster, he could offer young stud Tristan Casas a breather at first base on occasion, and even a few at-bats at DH, particularly against lefties.

Casas broke through as the everyday first sacker last season in Fenway, blasting 24 homers with a 129 OPS+ in 132 games.

Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports