Red Sox acquire first baseman Garrett Cooper from Cubs (report)
The Red Sox acquired first baseman Garrett Cooper from the Cubs, according to the Miami Herald’s Craig Fish. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo first linked the two teams, closing in on a deal for the veteran first baseman.
Cotillo reports that the Red Sox will send cash considerations back to the Cubs.
The deal between the two teams was worked out on Friday night between chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer at Fenway Park, according to the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.
Cooper, 33, was designated for assignment by the Cubs last week after playing 12 games in the Windy City. In his short stint with Chicago, Cooper batted .270 with one double, one triple, one homer, and six RBIs with a .774 OPS.
He joined the Cubs prior to spring training after signing a minor league deal.
Cooper is a veteran of seven MLB seasons with the Yankees, Marlins, Padres, and now the Cubs. He split time between the Marlins and the Padres last year, hitting .251 with 17 homers, 61 RBIs, and a .724 OPS in 123 games.
With Triston Casas down for the foreseeable future, Cooper provides the Red Sox with a legitimate first-baseman option. The club has been rotating Bobby Dalbec, Pablo Reyes, and Connor Wong at the position.
The Red Sox will need to make room on the 26-man roster for Cooper. The likes of Pablo Reyes, Bobby Dalbec, and David Hamilton are all options to be replaced. Reyes is out of player options, meaning if he is the odd man out, the team will need to designate him for assignment.
