The Boston Red Sox Tuesday, December 8, 2020 * The Boston Globe Red Sox want it all next season: to compete for a postseason spot and to plan for long-term success Peter Abraham The Red Sox were the fourth-worst team in baseball last season, finishing 16 games out of first place in the American League East. Their roster needs at least two starting pitchers, an outfielder and probably a second baseman. But general manager Brian O’Halloran said Monday the Sox still intend to compete for a postseason spot next season while at the same time setting a foundation for repeatable success. “Both of those things are important,” O’Halloran said. “We want to and expect to compete for the postseason and beyond in 2021. But as we’ve stated numerous times our long-term goals are to be competitive and have a championship-caliber team year in and year out. “We need to continue to work on the long-term piece of that as well.” That balance will be difficult to strike. Climbing out of the cellar in an increasingly competitive division will require an immediate infusion of talent. But long-term viability entails a careful use of resources. ‘“Absolutely it’s a challenge … But certainly, we have nothing to complain about here. No excuses. We have the resources that we need to build good teams.”’ Red Sox GM Brian O’Halloran “That’s the challenge for every team. It’s always one eye on the present and one eye on the future,” O’Halloran said. “Some teams may be in a position where they’re a little bit more focused on the short term and some teams may be in a position where they’re a little bit more focused on the long term. “Absolutely it’s a challenge … But certainly, we have nothing to complain about here. No excuses. We have the resources that we need to build good teams.” The Sox should improve regardless given how little production Andrew Benintendi and J.D. Martinez provided last season and the expected return of front-line starters Eduardo Rodriguez and Chris Sale. Sale is on track to return from Tommy John surgery during the season while Rodriguez is preparing as he normally would after missing last season after contracting the coronavirus. “I don’t think that we think we’re the fourth-worst team in baseball,” O’Halloran said. Monday was to have been the first full day of baseball’s annual Winter Meetings. But what has often been a launching point for transactions was canceled because of the pandemic and the scheduled events are being held via video. But even when they’re staying at the same hotel, executives tend to communicate via text message, emails, or phone calls. The Red Sox actually hoped to hold more in-person meetings with other teams. But that plan, like so many others, was scrapped. Teams also aren’t sure how the coming season will be conducted. For now, spring training is scheduled to start in February followed by a 162-game season with 26-man rosters. But, privately, many executives are expecting the season to be pushed back in hopes a vaccine will allow for fans to attend games. Major League Baseball sent teams a memo saying the designated hitter would not be used in the National League next season. But that could change contingent on negotiations with the Players Association. Also: ▪ Free agent center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is “definitely” on the team’s radar according to O’Halloran said. The Sox expect Benintendi to stay in left field. ▪ As the Sox work on agreeing to a one-year contract with Rafael Devers to avoid an arbitration hearing, O’Halloran said the team would consider a long-term deal. ▪ Dustin Pedroia, who cannot play because of a chronic left knee injury, remains on the 40-man roster. O’Halloran acknowledged having had discussions with Pedroia’s agents about the former second baseman’s future but did not provide details. Pedroia has one year and $12 million remaining on his contract. ▪ The Rule 5 Draft is Thursday. O’Halloran would not rule out the Sox making a selection. They picked infielder Jonathan Arauz from the Astros organization last year. He appeared in 25 games. ▪ The Yomiuri Giants have made righthander Tomoyuki Sugano available to MLB teams via the posting system. Sugano, 31, is now one of the top starters on the market and the Red Sox are among the teams expected to pursue him. Teams can negotiate with Sugano through Jan. 7. ▪ Utility player Yairo Munoz cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple A Pawtucket. The Sox now have 38 players on the 40-man roster. Munoz, who turns 26 next month, was 15 of 45 with six extra-base hits in 12 games. ▪ Media reports in Puerto Rico said Rogelio Moret passed away at the age of 71 of cancer. The lefthander was 41-18 with a 3.43 ERA with the Sox from 1970-75. Moret appeared in four playoff games in 1975. That included a perfect eighth inning in Game 6 of the World Series when he retired Pedro Borbon, Pete Rose, and Ken Griffey Sr. on seven pitches. * The Boston Herald Red Sox at Winter Meetings: GM says club ‘can compete’ in 2021, IDs needs at SP, 2B, CF Jason Mastrodonato Sitting in front of his bookshelf with a large family portrait of his kids and dog isn’t what Red Sox general manager Brian O’Halloran is used to doing during the first week in December. Normally around this time, O’Halloran and his front office colleagues would be bunkered down in a fancy hotel suite in Dallas, Orlando, San Diego, Nashville, Las Vegas or another popular city for the annual MLB Winter Meetings. They’d be ferociously texting with agents, scouts and other teams’ executives about potential acquisitions as they walked quickly through the hotel lobby to avoid reporters on their way from meeting to meeting. But in O’Halloran’s view, the Winter Meetings have become so technology-oriented — too much so for his liking — that this year’s virtual meetings won’t feel all that different. “The reality is over the last few years, we’ve had more and more trade conversations, even when we’re in the same place or the same hotel, they tend to happen over phone or text,” he said Monday as the virtual meetings kicked off. When the coronavirus is no longer a concern, “I certainly hope the Winter Meetings come back,” O’Halloran said. “I expect them to come back. I think they’re a great event. … Even though the in-person meetings with other teams have diminished over the years, I actually think that’s a negative development. And we’ve talked about actually trying to increase that, and not having the opportunity this year is tough.” The Red Sox have a lot of business to attend to. Are they rebuilding? Are they extending their bridge year? Or are they actually ready to pay the price for talented players that can help them win in 2021? “I don’t think that we think we’re the fourth-worst team in baseball,” as the Sox’ 24-36 record in 2020 indicated, O’Halloran said. “We think we have a good team that can compete in 2021, certainly as we make additions to it and improvements.” The Sox’ clear needs are at the top of the rotation, second base and center field. O’Halloran addressed all three, noting that there are plenty of starting pitching options this winter, both in free agency (Trevor Bauer, Corey Kluber, Tomoyuki Sugano, Masahiro Tanaka and Jose Quintana among them) and trade (Blake Snell and Lance Lynn, among others). “Starting pitching, and pitching in general, is an area that we would like to improve and add depth to,” O’Halloran said. “We continue to work on that.” At second base, the clear candidates from within the organization are Michael Chavis, who never got into any rhythm at the plate in 2020 and has been adequate on the defensive side; Rule 5 pick Jonathan Arauz, who didn’t show a lot of potential; former first-round pick Christian Arroyo, who looked good in limited playing time down the stretch; and prospect Jeter Downs. “We definitely have some options internally but we’re also open-minded,” O’Halloran said. Downs was never given a chance to face big league pitching in 2020, but impressed during summer training in Pawtucket. “I wouldn’t want to put a timetable or guess on how close any prospect is, but certainly we’re excited to have Jeter here, and he did a nice job at the alternate site,” O’Halloran said. “We think highly of him.” They also have a prospect in the center field mix: Jarren Duran. The speedy outfielder showed well in spring training last February and will begin playing winter ball in Puerto Rico this month. O’Halloran wouldn’t say what he wants to see from Duran, but indicated the Red Sox will go forward in their pursuit of a center fielder this winter. Longtime Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. is a free agent and “is definitely on our radar,” O’Halloran said. “We’ve all seen what Jackie has been able to do over the years. Certainly a guy that, to use your terminology, we’ll absolutely keep on our radar and see where it goes.” But O’Halloran doesn’t see Andrew Benintendi or Alex Verdugo as the everyday choice in center field for returning manager Alex Cora.