Hot Stove Lunch: Could Red Sox go on huge spending spree? Also: Stanton sends signals about Yanks and more

This is a daily BSJ off-season feature that will arrive in time for your lunch, Monday-Friday.

A spin around the leagues with the latest news, notes, and rumors around Major League Baseball

RED SOX:

Peter Gammons raised an interesting point in The Athletic: Could the Red Sox sign both Eric Hosmer and J.D. Martinez this off-season?

Agent Scott Boras, who represents both players, suggested this as a course of action (Scott's always helpful that way).

It would require an outlay of approximately $50 million for 2018, and in total, perhaps as much as $400 million over the course of the new contracts. And it would see the Red Sox blow waayyy past the competitive balance tax threshold and force them to drop back 10 spots in the draft next June and cost them $500,000 in international bonus pool money.

On the other hand, it would certainly ramp up interest in the Red Sox, deliver them some star power and actual power. And let's face it: the Red Sox aren't above some crazy spending when they plateau: recall the winter in which they added both Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, even if neither move worked out in the end.

I don't see the Red Sox making this kind of commitment. I think it's far more likely they sign one of the two, but not both.

Still, interesting to think about, no?

AL EAST:

Just what Red Sox fans didn't want to hear: Giancarlo Stanton has reportedly said the Yankees are one of the few teams to which he would accept a deal.

After Tyler Chatwood signed a three-year deal for $38 million with the Cubs yesterday, the cost of free agent starters will now skyrocket, making it difficult for the Yankees to add to their rotation and still stay under the luxury tax threshold.

It's that time of year when prospects lists and rankings start to appear. Here's a look at Baseball America's Top 10 Orioles prospects

While talk continues to swirl about the Blue Jays being put up for sale soon, GM Ross Atkins is taking a business-as-usual approach to the winter meetings.

The Rays aren't in on either Shohei Ohtani or Giancarlo Stanton, but they're nonetheless impacted by them both.

AL CENTRAL:

The Minnesota Twins just missed out on landing Kevin Maitan, considered to be the best prospect of the 13 turned loose by MLB from the Atlanta Braves.

The Tigers addressed some starting rotation depth issues by signing Mike Fiers.

The Royals also made a move to bolster their rotation.

AL WEST:

Seattle made yet another trade, obtaining Dee Gordon from the Marlins along with additional international bonus pool money with which to pursue Ohtani.

The Oakland A's can't seem to find a new ballpark, so Bruce Jenkins offers a solution.

There continues to be a mystery surrounding a foot injury for Dallas Keuchel.

NATIONAL LEAGUE:

The Cubs moved aggressively in an otherwise stagnant market to land a starting pitcher.

TAKE I MAY REGRET IN A FEW MONTHS:

Since Jerry Dipoto became Seattle Mariners GM in September of 2015, the Mariners have made approximately 50 trades, more than any team in baseball. Dipoto was at it again Thursday, obtaining Dee Gordon from the Mariners -- along with bonus pool money. It's the second Seattle trade this week, and this is before the winter meetings even begin.

Dipoto's whirlwind of deals hasn't necessarily made the Mariners contenders -- at least not yet. They finished 78-84, in third place in the AL West last season, Dipoto's second since taking over. And at a certain point, the flurry of moves have to result in improvement on the field -- otherwise, the M's are just spinning their wheels.

But say this: it's not dull if you're a Seattle fan. It seems a deal is always a phone call away.