Dombrowski cautions that pace of off-season could mean a move could take some time

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- If you’re waiting for a quick strike response by the Red Sox to counter the Yankees’ acquisition of Giancarlo Stanton, it could take a while.

The trade of Stanton and the signing of Shohei Ohtani, while both disappointing for the Red Sox, may have some positives after all: their completion has led to increased talk and activity around the game, resulting in a logjam of sorts being broken.

“Tremendously,’’ said Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. “Last week, it was hard to get a phone call from clubs. I would occasionally talk to people and they would say the same thing. Since I’ve been here (Sunday afternoon), it’s been non-stop.’’

The bad news? The Red Sox don’t necessarily see their pursuit of an impact bat being finalized anytime soon, and may not take place until after the start of the New Year.

“I don’t feel we have to do anything at the winter meetings,’’ said Dombrowski.  “Even though it’s picked up, there’s a lot of players and lot of things that are going to take place. It’s hard for me to imagine that all that’s going to happen in four days. I don’t think it’s humanly possible, actually, with the all the things clubs are talking about – not only with us, but with other people.

“There’s a lot that’s going on. I would anticipate this would be a late winter compared to a lot of years. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were major moves taking place in January.  We used to say Christmas-time (was the end game), but that’s long gone. I was telling a couple of our (people on staff), ‘Make sure you have your phones with you when you’re away for the holidays.'"

Dombrowski said the slow pace is due to the sheer number of free agents and the number of deals being discussed.

“They’re really interconnected,’’ said Dombrowski, who added the Sox continue to explore both free agent possibilities and trade options as part of their search.

Dombrowski didn’t mention agent Scott Boras as a factor in the slow-play nature of the off-season, but he’s certainly another variable. Traditionally, Boras is among the most patient of agents, letting his clients sit on the market while interest builds and teams feel a sense of fear that they may be left without any options.

Boras represents both J.D. Martinez and Eric Hosmer, arguably the two best position players on the market.

Dombrowski also made clear that while it’s been his intention to add a powerful bat to the Red Sox lineup, the Stanton trade doesn’t change his approach.

“I don’t think it changes what we do,’’ he said, ‘’because we’re already trying to be the best club we possibly can. When you’re in a position like we are, you’re in a spot where you’re not only trying to beat the best club in your division, but the best club in the league and the best club overall. So we’re already trying to do that

“It doesn’t change what we’re trying to do. (The Yankees) have a heck of a club, but we have a good club, too. There are quite a few months before the season starts and I think our club will continue to try to get better. But it doesn’t really change in it the sense that we were already trying to get better.  They already had a good club and (Stanton) makes them better.’’