Hot Stove Lunch: Options dwindle for Red Sox; Cole still up for grabs 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

One big Plan B option for the Red Sox came off the board late Wednesday night with the news Jay Bruce agreed to a three-year, $39 million deal with the New York Mets.

Among free agents not named J.D. Martinez, Bruce was probably the best hitter remaining. Over the last three seasons, he averaged 32 homers and 96 RBI with a .791 OPS. Those don't rival the numbers put up by Martinez, of course, but they're nothing to dismiss out of hand, either.

Bruce isn't a great defender by any means, but the Sox could have played him in left field -- at least occasionally -- and not worried about his glove. And his lefty bat would have added additional balance to the Red Sox lineup, joining Rafael Devers, Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mitch Moreland from the left side.

Increasingly, it appears as though the Red Sox are taking a "Martinez-or-bust'' approach to this winter's negotiations. Currently, the Sox seem unwilling to go beyond five years and Martinez, according to this report from Jon Heyman, is insisting on a minimum of six years and is willing to wait until after spring training begins to get it.

Aside from the fact that there would seem to be room for a compromise -- a reasonable vesting option for a sixth season shouldn't be hard to craft -- the Sox are really gambling here. Sure, they could go into spring training as is and figure they could go get a bat at the deadline. But that puts them in a position of having to move prospects -- something they're avoiding this winter -- and it also means they'd have to stay within shouting distance of a playoff spot for the first four months of 2018.

Is that scenario feasible? Perhaps. But it sure does seem strange that the Sox don't appear to be more aggressive on some alternatives. In addition to a relatively modest cost (three years, $39 million), Bruce, because he was traded last August, wouldn't have cost the Sox any compensation (draft picks or international signing pool money).

What, one wonders, are they waiting for?

AL EAST

The Yankees can't be counted out yet on Gerrit Cole

The Rays' bullpen features plenty of power arms.

Richard Griffin wonders: what's the holdup with the Blue Jays and Josh Donaldson?

AL CENTRAL

The Indians and closer Cody Allen avoided salary arbitration

The Twins are still in the running for free agent Yu Darvish

The White Sox made a minor deal with the Pirates

AL WEST

Cole Hamels is in line to receive an award for his philanthropy.

Khris Davis and the A's settled on a one-year deal.

Could the Mariners and Jason Vargas have a reunion?

Upon further review, the Astros don't have a deal in place for Gerrit Cole...yet.

NL

The Mets waited out Yoenis Cespedes last winter; the same strategy worked again with Jay Bruce.

TAKE I MAY REGRET IN A MONTH

By now, you've probably seen the ugly story concerning Andrew Benintendi's (former?) agent. The Major League Players Association wasted no time in decertifying Jason Wood, which is as it should be.

The agent business is full of good people doing their best for their clients, but there are also some who are without scruples, taking advantage of others - financially and otherwise. This would seem to be an obvious example of the latter. Good for the MLBPA for acting swiftly and decisively.