On a never ending quest for affordable help, the Boston Red Sox landed on another former All-Star on Friday, with the club reportedly agreeing to terms with first baseman C.J. Cron on a minor-league deal.
The deal for Cron, who split last year between the Los Angeles Angels and Colorado Rockies, was reported by multiple outlets and baseball’s heavy hitters both locally and nationally. And with all confirming that it will be a minor-league contract for the 1,049-game MLB veteran.
Sources tell me and @KenRosenthal the Red Sox have a minor league deal with first baseman C.J. Cron, adding another right-handed power bat into the mix.
— Chad Jennings (@chadjennings22) March 1, 2024
Cron is now the second former All-Star to sign a minor-league deal with the Red Sox this offseason, joining starter-turned-reliever Michael Fulmer, who inked a two-year deal with Boston last month.
Jul 1, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (25) heads home to score a run in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Coors Field. (Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports)
But as noted, Cron does come to the Red Sox with some recent success to his name, as the righty-swinging Cron was an All-Star for the Rockies back in 2022.
In action for a career-high 150 games, Cron walloped 29 home runs out of the yard, and recorded a career-high 102 RBIs.
Cron also et career-best marks in average (.281), runs (79), triples (three), and hits (148). Cron also recoded at least 25 doubles for the fourth time in his MLB career, which began in 2014 with the Angels.
Aug 11, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Angels first baseman C.J. Cron (25) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Astros pitcher Justin Verlander (35) in the second inning at Minute Maid Park. (Thomas Shea/USA TODAY Sports)
And though Cron’s greatest success as a pro came with his Colorado run, it is worth noting that he has had success outside of Coors Field in his career.
In fact, the majority of Cron’s 10-year MLB career has come in the American League, with runs with the Angels, Tampa Bay Rays, and Minnesota Twins. And Cron’s only MLB season as a 30-home run swinger came with that 2018 run in Tampa, too, with exactly 30 home runs in 140 games for the Rays.
Sep 20, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron (25) runs after his solo home run in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. (Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports)
There’s also something to be said Cron’s success at Fenway Park.
From his time in the American League, Cron has posted a .328 average and 1.033 OPS with six home runs and 13 RBIs, along with three doubles, in 16 career games at Fenway.
It’s his second-best batting average at any park in baseball, trailing only a .333 in 18 career games at Arizona’s Chase Field, while his six home runs are second-most at any ballpark he’s played at fewer than 20 times in his career (he has eight home runs in 18 games in Kansas City).
C.J. Cron to the moon, hits @RaysBaseball longest HR of the @statcast era 💪pic.twitter.com/7qF2Mk2l24
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) August 19, 2018Cron is expected to battle with Bobby Dalbec for a spot on Boston’s Opening Day roster.
Sep 4, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jason Alexander (41) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. (Rick Scuteri/USA TODAY Sports)
In other minor-league news, the Red Sox also signed pitcher Jason Alexander to a minor-league deal.
A 6-foot-3 righty, Alexander appeared in 18 games (11 starts) for the Brewers in 2022, with a 2-3 record and 5.40 ERA over 71.2 innings of work.
The 31-year-old Alexander spent the majority of his 2023 season with Triple-A Nashville, with a 2-4 record and 5.86 ERA in 16 games (eight starts) for the Sounds.
