JUPITER, Fla. '€“ When Mike Napoliwas hit on the inside of the left wrist by a Kevin Slowey fastball in the third inning of the Red Sox'€™ game against the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium, one fan in attendance took particular notice. '€œOooh!'€ exclaimed Red Sox principal owner John Henry, taking one step forward in anticipation as Napoli was checked by the training staff. A few minutes, all was well, with Napoli staying in the game and Henry calmly returning to his seat. '€œI'€™m fine,'€ the first baseman said after leaving the game in what turned into an 8-7 Marlins win over the Red Sox. '€œAny time you hit around your hand area, it doesn'€™t take much for something to go wrong. At first it was a little numb and then I kind of got feeling back into it.'€ '€œThat's the last thing you want, especially in the spring, hitting a guy near the hand," Slowey said. "The pitch just came back. It's frustrating. That's certainly not what you want to do." Napoli not only remained in the game, but continued to impress while doing so. The former catcher held is own at first base once again, while adding a walk in two plate appearances. Napoli is hitting .364 with a 1.400 OPS. Perhaps most important was taking another step toward feeling like a full-time first baseman. '€œEvery day I come to the park and I don'€™t even think about catching,'€ he said. '€œI don'€™t think about it anymore. I'€™ve let it go.'€ He added, '€œI think I'€™m comfortable now. Before I was iffy. I wasn'€™t sure. I didn'€™t really know what I was doing over there. It'€™s a lot better.'€ - Before the game, Red Sox manager John Farrell insinuatedJon Lester would be his Opening Day starter, saying he wasn'€™t ready to name his pitcher for April 1, but judging by the set-up of the rotation it should be easy to figure out. After his five-inning outing '€“ in which he gave up one run on three hits while striking out four and not walking a batter '€“ Lester wouldn'€™t reveal if plans had been set in motion for his third straight Opening Day start. When told after his appearance that he had '€œsort of'€ been identified as the starter in the opener, Lester days, '€œHave I? Sort of? '€¦ Oh, well, I haven'€™t even figured it out so I'€™m glad he told you guys that. I don'€™t look that far ahead yet.'€ Lester continued to perform like he was worthy of a start in the first regular season game, still giving off the image of an ace. He still, however, sees room for improvement. '€œThe last two I don'€™t think have been as good as the first two as far as from pitch one to the end. I don'€™t know if this is because I'€™m throwing more pitches or what,'€ said Lester, who threw 54 pitches (38 strikes). '€œI feel like early on today, I was a little out of synch, even in the second but I was able to correct everything and get back to where I needed to be. But it'€™s coming, it'€™s a work in progress, it'€™s getting better as far as being a little more consistent, when I get into the game I have to be more mindful of the checkpoints we have in place and get back to those a little more quickly then I'€™m doing now. '€œI feel pretty good, but I don'€™t want to have everything clicking right now, I kind of want to build it up that first start and hopefully kind of roll it over into there and get it going. I feel good, that'€™s the main thing, everything has been good physically, just some minor things in game that I need to improve on but I'€™ve been feeling pretty good.'€ - The legend of Jackie Bradley Jr. continues. The outfielder led off the game with a first-pitch home run, and finished the afternoon by going 3-for-4. It boosts his batting average to .519 (14-for-27) for the spring. '€œAs he'€™s shown all camp, right-handed pitching, left-handed pitching, his balance at the plate, he stays inside the ball,'€ Farrell said. '€œWe'€™re seeing as we get deeper into camp pitchers are getting their timing. They'€™re repeating their delivery and making good pitches, and he'€™s handled many types of guys. He'€™s had a strong camp. - Rubby De La Rosa had a rough outing, walking four while allowing five runs and two hits in just 2/3 innings. It was the second rocky appearance by the Sox'€™ pitching prospect, who allowed three runs over two innings against Pittsburgh last Wednesday. '€œI think going back to the last outing and today again, it looks like he'€™s overthrown,'€ Farrell said of De La Rosa. '€œHis fastball command has been erratic. He'€™s always having to fight his way back into the count. Creating a little bit of a zone issue. Creating traffic with some bases on balls. But today it showed up a little bit more than the other day. Just overthrowing and not trusting his stuff as he should.'€ - The Red Sox'€™ loss came after they had built a 7-1 lead after seven innings. The final blow came courtesy Miami'€™s Christian Yelich, who claimed a walk-off, two-run blast against Sox'€™ reliever Chris Carpenter. A highlight for the Red Sox was Will Middlebrooks' first home run of the spring, a two-run blast over the left field fence in the seventh inning.

With word trickling out of Jupiter, Fla., that the Marlins were reportedly "outraged" about a visiting Red Sox lineup earlier this week that featured just one potential big league regular (Jackie Bradley Jr.) -- a number that fell short of the four regulars required by Major League Baseball in all spring games -- Red Sox principal owner John Henry offered a pointed return of such criticism. "They should apologize for their regular season lineup,"Henry wrote on twitter.

They should apologize for their regular season lineup.

— John W. Henry (@John_W_Henry) March 8, 2014

It appears that Pedro Martinez's understandable enthusiasm over Marlins ace Jose Fernandez has gotten the better of him. One day after Martinez tweeted that Fernandez, "is a special pitcher and human being and in every form you look at him you see BOSTON RED SOX," a source in the league office said that Martinez's comment is being investigated and will likely result in a "reminder" that such commentary technically constitutes tampering.

Jose Fernandez is a special pitcher and human being and in every form you look at him you see BOSTON RED SOX.

— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) June 18, 2016

I dont have the words to describe the pain feel for the loss of my friend Jose. Goodbye, my friend. pic.twitter.com/xvaa5z62RW

— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) September 25, 2016

Can't be true. CANNOT be true!

— Hanley Ramirez (@HanleyRamirez) September 25, 2016

My heart is with Jose's and the other victims' families, and my cherished Marlins family. My deepest condolences. This is heartbreaking

— Hanley Ramirez (@HanleyRamirez) September 25, 2016

wow very sad new this morning...hands down one of my favorite guys to watch pitch! He brought nothing but intensity and passion #ripjose

— David Price (@DAVIDprice24) September 25, 2016

Please pray for Fernandez's family today..absolutely sickening news. Worst news to wake up to

— Travis Shaw (@travis_shaw21) September 25, 2016

My gosh. Just sick in my stomach hearing about Jose Fernandez. Praying for his family, friends, and teammates...

— Brad Ziegler (@BradZiegler) September 25, 2016

Woke up to terrible news! Our baseball community has been hit hard from the loss of Jose. May God bless his family 🙏🏾#LongLiveJose

— Mookie Betts (@mookiebetts) September 25, 2016

Former Red Sox right-hander Junichi Tazawa has agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract with the Miami Marlins, according to multiple published reports. Tazawa, 30, had spent his entire career with the Red Sox since signing out of Japan in 2008. A key member of the 2013 World Series champions, he had seen his effectiveness wane in recent seasons, particularly last year, when he went 3-2 with a 4.17 ERA. His 256 appearances since 2013 ranked fourth in the American League, but they also took a toll. He lost his job as primary setup man midway through last season and basically became a mop-up man. Tazawa becomes the second high-profile member of the title-winning bullpen to depart this offseason, joining countryman Koji Uehara, who signed with the Cubs. Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had made it clear early in the offseason that Tazawa wouldn't be part of the team's plans this winter.  

ORLANDO -- It was assumed that the Marlins would have to make a choice. Either they get a haul of prospects for Giancarlo Stanton, or punt on securing a boatload of talent in exchange for someone taking on a hefty portion of the $295 million owed the outfielder.

But, at this point, it appears as though Miami is looking for a lot of both.

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, "Some rival execs view the Marlins' prospect asking price for Giancarlo Stanton as shockingly high and somewhat out of touch with reality, and not discounted nearly enough given the whopping $295 million he's owed (with the forthcoming out clause after the 2020 season)."

When it comes to the Red Sox, there is also some doubt that Stanton would waive his no-trade clause to come to Boston. Speaking to the media (including the Sun-Sentinel's Tim Healey) at the GM meetings Monday, Marlins president Michael Hill did reveal he was aware of which teams the slugger would agree to land with.

When talking about a potential Stanton deal, Hill wasn't very forthcoming in offering deals:

Stanton no-trade, how hard of an obstacle is that in doing anything with him?

I think it’s just part of the process. We’ll see where things go with that. Ultimately, if something were to happen, he has full no-trade protection.
 
Any indication of who he’d accept to?


I’m not getting into particulars with him, but if the appropriate time, if it happens, it’s something we would discuss.
 
Not keep him updated? Go to him when more finality?


With the whole trade process, there’s rumors out there, and there’s a lot of them. I didn’t speak to the media until last week and he’s been traded 15 million times. We work internally. We do what we need to do. If we need to present him with something, we’ll do so at the appropriate time.
 
Later rather than sooner?


I wouldn’t say that.
 
No sense in generalities of where he'd be willing to go?


I didn’t say that.

So you do have a sense?


I do have a sense, and we’ll keep that internal. At the appropriate time, we’ll discuss whatever we need to discuss.

More about dollars or players? Sliding scale?


I’m not getting into particulars as it pertains to any of our players.

When it comes to the Marlins trading Giancarlo Stanton, there has been just a trickle of news.

At the GM meetings a week ago, Miami owner Derek Jeter said there were no guarantees he was going to move his highly-paid outfielder. Since then we've gotten the news that the Giants and  Cardinals have extended formal offers, with the Red Sox potentially lining up to give their best shot.

Most of the reports involving the Giants and Cardinals involve significant players/prospects heading the Marlins way, which would mean those teams most likely wouldn't be eating a healthy chunk of the $295 million owed Stanton over the next 10 years. The Red Sox could position themselves as a team that would ease the financial burden that seems to be weighing down the Marlins.

So, we wait.

While there is no blueprint as to how this is going to unfold, it is worth it to look back at how last offseason's mega-trade went down. In case you forgot, that would be the one involving Chris Sale.

The Red Sox officially sent Michael Kopech, Yoan Moncada, Luis Alexander Basabe and Victor Diaz to the White Sox for Sale on Dec. 6. That would have been a month after the two teams engaged in talks at the GM meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz. Four weeks. That's how long it took to unfurl the particulars of the trade, with Chicago general manager Rick Hahn using the time probably much in the same way Jeter and Co. is right now.

"We had a sense once before we got to the GM meetings what course we were going to go down," Hahn told WEEI.com. "The pace of it wasn't really clear because we weren't quite sure how much overlap we were going to have with other clubs as to how we were valuing our guys. The meetings were the first taste of what the market was actually going to be. Who was going to be serious. What they were willing to part with for some of our players. And then we were able to go back to Chicago and try and put things in order and zero in a little bit more on conversations that were worth continuing versus those that were going nowhere.

"Our talks with Boston really picked up before the winter meetings. We had a meeting at GM meetings. We had a follow-up conversation after the meetings. But it wasn't until we were able to truly get a firm sense of the market that we were able to accelerate things and focus in on a deal with them."

One interesting aspect of the month-long evaluation period was where the Red Sox were in Scottsdale, and how they were viewed by the White Sox in the weeks immediate after. The lesson to be learned is that while it would have appeared St. Louis and San Francisco were positioning themselves as the favorites to land Stanton, the landscape could change sharply leading up to Dec. 11, when the winter meetings kick off in Orlando.

"I thought they had the potential to be," said Hahn when asked if the Red Sox were viewed as one of the clubs with a better-than-average chance to get Sale. "I don't think I would have called them the favorites when we left Scottsdale. I wouldn't have handicapped them as the favorites, but they were very much in the mix.

"I think at the time there was some question in regards to the CBT [competitive balance] tax that they were sensitive to when we met in Scottsdale. I think things had to be firmed up with the CBA. Our meeting was more speculative, so I knew it wasn't going to come quickly with them, but at the same time we knew it was going to take some time to get to a deal with anyone."

And it did take some time, as it probably will when it comes to the Marlins. Different player. Slightly different dyanmics. But same anxiousness as the meat and potatoes of the Hot Stove season kicks in.

While there has been seemingly very little movement in the Giancarlo Stanton trade talks, some hints have been offered as to how things are progressing.

We know that both St. Louis and San Francisco have made formal offers to the Marlins for the slugger's services. And Monday a MLB.com report surfaced that said Stanton -- who holds full no-trade protection in his contract -- has told Miami which landing spots would be his preferences, with his hometown Dodgers residing on the list of approved clubs.

Now comes word from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal that the Red Sox are one of three teams -- joining the Giants and Cardinals -- who are believed to be "engaged" in talks for Stanton.

Writes Rosenthal: "The Marlins, sources said, are engaged with three clubs, believed to be the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox. Three other unidentified clubs are on the periphery, capable of entering the mix. Those clubs, however, risk losing out if they do not turn more aggressive, sources said—and it’s not out of the question that Stanton’s appeal might persuade one or more of them to jump in."

What does this mean?

One way to look at it is that if the Red Sox are continuing to pursue Stanton in some form or fashion that would suggest the slugger has shown at least some semblance of interest in coming to Boston. If he didn't then why would the Marlins waste Dave Dombrowski's time? The same goes for both St. Louis and San Francisco, neither of which were seen as locks to get approval from the outfielder.

The Marlins were taking the approach of fielding interest from all clubs before diving into the weeds of Stanton's desires. But, again, why would the conversations continue if there was any suggestion that Stanton would veto a potential trade?

Another interesting note in Rosenthal's piece is the notion that teams might look at Stanton's right to opt-out after the 2020 season as a benefit, not a negative. If the 28-year-old does choose to take the free agent route after three seasons, the team acquiring him this offseason would be saving $208 million.

What isn't clear is what it will take to get Stanton, with multiple general managers telling WEEI.com at the recent GM meetings the belief was that if a club was willing to take on the majority of what is left on the outfielder's contract (10 years, $295 million), an overwhelming package of talent wouldn't have to be included. This might be the Red Sox' best bet considering the lack of high-end minor-leaguers left in their farm system. (To read more about that, click here.)

While you are waiting for more news about a possible Stanton trade, MLB.com gives us an idea of how the slugger's swing might translate to Fenway Park:

BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Well, this was an interesting turn.

While everyone was wondering why Giancarlo Stanton didn't put the Red Sox on his list of preferred teams to land with, it appears the point was moot. Speaking at the MLB winter meetings, Stanton's agent, Joel Wolfe, said that Boston never showed interest in acquiring the outfielder.

"Boston was never presented to us as an option," Wolfe said after his client was introduced as the newest New York Yankee. "To my knowledge, Boston never had any interest in him. Not that they don't love him as a player, but they never tried to make a deal with the Marlins."

When asked if he was surprised the Red Sox didn't make a play for Stanton, Wolfe said he wasn't, citing the trio of Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi.

Also of note was Wolfe's assertion that the Red Sox told him they were heading in another direction this offseason in regards to what was being pursued.

"We were told at the GM meetings they were looking for pitching and other areas," said Wolfe, who added, "It just didn't look like it was going to be a priority. They were prioritizing pitching."

BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Two hours after Giancarlo Stanton's agent, Joel Wolfe, said the Red Sox never showed any interest in his client, while also suggesting Dave Dombrowski said his team was prioritizing pitching, the Sox' president of baseball operations told a different story.

Meeting with the local media at the MLB winter meetings Monday, Dombrowski explained the timeline as to the conversations he had with the Marlins regarding Stanton, starting with talks held at the GM meetings in mid-November.

"The early asks for him were not things that we were interested in," he said. "And then as time went on at the end, there were no conversations based upon … he was traded. I had a pulse, they had a deal done with St. Louis, they had a deal done with San Francisco. At that point, when I reached out, they were in the midst of dealing with the Yankees at that point, but no, we never told them we were prioritizing pitching overall."

Dombrowski noted that his most recent conversation with Marlins GM Michael Hill came last week, "but he was in the midst of the Yankee deal at that point."

The Red Sox' president later added, "We were not on  his immediate list (of preferred teams to be dealt to). We called at the end. We were not on his list. So they were going somewhere else. Yeah, we did all our homework on Stanton. I had a long conversation – in fact, some of you guys saw me talking to Mike Hill during the General Managers’ meetings standing out there. I had a long conversation. I knew exactly where everything was, what they were looking for, dollars that were involved. It’s just not where we were at that particular time. And you have to remember that the guys they got from St. Louis or San Francisco at those particular times might have been a little better than what they ended up getting in their own minds. And then they switched off and at that point, he had given them the four clubs that he would go to and we weren’t one of the four."

As for the assertion made by Wolfe that the Red Sox had suggested pitching, not finding a bat, was their priority this offseason, Dombrowski flatly refuted the idea.

"No, and I never said that to him. I might have said we were looking at relief pitching. But no, I never said … we’re not prioritizing pitching," he noted. "I think that their basic conversations with us, they looked at our outfield and thought they probably weren’t a fit with our ballclub, which, based on that, we’re looking for a middle of the order bat. That hasn’t changed. First base or DH."

Dombrowski did say that the completion of the Stanton deal with the Yankees, which was announced at the Dolphin Hotel and Resort Monday, didn't alter the Sox' plans.

"I woke up Saturday morning with little rumors Friday night, it didn’t like make my day that he went to the Yankees by any means," he said. "He’s a heck of a player. I don’t think it can change what we do because we’re already trying to be the best club we possibly can. When you’re in a club like we are in our position, you’re in a spot where you’re not only trying to beat the clubs in your own division, but the best club in the league and the best club overall. We’re already trying to do that. I don’t think it changes what we’re trying to do. It’s just some things that we’re trying to accomplish. I’m in a spot where we’ve used the Golden State name back and forth. They’ve got a heck of a club, but we’ve got a good club too. There’s 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 it in the sense that we’re already trying to get better and do the best we possibly can. They already had a good club and I know he makes them better."

Dombrowski also shot down a report from earlier Monday that the Red Sox were shopping Jackie Bradley Jr.

"I don't know where those rumors started, but they're not accurate," he said. "I can say we have interest in our players and people have asked about our players, often. But I would say we're very happy with our outfield. Could we do anything? I can't say we can't do anything with any of our players. But we like our outfield."

Welcome to Wednesday’s Morning Mashup. For the latest news, start at our WEEI.com home page or click here for the top stories from our news wire. 

WEDNESDAY’S BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS:
NBA: Miami at Boston, 7:30 p.m. (NBCSB)
NBA: LA Lakers at Houston, 8 p.m. (NBATV)
NBA: Memphis at Golden State, 10:30 p.m. (NBATV)
NHL: Detroit at Philadelphia, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)

AROUND THE WEB:

-- David Ortiz is set to star in an upcoming reality show in which he tries out different professions in search of a job after baseball.

The retired Red Sox legend landed the lead role in “Big Papi Needs a Job,” a 10-part unscripted series to air on Fusion beginning Jan. 31 at 8 p.m.

Tune in January 31st at 8pm for #BigPapionFUSION! Check your local listings here: https://t.co/H6atXgA3oV. @davidortiz@fusiontv@MatadorContentpic.twitter.com/HmPeaZ2FIB

— Big Papi Productions (@bigpapiprod) December 19, 2017

The show will follow Ortiz as he tries his hand at different professions, such as dog groomer, manicurist, musician and stadium tour guide.

"Ever since I was a kid I've never been known for sitting still — after 20 years on the field, I’m ready for something new,” Ortiz said in a statement. “I’ve always been about trying new things, and this series is all about that. I’ve been meeting new people and having a lot of fun. I can’t wait for fans to come along for the ride.”​

-- Derek Jeter and the Marlins held a town hall meeting for season ticket holders on Tuesday and from what reporters were tweeting from the event, it was wild.

Jeter took questions from angry fans, including the well-known Marlins Man (real name Laurence Leavy), took the mic to state some of his demands.

"SAY MY NAME" -Walter White/Marlins Man https://t.co/YnnOLT57N2

— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) December 20, 2017

Marlins Man on a roll.  Asking for Marlins Man Monday’s and throwing out a first pitch.  This is me now... pic.twitter.com/GkVENN1byA

— Will Manso (@WillManso) December 20, 2017

"This makes me miss Loria" Marlins Man said. "Who would have thought THAT!"... Jeter enters to mild, polite applause https://t.co/vSpQMXOjqk

— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) December 19, 2017

“Marlins Man just gave long speech. Jeter says he will let him throw out first pitch but will not drive in Marlins-mobile with him” -- Barry Jackson

“First fan: "I encourage you to give out free tickets for every game. If you give free tickets out you will get souvenir money food money, that will fix the problem."

Jeter response: "alright you've got it all figured out giving away free tickets is the solution."(sarcastically),” Aram Leighton tweeted.

“Marlins fan now crying at podium asking why didn't add pitching and keep top offensive players. Jeter asks what pitchers could have signed?” Jackson tweeted.

“Jeter telling the fan who was crying that he appreciates her passion.  Says it wants it to happen and turnaround as soon as possible for her and all fans,” Will Manso tweeted.

“I can’t sit here and say trust me,” Jeter told the crowd. “You don’t know me. You earn trust over time. I know how organizations are sustainable over time. I know you have been through a lot. I can’t relate to it. It’s going to be a tough road. It’s going to take time and effort.”

“This is an organization that is losing a significant amount of money,” he continued. “We didn’t buy this team to continue losing money or more importantly, losing games. More of the same is not the answer.”　

Jeter and his ownership group bought the team in August and the former Yankee has received backlash for some of his moves in the past few months.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:"And in that moment as I’m thinking in my head, ‘Do I spike it? Do I not?’ I went with, and I probably wish I would have listened to my gut now obviously in hindsight, I should have listened to that instead of listening to running a play and I just tried to make a play to Eli [Rogers>. I don’t regret it, I just wish I would had made a better throw. I’ll take the blame for the interception at the end of the game.” -- Ben Roethlisberger, on the interception he threw in the final seconds of the Steelers’ loss to the Patriots on Sunday

Here's the Red Sox lineup vs. the Marlins in Miami, with lefty Brian Johnson opposing righty Trevor Richards:

Mookie Betts RF
Andrew Benintendi LF
Hanley Ramirez 1B
Rafael Devers 3B
Xander Bogaerts SS
Eduardo Nunez 2B
Jackie Bradley Jr. CF
Christian Vazquez C
Brian Johnson LHP

The Red Sox have won three straight after dropping the season-opener in Tampa Bay.

MIAMI -- We knew Alex Cora the player. We knew Alex Cora the spring training manager. But we didn't know Alex Cora the manager until the last six games.

What we also didn't know was what Cora's team might look (and feel) like.

Now we have a much better idea.

The Red Sox are hitting their home opener with the organization's best start since 2006, improving to 5-1 after a 4-2, 13-inning win over Miami at Marlins Park Tuesday night. That is about as good as Cora's club could hope for, even if the wins came against two teams some might consider closer to the International League than American or National League. (For a complete recap, click here.)

But the real takeaway was what we can now make of this collection of Red Sox. Cora said himself after the latest win, this is a team that has plenty of room for improvement. At the same time, it is fairly obvious there are plenty of signs to suggest they can compete with the likes of the Yankees while eclipsing the 93 wins of the past two seasons.

What is most interesting about the vibe emanating from the Red Sox as they jetted home late Tuesday night was what it all meant. This stretch of games should be remembered as more of a foundation than finished product. That was evident throughout Cora weaving his way through his first two series as a big league manager.

Taking starters out early. Going right back to relievers after bad outings. Choosing to not warm up relievers during dicey times, erring on the side of unnecessary up-downs. Building up the confidence of Hanley Ramirez. Making it clear to all corners of the starting nine that some sort of rest was coming their way.

And all along the way he was making no apologies for any of it.

The feeling you get walking through the clubhouse is that this is a much more confident bunch than a year ago. There is no trace of a longing for David Ortiz. The likes of Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts aren't walking on the eggshells of years past. And when Cora walks through the clubhouse there isn't a hint of anxiety.

While the starting rotation has been historically good in not giving up more than a single run in any of its first six starts, their most impressive feat has been setting the tone for themselves. Cora has been asked multiple times if the group's success has been a surprise and his consistent answer has been, "No, it's what we expected."

Confident Cora clearly hasn't been a bad thing. Realistic Cora has also been important.

These Red Sox are still getting thrown out on the bases at key times all over the place. "It’s in their DNA," the manager said after getting two more men thrown out at home, Tuesday night. "It is. It’s hard. I don’t want to take away their aggressiveness. But we have to get better and they know it."

They are still searching a bit when it comes to legitimate second-in-line relievers after Matt Barnes suffered his first hiccup, sending the series finale to extra innings by allowing an 11th-inning run. 

The Red Sox are still trying to find a consistent offensive groove, residing in the middle of the pack in almost every statistic, including the much-talked-about percentage of times the first pitch has been offered at. 

And, oh my goodness, we almost forgot: J.D. Martinez still doesn't have a home run. (The guess is that such a feat isn't far away, much like a game in which Giancarlo Stanton doesn't strike out five times.)

This was all just the initial introduction. So far, overall it's been a positive first impression.

I dont have the words to describe the pain feel for the loss of my friend Jose. Goodbye, my friend. pic.twitter.com/xvaa5z62RW

— David Ortiz (@davidortiz) September 25, 2016

Can't be true. CANNOT be true!

— Hanley Ramirez (@HanleyRamirez) September 25, 2016

My heart is with Jose's and the other victims' families, and my cherished Marlins family. My deepest condolences. This is heartbreaking

— Hanley Ramirez (@HanleyRamirez) September 25, 2016

wow very sad new this morning...hands down one of my favorite guys to watch pitch! He brought nothing but intensity and passion #ripjose

— David Price (@DAVIDprice24) September 25, 2016

Please pray for Fernandez's family today..absolutely sickening news. Worst news to wake up to

— Travis Shaw (@travis_shaw21) September 25, 2016

My gosh. Just sick in my stomach hearing about Jose Fernandez. Praying for his family, friends, and teammates...

— Brad Ziegler (@BradZiegler) September 25, 2016

Woke up to terrible news! Our baseball community has been hit hard from the loss of Jose. May God bless his family 🙏🏾#LongLiveJose

— Mookie Betts (@mookiebetts) September 25, 2016

Former Red Sox right-hander Junichi Tazawa has agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract with the Miami Marlins, according to multiple published reports. Tazawa, 30, had spent his entire career with the Red Sox since signing out of Japan in 2008. A key member of the 2013 World Series champions, he had seen his effectiveness wane in recent seasons, particularly last year, when he went 3-2 with a 4.17 ERA. His 256 appearances since 2013 ranked fourth in the American League, but they also took a toll. He lost his job as primary setup man midway through last season and basically became a mop-up man. Tazawa becomes the second high-profile member of the title-winning bullpen to depart this offseason, joining countryman Koji Uehara, who signed with the Cubs. Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had made it clear early in the offseason that Tazawa wouldn't be part of the team's plans this winter.  

ORLANDO -- It was assumed that the Marlins would have to make a choice. Either they get a haul of prospects for Giancarlo Stanton, or punt on securing a boatload of talent in exchange for someone taking on a hefty portion of the $295 million owed the outfielder.

But, at this point, it appears as though Miami is looking for a lot of both.

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, "Some rival execs view the Marlins' prospect asking price for Giancarlo Stanton as shockingly high and somewhat out of touch with reality, and not discounted nearly enough given the whopping $295 million he's owed (with the forthcoming out clause after the 2020 season)."

When it comes to the Red Sox, there is also some doubt that Stanton would waive his no-trade clause to come to Boston. Speaking to the media (including the Sun-Sentinel's Tim Healey) at the GM meetings Monday, Marlins president Michael Hill did reveal he was aware of which teams the slugger would agree to land with.

When talking about a potential Stanton deal, Hill wasn't very forthcoming in offering deals:

Stanton no-trade, how hard of an obstacle is that in doing anything with him?

I think it’s just part of the process. We’ll see where things go with that. Ultimately, if something were to happen, he has full no-trade protection.
 
Any indication of who he’d accept to?


I’m not getting into particulars with him, but if the appropriate time, if it happens, it’s something we would discuss.
 
Not keep him updated? Go to him when more finality?


With the whole trade process, there’s rumors out there, and there’s a lot of them. I didn’t speak to the media until last week and he’s been traded 15 million times. We work internally. We do what we need to do. If we need to present him with something, we’ll do so at the appropriate time.
 
Later rather than sooner?


I wouldn’t say that.
 
No sense in generalities of where he'd be willing to go?


I didn’t say that.

So you do have a sense?


I do have a sense, and we’ll keep that internal. At the appropriate time, we’ll discuss whatever we need to discuss.

More about dollars or players? Sliding scale?


I’m not getting into particulars as it pertains to any of our players.

When it comes to the Marlins trading Giancarlo Stanton, there has been just a trickle of news.

At the GM meetings a week ago, Miami owner Derek Jeter said there were no guarantees he was going to move his highly-paid outfielder. Since then we've gotten the news that the Giants and  Cardinals have extended formal offers, with the Red Sox potentially lining up to give their best shot.

Most of the reports involving the Giants and Cardinals involve significant players/prospects heading the Marlins way, which would mean those teams most likely wouldn't be eating a healthy chunk of the $295 million owed Stanton over the next 10 years. The Red Sox could position themselves as a team that would ease the financial burden that seems to be weighing down the Marlins.

So, we wait.

While there is no blueprint as to how this is going to unfold, it is worth it to look back at how last offseason's mega-trade went down. In case you forgot, that would be the one involving Chris Sale.

The Red Sox officially sent Michael Kopech, Yoan Moncada, Luis Alexander Basabe and Victor Diaz to the White Sox for Sale on Dec. 6. That would have been a month after the two teams engaged in talks at the GM meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz. Four weeks. That's how long it took to unfurl the particulars of the trade, with Chicago general manager Rick Hahn using the time probably much in the same way Jeter and Co. is right now.

"We had a sense once before we got to the GM meetings what course we were going to go down," Hahn told WEEI.com. "The pace of it wasn't really clear because we weren't quite sure how much overlap we were going to have with other clubs as to how we were valuing our guys. The meetings were the first taste of what the market was actually going to be. Who was going to be serious. What they were willing to part with for some of our players. And then we were able to go back to Chicago and try and put things in order and zero in a little bit more on conversations that were worth continuing versus those that were going nowhere.

"Our talks with Boston really picked up before the winter meetings. We had a meeting at GM meetings. We had a follow-up conversation after the meetings. But it wasn't until we were able to truly get a firm sense of the market that we were able to accelerate things and focus in on a deal with them."

One interesting aspect of the month-long evaluation period was where the Red Sox were in Scottsdale, and how they were viewed by the White Sox in the weeks immediate after. The lesson to be learned is that while it would have appeared St. Louis and San Francisco were positioning themselves as the favorites to land Stanton, the landscape could change sharply leading up to Dec. 11, when the winter meetings kick off in Orlando.

"I thought they had the potential to be," said Hahn when asked if the Red Sox were viewed as one of the clubs with a better-than-average chance to get Sale. "I don't think I would have called them the favorites when we left Scottsdale. I wouldn't have handicapped them as the favorites, but they were very much in the mix.

"I think at the time there was some question in regards to the CBT [competitive balance] tax that they were sensitive to when we met in Scottsdale. I think things had to be firmed up with the CBA. Our meeting was more speculative, so I knew it wasn't going to come quickly with them, but at the same time we knew it was going to take some time to get to a deal with anyone."

And it did take some time, as it probably will when it comes to the Marlins. Different player. Slightly different dyanmics. But same anxiousness as the meat and potatoes of the Hot Stove season kicks in.

While there has been seemingly very little movement in the Giancarlo Stanton trade talks, some hints have been offered as to how things are progressing.

We know that both St. Louis and San Francisco have made formal offers to the Marlins for the slugger's services. And Monday a MLB.com report surfaced that said Stanton -- who holds full no-trade protection in his contract -- has told Miami which landing spots would be his preferences, with his hometown Dodgers residing on the list of approved clubs.

Now comes word from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal that the Red Sox are one of three teams -- joining the Giants and Cardinals -- who are believed to be "engaged" in talks for Stanton.

Writes Rosenthal: "The Marlins, sources said, are engaged with three clubs, believed to be the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox. Three other unidentified clubs are on the periphery, capable of entering the mix. Those clubs, however, risk losing out if they do not turn more aggressive, sources said—and it’s not out of the question that Stanton’s appeal might persuade one or more of them to jump in."

What does this mean?

One way to look at it is that if the Red Sox are continuing to pursue Stanton in some form or fashion that would suggest the slugger has shown at least some semblance of interest in coming to Boston. If he didn't then why would the Marlins waste Dave Dombrowski's time? The same goes for both St. Louis and San Francisco, neither of which were seen as locks to get approval from the outfielder.

The Marlins were taking the approach of fielding interest from all clubs before diving into the weeds of Stanton's desires. But, again, why would the conversations continue if there was any suggestion that Stanton would veto a potential trade?

Another interesting note in Rosenthal's piece is the notion that teams might look at Stanton's right to opt-out after the 2020 season as a benefit, not a negative. If the 28-year-old does choose to take the free agent route after three seasons, the team acquiring him this offseason would be saving $208 million.

What isn't clear is what it will take to get Stanton, with multiple general managers telling WEEI.com at the recent GM meetings the belief was that if a club was willing to take on the majority of what is left on the outfielder's contract (10 years, $295 million), an overwhelming package of talent wouldn't have to be included. This might be the Red Sox' best bet considering the lack of high-end minor-leaguers left in their farm system. (To read more about that, click here.)

While you are waiting for more news about a possible Stanton trade, MLB.com gives us an idea of how the slugger's swing might translate to Fenway Park:

BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Well, this was an interesting turn.

While everyone was wondering why Giancarlo Stanton didn't put the Red Sox on his list of preferred teams to land with, it appears the point was moot. Speaking at the MLB winter meetings, Stanton's agent, Joel Wolfe, said that Boston never showed interest in acquiring the outfielder.

"Boston was never presented to us as an option," Wolfe said after his client was introduced as the newest New York Yankee. "To my knowledge, Boston never had any interest in him. Not that they don't love him as a player, but they never tried to make a deal with the Marlins."

When asked if he was surprised the Red Sox didn't make a play for Stanton, Wolfe said he wasn't, citing the trio of Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Andrew Benintendi.

Also of note was Wolfe's assertion that the Red Sox told him they were heading in another direction this offseason in regards to what was being pursued.

"We were told at the GM meetings they were looking for pitching and other areas," said Wolfe, who added, "It just didn't look like it was going to be a priority. They were prioritizing pitching."