Report: Red Sox not serious players for Encarnacion

Edwin Encarnacion may be intrigued by the thought of being the heir to David Ortiz in Boston, but the Red Sox front office doesn't appear keen on giving another long-term deal to an ageing designated hitter.

While the Red Sox have been named as a possible destination for Encarnacion this winter, they are reportedly not serious players for the three-time All-Star at the moment, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

Red Sox president Dave Dombrowski has stated publicly that he doesn't believe the team will spend big money to replace Ortiz and is adamant that he doesn't want to commit long term to a DH.

"I'm not sure if we're going to do that just internally with a lot of the people we have, or go outside the organization," Dombrowski told WEEI on Tuesday. "I think that's a decision we're just going to wait and to see what takes place."

Instead, the Red Sox have been linked to both Carlos Beltran and Kendrys Morales - two players that come without draft-pick compensation, offer a power bat, and will be seeking a much shorter deal than Encarnacion.

Encarnacion did appear at 75 games at first base last season, but is viewed as an average defender and at 33 years old, his days in the field are numbered, especially on a long-term deal. What he lacks with his glove, however, he definitely makes up for it at the plate. The slugger hit 42 home runs and drove in 127 RBIs in 160 games with the Blue Jays last season.