Red Sox rumors: Mike Morse on radar

We learned this morning that the Boston Red Sox are exploring alternatives at first base to Mike Napoli as negotiations continue indefinitely. While the names mentioned this morning were mostly inconsequential, it has now surfaced that the Red Sox are at least interested in a much bigger fish.

Boston has inquired about trading for Nationals first baseman Michael Morse, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:

The Sox, sources say, are one of the clubs in contact with the Nationals about Morse, who became expendable this week when the Nats re-signed LaRoche to a two-year, $24 million deal.

While the Sox’s public position is that they continue to talk with Napoli, they can back off him the moment they add another first baseman.

While no available trade pieces immediately spring to mind when thinking of the Red Sox -- one of their many catchers, perhaps? -- the club appears to be a good fit for Morse at first glance. Of the many teams -- Yankees, Mariners, Rays and Orioles -- looking into the veteran slugger, the Sox are really the only AL club that would use him in the field primarily, a situation he strongly prefers.

Morse, 30, missed the first two months of the 2012 season due to injury but still put up solid numbers while splitting time between the corner outfield spots and first base. The big, righty slugger hit .291/.321/.470 with 18 home runs in 102 games.