So, are the Boston Red Sox going to add an impact bat or what? The Red Sox have been connected to St. Louis Cardinals star Nolan Arenado and free agent slugger Alex Bregman throughout the offseason. And members of the franchise’s front office have been open about the desire to balance a left-heavy lineup with a quality right-handed bat. During a recent conversation with MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow offered an update on the rumored pursuits of Arenado and Bregman. “We’re open-minded,” Breslow said on “The Fenway Rundown” podcast. “We’ve talked about versatility, we’ve talked about opportunities to improve infield defense. We do feel like we have a very strong outfield defense but I think we’ll be open-minded.

“Ultimately, some of this — or a significant portion of this — is going to be driven by balancing the lineup and the damage that can be done in the right side of the batter’s box.” Arenado reportedly is “highly, highly motivated” to force a trade to Boston, whereas Bregman’s free agency has lingered amid his desire for a long-term deal. The Red Sox would have to rearrange their infield to accommodate either addition. With spring training just around the corner, Boston could make a big move sooner rather than later. Pitchers and catchers report Tuesday, with the first full-squad workout scheduled for Feb. 17.