The Red Sox made an intriguing depth addition on Wednesday, signing infielder-turned-outfielder Dalton Guthrie to a minor-league deal.
The surname might ring a bell. He’s the son of former Red Sox reliever (and Cape Cod Baseball League veteran) Mark Guthrie. The elder Guthrie’s 15-year MLB profession included a World Series championship with the ’91 Minnesota Twins and 46 appearances for the ’99 Red Sox earlier than they traded him to the Chicago Cubs for nearer Rod Beck. Guthrie additionally confronted off towards future Boston heroes Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell when the Cubs and Florida Marlins confronted off the ’03 NLCS, giving up an Eleventh-inning homer to Lowell in Game 1.
Now that everybody’s feeling outdated and pondering the all-too-rapid passage of time, right here’s what the youthful Guthrie brings to the desk:
He was the Philadelphia Phillies’ sixth-round choose in 2017, and reached the Majors with the membership in 2022. As a September call-up, Guthrie helped the Phillies return to the postseason for the primary time since their Golden Era resulted in ’11. He hit effectively in 14 video games that fall, going 7-for-21 (.333) with a homer, three runs, 5 batted in, six walks, and 7 strikeouts, serving to the Phillies return to the postseason for the primary time since 2011.
Guthrie struggled in ’23, solely managing to go 4-for-24 (.167) over 23 video games. He spent most of final 12 months in Triple-A, first with the Phillies, earlier than the San Francisco Giants bought his contract, and eventually, the Atlanta Braves, who claimed him off waivers in July. He’s hit .289/.357/.434 all through his three years of Triple-A baseball.
Though he’s more likely to start the season in Triple-A Worcester, Guthrie provides depth to a Red Sox outfield at present projected to incorporate both Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, or each – they’ve simply 28 video games of Major League expertise apiece – and extra infield depth. He’s logged at the least 582 minor-league innings at heart area, shortstop, second, and third base, in addition to 398 in proper and 290 in left.
Guthrie’s big-league profession continues to be within the small sample-size stage, however the 16.1% stroll charge is notable. He additionally brings some velocity to the desk; in ’22, he led the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate Lehigh Valley IronPigs with 21 stolen bases. In his first two years within the Majors, he ranked within the 88th and 82nd MLB Percentile for Sprint Speed; his 28.6 toes/seconds would have ranked fifth on the ’23 Red Sox, behind Jarren Duran, David Hamilton, Trevor Story and Rafaela.
Guthrie additionally made the Phillies’ Division Series roster in his debut season. By serving as a pinch-runner and taking part in a pair of innings in right-field in that sequence, he has extra playoff expertise than most members of the Red Sox 40-man roster.
Source: www.bostonherald.com