Much has been mentioned about how the Red Sox want pitching, however new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has additionally gone on document as saying the membership wants one other bat, too.
Specifically, the Red Sox might use one other right-handed hitter to assist steadiness out the lineup. The membership might additionally use an improve at second base or a delegated hitter who provides some extent of positional versatility.
The marketplace for place gamers isn’t almost as deep because the pitching market, however there are nonetheless quite a few fascinating choices accessible via trades and free company. For the needs of this train, we’re going to disregard monetary concerns or what it would take to land somebody in a commerce and as an alternative focus extra on match and what every participant might probably convey to the desk.
Shohei Ohtani, DH
On one hand Ohtani actually doesn’t make quite a lot of sense for the Red Sox in any respect. He’s a left-handed bat who will solely DH subsequent season, so positionally including him could be like jamming a sq. peg via a spherical gap.
On the opposite hand, it’s Shohei Freaking Ohtani! This man led the American League in residence runs (44) and all of MLB in OPS (1.066), so there’s no extra impactful addition the Red Sox might make to the center of their order. If the Red Sox can get him, they shouldn’t hesitate. They can determine all the opposite stuff out later.
Jorge Soler, OF/DH
In phrases of gamers who match the Red Sox current wants, you may do rather a lot worse than Soler. The right-handed slugger hit 36 residence runs with an .853 OPS with the Marlins final 12 months, and up to now he’s hit 48 homers in a season. He’s additionally received two World Series titles and earned World Series MVP in 2021 with the Atlanta Braves, so he has a successful observe document. The draw back to Soler is he’s a poor defender and would primarily play DH, so he wouldn’t do something to assist enhance the membership’s defensive woes.
Rhys Hoskins, 1B/DH
Hoskins missed all of final season as a consequence of a torn ACL, however he hit 27 or extra homers in every of final earlier 4 full seasons. A right-handed bat, Hoskins has confirmed energy and likewise walks rather a lot, which makes his large strikeout price much more palatable. Hoskins would additionally primarily DH however might often platoon at first base with Triston Casas to assist in giving the second-year standout a while off his ft.
Mitch Garver, C/DH
Like Soler and Hoskins, Garver is a robust right-handed hitter who would primarily function DH. He’s additionally famend as an ideal clubhouse man and noticed important time in the course of the Rangers’ World Series run this previous October. Garver is harm inclined and has by no means performed greater than 102 video games in seven MLB seasons, however he can also play catcher and has some expertise at first base, making him extra versatile than the opposite DH-types.
Whit Merrifield, INF/OF
How about an infielder? If the Red Sox need a confirmed performer on a short-term deal, Merrifield is the perfect candidate on the open market. The right-handed hitter can play each second base and outfield and stays a pressure on the bottom paths, recording 26 stolen bases final season. He’s additionally going to be 35 and each his bat and underlying metrics aren’t nice, so there’s danger right here, but when Boston is on the lookout for somebody to man the fort till Marcelo Mayer is prepared, then Merrifield could be a strong alternative.
Brandon Drury, 2B
An even higher possibility than Merrifield could possibly be Drury, although the Red Sox must swing a commerce with the Los Angeles Angels to get him. Drury is coming off a season by which he hit 26 residence runs with an .803 OPS, and past second base he also can play just about each place on the diamond. The right-handed hitter is signed via 2024, so he’d completely match Boston’s timetable too, nevertheless it’s not clear if the Angels would commerce him given their very own unsure state of affairs.
Jonathan India, 2B
This one may be extra of a long-shot, however with all the prime infield prospects who debuted for the Cincinnati Reds this season, the previous 2021 NL Rookie of the Year might quickly discover himself on the commerce block. India can be a right-handed batter who might instantly slot in as Boston’s second baseman, and with three years of workforce management he’d increase Boston’s flooring in case Mayer or Boston’s different prime prospects want longer than one other season to develop.
Source: www.bostonherald.com