Just when it looked like the Red Sox had finally caught a break, signing Rafael Devers to a record extension, Boston’s offseason woes continued earlier this week when it was announced Trevor Story underwent elbow surgery and will miss a chunk of the 2023 season, if not all of it. With Story unavailable, the Red Sox find themselves dangerously thin up the middle, a deficiency underscored by the recent departure of longtime shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
Of Boston’s in-house options to replace Bogaerts, Kiké Hernandez boasts the most experience (64 MLB starts), though moving him to shortstop would then create a similar void in center field. In that scenario, Hernandez’s post in center would presumably be filled by Jarren Duran, who was among the worst defensive center-fielders in baseball last season, famously dogging it on Raimel Tapia’s inside-the-park grand slam. He also wasn’t much of a hitter, batting just .221 with 63 strikeouts in 223 plate appearances (28.3-percent K rate).
With most of their free-agent targets off the board (though old friend Jose Iglesias is still there for the taking), the Red Sox, in addressing their shortstop need, could kick the tires on one of Joey Wendle or Ha-Seong Kim (the latter made expendable by the arrival of Bogaerts, ironically enough), among other trade possibilities. Former All-Star Paul DeJong would also make for an interesting reclamation project, though one avenue the Red Sox haven’t seriously considered is making a play for Pirates slugger Bryan Reynolds, who many anticipate will be dealt in the coming months, if not sooner.
While Reynolds is admittedly a liability in center field, where he ranked dead-last in defensive runs saved a season ago (-14), he’s a potent hitter and only seems to be getting better, breaking out for a career-high 27 homers last year. He’s also a relative bargain, still holding three years of arbitration eligibility before his free agency in 2026. Of course, the fact Reynolds hasn’t been traded already would suggest the Pirates, helmed by former Red Sox GM Ben Cherington, are seeking a huge prospect haul in return. Whether that’s a sacrifice they’re willing to make remains to be seen, though if the Red Sox are hoping to be any sort of relevant this year, trading for an ascendant talent on a rookie contract would be an excellent place to start.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram