Boston Red Sox: Letting third base ride on Deven Marrero

The Boston Red Sox continue to explore options at third base, but they might be better off holding serve with Deven Marrero.

Trade rumors continue to swirl around the Boston Red Sox and the third base position. A key target in Todd Frazier is off the table, thanks to a big swap on Tuesday night that sent him to the rival empire in New York.

Names continue to be thrown around, but at this point the Red Sox should seriously continue riding out the 2017 storm with Deven Marrero.

Yep. Go with the guy that’s struggling to hit above .200.

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Since an early season suggestion of taking the leap by giving Hanley Ramirez a go at the hot corner was ignored, I’m now throwing my support behind Marrero.

It’s far from ideal, but the Red Sox are better off spent focusing on a relief pitching over the third base position. Power is definitely a need, though they did hit three home runs in Tuesday’s win. (Over the course of 15 innings, but hey, it’s a start.)

Middle relief is the bigger issue as of now, one Boston should prioritize.

Especially if any trade is simply going to bring somebody to Boston for a three-month rental at third base.

Barring a slowing in progress, the position will be Rafael Devers to man in the foreseeable future. Why not let Marrero be the man in 2017?

Solid glove backed by an occasional bat

Before a two-run single in Boston’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, Marrero had been 0 for his last 10.

Related Story: Boston Red Sox: Deven Marrero earning more work at third base

And a .186 June, in which he drove in six runs in 19 games, didn’t do much to give hope to the faithful.

But before his most recent skid, Marrero went 7-16 (.438) before the all-star break.

He’s not going to hit four home runs a week, but Marrero has shown flashes of power this season. Hopefully the more major-league at-bats Marrero gets, the better he’ll start to hit.

The true strength of Marrero has always been his defense. In 47 games at third base, Marrero has committed three errors while posting a .968 fielding percentage.

If someone is simply holding the position for Devers, it might as well be Marrero. Devers will most likely be a September call-up for Boston, if his rise to stardom stays on its current trajectory.

Devers, after hitting 18 home runs while hitting .300 at Double-A Portland, is hitting .421 in five games with Pawtucket. He has two home runs with an OPS of 1.266.

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For now, it appears a platoon will continue between Marrero and Brock Holt. Letting it ride with Marrero might not be the most popular choice, but if it means keeping young talent in the Boston system, it will be for the better.