The Boston Red Sox will once again have questions at the second base position going into the 2020 MLB season.
Last month, Boston Red Sox Chief of Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom told sports radio WEEI that Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has every intention of returning to the playing field in 2020.
This has been a familiar off-season narrative for the Sox since Pedroia suffered a knee injury followed by a cartilage restoration procedure in 2017. Prior to the injury, Pedey was one of the most prolific players in baseball. From 2007-2016 he hit .303 with 131 homers, 655 RBI and a .368 On-Base Percentage.
He’s won Rookie of the Year, an MVP Award, a Silver Slugger Award, four Gold Gloves and has appeared in four All-Star Games. He’s contributed significantly to two World Championship teams in ’07 and ’13. He deserves every chance to reclaim his spot on the diamond in 2020.
More from Chowder and Champions
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
That being said, the proverbial elephant in the room for the front office isn’t just whether or not Pedey can perform at an elite level again. It’s whether or not he can stay on the field at all. He’s only played in nine games the past two seasons hitting .091 with one RBI when he was on the field.
The Sox survived 2018 by patching together a second base tandem of Brock Holt and Eduardo Nunez, but last season Holt missed time with a scratched cornea and Nunez was hobbled and ineffective which led to his release.
The Boston Red Sox ranked 19th out of 30 MLB teams in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) for second basement in 2019, just a shade over +2 (unsurprisingly, the Astros led the league with a +5 second base WAR). Michael Chavis, a corner infielder by trade spent some time over at second. With first basemen Steve Pearce and Mitch Moreland unlikely to resign due to age and salary respectively, the Sox would prefer to have Chavis manning first in 2020.
The bottom line on the now annual Pedey Comeback Tour?
If Dustin Pedroia comes back to full health and hit for his career average of .300, that’s great. But we’re eleven years removed from MVPedey, and the precariousness of his return is already handcuffing the new Boston Red Sox brass simultaneously trying to compete for a playoff spot and lower payroll to avoid a luxury tax hit.
MLBTrade Rumors reported Tuesday that Pedroia will probably not see game action until May or June. So the Sox need to field a serviceable second baseman this season, and if Pedroia is finished, what do they do about the position moving forward?
Boston does have internal options. After non-tendering Marco Hernandez earlier in the week, the Sox then resigned him to a $700K contract for 2020. This a much cheaper option than ponying up an estimated $5M to bring Brock Holt into the fold (plus, Holt will probably want a multi-year deal…if the Sox are trying to cut payroll, spending $15-$20M on a utility player probably ain’t the wisest move).
Hernandez is an above-average fielder, posting a career .987 fielding percentage which is excellent for a middle infielder. Hernandez isn’t going to light the world on fire with his bat (.250 BA, 2 HR, .279 OBP in 61 games in 2019) but with a lineup that includes sluggers J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, and (for now) Mookie Betts, Hernandez just needs to keep the seat warm for Pedey’s possible return.
If the Sox end up acquiring a seasoned first baseman, then Chavis can pack a little more punch over at second, much like he did in 2019 (.254 BA, 18 HR, 58 RBI in 95 Games Played). A natural corner infielder, Chavis did surprising well manning the middle of the diamond. He had a serviceable +3 Rtot defensive metric (Total fielding runs above average) having committed only four errors in 45 games at a position he was sort of learning as he went.
If the Boston Red Sox have Michael Chavis taking grounders at second from the get-go in Fort Myers this spring, he could emerge as the potential starting second baseman, then switch to first assuming Pedroia can play injury-free.
Another possibility
Although unlikely, the Boston Red Sox could opt for the “Seasoned Veteran Free Agent” option. They could sign a guy to a one or two year deal or as insurance until Pedey’s contract expires in 2022. Although he was acquired via trade and not signed as a FA, veteran Ian Kinsler brought some much-needed stability to the position in 2018. The problem with this option in cost.
More from Boston Red Sox
- 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
- MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
- Red Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win
- Mookie Betts Has Humble Outlook on Returning to Fenway
- Alex Cora Reveals What He Said to Cause NSFW Response from Justin Verlander
Free Agent Jonathan Schoop has some pop (23 HR in 2019) but he is relatively young (28) and made $7.5M last year. He’s going to want something in the neighborhood of $10M a season. Hard pass.
Jason Kipnis is a bit older (32) a lot cheaper ($2.5M in 2019) but a bit less productive than Schoop (.245, 17 HR, 65 RBI in 121 GP). He’s three years removed from his best MLB season, but still possesses some power and might be a candidate to try on a one year deal at about $3-4M. A bit pricey perhaps, but you can’t argue with the years.
If the Sox want to provide depth at second, as well as the corner infield positions, Wilmer Flores is an intriguing option. Flores is an interesting candidate because he’s only 28, had a pretty good 2019 despite a fractured foot (.317, 9 HR, 37 RBI in 89 GP), and can play second, first, and third. He’ll command a multi-year deal, but a four year, $25M deal wouldn’t be such a bad move for the Sox.
If Dustin Pedroia can stay on the field, Flores can spell him a few times a week, play first for Chavis, or give Rafael Devers a day off at third. There’s value in his versatility.
Boston Red Sox fans (even the “Pedroia Needs To Retire” crowd) would love nothing more than to see Pedey come back relatively healthy, play in 100 or so games, and hit his career .300 and chip in 10 homers and provide that Dirt Dog attitude in the clubhouse. But with his track record the last two seasons, that seems a bit too hopeful.
If the Boston Red Sox are actually trying to cut payroll and field a competitive team, they have to get creative with filling that gap, as well as plan for the future up the middle so this familiar narrative isn’t playing out the next two off seasons.
Ultimately, I say use Marco Hernandez as a stop-gap until Dustin Pedroia is ready to return. If his return is unsuccessful, then the Boston Red Sox need to do what is best for the club and look for a long term solution moving forward.