Boston Red Sox: 3 areas to strengthen as season progresses
No. 1: Boston Red Sox need an answer at the leadoff spot
It’s been clear since day one that this team doesn’t have a true leadoff hitter, and it’s starting to become a very big issue.
Prior to yesterday’s game, leadoff hitters for the Sox were hitting just .228 on the season, which is unacceptable for the table setters of the lineup.
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It started with Kike Hernandez being the leadoff guy to open the season. While he started off hot, he has cooled off very quickly, and has been dropped to the bottom of the order as a result. He’s hitting just .235 on the season, but the sad thing is he may just be the best option Boston has at this point.
Alex Cora has been throwing just about everything at the wall in hopes something sticks, but nothing has as of yet. Danny Santana has been the latest experiment of sorts since he was activated off of the injured list a couple weeks back, but he is hitting a paltry .133 since getting activated, and hasn’t been any better in the leadoff spot.
Marwin Gonzalez has also been given the leadoff spot a couple of times, but he hasn’t done much better, as he’s hitting just .195 on the season. It’s clear the Sox need to find an upgrade at the top of their lineup, but the problem is they may just not have one on their major league roster.
The answer to this issue may very well be sitting at their Triple-A affiliate in Worcester. Two of the Sox top prospects, Jarren Duran and Jeter Downs, profile as guys who could come in and bat leadoff if called upon. Duran in particular appears to be ready for an MLB callup sooner rather than later, as he’s hitting .285 with 12 homers and 25 RBI’s.
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The Sox haven’t been finding any answers with the guys currently on their roster, so it may be time to see if either of these guys are the answer.
Calling up Downs may be a stretch, but Duran has shown that he is ready to be called up, and the time may be coming soon. Throwing Duran into a leadoff role right off the bat may be risky, but if he can come up and hit off the bat, it’s definitely worth giving a shot.
Until then, the Sox will have to continue using what they have at their disposal. Maybe moving Alex Verdugo to the top spot would be the best option, as his plate discipline and contact hitting have been on full display from the number two spot for most of the season.
Regardless, finding a leadoff hitter is vital for this Red Sox team, and may just be their most important issue they have to solve this season.