Boston Red Sox: Bobby Dalbec feeling the flow at the plate
Dealing with an unlikely COVID-19 outbreak and cycling through a turnstile of new players, the Boston Red Sox needed a player or two to step up.
One player to answer that call has been the resurgent Bobby Dalbec.
Dalbec’s production on offense arrived at exactly the right time. It’s been a nearly month-long success story, tearing the cover off the ball and filling in as needed. This included a start at third base Sunday against Cleveland.
Though the Red Sox lost Sunday’s game, they were fresh off a four-game winning streak. This stretch saw Boston extend their lead on the second wildcard spot to three games. It also brought them within .5 games of a struggling New York Yankees squad for the 1st wildcard.
Dalbec has certainly been a catalyst in this stretch, one for him that goes back to early August.
Scorching the ball for the Boston Red Sox
A 2-5 performance by Dalbec in Sunday’s loss was nice to see after going 0-6 in his previous two games.
This after a scorching August brought Dalbec back into the good graces of Boston fans.
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In finally finding some consistency in 2021, Dalbec hit .339 in August. He knocked seven home runs, had 21 RBI and put up a popping 1.205 OPS.
Four times in the month Dalbec had three or more runs batted in, including a five-spot against Tampa Bay. In outdoing himself, Dalbec drove in seven in a victory over the Minnesota Twins.
Dalbec also had five multi-hit games and had a seven-game hitting streak to close out the month. These numbers helped Dalbec earn American League Rookie of the Month honors for August.
With all the troubles that had been the essential black hole of first base in 2021 for the Red Sox, Dalbec picked the perfect time to start swinging a big stick.
Overall, Dalbec is hitting .239 (a number that was .213 on July 28). He’s sitting at 18 home runs with 23 games remaining and has an OPS of .758.
As the home stretch of the season approaches, Dalbec will need to continue this hot streak if the Red Sox are to step into the playoffs.
A final push for Dalbec and Boston Red Sox
Hopefully we’ll see more of Dalbec from August than one from the previous months. He is 4-15 in the four September games he’s played.
He and the Red Sox will get their chance with a three-game set at home against Tampa Bay. This season against the Rays, Dalbec is hitting .263 with two home runs and 11 RBI.
This series is followed by the Red Sox taking to the road for six games with the Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners. Dalbec is a combined 4-17 against these two teams in 2021 without a home run or run driven in.
Dalbec can’t do it alone, of course. Kyle Schwarber, J.D. Martinez, and Alex Verdugo are all hitting well as of late. And with players — fingers crossed — slowly beginning to be cleared to play again, the Red Sox should hopefully be at full strength for the very important next three weeks.
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The important thing is Dalbec keep contributing. It’s always nice to watch a player when they get on a roll. Everything appears to come a little easier and baseballs fly a big longer, even finding gaps when they weren’t there before. For all his struggles in 2021, it’s pleasant to see Dalbec go scorched earth and finally tear the cover off the ball. Let’s hope that’s one trend that continues to rise.