Boston Red Sox: 3 positions of need heading into the offseason

Boston Red Sox position of need No. 2: Second base

It’s interesting how things work out. If you told a Red Sox fan heading into the season that Christian Arroyo and Jose Iglesias would be splitting time at second base by the season’s end, they probably would have laughed at you. Yet that’s how the Sox closed out the season, and it actually turned out to be a surprisingly successful endeavor.

The problem is that betting on it to happen again is a very risky proposition. Iglesias was only picked up by Boston because the Los Angeles Angels cut him early in September, only to watch him tear the cover off the ball in Boston. And Arroyo had never really put up starter quality numbers until this season, and even then he only ended up playing in 57 games this season.

Addressing the position through free agency seems like the best bet. Arroyo was solid for most of the season, but he was inconsistent down the stretch, and missed more than half of the season. Iglesias is a free agent, and even if he comes back, there’s no guarantee he plays the way he did to end the season.

While there aren’t necessarily many true second basemen available on the market, there are a lot of infielders who are capable of playing there on the market. Players who may be headlining the market are guys like Marcus Semien, Trevor Story, Javier Baez, and Carlos Correa, all guys who can play at second if needed. They may be out of Boston’s price range, but you have to consider making a push to bring in another star if you can.

Another thing to note is that both Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers have said they are open to moving positions if it benefits the team. While I’m not saying Devers should be playing second base anytime soon, Bogaerts could end up filling in there if they decide to bring in another guy who is more comfortable at shortstop. In the end, finding the eventual successor to Dustin Pedroia at second base should be a goal this offseason, it just may end up being a pricy acquisition.