Spring is here, which means baseball season is back. Although the MLB season technically started last week when the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers played in Japan, the other 28 major league ball clubs start this week. The Boston Red Sox begin their season in Texas, taking on the Rangers on Thursday.
That said, the opening day roster has yet to be finalized, leaving the door open for potential surprises. One such surprise could include the Red Sox acquiring a player via trade. On Monday, Matt Gelb of the Athletic reported that the Philadelphia Phillies have drawn trade interest for infielder Kody Clemens, who is slotted to be their 26th man. Clemens could be an interesting addition to this Red Sox team.
Kody Clemens has made the Phillies as their 26th man. The team has drawn trade interest in Buddy Kennedy, Dave Dombrowski said, and will try to get him to a club. If not, he’ll be DFA’d on Thursday.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) March 24, 2025
Should the Red Sox Trade for Kody Clemens?
Over the past three seasons, Clemens has made appearances in the majors. In 2022, the Detroit Tigers called him up. While with Detroit, Clemens hit .145/5/17 on 127 plate appearances. Moreover, he showed his versatility by playing 13 games at first base, nine at second base, 17 at third base, and 9 in the outfield.
However, the Tigers decided to move on after the 2022 season, trading Clemens to the Phillies. The 28-year-old has spent the last two seasons with the Phillies organization in the majors and the minors.
While with Philadelphia, Clemens has made 268 plate appearances, batting .225/5/31. He has also continued to show versatility in the field, playing 54 games at first base, eight games at second base, 11 games at third base, and eight games in the outfield.
Although Boston already has a utility infielder/outfielder on their roster, Romy González adding another one isn't a bad idea. González, who is also 28, has slightly better career production. In four MLB seasons, González has hit for .242/11/56.
Carrying both Clemens and González on the 40-man roster would provide the Red Sox with good depth for their infield and outfield.