4 Red Sox on Thin Ice After Disastrous Series Against Orioles

3. Pablo Reyes (INF)

I should preface this by saying that I appreciate all that Pablo Reyes did for the 2023 Red Sox. He filled in admirably at second base whenever he was called upon to do so, and swung the bat well enough to seriously contend for a starting spot going into this year.

Unfortunately, some of his magic appears to have run out. The sixth-year swingman has a meager .310 OPS so far this season, and his defense has been horrific, to the tune of -2 DRS over just eight games. Although his numbers will almost certainly improve, it's not like a breakout is on the horizon; the 30-year old has a career .668 OPS with just eight home runs, and a career -1 in the DRS department.

The 2024 version of Reyes has zero extra-base hits, a 7:1 K/BB ratio, and two errors. He's struggling to lift the ball, struggling to drive the ball, and whiffing at a career-high rate. He's not a natural at shortstop, poor at third base, and not good enough at second to make up for his offensive woes.

The one thing working in Reyes's favor is the utter lack of middle infield options on the Red Sox roster. Barring an unlikely acquisition, it's hard for me to see Reyes being tossed aside in favor of Valdez, Hamilton, or Romy Gonzalez; however, with Vaughn Grissom returning soon, the competition should stiffen. You'd be hard-pressed to find a scenario where all four of those guys end the season on the roster, and a continued lack of production could see Reyes's departure.