9 Red Sox Who Won't Return in 2024
8. Bobby Dalbec
First baseman Bobby Dalbec's time in Boston could be coming to an end sooner rather than later. It was just two weeks ago that Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter listed the 28-year-old slugger as one of the top 30 trade chips during this MLB offseason.
Dalbec garnered attention around the majors by racking up 23 home runs and 78 RBIs while slashing .240/.298/.494 across 133 games during his first full season in 2021. Unfortunately, he couldn't build off of that performance.
The former Arizona product's inconsistent play led to him only suiting up in 138 games between the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined. He didn't come close to matching his rookie numbers over that span, recording 13 HRs and 40 RBIs while slashing just .213/.281/.361.
But even with those struggles, I wouldn't be surprised if another team is willing to take a flyer on Dalbec. He was Baseball America's No. 90 prospect just two years ago and still has a powerful bat, proven by 33 HRs with Triple-A Worcester in 2023. Throw in the fact that he's arbitration-eligible through 2026, and I can see a deal being made.
After all, a fresh start might be best for both sides here.