Top 5 Free Agents the Red Sox Must Target After Missing Out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto

3. Whit Merrifield

Moving onto another former Toronto Blue Jay, Whit Merrifield could be the man to fill the Red Sox' vacancy at second base.

Merrifield isn't the player that he was when he led all of the MLB in hits in 2018 and 2019. He will be 35 when Opening Day comes around, but Merrifield had a productive 2023 campaign in which he earned an All-Star nod.

His 149 base hits last season would've been good for fourth on the 2023 Red Sox, and his 145 games played and .272 average would've ranked third. He would be an automatic upgrade at second base, as Boston second basemen hit .246 with 104 hits as a group last season.

Merrifield's athleticism also enables him to play in the corner outfield spots, showcased by his 81 games in left field in 2023. As Boston learned last season, injuries can create a giant game of musical chairs defensively, part of the reason why the Red Sox ranked 28th last season in Defensive Efficiency Ratio (DER) and 29th in errors committed. Merrifield's versatility should help alleviate that fire drill when it inevitably happens.

At his absolute worst, Merrifield projects as an 7-8-9 hitter in a good lineup who will give you a steady lineup presence. Red Sox fans should want him in their lineup nine times out of 10 over Enmanuel Valdez at second base.