On Friday, one of Boston's American League East rivals – the Tampa Bay Rays – turned a few heads when rookie speedster Chandler Simpson was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding roster move. Simpson made his MLB debut on April 19 and had caught the attention of fans across baseball with his smoldering speed on the basepaths.
Chandler Simpson stories have become the stuff of legends among baseball fans. He has yet to hit a professional over-the-fence home run. He scores from second on flyouts. He beats out clean ground balls to middle infielders. He scores from second on infield singles.
In a day and age where launch angle and the three true outcomes are buzzwords used ad nauseam, Simpson's style of play is a refreshing breath of baseball nostalgia for many baseball fans. Could the Boston Red Sox also see it that way? Simpson would certainly make for an intriguing trade target.
If the Red Sox continue to trend in the wrong direction as spring turns to summer, don't be surprised if Craig Breslow becomes inclined to blow it all up in year two and set his sights fully on a youth movement. All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran has been linked (albeit loosely) to the San Diego Padres in trade speculation. If Duran, who has commanded the Red Sox leadoff spot over the past few seasons, were to depart Boston, Simpson has already shown that he can jumpstart a big league offense. The rookie led off for the Rays in 15 of the 30 games he started this season.
In 2025, Breslow has already put some faith in the influx of young Red Sox talent waiting in the wings. 22-year-old Kristian Campbell was entrusted with an eight-year, $60 million deal less than a week after he made his MLB debut. Ironically, Campbell and Simpson were teammates at Georgia Tech in 2022, a season in which Simpson led all of Division I baseball with a .434 batting average.
22-year-old prized prospect Marcelo Mayer, who entered the season as the eighth-ranked prospect entering the season, made his debut on May 24. 21-year-old Roman Anthony, the top-ranked prospect by MLB.com, appears to be on the cusp of his own big league debut as he continues to rake in Triple-A Worcester.
On Thursday night, in what eventually proved to be his last big-league game prior to being sent down, Simpson made highlights by single-handedly manufacturing a run. After drawing a walk, Simpson stole both second and third base and scampered home on an errant throw to third on his stolen base attempt.
Given Boston's inability to score since Alex Bregman's injury, having a player who can score without putting the ball in play might be the Sox's best chance.
Simpson's demotion is a bit puzzling given his average and ability to affect the game on the basepaths, but critics have argued that his below-average defense warranted a trip back to Durham to continue to hone his game. Simpson's poor defensive metrics could explain the decision by Erik Neander and the Tampa Bay front office.
If the Red Sox aren't able to fulfill their preseason playoff predictions this season, the least that the club can do for their fans is to put an entertaining product on the field. Chandler Simpson would undoubtedly help do that.