Since Dustin Pedroia lost his chokehold on second base for the Red Sox (Looking at you, Manny Machado), it’s been a constant battle to find stability at the keystone again. Trevor Story was initially signed to fill those shoes in 2022, but with his home now being shortstop until Marcelo Mayer is ready, there’s a need for at least a 1-year stopgap at second base. The Red Sox have made it clear their priority is strong defense at the position, but I’d argue they still need another impact bat from the right side as well.
In 2023, the Red Sox were the worst defensive team at second base in baseball with -12 Defensive Runs Saved and -13 Outs Above Average. Not a great recipe when you’re relying on a ground ball machine like Brayan Bello to flourish with a 56.2 GB%. Or trying to sell a free agent like Jordan Montgomery, who doesn’t miss a ton of bats, on coming to Boston.
On the offensive side of things, it was a bit better, but not by much. 12 different players appeared at the position, which resulted in a lackluster 87 wRC+ that ranked 20th out of 30 teams. This comes into focus even more with the struggles Trevor Story has had at the plate since signing with the Red Sox.
Enmanuel Valdez, Pablo Reyes, and David Hamilton all remain as internal candidates. Valdez was challenged by Alex Cora to improve his defense, which will be something to watch after his time in the Dominican Winter League. But considering how tight-lipped the Red Sox have been under Craig Breslow, it’s hard to ignore how forthcoming he’s been about wanting to add at second base.
So, let’s dive into 5 external options that can make sense through trade or free agency.
