Since the Boston Red Sox signed veteran outfielder Andres Torres to a minor league contract earlier this month, there has been a question of what the organization should do with him. With Boston’s current outfield starting to hit better, it begs the question what will they do with some of their veteran depth.
Torres, who has nine years of Major League experience (mostly in the National League), is currently rehabbing with the Pawtucket Red Sox and hitting .277 with four HRs and 10 RBI entering Saturday in 17 games between Single-A Lowell and Pawtucket. With Mookie Betts now in the Major Leagues with Boston, it would be wise for the Red Sox to keep Torres in the minors for the time being to give him the at bats he needs while continuing his rehab after suffering a season-ending left achilles injury with the San Francisco Giants last August.
Since Torres doesn’t have an out clause, and the Red Sox possibly exploring trades for veteran outfielder Jonny Gomes, it could open up a spot for him in the coming weeks. Torres is regarded as a good clubhouse guy and would be a good influence on several of the young Red Sox outfielders including Jackie Bradley Jr. Over his last 42 at bats, Torres has hit .333 with 14 hits, including six for extra bases. He’s hitting .333 this month alone.
With the success he is currently having, it begs the question whether a contending team could potentially be interested in him as a bench option for the stretch run. Torres could offer a playoff-bound team with good speed off the bench as a pinch runner or as a late inning defensive replacement. In the meantime, Torres has helped the Pawsox gain ground in the International League North Division with his solid play and if not traded in July or in August, he could continue to be a valuable asset for Pawtucket as they are now only three games out of the top Wild Card spot in their division.