Four players the Red Sox could trade before Opening Day
Oct 10, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington watches the team during a workout in preparation for the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
In a recent interview with WEEI Sports, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington noted that the team was finished adding to the major league roster and that the “group we have for spring training is in place.” The clarification that the group for spring training is in place, rather than the 25-man roster for Opening Day, is a key distinction though. The Red Sox still have too many outfielders and relievers on their roster right now, and barring any major injuries, they appear positioned to deal from those positions of strength during spring training.
The Red Sox will likely use the exhibition games as just that: an exhibition. The Red Sox will be able to observe, and let other teams observe, who are the most viable trade pieces on the roster so that management can cut the roster down to 25 players. And that’s why these four players will be extremely interesting to watch during this spring.
Sep 1, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Allen Craig (5) throws the ball against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Craig came to Boston with starting pitcher Joe Kelly as a part of the John Lackey trade on last year’s trade deadline and he didn’t do too much to endear himself to the Fenway faithful. Already in the midst of a disappointing season in St. Louis (Craig had hit .237/.291/.346 across 97 games with the Cardinals), Craig bounced between the Red Sox and the disabled list with disappointing results over the final two months of the year, slashing a meager .128/.234/.191 in 29 games.
It’s unclear just how much of Craig’s miserable 2014 season can be attributed to a Lisfranc injury, which sidelined him for a month in 2013 and hampered his performance in the postseason. However, that injury was certainly a factor as his 2014 numbers were a far cry from his previous performance, as he slashed .312/.364/.500 from 2011-2013.
The thought that Craig could return, or at least approach, that former success could make him an attractive player going forward. Even if he does revitalize his career, however, there’s just nowhere for him to play with the Red Sox. First base, left field, and right field are all locked up for the 2015 season and Craig appears destined for some sort of utility role. Now that would be a fantastic role for a player of his caliber if he’s healthy; however, the Red Sox might be looking to get more return on their investment and trading him for some young talent would be an excellent way of cashing in on a healthy, productive spring.
Sep 12, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Edward Mujica (54) delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Boston won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
The rumors of the Red Sox looking to deal Mujica sort of came out of nowhere. However, considering that they appeared immediately after the Red Sox added both Robbie Ross and Alexi Ogando to their bullpen, those rumors may have a bit of credibility. Boston now has eight viable members of its bullpen, and that’s not even counting for many of the high-upside flyers that litter the upper minors, and Mujica looks to be the most likely one to be traded.
Signed by the Red Sox to a 2 year/$9.5M contract last winter, Mujica had a disappointing first season in Boston. A year after posting a 2.78 ERA and 37 saves for the Cardinals, Mujica’s ERA jumped to 3.90 in a setup role for the Red Sox. However, his numbers still weren’t as bad as they appear on first glance.
After a horrible month of April, Mujica really turned it around, posting a 2.82 ERA from May onward. He was especially good in the second half, when his ERA dipped to 1.78 and he even spent some time as the closer.
Even so, there were some warning flags with his performance last season. While Mujica has never struck out a ton of batters (7.1 K/9 in his career, 6.5 K/9 last season), he has always made up for that with an incredible walk rate. And while Mujica’s 2014 walk rate of 2.1 BB/9 was still excellent by any barometer, it was well above his 0.7 BB/9 in 2013. Mujica is a fine arm to keep around and should be a solid performer next season, but given his salary commitment and last season’s red flags, the Red Sox might look to move on.
Sep 24, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Daniel Nava (29) follows through on his two-run double against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Nava is probably the player on this list that the Red Sox are least likely to move. However, being a relatively expendable outfielder, it’s possible that even Nava could be on his way out of Boston.
Coming off of a breakout 2013 season in which he slashed .303/.385/.445 and played a key role in the Red Sox outfield, Nava disappointed last season. He bounced between the minors and majors after a frigid start to the season and, while he did improve in the second half, his overall season was still mediocre as he hit .270/.346/.361 with only 4 home runs in 113 games.
While his trademark high on-base percentage persisted, Nava’s power all but disappeared last season, with his .091 isolated power by far the lowest such mark of his career. Nava did improve his defense, though, and while he plays a limited role– corner outfielder who hits well against right-handed pitching– he is valuable in that role. Plus, due to his limited skill set, he probably wouldn’t garner much of a trade return and the Red Sox would likely be best to hold onto him.
Jul 27, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Shane Victorino (18) at bat against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Victorino is the player on this list who likely fits best into Boston’s plans for the 2015 season. Given his excellent defense and ability to play all three positions, he would be an ideal fourth outfielder for the Red Sox and does not require any contract commitment beyond this season.
However, Victorino has spoken against a fourth outfielder role, stating that he fully expects to earn the job of starting right fielder (a statement that just doesn’t seem realistic with the presence of Mookie Betts and Rusney Castillo on the roster). And in all fairness, he is qualified to be a starting right fielder for a major league team if he’s at full strength. However, the question, as always with Victorino, is whether or not he is fully healthy and, perhaps more importantly, whether he can maintain health over a full season.
In his first season in Boston in 2013, Victorino slashed .294/.351/.451 with Gold Glove defense and was a key cog on the World Championship team. However, last year he played in only 30 games for the Red Sox and slashed a mere .268/.303/.382 in a lost season for the Flyin’ Hawaiian. It’s a question of which Victorino will show up for spring training 2015 and, either way, the Red Sox might be wise to part ways with him.