Jul 1, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman
Adam Lind(24) watches his two run home run in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Option D: Acquire a first baseman via trade
While the Red Sox could probably devise a first base solution with their current pieces, whether by shifting Ramirez or Sandoval or by using Holt as their starter, their best bet at landing above-average first base production is through the trade market.
On the open market, the obvious leading candidate to be dealt is Adam Lind. The former AL East foe has had a huge year in his first season in Milwaukee, slashing .297/.378/.521 with 15 home runs, good for a 146 wRC+, with a relatively inexpensive contract and only an $8M team option for next season.
Given his excellent performance, team-friendly contract situation, and place on the Brewers (who are a fairly sure bet to sell at the deadline), Lind is quite likely to be traded in the coming weeks. As a left-handed, power-hitting first baseman, he has an obvious place on the Red Sox and would give them one more big bat for the stretch run.
He might cost a decent prospect or two, but with the Red Sox in dire need of a first base bat and stacked with prospect depth, Boston shouldn’t hesitate to pay the price for Lind (as long as it’s not too outrageous). Building a package around a prospect like Javier Guerra, Michael Chavis, or Deven Marrero could make sense for both the Red Sox and Brewers.
If the Red Sox decide the price for Lind is too high, or the Brewers aren’t interested in trading him (for some reason), Boston could pursue other first basemen but no other names are as intriguing as Lind. If the Red Sox plan on looking outside of the organization, Lind is definitely the way to go.