The Boston Red Sox outfield depth will be tested with injuries to Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Brennan Boesch.
It’s a good thing that the Boston Red Sox brought plenty of outfielders with them to camp, because their numbers are dwindling.
First it was center fielder Jackie Bradley, who was a late scratch from Friday’s game against the Minnesota Twins due to stiffness in his right forearm. Bradley doesn’t seem overly concerned about it, insisting that his allergies bothered him more than any discomfort in his arm.
Bradley added that he could still “throw it out of the stadium,” which sounds like a good way to cause further damage if he actually tried that, but at least it expresses confidence that his arm will be fine. The Red Sox will be cautious with him to ensure he makes it to Opening Day prepared to patrol center field, but it seems the issue isn’t a long-term concern.
With Bradley sidelined we got to see our first glimpse of 21-year old prospect Andrew Benintendi in a big-league spring training game. The first-round pick of the Red Sox in the 2015 draft hit .313 with 11 home runs over 198 at-bats split between two different levels of A-ball last season. Benintendi is widely considered to be one of the top prospects in the Red Sox organization and has the potential to race through the system.
Benintendi wasted no time showing he belongs, collecting a pair of hits in three trips to the plate against the Twins.
Andrew Benintendi with a single to right in his first PA of minor league camp. pic.twitter.com/67mk2iOqlY
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) March 16, 2016
The Red Sox also lost Brennan Boesch to a fractured right wrist, which he injured while attempting to make a catch during Friday’s split-squad game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The 30-year old outfielder was brought to camp on a minor league deal, given an opportunity in part due to his ties to Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski from their time together in Detroit.
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Boesch has been ruled out indefinitely, essentially shutting the door on any chance he had of making the Opening Day roster. He was one of several veterans that the Red Sox brought to camp as potential lottery tickets to provide insurance for their relatively unproven outfield.
This would seem to increase the chances that David Murphy could make the roster if the Red Sox are determined to carry a fifth outfielder, assuming that they intend to use Brock Holt primarily in the infield.
As long as the discomfort in Bradley’s forearm doesn’t linger then none of this changes the outlook of the Opening Day lineup. It may however determine the final bench spot for the Red Sox 25-man roster. If there are any concerns over Bradley’s health then it may push the team to carry an extra outfielder as a precaution.
Next: Xander Bogaerts cleaning up
Presumably that would mean one less infielder, with the team unlikely to deplete their bullpen depth early in the season, which could spell trouble for Travis Shaw, regardless of how hot his bat has been this spring.
Keep an eye on how quickly Bradley makes his way back into the lineup, as the Red Sox continue to cut down their roster over the next two weeks heading into the start of the season.