3. Third base battle/Travis Shaw’s emergence
When camp started, the issue with Shaw was more how much first base will he be playing because surely Hanley Ramirez will crash and burn over there so we need Shaw to fill in at first base. The more Shaw hit this Spring, the more apparent it became the Red Sox will make every effort to get Shaw’s bat in the lineup wherever they can. For most of the Spring, Shaw was well over .400 and Sandoval has only started to hit lately, then was sidelined with back soreness.
The Red Sox took that opportunity to shelve plans to try Shaw out in the outfield (he played three games out there in AAA last season) to give him the majority of the reps while Sandoval is trying to get back in the lineup for the last week of camp. Shaw has cooled over the past five days, going 0 for his last 11. You can’t argue with a .367/.404/.571 batting line over his 49 Spring plate appearances, through Saturday, March 27th, however. Considering the Red Sox are going with Brock Holt as their primary left fielder, leaving high-priced Rusney Castillo on the bench, the Red Sox are not afraid to go with the best player regardless of salary.
Sandoval’s slow start (one for 14) brought on these talks of competition with Shaw. The Panda is eight for his last 20 with three doubles and two homers, trying to show people that they shouldn’t count him out just yet. The issue with his back has kept him out the last several days, but Sandoval should return to the lineup this week. It is hard to imagine that Shaw would start over him when the season starts but this team can’t afford to carry a guy who is not hitting. Will Panda be able to get his stroke back in time for the season to start?