Having Andrew Benintendi & Mookie Betts makes it much easier for the Boston Red Sox to think about trading Jackie Bradley Jr. for a pitcher like Chris Sale.
Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald, in an article about expendable Red Sox players, stated that JBJ could be on the move: “This is no knock against Bradley, who had an All-Star season and still has four years left of team control, though he’s up for arbitration this offseason and should make at least $3 million. It’s a testament to the Red Sox’ depth in center field.”
It’s true. The meteoric rise of Benintendi through the minor ranks and the second-place finish for Betts in the American League’s most valuable player rankings showed that depth. All three men have played center field very successfully in their short careers. Betts even won his first Gold Glove Award last season in right field.
While Betts’ move to right seemed more like a move to help Bradley Jr. find his MLB legs in center field, Benintendi’s skills both at the plate and in the field dictated that he started, as well. Since JBJ and Betts were already established by August, it was logical that the only place for Benintendi to start was in left field, as it was the only place that he could see playing time.
Now, with all three men proving that they could hit and provide some highlight-reel defense at any outfield position, the need for Bradley to play center is not as dire as it once was before.
Enter Chris Sale into the equation.
Last August, it was reported by CBS Sports that Sale was available, but that the Chicago White Sox were asking for players like Bradley Jr. and some other young talent: “The Red Sox wouldn’t part with outfielder Jackie Bradley in a deal for Sale or Quintana, as Bradley and the young players on their 25-man roster are needed now in the push for a championship.” That was when the Red Sox still liked their chances for postseason glory, not preparation for 2017. If the rumor was true, it would make sense that Bradley Jr. is much more expendable now, compared to last summer, making the Sale trade much more plausible. Or even Quintana.
While Sale would be the bigger fish to catch than Quintana, the Red Sox would likely be more at ease with allowing JBJ to go to Chicago in return. Betts hit .318 with 31 home runs and 113 RBIs in 158 games. Benintendi hit .295 with two homers and 14 RBIs in only 34 games, after recovering from a leg injury. Bradley Jr. not only hit just .267 with 26 homers and 87 RBIs in two fewer games than Betts, he wasn’t hitting at the same rate as Benintendi or even bench outfielder Chris Young (.276). Bradley Jr. proved that he could hit in the majors; however, he took longer to do it than Benintendi and not as well as Betts, making JBJ expendable.
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If Sale goes on the market for Bradley Jr., the Red Sox should feel that they have the fans’ blessing to do it. With Benintendi and Betts to cover defensively, and their bats being superior to his, Bradley Jr. should be good trade worth as part of a package for Sale. The Red Sox will not have to worry about losing a glove as much as gaining a powerful arm, now that they have Benintendi to make the risk only a third, instead of two thirds.