Red Sox Free Agent/Trade Options to Replace Dustin Pedroia
By Lyle Bellamy
Darwin Barney
Leaning slightly younger than Pedroia is Blue Jays second baseman Darwin Barney. At almost 32, Barney followed his .269 average in 2016 with a sub-par year this season on a team that vastly underperformed compared to their expectations. He isn’t any sort of game changer, but he is most definitely a solid option who plays sound defense with just 38 errors at second base in eight seasons.
Barney would also bring a veteran presence so to speak, although without the prominence of Utley. He has never been a huge threat at the plate, but if the Red Sox go out and get a power bat, they may be able to deal with Barney’s unimpressive numbers at the plate.
His career .246 average could most definitely be worse. He would likely be an improvement above our in-house options, but one could not easily project if his performance this year was an outlier, or if it is the start of his decline. At 31, he could easily be moving out of his prime and never be able to improve his numbers. So, in that case, he should not be expected to necessarily add a productive bat to the lineup.
His versatility could also be a plus, as he can play virtually all over the infield if needed besides first base. Upon Pedroia’s return, his versatility could find him more time in late game situations where the club needs solid defense.