The Red Sox are in unfamiliar territory in regard to 2018. Dustin Pedroia is going to miss a large chunk of the season, and Marco Hernandez could find himself in a good spot because of it.
The Boston Red Sox are apparently content with filling roster holes from within, specifically at second base.
Boston is set to start the 2018 season without Dustin Pedroia, who is recovering from knee surgery. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski considers Marco Hernandez a viable option at the keystone, according to a report from Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe.
Dombrowski again spoke highly of Marco Hernandez as a second base fill-in until Dustin Pedroia returns. Said other organizations have asked for him in trade talks.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) November 14, 2017
Hernandez’ 2017 was, well, short. He underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in May. He registered only 151 innings in the field, committing six errors (five of those at third base.) At the plate, he hit .276 with three doubles and two RBI. He did not have the time to play and make any difference on the field.
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This decision could play to Hernandez’ strength, as he’s only committed one error in 84 innings at second base in his MLB career. Expanding that even further, Hernandez has only committed seven errors at second in his career in the minors.
This hint dropped by Dombrowski – for now – puts a pin in the idea that the Red Sox would acquire a middle-infielder this offseason. Names like Chase Utley, Brandon Phillips, and Howie Kendrick have been added to Red Sox fan’s wish list since the news of Pedroia’s surgery surfaced. These are still good players who the Red Sox could acquire at a discount due to their age. It would just come at the cost of Hernandez’ progression as a player.
Another interesting tidbit that came out of the report from Abraham was the interest Hernandez was drawing in trade talks. Could Dombrowski be pumping Hernandez’ tires to draw more in a trade? It’s definitely possible.
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On the other hand, Dombrowski could mean what he says. That the Red Sox have a player that they like, that teams around the league also like and covet. It’s completely unclear.
Sources: Baseball-reference.com, MLB.com