Maybe the best solution to an area of need is to reach out to an old friend. Daniel Nava has always been a player that many fans root for. Nava is a player who plays the game the right way by doing all the little things coaches look for while serving as a positive clubhouse influence.
Nava, 34, made his debut with the Red Sox in 2010 and served as a platoon/fourth outfielder during his four and a half years in Boston. After bouncing around the American League throughout his career, never quite settling in offensively.
Fast forward to 2017, Nava has rekindled the spark in his swing, earning a .301/.393/.421 slash line for the Philadelphia Phillies. A .301 average from a fourth outfielder would be an excellent addition to Boston’s depth. A veteran who is familiar with Fenway Park, willing to run right through the Green Monster if manager Alex Cora asked him to.
Nava also adds the ability to hit from both sides of the plate, allowing the Red Sox to keep their lineups flexible. However, it may be wise to keep Nava batting lefty in most scenarios. According to FanGraphs, Nava hit for a .341 batting average with three HR and 14 RBI last season from the left side of the plate vs right-handed pitchers. He was held to a .188 batting average with one HR and seven RBI when batting right-handed.
Daniel Nava isn’t much of a power hitter, but he does just about everything else effectively at a cheap price.