The Second basemen
Scooter Gennett, 2B – Cincinnati Reds
I wrote about Scooter Gennett a bit here. He’s having a career year and is in his second arbitration year. He won’t come cheap, which may preclude him from Dombrowski’s list of targets given the possibility of Pedroia getting back on the field. But his 145 wRC+ and 13 HR would look mighty fine in the Red Sox lineup. He’s 28 years old and isn’t the kind of player you can stash on your bench if Pedroia does come back. However, they could juggle playing time around a bit.
Whether that be letting Pedroia DH while Jackie Bradley, Jr. sits, or giving Devers a breather at third here and there, Gennett could extend the bench significantly and still see regular playing time. His glove would be a significant step back from Pedroia’s, but the bat is far more than the former MVP can offer at the plate these days. It’s not a perfect match, and it’s unclear whether the Red Sox can offer an enticing enough package. But a year and a half of Scooter Gennett for a Michael Chavis led package would likely be worth it. For the Red Sox, at least.
Jed Lowrie, 2B – Oakland Athletics
If the Red Sox do trade for Blake Treinen, chances are they won’t have the chips left to also land Jed Lowrie. If they land one of the less expensive relief pitching options, there may be rumors about a Lowrie reunion with Beantown. Lowrie started his career with the Red Sox but struggled to find consistent playing time at the major league level. He was sent to the Houston Astros as part of the cost in acquiring Mark Melancon. Gives this list a nice bit of balance, no?
Lowrie got off to an incredibly hot start this season, posting a 171 wRC+ in April. He was perfectly league average in May and has been a bit below that so far in June. That said, he’s a solid high floor hitter who would be a massive upgrade over Nunez if Pedroia can’t get back on the field. He’s not likely to be too much better than Pedey with the stick if Pedroia does come back, but with 497 career games played at short, and 119 at third, Lowrie would likely be an upgrade all around on what Nunez offers the club. Especially if Nunez is still being bothered by his knee and could use some time on the DL himself.