Red Sox second baseman Ian Kinsler is last piece in World Series puzzle
By Dalton Quix
The Boston Red Sox are now prepared to go the distance and win the World Series thanks to their latest acquisition, Ian Kinsler.
Despite going on the disabled list shortly after joining the Boston Red Sox, a now healthy Ian Kinsler is the last piece needed to turn this team from a contender to a World Series champion.
The Red Sox have unquestionably been elite this year. They have held the best record in baseball for the majority of the season due to how complete they are as a team. It seems like whenever there is a problem with the team, manager Alex Cora seems to quickly find a solution.
However, despite having the best record in baseball, two potential MVP’s in Mookie Betts and JD Martinez, plus a potential Cy Young winner in Chris Sale, many still questioned if the Sox would be capable of taking down powerhouses like the Yankees, Astros, and even the Indians in the playoffs.
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Well, in all areas where there were doubts, it seems like the Red Sox have covered all the bases before the trade deadline. When the Sox parted ways with Hanley Ramirez, many wondered how they would be able to fill the gap. Well, Mitch Moreland has stepped up with an All-Star season. The addition of Steve Pearce has proven to be a huge boost in the lineup against lefties. He’s batting over .300, and that includes his huge three-home run game and a follow-up dinger in a series to remember against the Yankees.
After that hole got filled, all eyes were on the depth of the starting rotation. While Sale is having another stellar year, the rest of the Sox starters, outside of Rodriguez who is currently on the DL, haven’t been performing as well as we had hoped. But, the addition of Nathan Eovaldi gave the Red Sox depth in the starting rotation as a guy who can go 6 or 7 innings every start and can help from the bullpen once the playoffs come.
After that addition, the only hole left in this Boston team was second base. With Dustin Pedroia likely out for the season, and Brandon Phillips injured after a subpar showing in Pawtucket, it looked like the Red Sox were going to be stuck with Eduardo Nunez at second base.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Nunez is no slouch at the plate, but saying his fielding is below average is an understatement. The Red Sox needed a true second baseman on this team and they found him in the form of Kinsler.
Kinsler, who’s batting .237 in 2018, is one of the best second basemen in the field out of the entire MLB, as he showed us already with a few flashy plays in the eight games he’s played for Boston. He is also a veteran that has been in this league for 12 years with plenty of playoff experience, who can, if healthy, help lead this Boston team deep into the playoffs.
Now that has Kinsler returned from the DL, Nunez can play third until Rafael Devers is healthy. Nunez is a huge upgrade defensively at third. When Devers return, Nunez can join Brock Holt as a quality utility player who can help the Red Sox produce offensively in any given situation.
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The Red Sox, who already have star power with dominant players like Mookie, JD, and Sale, didn’t need to make any big moves at the trade deadline to make a playoff run. They just needed a solid performer like Kinsler to make a complete team that can seriously contend in the playoffs and in the World Series.