BoSox Injection
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Red Sox options at second base aren’t limited to Dustin Pedroia in 2019

By Rick McNair

BOSTON, MA - JULY 12: Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on July 12, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - JULY 12: Dustin Pedroia #15 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the dugout before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on July 12, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 18: Tzu-Wei Lin #5 of the Boston Red Sox shatters his bat while fouling off a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles as Orioles catcher Welington Castillo #29 looks on in the eleventh inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 18, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 18: Tzu-Wei Lin #5 of the Boston Red Sox shatters his bat while fouling off a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles as Orioles catcher Welington Castillo #29 looks on in the eleventh inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 18, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Tzu-Wei Lin

Tzu-Wei Lin took a large step backward in his early visits to Boston in 2018.  In 2017, Lin looked like his potential to be a solid utility contributor with a .278 average.  The diminutive 24-year-old lefty impressed with his ability to do “the little things” a big selling point to the new age Red Sox.

The metrics sample for Lin is rather small, but Boston has used Lin and second, short and third, while at Pawtucket Lin was primarily positioned at short. The versatile Lin also played nine games in center field for the PawSox as he had in the past within the Red Sox system.

This season at Pawtucket (AAA) Lin made adjustments and that translated to offensive progress with a .307 average and surprising pop with five home runs in just 68 games.  Lin would certainly handle the defensive requirements, but the offense is still questionable.

With Lin, the Red Sox have the all-important versatility aspect that is missing with Kinsler.  They also have a money issue since Lin will be baseball chump change compared to other possible options. I would expect Lin would have to have an exceptional spring training not to start the season with the soon to be WooSox.

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