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Red Sox Trade Deadline Targets: 5 bats who can smash left-handed pitching

By Sean Penney

ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 26: Hunter Pence #24 of the Texas Rangers rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 26, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - MAY 26: Hunter Pence #24 of the Texas Rangers rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning of the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 26, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 18: Leury Garcia #28 of the Chicago White Sox waits in the on deck circle to bat against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 18, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 18: Leury Garcia #28 of the Chicago White Sox waits in the on deck circle to bat against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 18, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Leury Garcia

The switch-hitting Leury Garcia is having a solid season, hitting .278 with a .700 OPS for the Chicago White Sox. His overall numbers won’t pop out at you but he’s been excellent against lefties with a .343 average and .915 OPS in 70 at-bats.

Garcia doesn’t offer much power and he rarely walks. His .386 BABIP against LHP probably isn’t sustainable so his small-sample size numbers from this year may regress. However, Garcia owns a career .282 average against lefties and offers a bit of speed, swiping a career-high 12 bases last year.

He’s played mostly center field this season but can play either corner spot as well as most infield positions. Boston has plenty of regulars in their lineup who struggle against lefties so Garcia’s versatility would give them options to spell any of them or serve as a pinch-hitter.

Garcia isn’t a splashy upgrade but the portion of his $1.55 million salary that they would owe leaves the Red Sox with room under the steepest luxury tax territory to make additional moves. He enters his final year of arbitration this winter before hitting free agency in 2021 so a Chicago team that isn’t quite ready to contend yet should be willing to listen.

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