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

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BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 2: Steve Pearce #25 of the Boston Red Sox reacts as he rounds first base after hitting a three-run home run in the fourth inning of a game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on August 2, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

The Boston Red Sox could use a boost against left-handed pitching. Here are five lefty-mashers to keep an eye on as the trade deadline approaches.

The Boston Red Sox have a star-studded lineup that remains one of the league’s best but they do have their flaws. One notable issue plaguing this year’s team is that they’ve been exposed by left-handed pitching.

Boston enters the day tied for ninth in the American League with a collective .241 batting average and they rank eighth with a .726 OPS against lefties. They sit in the bottom third of the majors with a .307 wOBA and 87 wRC+ against left-handers, per FanGraphs.

The Red Sox rectified a similar dilemma last year by acquiring Steve Pearce from the Toronto Blue Jays in June. The deal proved pivotal to the team’s success, as Pearce did what he was brought here to do by mashing lefties and went on to earn the World Series MVP.

Unfortunately, Pearce is currently sidelined by a back strain and was a shell of his former self when he was healthy, hitting a mere .200 against lefties and .180 overall. If this year’s version of Pearce can’t fill the team’s need for a bat who crushes left-handed pitching then the Red Sox may need to hit the trade market again.

Finding a trade target isn’t as simple as identifying the best hitters in the game against lefties. The Los Angeles Dodgers obviously aren’t giving up Cody Bellinger and the Chicago Cubs aren’t putting Kris Bryant on the market. Boston doesn’t have the trade chips or room in their budget to add a star and they don’t really need one. We’re looking for a role player who excels at a specific trait who can realistically be obtained for an affordable price.

The second Wild Card in each league means more teams can consider themselves in the playoff hunt deeper into the season, making it more difficult to find a seller. Few teams, if any, are open for business yet but that will change as the trade deadline approaches. My targets come from teams I expect will fall behind in the Wild Card race over the next month leading to the deadline.

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.

Howie Kendrick

The veteran infielder is still going strong in his 14th season, hitting .339/.391/.603 with 12 home runs and 43 RBI for the Washington Nationals.

Howie Kendrick ranks second in the majors with a .397 average while sitting in the top-10 with a .457 wOBA and 183 wRC+ against lefties this season.

While he can’t be expected to sustain those lofty numbers, Kendrick has always hit left-handers well with a career .295/.342/.443 line against them.

He may have lost a step in the field but Kendrick is still capable of fielding his position at first, second or third base. Kendrick could replace Pearce as the right-handed half of a first base platoon when a healthy Mitch Moreland returns. He could also be a serviceable second base option if rookie Michael Chavis falls into another lengthy slump.

Kendrick is owed $4 million this season, less than half of which would be paid by the Red Sox if they acquired him near the deadline. While a player producing at his current level would typically fetch a hefty price on the market, Kendrick is 35 years old and a free agent after the season. The price should be reasonable if the Nats fall out of the race.

Washington is only 3.5 games out of a playoff spot but there are a handful of teams ahead of them. They have the pitching staff to climb back in the race but if their season goes any further south they may be forced to sell.

Brian Dozier

If the Nationals do end up becoming sellers, Brian Dozier is another name to watch. He’s hitting a dismal .235 this season but that will only help keep the cost down for a Red Sox team that cares primarily about one specific skill set.

When it comes to mashing lefties, Dozier is among the elite. He’s hitting .375 with a 1.185 OPS in 56 at-bats against southpaws this season. He ranks second in the majors with a .483 wOBA and third with a 201 wRC+ against LHP.

Dozier only has 12 homers this season but five have come against lefties in a limited number of plate appearances. The former All-Star boasts plenty of pop with a career-high of 42 homers and he blasted 34 only two years ago.

His overall numbers have dipped to borderline replacement level the last two seasons but that’s primarily due to his inability to hit right-handed pitching at this stage of his career. He can still get the job done against lefties, which is what the Red Sox are targetting.

The 32-year old is only two years removed from being a Gold Glove second baseman. He’s regressed a bit in the field but remains a serviceable option who could help solidify a position that Boston has been relying on a rotating cast of utility players to fill.

Dozier found a frigid free agent market waiting for him following a disappointing stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who acquired him mid-season from the Minnesota Twins last year. He settled for a one-year, $9 million deal with the Nationals. Boston should be able to find room for a portion of that salary while the lack of commitment beyond this season reduces the risk and keeps the cost of acquiring him reasonably low.

Eduardo Escobar

Eduardo Escobar is having a breakout season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, hitting .282 with a .889 OPS and 17 home runs. The switch-hitting infielder still struggles against right-handers though, as he has throughout his career.

Escobar’s slash line remains high because of how great he’s been against lefties, posting a .388 average, 1.153 OPS, .473 wOBA and 194 wRC+ against them this season. He ranks no lower than seventh in the majors in each of those categories and his batting average ranks third.

Hunter Pence

Few saw this career resurgence coming from the three-time All-Star. Hunter Pence struggled through a few injury-plagued seasons with the San Francisco Giants as his production quickly declined. His biggest highlight over the last few years was dating Stephanie Tanner on an episode of Fuller House.

Moving to a hitter-friendly park in Texas has revitalized Pence’s career. He’s hitting .294/.353/.608 with 15 home runs and 48 RBI.

Pence has hit well enough against pitchers who throw from either side throughout his career to warrant being an everyday player but he’s been particularly good against lefties this season. He’s hitting .324 with a 1.061 OPS, .433 wOBA, and 169 wRC+ against LHP. He doesn’t rank quite as high as the other bats on this list against lefties but he’s a better overall hitter than any of them if his bounce-back season is to be believed.

He also comes with plenty of postseason experience, winning two championships with the Giants and posting a .390 batting average in 11 career World Series games. If anyone on this list is going to follow in Pearce’s footsteps as an under-the-radar mid-season pickup turned postseason hero, it’s Pence.

Pence was placed on the injured list this week with a right groin strain but it’s not considered a serious issue and he may return after the minimum 10-day stint. That may make it a moot point long before the deadline but it’s worth monitoring given Pence’s injury history.

The Rangers are paying Pence next to nothing on a minor league deal before he hits free agency again after the season. The price is right for a Red Sox team working on a tight budget and it shouldn’t take a significant haul to acquire a 36-year old that the Rangers won’t control beyond this season.

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Texas is only a game behind Boston for the second Wild Card spot so they might talk themselves into being buyers instead of sellers. Will their success last until the deadline? It seems unlikely with the 23rd ranked pitching staff in the majors. If Texas starts to slip in the standings then Pence is a prime candidate to be dealt at the deadline if he’s healthy and productive.

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