Red Sox Predictions: Where will free agents play in 2020?
By Tim Starr
Steve Pearce came over from the Toronto Blue Jays on June 28 of 2018. About a month later on August 2, Pearce cranked three home runs against the New York Yankees. Fast forward another two months, Pearce was batting third in the World Series-bound lineup of the Red Sox.
After reaching the World Series, Pearce took his game to another level – ending up with him taking home the World Series MVP while boasting a .500 OBP to go along with a 1.167 SLG and three home runs.
Pearce, similar to Nathan Eovaldi, was in his contract year and no better way to go into the offseason then winning the World Series MVP. The Red Sox rewarded Pearce by giving him a 1-year deal worth $6.25 million.
After a magic carpet ride to end 2018 for Pearce, he entered 2019 with some expectations. And to put it lightly, Pearce took a gargantuan swing and a miss. The injury bug bit Pearce throughout 2019 – back strain, torn PCL, and the inability to run for most of the season. These injuries limited Pearce to an abysmal 29 games.
Pearce is getting up there in age, nearly 37 years old. After playing the role of hero in the 2018 postseason, Pearce has not even remotely looked like the same ballplayer. As reported by the Boston Globe, Pearce has already been contemplating retirement. I think Pearce knows his best baseball is behind him and after a plethora of injuries plaguing him in 2019, Pearce will hang up his cleats for good.