Red Sox Predictions: Where will free agents play in 2020?
By Tim Starr
Brock Holt came over to the Red Sox in 2013 and has been an instrumental part of the Red Sox organization on and off the field for the past seven years. Holt has had his share of success and was Boston’s only All-Star in the miserable 2015 season.
Holt was key in the Red Sox world championship in 2018, hitting for the cycle in the Game 3 rout of the New York Yankees. Holt stepped up in the championship season, manning second base for the injury-riddled Dustin Pedroia and Eduardo Nunez’s inability to play the position.
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In 2019, Holt started off the season 0-for-18 and then proceeded to go on the IL for the next month and a half with a scratched cornea. However, Holt had an amazing 2019 season from mid-May forward.
While Holt has never been a guy to hit for lots of power, he has always been a guy who can put up a great at-bat and make a pitcher work for an out. Holt has also shown great defensive versatility throughout his career. In 2019, arguably Holt’s best offensive season, he put up a .297 batting average to go along with a .369 OBP and a .771 OPS.
Holt only committed four errors in 2019 in 101 games at 6 different positions. He is clearly a utility player than can plug in many different roles and be moved around to give other players rest in order to maximize his utility.
Unfortunately, as stated with Moreland, payroll needs to be cut and the Red Sox likely just can’t afford to hold onto Holt anymore. Overall, Holt should garner interest from teams that need to rotate out players often. Howie Kendrick and Asdrubel Cabrerra are both free agents for the Washington Nationals and Holt can replace them. Other teams could be the Reds, Rays, and Brewers.