Red Sox Free Agency: Brock Holt still offers best solution for second base

The Boston Red Sox have a few options to fill the vacancy at second base but their best solution to the problem still sits on the free-agent market.

My friends, we’re hours away from a brand new year and soon enough a brand new season. With that, the Red Sox are still in need of some pieces to fill out the roster to achieve its peak performance in 2020. One glaring hole for Boston is at second base.

It’s not like they don’t have the players as they surely do. It isn’t always about having the players but more so having the right players. There are some great guys on the roster that have proven that they can take the mantle at second base.

Michael Chavis is the heir apparent as of now after making a massive splash during his rookie campaign. Injuries slowed down what could’ve been a Rookie of the Year effort but he looks to make a massive comeback in 2020. The Ice Horse put in the effort to learn his new position and excelled during the time he had in 2019. Going into the new season he definitely is the odds on favorite.

Marco Hernandez is another option on the table for Alex Cora if he chooses to go that route. The Red Sox recently re-signed the infielder after allowing him to hit free agency. Boston’s front office non-tendered the second baseman in a move to work out a new contract and save the team some cash.

Hernandez was projected to make around $700K via arbitration and the Sox were able to get him back for $650K, not much of a savings but everything helps.

So, now that we’ve talked about the most likely options to take over the spot let’s take a look at the elephant in the room. WHY HAVEN’T THE RED SOX RE-SIGNED BROCK HOLT?? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, I just can’t figure out what the hell this team is doing. I get we’re trying to save money for what will be a massive offer at Mookie Betts, but come on.

However, signing Holt won’t knock the Betts train off the tracks as he’ll likely fetch around a 3-year/$12 million contract in the right scenario. Everything that Chaim Bloom is doing is in the efforts at re-signing Mookie next winter. What if the plan fails and he leaves? Now the Red Sox have traded off players (possibly), let others go in free agency, all in an attempt to keep a guy that is now going elsewhere.

As we enter January the reason Holt isn’t with the team is purely money-based. We know, the team knows, and the front office knows, that Brock is the best option for this team. Chavis and Hernandez are both great players and great teammates but Holt brings something that very few can and do. He has that intangible that allows him to raise all of the ships around him, on and off the field.