Red Sox free-agent target – Delino DeShields
If the Red Sox lose Bradley Jr. to free agency, Delino DeShields is a viable replacement who can be scooped up for a fraction of the cost.
His bat won’t do much to impress but DeShields hit a serviceable .252 this year. His career .246 average and .326 OBP are very similar to Bradley Jr.’s career numbers. The power production he provides is more limited than Bradley Jr.’s but DeShields is more active on the base paths with four seasons collecting 20+ stolen bases on his resume.
Few can match the defensive wizardry of Bradley Jr. in center field but DeShields is no slouch with the glove. DeShields has totaled 21 defensive runs saved over the last four seasons, compared to 17 DRS for Bradley Jr. in that span.
DeShields is basically a poor man’s version of Bradley Jr. who also happens to be two years younger. He doesn’t have the defensive reputation of the former Gold Glove winner but DeShields is still an above-average center fielder. His bat has less upside but with a slightly higher floor than the streaky Bradley Jr. What he lacks in power he makes up for in speed, an element that the current Red Sox roster doesn’t have much of.
Even if the Red Sox bring back Bradley Jr. or splurge for one of the top outfielders on the market, DeShields should be available at a price affordable enough to warrant using him as a fourth outfielder. He can serve as a defensive replacement at all three outfield spots and a pinch-runner off the bench.