The Red Sox have their eye on several free-agent second basemen
The Boston Red Sox have cast a wide net in their search for a second baseman and the market should heat up now that the top option is off the board.
The New York Yankees finally resolved their stalemate with DJ LeMahieu, locking up the star infielder with a six-year, $90 million deal. The total amount is hardly surprising but the number of years granted to the 32-year-old was eye-catching. The Yankees clearly wanted to spread the contract out over a longer duration in order to reduce the average annual value for luxury tax purposes. The $15 million luxury tax hit for 2021 keeps New York comfortably below the threshold and LeMahieu still gets the money he deserves.
The relatively cheap salary on an average annual basis for the two-time batting champion could have a trickle-down effect that suppresses the market for second baseman that fall short of the elite tier LeMahieu resides in. This could lead to some bargains in free agency or players accepting short-term deals in order to hit the market again under better economic conditions.
Both scenarios work in favor of a Red Sox team that has several holes to fill and a top prospect in Jeter Downs who they expect will be their future at the position. Boston is looking for an affordable second baseman to serve as a stopgap until Downs is ready for the big leagues.
According to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo, the Red Sox have been in touch with several free-agent options who fit that criteria. Kiké Hernandez, Kolten Wong, Cesar Hernandez and Dee Strange-Gordon are among those who the Red Sox have entered preliminary talks with.
Wong might represent the best option of the bunch. The two-time Gold Glove winner would provide a steady presence to an otherwise shaky defensive infield. His bat has been inconsistent during his eight years in St. Louis but he’s shown a modest ceiling by hitting .285 in two of the last four years. That could improve by moving to a more hitter-friendly environment where his lefty swing can take advantage of the shallow left field at Fenway by peppering the wall for opposite field doubles.
Cesar Hernandez would be a suitable alternative. He won the Gold Glove at second base this year, his first season in the American League after moving to Cleveland. Hernandez produces a solid batting average and while he’s never shown much home run power, he led the league with 20 doubles in 58 games this year.
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Strange-Gordon is a former batting champ and two-time All-Star but his best days are clearly behind him. He hit a pitiful .200/.268/.213 in 33 games last season. Perhaps that’s a small sample-sized fluke but his overall production from three years in Seattle pales in comparison to his previous track record. He was once an elite threat on the bases, stealing 30+ bags in five consecutive years and leading the league in that category three times. He only swiped three bases on five attempts last season, leaving us to wonder if that skill set is diminishing for a player who turns 33 in April.
Kiké provides value with his versatility but that makes him an odd fit if the Red Sox are looking for an everyday second baseman. Locking him into one position negates part of what makes him appealing. He also has wide platoon splits – he hammers lefties but he’s fairly useless against right-handed pitching.
The free-agent market is saturated with second basemen. While there’s been no indication that the Red Sox have discussed signing other options, Tommy La Stella, Jonathan Schoop, Jurickson Profar and Jonathan Villar are among the available free-agents they could pivot to if their top choices don’t pan out.
Now that LeMahieu is off the board, the floodgates should open for other second basemen to sign. While it’s been a frustratingly slow winter so far, the Red Sox can afford to remain patient with so many viable options on the table.