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Boston Red Sox: Top three offseason additions to 2021 roster

By Tom Cloutier

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 10: Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom speaks during a press conference introducing Alex Cora as the manager of the Boston Red Sox on November 10, 2020 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 10: Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom speaks during a press conference introducing Alex Cora as the manager of the Boston Red Sox on November 10, 2020 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 30: Hunter Renfroe #11 of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a grand slam home run in the second inning during Game Two of the American League Wild Card Series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field on September 30, 2020 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 30: Hunter Renfroe #11 of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a grand slam home run in the second inning during Game Two of the American League Wild Card Series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Tropicana Field on September 30, 2020 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Red Sox sign outfielder Hunter Renfroe

2020 team: Tampa Bay Rays
How the Red Sox got him: Signed a 1-year, $3.1 million contract

Hunter Renfroe is a switch-hitting corner outfielder who possesses middle of the lineup power and a strong arm. He ranked in the top five in outfield assists in two of the last four seasons. At the plate, Renfroe hammers lefties, amassing .573 SLG against LHP in his career.

He struggled to consistently produce offensively last season, slashing a meager .156/.292/.356 leading to his release by Tampa Bay earlier this offseason. His batting average dropped 60 points and his BABIP fell nearly 100 from 2019 to 2020 as Renfroe adjusted to a new team and a new league, leaving San Diego for Tampa Bay. He began pulling the ball less and hitting it to the opposite field more and his hard hit percentage fell as a result.

Whatever adjustments coaches in Tampa made to his swing clearly didn’t work. Renfroe is a self-proclaimed pull hitter saying, “No bones about it, I like to pull the ball. I feel like that’s where most of my power is, to left and left-center.”

That isn’t to say his swing was completely broken in Tampa, because when he found his stroke, the result was beautiful

If he can regain his consistency at the plate this season, he’s going to hammer a lot of baseballs off and over the green monster.

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