Marwin Gonzalez could be an underrated asset for the Red Sox
In an up and down offseason for the Red Sox, one of Chaim Bloom’s final moves before heading to Fort Myers was signing utility man Marwin Gonzalez on a one-year deal worth $3 million. The move allowed the Swiss-army knife to reunite with manager Alex Cora from their days spent with the Houston Astros.
Both were apart of the 2017 World Series run, but we will not get into details. This was during a season that Gonzalez had a career year, hitting .303, with 23 home runs, and 90 runs batted in.
The utility players have been a reoccurring theme for Bloom and the Red Sox, as they brought in Enrique Hernandez and Danny Santana who can also play all around the diamond. With a roster that came in with numerous holes, their versatility can make them all valuable assets.
Gonzalez so far has impressed and looks to be a dark horse this season to have a unique role in Boston. So far during Spring Training, he has shown off his skills as a fielder despite some early errors. He has played first base, second base, shortstop, and also has acted as the designated hitter. Gonzalez can play all around the outfield but we have yet to see him out there, as Cora is clearly seeing what the younger players can do during the Spring.
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In the lineup, he has been all over the place, hitting as early as out of the two-hole and as late as sixth. So far he has batted for an impressive .400 average, with two homers, and seven RBI. That includes a multi-homer game on Thursday when he hit a home run from each side of the plate.
His production only is giving fans hope that we could possibly see some flashes of 2017 Gonzalez. The only concern with Gonzalez and why it took him so long to be signed was that he is coming off a miserable 2020 campaign with the Minnesota Twins where he batted just .211, with five homers, and 22 runs batted in during 53 games.
The 31-year-old could make himself close to an everyday player thanks to his tremendous versatility, especially if he continues to swing a hot bat. If Marwin could just be half of the player he was during his career season with the Astros, then that would make him a great addition to the team. Mainly because they are paying him close to nothing, and would make $4 million at the most if he nails all of his incentives.
Get used to seeing Marwin in the lineup and enjoy the ride. So far he has looked promising in a limited sample size. But throughout his career he has proved to be a key factor, so do not be surprised if he bounces back in a big way with Boston this upcoming season.