Red Sox INF/OF: Marwin Gonzalez
I said it during last night’s game and I’ll gladly say it again right here, Marwin Gonzalez is becoming one of my favorite players on this team. Whether it’s in the field or at the plate it feels like Marwin is always capable of doing something big to help the team win. Alex Cora has moved Gonzalez all over the field which was always the thought as he’s one of the most reliable utilitymen in the league right now.
Through 16 games this season he’s played five different positions. He’s covered most of the infield while also taking on left field with plenty of time to fill up his BINGO card. Marwin’s bat has also been hot as of late and he owns a .235/.365/.353/.718 line with a homer, 4 RBI, and 2 stolen bases.
He’s similar to Dalbec in that he has a lot of strikeouts, 12, but where he sets himself apart is the walks. In 51 plate appearances this season he’s amassed 8 walks to those 12 whiffs, a ratio I’m more than happy in seeing.
I would like to see Gonzalez try and swipe a few more bags but his season-high is only 12 and that was back in 2016 so this may be about it for him. He’s been showing some great instincts at the plate and isn’t as much of a liability for the Red Sox as some others in the lineup.
He’ll continue his ride on the positional carousel tonight as he’s at first base after splitting time at second and left last night. He’s one guy that I don’t mind seeing all over the place as he has confidence no matter where he is on the diamond or in the lineup. Through the first three weeks of the season, he’s rewarding Alex Cora’s faith in him in spades.