Grading the Boston Red Sox free-agent success stories
The talk of all things Red Sox has focused on the negative the last few weeks. That is unavoidable since the team’s elevator is rapidly going down. Is the basement next?
Chaim Bloom has been in virtual hibernation during the recent trading deadline. The Red Sox – meaning past Red Sox teams – were generally not absent at deadline time. Reloading became a priority. Money or prospects were a non-issue.
Bloom has received his share of criticism over signings. A baseball bargain hunter who was quite capable of finding gold and seems to have seen far too much pyrite. Just mentioning Garrett Richards, José Peraza, and Martín Pérez sums up the negative. But what about success? Who has been the natural diamond in the rough? An optimistic look at this trying time instead of a negative one.
Winnowing the process is one of being selective. Are trades part of the discussion? Nick Pivetta is indeed heading into the steal category. I will pass on Franchy Cordero. Garrett Whitlock was a Rule-5 success story – a rarity in baseball.
Then there are the free agents and waiver wire pickups. That is today’s target. I am grading the successes and not the failures.
Hunter Renfroe has been a plus in the Red Sox lineup. A right-handed power hitter with the usual accompaniment of whiffs, but if the game’s goal is to produce runs, Renfroe has done just that. At $3.1 million, the Red Sox have been beneficiaries of a 110 wRC+ and 1.5 fWAR.
Renfroe has been no slouch defensively in right field. At his price tag, the Red Sox have received their money’s worth and now will be in decision time regarding arbitration or an extended deal. I expect Renfroe to stay.
Grade: A-
Does a player earn extra points for the dramatic? That summarizes free-agent Enrique Hernández. The contract was certainly into the acceptable category at $14 million over two years. Hernandez has produced a 3.0 fWAR, 112 wRC+, and a .340 OBP at leadoff. Tack on defensive highlights, versatility, and the dramatic, and Bloom has made this a top-level signing of bang for the buck. A fan and a personal favorite.
Grade: A
Has the second base issue been solved? Christian Arroyo, when in one piece, has the job locked down. A former first-round pick who has shuffled around was picked up last season and produced. At just 26-years-old – just a few days older than Bobby Dalbec – Arroyo carried an excellent 114 wRC+.
Arroyo is not flashy with the glove but has a 9.4 UZR/150, makes the plays, is smart, and does not get a shortstop killed on a double-play flip. Now that his hitting has shown MLB capabilities, the next step is to avoid the destructive luck health issues. Arroyo is a magnet for quirky injuries. Another personal favorite that mat cloud my judgment.
Grade: A
Kevin Plawecki continues to plow along, proving to be a solid option to Christian Vázquez. In 2020, Plawecki hit .341 in 24 games – far above his usual production. This season, Plawecki has shown this to be no fluke. As Vazquez’s inning mount, you may see more of Plawecki in the next six weeks. Plawecki is as good as it gets for a “backup” catcher.
Grade: A
I have mixed emotions about Japanese League veteran Hirokazu Sawamura. His 3.00 ERA is more than acceptable, but it comes with a 5.42 FIP asterisk. A 13.4 BB% is far too high as Sawamura is prone to looking at a postage stamp size plate. And nine home runs in 42 innings?
That seems like a barrel full of negatives, but Sawamura has had more than his share of plus moments. His fastball and slider combination can be a killer. At just $3 million a season, the 33-year-old righty may not be Koji Uehara but is typical of the bargains Bloom can find.
Grade: C-
After watching that one destructive inning against the Tampa Bay Rays, it still has not soured me on right-hander Phillips Valdéz. Valdéz may have been the only pitching success story in 2020 and this season roster manipulations had him on the Worcester shuttle.
Although the battering by the Rays and a lesser one by Toronto, Valdéz has shown enough on the plus side to being a possible longer-term bullpen fixture.
Grade: C+
What I have seen from two years of Bloom is a scattershot approach regarding pickups. When failure is apparent, the cost-conscious approach makes the parting more financially palatable. There are no staggering Pablo Sandoval costs. Then there is the downside. And that is the latest with Danny Santana and DFA Marwin Gonzalez and that is inexpensive mistakes.
Boston’s approach has not reaped dividends one would expect with a big-name method, especially with pitching. The last trading deadline demonstrated a reluctance to part with prospects and to exceed the luxury tax. The short-term consequences are apparent, and the long-term one may be several seasons down the road.