5 former Red Sox eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot in 2023

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 29: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) John Lackey #41 of the Boston Red Sox in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 8-5. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 29: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) John Lackey #41 of the Boston Red Sox in action against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 29, 2014 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Red Sox defeated the Yankees 8-5. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
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Red Sox INF Stephen Drew
BOSTON, MA – JULY 29: Stephen Drew #7 of the Boston Red Sox attempts a double play as Munenori Kawasaki #66 of the Toronto Blue Jays is out at second base in the sixth inning at Fenway Park on July 29, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Red Sox infielder Stephen Drew

Years with Red Sox: 2013-2014 (163 games)
HOFm score: 11

The younger brother of former Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew, Stephen Drew signed with the Red Sox in 2013 to serve as a temporary placeholder at shortstop. The position had been a revolving door in Boston since Nomar Garciaparra was traded in 2004. Drew was among the last to fill that role until the emergence of Xander Bogaerts, who debuted in August of 2013 and slowly started siphoning playing time away from Drew.

In 124 games that season, Drew hit .253 with a .777 OPS, 13 home runs and 67 RBI. He appeared in 16 postseason games on the way to winning a World Series but he was a meager 6-for-54 (.111) at the plate.

Drew turned down a one-year, $14 million qualifying offer from the Red Sox after the 2013 season but never found the multi-year deal he was looking for. He held out until after the June draft when a team could sign him without forfeiting a pick but ended up settling for a return to Boston on a pro-rated deal that was estimated at around $10 million.

The delayed start to his season led to Drew sputtering out of the gate, hitting .176 in 39 games. The Red Sox traded him to the Yankees at the deadline in a rare deal between the division rivals.

Drew hit .252/.318/.423 over his 12 seasons with Arizona, Oakland, Boston, New York and Washington. He was a solid role player but never a star and certainly not a Hall of Famer.

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