5 players the Boston Red Sox must avoid in free agency

Red Sox must avoid Braves OF Joc Pederson

One of the biggest things Chaim Bloom has shown in his first two years is that he values outfielders who can contribute in all phases of the game. Whether it be Enrique Hernandez, Hunter Renfroe, or Alex Verdugo, Bloom has acquired outfielders who are not just great hitters but can provide value on the bases and the field as well.

Taking that into consideration, it makes little sense for the Red Sox to pursue Joc Pederson. Pederson has long been a dangerous power threat even in the spacious Dodgers Stadium, topping the 25 home-run plateau four times from 2015 to 2019. He has also developed a reputation as a clutch postseason player, as his 12 home runs and .482 slugging percentage are both among the active playoff leaders.

The problem with Pederson, however, is that he can’t do anything else well. He ranked in the bottom ten percentile in both outfield jump and outs above average, and his value on the bases (19-for-40 in career stolen base attempts) isn’t much better. He’s never batted above .250 and has a walk rate below 10% in each of the last four years. Even his well-regarded power comes with a caveat: Only 11 of his 148 career home runs have come against lefties, and he has slashed an anemic .208/.285/.325 versus southpaws in his career.

A second division team can maybe get by with sticking Pederson in the outfield for 150 games a season. But for a contender like the Red Sox, there is no spot for such a one-dimensional player.