Red Sox outfield target: Mitch Haniger
Just hours before MLB entered into this never-ending lockout, the Red Sox shocked the baseball world by dealing Hunter Renfroe to the Brewers. Though they upgraded their defense by bringing back Jackie Bradley Jr., they now have a clear need for a right-handed, power-hitting outfielder, and few players fit that role better than Mitch Haniger.
After playing just 63 games from 2019 to 2020 due to a litany of injuries, Haniger proved no worse for wear in 2021. He sets career-highs with 39 home runs and 100 RBI while exceeding the .485 slugging percentage mark for the third time in four years. His numbers last year were eerily similar to the man he would be brought in to replace:
Mitch Haniger: .253/.318/.485 62 XBH 3.1 WAR
Hunter Renfroe: .259/.315/.501 64 XBH 2.3 WAR
There is no doubt that Haniger would be a great fit with the Red Sox, but the question is whether the Mariners would be willing to part with their longest-tenured player. With young stars Jarred Kelenic and Kyle Lewis locked into two of the outfield spots and top prospect Julio Rodriguez on the way, Seattle may be more willing to deal Haniger than you might think. With just one year remaining on his contract, the cost to acquire Haniger is well within the Red Sox price range. This is the rare deal that makes perfect sense for both sides.