Red Sox right fielder vs the AL East
- Aaron Judge, Yankees (10)
- Teoscar Hernandez, Blue Jays (7)
- Manuel Margot, Rays (5)
- Anthony Santander, Orioles (3)
- Jackie Bradley Jr., Red Sox (1)
Two All-Star sluggers headline right field in the AL East. The first is Aaron Judge, who finally stayed healthy and put together his best campaign since his magical rookie season. Judge has now posted an OPS+ of at least 143 in every season of his career and is firmly in the conversation of best players in baseball.
Not to be outdone, Teoscar Hernandez had an exceptional season of his own in 2021. The 28-year-old finished in the top 10 in the American League in both average and home runs. He was particularly dominant against left-hand pitchers, annihilating them to the tune of a .372/.407/.744 slash line. Over the last two years, there have been few better hitters than Hernandez, as only five players can top his 150 RBIs since 2020.
Though he can’t match Judge’s or Hernandez’s offensive production, Manuel Margot is still a valuable player due to his spectacular defense. No outfielder could match his 16 Outs Above Average in 2021. While his offense isn’t elite by any stretch of the imagination, he has been near league-average each of the last two seasons, an acceptable figure for a player with his defensive skills.
Hopes were high for Anthony Santander after posting a 135 OPS+ in 2020, but he was unable to repeat the magic. His OPS dropped 170 points, and he produced less WAR in 110 games than he did in 37 games in 2020. He’ll still get opportunities on a rebuilding Orioles team, but it’s clear the shine has worn off.
Jackie Bradley Jr. had an absolutely disastrous season at the plate in 2021, and he’ll return to the Red Sox after an offseason trade, this time as a right fielder. Bradley can still field with the best of them, as evident by his 4 OAA, but his lackluster offense will likely push the Red Sox to go after another outfielder and push Bradley into a reserve role.