The Red Sox 2022 season could hinge on two incidental players

The Red Sox need a solid contribution from Barnes, Cordero

The Boston Red Sox season may hinge on two players who have been synonymous with disappointment. There are certain things in life I thought I would never do, such as skydiving and living long enough to retire. That is now joined by the two players who have been harshly treated by myself, various media, fans, and probably their own families.

Player number one is Matt Barnes. Barnes signed an ill-advised $18.75 million deal at the midpoint of last season. We all know the drill as the righty was an All-Star and dependable closer. As soon as the ink dried, another story took place.

Barnes fell apart in the second half of last season. And this season, Barnes has not lost a beat as he has been relegated to mop-up duty. The fastball is down two ticks; the swing strike percentage is near career-low, hard-hit is 46.5%, and the ERA+ (63) is dreadful. Why the sudden optimism?

The first is pitch selection, as Barnes now has a change-up that he has used at 10.4%, per Baseball Savant. The heater has been tossed less, and the curve (52.3%) is at a career-high. In a recent game against Seattle, Barnes picked up a save, and on display were both his curve and change.

Should one game be a determinate? My second note of possible promise is Barnes realizes his loss of velocity and now must transition, which he is attempting to do. A risky situation for Alex Cora but one I think the manager is willing to accept. Can Barnes build upon just one success? That will be shown by Cora’s use of Barnes as the season moves forward. If Barnes continues to regress, the Red Sox will have another addition to the dead money club.

Franchy Cordero excels at failure. San Diego, Kansas City, and Boston waited for the talented Cordero to step up. The Friars and Royals gave up, and the Red Sox did – at least for a while. Last season Cordero was as valuable as a snow cone in the lineup, Boston lost patience, and Cordero was off to Worcester.

Cordero stepped up and took his reps as a first baseman in Worm Town. Cordero also mutilated baseballs giving more credence to naysayers (like myself) that Franchy was a 4A player. This season, Cordero continued to torture International League pitching, and Boston brought Cordero back.

When did Cordero discover the strike zone? The sample is small, but Cordero is far more disciplined than the swinging gate I saw last season. Defensively, the 27-year-old lefty is a work in progress as a novice at first base. As an outfielder, Cordero is just the opposite. I see a different player. If he can hold steady with a 100+ OPS range and a current 22.2 K%, I will be looking at crow recipes.

With Bobby Dalbec in a horrific slump, Cordero is in a career sweet spot, especially if he can remain disciplined at the plate. Cordero’s power potential is excellent, which we have seen recently with a booming triple and a grand slam dinger, and his speed is exceptional for a man his size.

If I and a legion of others were wrong on Franchy, the Red Sox could have an upgrade over the current instability at first and a competent outfielder to mix and match. The sample is small with Barnes, but sometimes a player who “gets it” might be Cordero.

Barnes remains the real key player, from my view. Can he stop the closer search and stabilize the bullpen even further? The Red Sox seems on track to continue to use Garrett Whitlock in the rotation, and Chris Sale may see plenty of bullpen action if he ever surfaces. Barnes can also be a solid setup if the closer situation improves and Cora slots him elsewhere.

The Red Sox team improves with a solid Barnes and a Cordero who finally achieves his projected promise. If both fail or become an afterthought, then problems will continue to exist. The following two to three weeks will let RSN know if both are dead weight or contributors.