Who will be the Red Sox DH in 2023?
Somewhat lost in this offseason’s Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers chaos is the fact that the Boston Red Sox are in need of a new designated hitter.
For them, perhaps more than any other team, it’s an impossibly tall order. After being blessed with David Ortiz for over a decade, Boston discovered his only downside; that no one else would ever measure up.
A year after he retired, the Sox found a more than solid successor in JD Martinez, but now that his 5-year, $110M contract is up, they’re once again faced with the daunting task of finding a DH. The thin market and their hesitance to spend competitively aren’t doing them any favors, either.
Here are five potential DH options still available…
4. Trey Mancini
Trey Mancini was primarily an outfielder and first baseman before missing the 2020 season while he underwent treatment for cancer, but he’s a solid DH option, too.
Aside from his time with the Houston Astros between the trade deadline and World Series this year, Mancini is an American League East lifer, and he’s hit well around the division. At Fenway,
Plus, that defensive ability could always come in handy. The Sox have played around with different lineups and defensive layouts for the last couple of years, and that element of surprise certainly worked on their opponents in 2021.
Mancini could also fill some of the void left by Xander Bogaerts, the team’s unofficial captain for several seasons. The former Oriole was the face of his franchise and the club’s longest-tenured player at the time of his trade. He’s widely respected around the league, considered a class act, and a person of fortitude. No one will ever replace Bogaerts, but Mancini would be a marvelous addition to this clubhouse.