5 shortstop options for Red Sox after unexpected Trevor Story surgery
4. Elvis Andrus
Elvis Andrus may not seem like an exciting pickup for the Red Sox, but the 34-year-old enjoyed a return to relevancy with the Chicago White Sox last offseason, showing he may have more left in the tank. In 149 games in 2022, Andrus slashed .249/.303/.404 with a 103 OPS+, 17 home runs, and 3 OAA. He was also one of the best baserunners in the league with 18 steals and a 6.0 BsR. This was his best season since 2017.
Even if the hitting was a fluke, Andrus has been an excellent defender for years. Since 2017, Andrus has racked up 27 OAA, which is 10th among all shortstops. He’s also 21st in BsR over that span among all position players with 19.5. These stats show he’s been surprisingly good for awhile, but even in 2022 Andrus was a good defender and baserunner.
Andrus probably won’t hit like he did in 2022 again. He’s one of the weakest hitters in the league with a 34.8% hard hit rate (22nd percentile) and he doesn’t walk much (6.8 BB%, 32nd percentile). Despite his advanced age and declining speed, Andrus still has value as a good defender and baserunner. On a one-year deal, Andrus could very well step in and cover for Story.
3. Joey Wendle
The Red Sox have been reportedly in on Wendle throughout the offseason (per Chad Jennings of The Athletic), and now is the best time to strike a deal. Wendle’s not a perfect replacement — he slashed .259/.297/.360 with an 86 OPS+ in 2022 — but part of his appeal is his ability to play multiple positions very well. His glove is good enough to play a full season at SS while moving around the infield as needed.
One issue is his arm strength, though. Baseball Savant rates his arm better than Story’s — 25th percentile compared to 8th percentile — but ideally, he’s better suited for second base (even though he possesses the speed and the glove to play shortstop).
Wendle is under contract through the 2023 season, so regardless of whether the Red Sox would want to keep him past the season, his asking price should be low as a result of his impending free agency. Better yet, the Red Sox may be able to attach him to a starting pitcher in a trade, an option that was explored on the site last week.
2. Brendan Rodgers
Formerly a top-10 prospect in baseball, Brendan Rodgers has finally started showing life over the past two seasons. In 2022, Rodgers hit .266/.325/.408 with a 96 OPS+. He hits the ball hard (80th percentile), but he’s a ground ball hitter (his 52.2 GB% was the sixth highest among qualified hitters). With some adjustments, Rodgers could become a 30+ home run hitter.
Rodgers isn’t a perfect fit as he’s more of a 2B than a SS. He’s played shortstop in the past, but he’s never been great at the position. This was his best season at second base, as he reached a career high 3 OAA. His arm strength (20th percentile) isn’t cut out for shortstop.
If the Red Sox are committed to Trevor Story at shortstop, and are confident he can return from the injury just fine, then Rodgers can be a long-term option at 2B. For 2023, take your pick of Arroyo or Rodgers at SS. There’s a lot of potential for Rodgers as a solid defender and an above average hitter, and at 26 years old with three seasons of team control remaining, he could be a good pickup for the Red Sox regardless of Story’s injury.
1. Ha-Seong Kim
Let’s say the Red Sox want someone who could play either 2B or SS, and they want someone under contract beyond 2023. Enter Ha-Seong Kim, a free agent after the 2026 season. Kim is coming off of a breakout 5.1 rWAR season in which he showed an above average ability at every aspect of the game.
Kim took a year to adjust to major league hitting, and 2021 was a rather poor offensive display … but 2022 was much different. He slashed .251/.325/.383 with 11 home runs. Kim might never hit 20+ home runs in a season, as his batted ball data suggests. He’s able to elevate the ball more than expected, but BABIP hasn’t been on his side: .241 in 2021 and .290 in 2022. BABIP works best with a track record to compare it to, but it can still be said that he’s experiencing bad luck on that front.
Even if he’s just a light hitter with a solid ability to get on base, his defense makes up for it. He had 2 OAA at both 2B and SS in 2021, but as he got more time at shortstop in 2022, his OAA jumped to 8. That put him in the 95th percentile of all fielders. His 68th percentile arm strength holds up at SS and even let him get some time at 3B.
As things currently stand in San Diego, Kim should have a starting job at second base, but the team should have enough depth to consider moving him at the right price. The Red Sox could utilize him at SS for years as a short-term replacement or a long-term solution.
