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.