4 former Red Sox struggling mightily during 2024 spring training
The Boston Red Sox are off to a better-than-expected start to spring training, to the amazement of some fans and reporters. Many of their former players are not sharing the same fortunes though.
The Red Sox lost many key players for the coming season, and they're not making the impression many would have hoped for with their new clubs. A few former Sox even remain unsigned with just a few weeks until Opening Day.
There's still time for Boston's former pieces to find themselves and for any smaller injuries to clear up before the season begins. Spring training is a time for practice and readjustment to in-season life, after all.
With baseball season being so long, there is plenty of time for trends to form and break. Hopefully, these former Red Sox hit their stride for their new clubs (or find a club to play with) soon.
4 former Red Sox struggling mightily during 2024 spring training
Adam Duvall
Duvall had a one-year stint with the Red Sox in 2023, entered free agency after the season, and hasn't left yet. Duvall has been searching for a home for 2024 all winter and he's been connected to multiple clubs, including the Red Sox.
Duvall's long spell in free agency this winter likely has to do with the string of injuries he's dealt with in recent years. He made 86 appearances for the Braves in 2022 and 92 for the Sox last season due to issues with his left wrist. In 2022, he tore the tendon sheath in his wrist, which needed surgery to repair, and he re-aggravated the injury the following year in Boston.
Duvall still made an impact for Boston when he was healthy. He batted .247/.303/.531 with 21 home runs and brought some power to the batting order. His defense left something to be desired though, as he posted -3 outs above average. He also struck out 110 times last season.
With Opening Day just around the corner and injuries taking their toll on lineups already, Duvall may not be long for free agency. It has been reported that the outfielder is choosing between the Red Sox and Angels for his 2024 home.
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Alex Verdugo
The Red Sox traded their reliable right fielder Alex Verdugo to the Yankees this offseason and he hasn't had the best start to his tenure in New York.
Verdugo's offense has been sparse. He's batting .222/.333/.278 in eight spring training games. He's posted four hits, an RBI, two walks and six strikeouts.
Verdugo is often a streaky hitter and he's missed some time this spring after being hit by a pitch, so there may be external factors at play in his production. Verdugo also doesn't need to produce to the extent he did on the Red Sox, although it would be nice for New York if he did. He was used as a top-of-the-order bat in Boston and doesn't need to fulfill that responsibility in the same lineup with Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
Verdugo's usual streakiness would suggest that he'll find himself in time, and batting later in the order should suit him better than his previous spot with the Sox.
James Paxton
The Red Sox brought in James Paxton last season to serve as an experienced arm in a mostly young rotation. He made 19 starts for the Sox after dealing with some injuries that kept him sidelined for a spell at the beginning and end of the season.
Boston lost out to the Dodgers in competition for Paxton's services for 2024, and LA's pitching staff is desperate for experience and consistency. Paxton can probably bring that, but he's been off to a slow start this spring.
Paxton has made just one start of two innings and he posted a 4.50 ERA. He logged four strikeouts in those two innings, but he also allowed a hit and an earned run.
Paxton's numbers aren't bad, he's just made relatively few starts at this point in spring training. He and the Dodgers had to restructure the agreed upon contract due to an undisclosed health issue that Paxton has been dealing with, and hopefully, it does not keep him from pitching down the line.
Justin Turner
After Justin Turner quickly emerged as a fan-favorite with the Red Sox last season, Boston fans would have loved to see him back in a Sox uniform this season. He signed with the Blue Jays late in the offseason and, while Red Sox Nation was disappointed, Turner isn't putting up the numbers he posted with the Sox last year.
In 18 at-bats, Turner has registered a .222 batting average and he's struck out four times. He's walked five times, showing his eye is in in-season form, but his contact has been minimal. Of Turner's four hits, just one has gone for extra bases.
Turner is a veteran who's been through many spring trainings and should very well find himself in due time, but he's also entering his age-39 season, and his production is likely to decline in the coming years. Though his spring numbers probably won't be indicative of that, bats are usually ahead of pitching at this time of the year. Either way, he should benefit from being in a better lineup of offensive studs. He'll just probably have to wait for the real action to begin.
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