6 DH options for the 2024 Boston Red Sox
If it's not Justin Turner, then who do the Red Sox turn to?
The 2024 Boston Red Sox do not have a designated hitter issue to impede their march to a championship; in fact, they have an abundance of potential recruits to fill that role.
In 2023, the Red Sox DH contingent collectively was ranked 14th in MLB, but a deep dive showed they were fourth in RBI. A plus was in this world of whiff acceptability; they ranked 30th with an impressive 15.8 K%, but the downside was a 27th position posting for walks at a 7.0BB% clip.
The bulk of DH responsibility was in the bats of Justin Turner and Masataka Yoshida. Turner slashed .282/.359/.440 was a DH over 98 games, slamming 14 home runs and bagging 60 RBI. Yoshida slashed .255/.317/.399 with three home runs and 12 RBI spread over 49 games.
The issue concerns Turner, whose contract may mean an exit into the free agent marketplace or a retirement. That segues into just who becomes the DH in 2024. Does it become one by committee, or will Boston seek to improve defensively by tossing another player into the role more permanently? A look at potential in-house options.
DH option for the Red Sox No. 1) Masataka Yoshida
The heir apparent to DH would be Yoshida, which would also limit Yoshida's adventures in the outfield. The skinny on Masa from his Japanese days was less than spectacular defense. That proved an accurate assessment as Yoshida had a -4 on Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and -4.2 UZR/150.
Yoshida was not baffled when fellow lefties took the hill, hitting the portsiders at a .273 clip. Where it slides for me is the power department, and that is no surprise, as Yoshida is not a power bat. The DH slot for Boston has had some trademark sluggers, including Orlando Cepeda, Jim Rice, David Ortiz, and J.D. Martinez.
Yoshida was used correctly by manager Alex Cora, giving some downtime at DH and tightening up the defense a tad with Yoshida not in left field. The Red Sox also need his bat, which slumped to .254 in the second half. I expect Yoshida to get a healthy share of plate appearances at DH, no matter who fills the slot full-time or semi-full-time basis.
DH option for the Red Sox No. 2) Rafael Devers
Rafael Devers can hit, and in 2023, he managed to get 100 RBI for the third time in his seven seasons as the Red Sox third baseman. Third is the issue, as Devers again topped the AL third sackers in errors with 19. This has become a staple for Devers, as is his -9 DRS to, unfortunately, lead the AL.
Devers at third is not working out as a step forward defensively is followed by a step back defensively. Of course, when you hit like Devers, a manager can look the other way with the occasional errant throw and ball being juggled. In 2023, some considered it a tepid season for Devers, and in the grand picture, it may have been.
DH takes a unique mindset; not all players are willing to do it regularly, and Devers may be one. Over his career, Devers has a tiny sample of 13 games as a DH and the .234/.287/.426 with just two dingers and four RBI. Those numbers could reflect what would happen with a change or be an anomaly. Either way, I would keep Devers planted at third, accept the errors, and watch the extra-base hits accumulate. A $30 million DH? Sure.
DH option for the Red Sox No. 3-4) Two from Houston
I didn't see this coming, and when the final history is written on Chaim Bloom's Boston days, the highlight could be trading Christian Vázquez to Houston for Wilyer Abreu and Emmanuel Valdéz. Houston owes us after the Jeff Bagwell deal.
First up is lefty hitting Abreu, who is built like a steamer trunk. Abreu slugged at Worcester with 22 home runs and 65 RBI in 86 games. With Boston, he upped it to a slash of .316/.388/.474 with a pair of home runs and 14 RBI. The negative is small, with Abreu hitting just .200 in 10 ABs against lefties. Abreu also whiffed at 27.1 K% but offset that with a 10.8 BB%.
Defensively, Abreu played all three outfield positions but, in 168.2 innings, posted a -12.4 UZR/150. That is the type of number that would have a nod toward DH.
Valdéz, like Abreu, has some defensive limitations at second base with -6 DRS and another negative with a -7.4 UZR/150. With a sour infield defense in 2023, having Valdéz at second could be a liability. Then comes the bat.
Physically, Valdéz is similar to Dustin Pedroia, only with about 15 pounds more muscle, and speaking of pounding, it is the lefties hitting. Valdéz slashed .266/.311/.453 with six home runs and 19 RBI. The kid also can motor a bit, with five steals in six attempts. The downside is a 24.8 K% and a 5.4 BB%.
Both the lefties bring defensive liabilities, plate awareness issues, and the specter of just a small sample to the table. If both maintain their hitting upside, a solid bat off the bench and the potential of regular status await.
DH option for the Red Sox No. 5) Triston Casas
Triston Casas put his offense all together starting in June and became the power source long predicted. The 24 home runs and 65 RBI are just a taste of a potential future of elite power numbers. Casas's 14.9 BB% showed his plate patience - almost too patient. A 129 wRC+ is well above average.
Casas will not have any memories of Doug Mientkiewicz, the slick-fielding first baseman of the 2004 championship team surfacing. Casas did demonstrate rudimentary improvement around the bag, especially corralling tosses from Devers. The final numbers on the "D" side were -4 DRS and 1.3 UZR/150.
Who plays first if Casas goes to DH? With 41 games at first, Turner picked up most of the slack, especially when Casas's season was halted over an injury. The minors have little, and then there is Bobby Dalbec, who returned with a 52.8 K% - that is not a typo.
Casas will remain glued to first, and DH will only occasionally surface in his statistical biography unless Freddie Freeman suddenly arrives in Boston, which is as likely as Bloom being rehired.
DH option for the Red Sox No. 6) Adam Duvall
Adam Duvall may be a free agent or could be resigned, so I consider him part of the overall DH picture. Duvall is 35 years old, and his best days on the defensive side departed a few seasons ago. However, Duvall is still a capable defender, but maybe his future is that of a DH.
In 2023, Duvall suffered a hustle injury that cost him a chunk of his season, finishing with 92 games. Those 92 games produced what was expected, with 21 home runs, a .247 average, 58 RBI, a 31.2 K%, and a swing and miss slumps followed by carrying the offense for a week.
Duvall can be frustrating or exhilarating, depending on how he is hitting. Still, the righty posted a 116 wRC+ and 1.9 fWAR. Slotted into the middle of the lineup, Duvall is a run producer.
The situation for Duvall returning is based on mutual need and money. Does Duvall want to return? Do the Red Sox even want him? Then there is the money, which last season was $7.5 million.
My pick would be to bring Duvall back since he has that right-handed power stroke and can fill in defensively when needed. Duvall is not the perfect solution, and after Ortiz, few could be, but in the short term, this is the right time and the right place.