You know it's been a slow offseason when Isiah Kiner-Falefa of all players is generating a visceral anti-front-office reaction from Red Sox Nation. It's true that IKF doesn't do anything to inspire confidence at the keystone — a constant theme in Boston ever since Dustin Pedroia retired — but he's also a fine bench piece that can run and play a bunch of positions at a league-average level.
The problem, of course, is that Kiner-Falefa may need to start on a regular basis at second base, unless another addition is made. The good news on that front is that the Red Sox are still looking for a bat-first upgrade in the infield (per The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey); the bad news is that such a player may no longer be out there.
With that, let's explore each of the Sox's four starting options at second base. Note that Kristian Campbell (permanently moved to the outfield) and Marcelo Mayer (the starting third baseman) will not feature here. Accordingly, upside will also be largely absent from this list.
4 players vying for Red Sox's starting second base job in 2026
Romy González
Insofar as fans should want anyone in particular to win this competition, it's González. The 29-year-old does possess some impressive versatility, having played every position on the diamond throughout his career besides catcher.
His bat is the best of the bunch — he hit .305/.343/.483 (123 wRC+) last year, and he has the kind of right-handed power this lineup desperately needs. At the very least, he should start regularly against lefties (162 wRC+ against them in 2025), but if he can maintain even average performance against right-handers, the rest of the bench is versatile enough to let González focus exclusively on second base.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa
A solid speed threat who is also extremely versatile, Kiner-Falefa probably needs to be relegated to a bench role at this point in his career. His lack of power and inability to draw free passes with regularity will always hold his bat back, but there's still value in someone who can capably fill in anywhere on the field.
Nick Sogard
Sogard is facing a bit of a losing argument here as a player with limited MLB exposure and two options remaining. He played at all four infield positions and right field in 2025, posting average defensive metrics across the board. The 28-year-old lacks the power (career .069 ISO) to start regularly, and more than likely will start the season in Triple-A Worcester thanks to the presence of Kiner-Falefa and González.
David Hamilton
Like Sogard (and González), Hamilton has an option year remaining, and he's also not as versatile as the others on this list as a pure middle infielder. Then again, he's long been a favorite of this regime, and his defense and speed are perhaps the best of the bunch. He's entirely superfluous with IKF also on the roster, but second base is the biggest hole on the roster. It wouldn't be stunning to see him crack the Opening Day roster, even if it's with the intention of using him as a late-game substitute.