BALTIMORE — Rookie Enmanuel Valdez’s goal is to make the Red Sox’s 2024 Opening Day roster as their starting second baseman.
“Obviously that’s my goal: to be a starting second baseman but I do know that in order for me to do that I have to improve my defense,” Valdez told MassLive on Saturday through interpreter and mental skills program coordinator Rey Fuentes. “I’ve gotta get better on defense. We have very good competition here between other guys. And I know if I want to break with the team and I want to stay, my defense needs to improve.”
The Red Sox have several question marks heading into the offseason. The second base position is one of them. Boston has used 10 different players — Valdez, Christian Arroyo, Luis Urías, Pablo Reyes, Yu Chang, Kiké Hernández, Justin Turner, Ceddanne Rafaela, David Hamilton and Connor Wong — at the position this season.
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The 24-year-old Valdez was acquired with Wilyer Abreu from the Astros for Christian Vázquez at last year’s trade deadline. He has a .762 OPS, six homers, eight doubles, 15 runs and 19 RBIs in 48 games (145 plate appearances) for Boston. He went 14-for-42 (.333) with two homers, four doubles, eight RBIs, a .364 on-base percentage and .571 slugging percentage in September while starting 13 games at second base. But he has negative-8 defensive runs saved in 342 innings at the position.
Valdez will play Winter Ball in the Dominican Republic this offseason and work with Red Sox infield instructor Carlos Febles in the D.R. His plan also includes working with his own trainer.
“Implementing all the things I’ve worked on here with Febles. Telling my trainer, ‘This is the stuff I was doing. This is the stuff I want to continue to work on,’” Valdez said.
“I’m going to focus on my first step and my lateral movement,” he added. “I’ve been working since I’ve gotten here. I’ve been working with Febles. I think it’s going very well for me. I’ve been getting a lot better. But my main focus is going to be on my first step and my lateral movements.”
Manager Alex Cora often has raved about Valdez and Abreu’s plate discipline and ability to control the strike zone. Valdez said he also likes to study pitchers during games.
“One of the things I really focus on is I pay attention to the game,” Valdez said. “I pay attention to what the pitcher is doing. I pay attention also to the sequence. How is he throwing the other guys? How is he pitching the other guys? Whatever the sequence is, maybe I can adapt to it when I’m hitting. I continue to work hard and continue to try to excel at that.”
Valdez said his teammates have taught him a lot.
“One of the biggest things I’ve learned this year is to be a major leaguer inside and outside of the field,” Valdez said. “I have a lot of guys that are helping me out and are constantly telling me that I’ve got to get better and I’ve got to improve at this and continue to work. Just really that growth of getting to the major leagues and what it is to stay here. My plan is to continue to improve and stay here.”
