With the World Series underway, it’s time to break down each part of the Red Sox’ roster entering what should be a busy winter for new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. All week, we’ll be running a series analyzing each part of Boston’s roster. Next up, a look at Boston’s infield:
WHERE DO THINGS STAND?
Last winter was all about the future of the Red Sox’ infield as Xander Bogaerts left for the Padres and Rafael Devers put pen to paper on a 10-year, $313.5 million extension that goes into effect in 2024. The group then had an up-and-down 2023 season that brought concerns at some spots and assurances at others.
Devers, who had a strong offensive season but regressed defensively a bit in 2023, isn’t going anywhere and is entrenched at third base for the foreseeable future. A potential move to designated hitter or first base is possible down the road, but that’s a conversation for another winter. Trevor Story’s elbow surgery cost him most of the season and he barely hit once he returned in mid-August. But he was excellent defensively at shortstop and will be the starter there in 2024 (and potentially beyond with his contract going through 2027).
Triston Casas started slow but became one of the best hitters in baseball and, in part due to Justin Turner’s lingering heel injury in the second half, wound up starting 115 games at first base. That number will almost certainly increase in 2024. Casas has a stranglehold on the position and gives the Red Sox another cornerstone piece.
Second base, as it often has been since the end of Dustin Pedroia’s career, is the infield position in flux. Nine different players made starts there for the Red Sox in 2023. What remains is a cast of potential options that includes journeymen Luis Urías and Pablo Reyes and prospects Ceddanne Rafaela, Enmanuel Valdez and David Hamilton. Needless to say, it’s a major question mark for the Red Sox entering the winter.
Because he made 46 starts in the infield last season, we’ll lump Justin Turner into the infield mix as well. After an excellent 2023, he’s expected to decline his player option and test free agency, giving the Sox an opening at designated hitter (and putting them in need of a right-handed first base option). Turner was the everyday DH in 2023, replacing J.D. Martinez, and also started some at first base against righties (and a handful of games at second base, too). He was an important part of Boston’s everyday lineup and perhaps the team’s MVP.
Reyes, who had his moments throughout the season, profiles as a utility piece moving forward.
WHAT’S COMING FROM THE MINORS?
The strength of Boston’s system is in the infield and has been for quite some time. Marcelo Mayer remains the top prospect in the organization despite an up-and-down season and could reach the majors at some point in 2024. Rafaela projects as the center fielder of the future but is still seen as an elite defensive shortstop who got some run at second base down the stretch in the majors. Nick Yorke remains a solid prospect after a pretty good offensive season at Double-A. The Sox still have plenty of lower-level infield prospects in Nazzan Zanetello, Yoeilin Cespedes, Brainer Bonaci, Chase Meidroth, Mikey Romero, Eddinson Paulino, Blaze Jordan, Antonio Anderson and others. Hamilton and Valdez remain on the 40-man roster as depth options who will likely bounce back and forth between the majors and minors in 2024. Bobby Dalbec is a trade candidate after spending almost the entire year at Triple-A.
Mayer’s positional future is a major question facing the Red Sox. They could keep him at shortstop and move Story to second base or move Mayer to second and keep Story at his natural position. The Sox consider that a great problem to have. Mayer is probably untouchable in trade talks but there are a few other infield pieces, including Yorke, who would make sense to dangle in a trade for pitching. Breslow’s predecessor, Chaim Bloom, had a clear aversion to trading prospects for big league help. Breslow will be tasked with making those types of moves.
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WHICH MOVES MIGHT THE RED SOX MAKE?
The Red Sox are set at three infield spots, meaning it’s an area of the diamond that will not be a major priority this winter. There are two infield-related questions to answer, though: what to do at second base and how to handle the DH position with Turner potentially departing. It’s also possible a depth addition or two could help the roster.
First, we’ll tackle the second base issue. Urías will almost certainly be non-tendered after an underwhelming showing in two months in Boston. That leaves the Red Sox with Valdez as the top remaining internal option with Hamilton (a shortstop) and Rafaela (seemingly likely to start the year at Triple-A in center) as other potential options. It’s all but certain Boston will go searching for an addition at second base this winter, most likely as a stopgap before Mayer’s eventual promotion.
Whit Merrifield, who turns 35 in January and can also play the outfield, is the top available free agent second baseman and would make a lot of sense for the Red Sox on a short-term deal. Elvis Andrus, Adam Frazier, Tony Kemp and Jonathan Schoop are among the veteran options and the Sox could look to get creative by moving someone like Gio Urshela or Nick Ahmed from another position to second. The trade market boasts options like Minnesota’s Jorge Polanco, Cincinnati’s Jonathan India and the Angels’ Brandon Drury. Again, a long-term addition at the position seems unlikely considering Mayer is coming. But the Red Sox should be on the lookout for a clear upgrade, at least for 2024, and don’t have anyone in the organization who projects as an everyday starter.
The Turner question is more complicated. He’s very likely to opt out and hit free agency because his unique contract was built to let him test the open market after one year. After proving to the league that he can produce anywhere after spending a decade with the Dodgers, he’ll have no shortage of interest on the open market. The Red Sox will likely try to re-sign Turner to be their primary DH in 2024 but may get outbid by another club. If that happens, they will have to go to Plan B.
Turner proved valuable enough, on and off the field, for the Red Sox to have a defensively-limited DH after five years of operating that way with J.D. Martinez. Considering what Turner meant to the club as a whole, they’d likely sign up for that setup again. If he goes elsewhere, though, it probably makes sense for Boston to rotate the DH spot with Masataka Yoshida taking the lion’s share of at-bats and Devers, Casas and others getting some opportunities to get off their feet. If Turner doesn’t return, the Sox will need to add some right-handed insurance for Casas at first base, too. There’s also a chance for Adam Duvall to return and get plenty of DH at-bats if Turner leaves.
FINAL ANALYSIS:
Boston’s infield is mostly set with Devers, Story and Casas as three of the most important players on the roster. There are, however, changes that will be made. The Sox need to make an upgrade at second base over the cast of misfits they currently have there. At the very least, adding a right-handed bat to platoon with Valdez at second base (and take some at-bats from Casas at first base) is necessary. A more meaningful addition could come in the form of an everyday second baseman like Merrifield (who would also provide value in the outfield).
The DH situation could go in a number of different directions. If Turner does return, he’ll be the everyday guy in that spot again and a middle-of-the-order presence for Alex Cora. If he bolts, the Sox will have the option to get creative at DH and, in turn, build a more versatile roster.
The Red Sox also must start planning for their glut of positional prospects to reach the majors by making some tough calls. Is Mayer a shortstop or second baseman? Is someone like Yorke tradeable? Is Rafaela still an infield option or is he too valuable in center to move? These questions, and more, will shape Breslow’s first winter with the Red Sox.
