The Red Sox are making Bobby Dalbec available in trade talks, according to Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal. McAdam adds that the Rays are one team that has expressed interest.
Dalbec, 27, is coming off a down year in Boston where he hit just .215/.283/.369 with 12 home runs and ultimately found himself optioned back to the minors in September. Dalbec struck out a whopping 33.4% of the time against an 8.2% walk rate. All told, that was good for a wRC+ of 80, or 20% worse than league average.
A former top-100 prospect, Dalbec burst onto the stage in the big leagues with an impressive, if short, sample in 2020. That year, he hit eight home runs in 23 games and amassed a 151 wRC+, although he did strike out in 42.4% of plate appearances. He came back to earth a bit in 2021, although still provided above-average production, slashing .240/.298/.494 with 25 home runs in 133 games.
Dalbec came through the minor leagues as a third baseman, but has spent most of his time in the big leagues at first. He did log some time at third, while also making a couple of short cameos at both middle infield positions. He was below average at first base, with Outs Above Average marking him at -1 and Defensive Runs Saved giving him -6 this year.
It’s not easy to see a path to much playing time in Boston for Dalbec, particularly coming off a poor season. Triston Casas made his debut in ’22 and looks set to get plenty of reps at first or DH, possibly splitting time with Eric Hosmer (if he stays on the roster). Over at third, Rafael Devers is locked in at third for next season at least so it makes some sense that the Red Sox might see what they can get for a former top prospect still young enough to turn things around.
Ever since trading Ji-Man Choi to the Pirates, the Rays have looked likely to be in the market for a first baseman. They’ve already been linked to the non-tendered Dominic Smith, and Dalbec would make sense for them as a buy-low, bounceback candidate. The right-handed hitter is still one year away from being arbitration eligible, so there’d be a decent amount of appeal there for smaller market teams in particular.
While the Rays make plenty of sense as a trade destination, it’s likely there’d be a few teams interested, perhaps some with a view to moving him back to third base. After all, Dalbec is only a year removed from a solid 106 wRC+ season and plenty of teams would surely take a chance on him as a cheap, power hitting bench bat with starter upside should he rebound.
Please take him
He has no value. Maybe the Yanks will give up JD or Hicks.
No value at all. A bag of balls and some beef jerky should get it done.
Mmmmmm beef jerky
Teriyaki beef jerky!
True bloom. Always sell low, and, seek some junk as return.
Honestly, I’d give him up for free. Get this man off the 40-man.
At this point the prudent thing would be see if he can rebuild some value in AAA and package him at the trade deadline if he can.
I doubt his value can go down further, and, I also don’t think he’d really be blocking anyone developmentally by sitting for a few months.
40-man spot would just get filled with a junk player by bloom anyways, so, why not try to fix one of our own instead?
Dalbec would be a perfect piece to trade to Oakland for Sean Murphy. He wouldn’t be close to the headliner in the deal, it would be a young Sox pitcher and someone like Nick Yorke, but Oakland would love to have Dalbec included in that deal as well as he will be affordable for the next 3 seasons and if he turns things around, he’s yet another trade candidate for the frugal A’s.
I don’t mind trading Dalbec, but not to the Rays. You all know he’s going to hit 40HR if you do.
He’s probably gonna hit 40 anywhere he goes. But he’s also gonna strike out 300 times
Pedro, I love your handle. That is all!
“But he’s also gonna strike out 300 times”
And somehow still look disciplined when compare with Joey Gallo.
Seems like an interesting option for the Cubs. They plan on giving the 1B job to rookie Matt Mervis, but with 0 MLB at bats, they may want to platoon him to start.. Mervis is left handed, and Dalbac right.. If Mervis hits, then Dalbac would be a power bat off the bench.. Upside if he returns to form then he can platoon at 1st and get ABs at DH… Cubs need both, and Jed has been a cheapskate thus far so this doesn’t seem like a stretch at all.
It’s not stretch. However the only thing I expect Hoyer to do is talk about doing something.
Scratch that… Reread the article… 33% strikeout rate… The Cubs are “supposedly” moving away from so many swing and miss batters in the lineup… But, who knows about this penny pinching “large market” team. However, we have minor leaguers who can hit .215 and strikeout a 1/3 of the time. Hard pass.
Can we get Jeffrey Springs back?
I remember thinking the Rays got fleeced in that exchange.
You can have Chris Mazza
Too little, too late. Should have been traded at the end of 2021 if they wanted anything of value back.
There was no guarantee he was going to replicate his 2021 season and we always had Casas in the waiting.
Hindsight is 20/20. Dalbec had 25 HRs in 2021 and was a top 5 OPS in the 2nd half. Why trade a guy like that when they did not have another first baseman entering 2022!
I still would have made that trade. Guy still hit .240 for the year and struggled mightily at times at the plate. He was at his height then too.
Its about time
duh
For a player to be named later
Don’t see the Red Sox trading him to the Rays.
Bloom always acknowledges his mistake 1 year too late
Another Red Sox prospect ranked high in their system that does not pan out. Sold Groome last year. Chavis to the Pirates a year before. Jeter Downs sinking like an anchor. Dalbec was ranked 3rd in their system, maybe higher. Trey Ball, Henry Owens and Blake Swihart – part of where are they now club. Waiting to see if Chaim includes Jaren Duran as part of a deal Bummer.
But… but…. but… all the bloom apologists point to all the ‘prospect rankings’ and the ‘farm rankings’….
And, for going on 4 offseasons, bloom has run the red sox into the ground to churn roster spots over and over seeking cheap/rehab players to flip for more prospects.
All those failed ‘highly touted’ players… that means you’re going to destroy their world view. You CANT throw facts at them that highly regarded prospects regularly fail in boston. You’re going to ruin their fantasyland!
I mean, Bloom is only responsible for one of the names listed above. A little silly to blame this on him. In a few years, sure.
Didn’t blame Bloom. Blame falls on the Red Sox organization in totality from scouting to player development. …..and don’t get people started here about their development of front line pitching over the years.; there has been none. Jon Lester only person comes to mind in somewhat recent history.
Also Chavis and Groome were here for player development under the President of Baseball Operations. He brought in Jeter Downs. Winckowski did not have a good freshman year on the Benintendi trade.
I was replying to the guy who replied to you.
my bad Wobbly… 🙂
Bloom has been in charge for 3 drafts and international signings it usually takes 5 plus years for drafted players to impact the big league team unless you draft a lot of advanced college bats who can make it faster. The point is it’s to early to say Bloom’s team isn’t doing the job in drafting and developing the farm.
If you want to argue about how he has constructed the big league club well that’s a whole another argument.
Ball, Owens and Swihart… hmm, the year those three made BA’s top 100 preseason list (2014), the Red Sox actually placed eight players on that list. Is there any reason you mentioned those three and not, say, Bogaerts, Betts and Bradley Jr?
I was mainly looking at RS first round picks. so ok, Dalbec was a 4th rounder that became a high ranking prospect – Failing right now. Betts – was a 5th round pick – yes turned out rather well – they all can’t be failures., Bradley – c’mon now – DFA’d last time I checked.. If you tell me Brian Johnson, Pat Light and Deven Marrero were good 1st round picks then I’ll have a good laugh.
How often should an organization hit on an all star caliber player from a back half of the first round pick, for you to consider it successful? What do you think the average hit rate is on first round picks?
He’s not fit with the Red Sox I’d think he would do better in a trade.
KC looking for a RH hitting 3B or OF. I’d take a flyer on him. At least the D at third used to be pretty strong.
He has no value. Maybe the Yanks will give you JD or Hicks.
Bobby Dalbec for Andrew Kitteridge. Seems ok to me.
Maybe they could get Donaldson or Hicks
I will personally give any team willing to take him the kingly sum of $1. Good old American greenback.
Luke Voit would be a good fit on the Rays
Louis Linwood Voit III – only a couple years removed from mashing 20 HRs in 50 games.
Rays tried with Mike Ford
Dombrowski drafted him. 50 cheese steaks sounds like an even swap.
But he will age well like a fine wine. Oh no wait, that’s Malbec…
Hosmer is just slightly worse for free
Now Bloom and BOH (we need to start calling out Brian O’Halloran as he is the GM after all) have to be careful here as they look really bad on that Benintendi trade in which they got 5 nothings (e.g. Cordero the big prize was cut and now is signed with Baltimore for nothing) for Benny who has somewhat turned it around to get a GG and hit for high average in KC. Like others mentioned here Springs for Ronaldo Hernandez or Bloom insistent on Jeter Downs instead of Brusdar Graterol Watch them trade Dalbec/Duran for nobodies because they sold low, and watch it explode in Bloom’s and BOH’s face…. ugh
O’Halloran has no authority of his own, bloom is in total control of this train wreck.
I’d believe Brian steers info on drafting, but trades and fa signings? Nope.
He does the recommendation and number crunching. He was involved with trades last year…. https://omny.fm/shows/the-greg-hill-show/brian-ohalloran-talks-red-sox-trade-deadline
An employee can talk about what happens at work or what directions he’s been ordered to look in, it doesn’t mean it is his discretion that is making the calls.
Plus, many people like to speak as though they’re more important than they are, doesn’t mean the decisions are being left up to him.
Nah – going to have disagree here. Yes Bloom ultimately has to sign off, but BOH is the GM. Before Bloom, BOH was the defacto GM of that group of four. They have three asst GMs that help with the decision making process by doing the investigation, number crunching , strong recommendations etc. Bloom. isn’t number crunching like this team of 4 are doing. therefore they need to be held accountable too.
I recall Dalbec being the future cornerstone of the Red Sox and now he’s trade bait for the lowest bidder.
Red Sox seem kind of lost right now as an organization. At least they’re gonna get pretty cheap and be able to reload with free agents sooner rather than later. Chris Sale aside…
And I’m a Yankees fan. So this is just objectivity right here.
I think Dalbec was always been viewed as a project with potential. I think Casas has been more more highly regarded.
has always been viewed
Dalbec was always viewed as Casas’ place holder with the hope he could add some value to stay on the roster as filling in at third and first as well as DH or becoming a meaningful trade chip.. obviously that hasn’t happened.
Robert De Niro voice from the movie “The Fan”
AYYYY BOBBAAYYYYYYYYY CMON BOBBAYYYYYY
Wily Mo Peña part 2
Please, no, Rays. I’d rather see Mead or Aranda on the active roster than this bum. I’d also keep anyone already on the 40 man that they’d have to DFA over Dalbec.
How about this…
Rafael Devers and Chris sale for
Josh Rojas, Dalton Varsho, Blake Walston, Tommy Henry and Dominic Fletcher.
For this is would bring 3 major league ready and good talent with a good prospect in Walston back to Boston as well as unload Chris Sales salary.
For the dbacks it would give that immediate pop in Devers and help their log jam of outfielders.
Good, give us Paredes back!