The Red Sox announced that utility player Niko Goodrum will be a non-roster invitee for their upcoming Spring Training. Prior to the official announcement, Robert Murray of FanSided reported Goodrum had joined the organization on a minor league deal.
Goodrum, 31 in February, seemed to establish himself as a useful player with the Tigers in 2018 and 2019, hitting around league average but adding some defensive versatility and speed. Over that two-year stretch, he hit 28 home runs and stole 24 bases, producing a batting line of .247/.318/.427. That period included the “juiced ball” season of 2019, so that production was actually just below league average, with Goodrum having a 98 wRC+ for that two-year timeframe. He also struck out in 28% of his plate appearances, but was still a useful piece with that average-ish bat and defensive versatility, playing every infield and outfield position.
Unfortunately, he’s been on a downward trajectory since that time. He slid to .184/.263/.335 in the next year for a wRC+ of 63, though that could have been written off as an anomaly of the pandemic-shortened year. He rebounded in 2021, but only slightly, finishing that season at .214/.292/.359, 81 wRC+. He also saw his strikeouts become even more of an issue, jumping to 38.5% in 2020 and 32.9% a year later.
That was disappointing enough for the Tigers to move on, non-tendering Goodrum prior to the 2022 season. The Astros decided to take a flier on a bounceback, signing him for one year and $2.1MM. But things went from bad to worse in Houston, with Goodrum striking out 51.1% of the time in a small sample of 45 plate appearances and hitting just .116/.156/.163. The Astros optioned him to the farm but he got injured down there and only played 20 minor league games. He was designated for assignment and released as the season was winding down.
Like the Astros did a year ago, the Red Sox will now take a chance on Goodrum and hope for a return to form. In this case, it’s essentially a no-risk move for Boston since it’s a minor league deal and they haven’t committed a roster spot to him. They have some uncertainty in their position player mix at the moment with the departure of Xander Bogaerts. It seems like Trevor Story will move to take over shortstop, leaving second base for Christian Arroyo. They have some options who could serve as bench infielders, with Enmanuel Valdez and David Hamilton on the 40-man roster. However, they were both just added in November and neither has any MLB experience. Goodrum’s signing adds a more seasoned option into the mix.
If Goodrum can get back on track and earn his way onto the roster, he’ll be able to be controlled beyond this season. He has over four years of MLB service time and could be retained via arbitration until he gets over the six-year mark. He also has a couple of option years remaining, though players with over five years of MLB service cannot be optioned without their consent. Goodrum is at 4.069 and could cross that threshold this season, with a “year” being flipped at the 172-day mark.
There it is, what Saux fans been waiting for……………..
Probably a replacement for Hoy Park and Jeter Downs.
Turns out they didn’t need Xander afterall.
few years ago looked like he be a good player. Man this game is crazy. I teach my son and he plays in the Bonnie’s in nyc. Man it’s crazy.
Man that’s crazy
You play baseball? If you did you would appreciate how crazy hard it is. But I’m assuming your a sarcastic keyboard warrior out of shape loser.
There’s something very ironic about someone who misspells “you’re” calling someone else a loser. Punctuation is your friend.
On a mlb rumors website you are worried about grammar? You must be loads of fun
Unlike someone who comes out both barrels blazing over an innocuous comment.
Your self awareness is amazing! I’m guessing you’re a Harvard grad?
It’s funny that you equate having a brain with not being fun. You attack someone over nothing with extremely poor punctuation and a misspelling calling them a loser. Do you have any clue how this reflects on you? Maybe a pro wrestling rumors website is a better fit for you.
Dude had 1-2 seasons as a mediocre utilityman. What is crazy about that?
Just how quickly you can go from being a good prospect to a nothing. Not sure if you remember but he was talked about alot. There are tons of players that quickly go down like this.
Goodrum beats bad whiskey every time. This is a lottery ticket signing…
He was more than that. He looked like he’d settle in as a solid starter. Nothing spectacular but a useful starter. Then the floor fell out.
He spent a year as the starting SS and was a nominee for the GG. He was an exciting player on the bases, and played decently anywhere. I was stunned when he declined like he did. Thought he would break out.
I had him on my rotisserie team a few years back, mostly because he was eligible for every position. 16 HRs with a 12/4 SB/CS in only 444 ABs was decent production for my bench.
I am curious where the rest of the roster gaps will be filled since the proven free agent pool is dwindling day by day. There also seems to be a premium on trades these days, where gutting the farm would go against whatever Bloom claims to be “building.” Still haven’t added any starting pitching either.
Sox have more SP then they need but have no fear cause Bloom will re-sign Rich Hill to a 1 yr deal and bring in a few more BBB’s for depth.
Pa rum pum pum pum.
Du du du do du du du do!
Dwight schrute
I think the red Sox don’t know which way they are going. I can easily see them going all in or all out. If they are close at the break they will invest alot quickly. If not expect Devers to walk. Story to be traded and Turner to go after half a year.
They’re already too far gone unless they want to trade their minors. They’re in rebuilding mode, like it or not. Turner probably took the best offer so he’s probably happy, hoping to be traded to a contender at the deadline. Devers likely ends up being shopped before year end because why stay unless the Red Sox overpay.
I can easily see them going all in or all out.
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They’re obviously in it to win it. You don’t sign $50-60M worth of FAs if you don’t think you’re a contender.
In big markets they call that cheap.
The rest of baseball call that a significant investment.
The Red Sox payroll for 2023 is already over $200M. Not cheap.
Going all in?? Clearly you haven’t been paying attention to what they’re actually doing. The only thing they’re going all in for is the first overall pick
Worst record on baseball? Stupid comment.
Is it? Their offense is weak, their pitching is not great, and their defense is bad. Good on you if you expect anything from this team, but don’t be surprised when they’re one of if not the worst teams in the game
So what do you have as the under/over on how many games they will win?
Useful utility player for the Tigers in 2018-’19 but has been pretty bad ever since. Still not a bad flier to take
He must have some talent, he just didn’t show well at all when he played for the Stros……not in spring training or the few games he played in the regular season before he was sent down, and then got hurt. Wild swings and misses, and no concentration on the field. Never seen anything like it. But seemed like a good guy…..hopefully he can put it together.
This is becoming a comedy show for the Sox
Except comedy shows are fun and don’t cause emotional distress for their fans.
How has the GM not been fired yet? Glad to not be a Red Sox fan.
Because he’s carrying out the owner’s bidding as desired.
Don’t we know that the Sox are interested in resigning Evoldi. I know they have been interested in signing every free agent this winter except Bogaerts, but someday they are going to sign a player we know.
If they wanted to bring him back it would have already happened. And for anyone who has great expectations on BOS extending Devers, the same is true I’m afraid. They’ll make another token offer, but the likeliest outcome is he gets dealt by the deadline next year.
The thing is no one else out there is all that interested in Eovaldi either with the QO penalties hanging on him. That’s why the Sox aren’t in any hurry to work out anything. The longer he sits out there ignored the easier it is to bring him back.
Wishing Nico good luck and hopefully he’s learned better plate discipline as a 50% strike out rate is not going to cut it at the MLB level.
Ya think?!
AAA shortstop / utility
Projected Worcester Roster
Lineup
C Ronaldo Hernández
1B Narciso Crook
2B David Hamilton
3B Christian Koss
SS Ryan Fitzgerald
LF Jarren Duran
CF Ceddanne Rafaela
RF Devlin Granberg
DH Enmanuel Valdez
Bench
C Caleb Hamilton
C Kole Cottam
1B Tyreque Reed
IF Nick Sogard
UT Niko Goodrum
Bloom strikes again !!!!!
The Red Sox stove is getting Red Hot with Niko in the house!
Yawn!
It’s been all downhill for him ever since “Above the Law”.
“Anybody seen Richie?”
Sticks….Get him!
Great reference…here take my thumbs up
I’m going to pretend I didn’t see this article.
Seriously though, every AAA roster needs filler. Niko is as good as anyone I suppose.
Bam!!!!
Utility depth at best. Still want them to go for Andrus!
He’s probably a starter for them.
I’d love to hear the context of the photo. Extremely high pitch that he almost offered at? Ball in the dirt that ricocheted off the catcher? I can’t figure out in what situation the ball would end up in that location paired with his posture!
No sense in reading into this move. Merely minor league depth .
so when does Bloom bring in some players for the MLB team?
Randy Red Sox12 hours ago
so when does Bloom bring in some players for the MLB team?
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He did. He brought in four. Do you need the names or can you Google it yourself?
He’s gonna bring some good rum with him.
Ha! Good luck with that one. Goodrum was the worst played I have ever watched play for the Astros, he’s not even an AAA level player. Worthless move.
It is only a minor league deal guys… I don’t think he will be considered the starter at all. I admit I did like this guy in the past for his ability to steal bases but he’s getting up therein age to do that. In anycase, the deal is “minor” for a reason.
Joke all you want, guys, but this summer it’ll be Niko-Mania in Boston.
Thank goodness. Sox def had to respond to that Correa signing.
Best post!
Murdoog. Murdoog.
chaim bloom is a hack but the people acting like every extremely normal tiny roster tweak the red sox make is their backwards idea of “building a contending team” are super irritating
As always keep your eyes on the minors while the major league team swirls around the toilet. We deserve exactly what we get for keeping this clown in charge
Bloom is the fall guy. Henry is the real culprit his so-called principles: charge the highest prices to make the most profit to reinvest in buying more clubs. Wise up RS nation!
They spend up to the cap EVERY year. How is it that you don’t know this?
There is no Star power on this team and the current players know it. They will go through the motions and hope they are traded by the trade deadline in August. I think the team in the movie Major League was better than this team.
I think the team in the movie Major League was better than this team.
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Interesting analogy, since that team beat the Yankees on the last day to win the division.
This is MLB Rumors at its best. A minor league deal will draw 200 RS fans losing their schitt over it.
That’s because instead of filling in the gaping holes on the major league roster, he’s filling holes in the minor league roster. Players like Goodrum will be around for the taking for quite awhile, who plays shortstop/2nd base at the major league level? Who fills in the spots in the rotation? Where’s the power bat in the lineup that will protect Devers (until he’s traded)? But we don’t have to worry about any of that, we have Niko Goodrum patrolling the Worcester infield!
Okay, so you’re one of those people that think smaller moves cannot be made concurrently with bigger moves? Okay.
What “bigger move” is left to be made? There’s no impact free agent left to sign. You really think they’re going to pay the price in prospects to make any trade of consequence? The music has stopped, and we don’t have a seat
Nonsense. I guess that could be true if your line of thinking is that only big names can impact the game. But the guys I would sign are Segura, Eovaldi & Rogers, mostly depending on price.
Garbage
That’s one heck of a photo.
I was going to post the same thing. Best photo of someone in a long time. Lol
dUMpStEr diViNg reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Denny Doyle passed away yesterday, Sox fans. RIP, Denny. You had one hell of a year in ’75.
I can’t believe the Pirates keep missing the boat on this guy…..
It’s obvious where he belongs…..
The Tigers should have traded him and Rogers…a long time ago…when they first should have……
Hired the Superfife!
Why we didn’t swoop in on Correa
Because Bloom would have looked like a fool for not signing Bogaerts to begin with. He was between a rock and a hard place because he did not negotiate fairly with Bogaerts.
What scares me is that with all the holes this current team has Bloom is talking to this guy. You pick up this guy in February when teams are filling out their rosters not in December
Enough FAs have already signed that they are to where they usually are in Feb. Boras usually has a few clients that he is still holding out for spring training, but not this year, so roster filling comes early.
No organization in baseball can rival our collection of mediocre versatility. NO ONE!!!!!!!!
And there’s more offseason to go! We’re gonna get more versatile and reach new heights of mediocrity!
And Bloom is not done yet !!!!
So Bloom’s goal was to bring in “7, 8, or 9 new players” this offseason. Wyatt Mills, Niko Goodrum, Justin Turner, Chris Martin, Joely Rodriguez, Kenley Jansen, Masataka Yoshida: we’re at 7. Can’t wait to see the next 2! Kluber and the body of Denny Doyle and we’re ready to ROCK!
Is Bloom unbelievable or what? What a team of mediocrity. By the time this team flops in May and barely wins 75 games by the end of the season Bloom will be axed mercifully. We’re back baby !!! As George Costanzo would say.
Friendly wager on that 75? Loser signs off next November.
Ledger is still looking good.
We don’t need no stinking All-Stars!
Machado (can opt out after ’23 season) and the return of Jay Groome for Devers. Machado does have a 6 team ‘no trade to’ clause that can change annually. Machado’s annual–$30 M.
Subtract Xander’s-$20 M and Devers 1 year and gone money may come close to even. Then sign a starting pitcher or two.
Sign Iglesias, Andrus or Segura to play SS and your infield is set with Story staying @ 2 B and Casas @
1 B .
Not going to happen my friend. Bloom will lowball Devers and peeve him off. If they trade him the media will crucify Bloom. Then he would have gotten rid of his top players and gotten Verdugo and Wong for them. Great haul for Amateur Chaim Bloom. He gets fleeced in deals.
I think Bloom has got to get out of the Dumpster Diving mode. Although with all the good players gone that is all that is left. The scraps from the buffet table and what fell on the floor.