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Red Sox Plan To Use Yu Chang As Primary Shortstop Upon Return From IL

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The Red Sox expect infielder Yu Chang to return from a hamate fracture this week, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com (Twitter link). The team plans to deploy Chang as its starting shortstop once he’s reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Chang has been out since undergoing surgery in late April.

Chang’s status as the team’s starter at short figures to be tenuous, at least in the long run. Trevor Story is hoping to return from elbow surgery sometime this month and ease back into things as a designated hitter at first. However, he’s expressed optimism about being able to return to shortstop at sometime in August. Beyond the potential impact of Story’s return, the trade deadline looms on Aug. 1 and could obviously impact Boston’s middle infield outlook.

Utilizing Chang as the starter at shortstop, even if only for a month or so, highlights the middle-infield problems that have plagued the Sox throughout the year. Boston found out late in the offseason that Story would miss at least the first half of the season. Subsequent moves to bolster the middle infield depth — acquiring Adalberto Mondesi and signing Adam Duvall, thus pushing Enrique Hernandez from center field to the infield — haven’t had the intended effect. Mondesi hasn’t played in a game this season due to injury, while Hernandez has been pushed out of the starting shortstop role due to defensive struggles.

Of late, the Red Sox have used rookie David Hamilton at the position, but he’s batted just .120/.241/.160 in his first 29 Major League plate appearances. On the whole, Boston shortstops have posted a .212/.281/.325 batting line this year, which translates to a 63 wRC+ that ranks last in the Majors. They also rank 20th in Defensive Runs Saved and 27th in Outs Above Average.

Chang’s return should, at the very least, help on the defensive end of the coin. The 27-year-old is regarded as a versatile and above-average infield defender, with positive DRS and OAA grades in his career at each of second base, shortstop and third base.

At the plate, however, Chang probably won’t provide much of a boost. He’s appeared in 213 big league games and tallied 585 plate appearances but managed just a .206/.271/.358 batting line with a 7% walk rate and 28.4% strikeout rate. That production would grade as a slight upgrade over Boston’s cumulative shortstop output in 2023 — a damning statement on the team’s middle-infield play as a whole — but still grades well below league average.

The Sox will hope that defensive gains made by installing Chang at shortstop can help keep their playoff hopes afloat. A 13-game deficit in the American League East seems nearly insurmountable, but Boston is a more manageable five games back of the final Wild Card spot in the American League, currently sporting a .500 record. Their play over the next several weeks will be of particular note, as it’ll likely determine the front office’s approach to the 2023 trade deadline on Aug. 1.

Red Sox Shuffling Infield Alignment

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The Red Sox are shuffling up their infield alignment, most notably dropping Enrique Hernandez from the everyday shortstop role and returning him to his more familiar split between center field and second base, manager Alex Cora announced to reporters last night (Twitter links via Alex Speier and Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe). For the time being, utilityman Pablo Reyes will take the reins at shortstop. Cora also started Justin Turner at first base over Triston Casas last night, calling that the team’s best defensive alignment and noting that the Sox plan to work with Casas on his defense. (Turner, however, made a key error late in the eventual loss.)

Trevor Story’s offseason elbow surgery threw a wrench into the Red Sox’ infield plans, prompting the team to sign Adam Duvall to man center field and push Hernandez to shortstop — a position where he’d logged just 163 innings in the preceding four seasons combined. The Sox also picked up Adalberto Mondesi in a trade with the Royals, hoping he’d bring some additional depth, but he’s yet to play in a game this season due to ongoing injury woes.

Hernandez, 31, proved himself to be a lights-out defender in center field during his first season with the Red Sox in 2021, and Defensive Runs Saved has long credited him as an above-average second baseman. The shift to a less-familiar shortstop position wasn’t necessarily expected to be easy, but it’s been far more difficult than the team envisioned. No player in baseball has more errors than the 14 Hernandez has committed in just 411 innings at short. Defensive Runs Saved (-7) and Outs Above Average (-8) have graded him as one of the game’s six worst defenders at any position so far in 2023. As a team, the Red Sox rank 26th in MLB in DRS (-20) and are tied for last in OAA (-16).

Hernandez’s struggles haven’t been confined to his glovework. This year’s .228/.296/.356 is a near-mirror image of last year’s lackluster performance. When Boston inked Hernandez to a one-year, $10MM extension last summer, the hope was surely that his bat would rebound closer to it 2021 levels (.250/.337/.449) and that the versatile Hernandez would continue to provide premium defense at multiple spots. That hasn’t happened, and Hernandez’s trouble on both sides of the ball is just one of the many reasons Boston sits two games below .500 — 14 games out of the division lead and 5.5 games back in the AL Wild Card race.

Casas, too, has fallen shy of expectations — particularly at the plate. Were the burly 24-year-old performing up to expectations with the bat, the team would likely be willing to live with any defensive shortcomings at first base. Instead, Casas is hitting just .200/.324/.368 with seven home runs. He’s walking at a sensational 15.8% clip but also fanning in 26.6% of his plate appearances. On top of that, he’s been dinged for -6 DRS and -4 OAA at first base.

The veteran Turner is outperforming Casas in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage alike thus far, and he’s looked comfortable enough in his 133 innings at first base that it seems the Sox are comfortable giving him some increased work there. Cora didn’t declare that there would be a full-time switch from Casas to Turner, but it certainly seems the Boston club is taking a hard look at its defense as it searches for ways to improve.

Story’s eventual return could help to solidify things in the infield, though he’ll likely return as a designated hitter before he takes any reps in the middle infield. Story said just this week that he’s hoping to return in a DH capacity sometime next month, but he isn’t likely to play any defense until August. Yu Chang’s impending return could give the Sox a more experienced option at short than Reyes, though Chang is a utilityman with a career .206/.271/.358 batting line, so installing him into the lineup isn’t likely to help the Sox’ offense.

Trevor Story Targeting August Return To Infield, Potential DH Work In July

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The Red Sox have been without Trevor Story all season. The middle infielder underwent internal brace surgery to repair the UCL in his throwing elbow in January. He’s been on the 60-day injured list since Spring Training.

Fortunately, it seems Story is progressing well in his rehab. The two-time All-Star met with the Boston beat today and reiterated he expects to be back in the second half (audio transcript via WEEI). He expressed confidence he could return to the MLB infield by August and suggested it’s possible he could be back as a designated hitter by next month.

Breaking back in at DH isn’t uncommon for hitters in this situation since swinging can put less stress on the elbow ligaments than throwing does. The Phillies, for instance, have used Bryce Harper as a DH since early May as he works back from last November’s Tommy John surgery. It’s possible Harper eventually gets back to playing defense — either at first base or in the corner outfield — but Philadelphia expedited his return by putting him in a bat-only role.

Story, of course, isn’t the same caliber of hitter as Harper. He’s a solid but not elite offensive player who’s coming off a .238/.303/.434 showing during his first season in Boston. That puts more pressure on him to provide the club some defensive value when he’s able, though the Sox would presumably be happy to welcome him back a few weeks earlier as a DH option.

The 30-year-old worked exclusively at second base last season. That was in deference to Xander Bogaerts, so the longtime Rockies shortstop is likely to move back to the left side of the infield once healthy. Story said today he’d been “expressive” about his desire to reclaim shortstop after Bogaerts signed with the Padres and that the organization is on board with him returning to his initial position.

Boston has given the majority of the shortstop reps to Enrique Hernández in Story’s absence. Hernández has struggled offensively for a second consecutive season, hitting .228/.296/.356 in 243 trips to the plate. Public metrics like Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average have also panned his defensive work, which isn’t too surprising given his lack of consistent experience at the position before this season. The Sox have given sporadic playing time to Yu Chang and Pablo Reyes too. Neither player is hitting well and Chang has been out since late April when he fractured the hamate bone in his left hand.

Second base hasn’t been any more settled. Enmanuel Valdéz tailed off dramatically after a hot start and was optioned a few days ago. Christian Arroyo is the starter for now but carries a .258/.289/.409 slash in 98 plate appearances. The organization’s hope that offseason trade acquisition Adalberto Mondesí could pick up the slack in Story’s absence appears to have been dashed. He’s still working back from an April 2022 ACL tear and seems without a clear return timetable.

All that makes Story’s health a pivotal question for the club. Adding to the group via trade could also be under consideration for the front office if the team can hang close enough to the playoff picture to make it worthwhile. After tonight’s extra-inning loss to Colorado, Boston dropped back below .500 at 33-34. There’s virtually no chance of winning the AL East at this point and they’re 4 1/2 games back of the Astros (with the Blue Jays and Angels also above them) for the final Wild Card spot.

The Upcoming Shortstop Class Looks Increasingly Bleak

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The top free agent storyline of each of the past two offseasons was the respective star-studded shortstop classes. In 2021-22, it was Carlos Correa, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Trevor Story and Javier Báez. Last winter, Correa was back on the market again, joined by Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson.

Next winter’s group was never going to rival that previous collection. The class in general is very light on star position player talent beyond Shohei Ohtani. It’s particularly barren up the middle of the diamond. It’s hard to imagine a more complete 180° turn than how things appear to be trending with the shortstop class, though. Virtually everyone involved is off to a very slow start.

The early-season performances from the impending free agents at the position:

Amed Rosario (28)*

While Rosario is not the superstar some evaluators had anticipated during his time in the Mets’ farm system, he’d been a solid regular for two seasons since landing in Cleveland in the Francisco Lindor blockbuster. Rosario’s solid batting averages helped offset his very low walk tallies. He hit 25+ doubles with double-digit homers in both 2021-22, playing on a near everyday basis. His cumulative .282/.316/.406 batting line was almost exactly league average. Public metrics were mixed on Rosario’s defense but the Guardians have been content to keep him at shortstop despite plenty of upper minors infield talent. Only 27 and without a ton of market competition, he entered the year in position for a strong three or four-year contract.

That could still be the case but Rosario is doing himself no favors with his early performance. He’s sitting on a .217/.262/.300 showing through his first 130 plate appearances. He has just one homer and is striking out at a 29.2% clip that’d easily be the worst full-season mark of his career if it holds. After making contact on 81.3% of his swings last season, he’s putting the bat on the ball only 71.5% of the time this year. He’s also committed six errors in 255 1/3 innings after being charged with just 12 in more than 1200 frames last year. Rosario is still the top impending free agent shortstop by default but he’s struggling in all areas right now.

Javier Báez (31), can opt out of final four years and $98MM on his contract

Báez is hitting .256/.318/.376 through his first 130 plate appearances. That’s an improvement over the lackluster .238/.278/.393 line he managed during his first season in Detroit. His 16.2% strikeout rate is the lowest of his career, pushing his overall offense near league average in spite of just three home runs in 32 games. Báez’s 2023 campaign has been fine but hardly overwhelming. It’s nowhere near what it’d take for him to beat the $98MM remaining on his existing contract. He’d need a torrid summer to put himself in position to test free agency.

Enrique Hernández (32)

Hernández has been pushed into primary shortstop duty by the Red Sox’ various injuries. The early reviews from public defensive metrics aren’t favorable, with Statcast putting him at seven outs below average in 199 innings. Hernández is off to an equally slow start at the plate. He’s hitting .236/.295/.362 over 139 plate appearances on the heels of a .222/.291/.338 showing last year. He’s been a valuable super-utility option and everyday center fielder at times in his career, including a 20-homer campaign in 2021. The past year-plus hasn’t been especially impressive, though, and Hernández has yet to demonstrate he’s capable of handling shortstop regularly from a defensive standpoint.

Brandon Crawford (37)

The career-long Giant had a tough April on both sides of the ball. He’s hitting .169/.244/.352 with a personal-high 28.2% strikeout rate in 21 games. His defensive marks through 173 2/3 innings are unanimously below-average. A right calf strain sent him to the injured list last week. Even if Crawford is willing to explore all opportunities next winter after 13 seasons in San Francisco, he’ll need much better production once he returns from the IL to find any interest as a starting shortstop.

Elvis Andrus (35)

Much of what applies to Crawford is also true for Andrus. He’s a 15-year MLB veteran with a couple All-Star appearances to his name but his offense has fallen off in recent seasons. Andrus was a well below-average hitter from 2018-21. He rebounded with a solid .249/.303/.404 showing last season but still didn’t generate much free agent attention. After settling for a $3MM deal with the White Sox, he’s hitting only .208/.291/.264 in 142 plate appearances this year. Andrus hit 17 homers last season but has just one through the first six weeks.

Nick Ahmed (34)

Another glove-first veteran, Ahmed is also off to a rough start at the plate. He carries a .227/.239/.318 line over 67 plate appearances. He’s hit only one home run and walked just once. Ahmed has always been a bottom-of-the-lineup defensive specialist, but his career .235/.289/.380 slash is much more tenable than the production he’s managed thus far in 2023. He lost almost all of last season to shoulder surgery.

Gio Urshela (32)

Urshela is hitting plenty of singles to start his time in Orange County. His .303 batting average is impressive but is paired with just a .325 on-base percentage and .345 slugging mark. He’s walking at a career-low 3.3% clip and has only three extra-base hits (two doubles and a homer) in 123 plate appearances.

More concerning for teams looking to the shortstop market is Urshela’s lack of experience at the position. He’s been a third baseman for the majority of his career. Since landing with the Angels, he’s assumed a multi-positional infield role that has given him eight-plus starts at shortstop and both corner infield spots. Even if he starts hitting for more power, he’s better deployed as a versatile infielder who can moonlight at shortstop than an everyday solution there.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa (28)

Kiner-Falefa lost his starting shortstop role with the Yankees towards the end of last season. He’s been kicked into a multi-positional capacity this year and hasn’t logged a single inning at the position in 2023. While Kiner-Falefa presumably could still handle shortstop if asked, he’s contributed nothing offensively in the early going. Through 72 plate appearances, he owns a .191/.225/.206 line.

Adalberto Mondesí (28)

Mondesí is young and has flashed tantalizing tools throughout his major league career. He’s also reached base at a meager .280 clip over 358 MLB games and battled various injuries. An April 2022 ACL tear cut that season short after just 15 games. The Red Sox nevertheless acquired him from the Royals over the offseason, but he’s yet to play a game with Boston. Mondesí opened the season on the 60-day injured list and won’t make his Sox debut until at least the end of this month. There’s a chance for him to play his way into some free agent interest. He’ll need an extended stretch of health and performance.

Players With Club Options

Both Tim Anderson and Paul DeJong can hit free agency if the White Sox and Cardinals decline respective 2024 club options. That seems likely in DeJong’s case but is reflective of the .196/.280/.351 line he managed between 2020-22. If he plays well enough to warrant significant free agent interest — he has been excellent in 11 games this season, to his credit — the Cardinals would exercise their $12.5MM option and keep him off the market anyhow.

The White Sox hold a $14MM option on Anderson’s services. That looks as if it’ll be a no-brainer for Chicago to keep him around (or exercise and make him available in trade). The only way Anderson gets to free agency is if his 2023 season is decimated by injury or an uncharacteristic performance drop-off, in which case he’d be a question mark as well.

Outlook

This was never going to be a great group. It’s comprised largely of glove-first veterans in their mid-30s. Players like Andrus, Ahmed, Crawford and José Iglesias — who’ll also hit free agency and has bounced around on minor league deals thus far in 2023 — don’t tend to be priority targets. That opened the door for the likes of Rosario, Báez and a potentially healthy Mondesí — younger players who have shown some offensive upside — to separate themselves from the pack in a way they wouldn’t have the last couple winters. No one has seized the mantle to this point. While there are still more than four months for someone to emerge, the early returns on the shortstop class aren’t promising.

*age for the 2024 season

Each MLB Team’s Players On WBC Rosters

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The World Baseball Classic is returning this year, the first time since 2017. The quadrennial event was supposed to take place in 2021 but was scuttled by the pandemic, now returning after a six-year absence. Rosters for the tournament were announced today and those can be found at this link. Here is a breakdown of which players from each MLB team are set to take participate. Quick caveat that this list is fluid and might be changed as more information becomes available.

Without further ado…

Angels

Astros

Athletics

Blue Jays

Braves

Brewers

Cardinals

Cubs

Diamondbacks

Dodgers

Giants

Guardians

Marlins

Mariners

Mets

Nationals

Orioles

Padres

Phillies

Pirates

Rangers

Rays

Red Sox

Reds

Rockies

Royals

Tigers

Twins

White Sox

Yankees

Red Sox Remain Open To Middle Infield Acquisitions

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The Red Sox have finalized a pair of up-the-middle pickups this week, formally adding Adam Duvall on a one-year free agent deal to play center field and acquiring infielder Adalberto Mondesi from the Royals yesterday. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom met with reporters after announcing the trade with Kansas City and suggested the team was still open to acquiring middle infield help.

“We’d still love to add if the opportunities are there,” Bloom said (via Chris Cotillo of MassLive). That’s not too surprising, as the Boston baseball operations leader had previously indicated the club was open to three-plus additions after losing Trevor Story for most of the season after he underwent an internal brace procedure on his throwing elbow.

Mondesi himself is far from a sure thing. The switch-hitting infielder has spent time on the injured list in four of the last five seasons, and he’s coming off an ACL tear that ended his 2022 campaign 15 games in. That injury — which required surgery — occurred roughly nine months ago. Bloom noted that Mondesi’s rehab “still has a ways to go” and suggested it’s possible he’s behind schedule heading into the season. The 27-year-old infielder might yet be ready for Opening Day but that doesn’t seem a certainty.

Even once Mondesi is healthy, it seems he might have a clearer path to reps at second base than at shortstop. Bloom indicated that Enrique Hernández remains the club’s top in-house shortstop (relayed by Ian Browne of MLB.com). That’d presumably leave Mondesi at the keystone on most days, which would push Christian Arroyo into a utility capacity.

Hernández only has 618 innings at shortstop over parts of nine big league campaigns. Public defensive metrics have mostly rated him as a solid or better gloveman in that look. He’s typically registered plus defensive grades at second base and in center field over more extended bodies of work, and Boston brass is clearly confident he’s athletic enough to shoulder a heavier shortstop workload.

If the Sox were to go outside the organization for help, they’d likely be looking at depth pickups. Elvis Andrus remains the top unsigned shortstop. Josh Harrison is probably the next-best free agent middle infielder, with José Iglesias, Jonathan Villar and Rougned Odor also in the mix. Players like Tony Kemp, Nick Madrigal or Nicky Lopez might still be attainable on the trade front, though it’s possible the Boston front office doesn’t find anyone in that group enough of an upgrade over the in-house possibilities to open discussions.

Red Sox Notes: Middle Infield, Hernandez, Arroyo, Sale, Whitlock, Houck

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Red Sox’s brass met with reporters and fans at their Winter Weekend convention this evening. Manager Alex Cora and chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom each addressed the roster status with roughly two months remaining in the offseason.

The middle infield is among the biggest questions. With Xander Bogaerts in San Diego and Trevor Story set to miss at least a notable portion of the upcoming season, Boston has very little certainty up the middle. Adam Duvall agreed to a one-year deal earlier this week to man center field, likely kicking Enrique Hernández back to the infield.

Manager Alex Cora suggested that was currently the team’s plan, implying that Hernández was the in-house favorite to play shortstop (via Ian Browne of MLB.com). That leaves Christian Arroyo as the likeliest option to man second base. Bloom indicated the team remained open to adding help from outside the organization (relayed by Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe) but the Hernández – Arroyo pairing seemingly has the inside track among internal candidates.

Hernández has experience at every non-catching position on the diamond. He’s primarily played center field or second base, logging just 618 shortstop innings through parts of nine MLB seasons. Defensive Runs Saved has looked favorably upon his limited work there, rating him as nine runs better than average overall. Hernández has typically graded out as a solid or better second baseman and a particularly strong center fielder, where he spent the bulk of his time in 2022.

Arroyo has been in the Boston second base mix for the past couple seasons. He’s hit at a roughly league average level in both years, making plenty of contact to compensate for low walk rates. Arroyo has logged just under 900 major league innings at the keystone. Defensive Runs Saved has pegged him an excellent 10 runs better than the average defender there, while Statcast has rated him as an exactly average gloveman.

There aren’t many middle infield options remaining in free agency. Elvis Andrus and Josh Harrison are probably the top players still available. The Sox have been loosely tied to both in recent days. Donovan Solano, César Hernández and José Iglesias are among the depth types remaining as well.

There’s also a fair amount of uncertainty on the pitching side of things in Fenway, largely thanks to injury. Chris Sale, Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock each ended the 2022 season on the injured list. Whitlock is returning from hip surgery, while Houck underwent a back procedure. Sale had myriad health concerns that culminated in surgery to repair a fracture in his right wrist sustained in a bicycle accident.

Cora said this evening that all three pitchers have been throwing off a mound (relayed by Jen McCaffrey of the Athletic). All three could factor into the rotation. Sale’s a lock for the starting five if healthy. The Sox have already announced they plan to give Whitlock a rotation opportunity. Houck’s role seems more fluid, as he could crack the starting five or remain in a high-leverage relief capacity. The former first-round pick has been the subject of some recent trade speculation, though there’s no indication a deal is on the horizon or especially likely to transpire.

Red Sox, Marlins Have Discussed Joey Wendle In Trade Talks

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The Red Sox have had some discussions with the Marlins about infielder Joey Wendle, reports Chad Jennings of the Athletic. There’s no indication a deal is imminent or even likely, as he’s one of a number of names whom Boston has looked into as they search for middle infield help.

Wendle is headed into his second season in Miami. The Marlins acquired him from their in-state counterparts last offseason, sending minor league outfielder Kameron Misner to the Rays. That was one of a number of transactions Miami made in hopes of adding a jolt to their lineup, as they also brought in Jacob Stallings via trade and Avisaíl García and Jorge Soler through free agency.

None of those additions panned out as expected in year one. Wendle had his worst season in a few years, hitting .259/.297/.360 over 371 trips to the plate. He kept his strikeout rate in check, punching out in a career-low 13.5% of plate appearances. That higher-contact approach was the product of increased aggressiveness at the dish, and it tamped down his walk rate to a meager 4% clip. Wendle managed just three home runs, and he played in only 101 games around a trio of injured list stints thanks to issues with both hamstrings.

Wendle’s value is certainly at a low ebb, though there are reasons the Boston front office could view him as a solid bounceback target. He’d posted above-average offensive numbers in three of his four seasons with Tampa Bay, showing the ability to handle the AL East. Between 2018-21, the left-handed batter compiled a .274/.330/.414 mark in just under 1500 plate appearances. His power and walk rates were both a touch below average, but he demonstrated plus contact skills. He was particularly adept against right-handed pitching, putting together a .287/.337/.439 mark with the platoon advantage. During his first two seasons with the Rays, Wendle overlapped with Chaim Bloom. The current Red Sox chief baseball officer was a high-ranking member of the Tampa Bay front office at the time.

At his best, Wendle pairs that slightly above-average offense with quality defense around the infield. He’s primarily a second and third baseman, logging more than 1500 career innings at each spot. Public defensive metrics have loved the former All-Star’s work at the keystone, while he’s earned more solid but unspectacular marks at the hot corner. Wendle has never been an everyday player at shortstop, but he’s logged limited time there in each of the last five years. He topped out with 233 1/3 innings for Miami this past season, posting strong marks in that very limited sample.

Jennings suggests the Red Sox are eyeing Wendle as a potential option at shortstop after the departure of Xander Bogaerts. Turning to him there regularly would be a bold gambit, as he’s headed into his age-33 season and coming off a year in which he was nagged by leg injuries. Playing him more frequently at second base with an occasional game at shortstop would be more straightforward, yet Jennings suggests the front office is somewhat divided on how best to handle the middle infield.

Boston signed Trevor Story to a $140MM free agent deal last offseason. The longtime Rockie shortstop posted strong defensive numbers throughout his time in Colorado, but some evaluators raised questions about his arm late in that tenure. That wasn’t a concern in 2022, as Story moved to second base in deference to Boagerts. He posted strong numbers there, showcasing high-end range and hands. His arm remained subpar, though, with Statcast ranking him 155th out of 162 qualified infielders in maximum throw speed. Story averaged 76.1 MPH on his throws, around four MPH below average at second base and nearly 10 ticks below the league mark at shortstop.

That alone doesn’t mean Story can’t play shortstop. He’d had a below-average arm for the position in both 2020-21 and still rated highly there by measure of both Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating (albeit with less enthusiastic reviews from Statcast). Bloom has previously suggested Story’s presently the favorite for the position, but Jennings writes that some in the front office would rather keep Story at second base and play Enrique Hernández at shortstop. That’d require finding someone to replace Hernández in center field, so bringing in another middle infielder would be the simpler solution.

Wendle figures to be attainable in trade, even if Jennings characterizes Miami’s current asking price as high. With over five years of MLB service, Wendle is in his final year of team control. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him for a $5.4MM salary for his final arbitration season. That’s reasonable but not insignificant for a Miami club that is seemingly up against it from a payroll perspective. The Marlins are known to be looking for ways to upgrade their lineup and have yet to address it in any meaningful capacity. Moving Wendle’s salary while recouping some pre-arbitration or minor league talent could be appealing for general manager Kim Ng and her staff as they try to create some flexibility to kickstart their offseason.

It seems a trade is Boston’s preferred means for adding the up-the-middle talent they desire. Jennings suggests any interest on their part in the top remaining free agent shortstops like Elvis Andrus and José Iglesias is fairly modest. He reports they’ve given internal consideration to players like Cleveland’s Amed Rosario and St. Louis’ Paul DeJong at points this winter but no longer seem to be targeting those players. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reported earlier this month that Boston had reached out to the Fish on shortstop Miguel Rojas; however, it seems unlikely Miami would move Rojas, a clubhouse leader and quality defensive shortstop, without being overwhelmed by the return.

Red Sox Notes: Middle Infield, Rotation, Houck

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With Xander Bogaerts headed to San Diego, the Red Sox face questions about their lineup. Boston has added Masataka Yoshida on a five-year deal to play left field, but they’re now dealing with a vacancy in the middle of the diamond.

Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom told reporters this week the Red Sox are seeking someone who can play up the middle on either the infield or outfield (link via Alex Speier of the Boston Globe). As Bloom noted, the team has some positional flexibility in that regard thanks to Trevor Story and Enrique Hernández. Story played second base in deference to Bogaerts this past season, but the longtime Rockies shortstop now looks penciled in to move back to the left side of the diamond. Hernández is a quality defender at both second base and center field, and his ability to cover either spot gives Boston the freedom to look for players at either position and move Hernández around depending on subsequent additions.

In any event, the Red Sox figure to bring in another player with the athleticism to cover up the middle. As things stand, the team would likely open the season with Story at shortstop, Hernández in center and some combination of Christian Arroyo and Jeter Downs at second base. Neither Arroyo nor Downs should have a firm hold on an everyday job for a hopeful contender, but the available free agent options at important defensive positions are dwindling.

The center field market was almost completely barren from the start, with Brandon Nimmo the clear top option. Players like Kevin Kiermaier and Cody Bellinger got everyday jobs coming off disappointing seasons, while the Red Sox struck early to keep Hernández out of free agency on a $10MM extension in September. He’s not coming off a great year himself, but the lackluster free agent class no doubt played a role in Boston’s decision to take a shot on a bounceback.

Free agency in the middle infield is a bit more robust. Dansby Swanson is the top player still remaining. The Red Sox are reportedly part of that market, although they’ll face competition from teams like the Cubs, Twins, Dodgers and incumbent Braves. It’d be rather surprising to see the Sox pivot to Swanson — who looks likely to top $150MM on the open market — after watching their own star shortstop (and described “top priority”) depart. There’s a notable drop after Swanson, with Elvis Andrus the next-best remaining shortstop. At second base, Jean Segura and Brandon Drury are the top options available.

All those players hit right-handed, which could make them targets for the Boston front office. Speier writes the Sox are looking for a righty bat, a sensible pursuit considering their lineup skews towards the left side. Story, Hernández and Arroyo are the only three righties who currently look like regulars, and Arroyo could be supplanted by an outside addition. Rafael Devers, Alex Verdugo and Yoshida all hit from the left side, as do first base/DH options Triston Casas and Eric Hosmer. Boston has Bobby Dalbec in that mix as a righty alternative, but he’s struggled enough the past couple seasons they’ve reportedly made him available in trade.

The trade market obviously also offers a chance for the Red Sox to address some roster deficiencies. Bloom told Chad Jennings of the Athletic on Monday the club was open to consolidating minor league talent to add immediate MLB help. The front office leader downplayed the possibility of moving talented players at the MLB level (seemingly including Casas) as part of those efforts, but he expressed a willingness to move players who are further away from the majors.

There aren’t many up-the-middle players who look likely to be dealt this winter. The Guardians could part with shortstop Amed Rosario, while the Royals may field offers on center fielder Michael A. Taylor. Oakland’s Ramón Laureano has some center field experience and would add a righty bat to the outfield, but he’s coming off a dismal 2022 season and the A’s may prefer to hold him in hopes of a better year that rebuilds his trade appeal.

The rotation market offers more possibilities, both in free agency and trade. Noah Syndergaard, Johnny Cueto and old friends Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Wacha are among the free agent options still available. Viable rotation trade candidates include Trevor Rogers and Pablo López in Miami, Chris Flexen or Marco Gonzales of the Mariners and Pittsburgh’s JT Brubaker. Both Speier and Jennings write that Boston would like to add a starter, no surprise for a team that has seen Eovaldi, Wacha and Rich Hill hit free agency without bringing in outside help.

Boston does have a few players who can step into the rotation after not assuming much of a role last season. Chris Sale barely pitched in 2022, while James Paxton didn’t throw for the Sox at all. They’ll hopefully go into Spring Training healthy but have plenty of recent injuries and workload concerns. Brayan Bello could get a full season after breaking into the majors this past July. The Red Sox already announced Garrett Whitlock would join Nick Pivetta in the starting five after mostly working in multi-inning relief the last two years.

The Sox haven’t been as committal on Tanner Houck, but he’s also a rotation option after bouncing between starting and relief for a while. As Jen McCaffrey of the Athletic writes, the Sox’s offseason to date has seen them bring in a few bullpen options — Chris Martin, Kenley Jansen and Joely Rodríguez — without doing much to fortify the rotation. That could point towards an increasing likelihood of Houck competing for a rotation spot in Spring Training, although much depends on the team’s activity over the next three months.

Houck came out of the bullpen for 28 of his 32 appearances in 2022, including some time as the team’s closer. With Jansen now set to lock down the ninth inning, skipper Alex Cora can deploy Houck either in higher-leverage relief in the middle innings or as part of the starting staff. The former first-round pick started 13 of his 18 outings in 2021, and he has 20 MLB starts on his résumé. In that time, he’s worked to a 3.22 ERA with a 28.5% strikeout rate. Houck has a 2.68 ERA and a 25.9% career strikeout percentage when coming out of the bullpen.

Bloom: Bogaerts Remains Red Sox’s Preferred Option At Shortstop

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The Red Sox and star shortstop Xander Bogaerts didn’t agree on a contract extension before the start of the offseason. The four-time All-Star officially opted out of the final three years on his deal with Boston this morning, sending him to the open market for the first time in his career. The Sox still have exclusive negotiating rights with Bogaerts through Thursday, but there’s little question at this point his representatives at the Boras Corporation will soon be in contact with other teams.

Speaking with reporters (including Alex Speier of the Boston Globe) this evening, Boston chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom reiterated that retaining Bogaerts would be the Sox’s ideal choice for addressing shortstop. “We want him here. He makes us better,” Bloom said. “We respect his right to exercise [the opt-out] and to explore the market. We want him back and we will stay engaged with him.”

Boston’s baseball operations leader acknowledged the presence of a few other star free agent shortstops — namely Carlos Correa, Trea Turner and Dansby Swanson. While Bloom suggested the team would explore the market for potential alternatives, he didn’t mince words when expressing the front office’s overall preference. “He’s our first choice. That’s not going to change,” he told reporters. “Part of our jobs is to explore every option to field a contending team next year and put together a really good group. We need to explore every possible way to do that, but Bogey’s our first choice.”

Bloom indicated he believes either Trevor Story or Enrique Hernández would be capable of playing shortstop if necessary but made clear the team would prefer to keep them at other positions to keep Bogaerts around. Story moved to second base this past season. While he’d played his whole career at shortstop with the Rockies prior to this year, Story has spoken about his desire to stick at the keystone if it means the Red Sox re-sign their longtime shortstop. That’d presumably keep Hernández in center field primarily, with the lackluster free agent market at that position seemingly playing a role in Boston’s decision to keep the utilityman around with a $10MM contract extension on Labor Day.

Of course, this is far from the first time Sox’s brass has gone on record about their affinity for Bogaerts. Immediately after the season, Bloom called re-signing the four-time Silver Slugger winner before free agency the team’s top priority. That obviously didn’t happen, and Speier writes that while the sides did have some discussions after the season wrapped up, it became clear fairly early on they wouldn’t get a deal done before the opt-out date.

Boston is sure to kick off the offseason by tagging Bogaerts with a qualifying offer. They’d receive only minimal compensation if he were to sign elsewhere, however. Because the Red Sox exceeded the base luxury tax threshold this past season, they’d add only an extra draft choice after the fourth round. Conversely, signing a player like Turner or Swanson who rejects a qualifying offer from another team — Correa is ineligible to receive a QO because he’s previously received one in his career — would lead Boston to forfeit both their second and fifth-highest picks in next year’s draft and $1MM in international signing bonus space. Certainly, the front office will weigh their long-term projections of each of the top free agents more heavily than the draft choices in deciding how to proceed, but they’d pay a heavier draft penalty for adding either Swanson or Turner than they would for retaining Bogaerts (and thus forfeiting the compensatory pick).

Bogaerts heads into his age-31 season coming off a .307/.377/.456 mark through 631 plate appearances. His power production dipped relative to his best seasons, but he hit above .285 with an on-base percentage at .360 or better for the fifth straight year. He also earned slightly above-average marks from public defensive metrics, an important step towards quieting some concerns he’ll have to move off shortstop in the relatively near future.

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