Sandoval Heads to 10-Day DL, What Do The Sox Do At Third?
Pablo Sandoval has been absolutely awful ever since the Red Sox signed him in 2015. The 255 pound third-baseman is making $95 million over 5 years. Yeah $95 million. It’s safe to say the Red Sox have wasted that money. He was placed on the 10-day DL with an inner ear infection yesterday. The big question is “Is it time for the Red Sox to let go of Pablo Sandoval?” The answer? Yes, yes it is. Last year he played in just 3 games. Granted he was on the DL then too but 3 games? Again he’s making $95 million. In those 3 games he went 0 for 6. In his first year with the Sox back in 2015 he appeared in 126 games getting 470 at-bats, and hit .245. He also had just 10 home runs, and 47 RBI’s. If we look back on his days in San Francisco with the Giants you can see what he is truly capable of. In 2009 he played in 153 games for the Giants, batting .330, hitting 25 home runs, and driving in 90 runs. That’s a pretty nice statline, and I think that's what the Red Sox thought they were getting back in 2015 when they signed him to that massive deal. This season he has appeared in 32 games so far, batting .212, with 4 home runs, 12 RBI’s, and 10 runs scored. The Red Sox really need to explore some options to deal Pablo somewhere else, whether it be a trade or cut him. Cutting him would probably be the last option because they would still have to pay him.
The next question is “Who takes over at third base?” Well there are a lot of good candidates within the organization and outside of it. The first option is rookie Deven Marrero. Marrero’s natural position is second base, but he is a very versatile fielder and can play shortstop and third as well. So far this season he’s appeared in 34 games getting 85 at-bats, and is batting just .176, and has hit 3 home runs, 4 doubles and has brought in 12 RBI’s. Now I know what you are thinking. “Camdyn this bum is batting .176!! How could he be our starting third baseman, we are an offensive team!!” Yes I know he's batting .176 and yes I know that's not good, but we have other guys to carry the offensive load like Mookie, Xander, and Benintendi. Marrero is a wizard on defense though, he’s played 197 innings at third base this season and has only 2 errors, his fielding percentage is .962. Despite the fact that his bat is quite his glove makes up for it. You know the saying “Defense wins championships.”
Another option is young prospect Rafael Devers. In my mind this is the last option. Devers has been hitting very well in Double-A Portland. This season in Double-A Devers has played in 62 games getting 236 at-bats. In those at-bats he's hitting .297, with 14 home runs, and has drove in 44 runs. Devers is a very good hitter, but I think he would need some time to develop. People say “Oh well Andrew Benintendi skipped Triple-A and went straight to the MLB.” Yes he did, but Benintendi is a very good young baseball player, he’s better than Devers, and not a lot of prospects skip Triple-A.
My final option I have for the Red Sox is a trade. Mike Moustakas has been rumored to be shopped around and I think he would fit well in the Sox lineup, possibly as a seven or six hitter. So far this season Moustakas has played in 64 games, getting 253 at-bats, and is hitting .277. He also leads the Royals in home runs with 19, and he’s drove in 46 runs. Moustakas would be a great addition to the Sox lineup and he could definitely take some balls into the right field bleachers at Fenway.
