Red Sox Insider Predicts Boston Will Trade For Second Baseman Coming Off Elite Season
The Boston Red Sox seemingly have cleared up their outfield group after exporting Alex Verdugo and importing Tyler O'Neill earlier this month.
While starting pitching remains the priority by a wide margin, the biggest offensive void is at second base, and it's not close.
Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow already has claimed to be interested in upgrading at the position citing the trade market as a much more appealing route than free agency.
One of the best insiders in the game has an idea of what Breslow could, or should be thinking.
"I’ve been beating this drum all offseason, so I’m going to stick with my Brandon Drury prediction at second base," The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey said when asked to predict the Red Sox's offseason additions. "I’d originally thought trading Verdugo for him might work but maybe the (Los Angeles) Angels weren’t interested. Perhaps there’s still a way for the Red Sox to swing a deal for him."
Drury hit .262 with 59 extra-base hits including 26 home runs, 83 RBIs and a .803 OPS (114 OPS+) in 125 games last season. That level of production would far outproduce what Boston assembled at the position a year ago.
The 31-year-old also recorded five outs above average last season, which fits Breslow's preference of a strong defensive middle infielder to man second base. Drury has the ability to play first base, third base, shortstop occasionally and even has a total of 965 2/3 innings played in the corner outfield spots -- though he hasn't done so for a few years and grades poorly out there.
At this point in the offseason, Drury projects to be one of the best middle infielders the Red Sox could realistically target. He would fill Boston's desire to add an impact right-handed bat and do so at a position where offense has been scarce. He also will improve the club's defense after a year in which every ball hit in play felt like an error waiting to happen.
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