Inside The Red Sox

Reporter Fuels Trade Rumors Regarding Red Sox Fan Favorite After Lackluster Stint In Boston

Boston could deal a former top prospect

Scott Neville

Reporter Fuels Trade Rumors Regarding Red Sox Fan Favorite After Lackluster Stint In Boston
Reporter Fuels Trade Rumors Regarding Red Sox Fan Favorite After Lackluster Stint In Boston /
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Would the Boston Red Sox swing a trade involving a fan-favorite slugger before the season starts?

MassLive's Chris Cotillo indicated that spring training could a showcase for potential trade partners for first baseman Bobby Dalbec.

"Entering the winter, (Dalbec) seemed like a prime trade candidate and there were reports in December that the (Tampa Bay) Rays were among the teams interested in acquiring him," Cotillo wrote Monday. "But as one baseball source said over the weekend, Dalbec isn’t necessarily 'burning a hole' in the club’s pocket. So he remains with the club as a bit of a forgotten man as spring training opens."

Cotillo would go on to write that while Dalbec has yet to officially request a trade, he would not be surprised if the 27-year-old would welcome a fresh start. 

Dalbec hit .215 with 23 extra-base hits including 12 home runs, 39 RBIs, a horrendous 118-to-29 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .652 OPS in 117 games last season to go along with poor corner infield defense.

Dalbec could serve as a platoon/pinch hitter against left-handed pitching -- he's hit .268 with 35 extra-base hits including 19 home runs, 59 RBIs and a .855 OPS in 330 career plate appearances versus southpaws -- with the potential to grow his role down the road, but his expectations are as low as can be. 

A trade would be interesting for at least a couple of reasons. The Rays being the potential trade partner adds intrigue given the inter-division rivalry.

The biggest question would be the potential return for Dalbec. His overall play has been poor, highlighted by his -0.7 bWAR last season and career 0.1 bWAR. However, the right-hander has a unique combination of power and athleticism that increases his stock. He's also under contract through 2026. It would not be unimaginable for a team to offer a moderately-ranked prospect or semi-notable big-league player in package. 

It seems unlikely that the Red Sox would deal Dalbec ahead of Opening Day but it sounds as if it could be best for the player and potentially the club as well.

More MLB: Red Sox's Middle Infield Issues Exacerbated By White Sox Adding All-Star Shortstop

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Scott Neville
SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer.  His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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