Star Second Baseman Reportedly Placed On Trade Block; Red Sox Could Be Suitors

Boston should call about the slugger

Scott Neville | Nov 14, 2023

Star Second Baseman Reportedly Placed On Trade Block; Red Sox Could Be Suitors /

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The Boston Red Sox need to focus almost all of their attention on improving the pitching staff this winter.

With that said, the most complicated matter facing the Red Sox is their lack of right-handed hitting. Added a right-handed slugger at second base would make a lot of sense given the current lackluster internal options on the roster.

Free agency isn't an ideal path either, as former Toronto Blue Jays' Whit Merrifield is the top middle infielder on the market. That leaves the trade market as the best place for Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow.

Fortunately, there are some intriguing candidates reportedly becoming available.

"Jonathan India: With too many infielders to fill the four spots already -- Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, Noelvi Marte, Christian Encarnacion-Strand -- Cincinnati is suggesting to other teams India is the odd man out," ESPN's Jeff Passan wrote Tuesday. "Other teams believe it's more a matter of when, not if, India will move."

India hit .244 with 40 extra-base hits including 17 home runs, 61 RBIs and a .746 OPS (100 OPS+) in 119 games last season. The 26-year-old has a career .255 batting average and 105 OPS+ across three seasons.

Defensively, India leaves plenty to be desired, with -7 defensive runs saved last season and -6 outs above average in 2023. Unless he were to fill in as the designated hitter, the Red Sox probably would be wise to look elsewhere.

India is intriguing on paper but his defensive limitations would crater a defense that struggled mightily a year ago. Unless he were basically free in terms of prospect capital, it would make sense to find another solution at second base.

More MLB: Red Sox Targeting 'Front-Of-The-Rotation Type' Starting Pitcher This Offseason

Published Nov 14, 2023

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