Boston Red Sox bench crunch
By Damian Dydyn
The Crunch:
If Brock Holt is healthy, he is almost assuredly the best bench bat the team will have in 2018. Eduardo Nunez looked spectacular in his brief time with the Red Sox in 2017, but the sample size was too small to be predictive. More likely, he’s also a league average bat who doesn’t provide as much defensive value as Holt.
When Dustin Pedroia returns from the DL, Holt will be at the top of the food chain for bench options as long as vertigo stays away. That means one of Nunez or Swihart will have to go. But which one?
Nunez provides more defensive versatility, being capable of manning every non-catcher infield position and both corner outfield spots. Having a third catcher is nice, but not entirely necessary. Swihart has more upside at the plate, though, and perhaps substantially more.
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Swihart is cheaper and could be a more valuable long-term asset to the club, though Nunez has a player option and could be in the picture next season as well. Both offer plenty of value in their own ways, so it’s a shame they can’t both fit on the 25 man roster all year.
The Solution:
So what is the front office to do? Wait. Pedroia isn’t due back until some time in May most likely. That gives the team time to see if Holt has genuinely put vertigo behind him or if Swihart’s ankle will hold up to more regular use. Or for another injury to happen opening up a roster spot. Chances are, this will resolve itself one way or the other by the time the de facto captain is ready to suit up again.
And if the team finds itself with a healthy Pedroia, and all three of Nunez, Holt, and Swihart healthy and productive, they’ll have some trade chips to shop around for a prospect or maybe a relief pitcher.
Next: Rafael Devers may become Sox best hitter
The Boston Red Sox bench crunch is a real issue, but it’s one that isn’t likely to present the club with significant difficulty.