MLB Free Agency: Possible landing spots for Ian Kinsler

With the MLB free agency conversations focused on Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, and a handful of pitchers, several outstanding players have been under the radar.

One of those is four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner Ian Kinsler, who is just one of many top second base options in MLB free agency.

After 13 years in the majors, he finally received a World Series ring after he was traded to the Boston Red Sox on July 30. He began the year with the Los Angeles Angels.

Quite the pedigree

Kinsler won his first Gold Glove in 2016 when he was with the Detroit Tigers. His second was in 2018. Considering the competition (Jose Altuve, Robinson Cano, Jonathan Schoop, Jed Lowrie etc.), anyone who wins the award has to be spectacular.

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Unfortunately, Kinsler struggled a bit at the plate, especially with the fast ball. His regular-season slash in 2018 was .240/.301/.380 with 14 home runs and 48 RBI. With the Red Sox, he hit near the bottom of the lineup, which is a far cry from the 2016 and 2017 seasons when he led off for the Detroit Tigers and hit 20+ home runs, many of them in his first at-bat of the game.

Of the second basemen MLB free agents, Kinsler is ranked third due to his 2018 WAR of 2.5. He will be 37 in June and moves around the infield like a much younger player. Prior to 2018, he only played for two teams, the Rangers and Tigers. He was a popular player in both organization, but Tigers fans quickly fell in love with his gritty play and tenacious defense. He fit in perfectly with the blue collar attitude in the Motor City.

With the World Series win, Kinsler’s future in the MLB was uncertain. Until Chris Cotillo with Mass Live shared that Kinsler wants to continue playing in 2019. There is tough competition in for a player of his age this off-season, especially considering that youth seems to be a priority on many rosters.

Where will Kinsler land?

There seem to be few (if any) suitors at this point, but one lucky fan base will get to watch him play daily in 2019. Cotillo does not think Kinsler will rejoin the Red Sox, especially if Dustin Pedroia is healthy. Pedroia played 104 games in 2017, but only three in 2018.

As a long-time fan of Kinsler, it came as a surprise that he joined the Red Sox in the first place. He and Chris Sale had a history from their days with the Tigers and White Sox. And, Kinsler and Pedroia had a history of competing for positions in college at Arizona State University and for Gold Gloves in the MLB.

The Milwaukee Brewers could use a second baseman, especially after the team non-tendered Jonathan Schoop, who was recently signed by the Milwaukee Twins. After the debacle with Schoop, Brewers fans would greatly appreciate Kinsler and his style of play. In 2017, Buster Olney with MLB.com reported that the Brewers considered him to replace Jonathan Villar. Instead, Villar was traded for Schoop at the July deadline.

Kinsler has never played in the NL, but his days of playing DH are probably long gone. Kinsler is an upgrade over the Brew Crew’s current second baseman, Hernan Perez (who was a back-up to Kinsler in 2014 in Detroit.

The Dodgers are another team that does not have an everyday second baseman. Kinsler’s right-handed bat and nimble defense could be just what the Dodgers need. They could afford to sign him to a one-year contract. He made $11 million in 2018, but with his decline at the plate, he could probably be signed for significantly less.

What would be nice to see is Kinsler re-signing with the Los Angeles Angels. Kinsler and manager Brad Ausmus have a history together from their time in Detroit. On Ausmus’s final day as manager of the Tigers, he had Kinsler manage for him. And, according to Jeff Fletcher with The Orange County Register, Kinsler joined the Angels after speaking with friend Justin Upton. Unfortunately, the Angels recently acquired Tommy La Stella, who plays second base for a significantly lower price than Kinsler does.

It is unlikely that Kinsler will play for a team in the midst of a rebuild, simply because of his age. But, whatever fan base gets him should be in for a pleasant surprise with his ease in the middle infield.