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Boston Red Sox reportedly exploring Andrew Benintendi trade

By David Hill

BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 11: Andrew Benintendi #16 of the Boston Red Sox runs onto the field before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 11, 2020 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 11: Andrew Benintendi #16 of the Boston Red Sox runs onto the field before a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 11, 2020 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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Andrew Benintendi had once been considered a building block for the Boston Red Sox. Now, the team is reportedly looking to trade the outfielder.

There was a time when Andrew Benintendi was considered a key piece of the Boston Red Sox future. He was not just a consensus top prospect; he was the prospect heading into the 2017 season, ranked as the top overall minor leaguer by MLB.com and Baseball America. Benintendi was considered one of the best hitting prospects the game had seen in years, someone that could win multiple batting titles in the future.

But times have changed. Now, after a disastrous 2020 season, the Red Sox are reportedly having serious talks with multiple teams about trading the one time top prospect.

Should this be the case, the Red Sox would be parting ways with the outfielder at a time that his value is at its nadir. Benintendi appeared in only 14 games due to injuries, producing a disappointing .103/.314/.128 batting line in his 52 plate appearances. He did draw 11 walks, but also struck out 17 times.

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While he did not quite reach those lofty expectations, Benintendi was a solid player from 2017 through 2019. In that time, he posted a respectable .276/.354/.440 batting line in his 1934 plate appearances, hitting 49 homers and 107 doubles. He continued to get on base at an impressive clip while making excellent contact.

Any interested teams would have to hope that he can be that player once again. The 2020 season was an aberration in many ways, and Benintendi’s injury woes certainly did not help the overall bottom line. Had this been a normal year, he may have been able to rebound from that slow start and produce his typical numbers.

The Red Sox, however, appear to be ready to move on. They still have work to do as they are looking to rebuild their roster, and adding pitching or outfield prospects would help to restock their system. It is questionable as to what type of return they would be able to get for Benintendi, even though he is just 26 years old and has three more years of team control.

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The Boston Red Sox are reportedly looking to trade Andrew Benintendi. He could be a bargain for any interested teams.

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