Red Sox rumors: Enrique Hernandez gets 2-year deal, shot to play every day
By Phil Watson
Red Sox rumors have versatile Enrique Hernandez heading to Boston
Enrique Hernandez has not, in fact, done it all. In seven major league seasons, he has never played catcher. The latest Boston Red Sox rumors have Hernandez heading to The Hub for a shot at an every day job as he has reportedly agreed to a two-year, $14 million contract.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com first reported the agreement, later confirmed by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Per source, Hernandez’s deal with the Red Sox is for two years and $14 million. https://t.co/59edxPM6nM
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 23, 2021
Hernandez went to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the trade with the Miami Marlins in December 2014 that sent Dee Strange-Gordon to South Beach. A sixth-round draft pick of the Houston Astros from Puerto Rico’s American Military Academy in 2009, he broke in with Houston in July 2014 and was traded to Miami at the non-waiver trade deadline at the end of that month.
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He eventually took on an every day utility role with the Dodgers, getting 462 plate appearances in 2018, 460 in 2019 and 148 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.
In 2018, for instance, he never started more than 44 games at any single position, but made 104 starts at seven defensive positions — everything but pitcher and catcher. In 2019, the count was 105 starts at seven spots, with 63 of them at second base.
In the shortened season, he started 32 times, but managed to do so at only five positions.
Last season, he hit .230/.270/.410 in 148 plate appearances with five homers and 20 RBI. In 2018, he hit career-highs with 21 homers and 52 RBI with a .256/.336/.470 slash line.
In Game 7 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves last October, Hernandez hit a game-tying, pinch-hit home run off A.J. Minter in the sixth inning, Cody Bellinger homered for the go-ahead run and what would be the series clincher in the seventh.
Hernandez should get an opportunity to get the every-day job at second base for Boston. Jose Peraza started 27 games there last season — one of six players to get at least one start at the position — but he signed with the New York Mets in November.
Red Sox second basemen as a group were woeful at the plate in 2020, slashing .220/.273/.313 in 232 plate appearances with nine doubles, three home runs and 18 RBI to go with 18 runs scored.
Hernandez will compete with holdovers Christian Arroyo and Michael Chavis. It was reported earlier this week that former MVP Dustin Pedroia is not planning a comeback after playing only nine games the last three seasons.
Arroyo, entering his age-26 season, appeared in 14 games for the Rex Sox after being claimed off waivers from the Cleveland Indians in mid-August. In 54 plate appearances, he hit .240/.296/.440 with three homers and eight RBI.
Chavis, entering his age-25 campaign, played mostly at first base last season, hitting .212/.259/.377 in 42 games and 158 plate appearances with five home runs and 19 RBI. Chavis was a first-round selection by the Red Sox out of high school in Marietta, Ga., in 2014 and first made the majors in April 2019.
He hit .254/.322/.444 in 95 games and 382 trips to the plate, hitting 18 homers with 58 RBI, but took a step back in 2020.
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Bobby Dalbec, who made his big league debut for Boston late last August after being picked in the fourth round from the University of Arizona in 2016, will get first shot at first base. Dalbec hit eight homers with 16 RBI in just 23 games last season, getting 92 plate appearances and posting a .263/.359/.600 slash line.