Boston Red Sox: Second Base Options in 2021
By David Mullen
The Boston Red Sox enter 2021 with a brand new set of faces. Gone are familiar names like Jackie Bradley, Jr., and Andrew Benintendi. Enter new faces such as Enrique Hernandez and Marwin Gonzalez, both fighting for time at second base.
The Boston Red Sox are in rebuild mode after finishing 16 games behind first place in the COVID shortened 2020 season. Jose Peraza received the lions share of playing time at second base in 2020 appearing in 27 games. Peraza, granted free agency after the season, signed with the New York Mets leaving a hole in the Red Sox infield. With a rebuild comes competition and second base will be no different.
Along with the recent additions of Hernandez and Gonzalez, the Red Sox also boast three other players with second base experience on their 40-man roster: Christian Arroyo, Michael Chavis and Jonathan Arauz. Spring training has just started and we have already seen shuffling of players at different positions in Red Sox camp due to injuries possibly affecting the second base competition.
The Favorite
Enrique “Kike” Hernandez
2020 Stats: .230/.270/.680, 5 HRs
Kike Hernandez, known as a super utility player during his six years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, will start his age 29 season in a Boston Red Sox uniform after signing a 2-year, $14 million contract. Along with his defensive versatility, Hernandez will bring a veteran presence to the ed Sox clubhouse. He also adds a bit of pop in the lineup. In 2018, Hernandez hit a career high 21 homeruns followed by 17 homeruns in 2019. His home run percentage in 2018 was a career high 4.6% followed by a slight dip to 3.7% and an expected dip during the COVID shortened season (3.4%).
Although he is not a Gold Glove defender at second base, Hernandez can hold his own. In 200 career games at second base, Hernandez has .980 fielding percentage. Not bad for an alternative position as Hernandez broke into the league and has maintained the majority of his playing time as an outfielder.
Thus far, Kike Hernandez has excelled with the Red Sox. As Steve Hewitt reports
"In his first three games this spring, Hernández has batted leadoff in each and shown he’s more than capable. He’s reached base in seven of his first eight plate appearances, with three walks, two doubles and a home run.”"
For most of his career, Hernandez has batted in the bottom third of the lineup (1,027 plate appearances) compared to 331 plate appearances in the top third of the lineup. Hernandez has hit a combined .224/.329/.716 in his time at the bottom of the lineup. Comparatively, in the top third of the lineup, he hit .233/.321/.706. Manager Alex Cora currently has Hernandez penciled in as the Red Sox starting second basemen and leadoff hitter. It is a move that must be based on intangibles such as speed or a lack of other options because it is a curious move to have Hernandez leading off with subpar offensive numbers.
Prediction: Kike Hernandez is the Boston Red Sox starting second basemen for the next two years.