Tag Archives: Devers

Potential Breakout Sox in 2019

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Ryan Brasier, Joe Kelly, Nathan Eovaldi. Of all these guys fit the bill of players who broke out in one way or another in 2018 for Boston. Through this article, we’ll try and identify a few guys who could take the next step in their contributions for the Red Sox next year. Barring a major acquisition to bolster the backend of the bullpen, the Sox are likely done making moves. So, with the roster all but set, let’s take a look at some potential breakout players for the Red Sox in 2019.

Sam Travis

A former second rounder, Travis suffered a brutal knee injury a couple of years ago. He had potential to be the first basemen of the future, leading all of triple-A in RBIs before his ACL blew out. Sam Travis will turn 26 next season, and his chances to be an everyday major leaguer are looking slim. However, a role is still available for him. If one of Mitch Moreland and Steve Pearce significantly drop off, or the Sox need some power off the bench, Travis could find his way to staying on the roster. Travis has always been a high walk/low strikeout type player, which gives him immediate as a bench player. Having a smart hitter available in a late game situation is something that every contending team could use, and Travis will have his chance to earn this role. For the time being, he’s going to need another strong March to crack the 25-man roster out of Spring Training.

Michael Chavis

Like Travis, Michael Chavis is a former top pick of the Sox. A first rounder just a few years ago, Chavis looked to be on the right trajectory to being an everyday player in the Major Leagues. However, a suspension to begin 2018 set everything back for Chavis. Now that he’s hopefully learned his lesson regarding Performance Enhancing Drugs, he can get back to the basics. He hit just under .300 in the minor last season, mostly with double-A Portland, but he eventually made his way to triple-A Pawtucket. A fantastic pure hitter, Chavis’ bat will earn him a call-up a some point in 2019.

The issue for Chavis is that he runs into someone we’ll discuss more later, Rafael Devers. Devers is the long-term starting third baseman for the Sox, and that’s Chavis’ natural position. If he were willing to be moved to either first, or to take reps at DH and second base, he could have a good chance at an early call-up in 2019. If he’s successful, he could be in the lineup everyday by 2020.

Durbin Feltman

There is one name that gets me incredibly excited, Durbin Feltman. Not just because he has a fantastic baseball name. Also because he has the chance to play a huge role on this team almost immediately. Feltman was the closer at TCU this time last year. Now he’s soaring through the ranks of the Boston minor league system. If Feltman can somehow even make his way onto the opening day roster, there’s a slim chance he begins as the closer.

However, we will see Feltman at some point this season for the Red Sox. It may not be right away, and it may not be in his comfortable position of the ninth inning, but we will get to see a taste of the possible future. Feltman is just 21 years old, and will likely begin the season in triple-A. This means that he will likely be pitching in big innings by the time he’s 22-23. If all goes well, he could be closing games in Boston for a long time. His potential call-up in 2019 should be one that makes Red Sox fans salivate.

Rafael Devers

The fourth and final name on this list, is the one of the four who’s a mainstay on the Red Sox roster. Rafael Devers has had an up and down start to his major league tenure. This makes people forget he’s only 22. Getting called up in the middle of a playoff race in 2017, Devers was able to hold his own offensively and earn the starting job.

He regressed at the plate in 2018, and his defense still leaves a lot to be desired. With that being said, Devers is very much due for a massive 2019. He hit better in the playoffs, and had some huge moments for the Sox in the World Series. Lots of fans have already written him off and labeled him as a bust. Me? I think that Devers is about to turn the corner and establish himself as a premier, power-hitting third basemen. If you haven’t already, it’s time to hop on the Devers hype train.

Honorable Mentions:

Bobby Poyner, Travis Lakins, Mike Shawaryn, Marco Hernandez, Blake Swihart, Tyler Thornburg, Trevor Kelley.

All of these men will play a role at some point in 2019 for the Red Sox, whether it be small or large. Each will also have a chance to earn themselves a spot in the bullpen or on the bench heading into 2020.

What Role Can Dustin Pedroia Still Play?

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He’s two years removed from playing a full season and clearly his knee has been an issue. However, Dustin Pedroia still has a lot of skills and traits that can still be useful to this team. He’s still locked up for a fair amount of time. He’s going to make roughly 40 million dollars over the final three years of his contract. Can he still produce at a level that merits having that contract on the books? That is yet to be determined, but first and foremost, Dustin has to get healthy. The now 35-year-old second baseman is fortunate for many reasons. Mainly, with Kinsler departing, he faces almost no competition on the roster for his position. If he can get strong over the winter and be ready for the spring, he’ll have his chance to make an impact for Boston like he did back in 2016 and preceded by various season earlier.

Pedroia’s Achilles Heel

Unfortunately for Pedroia, he just can’t shake the pain in his left knee. Father Time isn’t on his side either, by any means, but the two-year-old knee injury has to be frustrating Dustin. In 2016 he hit .318 with an OPS of .825. Both of these numbers are exceptional, even all-star worthy. Then Manny Machado came along.Image result for machado pedroia gif

The collision between the two in April of 2017 appears to be what initially led to the injury for Pedroia. Machado’s late slide, that he claims as unintentional, took out the left leg of Dustin and frankly he has never been the same since. Pedroia has always been one that has struggled with the injury bug here and there. Nothing has ever compared to this, though.

Playing with the speedy, dirt-dog style that he does, his knees have already been taking a beating over the years. This has the potential to possibly sideline him for a good chunk of another season. Which would be similar to his 2018 where he played in only three games. Even worse, this has the potential to be it for Pedroia, at least with Boston.

Having paid him 16 million dollars last year for basically nothing, and 15 million in 17 for a half season isn’t good business. That equates to roughly 23 million in dead money, plus another 40 still on the Red Sox plate in the future. He’s going to have his chance in 2019 but he has to take it, or he could see himself out a similar door to Hanley Ramirez.

Can He Still Be Effective?

Like I said earlier, his last full season in 2016 was very good. Even in 2017, in limited action, he was a decent ballplayer at .293/.369/.760. IF, which is a big if, he can be ready to go for Opening Day AND stay healthy, the numbers seem like an attainable goal. It’s nothing special, and probably not worth the dollar amount he’s making, but it’s more than they got last year.

With Ian Kinsler highly unlikely to return, the door is wide open for Pedroia to take the reigns back. For him, it’ll be a transition to a different role, one as more of only a team leader and less as a contributor. When he could last year, he was always on the bench. He acted like an assistant coach at times for Alex Cora, something that likely had a huge influence on the team that won the championship.

If he can put up the aforementioned triple slash line from 2017, and continue to evolve into a mentor for the young guys like Rafael Devers and eventually Michael Chavis, he’ll be somewhat worth the money they’re paying him. As far as the team goes, they won 108 games and a World Series this year. Adding Pedroia back into the fold can only be a plus for this Red Sox team, and to me, it’s definitely an upgrade from Kinsler.

Call-ups for the Red Sox in 2019

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The minor league season is over for the Red Sox, so the focus turns to next year for the prospects. There were risers and fallers in the system, but some of them could be on the major league team next year. The most likely call-ups are Michael Chavis, Travis Lakins, Durbin Feltman, and Bobby Dalbec.

Michael Chavis

Coming into the year, Chavis was the best prospect in the organization. An 80 game suspension for PEDs set him back, but Chavis raked when he came back. The 23-year old spent the bulk of the year in Double-A Portland and hit .303 with six home runs in 33 games there. The third baseman was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket and hit .273 in just eight games there. When Bobby Dalbec and Chavis were on the same team, Chavis moved to first base. Steve Pearce is a free agent and Mitch Moreland is under contract for next year, so the Red Sox will have to make some decisions with that. Also, moving Rafael Devers, who struggled at third, to first base, has been talked about. This would open the door for Chavis to be the opening day third baseman next year.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, right, poses with shortstop Michael Chavis from Sprayberry Senior High School in Marietta, Ga., at the 2014 MLB baseball draft Thursday, June 5, 2014, in Secaucus, N.J. Chavis was selected by the Boston Red Sox with the 26th pick in the first round. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

Lakins and Feltman

Travis Lakins got off to a rough start in his Red Sox career, but do not let his 4.42 career ERA fool you. His career was revived when he moved to the bullpen. Lakins was moved to bullpen full time when he was promoted from Portland to Pawtucket and did not disappoint. The righty posted a 1.65 ERA in ten appearances with Pawtucket, picking up two saves.

Durbin Feltman was drafted just a few months ago and has been very impressive already. It only took him four games in which he did not give up a run to be promoted to Greenville. Feltman posted a 2.57 ERA in seven games with Greenville then was promoted to Salem. He was good again in Salem, posting a 2.19 ERA in eleven games. All in all, Feltman had a 1.93 ERA in 22 games this season. The bullpen is obviously the biggest need for the Red Sox, so Feltman and Lakins could be the biggest pieces in the farm system.

 

Bobby Dalbec

Despite having a decent average, Dalbec makes up for that with walks and home runs. His on-base percentage is .361 which is up about 100 points from his .257 average. Dalbec showed his power this year, hitting 32 home runs in just 129 games with Portland and Salem. Dalbec fits today’s game because nobody really cares about hits and it’s all about getting on base and hitting the long ball. As I mentioned, the Red Sox have a hot corner conundrum. If Devers and Chavis are on the roster, Dalbec may have a tough time getting playing time. He has played third base his entire career so the Red Sox would have to change something to get him playing time.

Photo by Peter Aiken

Bottom Line

Right now, the Red Sox have one of the worst farm systems in the league. However, I still believe that they have great potential and are on the rise. Dombrowski has drafted well since he was hired, and some of the 2018 picks are off to a hot start. They have also gotten unlucky because there top three prospects (Chavis, Groome, Casas) were all suspended or injured at some point this season.

Possible Trade Deadline Moves for the Red Sox

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Anybody that has been watching the Red Sox know that their offense can be frustrating sometimes. Betts, Martinez, and Benintendi cannot continue to be solely depended on in order to keep winning games. The Sox lead the majors in runs scored, average, total bases, hits, and extra base hits. They also rank second in other pivotal categories such as OPS, home runs and RBIs. They have reached this level of performance while carrying a lot of dead weight at the bottom third of the lineup.

Collectively, the 7-9 hitters are hitting a measly .221 with 60 RBIs, 178 strikeouts with a .608 OPS. Don’t get me wrong, this offense is special and can do a lot of damage when this season is all said and done. The fact is, the top of the lineup won’t bring the city of Boston another championship single-handedly. 

Inevitably, the Red Sox will be active around the trade deadline. They won’t make a big splash, but they will most likely add a piece (maybe two) in order to complement the offense in a big way. Here is who they might go and get:

Wilson Ramos

Wilson Ramos congratulated by Mallex Smith_1527663530529.jpg_88320272_ver1.0_640_480

It should not be a surprise that Red Sox catchers have been woeful at the plate. This season, catchers are hitting .226/.270/.319/.589 with 18 RBIs and 47 strikeouts. Sox catchers also have a league worst -1.1 WAR, so upgrade to the catcher depth is a no-brainer. With all this being said, Wilson Ramos would be a match made in heaven for the Red Sox.

Ramos is slashing .284/.327/.446/.773 with eight home runs, .327 BABIP and a 115 wRC+. In short, if I told you he was the fourth best hitting catcher in baseball, I’d most likely have the numbers to back up my claim. The Rays, meanwhile, are 13.5 games out of first and will be trending in the wrong direction faster than they already have. They began their rebuild when they gave away Evan Longoria in December of 2017, and will most likely look to continue just that. Ramos is a free agent in 2019, so he would be a rental. But it’s so worth it.

Nicholas Castellanos

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Nicholas Catellanos is really starting to turn into a top-tier hitter in his young age. Castellanos has played a majority of his professional career at third base, but is now an everyday outfielder. In his last three seasons, he’s hit .285/.331./.492/.823 with a 117 wRC+, which is pretty darn good. He’s 26 years old and will be under team control until 2020, so a trade would have to yield a lot more than the Wilson Ramos scenario.

However, the already struggling Tigers just lost their franchise first baseman in Miguel Cabrera for the rest of the season and will be forced to be sellers at the deadline. If this happens, the only logical way to make it work is to give up Jackie Bradley along with some others. The problem with this move is that Castellanos will be a hot commodity with other teams, and the Sox may not have enough to offer when it comes to competition. Regardless, the club should be active in inquiring for the 26 year old.

Mike Moustakas

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No, this is not a recycled paragraph from the past off-season- bear with me here. Just because Moustakas signed a one year contract (with a second year mutual option) doesn’t mean the Royals can’t move him. The Royals are 23 games under .500 and this would probably be the best move for both organizations.

You may be wondering, “But what about that Devers kid?” Rafael Devers has not been playing the best baseball so far in 2018. Devers has the lowest wRC+ figure among qualifying third basemen in the league. He may still need some time platooning with a more experienced third baseman or possibly even going back to Pawtucket. Let’s get one thing straight: I am not saying give up on the kid. What has to be remembered is that he is still only 21 years old and may need some more time to sharpen his skills and adjust his swing.

Moustakas is having a pretty good year, batting .263/.317/.483/.800 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs. He definitely can pick up the pace even more, especially if he was inserted into the Red Sox lineup. On top of that, his .973 fielding percentage is way better than Devers’ (.931), and he has extensive postseason experience. It’s a win-win all around.

@ELJGON

The Resurgence of the Boston Red Sox

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Since the trade deadline (July 31, 2017), the Boston Red Sox seem unstoppable.  Since then, they stand 12-2 and have outscored their opponents 85-52 (+33 run differential). They have the highest runs scored per game in the league at 6.15.

Three of those 12 wins have resulted from a walk off.  Christian Vazquez hit a three run homer on August 1st against the Cleveland Indians, possibly the greatest game this season.  Mitch Moreland hit a solo shot against the Chicago White Sox on August 4th, and Mookie Betts blasted a two RBI double against the Green Monster on August 16th against interleague rival, the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Sox have definitely undergone a facelift.  With the addition of Eduardo Nunez from the San Francisco Giants and the calling up of Rafael Devers, the lineup has been impressive.

Big Bats

In just 17 games with the Red Sox, Nunez is batting .372 with four big home runs, 13 RBI’s, six doubles and only striking out 12 times in 78 at bats.  Since joining the Red Sox on July 28th, they have a 14-4 record.  In the previous 18 games, the Red Sox were 7-11.

Rafael Devers, A.K.A. The Prophecy, has been my favorite player this year and he’s only played in 18 games. At the age of 20, he’s posting ridiculous numbers, currently batting .348 with six home runs, 13 RBI’s, four doubles, and an OPS of 1.082.  Also, he’s currently on a six game hitting streak, going 9 for 24 (.409) with three home runs and six RBI’s.

Andrew Benintendi has been on fire this month. In 12 games, he’s batting .413 with five home runs, 13 RBI’s, three doubles, and has scored 13 times. He also has the best flow in the game. *Cough. Rookie of the year! Cough *

Starting Five

The starting rotation has also been a huge factor in the recent success.  Since July 31st, Red Sox starting pitchers have pitched a combined 69.0 innings and have struck out 78 batters (Chris Sale, Drew Pomeranz, Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Doug Fister).

Chris Sale is 3-0 during that span posting a 3.60 ERA (high because he let up seven earned runs against the Indians), struck out 30 and has only allowed 14 hits in 20 innings.  Opponents’ batting average — just .187 in three games.

Drew Pomeranz has really proved to Red Sox Nation what he can do. Since July 31st, he’s 2-0 with a 2.77 ERA and has struck out 13 in 13.0 innings.  Opponents’ batting average is a little high at .264 but he’s only allowed four earned runs.

The Pen

Other than the big bats and the resurgence of our starting pitchers, the bullpen has been WOWZA. Lights out. Amazing. Couldn’t ask for anything more.  This season the Red Sox bullpen is 22-13 with a 3.01 ERA (3rd best in the MLB). Craig Kimbrel and Matt Barnes have really caught my attention.

In his past seven games, Kimbrel has gone 3-0 with 14 strikeouts in 7.1 innings, and allowed two earned runs against the Indians on August 1st (nothing since then).  It’s pretty much a guaranteed win/save every time he pitches.  He’s 5-0 on the season with a 1.41 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 51.0 innings.

In the month of August, Matt Barnes has pitched 8.1 innings, striking out eight and only allowing one run on just two hits.  Opponents’ batting average this month is just 0.080.  During that span, he has faced 30 batters and 22% of outs have been line drives, 11% pop ups, and 27% have been strikeouts.  He’s allowed two inherited scores this season (both on April 3rd) and hasn’t allowed any in August and has only allowed three inherited runners on base.  Barnes has also lowered his ERA from 3.60 to 3.24 in eight games.

Hopefully this resurgence continues all throughout August and into the Fall Classic.  With the heavy bats now in our lineup and the solidity of our starting pitchers and bullpen, I believe this team can go very far, if not all the way.