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The Biggest Flaw For Rafael Devers

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The young third baseman has been exceptional since his debut, but there is one thing holding him back.

Since his major league debut, Rafael Devers has shown the league his raw power, ability to spray the ball to either side of the field, and make some amazing catches at the hot corner. There’s always been a hole in his game, his arm. He showed this again last night, a throwing error on an easy toss to Mitch Moreland at first. This was his 20th error on the season. A show of display Red Sox fans have grown to see time and time again.

Since this is a glaring hole in bis game, what is the course of action? If you believe the trade rumors, a trade is not the answer. The real people who can answer this is manager Alex Cora and his team of coaches and staff to determine this. Since he hasn’t been in the league for a full season yet, he has plenty of room to grow and blossom to one of the league’s next big superstar.

Since he entered the league, he has drawn comparisons like: Mike Moustakas, Adrian Beltre, and a shorter Freddie Freeman. Just like with every great player, development is key. He is still only 21 years old with a lot of time to harness his skills and become better.

Since entering the league, he has 34 errors, with 18 of those coming from his erratic arm. There have been plenty of players with this issue in the past, this can be turned around hopefully soon. For his skill set and age, Rafael Deversis on a good pace to help this young core of Red Sox for years to come, it’s only a matter of time until something sticks to help him.

Follow Kyle Porch on Twitter for all the latest articles done by him: @Porchie16 

W2W4: Post All-Star Break Edition (@greg_habeeb)

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We’ve officially entered the sports abyss. You know, that 48-hour black hole following the MLB All-Star Game where there are no sports to be found. The World Cup is over. There are no baseball games in sight. NFL training camp is still a ways off. Hell, even the NBA’s Summer League has concluded.

In these dire times, all we can do is lock ourselves in our rooms, and look ahead to what the second half of the Major League season might bring.

Red Sox fans are surely hoping for more of the same. Boston won an MLB record 68 games prior to the break, and hold a 4.5 game lead over the Yankees for first place in the AL East. There should be plenty of intrigue over the season’s final two and a half months. Here are a few key themes for Sox fans to keep an eye on for 2018’s stretch run:

Will Dave Dombrowski Make a Move?

The trade deadline is looming. The Red Sox may be on pace for 112 wins, but they have their share of holes. Three starting pitchers (Drew Pomeranz, Steven Wright, and Eduardo Rodriguez) are on the disabled list. The bullpen, beyond Craig Kimbrel, is “good enough to get by” at best and “heart-attack inducing” the rest of the time. 2nd and 3rd base have been well below average offensively, and a train-wreck defensively (at least when Rafael Devers and Eduardo Nunez have been in the lineup). The catcher position has been underwhelming as well, though the Sox aren’t alone there.

In short, there’s reason to believe that Boston may try to make an upgrade over the next couple of weeks. The Red Sox have been rumored to be interested in a high-caliber reliever. The Orioles’ Zach Britton could be on the table, and is one big name to watch. Boston has also shown interest in former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi. An augmentation to the pitching staff seems most likely, though whether it’s a major get like Britton or a stopgap solution like Eovaldi remains to be seen. However, don’t sleep on a boost to the lineup as well (The Royals’ Mike Moustakas or Whit Merrifield, anyone?). When you have a first half like the Red Sox did, a big swing is almost always in the works.

Dr. Chris vs. Mr. Sale

The splits are staggering. By almost every metric, Chris Sale is worse in the second half of the season than he is in the first half. For his career, Sale is 69-26 with a 2.66 ERA before the All-Star break, and 32-36 with a 3.28 ERA after it. Last year was no different; after a dominant first half, he showed signs of mortality down the stretch. Everything came to a head in the postseason, when he allowed 9 runs on 13 hits in 9.2 innings over two appearances versus Houston.

Sale will once again be coming off a stellar first half (10-4, 2.23 ERA, 13.1 K/9). We’ll see if he can keep it rolling for the full 162 plus postseason, assuming the Sox make it that far.

Will Jackie Bradley Jr. Get Hot?

JBJ has been nothing short of frustrating this season at the dish. His .210/.297/.345 slash line doesn’t inspire much confidence. Neither does his less-than-robust 73 OPS+. Fortunately for Bradley, his typically excellent defense has managed to keep him in the lineup more often than not.

There are signs that a patented Bradley Jr. hot streak could be around the corner. His .265 BAPIP is its lowest since 2013, despite a career best 38.8 hard-hit percentage (and a career low 9.7 soft-hit percentage). JBJ also showed signs of life towards the end of the first half. In 18 games since June 24th, Bradley is hitting .323//377/.548 with a couple of HR and 15 RBI to boot.

JBJ truly just needs to be mediocre at the plate in order to justify his prescence in the lineup with the way he mans centerfield. However, he’s also capable of going on extreme hot streaks that can buoy an entire offense for a month. Assuming he times that streak right, it could determine the AL East race.

Can Mookie Betts Stay Hot?

Mike Trout is already an all-time great, and the best player in baseball. But Betts has been the top dog this season from the jump. His monster first half (.359/.448/.691 with 23 HR, 18 SB, and a 200 OPS+) has made him the clear AL MVP favorite so far. It has also almost completely erased an underwhelming 2017 season. Check this out:

2016: 158 G, 730 PA, .318/.363/.534, 31 HR, 26 SB, 133 OPS+

2017-18: 231 G, 1067 PA, .295/.379/.534, 33 HR/162, 31 SB/162, 137 OPS+

It truly does feel as though this season is a correction for 2017, and combining both puts him right in line with 2016’s MVP runner-up campaign. The Sox need him to keep that pace, and stay locked in. While the top 5 of the lineup is as formidable of a group as any (Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts, JD Martinez, Mitch Moreland), the bottom part has been suspect to say the least. Boston can’t afford much of a drop-off from their stars, especially Betts.

There’s plenty more to keep an eye on as the Red Sox make their way through the dog days of summer into the fall, of course. But don’t be surprised if these key points loom large through September and October.

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 Red Sox Don’t Need JD Martinez

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It seems that the Red Sox are the only team in the MLB that are staying put during free agency. However there’s no need to rush to meet JD Martinez’s demands to get the slugger the team needs.

We’re still waiting for big free agents to sign this winter. As of today, outfielder JD Martinez will wait out spring training in order to get the deal he wants. I’m not sure about the rest of Red Sox Nation, but I don’t want that sort of selfish player on my team. Unless this standoff comes to a close before truck day, I would consider other options until him and Boras get a reality check.

Before we throw away the idea of signing Martinez, let’s crunch some numbers. We are all aware of his stats last season. In previous years the numbers tell us a completely different story. His former best statistical season was 2015. In 158 games played, he hit a .282 batting average with 38 home runs and 102 RBIs. Sounds like a great season, right? In the three seasons prior he hit for twenty-three, seven, and eleven home runs. His slugging percentage in the previous three seasons were a modest .553, .378, and .375. The league averages for those years were .386, .396, and .405. In a hitter-friendly ballpark such as Fenway, those numbers aren’t going to cut it.

There’s no guarantee that he can’t reproduce the same or close to the same numbers as he did last year. Does that mean a team who hasn’t had the best of luck with long-term deals should dish out a seven-year commitment based on one good season? In all reality, they will most likely agree on a deal in the 3-5 year range. Here is a list of other options just in case:

Mike Moustakas 3B, Kansas City Royals

The third baseman is also struggling to find a long-term deal. There have been rumblings that he might settle for a one or two-year deal to improve his worth. If his value continues to decline, Moustakas would be an easy steal if his bat is willing to be a full-time DH. Potential deal: one year, $18 million.

Jose Bautista OF, Toronto Blue Jays

The longtime outfielder for the division rival Blue Jays has definitely played his last game at the Rogers Centre. While being on the Red Sox’s radar as of last offseason, the 37-year-old should only be offered a one year deal. Potential deal: one year, $8.5 million.

Hanley Ramirez DH/1B, Boston Red Sox

There’s a saying that goes, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. That applies with this situation. Hanley’s success with the Red Sox has grown since his return to the team. The power hitter did well in the home run department but lulled fans with his .242 batting average. If new coaches and staff can help revamp this offense into a dangerous home run hitting team, then there’s no problem keeping the lineup the same.

Yu Darvish P, Los Angeles Dodgers

If the stalemate doesn’t come to a resolution, the team could turn to bolster their starting rotation. If Dave Dombrowski and company have enough faith in their offense, this could be their best route financially to set up for next year’s free agency class. Potential deal: four years, $80 million.

No matter where this saga takes the team, the Red Sox have enough talent to keep them in the playoff hunt. With a new staff that is built to improve home run efficiency, the Red Sox have nothing to worry about for now.