On to 2024: Ranking each middle infield free agency fit for Boston Red Sox
New Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow mentioned the team wants to add a middle infielder, but who is out there in free agency that makes sense?
Kiké Hernández. Pablo Reyes. Christian Arroyo. Yu Chang. Enmanuel Valdez. Luis Urias. Trevor Story. Bobby Dalbec. Justin Turner. David Hamilton. Ceddanne Rafaela. Connor Wong.
Twelve different players logged innings up the middle defensively for the 2023 Boston Red Sox. While injuries, namely to All-Star shortstop Trevor Story, created a lack of continuity and stability defensively, the Red Sox would like to buck that trend moving forward.
But who is out there? Plain and simple, the market for quality middle infielders is rather thin — especially considering the one with the most pedigree, Javier Baez, likely won’t opt out of his contract with the Detroit Tigers.
This is a continuation of a series ranking free agents based on their fit with the Red Sox. This is not a power ranking — there will be inferior players ranked higher than, potentially, All-Stars.
This ranking takes into account things including but not limited to age, swing profile, defensive prowess, etc.
For that, let’s get into it.
1. Whit Merrifield — Toronto Blue Jays
2023: .272/.318/.382 with 11 home runs and a 93 wRC+ in 145 games
Merrifield has kind of been an “Everyday Eddie” his entire career; never missing games and generally consistent production year-to-year.
He’s certainly regressed since his peak in Kansas City, but still made the All-Star team in 2023 with the Jays and eclipsed the 25-steal plateau for the fourth time in his career.
He’s also historically hit well at Fenway: .308/.357/.473 with a 126 wRC+ in 98 plate appearances.
Depending on what defensive metrics you look at will sway your opinion big time on his 2023 — minus-four defensive runs saved but plus-four outs above average at second base.
I personally think he’s a good fit for the Red Sox because, despite declining $18 million from Toronto, he’s — in my opinion — looking for more security than dollar value. I think two years, $26 million gets it done with a mutual option for a third year at $10 million.
2. Amed Rosario — Los Angeles Dodgers
2023: .263/.305/.378 with six home runs and an 88 wRC+ in 142 games
If you think you’re seeing a trend here, it’s because you are.
Similar to Merrifield, Rosario is a “what you see is what you get” caliber player. Could there be some advantages for him playing in Boston versus Cleveland? Sure, but he’s still going to be a roughly .710 OPS guy.
What makes him jump up the list, however, is his run at second base for the Dodgers in 2023. He’s historically a below-average at best shortstop, but at second he posted plus-three defensive runs saved in 190 innings.
Him playing alongside Story up the middle could help him sustain good defensive at second base as well, making him an intriguing fit despite nothing jumping off the page at you.
3. Tim Anderson — Chicago White Sox
2023: .245/.286/.296 with one home run and a 60 wRC+ in 123 games
Wow.
What a fall from grace from the former All-Star in what (likely) was his final year in Chicago. After being, at worst, a 110 wRC+ and 2.0 fWAR player for four years, he bottomed out at 60 wRC+ and -0.5 fWAR in 2023.
Injuries and a lack of competitiveness on the roster only contributed to what was a really documented poor culture for the White Sox in 2023, so Anderson could be in the market for a prove-it contract for the 2024 season.
The one caveat is that he also needs to be talked out of the mindset that he is a shortstop, because he’s at minus-23 defensive runs saved the past two seasons there.
4. Elvis Andrus — Chicago White Sox
2023: .251/.304/.358 with six home runs and an 81 wRC+ in 112 games
When it was confirmed that Story would miss time recovering from elbow surgery in 2023, I was banging the drum for the Red Sox to sign Andrus.
Big picture, it was probably wise not to sign him, but he had a pretty decent season from May 1 onward.
After struggling in April, the veteran middle infielder slashed .268/.315/.401 with a 96 wRC+ and 1.3 fWAR in 83 games. Again, nothing special but a 12 home run and 2.5-ish fWAR pace over 150 games.
Defensively, Andrus was pretty solid at second base, racking up plus-two outs above average in nearly 500 innings.
I think Andrus makes sense on a one-year deal as a veteran who traditionally can be counted on to stay on the field — but also could serve as a platoon/defensive replacement if the Red Sox wanted to roll the dice on the young Valdez in 2024 as the primary option.
5. Tony Kemp — Oakland Athletics
2023: .209/.303/.304 with five home runs and a 77 wRC+ in 124 games
To be frank, I love Tony Kemp as a human being.
He’s not the greatest player on the planet but he’s scrappy, provides versatility and is widely considered a phenomenal teammate.
The 2023 season wasn’t kind to the former Houston Astro, but he isn’t too far removed from a 3.1 fWAR season in which he walked more than he struck out and had a career-best 128 wRC+ in 131 games.
Outs above average nets him at zero for second base last year while defensive runs saved sits him at minus-nine in less than 500 innings at the position.
For a team that needs power, defense and right-handed hitting, it’s hard to really see a fit for Kemp. However, if they wanted to move off someone from the bench — Rob Refsnyder, Pablo Reyes — he could be a solid veteran, glue-guy type similar to what Brock Holt was for years.
6. Kiké Hernández — Los Angeles Dodgers
2023: .237/.289/.357 with 11 home runs and a 72 wRC+ in 140 games
It’s somewhat ironic because Hernández, who struggled mightily for the Red Sox before getting traded back to the Dodgers in 2023, is exactly the kind of player the team could benefit from adding this winter.
Just don’t play him at shortstop more than sparsely.
Hernández reverted back to his old self post-trade, posting a 96 wRC+ and five homers in 53 games playing all over the diamond.
7. Isiah Kiner-Falefa — New York Yankees
2023: .242/.306/.340 with six home runs and an 82 wRC+ in 115 games
Kiner-Falefa became an incredibly polarizing player in the Bronx for simply being exactly who he was with the Texas Rangers: a BABIP-reliant hitter with generally good defense and baserunning.
Unfortunately for him, he was on a team hungry for one of the big fish at shortstop and ended up getting somebody considerably inferior to a Carlos Correa or Corey Seager.
I’d argue he’s falling into a similar trap if he signed with the Red Sox. Even though there isn’t a big fish at second base this winter, the fan base is certainly looking for something noisier than what he can provide.
Again, this isn’t a very strong free agent pool for middle infielders, but Kiner-Falefa’s ability to play a multitude of positions historically while also being a right-handed hitter makes him simply more enticing than some of the others on this list.
8. Adam Frazier — Baltimore Orioles
2023: .240/.300/.396 with 13 home runs and a 93 wRC+ in 141 games
You could just as easily say about Frazier what was said about Kiner-Falefa before him, except Frazier is left-handed and offers slightly more thump but worse defense.
Last year, the Baltimore Orioles second baseman posted minus-15 outs above average and minus-four defensive runs saved.
If it came down to signing Frazier and just rolling with Valdez, I think the Red Sox would be wiser to just roll with the youngster and bring in a Kiner-Falefa or Andrus as a stable backup.
9. Donovan Solano — Minnesota Twins
2023: .282/.369/.391 with five home runs and a 116 wRC+ in 134 games
Solano can hit and has shown that for the better part of half a decade now.
The one problem is he’s more of a first baseman than second at this stage in his career, which isn’t a need nor fit for the Red Sox unless they see him potentially as a designated hitter with some run in the infield if they need to spell Triston Casas.
Where I struggle to see the fit, even as a DH, is his lack of power — seven home runs is his career best.
10. Kolten Wong — Los Angeles Dodgers
2023: .183/.256/.263 with four home runs and a 48 wRC+ in 87 games
Wong had a bounceback two-year stretch in Milwaukee from 2021-22 before hitting a snag in 2023.
The one thing that had always been consistent about Wong was his defense. Through 2021, he had 56 defensive runs saved and 13 outs above average. However, in the past two years, he’s fallen off a cliff to the tune of minus-four defensive runs saved and minus-11 outs above average.
If he’s willing to sign for the league minimum or a minors deal, I think he’d make for great organizational depth. That said, there’s probably a team out there willing to give him an MLB deal.
11. Adalberto Mondesi — Boston Red Sox
2023: DNP due to knee recovery
Former Red Sox CBO Chaim Bloom rolled the dice on Mondesi last winter and it completely blew up in the team’s metaphorical face.
Not only did he never play at the MLB level, it never appeared that a rehab assignment was imminent.
He’s still a guy with tremendous potential and, without guaranteeing him a 40-man spot, I’d be willing to give it another shot if I were the Red Sox.
12. Yu Chang — Boston Red Sox
2023: .162/.200/.352 with six home runs and a 39 wRC+ in 39 games
Chang was ironically one of the bright spots in an otherwise anemic middle infield for the 2023 Red Sox.
He was as all-or-nothing as all-or-nothing could get, but still netted 0.2 fWAR in 112 plate appearances.
Defensively, he’s sublime, netting two defensive runs saved and four outs above average at shortstop — one out above average in 18 innings at second base.
Similar to Mondesi and Wong before him, Chang would be best served as organizational depth.
13. Nick Ahmed — Arizona Diamondbacks
2023: .212/.257/.303 with two home runs and a 51 wRC+ in 72 games
At one point, Ahmed was one of the more underrated shortstops in the game.
A hop, skip and a jump later he was released from the eventual World Series runner-up D-backs due to injuries and poor performance.
Ahmed is still a defensive stalwart, racking up 111 outs above average and 80 defensive runs saved in his career at shortstop — 26 and three his past three seasons.
Again, more a depth signing than a guaranteed MLB roster spot.
14. Jonathan Araúz — New York Mets
2023: .136/.203/.288 with three home runs and a 35 wRC+ in 27 games
Old friend alert!
Araúz has never materialized into anything spectacular. In fact, his best season based on fWAR was 2021, when he posted 0.0 with an OPS of just .643.
Familiarity within the organization is important to an extent, especially when it comes to depth. I don’t view Araúz as much of a fit but, again, on a minors deal, it’s fine.
15. Brandon Crawford — San Francisco Giants
2023: .194/.273/.314 with seven home runs and a 63 wRC+ in 94 games
I’d be shocked if Crawford left the Giants.
He’s also never played second base at the MLB level before, which makes his fit with the Red Sox pretty nonexistent. However, he’s got one of the best recent track records of any of the free agents.
16. Michael Chavis — Washington Nationals
2023: .242/.281/.341 with two home runs and a 68 wRC+ in 48 games
Defensively speaking, Chavis makes a lot of sense as organizational depth. Since 2022, the 28-year-old has played games at first, second, third, left field and right field.
He’s also a right-handed hitter with power, therefore he makes some sense on a minors contract.
Chavis is also one of the all-around great humans in baseball and the organization would be better off having somebody like him around.
17. Adeiny Hechavarria — Kansas City Royals
2023: DNP at MLB level (Triple-A with Royals)
Hechavarria hasn’t played at the MLB level since 63 plate appearances with the 2021 Atlanta Braves, but he’s historically a solid middle infielder defensively.
I’d consider it a long shot for the 34-year-old to play at the MLB level for the Boston Red Sox even if he did sign with them this winter, but he’d serve as solid minor-league depth and provide decent mentorship to somebody like Hamilton in Triple-A.
18. Taylor Motter — St. Louis Cardinals
2023: .171/.232/.211 with no home runs and a 25 wRC+ in 29 games
It feels like most of these guys on the list were either Red Sox at one point or have Massachusetts ties.
Motter played three games for the Red Sox in 2021, going 2-for-six with a walk and two extra-base hits.
Since then, he’s played only 31 games and had 88 plate appearances at the MLB level. However, he had two outs above average at second base in 2023 in 101.2 innings.
19. Didi Gregorius — Seattle Mariners
2023: DNP at MLB level (Triple-A with Mariners)
I recently looked back on Gregorius’ career and I now can see why Yankees fans were kind of obsessed with him.
However, in the year 2024, I just don’t see the benefit on either side of the field when it comes to bringing him in.
20. Scott Kingery — Philadelphia Phillies
2023: DNP in MLB (Triple-A with Phillies)
Remember Kingery?
After breaking out with a tremendous 2019 season, the 29-year-old has struggled to replicate that success. In fact, nearly 300% of his career fWAR came in 2019.
I actually would be intrigued to see him brought into camp, simply because we haven’t really seen him in any capacity since 2020.
21. Brad Miller — Texas Rangers
2023: .214/.328/.339 with one home run and an 87 wRC+ in 27 games
Miller provides thump and defensive versatility from the left side of the plate. However, he’s struggled to be an above-replacement-level player since 2021 with the Phillies.
He’d be higher on the list if he was right-handed, despite coming off -1.3 fWAR since 2022.
22. Ehire Adrianza — Atlanta Braves
2023: 0-for-10 with a walk in 11 plate appearances
In 2021, Adrianza had a decent season as a utilityman for the Braves — he just hasn’t played much since.
His performance when on the field has left some to be desired, but he has a track record of MLB success and versatility.
He’d be a minors deal at maximum for the 2024 Red Sox.
23. Chris Owings — Pittsburgh Pirates
2023: .160/.160/.160 with no home runs and a -22 wRC+ in 11 games
Another former Red Sox, Owings has flashed some power in Triple-A in recent years — especially in 2023.
While I don’t see much of a fit for him, he does offer right-handed hitting with positional versatility so, again, minors deal makes some sense for the 32-year-old.
24. Tyler Wade — Oakland Athletics
2023: .255/.309/.314 with no home runs and a 79 wRC+ in 26 games
Red Sox fans might remember Wade from a wonky play involving Jarren Duran from last summer. Or perhaps it’s from his topsy-turvy Yankees tenure that saw him post 1.6 fWAR in his final 198 games with the club.
Regardless, Wade is a good baserunner with some defensive prowess.
25. Cory Spangenberg — Free Agent
2023: DNP at any MLB or MiLB affiliate
Defensively, Spangenberg has had a solid career at second base.
However, he hasn’t played at the MLB level — for more than one plate appearance — since 2019.
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Jordan, I like 4 of your top5. I’m out on Anderson. Just don’t see him fitting into the Boston culture at 2nd base.
Wow, you aren't kidding, that is a remarkably thin FA class. I have to believe we'll be looking into the trade market vs FA market for this position. Then, what do we do with all the 2B on the roster.
Great stuff as always.