Reese McGuire is quickly making an impact in Boston
Reese McGuire is proving to be a vital addition for the Red Sox
Photo Credit: NESN
The Red Sox didn’t shock the world at the trade deadline with their moves. However, one veteran they did acquire in Reese McGuire is quickly becoming a fan favorite. The former first-round pick struggled in his first stint with the White Sox but has been a different player with a change of scenery.
Through his first seven games with the Red Sox, the Seattle native is hitting .409 with nine hits in 22 at-bats. He has already surpassed his hits total from July and drawn more walks. With runners scoring position he is hitting close to .300. While he has surprised offensively, McGuire has excelled behind the plate.
McGuire's calling card has been his defense during his major league career. That has been no different in Boston, as the former first-round pick has not committed an error. In 49 innings of play, he has caught two runners stealing and turned one double play. Although Christian Vazquez is now in Houston, the Red Sox haven't seen a drop-off when McGuire is behind the plate.
With the catcher position full of question marks, McGuire's play has been a welcoming sign. In the offseason, Kevin Plawecki will be a free agent, and prospect Connor Wong, currently at Triple-A, has only has 11 MLB games on his resume. Regardless of the Red Sox's moves, they have a veteran option in the former Blue Jay to fall back on.
Since making his MLB debut in 2018, the Seattle native has averaged about ten runs batted in a season. He only has hit nine home runs in the majors, five of which came in 2019. However, McGuire isn't expected to be a primary run producer in the Red Sox offense. He is a solid backup who has had some success offensively.
While the Red Sox will most likely add another catcher in the offseason, McGuire is making his case to be part of the future. He has appeared in 69 games this season which is ten short of his career high. He is showing no signs of slowing down and has adjusted quickly to a new pitching staff.
As the Red Sox look to continue their recent play, the former 14th overall pick will be an important part of their success. They are four games back of the second wild card spot and will need good pitching to close the gap. With McGuire behind the plate, the Red Sox are in good hands.
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