Inexcusable Mistake: Boston Finally Fills the Gap
Since the end of the offseason, the Red Sox knew they could potentially have a problem with Kyle Schwarber taking his talents elsewhere. However, the front office believed it could have solved the problem with a combination of Bobby Dalbec and Franchy Cordero with the hope of Tristan Casas reaching the big leagues at some point this season.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to nail down the last real first baseman the Red Sox had that contributed at an elite level both at the plate and in the field. Cordero and Dalbec rank in the top five in total errors this season for Boston. The duo has also put together a batting average of under .195 over the past 30 days.
Despite being over the luxury tax, Boston refused to give a team that overachieved and went to the ALCS last year a chance to get over the hump in the American League. So, as the season that was nearly saved in June comes to a close, the Red Sox finally decided about the far right side of the infield on top of surprisingly keeping its core of Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and even J.D Martinez. After a dismal series against the Royals, the team's direction is still up in the air with the club not buying or selling at the deadline, but what is finally answered is the future of the far right side of the infield.
After refusing to head to Washington in the Juan Soto deal, the former World Series Champion with the Kansas City Royals, Eric Hosmer, along with some cash and two prospects, moved across the country in exchange for the No. 16 ranked prospect according to soxprospects.com, Jay Groome. Hosmer's power may be down compared to his time with the Royals and early on with the Padres, but Hosmer is undoubtedly an upgrade and possibly a long-term solution at first base next season.
At the age of 32, he provides the perfect bridge for Tristan Casas in Triple-A to develop into an even better player, while Boston has a quality player at first base, both offensively and especially defensively.
C/O: Brian Davidson/Getty Images
After the news dropped, manager Alex Cora expressed how it affected the team, "It's like New Year's Eve: 3-2-1 fireworks...For how down we were yesterday, there's a lot of excitement in the clubhouse to keep these guys to make a push."
After this move was announced, Cordero moved back down to Triple-A, and after four months, the experiment at first base has finally come to a close. According to FanGraphs, Cordero was the worst on the team for players that were at first base this year for Boston when it came to Defensive Runs Above Average, which measures the individual's defensive value compared to the rest of the league. In addition, he possessed a -6.2 Def and a -4.5 Ultimate Zone Rating, which demonstrates how many runs he gave up due to his inefficiencies in the field.
Hosmer provides experience and a much more consistent bat at first base that could allow Boston to make an unexpected run into the Wild Card by the end of the season. In addition, his strikeout percentage is far lower than Cordero's, only striking out 14.9 percent of the time in San Diego this season, which is his lowest since his rookie season in Kansas City. On top of being a four-time Gold Glove-winning first baseman, Hosmer's much better on-base percentage and WAR this season give Boston a reason to hope that there is now a direction unlike there was before.
Before the deadline, the Red Sox were 26th in the league in batting average and OPS at first base. Their first basemen are also tied for sixth in the league in errors going into August. San Diego sent Boston $44 million in cash, giving the Red Sox a much-needed insurance policy at both first base and designated hitter if Martinez does not return next season. The Red Sox owes Hosmer just $2.5 million over the next three years and knowing that it gives the organization so much flexibility, the timeline for Casas can be determined on his terms at some point next season.
Red Sox general manager Claim Bloom expressed his thoughts on Casas following the deal for Hosmer on the last day of the deadline, stating, "This doesn't mean anything as far as how we feel about him or his future or what he can accomplish...We think he's going to be a huge part of our future. It's just one more thing to do right by him and let him develop at his own pace...Especially, in a place like Boston, but really, anywhere, you never want to bring a prospect to the major leagues because of desperation or because of a need. You want it to be because a player is really ready."
Over the offseason and before the deadline in July, Bloom received a whole lot of scrutiny for being the one that allowed for much instability at a position as important as first base.
The journey to find a quality player that can be an everyday starter on the right side of the infield without being concerned about defensive hiccups or an enormous amount of punchouts has come to a close. Hosmer is the lift this Boston team desperately needed at a time when the organization looked like it was sinking, having not won a single series in July.
His ability to use his no-trade clause may have saved the Red Sox not only this season but for the foreseeable future, possessing a productive and experienced first baseman. Of course, some will say that Hosmer is not as talented or versatile as Kyle Schwarber, but when it is all said and done, the former Royal costs a minimal amount of money on top of being an upgrade in a position of need essentially.
Schwarber may be the better player and could have filled the hole a lot sooner so that Boston would not be looking up at a postseason spot. Still, the addition of Hosmer is a sigh of relief to the fans, players, and coaching staff that the front office has some sort of belief in the future of this core. Losing three out of four to the Royals this past weekend in
Hosmer's debut may not have been how Boston predicted his homecoming, but it is finally nice to see a first baseman for the Red Sox doing regular first basemen things.
