Red Sox Reportedly Still Considering Move For Middle Infielder As Spring Training Approaches
Spring training is upon us and yet the Boston Red Sox may still have another move or two up their sleeves.
Pitchers and catchers participating in the World Baseball Classic are set to arrive at spring training Monday with the rest to follow Tuesday. The 2023 Major League Baseball season finally is near and it has been a wild offseason for the Red Sox to say the least.
Boston has been busy this offseason and will look extremely different when the 2023 campaign officially does roll around but it might not be done yet. The Red Sox reportedly are still in the market for a new middle infielder, according to The Athletic's Chad Jennings.
"For now, (Christian Arroyo) slots in as the everyday second baseman -- at least until Adalberto Mondesi is ready to play -- but the Red Sox are in the market for another infielder to add to this group, so Arroyo and (Rob Refsnyder) might each end up primarily on the bench or getting platoon at-bats," Jennings said.
A move certainly would make sense for the Red Sox. With Xander Bogaerts now playing for the San Diego Padres and Trevor Story set to miss time as he recovers from offseason elbow surgery, the Red Sox have two spots to fill. Enrique Hernandez likely will man shortstop for the Red Sox and second base is more of a question. Boston has Christian Arroyo and Adalberto Mondesi on the roster but there still are second-base questions.
Mondesi may not be ready for Opening Day as he continues to recover from knee surgery and Arroyo has never played more than 87 games in a season in his career. While both Mondesi and Arroyo certainly are capable of being the team's everyday second baseman, adding another veteran into the mix would make sense. With questions swirling around Mondesi's health and Arroyo having injury issues of his own, a veteran depth piece would make perfect sense.
There still are intriguing middle infielders available on the market including Jose Iglesias and Elvis Andrus. While it's likely that Iglesias and Andrus may command more of a role than Boston is willing to give, it's certainly worth checking in on the Red Sox's front. With spring training set to begin, Boston will be able to move Story to the 60-day injured list and open up a roster spot which will allow the team to make a move without designating a player for assignment.
Other players like Donovan Solano, Rougned Odor, and Yolmer Sanchez also are available and could fit in with the Red Sox in the right role.
All in all, we likely will hear more about a potential Red Sox move before Opening Day rolls around.
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