Who’s on first?
Illness, injuries put Sox out of position
FORT MYERS — It’s not the hot corner the Red Sox have a problem with.
Pablo Sandoval hit his team-leading fifth home run of the spring yesterday, demolishing a pitch from Twins right-hander Ervin Santana for another roundtripper. His average is up to .350 with an OPS of 1.061.
At first base, the position where the average MLB player had an OPS of .781 last year, the Red Sox could be forced to open the season with a utility infielder.
Mitch Moreland was a late scratch from the lineup due to the flu, according to manager John Farrell. Moreland was sent home and will be “quarantined” for three days, Farrell said.
The Sox are hoping Moreland will be ready to go by Opening Day on Monday. But they’re already running out of first basemen.
Hanley Ramirez has yet to play a game at first base this spring due to shoulder irritation that has limited his throwing. His shoulder may not be the only part of this story that’s irritated — Farrell was peppered with questions about Ramirez’ readiness earlier this week before saying, “Without being cleared, I can’t write him in the lineup.”
Even if Moreland is healthy by Monday, he isn’t supposed to play every day. The plan all along has been for the Red Sox to use Ramirez at first base against lefties. And when it became apparent that Ramirez may not be ready, the Red Sox were going to turn to Josh Rutledge, a right-handed infielder who performed well (5-for-16) in a brief stint vs. lefties last year.
Except Rutledge is now hurt (hamstring strain) and will start the year on the disabled list.
This has turned into a mess.
Brock Holt has played some first base in the past and could factor in, though he also hits left-handed and wouldn’t make much sense as a complement to Moreland, since Holt was even worse against lefties last year.
Steve Selsky, a former 33rd-round pick who played 24 games with the Cincinnati Reds last year, could end up getting the call to take the final roster spot and play some first base. It’ll likely be Selsky or utility infielder Marco Hernandez, another one who hits left-handed.
“Selsky is another guy that even though he’s been optioned out, he’s a guy we’re having discussions on,” Farrell said. “Any guy in our camp that we feel is going to make us a more complete or balanced roster — Deven Marrero — they’re all in consideration.”
How did the Red Sox get here? Remember early in camp, when president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said health was his biggest fear when looking at the roster? The Sox haven’t had good health so far, and with little depth at multiple positions, it’s already hurting them.
Dombrowski admitted trying to sign more starting pitchers to deepen the rotation but struggling because veterans on the fringe of the majors didn’t see much of an opportunity here.
What about corner infielders?
The Sox were interested in Trevor Plouffe if his price came down, the Herald reported, but Plouffe signed for $5.25 million guaranteed with the Oakland A’s, where he has an everyday gig. Chris Carter, a power-hitting first baseman who hits right-handed, was a late signee with the Yankees and Dombrowski said earlier this spring the Red Sox weren’t considering him.
“When we looked at him primarily as a DH, we thought in our situation with having Hanley, who really wants to DH a lot and having the ability to move people in there, we thought that was the way for us to go,” Dombrowski said.
What if Ramirez only wants to be the full-time DH? Farrell doesn’t have much to work with. Dombrowski might have to go find a right-handed bat.
As it is, Farrell only has Chris Young to work with as a right-handed option off the bench. Sandoval hits lefthanded and will often need to be pinch-hit for against lefties, as might Moreland. Jackie Bradley Jr. had a .673 OPS against lefties last year. The Sox hope Andrew Benintendi, who hits left-handed, can handle lefties adequately, but that’s to be determined.
There is one right-handed option the Red Sox currently have in the system: Sam Travis. The first base prospect who proved he has a monster bat with his second straight impressive spring training (.318 average, .991 OPS) is not on the 40-man roster and it seems like the Red Sox aren’t interested in rushing his development, especially if he isn’t going to play every day.
“He’s not on the roster and we’re at 40 right now,” Farrell said. “You’ve got to look at all kinds of potential here. But Sam Travis doesn’t fit the positions that Rutledge does. Yeah it’s first base, but you also have to fit the roster as well.”
What about Young? The veteran outfielder has never played first, but he’s been among the league’s best hitters vs. lefties the last two years. If Ramirez is at DH every day, would the Sox consider trying Young at first?
“No,” Farrell said. “I would not consider that with Chris.”
It looks like the Red Sox are in a pickle.