OF Brentz could help Red Sox’ anemic offense
Pawtucket slugger wasting home runs against International League foes
PAWTUCKET – If you’re the Boston Red Sox, why wait?
Call up Bryce Brentz. Don’t put it off until September when rosters can expand. The slugging outfielder shouldn’t be part of the raft of call-ups for the final month of Major League Baseball’s regular season.
Brentz should have a locker stall in Boston’s clubhouse right N-O-W. With 24 home runs in a PawSox uniform entering Thursday’s action – that’s good for a three-way tie for second in the International League – he’s exactly what the power-starved Red Sox desperately crave.
There’s no need for fans to hold president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski’s feet to the fire for not getting a big bopper at the non-waiver trade deadline. That’s because such an option is already under club control. Even better, Brentz’s salary is so affordable that loosening the purse strings shouldn’t be an issue for the luxury tax-conscious Red Sox.
It was tough enough to bid adieu to David Ortiz last season. Not replacing his middle-of-the-order clout was originally overlooked when Dombrowski swung a deal for Chris Sale. Replacing a big bat with a big-time pitcher seemed like a good tradeoff last December. Now that the dog days of August are officially here, a venial sin has given way to the mortal kind.
The lack of home run production has been a New England summertime topic de jour that continues to have legs – mainly because the Red Sox continue to wallow through a slugging drought that would perplex even the most seasoned farmer.
At this point, it would take a tear of Biblical proportions for Boston not to finish dead last in the American League in homers, a sad-but-true distinction through the team’s first 108 games. Collectively, the Red Sox have deposited 107 baseballs over the fence. That’s six fewer than Minnesota and 10 behind Los Angeles.
There is a surefire way to remedy the situation, and it’s right under Boston’s nose. Brentz is just the type of player the Red Sox need – an honest-togoodness threat to go deep at a moment’s notice. The 28year-old outfielder would provide a valuable service for the team that designated him for assignment at the very end of spring training.
“Everybody had a chance. Nobody took him. I’m sure there’s people wishing they had,” PawSox manager Kevin Boles said. “Fortunately, he’s still in our uniform. A lot of folks are paying attention to the body of work he’s put together.”
That’s great to hear, but you know what would prove to be even better? Seeing Brentz in a Boston uniform before August gives way to September. In a sport where statistics serve as judge, jury, and executioner as it relates to a player’s worth, Brentz this season cesrtainly has the home run market cornered.
His case to get summoned sooner rather than later by the parent club grew louder this week. On Tuesday, Brentz went deep. The next night, he belted two more home runs, one of which tied the game in the eighth inning. Brentz endured a quiet day on Thursday, going 0-for-4 as the PawSox dropped a 6-4 decision that enabled Syracuse to complete a threegame sweep.
Right now, Brentz’s stock is higher than at any point in his pro career. The toe-tap approach he began implementing in late May has worked wonders, but there’s something else to consider. For the first time since 2012, Brentz has been the picture of good health. Knock on wood, he’s avoided what in years past has been an annual inseason trip to the disabled list.
“Being healthy has been so big. It’s allowed me to sync up all the parts in the right places,” Brentz said. “I’m proud with what’s happened to date.”
Now that Brentz is mashing at an impressive clip, the question the Red Sox need to address is how to get him into the fold before September rolls around.
For starters, Brentz needs to be added back onto the 40man roster. Once a check is placed in that box, the focus shifts on whose spot he would take on the 25-man active roster.
Does Brentz represent a better option than either Brock Holt or Chris Young? The oft-injured Holt only recently returned to game duty after missing substantial time with vertigo. He’s still looking to get on track, hitting .228 in 22 games.
Should Dustin Pedroia return soon, that would enable the Sox to potentially shift Eduardo Nunez into a role where he would serve as the jack-of-all-trades option. When Holt was healthy, he was the guy who could be plugged in at multiple positions and not skip a beat. Boston doesn’t need to clog up its roster with two superutility men.
Swapping Brentz for Young isn’t out-of-bounds thinking. Young is a fourth outfielder who allegedly was supposed to be effective against left-handed pitching. He’s hitting just .224 with one homer in 67 at-bats. On the flip side, Brentz is batting .319 with seven home runs in 72 at-bats.
The body of work that Brentz has turned in to date has been nothing short of prodigious. To some in the Red Sox organization, it’s been a long time coming.
“You’ve kind of waited for him to be that guy,” said a Red Sox source.
At a point in the season when Boston remains in short supply as it relates to a bona fide home run threat, it’s worth providing a friendly reminder of who’s making noise in the Triple-A ranks. Going a step further, don’t wait until the calendar flips to September.
Bring Brentz into the fold.