There has to be another answer
The Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels, 7-2, on Saturday and are now 8-7. That seems perfectly acceptable given the subterranean expectations for this season.
It’s not, of course. The Sox were 7-3 then lost their first four games at Fenway Park by a combined 20 runs while committing eight errors. The Sox were the last team to win a game at home.
You’d think Trevor Story was another Luis Aparicio given how the Sox have collapsed defensively since he was lost for the season with a shoulder injury.
David Hamilton, Romy Gonzalez, and Pablo Reyes have started at shortstop in Story’s absence. They are 5 of 22 with more errors (two) than RBIs (one).
Gonzalez lasted two games before joining Story on the injured list on Saturday because of a sprained left wrist. Hamilton was back in the lineup against the Angels. He was 1 for 2 with a walk, two runs, and a stolen base.
With 147 games left to play, the Sox can’t go the rest of the season with Triple A players at shortstop. That’s not fair to the rest of the team or the fans.
“We have a bunch of young guys who are getting their feet wet,” manager Alex Cora said. “So we have to help them out to do that. We’ve got a bunch of ex-utility guys that play good defense.”
Except they haven’t played good defense. Hamilton has been the primary replacement for Story and he has struggled with his footwork and decisionmaking. That could smooth out over time but there’s a reason Hamilton is 26 and has played only 21 major league games.
What else can the Sox do at shortstop? Here are some possibilities:
Vaughn Grissom: He’s on the injured list and will need a few weeks before he’s ready to play. Instead of preparing Grissom to play second base, why not give him a look at shortstop?
Grissom started 19 games at shortstop for the Braves from 2022-23. Atlanta also gave him far more starts at shortstop (231) then second base (50) in the minors.
“He’s going to be a hell of a player,” said Angels manager Ron Washington, who worked closely with Grissom as Atlanta’s infield coach. “He has that will and because of that, he will find a way.”
Washington said the Braves were high on Grissom’s potential but preferred Orlando Arcia at shortstop and Ozzie Albies at second base. So they used Grissom to trade for Chris Sale.
“[Grissom] can play shortstop,” Washington said. “The problem we had with him was making decisions and his inexperience. We didn’t have time to wait for him. For me, the best thing that happened for him was getting traded. He has an opportunity to grow in Boston.”
Cora has said Grissom will play some shortstop but they envision him as the second baseman of the future and want him to get established there. But at some point, they may have to give it a try.
Marcelo Mayer: There is a segment of the fan base that wants the Sox to call up one of their top prospects.
Maybe in September; but not in April.
Mayer is 21 and back in Double A after posting a .609 OPS over 43 games at that level last season. It’s important for a player to succeed at that level and further build a foundation before promoting him.
It’s not unreasonable to think Mayer could play 50 games at Portland and 50 at Triple A Worcester before getting a taste of the majors late in the season. But rushing him up now to prop up a team with such a low ceiling wouldn’t make much sense and you runs the risk of throwing his development off track.
Ceddanne Rafaela: He could well be the best shortstop on the roster. That isn’t saying much, but Rafaela offers the easiest solution.
But Rafaela is the long-term center fielder and it’s probably better to leave him there. That also allows the Sox to keep Jarren Duran in left field, which is where he fits best defensively.
An outfield of Rafaela, Duran, and Tyler O’Neill is solid defensively. Rafaela’s range allows Duran and O’Neill to play a step or two toward the line. Moving Rafaela might help one position but it would weaken three others.
Make a trade: Perhaps the Sox could offer the Marlins a second-level prospect for Tim Anderson, who struggled mightily with the White Sox last season but has bounced back a bit this year.
Anderson has eight years of experience and is a two-time All-Star. If nothing else, he’d add experience and credibility to the mix.
There is no perfect solution. The Sox were counting on Story to be their shortstop for all but a dozen or so games this season. Now they have fiveplus months to account for and no leading men for the role, only extras.