Jamie Gatlin | Aug 30th, 2019
When Brock Holt first arrived in Boston, as part of the Mark Melancon deal expectations were not high. The young infielder was an unknown and was not expected to last long in Boston. His career, however, has not gone as planned and he has become an important piece over the last seven seasons. With free agency on the horizon, his run in Boston may, unfortunately, be coming to an end. As the season winds down, Holt is reminding Red Sox management what makes him so valuable.
So far this season the Red Sox have been inconsistent but that hasn’t stopped Holt from having a career year. Through 63 games the former ninth-round pick is batting .329 with 26 runs batted in. He has been particularly good in the clutch and seemingly always comes through whenever the Red Sox need a lift. With a playoff spot on the line Holt has taken his game to another level and been one of the Red Sox best hitters.
Additionally, in 42 at-bats this month Holt is hitting .351. He is showing a little bit of power as he has two home runs so far in August after not hitting any in July. He has also been hard to keep off base as his on-base percentage has risen more than fifty points in the last month to .431.
Due to Holt’s ability to reach base, he makes the Red Sox lineup dangerous. He usually hits out of the sixth spot giving the Red Sox bottom part of the order an on-base threat.
Although the former All-Star has excelled offensively, his ability to play multiple positions is equally important. Throughout his career in Boston, Holt has played every position but catcher. His versatility makes life easier for his managers like Alex Cora, as they can rest their his stars without losing a lot offensively.
Over the years Holt’s career has been full of highs and lows. In his first full season, he finished eighth in rookie of the year voting. A year later he was the teams only All-Star during a forgettable 2015 season. Then Holt’s impact changed as for the first time in two seasons his average dropped below .280.
For Holt, it was the beginning of a two-year stretch when injuries including concussions significantly impacted his play. In 2018 however, the super-utility weapon returned to form and hit .277 in 109 games. As the Red Sox won their second championship of the decade, Holt was a key piece and drove in a career-high 46 runs making history along the way.
Although the future is uncertain, it is safe to say that seeing Holt in a different uniform would be hard for the Red Sox nation. He is one of the teams most popular players on and off the field. As the Red Sox make their playoff push Holt is again in the middle of it all just like he has been over the past seven years.
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