Even though the Red Sox hold the league’s best record, there are still some issues that need to be addressed if the Red Sox want to make a deep postseason run this season.
Through 63 games, the Red Sox are 43-20 and have two MVP candidates in their lineup. However, despite the successes of their offense this season, there are still some things the team could improve upon to make the lineup that much better.
Starting with third base production, which has been very minute so far in 2018 from sophomore Rafael Devers. After a season in which he joined the team in August and tore the cover off the ball, Devers’ slash line is .228/.283/.402 with nine home runs and 28 RBI in 59 games. On top of the poor stat line, Devers also is a -0.4 WAR player so far this season.
Some would argue that his WAR has a lot to do with his defense, but his offense has become almost a liability at this point. The free-swinging lefty bat has been out there almost every night and hasn’t seemed to make any adjustments at the plate. This is why the Red Sox should look to potentially make a cheap upgrade at the third base position to better their chances to win this season.
The first name that comes to mind is former Red Sox infielder, Jed Lowrie.
Lowrie, 34, is in the final year of a four-year contract with the Oakland A’s, who have been a surprising team this season, as they hang a game above .500 through 63 games this season. Much of the ballclub’s success has stemmed from the performance of Lowrie, who is hitting .299 with nine home runs and 42 RBIs in 61 games. This showing should make Lowrie a potentially hot commodity at this year’s trade deadline.
Why should Lowrie be on the Red Sox radar?
As mentioned before, Devers simply hasn’t been good this season, as he has been a negative WAR player in 2018. His failures haven’t cost the Red Sox anything yet but come the dog days of August and September, the Sox are going to need guys to step up, and so far in 2018, Devers hasn’t shown he is capable of being a reliable guy in key situations.
Lowrie provides stability at the third base position, with the ability to also play second, giving manager Alex Cora even more options to format the lineup and defensive alignment to further add to the depth of this Red Sox team, especially if Dustin Pedroia’s knee never gets back to 100 percent.
On top of that, the 34-year-old utility man is in the final year of his deal, which means the cost of trading for him a relatively cheap option. There are always ways a team can improve their roster, and bringing a guy like Lowrie back to Boston should be in the best interest of Dave Dombrowski.
