The Boston Red Sox don’t bring any major offensive additions to the team this winter, but they could benefit from signing Bo Bichette.
The Red Sox are interested in signing Bichette, but he may not be the best position fit, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reported on Dec. 12. The infield is crowded as the Red Sox are still pursuing Bregman and already have Marcelo Mayer, Trevor Story and Christian Campbell. However, Bichette is a great option regardless of position.
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The Red Sox are unlikely to move Trevor Story from shortstop, but signing Bichette would mean he would become an everyday player. Campbell could start the year in Triple-A anyway, but Mayer needs a chance to play. Alex Cora could get creative at the designated hitter position and get Mayer in the lineup.
Bichette is an elite hitter. He had led the American League in hits twice during his career and was on pace to lead all of baseball in hits before getting injured in the final month of last season. He was a two-time All-Star and a perfect fit at Fenway Park.
Bichette doesn’t strike out often and uses all the field effectively. However, he and Nasty Pole could be a good pairing. Bichette, a right-handed hitter, hit 22.7 percent of his at-bats in the air and into the field.
It’s not an exact science, but if he played half the games at Fenway Park, his profile as a hitter might lead to an increase in his home run count. Additionally, even if his home runs don’t increase significantly, his bat is still valuable to the team.
Last season, he slashed .311/.357/.483 in 139 games. His defense isn’t great, but the Red Sox don’t need him at shortstop. He can slide to second base, perhaps masking his only flaw.
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The problems he caused by limiting the playing time of Mayer and Campbell were worth it. Cora can still find creative ways to get them in games, but if the Red Sox get a chance to sign Bichette, his bat is too good to pass up.
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