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Over 93 games played, Boston Red Sox second basemen have netted a 68 wRC+. This ranks them second-to-last in offensive production at the keystone position. Second-year player Enmanuel Valdez (85 wRC+ over 182 plate appearances) has spent the most time of any Red Sox player at the position, notching 385 1/3 innings over 51 games. However, the 25-year-old infielder has since been demoted to Triple-A Worcester. The team has also cycled through an olio of other options at second base. Here is how the pieces of that rough-hewn jigsaw puzzle have performed this season offensively:
- Vaughn Grissom (186 innings at 2B) - 1 wRC+ over 87 plate appearances
- David Hamilton (118 innings at 2B) - 100 wRC+ over 205 plate appearances
- Jamie Westbrook (58 innings at 2B) - 81 wRC+ over 30 plate appearances
- Pablo Reyes (39 innings at 2B) - 24 wRC+ over 64 plate appearances
Boston has performed well above expectations this season, sitting only a game and a half back from the Twins for the second AL Wild Card and possessing a 41.4% chance of earning a playoff spot, according to FanGraphs. Much of the organization's newfound success can be attributed to a starting pitching renaissance (seventh-best staff ERA in MLB) cultivated by former Twins pitcher turned baseball executive Craig Breslow, pitching coach Andrew Bailey, and director pitching of pitching Justin Willard (Twins pitching coordinator from 2021-2023).
Interestingly, the Twins have a serviceable second baseman waiting in the wings at Triple-A in Edouard Julien, and they also have a need for starting pitching help. Would it be wise for Twins decision-makers to send the left-handed hitter to Boston, in return for starting pitching help? Let's take a look.
The Twins' offense has become a powerhouse, posting the highest batting average, slugging, wOBA, and wRC+ in baseball since Apr. 21. Having been the hottest lineup in MLB for well over two months has made a few fringy contributors expendable. Willi Castro, José Miranda, Brooks Lee, and the soon-to-return Royce Lewis have fixed themselves as irreplaceable members of the team's infield, making Julien less so.
Julien struggled to produce offensively with the Twins in May (42 wRC+ over 81 plate appearances) and when he was first demoted to Triple-A St. Paul in early June. However, Julien has significantly improved in July, and looks more like the disciplined, power-hitting lefty who posted a 136 wRC+ over 408 plate appearances last season.
His recent offensive resurgence is an encouraging sign that team decision-makers could use to their benefit come Jul. 30, particularly with the second base-needy Red Sox. Flush with starters and relievers who are performing well, Boston could use their abundance of arms to entice the Twins enough to acquire the intriguing left-handed hitting infielder. At first glance, starting pitchers Nick Pivetta and Kutter Crawford catch one's attention as appealing right-handed hurlers who could fortify Minnesota's rotation. However, they have become staples of the Sox's resurgent rotation, making it highly unlikely that Breslow and company part ways with them amid a playoff push, especially with the team directly in front of them in the Wild Card standings.
However, there is a thought-provoking mock trade idea that could benefit both teams in the short and long term:
- Minnesota receives left-handed reliever Brennan Bernardino and infield prospect Cutter Coffey (FanGraphs's 25th-ranked Red Sox prospect)
- Boston receives infielder Edouard Julien
Bernardino has been a cog in Boston's bullpen, notching a 1.69 ERA, 2.76 FIP, and 22.1% strikeout rate over 32 innings pitched. The 32-year-old southpaw has also given up zero home runs this season, while leaving 82.5% of runners on base. He would instantly become Minnesota's best left-handed reliever, permitting the team to downgrade Steven Okert to a lower-leverage role, demote Kody Funderburk to Triple-A St. Paul, and potentially part ways with the aged and fading Caleb Thielbar. Coffey, 20, is an appealing middle infielder who could offset Julien's departure from the Twins system. He has an above-average arm at short (he threw 94 MPH as a pitcher in high school), while possessing plus raw power that could translate into formidable in-game power as he gets more at-bats.
The recent trend of injuries to core infield members Lewis, Miranda, and Correa dampens the prospect of trading Julien in the immediate future. However, none of their injuries should hold them out long-term, meaning a lack of infield depth hope could easily be a non-issue come Jul. 30. In this hypothetical scenario, the Red Sox would acquire a steady defensive second baseman who performed 36% better than average at the plate just last season. He has starting second baseman potential and, at minimum, could function as a platoon partner with the right-handed hitting Hamilton.
In return, the Twins would receive a reliever who would instantly become the club's best left-handed option out of the 'pen and could be a driving force in helping the team hunt down Cleveland in the standings. Also, Coffey would be a welcomed addition to a minor-league system rich with talent in the low minors. This challenge trade could be mutually beneficial for two parties residing right next to each other in the AL Wild Card standings.
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