How are some former Boston Red Sox doing in the 2024 season? It is good some are gone, but many are sorely missed.
Founding Father and Boston local Benjamin Franklin famously stated, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.” He foolishly forgot to mention roster turnover in baseball as well. As a result of this fact, let’s go through MLB and see how former Boston Red Sox player are performing. It is always good to keep tabs on the players we cheered so passionately for. Unfortunately, there are some players I know I will be passionately cheering against because their wardrobe changes were not to teams I am fond of. We will look at three sections of current players: the ones who got away, those who would have been nice to have (but not needed), and those we’ve moved on from.
The Ones Who Got Away
I am sure you can guess who will be first on this list. OF Mookie Betts has been on his own level this season for the Los Angeles Dodgers. As of April 12, he has a line of .344/.481/.721. More importantly, he has gone from being a Gold Glove right fielder to an elite shortstop. Say it with me Mr. Bob Lobel, “why can’t we get players like that?” Speaking of shortstops, SS Xander Bogaerts is off to a tough start for the San Diego Padres, slashing .219/.275/.297. The contact is well below his career average and will certainly improve as the season goes on. Another infielder continuing to soar is DH Justin Turner. After a short flight north to the Toronto Blue Jays, Turner is hitting .350 with 5 RBIs. DH J.D. Martinez signed a late deal with the New York Mets, and should make a debut shortly after some tune up time in the minors.
Don’t worry, some former Sox pitchers are thriving as well. SP Nathan Eovaldi won the World Series with the Texas Rangers last season. This year he has a 1.45 ERA through three starts and 18.2 innings. I was sad to see him leave, but I am glad the native Texan is thriving on his home turf. SP Eduardo Rodriguez is recovering from a lat injury but will be a valuable asset for the Arizona Diamondbacks when he returns. SP Michael Wacha had one strong season in Boston and is now a Kansas City Royal. Wacha has pitched thrice while posting a 4.00 ERA in 18 innings.
Nice to Have but Not Necessary
SP Chris Sale displayed dominance at times in Boston and utter disappointment at others. Tip your hats to Mr. Sale, who through two starts is still healthy for the Atlanta Braves. Sale threw 5.1 innings versus the Philadelphia Phillies in his first outing. After the performances of Sox pitchers so far in the season, Sale has not been missed yet. Another World Series winning pitcher, RP Craig Kimbrel, has returned to the AL East. Kimbrel now represents the Baltimore Orioles, so he was in Boston this week. He has two saves in five appearances this year. The orange of the Orioles is a natural fit for his beard.
A pair of outfielders have moved onto new towns as well. OF Andrew Benintendi is with the other Sox, the Chicago White Sox. Benny is hitting air frequently this season and not much else (.140 average). Bounce back Benny. OF Alex Verdugo is also struggling in the pinstripes of the New York Yankees. Perhaps, his body position is still not acclimated to wearing one chain during games, instead of 15. Verdugo is hitting .200 and, sorry, but I am okay with that.
We Have Moved on From
I am sensing a trend here. If you played in the Fenway outfield recently, you will be out of town soon too. OFs Adam Duvall and Hunter Renfroe are both playing elsewhere. Duvall is getting platoon duty in a loaded Braves lineup. Renfroe is mired in the mud with the Kansas City Royals, rocking a .158/.220/.263 line. The similar average and slugging are statistically impressive at least. UTL Kiké Hernández dabbled in the outfield during his Boston tenure. He is back with the Dodgers, in a utility role which is more fitting for his skillset than daily play. He has already seen action in centerfield, left field, and third base this year.
A couple more Dodgers have Boston roots as well. RPs Joe Kelly and Ryan Brasier are still slinging it. Also, their presence combined with Mookie means the Dodgers have more 2018 World Series winning Red Sox on their roster than Boston does (just 3B Rafael Devers). Kelly is still waiting for his first fight of the season, but has thrown in seven games where he gave up five earned runs. Brasier has been mostly stellar, throwing seven innings while giving up four runs and five hits. His turnaround in Los Angeles has been remarkable, but his struggles in Boston were real. Glad to see his fresh start has rejuvenated him.
Bottom of the Ninth
Needless to say, there are a lot of former Boston players out there. Did I miss any of your former favorites? Let me know on X and I will get them the next time around. In addition, for some current Red Sox news, SS Trevor Story dislocated his left shoulder. He will be undergoing season ending shoulder surgery. Different season but the same Story as the last two years. A permanent replacement has not yet been identified. For now, SS David Hamilton has been called up in his place. Hamilton ripped his first career MLB home run versus the Lost Angeles Angels on April 7. Devers is already dealing with a shoulder issue this year too.
