True to his phrase, Chaim Bloom purchased in addition to bought at this 12 months’s deadline. Filling certainly one of his staff’s largest wants on the heels of Eric Hosmer’s no-trade-clause refusal to go to the nation’s capital as a part of the Juan Soto mega–deal, Bloom acquired the veteran first baseman, together with a pair of speedy outfield prospects, from the San Diego Padres in change for 2016 first-rounder Jay Groome. Nonetheless holding out hope for October baseball — Boston’s postseason odds at present sit at 33.4% — it was a transfer that improves their probabilities.
Hosmer isn’t the kind of participant who will elevate a staff on his shoulders and carry them to the promised land. A profession .277/.336/.429 (107 wRC+) hitter whose present-season slash line dwells in that very same neighborhood, he’s not at all a savior. After a blazing start to the season that noticed him hit .382/.447/.579 by Might 1, he’s cooled significantly, hitting simply .235/.295/.309 since. Nonetheless, he’s a succesful fielder and if he can recapture one thing of his early-season type, he represents an improve at his place. Pink Sox first basemen have mixed to slash a putrid .203/.278/.349 this 12 months, they usually’ve been even worse on the defensive aspect of the ball. At -10, they’ve the worst DRS in both league, and OAA doesn’t like them a lot better (-9).
Hosmer isn’t precisely Keith Hernandez with the glove, neither is he the identical adroit defender who gained 4 Gold Gloves in his glory days with the Kansas Metropolis Royals. However once more, he represents an improve. Whereas Bobby Dalbec, a transformed third baseman, has no less than been credible on the reverse nook of the infield, transformed outfielder Franchy Cordero has been nothing in need of cringeworthy. Acquired from Kansas Metropolis as a part of final 12 months’s Andrew Benintendi commerce, Cordero has dedicated eight errors in simply 316 first-base innings this 12 months. Conversely, Hosmer has been charged with 14 errors over his final 2,122 innings. As a lot as they’ve wanted a greater bat, Boston wanted somebody able to catching the baseball.
A recap of an Eric Hosmer commerce wouldn’t be full with out addressing his signing with San Diego. Lengthy contemplating a staff chief, the 32-year-old former All-Star and World Sequence champion signed an eight-year, $144 million contract previous to the 2018 season, and it’s truthful to say that he hasn’t lived as much as it statistically. A lot for that motive, Hosmer has been derided by Padres followers, in addition to those that low cost the worth of clubhouse chemistry. How a lot that truly issues is a matter of opinion.
San Diego’s return within the deal is multi-fold. Together with shifting the no-longer-needed Hosmer — Boston will reportedly pay solely a small share of the $44 million remaining on his contract — they’ll obtain Groome, a 6-foot-6, 265-pound pitching prospect who has to this point fallen in need of expectations. Lately promoted to Triple-A, the Twelfth-overall decide within the 2016 draft had been No. 16 on our up to date Pink Sox High Prospects checklist as a 40+ FV. Groome will now rank ninth in a San Diego system that’s considerably thinner than it was pre-Soto swap.
The Pink Sox are getting again prospects as nicely. Each are speedsters, and likewise not of the high-profile selection. Going to Boston are infielder Max Ferguson, a 2021 fifth-round decide who has 55 stolen bases in 60 makes an attempt this 12 months, and outfielder Corey Rosier, a 2021 Twelfth-round decide with 33 steals in 37 makes an attempt. Every has been taking part in with the Excessive-A Fort Wayne TinCaps.
Ferguson was a plus defender at second base throughout his collegiate profession and is now additionally seeing motion at shortstop and within the outfield. Eric Longenhagen feels that the College of Tennessee product may develop into a flexible function participant, however he might want to add power to succeed in his ceiling. Rosier, who based on Longenhagen “performs with an actual edge,” was drafted by the Seattle Mariners within the Twelfth spherical final 12 months, then shipped to San Diego as a part of November’s Adam Frazier commerce.
Including velocity and athleticism to the system has been a Bloom goal. When the Pink Sox dealt Hunter Renfroe to the Milwaukee Brewers final winter, one of many gamers they obtained in return was infield prospect David Hamilton, who has 49 stolen bases with Double-A Portland. With Ferguson and Rosier now within the group, Boston has a trio of jackrabbits who’ve mixed to swipe 137 bases in 150 tries. As for the place they rank on our up to date Red Sox list, Hamilton (40+ FV) is No. 19, Rosier (40 FV) is No. 28, and Ferguson (35+ FV) is No. 46.
In the meantime, Boston’s top-rated prospect is straight impacted by the acquisition of Hosmer. Triston Casas is a 22-year-old left-handed-hitting first baseman who probably would have already debuted this season had he not missed shut to 2 months with an ankle harm. Again in motion with Triple-A Worcester for the reason that center of final month, Casas is seen as an affect bat on the big-league degree. That he performs the identical place as Hosmer is a conundrum the staff might want to kind out within the months to come back.
As for the commerce itself, which staff finally ends up getting the higher of it’s a matter of perspective. If Hosmer helps the Pink Sox attain the postseason, and/or one or each of the prospects pans out, we’ll assume favorably of Boston, and it’s not as in the event that they need to pay Hosmer a lot. In the meantime, the Padres don’t essentially want Groome to lastly fulfill his potential. They principally simply wanted to maneuver on from Hosmer as they try a deep postseason run. The deal made sense for each side.
