The Boston Red Sox are officially trade deadline buyers after an insane 15-game win streak has them right back in the mix for the postseason. They’re definitely eyeing upgrades, with a lot of talk swirling around catcher and middle infield spots. Shortstops are gonna be super expensive, but Luis Arraez? He’s a readily available option for a team looking to boost their lineup. So, what’s the hang-up, you ask? According to Mike Petriello of MLB.com, there’s one massive issue for the Red Sox when it comes to Arraez.
Boston’s Power Outage Is The Real Deal
This isn’t just about picking up a solid bat, it’s about what *kind* of bat. The Red Sox desperately need to upgrade their power-hitting, which, let’s be real, is just not what Arraez brings to the table. Petriello lays it out perfectly, “The one problem? Boston, currently sitting 29th in homers, badly needs power, and that’s one skill Arraez won’t provide.” Think about that, 29th in the league! You can’t just ignore that kind of stat when you’re making moves to compete with the big dogs.
Arraez’s Bat Is Good, But Is It Enough?
Sure, in a vacuum, Arraez makes sense as a great left-handed hitting upgrade at second base. He’s slashing an impressive .320 this season, racking up 122 hits and 22 doubles, plus seven triples. His .446 slugging percentage isn’t bad either, and his .805 OPS is one of the best marks of his career. But here’s the kicker: he only has four home runs, and his home run rate is a paltry 0.9%. That lack of home run power is a serious red flag for a team that’s struggling to put the ball over the fence. Craig Breslow and the front office *could* still pull the trigger, but if they’re looking for the best possible addition to push them forward, a power-hitting infielder has to be way higher on their priority list. The San Francisco Giants are practically guaranteed to trade Arraez, and even an AL East rival, the Tampa Bay Rays, could scoop him up. Pursuing a different infielder like CJ Abrams or Zach Neto, who could offer more pop, might be a smarter play for Boston.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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