Red Sox: 3 players we can’t afford to lose this season
The Boston Red Sox are facing tough decisions on three top players this offseason.
The Red Sox offseason is a complicated one, in part because they don’t really have a roadmap. Boston struggled last season, but fans expect some sort of improvement, and that doesn’t involve getting rid of talent. Considering their short-comings to this point in the offseason, there are no signs as to where that massive improvement will come from.
The team as currently constructed has a number of talented players, especially on offense, but have considered dealing some over the past year, which makes this a point of emphasis. The likes of Rafael Devers should be off-limits for at least another year or two before contract talks really kick into gear.
Unfortunately for Red Sox fans, that does not change other big names on the team who could be on the move if they underperform to start off the 2021 season.
Here are three players who the Red Sox cannot afford to lose over the next season, even though they may.
3. J.D. Martinez
Since joining the Red Sox in 2018, J.D. Martinez has been one of the more productive hitters in baseball. The shortened 2020 season aside, Martinez has been the perfect designated hitter that the Red Sox were long looking to find after the retirement of David Ortiz. But with this potentially being his last year in Boston, he’s understandably up for grabs.
The Red Sox should do anything in their power to keep Martinez rather than move on from him. Martinez remains a home run and RBI machine despite the 2020 numbers. His last full campaign in 2019 saw him smash 36 home runs and 105 RBI, which should be what teams expect from him in the upcoming season rather than his 7 HR and 27 RBI through 54 games in 2020. It’s difficult to replace a bat like Martinez, and if they were to move on from him, they would be fully embracing the rebuild.
There were rumors of Martinez potentially being available this past trade deadline, but nothing came to fruition and he ultimately opted back in to remain with the Red Sox, keeping him in Boston for at least the 2021 season. He’s a key part of the team moving forward, from his own work to how he helps teammates.
Martinez should remain a Red Sox through the season.