Red Sox almost traded Andrew Benintendi to a different team before Royals deal
By Josh Hill
The Boston Red Sox almost sent Andrew Benintendi south and to another league this offseason.
When Red Sox fans looked out their windows this offseason, it was hard to determine whether the white surface the sun was reflecting off of the snowfall on the ground or the flag being waved from Fenway Park.
Oh, how things have changed.
Boston traded outfielder Andrew Benintendi to the Kansas City Royals thus stripping itself bare of a World Series core. But three months into the season, the Red Sox are flirting with a serious run at an AL East crown and seem to be in the driver’s seat for a playoff berth one way or another.
Instead of trolling the Red Sox over how the deal shook out, the jeers are being directed at a different team; one that ended up not trading for Benintendi at all.
According to Barry Jackson and Craig Mish of the Miami Herald, the Red Sox almost dealt Benintendi to the Miami Marlins before eventually striking a deal with the Royals.
"Per sources, the Marlins — in early February — declined to trade versatile infielder Jon Berti to San Diego in a multi-player deal that would have sent outfielder Andrew Benintendi from the Red Sox to the Marlins."
Miami ended up passing on the Benintendi deal and signing Adam Duvall to a one-year deal. The $5 million price tag seemed cheap at the time, but it’s ended up being more expensive in its worthlessness than originally thought.
So far this season, Duvall is stringing together a pitiful .207/.254/.410, while Benintendi is in Kansas City posting a solid .284/.342/.412 with the Royals.
Boston ended up the real winner, as it was able to unload Benintendi and not incur any on-field blowback in the form of performance setbacks. The Royals are fading in the AL Central, but could resurface at any point in what is one of the most winnable divisions in baseball.
Kansas City traded Franchy Cordero, Khalil Lee, and two players to be named (who ended up being Grant Gambrell and Luis De La Rosa).
But the Marlins, who seemed to only be tangentially involved with the fallout from the Benintendi trade, somehow look the worst off.