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Grading the Red Sox Xander Bogaerts backup plans

By Drew Koch

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 30: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox looks on against the Minnesota Twins on August 30, 2022 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - AUGUST 30: Xander Bogaerts #2 of the Boston Red Sox looks on against the Minnesota Twins on August 30, 2022 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /
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Kike Hernandez, Boston Red Sox
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 02: Enrique Hernandez #5 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after scoring during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park on September 02, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) /

Grading the Red Sox backup plan for Xander Bogaerts: Kiké Hernandez

When Kiké Hernandez is part of your backup plan, you’re doing okay. Many around the Boston Red Sox organization assume that Hernandez will actually move from the outfield back to the infield and take over for Xander Bogaerts at shortstop.

Hernandez opened last season as the Red Sox centerfielder, but in early June, a hip flexor strain saw the former Los Angeles Dodger wind up on the 60-day IL. Hernandez would go on to play in just 93 games and post his worst statistical season since 2016.

Still, the Red Sox thought well enough of Hernandez to re-sign him to a one-year/$10 million deal last September that will keep him in Boston through the 2023 season. The Red Sox will certainly be looking for Hernandez to improve upon his .291 on-base percentage and .629 OPS.

In order to shift Hernandez from center field to shortstop, the Red Sox inked Adam Duvall to a one-year deal. The former All-Star is a solid defender, but Duvall is coming off an injury-plagued 2022 season as well.

So, in an effort to replace Xander Bogaerts, another one of Chaim Bloom’s backup plans is to move Kike Hernandez to shortstop and replace him in the outfield with Adam Duvall. There are worse plans than this one, but not many.

Grade: C+

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