The Boston Red Sox already re-signed first baseman Mitch Moreland back in December. Now, they’re reportedly bringing back another free agent from their 2017 infield mix.
And it makes total sense.
Eduardo Nunez agreed to a contract with the Red Sox on Thursday, according to multiple reports. The deal is for one year with an option for 2019, a source told ESPN, and it’s pending a physical, which is notable given that Nunez battled a knee injury in 2017 that ultimately cut short his season.
Boston acquired Nunez from the San Francisco Giants for two minor leaguers (Shaun Anderson and Gregory Santos) before last season’s Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline. The 30-year-old appeared in 38 regular-season games with the Red Sox before getting carted off the field in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Houston Astros upon reinjuring his right knee.
There were some highs and some lows, but Nunez was solid for the most part, providing the Red Sox with versatility and a much-needed offensive boost. He hit .321 with eight home runs, 27 RBIs and an .892 OPS in 173 plate appearances with the Sox, and finished the season with 12 home runs, 58 RBIs, 24 stolen bases and a .313/.341/.460 slash line in 114 games split between Boston and San Francisco.
Re-signing Nunez is a good move by the Red Sox for several reasons, the biggest of which is the uncertainty surrounding second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who’s recovering from offseason knee surgery. It’s unclear at this point when Pedroia will be back, but a seven-month timetable was mentioned in the late October press release announcing the 34-year-old’s procedure. It’s reasonable to assume he’ll miss most, if not all, of the season’s first month.
The Red Sox have several other internal options they could rely on to overcome Pedroia’s absence, including Brock Holt, Deven Marrero, Marco Hernandez, Tzu-Wei Lin and even Blake Swihart if his transition into a super utility role goes as planned. But none of those players has Nunez’s major league track record, which includes an All-Star selection in 2016, or skill set.
Sure, Holt is versatile and a former All-Star in his own right. And Marrero and Lin are slick defenders, while Hernandez comes with offensive upside. But Nunez, who can play all over the infield, has excellent speed — he stole a career-high 40 bases in 2016 — to go along with decent power. His bat compensates for his defensive shortcomings — at least in the short-term — and he showed last season he’s capable of providing a spark when the offense stalls. There’s a distinct energy to Nunez’s game, and manager Alex Cora even has the option to place the veteran infielder atop the order, where he started 28 games last season, if the club needs a jolt.
Obviously, it’s difficult to fully assess a move without knowing the financial particulars. And one must take into account the potential roster ramifications of signing Nunez, as the Red Sox have a full 40-man roster and therefore need to designate someone for assignment. But a one-year deal with an option for a second year won’t hamstring the Red Sox, and there are a few DFA candidates whose possible departures wouldn’t impact the big league roster in 2018.
In other words, there isn’t much drawback, if any, to signing Nunez, who’s good enough to not only fill in for Pedroia but also safeguard against lingering health issues that might crop up once the latter returns.
It doesn’t hurt, either, that the New York Yankees reportedly showed interest in Nunez, making this a small battle won in an offseason war currently leaning in favor of the Bronx Bombers.
