Will the Red Sox make a splash before Opening Day? As part of our “free agency fits” series, we’re examining whether several top players remaining on the open market make sense (or don’t make sense) as Boston builds its roster for the 2022 Major League Baseball season.
The 2021 MLB trade deadline featured a flurry of deals, several of which involved the Cubs, who transitioned to a rebuild once it became apparent they wouldn’t contend in the National League Central.
Among the players Chicago moved: Kris Bryant.
Bryant, the second overall pick in the 2013 MLB Draft (Mark Appel went No. 1 to the Houston Astros), spent parts of seven seasons in the Windy City, earning four All-Star selections and winning a World Series title. He secured NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2015 and won the NL MVP award in 2016, the same season in which the Cubs snapped a 108-year championship drought.
It’s been a rollercoaster ride in recent years, both for Bryant and the Cubs, and Chicago shipped the slugger to the San Francisco Giants back in July. Now, he’s one of the top free agents still available, which begs the question: Should the Red Sox be interested in his services?
Let’s examine.
Info
Position: CI, OF
Age: 30 (Jan. 4, 1992)
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 230 pounds
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
2021 stats
144 games (586 plate appearances)
.265/.353/.481
25 HR, 73 RBI, 10 SB
3.3 bWAR, 3.6 fWAR
Career stats
884 games (3,838 plate appearances)
.278/.376/.504
167 HR, 487 RBI, 44 SB
28.7 bWAR, 31.8 fWAR
Why Bryant makes sense for Red Sox:
Bryant checks a lot of boxes for Boston: He’s a right-handed bat, something the Red Sox covet more in wake of trading Hunter Renfroe (a righty) for Jackie Bradley Jr. (a lefty). He’s versatile, with experience at third base, first base and all three outfield spots. And he has an extensive track record playing in a big market, totaling 185 postseason plate appearances across his seven major league seasons.
Bryant hasn’t quite blossomed into the super-elite player many envisioned after he slugged 39 home runs, racked up 102 RBIs and posted a .939 OPS en route to MVP hardware in his age-24 season. His peaks have come with valleys, none lower than an injury plagued 2020 in which he underwhelmed across the board. But he’s still a very productive player, with power being his calling card, and his defensive versatility certainly aligns with what Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has prioritized in the past.
Bryant has played mostly third base in his career. That’s unlikely to be a full-time home in Boston, where Rafael Devers occupies the hot corner, but the Red Sox could deploy Bryant in left field, at first base in the event Bobby Dalbec struggles and/or as the designated hitter if J.D. Martinez leaves in free agency next offseason.
It’s worth noting, too, that the Red Sox wouldn’t need to surrender draft-pick compensation for signing Bryant, as he was just traded during the 2021 season and therefore was ineligible to receive a qualifying offer from the Giants.
Why Bryant doesn’t make sense for Red Sox:
Price, mostly. While Bryant is an above-average player, again, he hasn’t quite reached the levels most anticipated after he burst onto the scene in Chicago. Plus, his batted-ball profile doesn’t jump off the page. Do the Red Sox really want to commit nine figures — maybe close to $200 million — for a player of his ilk?
One can reasonably expect 25-30 home runs, a respectable batting average, a solid on-base percentage and decent enough defense at multiple positions. Bryant is very good, even if not great, and the Red Sox’s willingness (or lack thereof) to pay a premium presumably depends on how they think his skill set will age and what else they might have up their sleeves this offseason.
Verdict: Sneaky good fit, price point aside.
Prediction: Bryant signs with the Seattle Mariners.
