Kevin Youkilis will be joining the NESN broadcast booth this season and already is coming up with a plan to help the Boston Red Sox win.
Youkilis played for the Red Sox between 2004 and 2012, winning two World Series titles in Boston while splitting time between first and third base. “Youk” will provide a unique voice to the broadcast as a storied member of the Red Sox franchise.
When asked which moves he’d like to see the Red Sox make, Youkilis presented two areas of need.
“The bullpen. You’ve got to make sure the bullpen is solidified — on the back end, especially,” Youkilis told NESN.com. “So making sure you have that seventh, eighth and ninth covered is a big deal. I’d love to see them get a reliever. There’s not too many on the free-agent market as much as maybe through a trade. Chaim is really good at figuring out how to manipulate that roster by trade.”
The Red Sox struggled to find a closer over the second half of the season as Matt Barnes appeared to lose his All-Star form after the break. Barnes’ numbers declined in just about every statistical category from the first half to the second.
As Barnes looks to bounce back, his status as a closer is up in the air. Hansel Robles is sitting in free agency and Adam Ottavino signed with the New York Mets, which further proves Youkilis’ point.
The other area of need for the Red Sox was self-induced. Minutes before the lockout began, the Red Sox made a big splash by trading away Hunter Renfroe for Jackie Bradley Jr. and two prospects.
“I’d like to see a bat in right field,” Youkilis said. “I know JBJ came back and is just an unbelievable outfielder — probably one of the best outfielders I’ve seen — and a guy who can run down balls and has a tremendous arm. But you know, you need to hit, and I think now with the DH in effect, too, in interleague games, that’s a big deal. So another bat in the outfield would be huge.”
There still are a few quality outfielders available for the Red Sox to pursue in free agency. Japanese superstar Seiya Suzuki has been linked to Boston and would fill a need in right field. Kris Bryant might provide versatility, which Chaim Bloom has targeted in the past.
If the Red Sox decide to place a priority on offense, a reunion with Kyle Schwarber or acquisition of the hard-hitting Nick Castellanos also could make sense.
