For a majority of this season, the Boston Red Sox have used a platoon of players at first base and right field.
If the Red Sox want a permanent fix at either position, Baltimore Orioles slugger Trey Mancini could be the solution via trade.
Mancini has shown during his career he can play at both spots, but has suited up more as a first baseman and designated hitter than anything else this season. Bringing Mancini on board and giving him the starting nod on a routine basis could potentially help other members of the Red Sox, like Franchy Cordero, Bobby Dalbec and Jackie Bradley Jr., slot into more concrete roles as well.
But the Red Sox wouldn’t acquire Mancini for the contributions he can make in the field. Mancini wields a big bat that would add another punch to Boston’s lineup and certainly give it more depth.
Mancini mashed 21 home runs a season ago after not playing in 2020 due to undergoing chemotherapy treatments following the removal of a cancerous tumor in his colon. Mancini, who won Major League Baseball’s Comeback Player of the Year award last season, is off to another good start this year, batting .283 with six homers and 25 RBIs.
Mancini’s success hitting at Fenway Park might also entice Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom to pull the trigger on bringing Mancini to Boston. Over 39 career games at the ballpark, Mancini is hitting at a .338 clip to go along with five round-trippers and 30 RBIs. For Mancini, his batting average at Fenway is his best at any venue in the American League, including his home stadium of Camden Yards.
The track record of success Mancini has at Fenway could be vital for a Red Sox squad looking to make a push for the playoffs during the second half of the season. Boston will play 38 out of 69 games at home after the All-Star break.
The Red Sox will have until the Major League Baseball trade deadline on Aug. 2 to pull off a potential trade for Mancini. The Orioles may be hesitant to deal him within the division, but with Baltimore securely in last place in the AL East, they could push apprehension to the side and stockpile more prospects by saying goodbye to Mancini.
Mancini’s addition would certainly fill a need for the Red Sox, and give them somebody they can count on and who could make a difference day in and day out.
