The Boston Red Sox need to improve their infield, while the Arizona Diamondbacks have an excess of middle infielders, making them potential trade partners for Kevin Newman, as suggested by Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report.
The Red Sox demonstrated their playoff potential by winning a series against the first-place New York Yankees over Father’s Day weekend. As of Monday, June 24, they are half a game ahead of the Kansas City Royals for the American League’s third wild card spot. Despite being 9 games behind the Yankees, Boston is positioned to compete for a playoff berth.
Rymer highlights the Red Sox’s struggles at second base, where they have a combined -0.8 bWAR and .503 OPS, the worst in the league. While Enmanuel Valdez has improved at the plate, his overall performance remains below average. At shortstop, David Hamilton has decent overall numbers, but his .218 average and .491 OPS against left-handed pitchers are concerning.
Kevin Newman could address these issues for the Red Sox. As Rymer notes, while a star player might be out of reach, a reliable right-handed hitter with a good glove would be a valuable addition. Newman fits this description, hitting .285 with a .712 OPS over 55 games for the Diamondbacks. In his last 28 games, he’s batted .357 overall and .417 on balls in play, offering a significant upgrade over Valdez and Hamilton.
Defensively, Newman outperforms both Hamilton and Valdez. FanGraphs rates Newman at 2.2 fielding runs above average, compared to Hamilton’s -2.9 and Valdez’s -3.4 at second base. Although primarily a shortstop, Newman has played 132 games at second base in his seven-year career.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic reported that Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is looking for a “short-term solution” at shortstop. Newman, on a one-year, $850,000 deal, fits this profile, presenting minimal risk and disruption. His versatility in playing both second and short offers the Red Sox flexibility, especially with top prospect Marcelo Mayer progressing well in the minors.
The Red Sox have a middle-of-the-pack farm system but possess some Major League talent that could facilitate a trade for Newman. Players like Tyler O’Neill, Nick Pivetta, and Chris Martin might be viable options, as speculated by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
