Red Sox Superstars Overshadowing Others

The theme of the entire season to this point surrounding the Boston Red Sox has been pretty consistent; Mookie Betts and JD Martinez. Obviously, when you have two players making MVP bids on the same team, they will dominate the headlines, as they should. However, people seem to forget that the rest of the team is also pulling their weight and in some cases, having historical years as well. The Red Sox league-leading team batting average of .270 and 489 runs scored did not come from strictly Betts and Martinez. Many of the other guys have contributed significantly throughout the season.

The first player on the Red Sox who has made the largest impact outside of the two MVP candidates would have to be left fielder, Andrew Benintendi. When hitting in between Mookie and Martinez, it makes total sense to be overlooked. Benintendi, however, is having an All-Star caliber year and is getting virtually no attention. He is currently on pace for another 20-home run, 20-stolen base season, along with around 90 runs knocked in and 100 runs scored. It feels as if he has been part of this Red Sox team forever with this kind of production being expected, but in reality, this is still only his sophomore season and the numbers he is putting up are nothing to take for granted.

Just last year, Ian Browne of MLB.com wrote about how Mookie Betts made history by becoming the first Red Sox player to produce consecutive 20-20 seasons. He also wrote that the only other player in Red Sox history to have multiple 20-20 seasons in Boston was Jackie Jensen in 1954 and 1959. Meanwhile, if Benintendi continues on the path he is currently on and reaches the 20-20 mark, which seems like a lock as he currently has 14 home runs and 16 stolen bases, he will join Betts as the second player in Red Sox history to post consecutive 20-20 seasons. On top of that, he will have remarkably completed this historical feat in just his first two seasons.

Another guy you don’t hear much about is shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Coming off of a relatively down year, he has done a complete 180 this season, reminding everyone of the guy we knew in 2016. Bogaerts has been arguably the most clutch player in the Red Sox’s lineup all year, posting a .342 batting average with runners in scoring position, including two grand slams earlier this year and a bases-clearing, go-ahead double Saturday night in Kansas City. With Bogaerts hitting well and hitting for power, he provides a lethal threat right in the middle of the lineup that is crucial to have in order to drive JD Martinez in when he inevitably is on base after yet another hit.

Benintendi and Bogaerts are staples to this Red Sox team whether they get the credit for it or not. Now, thanks to an acquisition a week ago for former Blue Jay, Steve Pearce, the Red Sox have added another piece to compliment Betts and Martinez. Obviously, Pearce is very new to Boston and has not had nearly enough time to make a huge impact on the team. This being said, in the handful of games that he has been here, he has provided general manager Dave Dombrowski with exactly what they had hoped for. In just his first seven games, he has posted a .450 batting average and has been a good option off the bench for manager Alex Cora.

Over Pearce’s 12-year career, he has historically always been a better hitter against southpaws. He has posted a career batting average of .266 vs left-handed pitchers and only .250 vs righties. Assuming he continues this trend, he will provide the Red Sox with exactly what they need, as they have consistently hit righties better all year. He will most likely act as a DH option when Cora opts to start JD Martinez in the outfield or a left-handed specialist off the bench.

If Pearce continues to be even half the player he has been in his first week with the Red Sox, he could prove to be an incredible steal by Dombrowski as he only cost the organization’s 18th-ranked prospect, Santiago Espinal, and cash considerations.

At 62-29, the Red Sox currently hold the best record in baseball. Although Mookie Betts and JD Martinez have been off the charts, the rest of the team deserves high praise for this incredible first half as well.

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