Red Sox are getting hot as rookie Michael Chavis becomes their potential answer at second base
Chavis has far outplayed Boston's other second-base options, hitting .310 with four home runs thus far
•
1 min read
By any measure, the Boston Red Sox have been one of baseball's biggest disappointments in 2019. The defending World Series champions entered Saturday stationed in fourth place in the American League East with a 15-18 record. And yet, for as poorly as the Red Sox opened the season, things have improved in recent weeks. Since a disastrous mid-April series against the New York Yankees that dropped Boston to last, the Red Sox have rattled off nine wins in 14 tries -- a pace that would result in 104 victories over the course of a full season.
To be certain that is a selective endpoint, but it's a convenient one -- and one that nearly dovetails with the promotion of infielder Michael Chavis, who was held as the system's top prospect.
The Red Sox brought up Chavis almost by necessity: Eduardo Nunez was headed to the injury list to join fellow second-base options Dustin Pedroia and Brock Holt. Boston could have simply slotted in Tzu-Wei Lin and called it a day, but instead opted to give Chavis a look. That decision has paid dividends. Chavis, 23 until August, has appeared in 13 games and hit .310/.442/.619 with four home runs and a pair of stolen bases.
Chavis's production has been particularly refreshing in light of how poorly Boston's four other second basemen had played this season. Take a look at this comparison:
| Player | AB | HR | BA | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chavis | 42 | 4 | .310 | .442 | .619 |
Pedroia/Nunez/Holt/Lin | 100 | 0 | .140 | .196 | .170 |
Granted, Chavis isn't likely to keep up this level of production. He does possess well-above-average power despite his unimposing figure thanks to a quick bat and the loft present in his swing. He's also shown to have a good command over the strike zone and a patient approach. The catch is that Chavis is prone to swinging and missing, a condition that's likely to prevent him from hitting for a high average heading forward. His ultimate defensive home is an open question, too, with some public analysts wondering if he'll end up at first base.
Whatever happens in the future is besides the point. For now, the Red Sox look more like their old selves -- and Chavis and his hot-hitting are part of the reason why.
