Texas Rangers, Say It Ain’t So: Trading Adrian Beltre

Boston Red Sox

We’ve heard this a bit this season: Beltre, returning to Boston, the site of his lights-out 2010 campaign (.321 average and 49 homers, somehow only good enough for ninth in the MVP!). 

This is certainly plausible, as Boston is undoubtedly positioned to compete for a World Series championship. Their offense is already one of the best in baseball — first in MLB in hits and team batting average, second in slugging and home runs — and third base is one of the very few positions of weakness for the Sox.

Youngster (and future superstar) Rafael Devers, all of 21 years old, has struggled this season, putting up a paltry .233/.293/.423 line, while also leading all of baseball with 11 errors committed at the hot corner. 

Boston has been lacking production from both the C and CF position, and while Boston does seem committed to both Jackie Bradley Jr. and Christian Vazquez (in no small part due to their defensive prowess), Devers isn’t giving the Red Sox much reason to keep him in the lineup every day during a playoff push. The Yankees look big, and mean, and ready for October…Boston certainly will need to get more out of third base than they have thus far. 

For the Rangers, any of these players would inject some much-needed firepower into their lower-to-mid minor league levels.

Beltre, of course, would present a substantial upgrade over Devers on both sides of the ball, while still allowing the Sox to pencil Devers in as their Opening Day third baseman in 2019. 

As for the return on a player of Beltre’s caliber, Texas might deviate from their pitching search (no Jay Groome talks) and turn their eyes towards a player such as Michael Chavis.

Chavis is a third baseman in Boston’s system, but many think he might shift to second as he develops. The 22-year-old was suspended 80 games this season for PEDs, but his future remains bright. Perhaps the suspension has soured him to the Boston front office?

If Chavis is off the table (which might be the case, as Dustin Pedroia isn’t getting any younger), Texas could also look to Sam Travis, a first baseman whose future with Boston might have opened up with the recent release of Hanley Ramirez, or perhaps right-hander Bryan Mata, whom the Sox signed out of Venezuela as a 17-year-old. Boston has some younger players down the pipe — outfielder Cole Brannen comes to mind (because, mostly, where the hell is he gonna play?), as does shortstop C.J. Chatham, who just seems to hit at every level thus far in his career. 

For the Rangers, any of these players would inject some much-needed firepower into their lower-to-mid minor league levels. While none of these players project superstardom (save perhaps Chatham?), all of them seem very safe bets to be everyday players sometime between now, and 2020.