Two months into the 2023 season, Red Sox’ Enrique Hernandez is a terrible shortstop, among the worst in MLB.
Hernandez’s defense at shortstop has been a problem all season.
Injuries have forced the Sox’s hand a bit. But Alex Cora has no more valid excuses. Christian Arroyo is back, and Yu Chang should be activated Monday.
Will moving Kiké solve all of Boston’s glaring problems? No, of course not. Shoring up the defense is essential for the Red Sox to turn their season around, though. And that starts with a change at the six-hole.
(Despite Chris Sale being out until at least August, they can get going again.)
Enrique Hernandez at Shortstop Worst-Case Plan For Red Sox
Having Enrique Hernandez start at shortstop was never the backup plan for the Red Sox after Xander Bogaerts left in free agency.
Trevor Story was supposed to take over at short (a fact most knew when he signed). But he injured his elbow in December while ramping up his offseason training, ultimately resulting in surgery, and will be out until sometime in the second half.
All the Red Sox did in response was trade for an already injured Adalberto Mondesi and re-sign Yu Chang. And instead of keeping Kiké in center field, the Sox shifted him back to the infield by signing Adam Duvall for center.
Things could’ve been worse for a last-minute scramble to field a team.
Hernandez had been an average shortstop from 2016-22 in only 150 games played there of his 917 career MLB games (-3 Outs Above Average/5 Defensive Runs Saved/4 errors). Arroyo is a more than serviceable second baseman when on the field. Mondesi has all the tools and talent in the world when healthy. Chang has been a more than adequate shortstop during his career.
Duvall had handled center field just fine in brief stints throughout his career.
The middle infield mix has not played out in reality as hoped.
The 31-year-old has been terrible at shortstop (-6 DRS/-9 OAA/13 errors, 11 throwing errors). Mondesi is still hurt with no return in sight. Arroyo, who missed the last month with a bad hamstring, just returned. Chang, who did take over at short for a while before breaking the hamate bone in his hand, will hopefully be back Monday.
All that forced the Red Sox, for the most part, to keep playing Hernandez at short and relying on guys like Enmanuel Valdéz (-4 OAA/-5 DRS/6 errors) and a few others, who, thankfully, have stepped up, between second and short.
There are no more excuses now. The Kiké Hernandez is a shortstop charade must end.
No More Excuses
Cora hasn’t had much of an excuse to keep throwing the former sixth-round pick at short with Pablo Reyes on the roster. Reyes should have been at short every day for a while now. He earned it more than Kiké has.
The Red Sox manager has less than zero reasons for it starting Monday when Chang is expected to return, now that Arroyo is healthy.
(Valdez was optioned as the countermove for Duvall’s activation and is no longer on the roster.)
The Red Sox have a few moving parts, and if they want Enrique Hernandez in the infield more often than not, he can play second base to help keep Arroyo healthy. Just no more shortstop. Please.
Kiké and Arroyo at second most of the time, occasionally at shortstop, and Chang at short every day (3 DRS/3 OAA this season) should be enough to help stabilize the infield defense, to some extent, anyway.
Boston has to start somewhere. The six-hole is as good a place as any to do that if the Sox want to have any chance of turning the ship around.
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