The Boston Red Sox are running into a problem that many other American League clubs have in the past, and they’re looking at an unorthodox way to address it.
The Red Sox are facing an outfield logjam, with Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Mookie Betts well-established from left to right field. However, unless they’re willing to move or bench one of them, Boston won’t have a spot in the lineup for designated hitter J.D. Martinez when playing in a National League ballpark.
Manager Alex Cora’s solution may well be moving Betts to the infield.
Red Sox are considering Mookie Betts at second base for the NL games in the World Series. A lot of factors to consider, Alex Cora said. They’ll take a look at matchups. One way or another, JD Martinez will play.
— Jason Mastrodonato (@JMastrodonato) October 20, 2018
Betts at second isn’t exactly as foreign as it might look at first glance. He was a middle infielder during his minor league career, and he briefly filled in there when the Red Sox had an injury emergency late in the season. He might not be elite defensively, but it would allow the Sox to keep both his and Martinez’s bats in the lineup without the benefit of the DH.
