(Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
The Chicago White Sox are the worst team in the American League at 38-51 (before the end of Sunday’s game against the Mariners), which means that this season has gone exactly as the Sox had planned. A fierce rebuild has overcome the south-siders as the White Sox have traded three of their best players— pitchers Chris Sale and Jose Quintana and outfielder Adam Eaton— for some of the league’s top prospects. However, the Sox aren’t done yet.
One player that will likely be sporting a new uniform before the July 31 trade deadline: third baseman Todd Frazier.
Frazier’s name has been tossed around trade rumors ever since the White Sox first started shopping their veterans for prospects, and a trade seems closer than ever now. Fox Sports reporter, Ken Rosenthal, said that a Frazier trade to the Boston Red Sox is “almost inevitable.” If this is true, how would Frazier fit in Boston?
First, some background into Frazier’s season thus far. Frazier is slashing .210/.330/.438 this season with 16 home runs and 44 RBIs. Frazier does have an awful .210 average, but his .218 BABIP suggests that his average should increase as his BABIP increases closer to league average. He has a BB% of 14.2%, which is a massive increase from his 9.6 BB% last season, so he is still getting on base even with a .210 batting average.
Frazier has played extremely well since the start of June, hitting .242/.367/.524 with 9 home runs and 21 RBIs in 36 games. At this rate, over a full 162 game season, Frazier would have 41 home runs and 95 RBIs.
As for the Red Sox, third base has been their worst position so far this season. Their third basemen have a combined .233/.288/.333 slash line with seven home runs and 39 RBIs. Boston recently designated Pablo Sandoval for assignment, resulting in the Red Sox eating nearly $48 million that remain on his five year, $95 million contract he signed after the 2014 season. Boston will now look to Brock Holt and Deven Marrero to hold down the fort at the hot corner if they are unable to land a third baseman at the trade deadline.
Todd Frazier would also be an incredible fit as a hitter in Fenway Park. Righty pull hitters are often very successful in Fenway Park because of the shorter distance to the wall in left, although hitters need to add more height to their hits to get them over the green monster. If you look at the spray chart below, you can see a lot of Frazier’s hits last season may have gone out of Fenway Park. It is a little difficult to determine the exact number because of the height of the wall, but he definitely would’ve hit several more.
(Baseball-Savant.com)
One aspect of Frazier’s game that goes unnoticed by fans that don’t watch him often is his personality and locker room presence. He has a contagious, upbeat personality that will immediately have a positive impact on the Red Sox players, and his veteran presence can help replace the leadership that left when David Ortiz retired. Todd Frazier would go a long way in helping the Red Sox in their World Series hunt.