"Help" on the way for pathetic Red Sox outfield

The Red Sox began the season with five outfielders: Shane Victorino, Jonny Gomes, Daniel Nava, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Grady Sizemore.  If three of the five of them were playing well, my guess is the Sox would be in great shape right now.  Unfortunately they've all sucked.

I don't blame you for not recognizing this guy.

In my efforts to be a better writer I avoid using that word as much as possible, but in this case there's really no other way to put it.  Boston's anemic outfield is the main reason the Red Sox are only scoring 3.97 runs per game; an enormous drop-off from the club's MLB-best 5.27 average last year.  Victorino, Gomes, Nava, Bradley Jr. and Sizemore are a combined 148-for-688 this season.  It's really hard to be competitive when you're outfield is batting .215.

Today Boston signed 36-year-old oft-injured veteran outfielder Andres Torres to a minor league contract.  Torres is a career .242 hitter who's best season was with San Francisco in 2010, when he batted .268 with 16 home runs, 63 RBI and 26 steals.  Replacing Sizemore with an older/worse version of himself doesn't seem like the answer.

Maybe Boston just needs to keep turning infielders into outfielders?  It's worked so far for team MVP Brock Holt, who's 7-for-13 in three games as a left fielder since making his major league debut in the outfield on Sunday, as well as for top prospect Mookie Betts down in Pawtucket (check out my Bleacher Report article).

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