TRADE: Boston Red Sox DO Trade For Shortstop After All

 

The Boston Red Sox have changed course, and traded for a shortstop after all. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has completed a deal with the Kansas City Royals for the extremely talented—and extremely injury-prone—Adalberto Mondesi.

Trade news: The Boston Red Sox are acquiring shortstop Adalberto Mondesi from the Kansas City Royals, sources tell ESPN. Deal is done. Players are being informed.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 24, 2023

According to reports, the Royals will receive Josh Taylor in exchange, while Boston will also receive a player to be named later. 

It's worth noting that Mondesi can also play second base, and it's possible that this move still leaves Kike Hernandez as the Red Sox starting shortstop, which manager Alex Cora said just days ago would be the case. 

My initial understanding is that the Red Sox plan to mix and match with Hernández, Mondesi and Arroyo up the middle. I'm told it's still up the air who would be at shortstop on the days both Hernández and Mondesi are in the lineup. A lot of variables in play, obviously.

— Chad Jennings (@chadjennings22) January 24, 2023

Red Sox beat writer Chad Jennings suggests that the plan is to mix and match with Hernández, Mondesi and Christian Arroyo up the middle.

Mondesi is a supremely talented player with speed to burn, but is one of the most injury-plagued players in the sport; he's only played an average of 51 games per season over his seven years in the majors. 

Last year, he suffered an ACL tear in April and was limited to just 15 games. When he does play, and when he's able to get on base, he's a constant threat to steal. He has 133 career SBs in 358 games. But his career on-base percentage is a meager .280.

It will be interesting to see how the Red Sox use him. 

For the Royals, they've dealt off a ton of speed in the last 24 hours, sending CF Michael A. Taylor to Minnesota, and now Mondesi to Boston.

Josh Taylor, the LHP reliever they received in this deal, missed all of last season with a back problem. 

Photo: Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports