Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Could Cozart Trade Push Bogaerts Back Over To 3B?

(Getty Images)
You may recall that Xander Bogaerts played the 2013 post-season at 3B—and handled it very well. The hot rumor that the Red Sox are interested in trading for Reds shortstop Zack Cozart suggests that the X-Man may be on the move around the diamond again. While Xander started the year with a hot (albeit power-free) bat, he has dropped off offensively since the injury to his right hand. And, while he's a more-than-adequate defensive shortstop, Cozart is far better in the field. And, the former Ole Miss star has never played third base in the bigs. So, it could be that any Xander "demand" to stay at short would be less persuasive than it would have been a year ago. In any event. the Cozart rumors abound—although it's unclear what type of prospects/players would need to go back to The Queen City in any deal. The 31-year-old Cozart is having his best year ever—his first All-Star appearance, a .318 batting average and a .974 OPS. But, he will be a free agent at the end of this year, so he'd either be a rental or a long-term signee at shortstop—making a 3B switch by Bogaeerts potentially permanent. Stay tuned.