NORTH SHORE – The Boston Red Sox opened a series in Seattle last night with a 2-1 win over the Mariners. This win coming after an exciting win in California against the Angels. Baseball Insider Andy Carbone updates listerners on Red Sox news and MLB trading deadline news.
Baseball Insider Andy Carbone – with Bill Newell
News From Boston Red Sox –
SEATTLE — Andrew Benintendi‘s meteoric rise through the Red Sox’s farm system has landed him in the Major Leagues less than 14 months after being drafted.
The diminutive outfielder with the sweet left-handed swing will fly to Seattle on Tuesday and be added to the roster in time for the 10:10 p.m. ET contest against the Mariners. Boston designated Michael Martinez for assignment in a corresponding move.
Benintendi, who will start in left field against right-handed pitchers, will make his first start on Wednesday night against Hisashi Iwakuma.
Brock Holt, who has been Boston’s primary left fielder against righties, will go back to the super-utility role he’s been so effective at over the years.
“Our people kept coming up and saying, ‘We think he can play at the big league level and we think he’s ready.’ Now, don’t look for him to hit in the middle of the lineup like he will eventually,” said Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. “But he’s a well-rounded player, he’s a good defensive player, he runs the bases well, he has a good arm, we’ve been working him out at left field and he’s been able to play the wall well in Portland there.”
The Red Sox decided that a stint in Triple-A wasn’t necessary for Benintendi, who becomes the club’s first player to come up straight from Double-A since Jackie Bradley Jr. in 2013. He’ll hope to join the Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber and Mets’ Michael Conforto as recent examples of players who had success in the Majors a year after being drafted.
“It’s really not that unusual,” said Dombrowski. “I’ve really brought a lot of guys up from Double-A. Triple-A is a very important league, but it’s also a situation where if they can hit at the Double-A level, if they can play at the Double-A level, it shows that they have the capabilities to do that. Now it doesn’t mean that they’re ready all the time; there’s always an adjustment period, but I always think that Double-A is a real proving ground.”
It has been an impressive rise for the 22-year-old, who is the No. 7 overall prospect in baseball and Boston’s No. 2 prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com. After a superb junior season at Arkansas, Benintendi was taken seventh by the Red Sox in the ’15 Draft.
Benintendi, who is generously listed at 5-foot-10, started this season at Class A Salem. He made his debut at Double-A on May 16.
In 63 games with Double-A Portland this year, Benintendi is hitting .295/.357/.515 with eight home runs, 18 doubles and five triples. At Salem, Benintendi slashed 341/.413/.563 in 34 games.
It was no coincidence the decision to promote Benintendi came just hours after the non-waiver Trade Deadline passed. Dombrowski tried to acquire Carlos Beltran and some other veteran candidates who could play left field, but couldn’t strike a deal.
The first hint that the Red Sox were contemplating the promotion of Benintendi came a couple of weeks ago, when he was shifted from center field to left. The Red Sox have Bradley set in center, and Mookie Betts in right. If Benintendi lives up to his advance billing, this could represent Boston’s starting outfield for a few years to come.
“By all accounts, all reports, whether it’s the staff at the Minor League side or scouts that have gone through and watched him repeatedly, [it’s] his time, he’s ready,” said Red Sox manager John Farrell. “We’re going to get a first-hand look at this very soon.”
Benintendi played for the U.S. Team in this year’s SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Petco Park in San Diego.
Suddenly, the future is now for Benintendi.
“He can use the whole field,” Dombrowski said. “He struck out 39 times and has walked 39 times. He has extra-base power.”
