“Tanking” is usually not a word that is in a Red Sox fan’s vocabulary, but it certainly is this season. Before the doubleheader vs the Philadephia Phillies on Tuesday the team had double the amount of losses than wins (14-28).
As I have said numerous times, the Red Sox are not going to the playoffs nor do they deserve to be there.
And right now they are on track to own the #1 pick in next year’s MLB Draft.
Although they aren’t going to say it publicly, they want to keep losing so they can get the #1 pick. Their path to that selection got a little bit easier when manager Ron Roenicke revealed that Andrew Benintendi will not return this season due to a strained rib cage.
I know that Benintendi was struggling early on in the year but after trading Kevin Pillar to the Colorado Rockies at the Trade Deadline, there isn’t much outfield depth on the roster to fill his void.
And who knows, Benintendi could’ve come back stronger and actually helped the team win meaningless games. But now that he isn’t returning it makes it easier for the Red Sox to get the #1 pick because they are without their traditional lead-off hitter.
If Boston receives the first pick they would be able to select Kumar Rocker–an electric starting pitcher out of Vanderbilt. Rocker, 20, threw a no-hitter vs Duke in the NCAA regionals last year. Even if they slide down a spot and get the #2 pick, Jack Leiter (also out of Vanderbilt) would likely be Chaim Bloom’s choice.
Benintendi was hitting .103 with zero home runs on the year when he was injured on the basepaths at Fenway Park earlier this season.
(Photo: John Tlumacki/Boston Globe)