The Red Sox Are About To Sign Kevin Pillar

The Red Sox have paid another outfielder not named Mookie Betts. This time, it's going to be Kevin Pillar.

Listen, I know you want Mookie. I want Mookie. But Mookie's gone. Life has to move on. Right now, the Red Sox have three starting outfielders who all hit from the left side -- Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Alex Verdugo. Pillar not only gives them another great defensive outfielder, but most importantly, you're getting a right-handed bat out there. That doesn't necessarily mean that a platoon situation is going to appear at one singular position, but Pillar is going to get his at-bats against left-handers, no doubt.

Last year, Pillar had an .823 OPS in 174 plate appearances against left-handed pitching. Overall, the on-base percentage isn't stellar, even against lefties. Pillar got on base at a .293 clip between the Blue Jays and Giants, and a .305 on-base against lefties. But his slugging percentage was over a hundred points higher against left-handed pitching (.519) compared to right-handed pitching (.401). Pillar hit almost as many homers against lefties (9) as he did against righties (12) in nearly 300 fewer plate appearances (297).

In terms of wins above replacement, Pillar isn't the player he once was during his peak years in Toronto from 2015-17, but he's still a good outfielder that can help the Red Sox offset having all lefties in their outfield, and it means limiting JD Martinez having to get out there when his value is obviously in his bat. I like the move. Great dude, too.