When Travis Shaw came into spring training this season, looking energized and ready to earn a spot in the lineup, he proceeded to win the third base job over Pablo Sandoval. The Red Sox looked like they might have their third baseman for 2016, if not the years to come.

And when Shaw hit .314 in April, with eight doubles, the Red Sox were feeling pretty good about their situation at third base. Although Shaw struggled against lefties, they had Brock Holt to compliment, who had hit .295 against southpaws since 2013. 

Problem solved? Not so much. 

Red Sox are too cold at the Hot Corner

After a red-hot April and solid May (.275), Shaw entered a tailspin that has lasted all the way through August and into the first day of September. He hit .214 in June, contributing to his decent, but not great, .269 average at the All-Star Break. All the Red Sox could hope was that Shaw would get his stroke back along with the rest of the Sox bats, which had gone silent in a lackluster June that was a major reason they were just 10-16.

However, Shaw went into an even greater funk, hitting just .189 since the Mid-Summer classic, making the third base position the shakiest slot in the Red Sox lineup.

As the weather has gotten hotter, Travis Shaw has gotten colder. He may see reduced playing time in September. www.todaysknuckleball.com

What about Brock Holt? Holt's been solid statistically, but he is not an everyday player. He is at his most effective when he is slotted into a utility role, not playing every day, but playing enough to serve as a sparkplug in the Red Sox lineup. Plus, Holt's magic against southpaw pitching has been non-existent in 2016 as the super-utility man has gone just 4-32 in his opportunities against left-handers. 

Brock Holt is at his best in a super-utility role for the Red Sox. bleacherreport.com

Meanwhile, recently acquired Aaron Hill has not proved to be the answer either as he is hitting under .200 since coming to Boston, including a dismal .178 at Fenway Park. A career .260 hitter against southpaws, Hill has shown little promise in that category since coming to Boston in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Hill hit .317 over May and June, increasing his trade value to the point that the Red Sox gave up two prospects to garner his services. However, in July and August, mostly spent with Boston, the veteran has hit just .224, hardly inspiring numbers. 

Aaron Hill hasn't been reliable in his 2 months with the Red Sox. masslive.com

So, what are the Red Sox going to do at the hot corner?

The hope is that their recently promoted top prospectYoan Moncada, will chip in offensively, but Moncada won't be expected to do much against lefties. Although southpaws at the Double-A level carved him up - the switch-hitter hit just .170 with a healthy dose of strikeouts while batting right-handed - the promise that Moncada brings to the table against right-handed hurlers was too much to resist. And while it could solve part of the problem for the Red Sox, it certainly won't provide the solution against left-handed pitching. 

So what is the solution? How about we think about a new name - one that has spent the season playing for AAA Pawtucket, with the occasional trip up to Boston to fill in. His stats are impressive, and his numbers against left-handers are quite appealing, compared to the miserable numbers put up by Red Sox third basemen this season. 

Enter the scene, Marco Hernandez. 

Hernandez should be given a shot in the Red Sox lineup

Although he is not an established MLB starter by any stretch, Hernandez should certainly be considered as a possible answer to the third base problem that has plagued the Red Sox since June. He only has 44 at-bats in the majors, but his numbers have been solid. Hitting at a .295 clip, Hernandez has not had an at-bat in the majors since July, but he will almost certainly receive a call-up in September. Hernandez is an appealing solution to the problem for the Sox, mainly because of his track record against left-handed pitching. 

He has very little experience against big league pitching, but he's done very well in his limitied opportunities, going 4-7 with a walk against southpaws. And, judging by his minor league numbers, those numbers aren't flukes. Since coming to Boston between the 2014 and 2015 seasons, Hernandez has been dynamic against lefties, hitting an astounding .329 clip. It's been much of the same this season, as, in Pawtucket, Hernandez is sitting pretty with a .328 average against the southpaws, and an overall average of .309. Hernandez doesn't feature much power or speed, but his ability to hit for average could make him a valuable asset at the bottom of the Red Sox lineup, in a potential platoon with Moncada.

In a tight playoff race, as the Red Sox try to catch the Toronto Blue Jays for the A.L. East division title, the Red Sox don't have time to keep hoping for Shaw to rediscover what he had in April and May. They've given him three months to fix himself, and he hasn't. It's much the same for Hill, who has been subpar since his coming to Boston. Holt, if Moncada can perform for the Red Sox, will have limited use in a platoon role, allowing him to return to his supersub role that has made him so valuable to the Sox in past years.

If this potential platoon works out for the Sox, Shaw and Hill may find themselves with reduced playing time, but the ice-cold duo hasn't exactly proved themselves to be reliable mainstays in the lineup. It's not the ideal solution, but it could be a serviceable platoon for the Red Sox  as they make a run towards the postseason for the first time since 2013. 

Maybe Marco Hernandez isn't the permanent solution for the Red Sox at third base? And maybe his AAA numbers won't translate to success in the big leagues? But it's worth the shot. How much worse can the Red Sox get at third base anyways?

VAVEL Logo
About the author