Hunter Renfroe, who bashed 31 homers and 33 doubles for the Red Sox in 2021, will return to Fenway Park for thee games this weekend. Boston hosts the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Red Sox traded Renfroe to the Brewers on Dec. 1 for Jackie Bradley Jr. and prospects Alex Binelas and David Hamilton.
Bradley was attending Mookie Betts’ wedding when he learned of the trade.
By taking on Bradley’s $11 million salary for 2022, the Red Sox were able to acquire both Binelas and Hamilton in the deal.
Renfroe has been OK this season
Renfroe is batting .247 with a .301 on-base percentage, .506 slugging percentage, .807 OPS, 17 homers, 12 doubles, 33 runs, 39 RBIs, 17 walks and 66 strikeouts in 65 games (266 plate appearances).
The 30-year-old right-handed batter has hit better vs. righties (.257/.309/.514/.823, 194 plate appearances) than against lefties (.219/.278/.484/.762, 72 plate appearances).
He’s 11-for-45 (.244) with a .578 slugging percentage, four homers and three doubles in 11 games this month.
He has 8 defensive runs saved in 533 ⅓ innings in right field.
He has a 1.2 fWAR.
Red Sox outfield offense hasn’t been good
All Red Sox outfielders have combined for 21 homers, only four more than Renfroe.
Boston is 29th in batting average (.197), slugging percentage (.317) and OPS (.577) from the right field position. It is 27th in on-base percentage (.260) in right field.
Bradley, still a superb defender, has given the Red Sox very little offensively. He’s batting .208 with a .256 on-base percentage, .314 slugging percentage, .570 OPS, three homers, 17 doubles, one triple, 19 runs, 28 RBIs, 17 walks and 55 strikeouts in 88 games. He has a -0.5 WAR.
Bradley was expected to be a platoon player. But Kiké Hernández’s injury, Christian Arroyo spending time on the IL and not replacing Renfroe with a free agent outfielder) has forced the Red Sox into playing Bradley more than expected. He’s seventh on the Red Sox in plate appearances.
Right field defense
The Red Sox didn’t improve defensively. Arroyo, who has platooned in right with Bradley, has -5 defensive runs saved. He of course never played outfield until this season.
Lack of home runs
The Red Sox overall are 17th in the majors with 100 homers after finishing 10th in 2021 (219 homers).
Trading Hunter Renfroe and letting Kyle Schwarber (NL-leading 32 homers for the Phillies) walk in free agency is a big reason why.
Hamilton has struggled
Hamilton, who will turn 25 in September, has struggled offensively as the leadoff hitter for Double-A Portland.
He’s batting .234 with a .320 on-base percentage, .385 slugging percentage, .705 OPS, eight homers, nine doubles, seven triples, 30 RBIs, 48 runs, 85 strikeouts and 35 walks in 78 games for Portland.
His best tool is his speed and he has been terrific on the base paths. He has been successful on 47-of-51 stolen base attempts.
He performed a little bit better at the plate this month with a .247/.382/.411/.793 line and six extra-base hits in 19 games.
Binelas has struggled at Double A
Binelas started the season at High-A Greenville where he batted .245 with a .355 on-base percentage, .495 slugging percentage, .850 OPS, 14 homers, 10 doubles, one triple, 41 runs, 43 RBIs, 38 walks and 69 strikeouts in 58 games.
The 22-year-old left-handed hitter has struggled since his promotion to Double-A Portland on June 24.
He’s batting .143 with a .269 on-base percentage, .363 slugging percentage, .632 OPS, six homers, zero doubles, one triple, 12 runs, 17 RBIs, 15 walks and 37 strikeouts in 23 games.
He has struck out in 28.9% of his plate appearances overall. He has 106 punch-outs in 367 plate appearances.
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