McAdam: Shaky defense likely to reduce Nunez's playing time at 2B

At 21-8, the best record in baseball after the first month, the Red Sox don't have a lot of glaring issues.

They rank second in the majors in runs scored, slugging percentage and OPS, and their staff ERA is second in the American League.

But one area has become an undeniable trouble spot: defense at second base. With Dustin Pedroia still recovering from offseason knee surgery, the Red Sox have largely gone with Eduardo Nunez at second base, who started 22 of the first 28 games at the position.

The results have been problematic. Through his first 27 games (Nunez wasn't in the lineup in Tuesday night's loss to the Royals, but entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh) he was measured at minus-5 in defensive runs saved. And in UZR, which measures range, arm and double play capability, he was judged a minus-1. More damning was the fact that, according to Inside Edge, Nunez had failed to get to a single ball that was judged to be a play of moderate difficulty or tougher, while making only one of three (33 percent) on plays determined to be "likely'' in their degree of difficulty.

And it's not just plays requiring good range that aren't being made by Nunez. He's also dropped a number of throws on stolen base attempts and twice on the current homestand, simply fell over while attempting to make plays.

In virtually every advanced defensive metric, Nunez is ranked in the bottom-third of baseball.

Manager Alex Cora, prior to Tuesday's game, acknowledged that going forward, he would look to get playing time for others at second, reducing Nunez's exposure at second. Brock Holt was due to get more playing time at second before suffering a strained hamstring last Thursday in Toronto, necessitating a trip to the DL. When Holt returns to the roster next week, he'll get additional opportunities at second over Nunez.

"We were actually talking about it in Toronto,'' said Cora. "The way (Holt) was playing at short (during the DL stint for Xander Bogaerts), the way he was swinging the bat, it's good for everybody to get Brock involved a little more.''

To be fair to Nunez, he has acknowledged that second is the position with which he's least comfortable of all the infield spots he's played. The knee injury he battled last fall and rehabbed most of the winter, is still something of a consideration. And being asked to play second five or six times per week in the early going has not only exposed his shortcomings, but also exacted more of a physical toll for a player who isn't yet 100 percent.

"It's a challenge,'' confirmed Cora. "I've been playing him more than I really wanted to, especially in the last 15 days (due to the absence of Bogaerts). I'm pushing him; he's not complaining either. He's honest about it. We know where he feels comfortable (his stated preference is third base, which he's played well). The way he played third base four or five days ago was amazing. He's going to do his best.''

Beyond his defensive struggles, Nunez, with Tuesday's extra-inning homer notwithstanding, has yet to his stride offensively with a slash line of .240/.276/.400.The extra-base ability he showed over the final two months of last season has been largely absent. That's served to magnify his defensive shortcomings, since they're not being balanced out by more contributions at the plate.

"Offensively, he's working,'' said Cora. "The last two days, he's showing up early, trying to get his hands going. He feels like his body is getting in the way. He's expanding (the strike zone); this guy who doesn't strike out that much and yet (beginning in the Toronto series) he struck out twice for five straight days. That's not him offensively.

"There are certain guys who look better in the field when they swing the bat well. If he gets going offensively, I know people are not going to overlook the defense, but they're going to be OK with him making the routine plays.''

With Holt still on the DL for now, Cora's options are few. Tzu-Wei Lin is easily the better defender, but he's yet to establish himself as a hitter at the big league level. Nunez may continue at second for the rest of the week with Lin as the only other choice, but Holt's imminent return from the DL suggests that a reduction of playing time is on the horizon.

Pedroia won't be back for almost another a month, and until then, the Sox need to try other options at second.