McAdam: Brock Holt faces uncertain future with Sox

This winter will be full of big decisions for the Red Sox: Will they retain Dave Dombrowski as the team enters a period of transition? Will the Sox sweeten J.D. Martinez's deal to dissuade him from opting out of his contract? Will they make any progress approaching Mookie Betts with a contract extension?

Those issues will take precedence and the resolution to those questions will go a long way in determining how quickly the Red Sox can return to championship contender status.

A smaller matter -- but one with significance -- is what to do with Brock Holt.

On a list of the team's potential free agents, Holt is hardly the most prominent name. Rick Porcello and Mitch Moreland have longer resumes and bigger profiles. But Holt, like the others, is hurtling toward free agency, his future uncertain.

Second base has been a position of uncertainty for each of the last three seasons, in large part because of Dustin Pedroia's unavailability. Pedroia was in Denver visiting with the Red Sox Tuesday, walking with the aid of crutches. After yet another surgical procedure earlier this month, Pedroia had more work and rehab to complete, though this time, it's almost certainly with an eye toward quality of life, and not continuing as a major league infielder.

In Pedroia's absence for all but nine games in the last two seasons, Holt has performed admirably. In Tuesday's 10-6 win over the Colorado Rockies, he quietly added three more hits. Since June 1 -- or not long after he returned from a long IL stint that cost him most of the first two months of the season -- Holt is batting .366 (53-for-145), the highest average for an American League player with a minimum of 165 plate appearances in that span.

With a slash line of .329/.403/.468, Holt is enjoying his finest season. He and his family have established roots in the Boston area, opting to live in New England throughout last winter. Holt is most active with the Jimmy Fund and other philanthropic pursuits.

He will not cost a huge amount of money to retain. A very modest bump from his $3.5-million salary for this year would likely be more than enough — it's hard to envision Holt turning down, say, two years and $7.5 million, a figure that wouldn't burst the Red Sox' budget.

But how does Holt fit in? And where?

The obvious answer would be to have him fill the role he's effectively filled off-and-on for the last two seasons, as the Red Sox' regular second baseman.

The organization has no one ready to graduate from the minor leagues to handle second, and while Michael Chavis performed adequately at second for earlier this season while Holt was still recovering from a scratched cornea and a subsequent should setback, he has his limitations, too.

Marco Hernandez is an intriguing possibility, but the Sox seem reluctant to give him more playing time. He's about to turn 27, and after missing two entire seasons with a major shoulder injury, is finally healthy. He's hit .325 with an OPS of .814, and shown a propensity for the big hit at the big time.

And yet, Hernandez has started just 17 games and hasn't been given time to prove that he could handle the position on an everyday basis.

But there are issues with Holt, too, not the least of which are his struggles against left-handed pitching. Holt is batting just .217 against lefties. Perhaps more tellingly, he's gotten just 23 at-bats against lefties this season, an indication the Sox have little confidence in him in such situations.

Given that both Hernandez and Chavis are under control, the Sox have a number of options at second.  They could simply platoon the two next year. But then, that would limit Chavis's time at first, a spot likely to be left vacant as both Moreland and Steve Pearce move on via free agency.

Holt doesn't provide the power many now want from middle infielders. His homer game-winning homer Saturday night in San Diego was just his third this season. His career-high is seven.

But with no clear alternative, the Sox should think long and hard about letting Holt go elsewhere. If nothing else, he's demonstrated value as a utility player who can move around the entire infield and even contribute in the outfield when needed.

Given his value and versatility, it would seem the smart move would be to retain Holt -- and figure out exactly how to use him later.