McAdam: Can Jose Peraza hit enough to claim the second base job full-time?

There's little doubt about Jose Peraza's defensive skill-set.

In three full major league seasons and portions of two others, Peraza has demonstrated that he's a plus-defender, capable of above-average glove work at multiple infield positions.

But to become the Red Sox' everyday player at second base -- for now, at least, the most unsettled position on the field -- Peraza will have to be a better hitter than he's shown. He'll certainly have to be markedly better than he was a year ago, when his .631 OPS was among the lowest figure of any major league regular, causing the Cincinnati Reds to non-tender him last winter.

Manager Ron Roenicke has been enthusiastic about Peraza's bat since Summer Camp began on July 3, noting that the ball is jumping off his bat far better than it was even a few months ago, when the team first assembled in Fort Myers for spring training.

"He’s doing some things with his load now that are really helping him,” Roenicke said. “Every day I go watch him and I’m so impressed with what he’s doing compared to what I saw during the first round when we were in Florida.”

In a Zoom call with reporters, Peraza at first seemed reluctant to discuss what adjustments he's made since March, insisting that he merely moved his hands "a couple centimeters,'' and claimed the biggest difference revolved around his mental approach.

"More than anything, I'm just more confident going into this camp,'' he said through a translator. "So that's what's really helped me the most -- the confidence.''

But later, Peraza was more forthcoming and admitted that he's evolved at the plate.

"Offensively, I feel like I'm a completely different person,'' Peraza said. "I put in so much work during the offseason and obviously during (the first spring training) and then even during this pandemic, while we were waiting, making some minor tweaks. Offensively, I'm a different person than I was back in Cincinnati.



"What I really focused on was just my leg kick. That's probably one of the changes that I made, altering that. That's something I wasn't doing much in 2018 or 2019 when I was with Cincinnati. So it's something that's completely different offensively, the things that I'm doing at the plate. But it's also I'm a little more confident and I'm seeing pitches better as well. I just feel good about where I stand right now in terms of my hitting.''

Traditionally, American League teams expect to get offense out of all eight spots on the diamond. Theoretically, it was easier to hide a sub-average bat in the (previously) no-DH National League. But in the A.L., teams can't afford to give away at-bats and need production from top to bottom of their lineup.

Certainly, there's evidence that Peraza is capable of more than he showed last season. As recently as 2017, Peraza belted 14 hours and posted a more respectable OPS of .742 while adding 14 homers and 23 stolen bases. A return to that sort of performance would be welcome by the Red Sox and position Peraza for something at least resembles full-time status.

Some of Peraza's role could be determined by Michael Chavis. Chavis figures to get at-bats at first against lefties, against whom Mitch Moreland has struggled.

Chavis played 45 games (40 starts) at second last year and his play at the position was a pleasant surprise. He could be an option to get significant playing time at second again, though Peraza could have something to say about that, too.

"I feel more like 2018,'' said Peraza. "Right now, physically I feel great. Mentally, especially I feel great. I'm just really looking forward to this opportunity with the Red Sox that they've given me. I'm really excited about what's to come. I'm ready to just start the season.''

If Peraza can't claim second entirely for himself, his versatility could see him helping out at a number of spots. He's comfortable at both short and third base and has even played some outfield in his career, and in a season that is bound to be unpredictable when it comes to injuries and availability, his ability to help at multiple positions could prove invaluable.

"I'm ready for whatever the manager wants,'' he said. "I'm trying to help the team win, whether it's playing second. third, short...Whatever it is that the manager of the team needs, that's something I'll willing to do because I just want to win. It's helpful that we have a lot of versatile guys to be able to fill all those roles in case some guys need some breaks. So it's a big plus to be able to have the versatility that we do.''