With Opening Day less than two weeks away, the Red Sox roster is starting to take shape. One spot, however, still to be determined is the final bench spot.
That spot will be filled by either Christian Arroyo or Michael Chavis, who have been two of the Red Sox best players in the spring. The duo has hit a combined nine home runs and driven in 18 runs. While they have both excelled, Arroyo has been a man on a mission.
In 40 at-bats this spring, Arroyo is hitting .300 with three home runs. The Red Sox infielder has also driven in eight runs, including four on Monday afternoon. In Arroyo’s past two games, he has been one of Boston’s best hitters as he has three hits in four at-bats. With his roster spot on the line, Arroyo has matched Chavis’s production. After a successful first stint in Boston last year, he has been able to carry that momentum into 2021.
After stops with the Rays, Giants, and Indians, Arroyo appeared in 14 games for the Red Sox last season. Although Arroyo’s only had 50 at-bats for Boston, he made a good first impression. The former top prospect showed some power as he hit three home runs which tied a career-high. Entering Spring Training, he also had a slight edge over Chavis. The Tampa Bay native is out of options and can’t be sent to the minors without being exposed to waivers.
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While Arroyo’s contract gives him an advantage, his play has only helped his case. The former first-round has the third most homers on the Red Sox in Spring Training behind only Bobby Dalbec and Michael Chavis. Arroyo has also shown good plate discipline in the spring as he has only struck out seven times.
What to expect from Arroyo in 2021
If Arroyo does earn the last roster spot, he will be looking to build on his success from 2020. Arroyo is expected to spend most of his time in the infield but has gotten some reps in the outfield during Spring Training. He also barreled up nearly every ball and showed up at camp determined to earn a role. He has also shown why he was once a highly regarded prospect. While Chavis and Arroyo have not made the Red Sox’s decision easy, it is not a bad problem to have.
As Arroyo prepares for the regular season, staying healthy will be key. He has never appeared in more than 50 games in a season and missed time last year. Regardless of what the Red Sox decide, Arroyo has had an impressive spring and made a good case to be on the Opening Day roster.
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