Andrew Benintendi trade rumors: Boston Red Sox in ‘serious trade talks with multiple teams’ (report)

Updated Jan 09, 6:16 PM; Posted Jan 09, 6:12 PM

By **MassLive | Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com**

The Boston Red Sox “have been in serious trade talks with multiple teams” involving left fielder Andrew Benintendi, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden reported Saturday. Bowden added that “nothing is imminent.”

WEEI’s Rob Bradford confirmed the report.

According to multiple sources the #RedSox have been in serious trade talks with multiple teams re: OF Andrew Benintendi looking for prospect(s) type return with emphasis on P & OF....nothing imminent though

— Jim Bowden (@JimBowdenGM) January 9, 2021

Benintendi went 4-for-39 (.103 batting average) with just one extra-base hit (double) in 14 games before a strained rib cage ended his 2020 season.

He enjoyed a strong 2018 season with a .290/.366/.465/.830 line, 16 home runs, 41 doubles, six triples and 87 RBIs in 148 games. But he struggled during the final two months of ‘18 and he has just a .255/.341/.410.751 line since the start of the 2019 season.

His strikeout rate has increased the past two years. He struck out 17% in 2017 and 16% in 2018. His strikeout percentage increased to 22.8% in 2019 and 32.7% in 2020.

He also has declined defensively. He has posted negative-2 Defensive Runs Saved in his past 1,230 ⅔ innings in left field (2019-20), after recording a positive-22 DRS in his first 2,387 ⅓ innings there from 2016-18 (per Fangraphs).

Alex Speier of The Boston Globe wrote in November that Benintendi’s “sprint speed,” as measured by Baseball Savant, has declined each year since his rookie year and “borders on disqualification for center field. ... It also contributes to the view of multiple evaluators that Benintendi’s defense in left has deteriorated.”

“Andrew has proven he’s a very capable outfielder,” Red Sox GM Brian O’Halloran said Dec. 7. “He’s played center field. Obviously he’s played mostly left field and he’s capable in both positions. Obviously it was a tough year for Andrew all around (in 2020). The injury and sort of a lost season unfortunately due to that injury. We expect that he’s healthy, he comes back again. We expect big things out of Andrew.

The Red Sox signed right-handed hitting outfielder Hunter Renfroe to a one-year, $3.1 million contract Dec. 14. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom then said Boston still could sign another outfielder even with Renfroe in the mix.