Red Sox Scored Sneaky Win in Under-the-Radar Braves Trade

It’s been nearly three weeks, but it still doesn’t quite feel like we’ve grasped the magnitude of the Boston Red Sox’s trade deadline on Aug. 3.

We talk a lot about the Red Sox trading five players for Adley Rutschman. We talk about the decision to dump Marcelo Mayer for standout reliever Erik Miller. We might even revisit the Curtis Mead-Connelly Early swap, even though the two players involved have combined for three innings played since then.

However, we should be giving the Red Sox more recognition for landing Eli White from the Atlanta Braves than we currently are, and Saturday night showed it. He provided a huge lift in the ninth inning to spark a comeback win over the San Francisco Giants, and he could well have even bigger heroics in store later this year.

Why White was such an underrated pickup

Pinch-hitting against left-hander Sam Hentges, White fisted a ball up the middle that landed inches beyond the reach of a diving Osleivis Basabe to force in the Red Sox’s first run of the game on Saturday. His legs took over from there, as he advanced easily to third on a rocket off the wall from Nick Sogard, then scored the winning run on a headfirst dive as Bryce Eldridge’s throw from first base pulled catcher Andrew Knizner off the plate.

At the time of his acquisition, the Red Sox already had a crowded outfield, and they knew it would get even more crowded when Roman Anthony came back from injury. They just had a hunch that they could find a use for a guy with White’s particular skill set, and they’re already being proven right.

There aren’t a ton of bench players across Major League Baseball who have perfected the art of excelling in limited roles, and that’s even more impressive to achieve if you aren’t a standout hitter. But having watched White for all of 10 games, we’re confident in saying that’s exactly who White is.

In his 22 plate appearances in Boston, White is 6-for-21, but all his hits are singles. He now has three RBIs, all of which have come against lefties, and his one stolen base seems like a lock to expand at some point.

If there’s a late-game scenario where you need an at-bat against a lefty, and some good baserunning and/or defense in left field afterward, White’s the guy the Red Sox should want in the moment, It might be a rental, but it’s an addition that could pay major situational dividends.

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