Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston reports that the agent of utilityman Blake Swihart, Brodie Scoffield of The Legacy Agency, has requested the Red Sox trade his client so he can get playing time elsewhere. Scoffield said, “We’ve had conversations with the team, and they’re aware of how we feel. Blake’s in a really difficult position. We’ve got a switch-hitter, offensive impact player, and his bat deserves a chance to be in the lineup.” He added, “I don’t think we’re building any time of trade value, nor helping him progress as a ballplayer, nor is the team really being served by him in this role.”
Swihart, 26, was once a consensus top-100 prospect in baseball as a catcher. While he has spent a majority of his major league career behind the plate, he has spent only one inning there this season with the other 23 coming in left field (19) and first base (four). The Red Sox have gotten a combined .444 OPS from catchers Sandy Leon (.464) and Christian Vazquez (.435). Swihart has started in only four of his team’s 43 games this season.
Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski views Swihart as “protection for us as a third catcher.” He said, "...the reality is, your 25th player usually doesn’t play that much anyway, really.”
As Drellich points out, Swihart hasn’t been asked to pinch-hit since APril 27 and hasn’t pinch-run since April 5. It makes sense that Scoffield would pursue a trade for his client, as his situation in Boston is not making much sense.