Mickey Gasper Has Zero Home Runs in 99 At-Bats and the Red Sox Still See Him As Their Leadoff Answer
What in the name of the Emerald City is even happening out there? Folks, the Boston Red Sox are making moves that have me scratching my head harder than I did after that last Mariners error. Their interim manager, Chad Tracy, is reportedly telling everyone he's found *the* answer for their leadoff spot, and get this: it's Mickey Gasper, a dude with *zero* home runs through 99 plate appearances! You read that right. ZERO.Chad Tracy Is All-In on Gasper's Plate Discipline
Tracy has been giving Gasper the leadoff role in his last three starts, and he's sticking with it. Even after a rough 0-for-4 with a single walk in Wednesday's 3-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, Tracy isn't backing down. He told NESN that it's "exactly what I hoped," even though it's only been a couple of games. The guy loves Gasper's approach: "swinging at strikes, taking balls." Remember June 12? Gasper kicked off that game with a perfect four-pitch walk. Tracy wants a guy who's "aggressive in the zone" but also "pretty good at laying off of it if it's not" a strike. He's counting on Gasper to "kickstart the offense," and for now, he's still digging it.The
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Numbers Are Hard to Ignore (for Some of Us) So, what are the actual numbers for this leadoff "answer"? Gasper's overall slash line is a pretty modest .258/.316/.326. Yeah, not exactly Julio Rodriguez numbers, are they? And, again, that big fat zero in the home run column across 99 plate appearances. It's his second stint with Boston, and he's seizing this larger role. But here's the one glimmer of hope: against right-handed pitchers, he's batting .288 with a .354 on-base percentage. Maybe that's what Tracy is banking on. What about other options? Jarren Duran used to be the guy, but while he's hitting for more power now, his on-base percentage is a deflated .273 this season. Masataka Yoshida also had some leadoff assignments, but his OPS is a dismal .499 in June, and he hasn't drawn a walk in six games. So, maybe Gasper is the best of a questionable bunch for Boston right now. Tracy's commitment continues, with Gasper slated to lead off again Thursday against Blue Jays righty Trey Yesavage. Can the numbers start to back up the manager's faith? We'll be watching from the Emerald City. Meanwhile, back here at T-Mobile Park, our Mariners just fell 5-3 to the Baltimore Orioles. A tough one, but we know the boys will fight back! Let's go, Seattle!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.