Red Sox Still Shopping: Could Luis Rengifo Be the Final Piece of Boston’s Infield Puzzle?
The Red Sox have been busy this offseason-just not always in the ways fans hoped. With spring training right around the corner and the team’s equipment truck already en route to Fort Myers, Boston still finds itself with one key item left on the to-do list: finalizing the infield.
It’s no secret the Sox missed out on several of their top infield targets. Aside from Willson Contreras, who remains a potential option, most of the names linked to Boston have already found new homes.
The trade market, once buzzing with activity, has cooled significantly as Opening Day creeps closer. Boston has been tied to names like Isaac Paredes of the Astros and the Cubs' duo of Matt Shaw and Nico Hoerner, but nothing has materialized-and at this point, momentum toward a deal seems to have stalled.
Free agency hasn’t offered much relief either. Eugenio Suárez signed with the Reds on February 1, further thinning the available options. But there’s still one name floating under the radar-one that could make sense for Boston, especially if they’re looking for a low-cost, short-term solution.
Enter Luis Rengifo.
The longtime Angels infielder hasn’t drawn much attention this winter, but he checks a few boxes for a team like the Red Sox that needs depth and versatility. Rengifo, who turns 29 soon, is primarily a second baseman but has logged innings at third and shortstop as well. He’s not a flashy signing, but at this stage in the offseason, he might be exactly the kind of player Boston can bring in without breaking the bank-or dipping further into its prospect pool.
Last season wasn’t kind to Rengifo. He hit just .238 with a .287 on-base percentage and a .335 slugging mark over 147 games.
He collected 16 doubles, three triples, and nine home runs, but his overall production took a step back. Defensively, he struggled too, posting four outs below average while bouncing between second and third base.
Still, it’s worth remembering that Rengifo is only a year removed from the best stretch of his career. In 2024, before a wrist injury cut his season short in early August, he was quietly putting together a breakout campaign.
Over 78 games, he slashed .300/.347/.417 with a .763 OPS and 30 RBIs. He was even generating buzz as a potential trade deadline target before the injury derailed everything.
That version of Rengifo-productive at the plate, flexible in the field, and capable of filling in across the infield-is the one Boston could gamble on. He’s a switch-hitter, though he’s had better results from the right side of the plate throughout his career. That could play well in a potential platoon scenario, especially if the Sox want to keep their options open with Romy Gonzalez and David Hamilton.
Let’s be clear: Rengifo isn’t the perfect solution. But perfect solutions tend to cost a lot more-just ask Alex Bregman.
If the Red Sox were holding out for a flawless fit, that window likely closed weeks ago. What Rengifo offers is flexibility, affordability, and a chance to round out the infield without giving up more young talent.
Boston has already dipped heavily into the trade market this winter. And after moving Jordan Hicks, the Sox have some financial breathing room. That money could be enough to bring in Rengifo on a one-year deal-an inexpensive, low-risk move that gives the team one more option before camp opens.
With time running out and the roster still incomplete, Rengifo might not be the splashiest name out there. But he could be the right name at the right time.