First, we have Daniel Nava. You might remember him from 2010, when he burst onto the MLB scene with a grand slam on the first pitch he ever saw in the big leagues. Nava then proceeded to reach base in his first 13 games before being sent back down to Pawtucket to clear up roster space for a recovered Jeremy Hermida.
So, essentially, we're dealing with a guy who knows how to reach base effectively and often. Nava has already chalked up 14 hits so far this season with two homers — not bad. He's sitting pretty with a .326 average after 43 at bats — really not bad. He's only struck out nine times – really, really not bad. And the icing on the cake is that he has 11 RBIs. Nava could easily be a top contender for a starting spot if he keeps his play at this level for the remainder of the season.
Next, we have rookie righty Che-Hsuan Lin. The 23-year-old didn't have a hot start to his career like Nava, but he hasn't necessarily had a cold one either. Let's call it lukewarm. Lin has seen time in four games, has already crossed the plate once, and earned himself his first and only big league hit. Lin, however, is known primarily for his defense.
Lin saved the day during Wednesday's game against Baltimore as the Orioles were knocking on comeback's door with an acrobatic catch that, if not made, would have otherwise surely lead to a run. He is one of those cases where we just have to wait and see how it pans out — but right now, Lin hasn't shown any glaring signs that he wouldn't be a valuable asset to the Sox outfield.
That brings us to Marlon Byrd, who has racked up 26 hits and eight RBIs this season. Byrd has to be careful, though. He has struck out 27 times, which is something that's a bit alarming.
Finally, we have Scott Podsednik. To say the least, Podsednik has had a roller-coaster ride through the MLB and the minors. He has played for nine professional clubs throughout his career. However, we should remember that Podsednik did lead the majors in stolen bases in 2004, so maybe we can see some of that out of the 36-year-old this season.
Which Red Sox outfield addition will have the biggest impact this season?
