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    Red Sox's Lineup, Payroll, Prospects After Reported Andrew Benintendi Trade

    Paul KasabianSenior ContributorFebruary 11, 2021

    Boston Red Sox's Andrew Benintendi catches a flyout by Baltimore Orioles' Pedro Severino during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, July 25, 2020, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
    Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

    The Boston Red Sox are trading outfielder Andrew Benintendi to the Kansas City Royals in a three-team deal also involving the New York Mets.

    ESPN's Jeff Passan provided the details:

    Jeff Passan @JeffPassan

    The three-way trade is done, sources tell ESPN. Royals get: OF Andrew Benintendi Mets get: OF Khalil Lee Red Sox get: OF Franchy Cordero, RHP Josh Winckowski, two PTBNLs from Kansas City, one PTBNL from New York

    Benintendi was a staple of the Red Sox lineup from 2017-2019, helping the Sox win the 2018 World Series after hitting .290 with 16 home runs, 87 RBI and an .830 OPS.

    Here's a look at how the Red Sox lineup may look without him in the mix, using RosterResource (via FanGraphs) as a guide.

    You can also take a look at Cot's Contracts figures for estimated payroll as well as a breakdown of the known prospects going Boston's way.

            

    Projected Boston Batting Order

    1. CF Alex Verdugo

    Red Sox's Lineup, Payroll, Prospects After Reported Andrew Benintendi Trade
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    2. SS Xander Bogaerts

    3. 3B Rafael Devers

    4. DH J.D. Martinez

    5. C Christian Vazquez

    6. LF Michael Chavis

    7. RF Hunter Renfroe

    8. 1B Bobby Dalbec

    9. 2B Enrique Hernandez

                                      

    Bench

    C/1B Kevin Plawecki

    INF Christian Arroyo

    OF Franchy Cordero

    OF/IF Yairo Munoz

                       

    Payroll

    Before the reported Benintendi deal, Cot's Contracts had Boston's 26-man Opening Day payroll at $179,543,194.

    Benintendi was set to make $6.6 million in 2021. Outfielder Franchy Cordero's 2021 salary with the Royals is listed at $800,000, so a swap with those two would place the estimated payroll at $173,743,194.

                   

    Notes on Returning Players/Prospects

    Cordero, 26, had two home runs, seven RBI and a .211 batting average in 42 plate appearances for the Royals last year. He has 12 homers, 36 RBI, a .236 batting average and .737 OPS in four seasons (95 games) for the San Diego Padres and Royals.

    Ian Cundall of SoxProspects.com provided a breakdown:

    Ian Cundall @IanCundall

    Three years of team control.*

    Right-handed pitcher Josh Winckowski, 22, was ranked as the No. 26 prospect in the Mets' farm system, per MLB Pipeline. Cundall provided a scouting report on him as well:

    Ian Cundall @IanCundall

    Scouting report on new Red Sox RHP Josh Winckowski per a source: Big frame, inconsistent delivery. FB 93-96 T97 lacks movement. Potential avg. mid-80s SL & high-80s CH. Started throwing a split at instructs this year. Likely a reliver. Secondaries need refinement to stick as a SP

    Prior to the deal, B/R's Joel Reuter had the Red Sox farm system ranked 17th in MLB.

    The Red Sox have three players in MLB Pipeline's top 100 in first baseman Triston Casas (No. 44), middle infielder Jeter Downs (No. 49) and corner infielder Bobby Dalbec (No. 93).