Tomase: Can Cordero prove Benintendi trade wasn’t a loss for Red Sox? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The hope of any quantity-over-quality deal is that the former eventually yields the latter. The Red Sox may have successfully gamed this formula when dealing away outfielder Andrew Benintendi.
The trade in February of 2021 that sent Benintendi to the Royals brought back a slew of prospects, plus one borderline big leaguer. The prospects haven’t amounted to much — although there’s hope for Triple-A right-hander Josh Winckowski — but the borderline big leaguer is making his presence felt.
Franchy Cordero looked like a bust last year and an afterthought at the start of this one, but he has altered that narrative considerably.
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Cordero delivered the highlight of his Red Sox career on Sunday, launching a mammoth walk-off grand slam to beat the Mariners and run Boston’s winning streak to a season-high five games. In the process, he offered a reminder that final trade verdicts can only be rendered with the benefit of time.
With Benintendi fresh off a Gold Glove 2021 season and hitting .329 with the Royals this year, it’s easy to say the Red Sox got fleeced. But Cordero has made a difference since being recalled from Triple-A Worcester on April 29. Filling in primarily for struggling first baseman Bobby Dalbec, Cordero is hitting .231 with one homer, seven RBIs, and a .709 OPS.
That might not sound like much, but he’s controlling the strike zone (six walks in 52 at-bats) and serving as a threat at a spot where Dalbec has only posted a .504 OPS. It’s no coincidence that his arrival has accompanied the team’s resurgence.
Needless to say, Cordero’s impact could not have been predicted when the Red Sox designated him for assignment last October, only for no one to take a flyer. He returned to Boston, opened the season in the minors, and has made his way back to the big leagues.
Story continues
“He’s great,”…