Red Sox might come to regret releasing Hanley

The Boston Red Sox have a serious problem against left-handed pitching.

They managed just two singles over 7 2/3 shutout innings against Seattle Mariners journeyman southpaw Wade LeBlanc on Saturday, and now own the third-lowest OPS in the majors against left-handed pitching, ahead of only the Miami Marlins and New York Mets.

Those struggles are highlighted further by the club's decision to release Hanley Ramirez from his contract last month, eating roughly $15 million on his deal. For all his issues, Ramirez slashed .333/378/.476 against lefties in 19 games this season.

Sure, there were plenty of moving parts with the Ramirez release. The club wanted to avoid having his option vest for 2019, Mitch Moreland needed more playing time, they needed a roster spot to keep Blake Swihart when Dustin Pedroia returned from the disabled list, and manager Alex Cora didn't think Ramirez would be a strong presence in the clubhouse with reduced at-bats.

But three weeks after his release, much of the team's plans have backfired. Moreland is hitting .094/.216/.125 with no home runs over his last 10 games and has a .701 OPS against left-handed pitching. Pedroia went back on the DL just three games into his return and has no timeline for his recovery. While Swihart has gone 3-for-23 this month with one extra-base hit and one walk.

Red Sox regulars vs. LHP

Built to win now, the Red Sox will need to address their issue against left-handed pitching at the trade deadline. However, the club has limited resources in terms of prospect capital and has little financial space to add money as exceeding the top tier of the luxury-tax threshold brings significant penalties. There are other needs, too - the bullpen could use another late-inning arm. But, ultimately, the Red Sox will now be forced to use some of their resources to try and acquire something they already had in Ramirez.

There are options on the trade market. Infielders Scooter Gennett, Eduardo Escobar, Jed Lowrie, and first baseman Justin Smoak all have strong numbers against left-handed pitching and could be available at a cost the Red Sox are willing to pay. The Toronto Blue Jays might be hesitant to deal Smoak to a division rival, however, given his team-friendly option for 2019.

Boston will almost certainly make the playoffs, barring a complete disaster. With the New York Yankees also having a strong year, the Red Sox might have to settle for a wild-card spot, which could potentially pit them against the Mariners and lefty James Paxton. The Red Sox were able to score six off Paxton this weekend, but those came off three errors, and you can bet Boston would feel far from comfortable playing a single-game elimination against the Mariners ace and their current lineup.

It's telling that Ramirez has yet to sign. Maybe the Red Sox weren't the only team that believes there could be an issue with the clubhouse fit. Or maybe Ramirez is just enjoying being paid to spend his time on the beach. Either way, the Red Sox seem to miss his bat.