DownSwinging.com

Let’s just say that Julio Lugo is not in good favor. Yesterday, Lugo missed a mandatory workout, allegedly due to a mixup, and then did not travel with the rest of the team to Toronto. According to Ken Rosenthal, the Red Sox are “desperately” trying to trade (/just get rid of) Lugo in order to make room for the returning Jed Lowrie and Mike Lowell as well as the addition of Clay Buchholz, who is pitching tonight against the Jays.

A good article on Lugo showed up on FanGraphs, with the conclusion that Lugo is an average hitter and below-average defender. Granted, Lugo is basically just in his decline, and has been since he joined Boston, but I’m really surprised that no team has jumped on this yet. It’s like the perfect deal for a small-market club. Here is a rich team in the Red Sox, who really need to relieve themselves of a once-good shortstop and are willing to eat most of the cost for him and only want like a borderline prospect in return. If you’re looking for a short comedic list of things Lugo might be traded for, here you go.

Lugo may not be great defensively, but offensively, he has done a little better this season. Not to mention the fact that he does have a good eye. Having an average hitting shortstop means that he will definitely be an upgrade for a couple of teams, even if they aren’t playoff contenders, and they’re getting him basically for free, so why not?

Another thought is to move Lugo to second base. Obviously his range will still be poor, but at least he won’t have to make the long throw, so this could help him out.

The bottom line is that in two weeks at the most you’ll be seeing Lugo in a non-Red Sox uniform. For sure.