The 2024 MLB season has certainly been a roller coaster for Boston Red Sox middle infielder David Hamilton. After two brief stints with the team in 2023 where he hit just .121 with a .438 OPS in 39 plate appearances, he was mostly forgotten by fans and began the season as an emergency depth option in Triple-A Worcester.
That emergency came in the form of shortstop Trevor Story suffering a freak injury diving for a ball against the Los Angeles Angels in early April. With Story expected to miss the entirety of the remaining regular season games, Hamilton was re-called and thrust into the starting SS role.
Major defensive struggles and subpar offensive production led to many fans calling for his outright removal from the MLB roster, he slowly began to turn his performances around and gradually evolved into an electric factory that positively impacted the team daily.
The success he began to have lasted over a month, but a prolonged slump ended his month of July hitting under .200 with an OPS barely eclipsing the .500 mark. The solid seasons being put together by fellow infielder Romy Gonzalez and SS/CF Ceddanne Rafaela as well as a stretch of exclusively facing left-handed pitchers began to phase Hamilton out of the everyday lineup.
Hamilton was rested by manager Alex Cora for a handful of days from the end of July through the beginning of August, during which he and the coaching staff made it public that they believed they had figured something out in the cages.
In his first game back, the rubber match of a series against the Texas Rangers, Hamilton went 2-for-3 with his sixth home run of the season, a walk, and two stolen bases. He was left in the lineup for the series opener against the Kansas City Royals and right-handed pitcher Brady Singer and the result was similar, racking up two hits in five at-bats with his 14th double of the season.
The Red Sox have maintained the best offense in baseball since the All-Star Break without major contributions from Hamilton and if he can regain his pre-July form, their dangerous offense could turn lethal.
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