ATLANTA — As the David Ortiz farewell tour drives on, the one area where he does nothing for the Red Sox could use a bit of attention.
A 2016 turnaround was supposed to be built around David Price and an already strong Ortiz-powered offense, not great defense. But the individual successes of players like Travis Shaw and Hanley Ramirez in the field have culminated in a broader positive effect.
With one eighth of the season finished, the Sox actually are being pushed along in part by a reliable, impressive defense.
“It‘s worked out. Guys work hard,” said Brock Holt, whose versatility between left field and the infield has been a boon for manager John Farrell.