This Mitch Moreland dude can hit

This Mitch Moreland dude can hit

File this under things some people probably were not expecting to start the season.

That's right: we need to take a couple of minutes to talk about Mitch Moreland and what he has meant for the Red Sox this season. Sure, the season, overall, is not going so well for the team, but Moreland is the best hitter so far--and that will not go unnoticed here.

On Thursday night, he tied the game up twice for the Red Sox, further cementing the hot start he got off to the season. He has played in all 13 games for the Red Sox and is hitting .275 with five home runs, 12 RBI and an 1.106 OPS. Definitely some solid work from him so far...

This is good news for sure, but don't think this guarantees some sort of a breakout season from the 33-year-old. He tends to give his best production early in the season. He is a lifetime .264 hitter with a .797 OPS in the first half of seasons. In the second half of them, however, that figure goes down to .236 and .713. After being named an All-Star last season, he wasn't a second half standout and Steve Pearce ended up getting more reps at first base during the World Series.

That's the other factor to this equation: when Pearce gets back, Moreland won't be playing every single day anymore (presumably). That could really shake up things too as that right-handed bat could help the Red Sox offense in a number of different situations.

So yeah, enjoy Moreland's production while it lasts. It's definitely much-needed for the 4-9 Red Sox but hopefully, they can get some more guys swinging the lumber the way Moreland is so they can win some more ballgames. They can't let the Tampa Bay Rays run away with the division.

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