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Peter Abraham

Ranking the Red Sox: Who are the most valuable players?

From left: Ryan Hanigan, Brock Holt, Christian Vazquez, and Hanley Ramirez.USA Today Sports

The Red Sox have used 35 players over 44 games. For fun, let’s rank them in order of value so far.

1. David Ortiz: Easy choice, right? At 40, Ortiz’s 1.092 OPS is the highest in baseball and only his pal Robinson Cano has more RBIs. It’s clear his teammates are determined to make sure Ortiz ends his career in the postseason. Watch him while you can, we’re never going to see a player like him again.

2. Xander Bogaerts: This guy is a superstar. Bogaerts is 23, has played all but 15 innings in the field this season and has an .891 OPS with one error. A few more home runs would be nice and they’ll come.

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3. Jackie Bradley Jr.: Since the start of last season, Bradley has a 141 OPS+ over 117 games. Giancarlo Stanton has a 142 OPS+ over 116 games. It’s amazing sometimes how things can change.

4. Travis Shaw: For a second-year player, Shaw handles whatever comes his way with a calm, professional demeanor. He also has the fourth-highest WAR among third basemen in the majors.

5. Mookie Betts: Did you know he leads the team with a 2.3 WAR? Betts hasn’t really hit yet but has maintained his value with outstanding defense in right field and excellent base running. Last four games: 9 of 17 with four doubles, three homers, and six RBI. Here he comes.

6. Steven Wright: Only Rick Porcello and David Price have thrown more innings than Wright. The knuckleballer held the rotation together in the opening weeks of the season. It’s not crazy to think he could be an All-Star.

7. Rick Porcello: He’s 11-6 with a 3.31 ERA in 17 starts since coming off the disabled list last Aug. 26. The Sox are 7-2 when Porcello starts this season. Like Wright, he saved them early.

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8. Dustin Pedroia: It says something about the lineup that Pedroia’s 116 OPS+ is seventh among the regulars. Based on DRS, he’s again the best defensive second baseman in the league.

9. Hanley Ramirez: It’s like the Red Sox sent him to a hypnotist. Angry Lazy Hanley has become Happy Hustling Hanley and he plays first base like a Dominican Keith Hernandez. Who cares if he has only four home runs?

10. Junichi Tazawa: In his free agent year, Tazawa has been Boston’s best reliever. He has gone more than an inning four times and has worked on back-to-back days four times. He wants to stay in Boston, so maybe a deal should be made.

11. Craig Kimbrel: Take away that Chris Davis home run on April 11 and Kimbrel has allowed two runs over 18 innings. He’s everything he was supposed to be.

12. David Price: Price has allowed three earned runs over 14 innings and struck out 17 in his last two starts. That’s who he is, not the guy with the 6.75 ERA after seven starts. Bumps aside, he has allowed two or fewer earned runs in five of his nine starts.

13. Koji Uehara: We’re never going to see 2013 Koji again. But the 2016 version still averages 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings. He switched from the ninth inning to the eighth inning without much trouble.

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14. Christian Vazquez: He’s sure fun to watch, playing catcher with the aggressive nature of a middle linebacker. His presence has made the Sox a better defensive team. If his offense improves a bit, the Sox have themselves a long-term catcher. Ortiz, for one, sees that happening.

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15. Joe Kelly: The talented righthander came back relatively quickly from a shoulder injury and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning on Saturday. His career has been one of starts and stops. At 27, now is the time to prove he can be counted on.

16. Ryan Hanigan: He has hit .179, so how valuable could he be? Plenty. Hanigan has caught Wright ably and handled assorted call-ups with his usual professionalism. His presence has allowed the Sox to bring Vazquez back carefully. Pitchers have a 3.31 ERA in the 17 games he has caught.

17. Matt Barnes: The former first-round pick is settling into life as a reliever and has been used in an assortment of situations, largely with success. Barnes could be more important as the season wears on.

18. Robbie Ross Jr.: Most of the batters he has faced have come in low-leverage situations. But Ross has pitched well. Striking out 21 in 17 innings suggests he deserves a look in tighter spots.

19. Chris Young: He was 6 for 34 with one RBI in his first 20 games, but is 7 of 17 with four RBIs in six games since. In retrospect, $13 million over two years seems like way too much. But Young has hit lefties (.375/.464/.625) as advertised.

20. Josh Rutledge: He has gotten a lot out of 19 games and 35 at-bats: 13 hits, 9 runs, 4, walks, 3 RBIs, 2 steals, and 1 sacrifice. Rutledge has been a helpful player to have around.

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21. Clay Buchholz: That 5.92 ERA is pretty ugly but Buchholz does have three quality starts at least. Like it or not, the Sox need Buchholz. With Eduardo Rodriguez injured, the Triple-A starters struggling and the trade market likely dormant for at least another month, he has to pitch.

22. Heath Hembree: The righthander struck out 11 of 28 batters in his first three games. He has fanned four of 40 since. Hembree needs to start getting more out of his fastball to stick around, but he has been useful.

23. Tommy Layne: He has ostensibly pitched pretty well, giving up three runs on eight hits over 11 2/3 innings. But only three of the lefty’s appearances have been in high-leverage situations and lefthanded hitters have an .805 OPS against him.

24. Brock Holt: Since playing in the 2015 All-Star Game, Holt has hit .256/.311/.346 and now is on the concussion disabled list. Holt has played well defensively in left field but he ultimately may be a better fit back in the super utility role.

25. Blake Swihart: The Opening Day catcher is now the left fielder in an improbable turn of events. The 24-year-old remains an intriguing player (or trade chip) despite a .575 OPS in nine games.

26. Henry Owens: The Sox won all three games he started but Owens had little to do with that, putting 27 men on base over 12 1/3 innings. The lefty could use a little more fire.

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27. Sean O’Sullivan: The Sox won both of his starts even though O’Sullivan allowed nine runs over 10 1/3 innings. He was then designated for assignment, cleared waivers, and returned to Pawtucket.

28. Marco Hernandez: He’s 1 for 5 in six games and is around primarily because he bats lefthanded. The Sox will probably find a better option at some point. He should be playing every day in the minors.

29. Noe Ramirez: He was on the Opening Day roster and has been on the Pawtucket shuttle since mid-April. Opponents have a .996 OPS against him.

30. Carson Smith: Much was expected from the righthander. Now you wonder how much longer before he needs Tommy John surgery? What a shame that would be.

31. Pat Light: The big guy got in one game and gave up two runs. He’ll be back at some point.

32. Roenis Elias: His last Triple A start was strong, but so far the lefty has been a disappointment given his potential. Elias got in the game on April 23 in Houston and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings.

33. Rusney Castillo: How can a guy with a 1.250 OPS be in Triple A? Oh, yeah, he played one game. But it’s not inconceivable he plays left field again at some point.

34. William Cuevas: The rookie righthander allowed two runs over 2 1/3 innings in an April 21 loss against Tampa Bay. He spent one day on the roster.

35. Pablo Sandoval: At the low, lost cost of $17 million, the Panda showed up out of shape, lost his job, went 0 for 4 with four strikeouts, and underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. Have a year.


Peter Abraham can be reached at peter.abraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @peteabe.