May 18, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A Boston Red Sox hat and glove rests on the railing by the dugout prior to a game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Red Sox Speedster Called Playoff 'Secret Weapon'

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 2:55 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox aren't guaranteed to get back to the playoffs, but they are giving themselves a shot.

Boston is 85-70 on the season so far and if it can keep winning, it will be back in the playoffs for the first time since 2021. The Red Sox control their own destiny. It would be somewhat surprising to see the club miss out on a playoff spot at this time, although nothing is fully guaranteed.

Because this is the case, there's already been chatter out there about who should make the playoff roster -- and who shouldn't. FanSided's Stephen Parello shared a story talking about four "secret weapons" for the Red Sox and one guy that was mentioned was speedster David Hamilton.

Who will make the roster if the Red Sox make the playoffs?

"The Red Sox will have some tough decisions in how they configure their postseason bench, but one player who shouldn't be left off is David Hamilton," Parello said. "While he's a light-hitting utility infielder, Hamilton possesses game-changing speed as evidenced by his 29.3 feet per second average sprint speed, which ranks in the 94th percentile in baseball. For reference, MLB stolen base leader, Jose Caballero of the New York Yankees, is over a full foot slower with a 28.2 feet per second average.

"Hamilton has swiped 20 bags in 26 tries this year. Last season, he went 33 for 37 in stolen base attempts. The Sox decided to part ways with Abraham Toro over leaving the speedy Hamilton in the minors, despite the latter still having options if they needed to shuffle him up and down to Triple-A, showing how they value his speed. Simply put, Hamilton is built for success as a playoff pinch runner, and his speed could pay big dividends in critical moments."

Hamilton is a somewhat polarizing figure. There's been plenty of times this season in which the chatter around Hamilton has been overly negative and about how the team should replace him. Now, it sounds like the perception around him has completely flipped.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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