Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Red Sox have been one of the most surprising teams in baseball, with over 50 wins not even at the All-Star break yet.
No one would have expected the Red Sox to perform at such a high level, with all the drama surrounding former Manager Bobby Valentine last season. But, with a team effort, Boston has once again earned the honor as one of the most successful teams in baseball.
There have been a few guys performing efficiently for the Sox. One solid contributor to their early-season success has been outfielder Daniel Nava.
Nava has been a consistent bat in their lineup. So far this year, he is posting a .284 AVG, with 10 HRs and 49 RBIs. Some fans would argue for an All-Star appearance, but with so many outfielders in the AL, it would be a difficult task for Nava to crack the All-Star squad.
At the age of 30, Nava has finally been given the opportunity to showcase his talents on the big stage. He has performed at an elite level, but lets not get too ahead of ourselves. Is this season just a fluke?
In the last few years, Nava has been mediocre at best. He played the majority of his career with the Pawtucket Red Sox. His career minor league stats are very impressive, posting a .317 AVG, with 51 HRs and 268 RBIs throughout his time there.
This was the reason the Red Sox decided to give him a chance in MLB. Last season in the majors, Nava hit a low .243 AVG, with only 6 HRs and 33 RBIs. With these stats, he was close to being once again optioedn back down to Pawtucket.
With the pressure to perform this season to stay on the major league squad, Nava has delivered. It seems that he is making his case for why he deserves to not only be on the 40-man roster, but also start for the Red Sox.
