Red Sox first baseman Sam Travis thriving in role Steve Pearce failed to fill

Boston Red Sox first baseman Sam Travis is starting to emerge as a lefty masher, filling the role that was expected of Steve Pearce.

The Boston Red Sox entered the season expecting to deploy a right-handed bat to platoon with the lefty-swinging Mitch Moreland at first base. What they didn’t expect was that bat would belong to Sam Travis.

We know this because the Red Sox shelled out $6.25 million to bring back Steve Pearce last winter. Instead of allocating those funds toward an undermanned bullpen, Boston rewarded the World Series hero.

It seemed reasonable at the time but clearly backfired with Pearce struggling through an injury-plagued year. The veteran is hitting a putrid .180 in 89…