ARLINGTON, Texas -- Deven Marrero always has been a slick defender. The issue with him has been his offense since the Red Sox selected him 24th overall in the 2012 draft.

He batted .198 in 96 games for Triple-A Pawtucket last year, then batted only .174 in his first 24 games for the PawSox this year.

But he's beginning to figure things out at the plate.

The right-handed hitter is 11-for-26 (.423) with three doubles, seven RBIs and eight runs during a seven-game hitting streak.

He added another hit Monday against a left-hander in the Boston Red Sox's 7-5 victory over the Texas Rangers in 11 innings here at Globe Life Park.

He's 13-for-36 (.361) with three homers, five doubles, 11 RBIs and a .385 on-base percentage vs. left-handed pitchers.

Have the Red Sox found their solution at third base?

Well, perhaps they have found half of it.

Maybe the Red Sox don't need to make a deadline deal. Perhaps they'd be better off keeping their prospects and platooning Marrero and the left-handed hitting Brock Holt at third base.

Holt (vertigo) is rehabbing with Triple-A Pawtucket as he hopes to return from vertigo. Holt, who hasn't played in a big league game since April 20, homered for Pawtucket on Monday.

The Sox are 16-4 this season when Marrero strokes at least one hit.

Marrero made adjustments to his mechanics this past winter after undergoing right elbow surgery Nov. 16.

"There's definitely some things I've tweaked to make adjustments as I go (this season)," Marrero said before Monday's game. "Every day I think we're all making adjustments to try to find something that we feel, to be more consistent."

Every day he's tried to fine-tune his approach. He also isn't afraid to ask for help from teammates.

"I like talking to guys about pitchers and what they like to throw and where to look on certain guys because they've faced a lot of guys in this league that I haven't faced yet," Marrero said. "I like looking to them for that kind of stuff.

"And with my swing, honestly, Mookie (Betts) is probably the most important person because we've played together so long and we know each other's swing and we know each other's habits. I think collectively we all like try to pick the veteran guy's brains for little things. They've played this game a long time. So they know the adjustments and all that stuff."

He said he never lost his confidence last year.

"When you're struggling, it really shows your true character," Marrero said. "And me being the competitor that I am, I've just been grinding through it and trying to make adjustments. Last year was a tough year for me in the minor leagues, but I learned a lot. It's just how you learn from those times. It's not losing confidence. It's just learning from it and grinding through it. And that really shows the kind of player you are when you're grinding through those times and you usually come out on top in the end."

Last year, it seemed like this opportunity Marrero has with the Red Sox now would never happen.

The Red Sox moved Yoan Moncada to third base last year, had Travis Shaw still in the organization and Rafael Devers in the minors.

But Marrero, a natural shortstop, never felt like his chance would have to come with another organization rather than the Red Sox.

"No, not really," Marrero said. "I mean, I love this organization. And I don't worry about that stuff. I worry about the now. I worry about today. I care about what I can control and that's my performance. It's helping this team win. If one day down the road I'm not the person they need to help this team win, then that will happen. But right now, I'm focused on now and just being here and being in the present."

His quick hands make him a special defensive infielder who can play shortstop, second and third at an above-average level.

"Every day when I was little, I got maybe three buckets of ground balls," Marrero said. "My dad was very relentless on me when it came to defense and taking ground balls and hitting and working hard. So it being natural to me now, I think it goes back to when I was little. Getting all those ground balls back in the day, late at night. And I still work at it every day. It's not like I don't work at it now. I'm working every day trying to get better."