The Red Sox were one of a number of teams to make their first round of roster cuts today. Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom announced the assignment of 12 players to minor league camp.
There are unlikely to be many surprises from this early round of cuts. For Boston, catchers Roldani Baldwin and Austin Rei, and pitchers Seth Blair, Matt Carasiti, Raynel Espinal, Durbin Feltman, Franklin German, Zac Grotz, Kaleb Ort, Andrew Politi, Thaddeus Ward, and Josh Winckowski were re-assigned to minor league camp. No one from this group was on their 40-man roster.
You might recognize Winckowski, who’s been quite the traveler this winter. He went from the Blue Jays to the Mets as part of the Steven Matz trade. Two weeks later, he found himself in Boston as part of the return for Andrew Benintendi (by way of the Royals and Khalil Lee). The 22-year-old has yet to play a pro game above High-A. Though he may eventually work his way into a swingman role, Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen suggests he’s bound for a relief role unless he can develop a more consistent third offering.
German may also ring a few bells, as he came to the Red Sox from the Yankees as the contract tax for Adam Ottavino. Fangraphs has German as the 25th-ranked prospect in Boston’s system. Like Winckowski, however, German has yet to appear above High-A. Fangraphs also lists relievers Feltman and Politi among Boston’s top 47 prospects.
Is this a thing Mlbtr has ever done in the past? Just posting random spring roster cuts? I’m mean the article starts out by saying the Sox were among a number of teams to cut players… are we getting an article for each team, each time they submit cuts? Or are the Red Sox just special due to their expected 4th place finish?
I always remember them reporting roster cuts.
I sometimes remember them reporting roster cuts.
4th? Thanks for the optimism!
Fortunately the Orioles and Pirates never even bother trying to get out of last place, so yes, Fourth!
Have to get people engaged on some topics since every other article is comment locked.
So, you want less content ? Nick says stop working so hard, guys.
Nick are you kidding it is the Red Sox. If they go 1 article without it being about NY Teams or Boston in their minds they would have to shut the site down. The rest of us are just hillbillies.
It’s obviously generated by number of clicks. Red Sox and Yankees and the other ravenous fans around Sports want every tidbit of information and it’s obvious with the number of clicks. Follow the money/ advertising generation/ interest.
You don’t need to read articles you’re not interested in reading. Also, look at the last 20 articles or so … how many Red Sox articles not related to JBJ? Was it noticeably more than Pirates articles? Read the chats. Overloaded with Red Sox questions being answered? It’s all in your head.
Too many writers, no nearly enough news
Is there a link to the other team roster cuts?
Teams aren’t generally making cuts yet, since there aren’t any minor-league camps where guys can be sent – those won’t open until after the major-league camps are finished, so no one is being “re-assigned to minor league camp” like the story says. Teams are keeping everyone working out in major-league camp and will make cuts just before opening day.
Ok thank you.
Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
Except the icebergs are all melted now. Views change.
Sure but was it really an iceberg?
– Kyrie Irving
Sox making room for BIG SEXY!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah Bloom will pick up another .210 hitter or a pitcher with an ERA north of 5.00. This team will be lucky to finish 4th this year.
Al34 – A bit harsh on the Orioles!!! hahaha
FYI… did you see Price pitch the other day? He looked like the old #2 that pitched in Boston! Should be fun seeing him pitch well knowing we are paying the Dodgers $16M to watch him pitch. That’s more than a Superbowl ticket!!
Bloom, the GM with a degree in Latin Classics. How do you say sucks in Latin?
Should have hired an MBA from Harvard, at least the $48M Price debacle wouldn’t have happened!!
Another great trade by Bloom getting rid of Betts. If Verduna and Jeter Downs do not pair out they are going to be screaming for Bloom’s Head on a Cheese Platter!
Mookie was never going to re up with Boston. Bloom got the Dodgers to take price for salary reduction. Time to let it go. In five years mookie’s contract will be under water. At least we got SOMETHING in the deal, and these guys might help this team in the future
Spike – give up on those people! They are complaining just to complain. Those with common sense get it!
Betts had free will not to sign, and there was NEVER any indication that he would. Mr. Glitz is now in Glitzville!
Spike – Do you believe Mookie wanted out due to racism? If not, why would a guy loved by the Boston fan base want out? So if you are right that he NEVER would have re-signed, ask yourself why? The guy had charities all around Boston, he was the face of the franchise, why would he want out?
You make the Mookie situation sound inevitable but it wasn’t. It was caused by something that could have been avoided.
If you believe Mookie is going to fade in five years, then you simply don’t comprehend baseball. He’s a lock to be a HOFer for the Dodgers and the only thing that would prevent it is injury, very serious injury.
We got NOTHING in the deal but bench guys. If you have ever played fantasy sports you would understand trading two top flight players for bench players are the most LOPSIDED trades that exist. One side gains enormously without losing anything and the other side loses significantly based on skill sets lost versus gained.
Bloom did his old mentor a favor and it cost him his integrity. No SPs for 3 re-treads? That’s the SOMETHING you are raving about? It’s NOTHING!!
If Bloom waits until July then he has a chance for SOMEONE to wake up and talk Mookie into staying. If he waits until July, ATL, SD and LAD are all bidding on Mookie as the piece that gets them to the promised land. Instead, Bloom gives up the key to the WS in January for bench players. It’s embarrassing.
The time to let this go is when Bloom and Cora are gone. Until then I’ll be banging the drum as loudly as possible so fans don’t forget the biggest mistake in 100 years. If ownership sells and pockets the billions of capital gains created by twenty years of winning, then at least we might find some new owners that won’t turn their back on their fans and POCKET the money rather than putting it back into the product the fans pay so dearly for!! Ticket prices dropping equivalent to the 108 to 65 win team did in quality of players? NOPE all the money saved goes to the owners not the fans. It’s their prerogative as owners and it’s our prerogative as fans to complain about the quality of the product on the field.
Paid infuencers can try to champion a totally lame ownership group but they can’t silence the fans!!!
RS8 – Mr. Glitz? Try again. Mr. not willing to put up with racist owners.
Mookie wasn’t about glitz, he was about diversity in the workplace and that’s something LAD has and the Red Sox don’t. If you haven’t walked in his shoes how can you speak to what his experience was as a Red Sox player?
You think your conclusions represent common sense? You couldn’t be more ignorant.
Y’all complain too much, I can’t wait until the real games start.
Fever – Tune in a Dodger game with Mookie and Price playing and ask yourself why you aren’t complaining!!! So many things to complain about and so little time!!! We do our best to send a message to ownership and Bloom about how badly they screwed up after so many years of success for the owners. That’s the great part of being a fan. Cheer when they do things right and complain when they do things wrong. Lots and lots of complaining coming in the next half decade!!
We weren’t keeping Mookie so I’m okay he’s gone but I do agree Bloom could have done better elsewhere. We will have to see.
pwndroia – Interesting comment. When you say we weren’t keeping Mookie so I’m okay he’s gone are you suggesting ownership chose to not keep Mookie? Most people believe Mookie made it clear he wasn’t staying and many, many believe because of racist actions by ownership.
Do you believe ownership didn’t want him or he didn’t want anything to do with this ownership?
The ownership and Bloom gave up one year of Mookie and three years of Price and paid $48M to get 5 years of Verdugo, 6 years of Downs and 6 years of Wong. Verdugo clearly will contribute on the major league level for many if not all of the 5 years while the team is not competitive so I’m not sure how to weigh that value..
In fact, he’ll get far more playing time in Boston than he would have in LA because he was a spare part. Downs would never had made the team in LA because of Lux and Seager. And Wong was 5th or possibly their 6th best catcher. He would never have seen time in LA either. So basically, we got 3 bench guys and they got one year of Mookie and 3 years of Price and we paid them $48M for the honor of getting three bench guys.
Mookie needing to leave is on ownership. The non-impact players in return for a guy who is now one of the faces of their franchise not the Red Sox franchise is an embarrassingly imbalanced trade only matched by selling Ruth. It’s events like the Mookie deal that justify the need for time travel. This mulligan would be accepted as a do-over by any Red Sox fan, especially in light of the hundreds of millions of profits made by the ownership group annually and through the escalation of the value of the franchise caused by winning. Fans deserved better. Whether it was an apology or something more substantial on the parts of the owners to keep the generational player, they should have done it. Stupendously large mistake on their part and Red Sox fans will pay for years, let’s hope not 86 again.
Mookie made it very clear he was leaving and ownership attempted to engage him several time in an extension before the exit. The “ownership drove Mookie out” narrative is simplistic and revisionist.
What about Papelbon? Like Mookie, he was leaving no matter what. It is what it is. Nobody’s fault. Jim Rice stayed. Dwight Evans left, if for only one year. Each player makes there own decision. Pudge was a complete intentional screw up by Haywood you buzz off Sullivan. How’d that work out? Honestly, you hand out grades before the test? Let’s see how this year and next year go before we know everything. I know with some “fans” it’s too late. Sigh.
Fisk27 – Why did Mookie want out then? You think you have all the answers. Why did he want out? Sox fans loved him. He loved the city of Boston and built many charities there. Why leave a place you are loved and the face of the franchise?
Your narrative is ignorant. Answer the why and maybe the light bulb might go on. Ignoring an issue is easier, especially when you can take pot shots at others who refuse to ignore the issues.
Ownership low-balled him multiple times. Mookie stated publicly he wanted a fair market contract. Now whose revising history by leaving out key facts like NO offer from the Red Sox was for fair market value.
Imagine if the angels said the same thing about Mike trout smh. Mookie is Mike trout talent and we got a singles hitter in return. Terrible trade we got nothing
I agree with you about the complaining,seems to come with the territory..The great Ted Williams never got along with the writers and thought fans were fickle so he never tipped his cap..and that was 60 years ago,I remember him playing and managing and he never changed until the early 90`s and tipped his cap at the “99 Allstar Game…
AL34 and Kd17 are going to get on a “Ground hog day machine” and keep reliving 2018, so they don’t complain themselves to death!
Lol lol lol lol lol
Kd17 – better yet KD go root for the Dodgers
Optimism – Good one! Wow that was hysterical. Your depth of knowledge is overwhelming. How did you become so articulate? Quick grab the dictionary, I’ve exceeded your capacity to comprehend. hahahaha
You do realize that voicing one’s opinion whether positive or negative is the purpose of this website? Nobody gets to dictate to others whether they can be one way or the other. Negativity is a direct reaction to the activities of the Red Sox organization since they fired DD. It’s been a steep downward spiral ever since and fans SHOULD complain about it until something gets done to fix the problem. Hiring a guy who sits on his hands to fix it isn’t cutting it. Actions need to be taken to improve the situation. Fans deserve it.
Great attempt at humor. But like Bloom, you’ve missed the mark.
Franchy Cordero injured again. Guy may never be the player we need him to be
Glad Bloom stocked up on mediocre back-ups to interchange with Cordero. That really saves the bacon!! We shouldn’t drop below 65 wins thanks to the great fore-thought by Bloom!!! He’s amazing!!! hahaha
The die was cast on Betts leaving long before Bloom even got here and the Price contract was Dombrowski’s doing. Blaming Bloom for those events is completely misplaced. If you think Bennetendi is the key to any resurgence you haven’t been watching.
The players to complete the Benny trade haven’t even been set — how could you possibly judge the return at this point. Unbelievable.
Fisk27 – The die was cast on Betts leaving long before Bloom? So the racism had already occurred meaning what? Bloom isn’t to be blamed? What’s Bloom’s job? Is it to put the best team possible on the field to be competitive? Or do you believe the bs about how he’s restocking a farm system that out-performed all others during the 2010s?
I blame Bloom for a lack of action since he was hired and the only action whether coerced or completed under his own free will was destroying the Roster of a World Series championship team. That’s a terrible track record.
How can you look at the facts and not say two things – 1 the owners completely screwed up in their dealings with Mookie and 2 Bloom has come on board and made NO PROGRESS toward fixing the broken organization. 65 wins will be embarrassing in year two of his rebuild. He got the equivalent of 65 wins in 2020 and there is no significant change that suggests 2021 will be better based on Bloom’s actions. Sale and E-Rod coming back is the ONLY major change and it has nothing to do with Bloom. That is an enormous amount of inaction for a guy making millions to build winning sustainability. Yes, he has sustainability but it’s losing sustainability as of today.
2020 saw the equivalent of a 65 win season based on 162 games. 2021 is heading in the exact same direction. Go by position if you don’t believe me. Catcher – Same, 1B – Same, 2B – Hernandez (small upgrade from Chavis) SS – Same 3B – Same butcher LF – downgrade from Benny to Cordero, CF – Renfroe and JBJ are comparable except one hits and doesn’t play great defense and the other players great defense and can’t hit. RF – Same (yes Verdugo goes to CF but is still in the line-up so I compared Renfroe to JBJ) DH – Same.
Big shake-up on offense!!!
SPs – E-Rod, Eovaldi, Perez, Houck and Richards. E-Rod is an addition but is a complete unknown health-wise and he’s not an add by Bloom. Eovaldi, Perez and Houck are the same as last year. Richards – the lone action taken by Bloom and it’s tough to say whether he’s a step up from Pivetta from last year. So this off season brought next to nothing to the pitching except Richards, Ottavino and Sawamura.
Does that non-impressive list of improvements strike you as actions that will significantly improve a 65 win team? If Price was still here and we were paying $16M more than we are right now for him to be the #1 SP until Sale is back we wouldn’t have had to pay Richards $10M to be the 3rd SP. The net difference is $6M and EVERYTHING Price does in LAD is opportunity lost for the Red Sox. That deal was a joke. Bloom gave away so much to his mentor and nobody screamed collusion. It’s ridiculous. The NL West franchises should be livid that the commissioner allowed the trade. The imbalance was obscene.
Blaming both Bloom and Ownership is NOT misplaced. It is a direct hit and it’s obvious to most except friends and family of Bloom and the paid influencers that frequent this site.
AL34 and Kd17 are going to get on a “Ground hog day machine” and keep reliving 2018, so they don’t complain themselves to death!
Lol lol lol lol lol
I guess is why KC wanted him gone
He’s on the Covid list way to overreact.
The guy was never gonna be. Strikeout player who is injury prone Id rather have Benny back another head scratcher from the sox. I don’t think the redsox know what they r doing anymore
My girlfriend is an excellent swimmer.
Nothing like seeing Claire buoyant.
I knew you were going to say that!! It was just a matter of time before you floated that joke!!
Red Sox are tanking but not tanking. Obviously the plan plan is to tank and stock up on high draft picks for a while.
I heard the Duck Boats needed repair so they decided to take ten years off from competing to give the repair company time to complete the work!! Apparently, the news about the Duck Boats prompted both the Mookie and Brady moves!! Lots of pressure now on the Bruins and Celtics winning rings to create the demand for the Duck Boats. All we know is either the Bruins or Celtics will be the next to win a ring, then the Patriots, then the Red Sox unless changes at the top are made and the Red Sox start trying to compete again.
Get ready to see a lot of blown leads cuz our bullpen is rough