The Red Sox are planning to reinstate Yu Chang from the injured list and install him as their starting shortstop within the next couple of days, but that’s only the first of several decisions regarding their infield mix. Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com outlines the situation neatly, noting that there are ostensibly three roster spots for four infielders: Chang, Christian Arroyo, Enrique Hernandez and Pablo Reyes.
Like Chang, Reyes is expected to be activated from the injured list before long. Based on overall track record — he’s a career .250/.312/.361 hitter — the 29-year-old would seem to be the odd man out. Reyes is hitting .303/.338/.364 so far this season, however, and while it’s only come in a sample of 72 plate appearances, that’s still better output than the rest of the group. Arroyo is batting .243/.278/.375 in 163 plate appearances, while Hernandez has struggled immensely this year with a .225/.282/.333 slash in 291 plate appearances. Each of Arroyo, Chang and Reyes is out of minor league options, while Hernandez cannot be optioned by virtue of his Major League service time.
Further muddying the infield mix, manager Alex Cora told the team’s beat last night that Justin Turner could begin mixing in at second base soon (Twitter link via Ian Browne of MLB.com). The 38-year-old has just nine innings at second base since 2015, eight of which came earlier this season. He hasn’t started a game at second in eight years, but he’s been one of Boston’s best hitters (.282/.354/.461), and Cora voiced a desire to maximize the offensive potential for a club that has averaged fewer than two runs per game during a 5-8 slump over the past 13 games. It seems unlikely that the Red Sox would install Turner at second base on a full-time basis, given his age and lack of recent experience there, but even occasional reps at the position will cut into opportunities for Arroyo, Hernandez and others.
Looming further in the distance is the return of shortstop Trevor Story, who could begin a minor league rehab assignment following the All-Star break, per Cora (Twitter link via Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald). While Story has previously spoken about the possibility of returning as a DH in July before moving to shortstop in August, it seems that won’t happen. Cora indicated that when Story returns, it’ll be as a shortstop. That’s still a ways down the road, but it’d likely push Chang either into a utility role or, depending on the outcome of the upcoming roster decisions, perhaps into a more frequent role at second base.
Health and performance leading up to the returns of Chang, Reyes and Story can certainly impact the eventual roster management, but even independent of the Aug. 1 trade deadline, the Red Sox will have a handful of roster decisions to make in the relatively near future.
Looking forward to DFA’ing K. Hernandez. He seems to put more effort into selecting his shoes and outfit more than his swing or a plan at the plate. K. your mere presence on the field and on the roster is costing us games. Goodbye.
Ah yes, the 10 million dollar utility guy who can’t hit or throw signed by Chaim Bloom.
But he can almost play every position!
He has 14 errors at SS this year. thats rough. At this point in his career hes a role player.
He has always just been a role player. Jack of all trades, master of none.
He’s still a top outfielder and with the pressure of trying to prove himself at short, there will be takers. I’m expecting he’ll be traded within the next two weeks. Even Cora can’t save him.
Always was, nothing has changed. Los Angeles was well aware of it and it is why he was used a utility player.
watching him play makes me appreciate having isiah kiner-falefa for 6M
No disrespect to IFK who is turning into a fine utility guy, Hernandez is elite in center and his September into October in 21 is something IFK has not done. Unfortunately, he overrated himself at short and Cora and management bought into it because he was already signed when the Story injury broke out.
Don’t hold your breath.
I’ve never understood why so many people are in love with Kike. If he could play, he’d still be with the Dodgers. He gets hot for a couple weeks, then spends the rest of the season floundering.
He was a four win player in 2021 and the best hitter during an ALCS team’s playoff run. He was a top 50 position player that year. It hasn’t worked out this year, but there was some logic to the one year flier.
Fan – Kike is immensely popular because of his personality, and he’s a phenomenal postseason player. Basically he’s a much thinner Panda.
Instead of simply DFAing him how about shipping him to LA. They are supposedly looking to add a right handed batting player and have a need for a general utility player with Chris Taylor out. Seems like a good fit. And Kike played there once already.
My thoughts exactly. Boston will likely pay down the cost and get a middling but potentially serviceable pitcher with no options left so he either proves himself immediately or gets cut (as well as a second but clearly long shot minor leaguer).
Instead of DFAing him how about sending him back to LA? They’re looking for a right handed batter and have concerns about Chris Taylor’s injury. Kike would fill in the utility role Taylor gave them.
LA is looking for right handed hitter who can hit. Hernandez was valued in LA for playing multiple positions but this is when he was cheap. He was valuable back then when he was paid $500K to $1.6 million. He slowly lost value as his pay increased to $3.7mm and $5.9mm. At the latter pay I didn’t think he was worth it, and certainly not the $7-10 million that the Red Sox have been paying him.
No way the Dodgers take him unless the Red Sox eat most of his contract.
Well Duh, he IS boricua you know
I don’t know why they are committing to Chang at SS. I thought Reyes was playing great for them, both offensively and defensively.
The first obvious move is to send Hamilton down to AAA when Chang comes back, but that doesn’t solve the 40 man roster issue. If I were Boston, I’d consider cutting ties with Arroyo. I love his hustle but he’s just not a starting 2B in the majors. Decent bench bat I guess but he shouldn’t be starting as much as he has been and the team would be fine without him.
Also, it would be great to see Boston trade Kiké at the all star break. They don’t need a big return for him at all. I’m betting that LA would take him back for a bag of balls and some salary relief. That would free up an eventual spot for Story as well.
Look at this roster. Does it honestly matter which one of these guys they put at short? I mean, really? None of them are major league starting short stops. Whichever one can actually consistently field the ball, turn a double play quickly, and make accurate throws is my pick. I don’t care what they hit anymore. Just make all the routine plays and don’t embarrass the team. This isn’t the piece that will allow the Red Sox the glory of a fourth-place finish.
Careful dude, you’re gonna anger Gary!
I’d consider cutting ties with Arroyo.
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Arroyo is nothing special, and should be our UIF under ideal conditions.
But when all of your MI is injured, you don’t cut ties with the best one you currently have.
Any updates on Adalberto Mondesi?
Still broken
Always broken, out of warranty and unrepairable. Reminds me of buying a cheap piece of electronics. When they break down, you throw it away and buy another .
They shut Mondesi down from all baseball activities 3 weeks ago because he was having too much pain (I assume in his knee). Sounds like it will be a lost season for him.
Adalberto Mondesi is a myth, an urban legend. There really has never been a player named Adalberto Mondesi in MLB. Prove me wrong, by showing him actually on the playing field.
Another bloom blowup
I don’t like Bloom but nobody won that trade. Taylor sucked and is now out. Lose-lose situation really.
Simple answer is Arroyo, Chang, and Hernandez when Chang gets back then Arroyo, Hernandez, and Story when Story gets back.
I love Hamilton’s speed and potential but hopefully he’s the future.
As for Reyes, I think he’s out of luck.
Why Arroyo who shows flashes but the more he plays he either exposes his flaws or gets hurt? He’s the one to cut ties with but it will be Hernandez who gets traded. I would also be using Dalbec to show like Duran (who I was clearly wrong on) has worked hard and can be either used or more likely traded.
I agree Dewey. They should finally cut bait on Arroyo. As far as Dalbec is concerned, he’s definitely playing well enough to be on the 26 man roster but they don’t have room for him. Turner is hitting lights out, Casas is trending in the right direction and Raffy is still Raffy. Unless Dalbec could play 2B or the OF, he wouldn’t get enough ABs in the majors to make it worth his while. It’s too bad because he’s having a monster year in AAA. Maybe they will trade Duvall and open up a DH/1B/3B/LF rotational position for him? Not sure about the OF piece, but it would be great to have his bat available in the majors.
Dotty – But Dalbec has played 4 games at SS and 3 games at 2B, that makes him “versatile” in the game of New Age Baseball.
Pablo Reyes. Prof that you can indeed be a utility guy if you don’t actually play any position particularly well. I’m not really knocking the guy, he’s a useful depth piece on the right team. And however mediocre he is defensively, he’s arguably better than Kike.
They’ll demote Hamilton and DFA Reyes, probably with the hope that Reyes clears waivers and accepts an assignment.
Unfortunately, none of them are any good, so might as well roll a dice to help figure things out.
I’d start working the phones now to try and find a taker for Kike to get anything back for him. If not, you DFA him. Reyes and Arroyo at least play competent infield. Kike hasn’t done that and has been abysmal at the plate this year. Chang plays short until Story gets back. After that, not sure if Chang stays on the team or goes down.
I do agree
Pablo Reyes 27 Games
72 PAs
90 OPS+
0.1 offensive WAR
0.4 defensive WAR
He performed at an absolute average player. And if the worst player on your team is an average player you are in good shape. But then there’s Arroyo and Casas too.
And that represents the best performing of the 4 options at SS listed…
the red sox are in big-market-semi-rebuild limbo right now and it’s too bad because the line-up is underrated and bello and paxton are legit. if bloom added a starter and some bullpen help they could make a run
Arroyo=Jake Bequette.
Kinda reminds me of the old QB statement. If you have 2 QBs you really have none. Of the players mentioned Chang, Christian Arroyo, Enrique Hernandez and Pablo Reyes you really have no full time infielders. How the Sox became this pittance one will never know.
Sure they will. It just takes 2 words:
Chaim Bloom.
Story no longer had the arm for SS before his injury. Asking him to come back from this surgery to be the everyday SS is a huge mistake IMO.
Exactly. When that story leaked about Story 🙂 being known to be hurt before the trade by Bloom, I thought he would be instantly fired. Somehow he survived it. Story at 100% is a huge upgrade at second. That is where he belongs and would constitute one of the few upgrades this team could or would achieve. For a rare instance the Red Sox would have a solution to a problem. Don’t make two positions a problem instead of one. Use your heads.
Story was a FA signing by Bloom for about 140mm. Was not aquired via trade.
Not trade, brain froze there. I knew it but was just typing fast and not thinking. I am sorry.
He didn’t have the arm for short because he needed surgery. He’s now had that surgery
Not to mention that if Mayer works out in any way, he’s likely gonna play short. So that leaves Story back at 2nd.
Have you seen mayer lately? He looks BAD at the plate in AA. Hes.not in any hurry to get here. I’d say 2, maybe even 3 more years before you see him on the mlb club as your everyday SS.
Yeah it’s concerning, highly concerning. Rafaela’s splits were bad in AA too, not too hopeful with him.
I saw Mayer live at Greenville in April, and man, did he look completely lost at the plate. I was shocked by the promotion, but I guess he had a decent May to justify it.
The fact is he was falling behind on the development trajectory you want from such a high pick as it was. If he didn’t make the jump to AA soon it would hurt the hype narrative, and, the brass is under pressure to justify the mess they made at SS on the mlb club by pushing him along quicker than is probably in his best interest. First decent signs of life this season and he was going to go to AA.
GA, Meyer’s numbers have been coming up. He’s been squaring the ball up and actually striking out less in AA. A lot of it is bad luck as a week ago or so I remember seeing his BABIP below like .200. That’s due for positive regression. He’s also slammed like 6 homers since being up which is awesome. I don’t think there’s any reason to worry about him!
He looks BAD at the plate in AA.
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Not really. He started off with a 0-16, but has since had a .753 OPS with only a .211 BABIP.
Or. the way I always calculate it, he projects to 37.50 HRs/600 ABs, with a 112/56 K/W. That’s pretty good. Especially at age 20 in AA.
IMHO, Mayer is doing very well in AA. A good fielding SS, hitting with power, and an acceptable K/W, at age 20, in AA, is usually very. very good.
It’s beyond pathetic that these are the players the Boston Red Sox are deciding among. Here’s my suggestion: get rid of them all and go back to the days when the Red Sox actually had quality major leaguers on their roster. Just a thought…….
Perhaps players that grew up and excelled at playing a position and warrant an everyday role in their position of strength.
William – Those days are long gone my friend.
In today’s New Age Baseball, it’s all about players being interchangeable … very short bench means “diverse” players that will play several positions … they have more value than guys who play just one position but play it very well.
Just cut any one of them it’s not like you’re going to make a mistake.
If they had any sense they’d put Kluber on the 60-day and option Hamilton.
Joely Rodriguez was last active at the end of my, and, he hit the IL the first of June. If he were moved to the 60 day for another 3 weeks it opens a spot, but, they’re in a rush to get him back.
Hmm, I mentioned Kluber because of the performance mainly. Figured they could pull what the Yankees did with Ellsbury. Also with J-Rod getting ready, where (or does he even) does Bleier fit into the picture?
The difference with ellsbury is he knew what he had coming for a big pile of cash, and, his career was going to be over with the deal and he knew/was OK with that.
Kluber is eyeing another contract next year, and a IL-stint that is fabricated hurts those prospects. I can’t see kluber going along with things to manipulate the 40-man.
For what? Any team that keeps running Ort out there may be a barren desert for pitching talent in their system, but they also have no chance either. Just bring up a minor leaguer with a pulse and let him have his fun.
Good Gawd do NOT play JT at second!!!!
Not that he can’t play there, but seriously??? Why risk the injury? The dude can still hit, but he’s like 97 years old.
He hasn’t consistently started at 2nd since 2011. What could possibly go wrong?
KC is going to take KiKe and a mid prospect to offload Keller and a reliever, just watch
Now they will injure Turner, playing second. Doesn’t sound like a good plan, I get it gets him more at bats.
NEsports – They also could be trying to build up Turner’s trade value, since he will very likely be gone if the Sox fall out of contention.
FPG, I would argue that they are out of contention now. 8 teams ahead of them for the 6 spots. It isn’t like the Sox would be the only buyers. Like I posted in another topic, Sox can’t even field 5 starters or even a backup quality short stop, and they are talking Turner at 2nd.
DBH – They just took 5 of 6 from two pretty good teams, they are just 3 losses behind NYY and TOR for the final WC spot, and their next dozen games are against the horrible A’s (6 games), bad Cubs (3 games) and bad Mets (3 games).
I’m not making any predictions,but I really don’t see them falling out of contention before the trade deadline.
It’s fair to say this is a worst-case scenario, too good to give up on the season but not good enough to be a threat in the postseason with the current team (could change with the return of Sale, Houck, Whitlock, Schreiber, Story, etc).
They are definitely not out of it.
4 behind the Rangers
2 behind Houston
2 behind TO
1 behind NY
We only have to pass two of those teams.
Let’s wait for them to have paxton running the bases….
GASox – You just gave me flashbacks of Steven Wright getting ruined on the bases.
Exactly the reference I was going for Fever….
Am I taking crazy pills? I have read several posts in which fans are arguing that Yu Chang should not only be guaranteed a roster spot, but that he should be starting!
What am I missing? Chang is *literally* one of, if not the single, worst hitters in all of baseball…
And regardless of that fact, he is significantly worse than the other candidates he is up against, in Arroyo, Reyes, and even Hernandez (who is much more versatile as a defender).
Have people here just completely lost their minds? Yu Chang sucks.
You’re claiming Chang is the single worst hitter in all of baseball.
What are your “all of baseball:” criteria? Cuz you sound nuts.
What am I basing this on?
I am basing my claim on the fact that over 5 seasons and 216 games played, Chang has a career batting average of .207 and OBP of .270.
These are dreadful, dreadful numbers for a regular player in MLB.
Get a brain lol
People bought into the hype-train from the WBC, when his national team faced a bunch of less-than-mlbcaliber competition and he appeared as if he could hit.
Chang unfortunately is the only person on the roster that can play above average defensive at shortstop. Their defense is so bad as a whole, they need to correct this position that badly. He was so good defensively before he got hurt he had positive WAR despite those awful hitting numbers.
So the Sox face a dilemma: what’s new? Let Cora make the decision about who he wants more. He ultimately faces the consequences if he chooses incorrectly.
This is one of my best mornings in a long time–who stays who goes. AC knows the players better than Bloom. Kike needs to go–pay his salary-do the best in return. Reyes is the best SS in the group. I personally would prefer they keep Arroyo–he’s a team-first player.
I have enjoyed having JT in Boston–he’s a great example for the young kids and he plays the game right. I like his personality more than JD’s. Both have played well in their new homes.
Story will unfortunately be an experiment at SS. I’d rather see him @ 2 B.
The pen is getting better with every call-up. Slow and steady. Duval, they could move-not much relief and probably not much return. Duran-Duran and Ref could man CF. My 2 cents. Go Sox.
mad – Cora is known to make player decisions based on personal relationships, not a good thing. His BFF Kike is truly a great guy, everyone loves him, and that’s a big reason why Cora would be reluctant to cut him loose. You need someone making those sorts of decisions who is impartial, which means in the front office not the dugout.
Cora faces the consequences? Nope, not at all. John Henry loves the guy, brought him back after the ridiculously brief suspension. Some people believe Cora can do no wrong. He’s given credit as a great manager for the 2018 championship, and he’s defended on all the other years for “being given bad teams”.
Still cracks me up when people insist losing is always 100% the fault of the players, yet they cannot justify why well-paid managers such as Cora exist.