Ha-Seong Kim began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham today, marking both his first official on-field appearance with the Rays organization and the first minor league game of his four-plus years in North American baseball, as Kim never saw any time in the minors when he was a member of the Padres from 2021-24. Kim underwent shoulder surgery last October, which chilled his free agent market and allowed Tampa to swoop in for a two-year, $29MM guarantee that allows the infielder to opt out after the 2025 campaign.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes that Kim and four other injured Rays players (Jonny DeLuca, Jake Mangum, Travis Jankowski, Kevin Kelly) are all scheduled to be activated from the IL over the next few weeks, which might make for a bit of a roster crunch as the Rays figure out how to make room for everyone. Some holes will be created when some current players are optioned to the minors, though Topkin figures the Rays will at least check out the trade market to see if any of their surplus players could potentially draw interest from other teams.
More from around the AL East…
- The Orioles are also missing several notable players on the IL, and interim manager Tony Mansolino provided reporters (including the Baltimore Sun’s Matt Weyrich) with the news that Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser both started rehab assignments today with Triple-A Norfolk. Westburg hasn’t played since April 26 due to a left hamstring strain, and then a setback two weeks ago that arose just as Westburg was about to start a previous rehab assignment. Cowser has already logged three rehab games with high-A Aberdeen, as the outfielder makes his way back from a fractured thumb that occurred in Baltimore’s fourth game of the season. Given an initial recovery timeline of 6-8 weeks, Cowser has already been sidelined beyond the high end of that timeline, but the shift to Triple-A indicates that his return to the Orioles’ lineup might not be too far away. Gary Sanchez (wrist inflammation) and Ramon Laureano (sprained ankle) are further away, but Sanchez took batting practice today and Laureano has progressed to hitting in the batting cage.
- Though the Red Sox have been in need of first base help since Triston Casas was lost for the season, the club wasn’t interested in a reunion with former prospect Bobby Dalbec, according to MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam. When the White Sox designated Dalbec for assignment at the start of May, Chicago contacted the BoSox as part of their efforts to gauge any trade interest in the infielder, but Boston declined to make a move. Dalbec instead elected free agency after clearing waivers and being outrighted off Chicago’s 40-man roster, and signed a minor league deal with the Brewers. Formerly a top-100 prospect during his days in the Red Sox farm system, Dalbec showed some flashes of that potential at the MLB level with Boston in 2020-21, but his production tailed off afterwards.
First!
Outstanding we need a 1B!!!
Olm – Nahh… Toro and Sogard have been hitting well and playing good defense.
KC will take over first base by the time his average drops to .180
Cora is smiling and laughing, life is good :o)
I thought the game they came back on the braves to finally win a game late was going to be a spring board!!! Nope… it’s beyond frustrating as it’s not like they are playing extremely tough teams…. Nephew wanted to take me to Wednesday day game , glad I’m working… afraid to put my 4 game win streak on line with that lineup..At least one positive past few days…. He’s back!!!
Olm – I’m in Atlanta this weekend. Thankfully no Sale, and Crochet on Sunday, maybe the Braves will have a hangover from the Phillies series.
Free Anthony!!
1b Toro/Sogard
2b Story
ss Rafaela
3b Mayer
Jettison Hamilton to anywhere but Fenway and bring up ANthony,
DBH – You’re saying to send KC down?
Also I was just wondering, will we ever see Grissom in a Sox uni again? Has to go down as one of the worst trades in MLB history.
Toro/Sogard? No, thank you. While they are wasting Anthony’s bat in AAA, they should be teaching him how to play 1B. He is a great athlete and has been playing baseball his whole life. It will take two weeks… tops. They say they don’t want to jeopardize his development, while at the same time they are chasing KC and CR all over the field. WHAT A CIRCUS!
New – Anthony is an above average OF’er who plays a very solid CF, no way in hell you try to switch him to 1B.
There’s only one solution, promote Anthony now and have him replace Rafaela in the OF (either CF or LF, take your pick)..
But the Red Sox likely won’t promote him until July, service time manipulation.
So, you want a rookie to adjust to hitting MLB pitching and try to move from the outfield to the infield at the same time? I think that’s a very bad idea.
Hardly. It’s not great in hindsight, but sale has been meh this year and the braves went nowhere last year. It was an uneventful trade.
Tang – HAHAHA …. you crack me up, thank you for that!
BTW – Since the trade, 3rd-best ERA and 3rd-most strikeouts in MLB among all qualified SP’s …. but the Braves haven’t won a championship with him, so that doesn’t matter – right? HAHAHAHA too funny!!!
DBH – You essentially have four infielders playing out of their natural position(s). That is a recipe for disaster.
Sorry folks, went to work so couldn’t respond…
Allow me to clarify…
Toro/Sogard at first until KC is ready to take it over.
Letitbe, KC is already being trained for 1st, so he is already out of position. As is Mayer who is playing 3rd.
Story plays a very solid 2b, at this point probably better than SS.
And Cadena came up as a SS/CF. While he is outstanding at CF, he is pretty solid at SS also. He’s the only OF who can play IF, so he is the logical choice if Anthony comes up.
DBH – I agree 100%!
Some people say move Duran to infield because of his 164 innings at 2B, but that’s just not enough experience IMO.
They didn’t even get out of the first round. And the guy didn’t fit anymore. Let it go. I’d still take the young player over an aging injury prone starter. It’s only the worst trade ever if the logic was bad in the first place. A lot of people were happy with that trade up front.
@Fever agree brutal trade. On the flip side/bright side, I think the original trade for Sale’s on way other end of the spectrum, no?
Credit to the Sox for parting with Moncada and Kopech – let’s not forget, “the next Trout” and future Cy Young winner, respectively – plus two guys who are out of baseball, for two top-5 Cy Young appearances, two all-stars and a ring on that Sale contract.
As for the extension and ensuing trade….no comment
dirty – Totally agree on all your points!
It just amazes me that after waiting 5 years for him to be healthy, they decide to give him away (and pay $17M) despite only one guaranteed year remaining on his contract. At that point, they had only one year to lose …. did they really think he’d have fluky injuries every year for the rest of his playing career?
And most people don’t realize, his Red Sox contract would have had him pitching this year for $20M ….. LESS than what they are paying Buehler!
Tang – I respect your view of the trade, even though I don’t agree with it.
If Crochet can live up to the hype, that will help deal with the loss of Sale somewhat.
And it does help knowing that even with Sale the Sox would have gone nowhere last year.
Andrew Vaughn to Boston.
He is a professional hitter and decent 1B who needs a change of scenery (other than Charlotte).
ChiSox, I would rather see Yoshi learning 1b before spending any more money on a 500 club
ChiSox fan… thanks, but no thanks. Vaughn is a professional strikeout artist and the Red Sox already know how to do that!
Campbell is hitting and walking again. Looks like he is adjusting to the adjustments pitchers made. His batting average is going up.
I don’t think there will be 200 comments about the news that the Red Sox didn’t acquire Dalbec, I think we all realize that. LOL!
So did anyone else here see the Cora presser yesterday when he said “we are what our record says we are” with a hearty laugh and huge smile on his face.
It’s absolutely sickening how little this guy cares about winning.
He says he removed Crochet from a tie game with the Mets at just 85 pitches to “prevent an IL stint later in the season” and then yesterday he kept Crochet in for 108 pitches despite losing 2-0. Double talkin’ jive as usual.
Cora knows his job is safe. Well, he’s in fourth now and, in spite of what a lot of people say, Baltimore isn’t as bad as their record indicates. Cora has a shot at finishing last. And he’ll still be managing them in 2026.
Let – Yep the Orioles have only 5 more losses than the Sox, and if not for an extra-innings loss Saturday would have taken 3 of 4 in Fenway.
Westburg, Cowser and maybe eventually O’Neill will help them.
Westburg. Hmm. Move him? Orioles need a SS. Maybe him and Mountcastle to the Rockies for Ezekiel Tovar. Why? Because Gunnar is a 3rd baseman. Outside of Mullins, the Os defense is pathetic up the middle. Tovar, outside of this year (injury issue), is a perennial (sp) top 5 defender.
Jeff – When are Bradish and GrayRod due back? Still projected for July?
Maybe make that move 2 years ago. They won 101 and 91 games with Gunnar at short…despite his frustrating errors at times. It’s overall offensive production from everyone that killed the playoffs, however. Bregman would have been great in the lineup assuming he’d have moved to right. This upcoming offseason the owner better man up and get Kyle Tucker. A consistently good average, game on the line big hitter is what they need. Pony up Rubenstein. He claimed “no restrictions on payroll”. Let’s hope that down mean $30m on 2 old pitchers, and $45m for a broken Tyler O’Neal.
7 years and $63 million commitment by the Rockies. The Rockies pretty much never trade their guys. Good luck.
FPG. Not much intel here. Wells and Bradish, last i read, were doing bullpen session work. Rodriguez, i believe, is still rehabbing.
Gr81t2 – I wouldn’t get your hopes up at all. Tucker will command at least $350 mil and Elias has proven unable/unwilling to commit that sort of money to anyone. He’s still there so regardless of who the owner is, I’d expect a couple of 1 year deals for SP and some depth signings
gr81t2. Yes, make a real offer for Tucker. On the right side of 30 with gobs of post season experience.
Agree to disagree on Gunnar. In 23, Mateo got the majority of reps at SS. Gunnar was eased in to it as the season progressed. He spent just as much time at 3rd in 23. In 24, IMO, the Os won 91 games in spite of Gunnar playing SS. He led the entire league in errors at 25. Plus, his aggressive play, put Mateo on the IL. Then, in spring training this year, he puts himself on the IL. We need him in the line up everyday for his hitting. Safer play healthwise is playing him at 3rd base.
MLBFan; yep, he’s extended for quite a bit there … and cheaply done. In light of there recent run of losing seasons, maybe time to reconsider there “never trade” strategy here? Everyone’s got a turning point. Would Westburg, Mountcastle and a Povich type arm get it done?
Mateo would be leading the league in errors this year if he played everyday. He’s been an absolute butcher. I think maybe the coaching needs to be looked at.
Hey there Jbigz12. To me, Mateo is struggling because of inconsistent playing time and at multiple positions. Put him at SS with steady playing time and he is fine. All said; IMO neither he or Gunnar are the long term solution a SS.
Either Elias absolutely crushes this offseason (exact opposite of this past offseason) or he is gone. Ownership just bought this team and isn’t playing around. Rubenstein has already said multiple times that he is 75 and doesn’t have time to waste to bring a World Series to Baltimore. The pressure is fully on Elias. And 1 year deals won’t cut it any longer.
I hear you on Gunnar. It’s just that I’m not trading westburg no way no how. He may be the best overall player when healthy.
gr81t2. Point taken on Westburg. You’ve got me rethinking this. Hmm.
Jeff
C’mon with Mateo.
He has 10 hits this year including 3 doubles. Two of the doubles have been the excuse me variety – one he slapped the other way off the handle when he was way late on the pitch and another was lofted 3″ over the infielder’s glove. He hits ground ball singles. Yesterday I watched him start to kill a rally by striking out with the bases loaded. He doesn’t walk, he has no power, he can’t get on base. He’s a pitcher batting in the AL, on a team already struggling to get runners on and hit when they are on. Even the homer Orioles announcers struggle to say good things about him outside of running – “wow he really smashed that grounder foul”. Really?
His fielding has degraded to atrocious. Not just leading the team in errors but his range is down again at SS and 2B, 4th year running and you wonder if Urias was holding everything together on the left side in 2022. Mateo’s now a liability everywhere. Gunnar has less errors in 2025 in far more innings and now has far better range, despite looking like baby huey – right now he is slightly above average. Gunnar is not Cal Ripken. In 2023 BTW, Mateo had 843 innings, 11 errors, Gunnar had 584 innings 8 errors, not much difference, and Gunnar has far surpassed Mateo on range numbers now.
The only thing Mateo can do is run and the team has not won a game due to his running yet, a third of the way through the season. With the new rules, running is now something a lot more guys can do. Since Manfred has not yet settled extra innings with a relay race (give him time), Mateo has no value.
I’ll return to my Izturis argument, I would rather have Gunnar produce an additional 50 runs with his bat and sacrifice 10 runs with his glove. Maybe he does belong at 3B. But Mateo is a 3.4 million dollar pinch runner.
I just worry if they give Elias another July and another winter if he has another year like the past year, if he kills 2026 and then runs into 2027.
From what very little you hear about the Rockies out here, I have heard absolutely nothing about trading guys away. Just morbid “we’re on pace for 27 wins” talk.
The more I see the Redsox struggle the more he reminds me of Jason Garrett ( at least he won one I guess).. but must have pictures
olm – Jason Garrett the Marlins minor league first baseman in the 90’s?
The Sox still haven’t named a starting pitcher for today.
Why?
Because Fitts threw only 38 pitches in his last start and Newcomb was let go, therefore leaving the Red Sox with no other options.
So much for “pitching depth” this year!
It’s gonna be a bullpen game with an opener, the only question is whether that opener will be Fitts or some other pitcher currently in the Sox bullpen. Yep, Red Sox management at it’s finest. Absolutely zero critical thinking by Cora and Company.
Bring on the reinforcements! This team lacks Morel support.
Rays would likely be open to trading Morel.
A lineup that features Narvaez and Campbell batting third and cleanup doesn’t inspire fear. I know Narvaez has been hot but c’mon. Especially when you have a top tier option in Worcester. This team can’t afford to waste excellent pitching performances. All sides of the Devers situation makes me ill. Selfishness and spite vs a total lack of vision and communication. Total bullshat from all involved. A possible move to 1st should have been in the discussion years ago. Obviously he needed to be eased,cajoled into the switch. Shown how many of the greatest have made the switch. Not just from 3rdbase. M. Cabrera,Thome, Harper ,Yaz,H.o.Famers,ect.
cdc – I’m fine with Narvaez batting third, when others aren’t doing the job it’s good to go with the hot hand and he has been smokin’ hot.
KC batting cleanup is absurd. This kid has had so much placed on his shoulders with all the position changes, learning new positions and now batting cleanup despite a horrendous monthlong slump …. if ever a young kid could get messed up mentally, what he’s being put through could totally mess him up.
Devers is no longer a topic, he’s a future HOF’er who has been absolutely raking since the start of April. Players are fine with the situation, Cora is fine with the situation, Devers has put it behind him, it’s ridiculous for fans to still be worked up about the gross mismanagement and mistreatment of Raffy Devers by management.
There are sooooo many real concerns that need attention right now.
1) Mismanagement of Crochet’s usage
2) Mismanagement and mental abuse of KC
3) Lack of pitching depth
4) Pathetic teamwide one-size-fits-all approach to hitting
5) Ridiculous amount of errors
6) Cora’s incompetence (TOP OF THE LIST)
7) Yoshida wasting away in the minors
8) Grissom wasting away in the minors (WORST TRADE EVER)
I’ve been saying since the offseason if everything broke just right they could make the playoffs, if not they would miss the playoffs. Obviously everything has not broken just right.
FPG: “all the position changes, learning new positions”
==============
Campbell has played 41 of 47 games at 2B.
FPG: “Mismanagement and mental abuse of KC”
==============
What a bunch of baseless garbage.
a total lack of vision
=======================
The vision could not have worked out any better. Devers at DH and Bregman at 3B is about as good as it gets.
Sooner or later, Cora is going to have to become recognized as the reason for the short-comings of this team.
Cora and short in the same sentence, priceless!
cooper – Cora certainly has a Napolean complex.
swan – It’s reminiscent of immediately falling in love with a woman because of something they did for you in the beginning, and then after 6 years of excuses you wake up one morning and look over at her and say to yourself “What the hell am I doing here?” because you finally realize she’s not what you thought she was.
John Henry will have that morning wakeup moment eventually, perhaps after missing the postseason again despite a top crop of prospects and a huge increase in spending.
Dalbec, Boston media gave him legend status after his start LMFAO!🤣🤣🤣
Dalbec had 25 HRs in 2021, so he was a productive hitter. They eventually replaced him.
The media, in general, is untrustworthy on almost everything, so as a fan, watch the games and check out the metrics, and come to your own conclusion! Your take will probably be much better than what you read (or at least you can come to the conclusion that your analysis agrees with what you are reading if it lines up).
First………place, LGY!
I can’t wait to see Ha-Seong Kim playing again.
straight – Same here, he’s a pleasure to watch.
You want to understand the Orioles season – they just had bases loaded no one out but had Jorge Mateo (playing for Cedrick Mullins), Kjerstad playing for Cowser and Tromp playing for Rustchman – so they get one run on a botched double play. Hard to win with guys like this in the lineup
tuck – With all due respect, hard to complain about just one run when my team has gotten ZERO runs after loading the bases with nobody out! LOL!
The cleanup spot is batting .194 for the Sox so far this season. (baseball.reference) Abysmal.
cdc – Yeah and with Sogard batting 5th there’s not much protection for whomever is batting cleanup either.
The lineup would be so much deeper if they called up Anthony and Yoshida was DH (can’t now for obvious reasons).
Red Sox decisionmaking this year has never been worse, hopefully Henry will finally realize it.