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Post by Kimmi on Mar 27, 2023 15:33:49 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 1h Sounds like Red Sox are pursuing external options (trades/FAs/waivers) for bullpen depth.
Cora: “There’s a lot of stuff that is going on right now. There’s a lot of guys out there. If we see an opportunity to take advantage of it, we’ll do it. If not, we’ll stay in house.” Depth, depth, depth, and more depth. I am quite concerned with our pitching depth. We could really use a durable, veteran, mid-rotation guy to eat some innings.
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Post by Kimmi on Mar 27, 2023 15:35:43 GMT -5
Red Sox lose 6-1
Houck is in mid season form and offense did not show up
get used to hearing this a bunch this season I'm not really concerned with the offense. Currently, Houck is a concern.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 27, 2023 17:23:11 GMT -5
Red Sox lose 6-1
Houck is in mid season form and offense did not show up
get used to hearing this a bunch this season I'm not really concerned with the offense. Currently, Houck is a concern. Give it a month this team is so bad.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 27, 2023 17:34:00 GMT -5
Dalbec sent down; Chang wins roster battle 4:25 PM ADT Ian Browne Ian Browne @ianmbrowne ; 1 second remaining FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox made a couple of decisions on Monday that put their Opening Day roster into greater focus. Bobby Dalbec, who broke camp as the Boston's starting first baseman the past two seasons, was optioned to Triple-A Worcester. That move has cleared the path for Yu Chang to make the team as the utility infielder. “He played good shortstop,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Dalbec. “He can play third, we knew that. He can play first. Offensively, [he] just [needs to] be more aggressive and not try and do too much. This is a guy we valued. But where we are at right now, this is the position we took.” Connor Wong, despite missing much of camp with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, got healthy enough at the end of Spring Training to win the backup catching spot. Wong started in a 6-1 loss to the Braves on Monday, getting his first Grapefruit League action since March 2. Jorge Alfaro, who was in camp as a non-roster invitee, will open the season at Triple-A. There are two decisions left to make for Boston. Non-roster invitee Raimel Tapia and Jarren Duran are battling for the final outfield spot. And the final spot in the bullpen is also up for grabs. Though righty Kaleb Ort has had a rough spring, he might get the job because none of the other candidates are on the 40-man roster. Perhaps the top non-roster candidate is lefty Ryan Sherriff, who could replace lefty Joely Rodríguez, who will open the season on the injured list with a Grade 2 right oblique strain. As for the Chang-Dalbec decision, there were a few factors that influenced the final ruling. Although Chang has hardly spent any time in camp due to the World Baseball Classic and visa issues that plagued his return in the days following, the Red Sox feel confident in their decision to go with a versatile and solid defender who can play all four infield positions. Dalbec’s lack of experience at shortstop -- he’s made one Major League start there -- was one of the deciding factors in the decision to send him down. The fact that Dalbec still has Minor League options was also a factor. Chang was signed to a Major League deal on Feb. 16 and doesn’t have options. “I thought I played really well,” said Dalbec. “Played good defense, hit a little bit of a lull the last 10 to 15 at-bats. Ran well on the basepaths. I played hard. I did all I can do. I feel I controlled what I could and the rest wasn’t up to me.” Dalbec played several games at shortstop in Spring Training and did well, but the career corner infielder admitted he still needs to brush up on the nuances of cutoffs and replays. Two years ago, Dalbec hoped he was Boston’s first baseman of the future. He had his moments in his rookie year in 2021, belting 25 homers in 417 at-bats. But things didn’t go as well in ‘22, as Dalbec slashed .215/.283/.369 with 12 homers and 39 RBIs while striking out 118 times in 317 at-bats. The Red Sox now have Triston Casas, their No. 2 prospect as rated by MLB Pipeline, set to play first base. Get the latest from the Red Sox Have the latest news, ticket information, and more from the Red Sox and MLB delivered right to your inbox. “I’m an everyday player,” said Dalbec. “I’ve never not thought that. I never want to think that. If I’m not playing [every day], I want to help the team win in any way I can. And if [being sent down is] my role , I’ll embrace it. But in the grand scheme of things, I know I’m an everyday player in the big leagues and I’m not going to let these decisions affect that.”
The catching decision was made easier by Alfaro making it through waivers, meaning the Red Sox can keep him in the organization. While there was something to be said for Alfaro having the most MLB experience of anyone in camp (478 games), Wong is a more solid defender. Alfaro worked tirelessly with catching instructor Jason Varitek, but there wasn’t enough time for him to get to where he needed to get from a receiving standpoint.
Minor League instructors will continue to help him refine his defensive skills. If he can make the necessary improvements, Alfaro would be a pretty useful player for the Red Sox, given his offensive ability. Did you like this story?
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 27, 2023 17:38:26 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Dalbec optioned to Triple-A 3:25 PM ADT LATEST NEWS
March 27: INF Bobby Dalbec optioned to Triple-A Worcester Dalbec, who opened the past two seasons as the starting first baseman for the Red Sox, got caught in a numbers game this spring. With Triston Casas set at first base, Dalbec was competing with Yu Chang for the utility infield spot. The Red Sox went with Chang, who doesn't have Minor League options and has much more experience at shortstop than Dalbec.
March 27: RHP Kenley Jansen returns, wiggles out of traffic Jansen, Boston's closer, was back on the mound against the Braves, three days after he had to exit mid-inning due to light-headedness. With the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning, Jansen turned his outing into a scoreless one when he induced a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Matt Olson. Jansen's next appearance will be at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox open their season on Thursday.
• All Red Sox transactions INJURY UPDATES
C Connor Wong (Grade 1 left hamstring strain) Expected return: Opening Day Wong, who suffered a Grade 1 strain of his left hamstring on March 2, returned to Grapefruit League action on March 27 and should be good to go for Opening Day. Wong beat out Jorge Alfaro as the backup catcher. (Last updated: March 27)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 27, 2023 17:46:32 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Infielder Bobby Dalbec and catcher Jorge Alfaro headed to Worcester as Red Sox take steps to finalize roster By Peter Abraham and Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated March 27, 2023, 12:37 p.m.
FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Red Sox took two more steps toward finalizing their Opening Day roster Monday morning, optioning infielder Bobby Dalbec to Triple A Worcester and reassigning catcher Jorge Alfaro to the minor leagues.
That likely means Yu Chang will make the team as a backup infielder, with Connor Wong as the backup catcher to Reese McGuire.
Chang did not report to camp until Friday after playing for Taiwan in the World Baseball Classic. But the Sox believe enough in his defensive abilities to include him on the roster. That Chang is out of minor league options also played a role in the decision.
Wong missed much of camp with a strained left hamstring but has recovered. He is a better defensive catcher than Alfaro, a 29-year-old journeyman.
Alfaro had the right to opt out of his contract but decided to accept a spot in Worcester.
The Sox have two decisions remaining. It appears either Jarren Duran or Raimel Tapia will be the fifth outfielder, and the final spot in the bullpen is still to be determined. Righthander Kaleb Ort is a candidate. Manager Alex Cora indicated the Sox are pursuing external options.
“There are a lot of guys out there,” he said. “If we see an opportunity to take advantage of, we’ll do it. If not, we’ll stay in-house.”
Dalbec, 27, was disappointed after hitting .304 with an .813 OPS in 18 Grapefruit League games while showing the team he could play shortstop.
“It stings. I felt like I controlled what I could,” Dalbec said.
That Dalbec didn’t hit well over the last week didn’t help. But he understood at the beginning of camp that the Red Sox would likely favor a more traditional utility player like Chang.
“You can’t play GM, that doesn’t work,” Dalbec said.
Said Cora, “It’s hard, right? The optics are that Bobby was here the whole time . . . but we knew this was a possibility.”
Cora said the plan is for Dalbec to play all four infield positions at Worcester.
Dalbec had an .819 OPS with 33 home runs and 94 RBIs over 156 games as a first baseman from 2020-21. He struggled last season, losing his job in August before being demoted for three weeks in September.
Dalbec impressed in camp but it was not enough with Triston Casas now established as the starter at first base.
“I’m an everyday player,” Dalbec said. “I’ve never not thought that and I never will think that. Obviously I want to help the team win any way I can. If that’s my role, that’s my role and I’ll embrace it.”
Tapia is in camp on a minor league contract and has the right to opt out if he is not added to the 40-man roster before Opening Day.
He said his agent, Miguel Alvarez, is investigating what opportunities exist with other teams, if any.
“I don’t know exactly what he’s doing, but that is part of his job,” Tapia said via a translator. “I’m sure he’s doing his thing, calling different people. The only thing I can do is make a case for myself.”
Tapia has hit .317 with a .963 OPS in 16 spring games while playing all three outfield spots.
“Of course, this is for me the best spring training I’ve had in my career,” he said. “I’ve showed them a lot.”
Tapia appeared in 261 games the last two seasons for the Rockies and Blue Jays, posting a .687 OPS with 1.3 bWAR.
Duran has a career .622 OPS with -0.8 bWAR over 91 games.
That the Sox do not have any openings on the 40-man roster plays in Duran’s favor.
“Whatever decision we make, it’s going to be the right one for the roster right now,” Cora said. Can Houck flip it?
Tanner Houck is confident he’ll be ready when his name is called Sunday for his first start of the season.
“When lights flip on Sunday and you know, flight might flip on Thursday and you see the flyover, you’ll know it’s go time and everyone is off to the races,” Houck said following his start against the Braves Monday in North Port.
In his final spring training contest, Houck pitched three innings, yielding six runs (all earned) and three homers, as the Red Sox lost, 6-1. Overall this spring, Houck yielded nine homers in six starts (20⅓ innings), compiling a 9.74 ERA. For context, he has allowed just eight homers in 146 career big league innings.
“You said it. He’s allowed eight in his career,” Cora said. “So hopefully it’s nothing that translates to the season. I’m just worried about the strike throwing part of it.”
Houck walked 10 batters this spring and was responsible for five hits batsmen. Yet if there’s a Red Sox player who could do that, it would be Houck, who has the ability to forget about past results while still acknowledging they weren’t good.
“In this game, you kind of have to have the mind of a goldfish,” said Houck, referencing the comedy-drama series “Ted Lasso.”
But will Houck remain a starter? Garrett Whitlock (hip) will pitch Opening Day in Worcester. Brayan Bello is about a week behind Whitlock. When the Sox add those two back to the rotation, Houck (or Nick Pivetta) might be better served in the bullpen.
Nevertheless, the Red Sox might be inclined to see if Houck can figure it out in his current role. Keep in mind, Houck spent a lot of the offseason recovering from back surgery, which could be a reason why he struggled mechanically in camp.
“Obviously, we’re not where we want to be,” Cora said. “But when the lights go on and the third day comes into play on Sunday, hopefully that gets him in the right place.” Sick day
Ryan Brasier (illness) was away from camp Monday . . . Whitlock was named the team’s Jimmy Fund captain for the season to aid in fund-raising efforts . . . Tapia went 2 for 4 with a walk, a stolen base, and a solo homer during a High A Greenville contest Monday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 27, 2023 17:48:00 GMT -5
SPRING TRAINING REPORT Monday’s spring training report: Bats are quiet again in Red Sox’ penultimate Grapefruit game By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated March 27, 2023, 2 hours ago
SCORE: Braves 6, Red Sox 1
RECORD: 14-13-4
BREAKDOWN: For the second day in a row, the Red Sox’ bats were quiet, collecting just four hits in a loss to the Braves at North Port. Though right fielder Alex Verdugo was 0 for 3, he made an on-target throw to second on a line-drive single by Sam Hilliard, who tried to stretch his hit into a double. That’s a good sign for Verdugo, who battled arm trouble last year.
NEXT: The final spring training contest is a home matchup with the Braves Tuesday at 1:05 p.m. Kutter Crawford takes the hill against Charlie Morton. The game is on NESN.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2023 4:19:26 GMT -5
Red Sox Reassign Jorge Alfaro To Minors, Option Bobby Dalbec
By Darragh McDonald | March 27, 2023 at 10:12pm CDT
The Red Sox announced to reporters, including Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, that catcher Jorge Alfaro has been reassigned to minor league camp while infielder Bobby Dalbec has been optioned. That seemingly paves the way for catcher Connor Wong and infielder Yu Chang to make the club in reserve roles.
Alfaro, 30 in June, signed a minor league deal with the Sox in the offseason and seemed to have a legitimate chance to make the roster. Reese McGuire and Wong are the only two catchers currently on the club’s roster and the latter suffered a hamstring strain early in camp that seemed to open a path for Alfaro. However, Wong has since recovered and will be with the team on Opening Day.
It had been reported this offseason that Alfaro’s deal has an upward mobility clause, which meant that the Sox would have to contact the other 29 teams to see if any of them wanted to give him a roster spot, in the event he didn’t get one from Boston. As Abraham notes, he didn’t get an opportunity elsewhere and will seemingly head to Triple-A Worcester to start the season. He’ll give the club some experienced catching depth for the start of the season, though he has further opt-out opportunities on June 1 and July 1.
As for Dalbec, 28 in June, he debuted with a tremendous showing in 2020 but has dropped off since. He hit eight home runs in just 20 games in the shortened season, though with a concerning 42.4% strikeout rate. Those punchouts have continued to be an issue, as he’s posted rates above 33% in each of the past two seasons. His batting line last year ended up at .215/.283/.369 for a wRC+ of 80. The strong debut of Triston Casas last year has knocked Dalbec off the first base gig at Fenway and he’ll now head down to the minors to try to get in a good groove.
Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that Dalbec will move all around the infield for the WooSox, perhaps allowing him to return to the big leagues in a utility role somewhere down the line. Dalbec has played all four infield spots in the majors but mostly at first, followed by some decent time at third and very brief spells in the middle. The club is on firmer ground at the corner, especially with Rafael Devers at third. Casas is inexperienced but will have first base locked down for years to come if he hits major league pitching. But the departure of Xander Bogaerts and the injury to Trevor Story leave the club with Enrique Hernández and Christian Arroyo as their main duo up the middle. Hernández has played a decent amount of shortstop but as a utility guy and not on an everyday basis, while Arroyo has mostly served as a backup to this point in his career. If Dalbec can become a serviceable defender up the middle, that would improve his chances of finding a path back to the club.
For now, the backup infield job will fall to Chang, who is out of options. He has struggled to hit in his major league time thus far but continues to intrigue teams due to his defensive versatility. He bounced around from the Guardians to the Pirates, Rays and Red Sox last year, eventually getting non-tendered by Boston but returning later in the offseason. He hit just .208/.289/.315 between those four clubs but is coming off a strong showing in the World Baseball Classic. He hit .438 while representing Chinese Taipei and won the Most Valuable Player award in Pool A. Adalberto Mondesi will also be in the mix for a backup infield role at some point, though he’s slated to begin the year on the injured list as he’s still recovering from last year’s ACL tear.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2023 8:19:05 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats
Ort has now allowed 5 HR and 10 ER in 9.1 innings this spring, along with 8 BB and 7 K.
Houck: 20.1 IP, 22 ER, 9 HR
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2023 8:21:10 GMT -5
Braves @ Red Sox Krawford on the bump
1. Alex Verdugo (L) RF 2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 3. Justin Turner (R) DH 4. Masataka Yoshida (L) LF 5. Adam Duvall (R) CF 6. Triston Casas (L) 1B 7. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B 8. Reese McGuire (L) C 9. Enrique Hernandez (R) SS
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2023 13:09:16 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes: Tapia, Duran, Bullpen
By Darragh McDonald | March 28, 2023 at 10:29am CDT
Outfielder Raimel Tapia is with the Red Sox on a minor league deal, but it was reported recently that he had the ability to opt out of that deal if not added to the roster. That opt-out was yesterday and it’s still not known if he triggered it or how the club responded, but he did tell Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe yesterday that his agent was looking into opportunities with other clubs.
The 29-year-old Tapia is a light-hitting but speedy outfielder who spent his entire career with the Rockies before getting traded to the Blue Jays last year. His career batting line of .277/.318/.392 amounts to a wRC+ of 80. What’s perhaps most pertinent to his situation in Boston is his ability to play center field. It was reported last week that the club is increasingly viewing him as a viable option there, despite most of his career being spent in left field thus far. Tapia has 2587 1/3 left field innings at the big league level to this point, compared to just 439 1/3 in center. Defensive metrics like his work up the middle more, which is strange since it’s generally considered the more demanding position. His center field work has resulted in +3 Defensive Runs Saved, +5 Outs Above Average and -1.6 Ultimate Zone Rating, compared to +1 DRS, -1 OAA and -1.1 UZR in left.
That’s relevant to the Sox since they have moved Enrique Hernández to shortstop to cover for the injured Trevor Story. To replace Hernández in center, they signed Adam Duvall, who is 34 years old, has less than 600 career innings in center and had his 2022 ended by wrist surgery. If Tapia were on the roster, he would give them some cover in the event Duvall doesn’t take well to regular work at the position or gets hurt. They also could potentially co-exist on the roster, given Duvall’s right-handed power-based approach and Tapia’s left-handed contact-based style.
Tapia’s main competition for that bench spot seems to be Jarren Duran. Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reported this morning that Duran is flying with the club to Boston but it’s still unclear if he’s going to be starting the year in the big leagues or Triple-A. He still has a couple of option years and could easily be sent down, though they would then have to find a 40-man spot for Tapia. If they’re able to do that, it might make sense for the 26-year-old Duran to get more reps in the minors as opposed to sitting on the bench in the big leagues. He has hit very well in the minors and even cracked Baseball America’s top 100 list a year ago, but his 91 MLB games have resulted in just a .219/.269/.354 batting line and 68 wRC+ thus far.
With the start of the season now just about 48 hours away, the Sox will have to make a decision shortly, whether it’s Tapia or Durran getting that final bench spot. They also might still shuffle around their relief mix a bit, as manager Alex Cora tells Chris Cotillo of MassLive that they are still looking at external options for the bullpen. “There’s a lot of stuff that is going on right now,” Cora says. “There’s a lot of guys out there. If we see an opportunity to take advantage of it, we’ll do it. If not, we’ll stay in house.”
The club has already been fairly active in changing its bullpen mix over the past few months, signing free agents like Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin and Joely Rodríguez. On the trade front, they dealt Matt Barnes for Richard Bleier, while also shipping out Josh Taylor, Darwinzon Hernández and Franklin German, among other deals. Despite that, it seems they may still find another move or two in the next little while. At this time of year, teams around the league are making their tough roster decisions, leading to intriguing players getting cut or perhaps opting out of contracts. Given all that, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Sox put in a waiver claim or make another trade in the coming days.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2023 13:18:13 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo ·
No news on Red Sox roster decisions, Cora says.
Yoshida looks ready for the lights to come on. His first spring homer comes in the last game of exhibition play.
Red Sox got A.J. Politi back. Orioles returned him as a Rule 5 pick.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2023 13:19:27 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 4h Sounds as if the Red Sox won’t be deciding on the final roster spots (LHH reserve OF and reliever) until sometime after today’s game.
As of now, Kaleb Ort and Jarren Duran are expected to fly with the team to Boston, but uncertain if they will open the year in the big leagues or with the WooSox (who open at home on Friday).
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Mar 28, 2023 13:20:21 GMT -5
Julian McWilliams @byjulianmack · 24m Noticed that Adam Duvall has been a little gun shy of the wall. He mentioned earlier in the week that he has to get used to the Fenway dimensions. Will be interesting to keep an eye on moving forward.
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Post by Kimmi on Mar 28, 2023 14:30:55 GMT -5
Give it a month this team is so bad.
I'm sure most people would agree with you. I'm a little more optimistic. If we can maintain relatively good health, and that's a big if, I think we'll compete for a playoff spot. I don't think the team has the depth to withstand many injuries though.
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