Tag: 40-man roster

Red Sox acquire Wyatt Mills from Royals, designate Eric Hosmer for assignment

The Red Sox have acquired right-hander Wyatt Mills from the Royals in exchange for relief prospect Jacob Wallace, the club announced on Friday. In order to make room for Mills on the 40-man roster, first baseman Eric Hosmer was designated for assignment.

Mills, who turns 28 next month, was designated for assignment himself earlier this week. The righty split the 2022 season between the Mariners and Royals and posted a 4.60 ERA — but much more respectable 3.62 FIP — with 26 strikeouts to 13 walks over 27 appearances spanning 29 1/3 innings of work.

A former third-round draft pick of the Mariners out of Gonzaga University in 2017, Mills first broke in with Seattle in May 2021. He pitched to a 9.95 ERA and 4.35 FIP with 11 strikeouts to seven walks across 11 outings (12 2/3 innings) last season and opened the 2022 campaign at Triple-A Tacoma.

The Mariners recalled Mills in late April and he proceeded to put up a 4.15 ERA (3.46 FIP) with six punchouts to three walks in his first eight appearances (8 2/3 innings) of the season before being traded to to the Royals with fellow righty William Fleming in exchange for Carlos Santana on June 27.

With Kansas City, Mills produced a 4.79 ERA and 3.69 FIP with twice as many strikeouts as walks (20-to-10) over two stints and 19 appearances (20 2/3 innings) out of the Royals bullpen down the stretch this season. The 27-year-old lost his spot on the Royals’ 40-man roster when the club signed left-hander Ryan Yarbrough to a one-year, $3 million contract on Tuesday.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds, Mills possesses a sidearm delivery and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a low-90s four-seam fastball, a low-80s slider, and a low-90s sinker, per Baseball Savant. The Washington state native held opposing hitters to a .167 batting average against with his four-seamer (his most frequently-used offering) this year.

Mills has one minor-league option remaining and is not arbitration-eligible until 2026. He owns a lifetime 2.60 ERA over 62 1/3 career innings at the Triple-A level and figures to provide the Red Sox with some additional bullpen depth in 2023, if not beyond.

Going back to Kansas City in exchange for Mills is Wallace, the 24-year-old relief prospect the Red Sox originally acquired from the Rockies as the player to be named later in the August 2020 trade that sent Kevin Pillar to Colorado.

Wallace, who hails from Methuen, Mass., spent the entirety of the 2022 season with Double-A Portland. The right-hander out of UConn. forged a 3.81 ERA and 5.81 FIP with 76 strikeouts to 49 walks over 47 relief outings (56 2/3 innings) for the Sea Dogs. He was a candidate to be added to Boston’s 40-man roster last month, but was left off and was passed over in last week’s Rule 5 Draft. SoxProspects.com had Wallace as the No. 45 prospect in the organization, noting that his command and control need significant refinement.

Finally, we arrive at Hosmer, who was designated for assignment in order to make room for Mills on the 40-man roster. The Red Sox acquired Hosmer (as well as minor-leaguers Corey Rosier and Max Ferguson) from the Padres for pitching prospect Jay Groome in early August.

Hosmer appeared in just 14 games for Boston and batted .244/.320/.311 with three doubles, four RBIs, and six runs scored. The 33-year-old was placed on the injured list with low back inflammation on Aug. 21 and did not return until the final series of the season against the Rays.

While Hosmer was sidelined, the Red Sox called up top prospect Triston Casas from Triple-A Worcester. Casas, a left-handed hitting first baseman, slashed .197/.358/.408 with five home runs and 12 RBIs across 27 games (95 plate appearances) to close out the season. Considering the fact that Casas and Hosmer both hit from the left side of the plate and primarily play first base, the latter became somewhat redundant this offseason thanks to the former’s emergence in the fall.

The Red Sox will now have the next seven days to either trade, release, or waive Hosmer, who opted into the final three years and $39 million of his contract last month. As part of the deal that sent Hosmer from San Diego to Boston, though, the Padres agreed to pay the remainder of Hosmer’s salary down to the major-league minimum. That means that another club could claim Hosmer off waivers without needed to make much of a financial commitment to him moving forward.

Hosmer, who does not turn 34 until next October, did gain a full no-trade clause when he was dealt from the Padres to the Red Sox over the summer, so he would have to approve a move if Boston elects to trade him. The Red Sox could also elect to simply release Hosmer since the Padres remain on the hook for the bulk of his contract through 2025.

Following Friday’s series of moves, the Red Sox’ 40-man roster is now at full capacity.

(Picture of Wyatt Mills: Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

Red Sox trade Hoy Park to Braves for a player to be named later or cash considerations

The Red Sox have traded infielder/outfielder Hoy Park to the Braves in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations, the club announced on Friday.

Park, 26, was originally acquired from the Pirates last month in a trade that sent pitching prospect Inmer Lobo to Pittsburgh. The native South Korean was designated for assignment for the second time this offseason when the Red Sox needed to clear a 40-man roster spot in order to make the signing of closer Kenley Jansen official on Tuesday.

After spending the last three days in DFA limbo, Park now finds himself with his third organization of the winter and the fourth of his professional career. The former Yankees prospect first broke in with New York in 2021 before being traded to Pittsburgh with Diego Castillo for All-Star reliever Clay Holmes last July.

Park appeared in 44 games for the Pirates down the stretch last season and batted .197/.299/.399 with three home runs, 14 RBIs, and 16 runs scored. The left-handed hitter spent most of this past season in Triple-A and only managed a .216/.276/.373 line with two homers, six RBIs, and seven runs scored across 23 games (60 plate appearances) with the big-league club in Pittsburgh.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, Park — who turns 27 in April — has proven to be quite versatile during his brief time in the majors, as he has already appeared in at least one game at every defensive position besides pitcher, catcher, and first base. The Red Sox were intrigued by Park’s ability to play multiple positions, but ultimately decided to move on despite the fact that he has two minor-league options remaining.

The Red Sox and Braves will now have the next six months to decide on which Atlanta minor-leaguer will be dealt to complete this deal. If the two sides are unable to come to an agreement, the Braves will send cash to the Red Sox.

(Picture of Hoy Park: Joe Puetz/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Chaim Bloom on decision to designate Jeter Downs for assignment: ‘This was a tough one’

The Red Sox needed to clear a spot on their 40-man roster in order to make the signing of Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida official on Thursday. They did so by designating infielder Jeter Downs for assignment.

Downs was one of three players — along with Alex Verdugo and Connor Wong — acquired from the Dodgers in the February 2020 trade that sent Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles. The then-21-year-old was viewed as the top prospect in the deal after batting .276/.362/.526 with 24 home runs and 24 stolen bases between High-A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Tulsa in 2019.

Coming into the 2020 season, Downs was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 3 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 86 prospect in all of baseball. He spent the entirety of that summer at the Red Sox’ alternate training site in Pawtucket after the minor-league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic but then made the jump to Triple-A Worcester last spring.

Downs entered the 2021 campaign ranked by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in Boston’s farm system and the No. 71 prospect in the sport. The right-handed hitter saw his stock drop significantly after batting just .191/.272/.333 with 14 home runs, 39 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases over 99 games (405 plate appearances) in his first season with the WooSox. He did, however, post an .880 OPS in the Arizona Fall League and was subsequently added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster last November in order to receive protection from the Rule 5 Draft.

After a disappointing 2021, Downs fell off Baseball America’s top 100 list completely but was still regarded by the publication as the No. 19 prospect in the Red Sox organization. He once again broke camp with the WooSox this spring but still struggled to find his footing at the plate even while repeating a level.

In 81 games with the WooSox this year, Downs batted .197/.316/.412 with 11 doubles, one triple, 16 homers, 33 runs driven in, 56 runs scored, 18 stolen bases, 38 walks, and 99 strikeouts across 335 trips to the plate. He made his major-league debut in June but hit just .154 (6-for-39) with one home run, four RBIs, four runs scored, one walk, and 21 strikeouts over 14 games before being sent back down to Worcester in late July. On August 18, Downs suffered a left ankle sprain that prematurely ended his season. He returned to action in the Puerto Rican Winter League, but managed a meager .146/.263/.188 slash line in 16 games with the Indios de Mayaguez before being released by the club earlier this month.

Despite the fact that he is still just 24 years old and was once, the Red Sox elected to designate Downs for assignment less than three years after trading for him. The decision to cut bait with Downs carries more weight when the other two players from the Betts deal have not exactly panned out, either. Verdugo, for the most part, has been an average outfielder in each of the last three seasons while Wong has accrued 70 big-league plate appearances over the last two seasons and projects to be a backup catcher as opposed to a starter.

As a former first-round draft pick who has been involved in two blockbuster trades, Downs was thought to have a ceiling that matched or even exceeded that of Verdugo, a former top prospect himself. He has instead shown that he is not yet able to handle major-league pitching, as evidenced by his dismal 51.4 percent strikeout rate and 41.7 percent whiff rate in a limited sample this year.

When speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) at Fenway Park on Thursday afternoon, Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom acknowledged that although the decision to designate Downs was a tough one, the fact that he was part of the Betts trade did not factor into it.

“I don’t think it changes what the decision is, because ultimately we have our responsibility to every player in this organization to make the right decision by all of them when we’re making decisions for the organization,” Bloom said. “No doubt he was a big part of a really significant trade. That we haven’t gotten him to the level we expected hurts. But at the end of the day, we want to do right by all of our players and he was the right decision, we thought, in this case.”

Downs, who does not turn 25 until next July, has two minor-league options remaining. While he has regressed offensively over the last two years, Downs did make strides defensively and can play both middle infield positions adequately. He also possesses intriguing power and speed, which will no-doubt make him of interest to other teams despite his concerning swing-and-miss rates against experienced pitching. The Red Sox will have the next seven days to either trade, release, or waive Downs, who can be outrighted to Triple-A if he clears waivers.

“We knew, adding Masa, that we’d have a tough decision to make,” said Bloom. “That’s where we are with our 40-man. This is a good thing for the roster but there are only tough decisions from here on out. And this was a tough one. The fact that he was in a position where we considered him and chose him to be designated, I think just speaks to some of the struggles we’ve had getting him on track. I still think there’s a lot of physical ability there but we haven’t been able to unlock it consistently. Certainly know he’s still young and there’s no reason to write him off but he has obviously had some struggles.”

Though Downs did struggle with the Red Sox this season, he did enjoy a few memorable moments. His first career hit led to a walk-off win over the Yankees at Fenway Park on July 9. He then hit his first home run off Gerrit Cole at Yankee Stadium eight days later.

“I’m glad he was able to get to the big leagues with us,” Bloom said. “I was glad he was able to have a moment with us here at Fenway and help us win a big game. That was a lot of fun for a lot of people. But obviously, we haven’t been able to get him to that success as consistently as anybody would have liked, least of all Jeter.”

(Picture of Jeter Downs: Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Red Sox make Masataka Yoshida signing official, designate Jeter Downs for assignment

The Red Sox have officially signed Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida to a five-year contract that runs through the 2027 season, the club announced on Thursday. In order to make room for Yoshida on the 40-man roster, infielder Jeter Downs was designated for assignment.

Yoshida, 29, agreed to a five-year, $90 million deal with the Red Sox last week — just hours after he was posted by the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball — and was introduced to the media at Fenway Park on Thursday afternoon. Boston also paid Orix a $15.375 million posting fee for Yoshida’s services, which takes the total value of the club’s investment to over $105 million.

According to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, Yoshida received a $13 million signing bonus from the Red Sox and will earn $15 million in 2023 before earning $18 million per year from 2024 through 2027. The deal does not contain any performance bonuses, team options, or opt-out clauses and is the second-largest contract Chaim Bloom has given out since taking over as Boston’s chief baseball officer in October 2019. Only the six-year, $140 million deal that Trevor Story signed back in March surpasses it.

A native of Fukui, Yoshida initially broke in with Orix in 2016 and spent the last seven seasons playing at Japan’s top level. In 2022, the left-handed hitter batted a stout .335/.447/.561 with 28 doubles, one triple, 21 home runs, 88 RBIs, 56 runs scored, four stolen bases, 80 walks, and just 41 strikeouts over 119 games (508 plate appearances). For his NPB career, he is a lifetime .327/.421/.539 hitter who hit 133 homers and collected 467 RBIs in 762 games with the Buffaloes.

Yoshida has drawn more walks than strikeouts in each of the last four seasons and is well-regarded for his plate discipline. With that kind of approach, he could profile best as Boston’s leadoff hitter or even as a middle-of-the-lineup option in 2023.

Defensively, Yoshida figures to see the majority of his playing time with the Red Sox come in left field. There are some question marks surrounding the 5-foot-8, 176-pounder’s range and arm strength, but he could always be an option to fill in at designated hitter when needed.

Yoshida, who turns 30 in July, will wear the No. 7 with the Red Sox. He becomes the first position player and the fourth overall free agent signing Boston has made this winter, joining the likes of relievers Joely Rodriguez, Chris Martin, and Kenley Jansen.

Downs, on the other hand, was one of three players — along with Alex Verdugo and Connor Wong — acquired from the Dodgers in the February 2020 trade that sent Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles. The native Colombian came into the Red Sox organization as one of its top prospects but has since seen his stock fall significantly.

After the 2020 minor-league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Downs began the 2021 campaign with Triple-A Worcester. The right-handed hitter batted just .191/272/.333 with 14 home runs and 39 RBIs in 99 games (405 plate appearances) with the WooSox, but showed signs of promise in the Arizona Fall League and was added to Boston’s 40-man roster last November.

Downs returned to Worcester this spring and slashed .197/.316/.412 with 16 home runs and 33 RBIs over 81 games (335 plate appearances). The 24-year-old made his major-league debut in June but managed to go just 6-for-39 (.154) at the plate with one double and one homer while striking out 21 times. He was sent down in late July and then suffered a season-ending left ankle sprain at Polar Park on August 18.

Despite the offensive struggles he has endured at both the Triple-A and big-league level, it is still somewhat surprising to see the Red Sox designate Downs for assignment. As noted by Cotillo, the 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is seen as a competent middle infielder who possesses both speed and power. While the rate at which he swings-and-misses is concerning, Downs does have two minor-league options remaining and could therefore appeal to other clubs.

The Red Sox, for their part, will have the next seven days to either trade, release, or waive Downs. If he clears waivers, Boston can outright him to Triple-A and keep him in the organization as a non-40-man roster player.

(Picture of Masataka Yoshida: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox make Kenley Jansen signing official, designate Hoy Park for assignment

The Red Sox have officially signed closer Kenley Jansen to a two-year contract that runs through the 2024 season, the club announced on Tuesday. In order to make room for Jansen on the 40-man roster, infielder/outfielder Hoy Park was designated for assignment.

Jansen, 35, agreed to a two-year, $32 million deal with Boston last week and was introduced to the media at Fenway Park earlier Tuesday afternoon. The veteran right-hander is slated to anchor a new-look Red Sox bullpen that will include other recent additions like Chris Martin and Joely Rodriguez as well as Matt Barnes and John Schreiber among other setup options.

Since seeing Craig Kimbrel depart in free agency at the conclusion of the 2018 campaign, the Red Sox have used 20 different pitchers to record saves over the last four seasons. Jansen, who currently ranks eighth in American/National League history with 391 career saves, will look to provide manager Alex Cora with more stability in the ninth inning moving forward.

After a decorated 12-year tenure with the Dodgers in which he he made three All-Star teams and saved 350 games from 2010 to 2021, Jansen spent the 2022 season with the Braves. The Curacao native converted a National League-best 41 of 48 saves for Atlanta while posting a 3.38 ERA and 3.21 FIP with 85 strikeouts to 22 walks over 65 relief appearances spanning 64 innings of work.

Jansen, who does not turn 36 until next September, will wear the No. 74 with the Red Sox, meaning catcher Connor Wong will have to find a new uniform number.

Park, on the other hand, was acquired from the Pirates late last month in exchange for pitching prospect Inmer Lobo. The 26-year-old originally broke in with the Yankees last July prior to being dealt to Pittsburgh in a trade that sent All-Star reliever Clay Holmes to New York.

In 23 games with the Pirates this past season, Park went 11-for-51 (.216) with two doubles, two home runs, six RBIs, seven runs scored, one stolen base, four walks, and 15 strikeouts. Since debuting last summer, the left-handed hitter out of South Korea owns a career .201/.276/.373 slash line to go along with seven doubles, two triples, five homers, 20 runs driven in, 23 runs scored, two stolen bases, 22 walks, and 53 strikeouts over 68 career games (210 plate appearances) at the big-league level.

According to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, the Red Sox were intrigued by Park’s versatility, as the 6-1, 200-pounder already has accrued major-league experience at every defensive position besides pitcher, catcher, and first base. Boston will now have the next seven days to either trade, release, or waive Park, who has the ability to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency since he has previously been outrighted in his career.

Following Tuesday’s announcement, the Red Sox now have 40 players on their 40-man roster. They will need to make another move once they are ready to announce the signing of Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida.

(Picture of Kenley Jansen: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

With additions of Kenley Jansen and Masataka Yoshida looming, Red Sox face possible roster crunch

The Red Sox will be facing a roster crunch of sorts in the coming days after a busy week at the Winter Meetings in San Diego.

After officially signing veteran reliever Chris Martin to a two-year, $17.5 million contract on Thursday, Boston’s 40-man roster is now at full capacity. Earlier this week, the Sox reportedly agreed to a two-year, $32 million deal with closer Kenley Jansen and a record-setting five-year, $90 million deal with Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida.

Once the signings of Jansen and Yoshida become official, the Red Sox will need to create two spots on their 40-man roster in order to accommodate those two additions. How they plan on doing that remains unclear.

So far this month, Boston has already outrighted catcher Ronaldo Hernandez off the 40-man roster, which paved the way for Martin to be added on Thursday. It’s possible that other players towards the end of the 40-man — like Hernandez was — could be on the chopping block as well.

Bobby Dalbec, for instance, came up in trade talks this week. On Monday, Boston Sports Journal’s Sean McAdam reported that the Red Sox “have told teams that Dalbec is available” and that the Rays were one of the teams “which has expressed some interest.”

That Dalbec has been made available is not all that surprising. The 27-year-old slugger struggled to the tune of a .215/.283/.369 slash line with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs in 117 games this season while grading as a poor defender at first base. He was sent down to Worcester when top prospect Triston Casas was called up in September and is squarely behind him and Eric Hosmer on Boston’s first-base depth chart.

Dalbec, who turns 28 next June, is just one year removed from a 25-homer season in which he produced a 106 wRC+. The former fourth-round draft pick also does not become eligible for salary arbitration until 2024 and has two minor-league options remaining. The Red Sox are probably not asking for much in return for Dalbec, who came up through the minor-leagues as a third baseman, though they could potentially land an unheralded prospect for him who is more of a lottery ticket than anything.

Boston recently parted ways with a similar type of prospect when it acquired infielder/outfielder Hoy Park from the Pirates late last month. Park, who had just been designated for assignment by Pittsburgh, cost the Red Sox right-hander Inmer Lobo, who was signed for $10,000 out of Venezuela back in January.

Park, 27 in April, could be in limbo with his new club the same way he was in with the Pirates. The South Korea native broke in with the Yankees last July and has since batted .201/.291/.346 with five homers and 20 RBIs in 68 games between New York and Pittsburgh. He, like Dalbec, has two minor-league options remaining but also comes with more years of control since he does not become arbitration-eligible until 2026.

Dalbec and Park represent just two possibilities for chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom when it comes to trimming down the size of the Sox’ 40-man roster. Relievers Ryan Brasier and Darwinzon Hernandez were each tendered contracts last month but are coming off disappointing 2022 seasons. Jeter Downs, the top prospect acquired from the Dodgers in the Mookie Betts trade, made his major-league debut in June but looked outmatched at times at the plate. The same can be said for outfielder Jarren Duran.

Hosmer opted in to the final three years and $39 million of his contract in early November. The Red Sox, however, only owe the 33-year-old the league minimum over the next three seasons after acquiring him from the Padres at the trade deadline. Since Hosmer has a no-trade clause and therefore has the right to reject a move to another team, Boston could elect to simply designate him for assignment or outright release him if all else fails.

All told, the Red Sox will have some interesting — and maybe even difficult — decisions to make in the coming days as they introduce Jansen and Yoshida to the organization.

(Picture of Chaim Bloom: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox lose pitching prospects Thad Ward, A.J. Politi, and Noah Song in Rule 5 Draft

The Red Sox lost three intriguing pitching prospects in the major-league phase of the 2022 Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday.

With the first overall pick, the Nationals took right-hander Thad Ward. Moments later, the Orioles took reliever A.J. Politi at No. 17. Then, in a somewhat shocking twist, the Phillies nabbed fellow righty Noah Song with the 20th overall selection.

Ward, who turns 26 next month, had been regarded by MLB Pipeline as the No. 15 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The Red Sox originally selected the 6-foot-3, 192-pound hurler in the fifth round of the 2018 amateur draft out of the University of Central Florida.

Equipped with a two-seam fastball, slider, and changeup, Ward got his professional career off to an impressive start before undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. He returned to the mound this summer and posted a 2.28 ERA in 13 starts (51 1/3 innings) with four different affiliates. That includes a 2.43 ERA in seven starts (33 1/3 innings) for Double-A Portland.

In an effort to get him more work, the Red Sox sent Ward to pitch in the Arizona Fall League. There, the righty forged a 2.84 ERA with 15 strikeouts to six walks in four appearances (three starts) spanning 12 2/3 innings of work for the Scottsdale Scorpions. His workload was limited due to a left oblique strain.

Despite the flashes of potential he showed this season, the Red Sox elected not to add Ward to their 40-man roster ahead of last month’s Rule 5 deadline. They instead added five minor-leaguers — including Wilyer Abreu and David Hamilton — knowing full well that Ward could be scooped up by another club.

The same, in a sense, can be said for Politi, who winds up going to a division rival. The 26-year-old pitched to a 2.60 ERA in 50 appearances (two starts) between Portland and Triple-A Worcester this season. That includes a 2.41 ERA with 63 strikeouts to 19 walks in 38 outings (two starts) spanning 56 innings for the WooSox.

Boston originally selected Politi in the 15th round of the 2018 draft out of Seton Hall University. He was a candidate to be called up by the big-league club at the end of the season and was ranked by SoxProspects.com as the No. 42 prospect in the organization.

Song is a bit of a different story. The former fourth-round draft pick last pitched professionally in 2019 and was viewed as one of the top pitching prospects in the organization before his commitment to the Navy forced him to step away from the game.

Earlier this spring, Song completed his Naval flight training and applied for a waiver that would allow him to continue his baseball career while still serving in the reserves. The Red Sox kept him on the military reserve list during that time and the Phillies will do the same, meaning he will not occupy a spot on their 40-man roster.

Phillies president of baseball operations was running the Red Sox when Song was drafted in 2019. It seems like he was excited by the opportunity to bring tha talented pitcher to Philadelphia.

“We made sure to double-check that he was available to be drafted, which he was,” Dombrowski told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo). “I knew him at the time (of the 2019 draft). We loved him. We thought he was a No. 1 Draft choice; we thought he might be the best starting pitcher in the country. We took a gamble at that point because we thought maybe he wouldn’t have to serve, but he ended up having to do that.

“Being available like this, we really had nothing to lose,” he added. “We like his talent a lot. We get to put him on the military list right off the bat, so he’s not on our 40-man roster. We figured we’d take a chance and just see what ends up happening.”

Ward and Politi will be subject to normal Rule 5 stipulations next year. In other words, the Nationals and Orioles paid $100,000 for each pitcher and must keep them on their 26-man roster for the entirety of the 2023 season. If that is not possible, Ward and Politi would have to be offered back to the Red Sox for $50,000.

Song, on the other hand, is not subject to these requirements until he is activated from the military reserve list and resumes his baseball career. The Phillies, like the Red Sox before them, are not sure if or when that will happen.

“This is a long shot by all means, but it’s worth taking a shot, we thought,” said Dombrowski. I don’t know if anybody knows exactly when he’ll be released from his service. But for the cost of the Draft, we thought it was worth taking him.”

In total, the Red Sox tied the Dodgers for the most players taken in this year’s Rule 5 Draft. While that may not be a positive as far as organizational depth is concerned, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom believes it shows that Boston has more talent in its farm system than years prior.

“I’d rather not lose players but I do think it’s a testament to where our system is going,” Bloom said, via MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. “Obviously, you want to be able to make moves to get in front of these situations and you aren’t going to be able to do it with everybody. It’s something we worked on knowing there was some risk of losing some guys.”

(Picture of Thad Ward: Jill Weisleder/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Red Sox clear roster spot by outrighting Ronaldo Hernández to Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox have outrighted catcher Ronaldo Hernandez to Triple-A Worcester, the club announced on Friday. The move clears a spot on Boston’s 40-man roster, which now sits at 39 players.

Hernandez, 25, was originally acquired from the Rays in a February 2021 trade that sent pitchers Jeffrey Springs and Chris Mazza to Tampa Bay. The native Colombian first signed with the Rays as an international free agent in 2014 and was regarded as on of their top prospects at the time the deal between the two division rivals was made.

For the better part of the last two seasons, Hernandez — who had been added to Tampa Bay’s 40-man roster in 2019, provided the Red Sox with upper-minors catching depth. He was called up from Worcester on two separate occasions this year but he has yet to make his major-league debut.

With the WooSox this year, the right-handed hitting Hernandez batted .261/.297/.451 with 27 doubles, 17 home runs, 63 RBIs, 50 runs scored, 21 walks, and 92 strikeouts over 105 games (439 plate appearances). From behind the plate, the 6-foot-1, 230-pound backstop threw out 16 of 65 possible base stealers while also allowing 13 passed balls and committing six errors.

Back in October, MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith reported that the Red Sox expected Hernandez to be eligible for a rare fourth minor-league option in 2023. While most minor-leaguers only receive three options, Hernandez qualified for a fourth since he played fewer than five full seasons of pro ball while using three options.

According to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, Hernandez did receive that fourth option, but the Red Sox elected to waive him anyway. Since he subsequently cleared waivers, Hernandez will remain in the organization without occupying a 40-man roster spot. He is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 28 prospect in Boston’s farm system and has been playing winter ball in the Colombian Professional Baseball League.

By outrighting Hernandez, the Red Sox have an open spot on their 40-man roster to work with. That does not necessarily mean a trade or free agent signing is imminent, but the club could be looking ahead to next week’s Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings in San Diego.

With Hernandez out of the picture to some degree, the only catchers currently on Boston’s 40-man roster are Connor Wong and Reese McGuire. Caleb Hamilton, who was outrighted last month, and Hernandez project as the club’s top two depth options at Worcester heading into next season. The Red Sox, of course, could still look to add a clear-cut starting catcher between now and Opening Day.

(Picture of Ronaldo Hernandez: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox non-tender Yu Chang, Franchy Cordero

The Red Sox have elected not to tender 2023 contracts to infielder Yu Chang and first baseman/outfielder Franchy Cordero, the club announced on Friday night. As a result, both Chang and Cordero are now free agents.

Chang, 27, was claimed off waivers from the Rays in early September. The versatile right-handed hitter went 3-for-20 (.150) with two doubles, one RBI, three runs scored, five walks, and seven strikeouts in 11 games with the Red Sox, his fourth and final team of the 2022 season.

A former top prospect out of Taiwan who first broke in with the Guardians in 2019, Chang was projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $900,000 in his first year of arbitration eligibility. The Taitung native is now free to explore opportunities elsewhere, though the Red Sox may look to bring him back on a minor-league contract.

Cordero, meanwhile, was one of three players the Red Sox acquired from the Royals in the three-team trade that sent fellow outfielder Andrew Benintendi to Kansas City in February 2021. The left-handed hitter posted a dismal .497 OPS across 48 games in his first season with Boston and was designated for assignment last October.

After clearing waivers, Cordero was subsequently re-signed. The 28-year-old opened the 2022 season with Triple-A Worcester before having his contract selected in late April. He batted .282/.346/.479 in his first 25 games with the Sox this past season and most notably hit a walk off grand slam against the Mariners at Fenway Park on May 22.

But Cordero began to struggle again as the season progressed. He slumped to the tune of a .162 batting average in the month of July and was sent back down to Worcester on August 2. Eric Hosmer being placed on the injured list towards the end of the month led to Cordero being recalled. The native Dominican proceeded to belt four home runs in his first 12 games back with the club, but he saw his season prematurely come to an end on September 5 after crashing into the right field wall at Tropicana Field and suffering a right ankle sprain.

In 132 total games with the Red Sox over the last two years, Cordero slashed just .209/.279/.350 with 23 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 38 RBIs, 48 runs scored, 36 walks, and 143 strikeouts across 411 plate appearances. He put up those numbers while grading poorly as a defender at both first base and in the outfield.

As is the case with Chang, the Red Sox could look to reunite with Cordero — who was projected to earn $1.5 million in his second year of arbitration eligibility — by way of a lesser or a minor-league deal for the 2023 campaign. According to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo, Boston “remains intrigued with Cordero’s tools and he is a beloved clubhouse presence.”

With two left-handed hitting first basemen in Hosmer and Triston Casas already on the big-league roster, though, it would presumably be difficult to find Cordero any meaningful playing time next year.

By non-tendering Chang and Cordero, the Red Sox have created two spots on their 40-man roster, which now sits at 38 players. Eight of those players are already under contract for 2023. The other 30 unsigned players will be tendered contracts and will negotiate their salaries for next season in the near future.

While Rafael Devers headlines that group, Ryan Brasier, Darwinzon Hernandez, and Josh Taylor are among those who were considered non-tender candidates earlier in the week. They will instead be tendered contracts alongside other arbitration-eligible players such as Nick Pivetta, Alex Verdugo, Christian Arroyo, and Reese McGuire.

(Picture of Franchy Cordero: Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

Red Sox lose Jake Reed on waivers to Dodgers

Three days after designating him for assignment, the Red Sox have lost reliever Jake Reed on waivers to the Dodgers, the club announced earlier Friday afternoon.

Reed, 30, was designated for assignment on Tuesday alongside catcher Caleb Hamilton so that the Red Sox could create space on their 40-man roster for the prospect quintet of Chris Murphy, Brandon Walter, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and David Hamilton. Those five minor-leaguers needed to be added in order to receive protection from next month’s Rule 5 Draft.

Boston originally claimed Reed off waivers from the Orioles on October 13. The right-hander posted a 7.02 ERA and 5.09 FIP with 13 strikeouts to eight walks over 18 relief appearances (16 2/3 innings) for the Mets, Dodgers, and O’s this past season.

A former fifth-round draft pick of the Twins out of the University of Oregon in 2014, Reed first broke in with the Dodgers last July after spending seven years in the Minnesota organization and part of the 2021 campaign with the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake City.

Since being released by the Angels last June, Reed has been signed and designated by the Dodgers, claimed and designated by the Rays, claimed and designated by the Mets, claimed and designated by the Dodgers, claimed and designated by the Orioles, claimed and designated by the Red Sox, and claimed by the Dodgers again.

Between all those stops, Reed has pitched to a 5.74 ERA and 4.33 FIP with 23 strikeouts to 10 walks in 28 career appearances (one start) and 26 2/3 innings at the big-league level. That includes a 2.70 ERA (3.94 FIP) across 11 total outings (10 innings pitched) with Los Angeles.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Reed possesses a unique delivery and arm angle while primarily working with a sinker-slider combination that is complimented by a four-seam fastball and changeup. The Arizona native has one minor-league option remaining, so the Dodgers could elect to shuttle Reed between Los Angeles and its Triple-A affiliate next season if he can stick on their 40-man roster this winter.

(Picture of Jake Reed: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)