In a flurry of moves, the Boston Red Sox recently bolstered their roster by adding Garrett Cooper, Dominic Smith, Zack Short, Naoyuki Uwasawa, and Vaughn Grissom. However, accommodating these new faces meant some existing Red Sox had to be either designated for assignment or optioned.
Joely Rodríguez, Vladimir Gutiérrez, and Pablo Reyes found themselves on the outs, being DFA’d and outrighted to the Worcester Red Sox. While Rodríguez and Reyes had seen regular playtime earlier in the season, Gutiérrez hadn’t even made it to Boston before being dropped from the 40-man roster.
After passing through waivers, these three players now find themselves within Boston’s minor league system, serving as valuable depth options should the need arise.
Given the Red Sox’s recent struggles with injuries, maintaining a pool of ready and able backup players is crucial. Yet, it’s telling that none of the other MLB teams opted to claim Rodríguez, Gutiérrez, or Reyes for their own rosters, hinting at the challenges they might face in earning regular spots on the field.
Cuban RHP Vladimir Gutierrez cleared waivers and accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A, Worcester, per sources.
He will remain with the Boston Red Sox. pic.twitter.com/jZA5pcbHoF
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) May 6, 2024
Gutiérrez, once hailed as a promising pitching talent within the Reds’ system, has seen mixed success on the mound. His brief stints in the majors resulted in a challenging 6.75 ERA across four innings, while his performance in the minors hasn’t fared much better, tallying a 9.28 ERA over 10.2 frames.
Meanwhile, Rodríguez, while donning a Red Sox jersey, struggled with a 6.55 ERA over 11 innings, occasionally adding pressure to the bullpen and contributing to some unfortunate losses for the team.
Despite their setbacks, Pablo Reyes, Vladimir Gutiérrez, and Joely Rodríguez have all cleared waivers, securing their positions within the Red Sox organization. Reyes, primarily utilized as a utility infielder, faced difficulties at the plate, batting a meager .183 in his 21 games with Boston. His defensive efforts, particularly at third base, were marred by four errors, although his performances at shortstop, second base, and first base remained relatively clean.
The Red Sox have taken steps to fortify their roster, notably following Trevor Story’s season-ending injury. Enmanuel Valdez and Bobby Dalbec have been optioned, signaling a revamped infield lineup to address the team’s defensive vulnerabilities.
With hopes pinned on their stint in the minors, the optioned players are expected to hone their skills for an eventual return to the majors. In a competitive league, batting averages below .200 and ERAs exceeding 6.00 simply won’t suffice, especially as Boston braces for tougher challenges ahead.
