At the trade deadline, the Red Sox made a single roster move, acquiring Danny Jansen from the Toronto Blue Jays to serve as the backup catcher behind Connor Wong. This trade has proven beneficial so far, as Jansen has posted a 1.098 OPS in 26 plate appearances with Boston.
The cost of this trade extended beyond the players sent to the Blue Jays, leading to the designation for assignment (DFA) of Reese McGuire and Chase Anderson to clear space for Jansen and Yohan Ramirez. McGuire was outrighted to Triple-A Worcester, where he has managed only one hit and five strikeouts in 12 plate appearances.
McGuire expressed surprise and disappointment regarding the trade and his subsequent demotion during a media session at Polar Park on Tuesday. According to MassLive, McGuire described the trade as a harsh blow, feeling that it signaled the end of his time on the major league roster.
McGuire also mentioned his frustration with going unclaimed on waivers, feeling he deserved to be in the majors. Now, he finds himself as the fourth catcher for the WooSox, splitting time with Tyler Heineman, Mark Kolozsvary, and recently promoted Kyle Teel.
Although McGuire believes he could have been a valuable addition to other teams’ backup catcher positions, he chose not to specify which teams.
Despite the surprise in the clubhouse, the Red Sox’s decision to move on from McGuire seems justified. McGuire began the season well but struggled offensively for several months before the Jansen acquisition. His defensive skills were also average, making it unlikely he will return to the majors this season unless injuries occur to Jansen or Wong.
Additionally, the Red Sox faced another challenging decision by designating Dominic Smith for assignment upon Triston Casas’s return from injury.
Before their game against the Baltimore Orioles, the Red Sox made another unexpected move by optioning rookie middle infielder Nick Sogard to Triple-A Worcester, following Tyler O’Neill’s return from the 10-day injured list.
Sogard, who had been a regular at second base since his MLB debut on August 2, had started 12 of the Red Sox’s last 14 games and was the first player since Rafael Devers in 2017 to reach base in his first six big league games. While Sogard showed promise early on, he struggled recently, with only three hits in his last 22 at-bats. He finished his stint with a .227 batting average, six RBIs, and three stolen bases.
The Red Sox could have chosen to option Mickey Gasper instead. Gasper, who mainly caught for Worcester and occasionally played second base, had not started a game since his call-up and had only two pinch-hit appearances.
For now, Gasper will get a chance while the team relies on David Hamilton and Romy Gonzalez at second base, with Gonzalez starting at second for Saturday’s game.
The return of O’Neill, who is second on the team with 22 home runs and has 45 RBIs with a .268 batting average, provides a significant boost to the lineup. O’Neill is also in the starting lineup for Saturday’s game.
