Red Sox Make Roster Decision
One of the final decisions Red Sox management had to make before Opening Day was choosing between outfielders Jarren Duran and Raimel Tapia. Ultimately, Tapia secured a place on the initial 26-man active roster, sending Duran down to Triple-A Worcester. While Duran did swing a hot bat during Spring Training, his decision to compete for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic likely cost him his chance at starting the season with Boston.
Nevertheless, this has set him up for a return when needed should an injury occur or if Tapia begins to struggle at the plate. No need to complain about having too much depth.
Tapia vs. Duran
Both Raimel Tapia and Jarren Duran put up great numbers during spring training, with batting averages over .315. However, Tapia had the advantage of being on a minor-league contract, which granted an opt-out if he wasn’t added to the 40-man roster. On the other hand, Duran still has minor-league options remaining, meaning he could be sent to AAA without being exposed to waivers. So the only way to keep both players in the organization was to add Tapia to the 40-man and send Duran to Worchester to begin the season.
Impact On The Red Sox
Ultimately this was the right move to make as it strengthens the team’s overall depth and versatility to begin the year. You get to keep both players in the organization and let Duran get more experience in AAA, hopefully helping his overall confidence. While Tapia’s left-handed bat and outfield defense give the team some much-needed options off the bench.
Mondesi To 60-day Injured List
To make room for the new roster addition, Adalberto Mondesi will be shifted to the 60-day injured list. This means the team will have to go without Mondesi for at least the first two months of the regular season. Mondesi is recovering from knee surgery, and there’s currently no timetable for his return. But the Red Sox do hope he can make an impact on the roster at some point later in the season.
Duran Going Forward
While Duran did not make the Opening Day roster, he remains a valuable depth piece that could serve the Red Sox well sometime during the season. The decision to send him down to AAA was not an indictment on his performance during Spring Training but rather a chance to give him more consistent at-bats and time to develop his glove in Worcester.
Outfield Is Now Set
To begin the season, Masataka Yoshida, Alex Verdugo, and Adam Duvall will be the starting outfielders and receive the majority of playing time. While on the bench, they will have swiss army knife Rob Refsnyder as the fourth outfielder and Tapia as the 5th. Things are taking shape before Opening Day tomorrow against the Baltimore Orioles.
