With the MLB regular season quickly advancing to its conclusion, teams are shaping up their rosters either for a post-season run or to make a run at making the playoffs. The Boston Red Sox are one of the former teams. After an immaculate season, ranking up there with one of the best in franchise history, the Red Sox are preparing for October. The Boston Red Sox September call-ups are moves which they hope to help them secure the first seed in the AL East, give much-needed rests to some of their elite players and help them make a post-season run.
Boston Red Sox September Call-Ups
The Red Sox roster is already a very good one in MLB and has been effective all season. With the new moves, they hope to continue their run and secure the division title, while also adding depth to both their line up and bullpen. The bullpen is perhaps the only big weakness of the Boston team this season. With many players going through rough patches, there haven’t been any consistently reliable relief pitchers throughout the season. Recent call-up, such as Bobby Poyner, Robby Scott, and William Cuevas will add much-needed relief down the stretch for the Red Sox.
Poyner has already seen time in the majors this season. He has been called up from Triple-A Pawtucket on various occasions throughout the season. His 12 appearances saw him develop an impressive ERA of 2.03, with 8.8 strikeouts per inning pitched, over his 13.1 innings in Boston. At 25, Poyner seems like he could be a very useful reliever for the Red Sox when called upon.
Other bullpen call-ups Scott and Cuevas will also have a chance to prove what they are able to do. While Scott has seen time in the majors over the last few years, he’s remained in Triple-A for this season, developing a nice ERA of 1.86. Cuevas hasn’t been as effective as Scott, however, his 10-7 record shows that he is capable of being an effective reliever.
Line Up Depth
With the likes of Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Andrew Benintendi all having terrific years on a day-in-day-out basis, it’ll be effective for the Red Sox if they can give a number of these players rest days before the hard work really begins in October. The additions of Tzu-Wei Lin, Sam Travis and veteran Brandon Phillips will bolster their roster to be able to allow star players to take days off in the lead up to the post-season. These moves will also give the line up a boost of depth.
Glimpses of Lin were seen earlier on in the season when Bogaerts suffered an injury during one of his hot streaks. Lin hit .196 in his short stint in Boston. He is a capable fielder and adds depth to the shortstop position. Travis has only a received a limited 19 at-bats for the Red Sox this season but showed was he was able to do in Boston, last season. He hit .263 over 76 plate appearances in 2017. Travis provides depth at first base and in the outfield.
Phillips is perhaps the addition that is most talked about right now. The three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glover hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning to clinch the series sweep in Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon. It’s been apparent of what Phillips is capable of for some time now. He’s hit .304 in Triple-A with 26 RBI this year.
These additions will allow for rest, depth and ultimately a better-rounded roster, with players hungry to do well and compete for places on a team that is competing for the World Series.
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