The Boston Red Sox activated infielder Eduardo Nunez from the 10-day IL today, per an official team release. Infielder Tzu-Wei Lin heads to the injured list in the corresponding move.
Nunez went down on April 18th with a mid-back strain after a rough start to the year. The 31-year-old was hitting only .159/.178/.182 at the time of the injury. He was primarily utilized at second base to start the year, but top prospect Michael Chavis has staked a claim to the keystone in the interim. With Nunez, Dustin Pedroia and Brock Holt all on the injured list, Chavis, 23, took full advantage by hitting .310/.442/.619 with four home runs and ten RBIs. Nunez will have to fight to take back playing time coming off a disappointing .265/.289/.388 in 2018, his first full season in Boston. Nunez makes $5MM this season, and he will be a free agent at the end of the year, so it’s not inconceivable to think the Red Sox could cut bait if Nunez doesn’t start producing – though injuries to other Boston infielders and his pedigree as a useful .277/.312/.406 career hitter likely grants Nunez a fairly long leash.
Lin, 25, becomes the latest Boston infielder to occupy the injured list in 2019. He sprained his knee in Chicago on Friday and now heads back to Boston to undergo testing. Lin is primarily a middle infielder, though he has played all over the diamond during his Boston tenure. He was 4-20 so far this season as one of the many Boston infielders to sample second base.
In a related depth move, former Phillie prospect Cody Asche joins Triple-A Pawtucket after having his contract purchased from the Sugar Land Skeeters of the Independent League, per the Skeeters. Asche made good use of his time in Sugar Land, hitting .250/.375/.400 in six games with the Skeeters since signing in mid-April. Last appearing in the majors in 2017 for the White Sox, Asche, 28, spent time with both New York organizations in 2018.
As long as Chavis stays in the lineup.. Fine. Don’t care whether or not Nunez gets DFA’d, or devers sent to extended ST to work on his defense when Holt/pedroia come back. Hard to justify in any way sending back down one of the hottest hitters they have in Chavis.
They need to move devers to first, this Chavis guy is the real deal
Devers isn’t going anywhere, he has been one of the few consistent hitters in this lineup not named JD. At best I could see them cutting bait with Pierce and Nunez, and Chavis seeing time at 2nd and 1st.
Not dumping Pierce, just yet. Could be trade bait though at deadline. Plenty of time.
I agree with that. Was saying there is no logical way can see Chavis going down when pedey and Holt come back, nor Chavis lose time playing when he’s crushing the ball like this, if he continues.
Cody Asche lol
Nunez needs to be the odd man out. DFA, trade, release, don’t care just keep Chavis’ bat in the linuep.
What happens when/if Pedroia returns? Surely Chavis wouldn’t lose PT?
Pedey will not play everyday. I could see him getting some DH reps when JD plays in the outfield
Cora likes Pedroia and will probably try to slide him back in as the full-time 2Bman.
I love Pedie too but the team can no longer expect him to return. If he does, he’s a part-time player at most until September. I expect the team to be there in September when the hottest players will get the bulk of the playing time. Chavis as long as he hits will continue to play. JBJ if he continues to not hit consistently could end up being a defensive late inning replacement. If the team suddenly gets healthy, Pierce and Nunez could end up traded. Given their salaries, it would probably be for an overpaid reliever. Again, everything depends on Pedie and other injuries.
If Chavis loses playing time or is sent down because of the returns of Pedroia/Holt/Nunez, the Red Sox will rightfully deserve the third place spot in that division.
Agreed JD but see my post above. Team is starting to hit and his power adds a nice dimension. If the team gets healthy, Pierce and/or Nunez could be dealt. I just don’t expect another year like last year when their only major injuries were Pedie and Sale.
Stop giving ABs to Moreland. Dude has a .654 OPS after May last year. He starting early this year. .582 OPS since April 15. It’s fine when everybody is clocking, Enough of this garbage.
Moreland has been their best clutch hitterbnot namedvm Bogaerts.
Sox still running Mitch Moreland our every night at 1B? Lol
Devers is hot so let’s deal him!. We can’t keep the worst Res Sox 3B of all time if we want to win. What sense does it make to move Chavis to 2B and 1B so Devers can continue to lead the league in errors? Why not settle on your 3B of the future Chavis and figure out what to do with Devers?
Obviously, Chavis is the more versatile player thus he’s used at 1B and 2B. I keep asking myself who in the Red Sox front office is giving Devers more chances than he deserves? Does he have pictures of them in compromising situations? How can you run a guy out there that makes an error every 5 games when you have Chavis? Chavis is a better hitter, a far better fielder and he appears to have a much higher baseball IQ based on all the bonehead things Devers has done in his first two years.
Can we really go forward with a 3B that makes 3 dozen errors a year or more? I checked records and he’s the worst 3B we’ve ever had going back to 1950 (didn’t find fielding before then). Devers has 9 errors!! Second most on the team is Swihart!! Yes we tossed him with 3 errors and kept Devers with 9!! 33 games and he has 9. Project that out for the season! I’m sure someone is going to say he’s improving. That’s like saying the turtle is getting faster!! He stunk in HS, in the minors and now at the MLB level. One miraculous play followed by missing a routine ground out in a key situation.
In 207 games played he’s made 47 errors. To put that into perspective, Bogaerts has played in 734 games (31/2 times as many) and has made 61 errors! Yes, 14 more errors in 527 more games.
I think it’s fair since Devers is the official worst 3B ever to consider giving Chavis his shot at 3B and see if Devers can be a 2B or 1B or trade bait, especially now that he’s hit a hot spell. Each year he’s had a hot streak and many cold streaks so let’s sell him while his value is high!
He’s what 21 now though? How can you as the Red Sox give up on a 21 year old when you have a young controllable asset that’s going to hopefully keep taking steps as he grows, he still has another 5-6 years before you could consider him shot. I just think as long as you have him, chavis, beni, and bogie, you’ll always have a shot at putting up offense. That’s a solid first 4 hitters, not World Series but that’s a solid core to build around again after this run. I am ALL for trading the guy on the other hand along with mookie and jd and loading up with loads of talent closer to MLB ready and making another massive run in 2 years like the Phillies sort of are.
He’s 22. He’s played 2 years and he can’t field at the MLB level. His bat could some day become consistent so he has DH in his future. We have a DH in JD. What you suggested makes no sense since the Phillies haven’t won anything but we have. So why try to be like them? Your timing is off.
We are in the middle of that massive run right now. We have expensive corner outfielders, I think we can keep JBJ at a reasonable price, Our SS will be expensive, our 1Bs are cheap along with our catcher. We have a great cheap 3B in Chavis so all we need is a cheap 2B. Maybe another farm hand, maybe Peddy, maybe Holt or maybe we deal a prospective 3B for a prospective 2B so we stay cheap. We have some nice, cheap relievers and an expensive set of SPs.
Our current run looks to continue if we sign Mookie, and stay cheap at 3B and 2B. Defense and pitching wins games. We spent a fortune on pitching and we have great defense except for Devers. Fix the broken part with a replacement part that can field, hit and doesn’t cost allot. Keep giving minor league players like Chavis a shot to see if they can stick and lets move on from Devers or move him to another position with fewer balls hit to him..