The Red Sox have traded infielder Zack Short to the Braves in exchange for cash considerations, per announcements from both clubs. Boston had designated him for assignment earlier this week. Atlanta opened up a roster spot earlier today by trading Luis Guillorme to the Angels.
Short, 29 this month, is a utility player with a distinctly patient approach at the plate. He has 469 career plate appearances, walking in 11.5% of those but also striking out at a 29.4% clip. He has only swung at 20.9% of pitches outside the zone. Among hitters with at least 450 plate appearances since the start of 2021, only seven batters have chased less. And one of those is Brett Gardner, who hasn’t played since 2021.
Despite the keen eye, Short hasn’t been able to produce much at the big league level. He currently has a career batting line of .169/.262/.299. The results have been a bit better at Triple-A, as he has slashed .226/.361/.397 there since the start of 2021. His 16.2% walk rate at that level helped him produce a 106 wRC+, though he was also punched out at a 26.6% clip.
In addition to an intriguing approach at the plate, Short also provides defensive versatility. At the major league level, he’s played the three infield positions to the left of first base, as well as center and right field. He’s also spent a bit of time in left field in the minors.
Short exhausted his final option year with the Tigers in 2023 and is now out of options. That has led to him bouncing around the league since the end of last season. The Mets claimed him from the Tigers in November but then designated him for assignment at the end of April when J.D. Martinez was ready for his team debut. He was traded to the Red Sox for cash but only lasted on that roster for a week before being designated for assignment again.
It’s entirely possible that he ends up in DFA limbo again on account of his out-of-options status, but he’ll join Atlanta’s roster for now. The club has a lineup full of stars but Short will take over Guillorme’s previous role as a versatile bench piece alongside Luke Williams. If Short lasts on the roster all year, he can be retained for future seasons since he has less than two years of major league service time.
I’m just here for the Short jokes
He did have a Short stay in Boston. Barely made it a week.
I’m sure there will be no shortage of those jokes in the replies
Sox are full of Short Story’s this year. And neither of them seem to play out.
Craven – Yes and many of the jokes will be the same from 2 days ago. LOL
Them jokes finna wear out quicker than the flavor of the Gatorade gum from the 90s
That was a Short stay on the waiver wire.
Guillorme > Short IMO
With the way Braves backup infielders never play Guillorme 9 games I don’t think this is a really big deal, but yes Guillorme is better player than Short. I would think if a middle infielder goes down and needs IL that Fletcher would be called up for a long time replacement.
Charlie Culberson can testify about being on the Braves major league roster and seeing no action whatsoever, so this move is truly of little consequence for ATL or Short.
Atlanta will probably have him on a short leash
AA was bored
pretty much I mean saves a little money Short pro rated 747k and has options and Guillorme at 1..1 million no options. But based on Luis only playing 9 games and fact Braves infielders play 155 plus games a year not much from backup infield. Luke Williams just has to hope Braves need a runner late or a blow out to get an at bat.
What a merry go round! Mets let Guillorme go last Winter, then picked up Wendle and Short as backup infielders. Mets DFA Short and he goes to the Red Sox, Red Sox DFA him now and he goes to the Braves, meanwhile Braves ship Luis to the Angels.. Instead of “the grass is greener on the other side” it’s “his 26th man looks better than mine”.
Good luck to the fella
Fitting, the Sox get swept and leave their discarded player behind
The Red Sox won two of three from the Cubs, and the Cubs left Garrett Cooper behind. I wish they had taken Cooper with them as he as been worse than Dalbec.
Watch him turn into Mickey Mantle now.
I think he’ll come up short of that expectation
Craven—I walked right into that.
He is going to triple a. Fletcher is better IMO.
@ jdizzle Not likely at all. He’s out of options and would have to be DFA’d and clear waivers first. MLB reported in March that that a lot of teams’ scouts like him, so he will likely stick with the Braves (for now), or get claimed.
I think Fletcher will only come back up if a Braves infielder goes on IL. Otherwise this guy will receive a nice check for taking infield and batting practice with the Braves and cheering for them in dugout.
Fletcher will be remembered in history for introducing Ohtani to his gambling bookie.
Any chance he was traded for Greg/ Tom or John??? I’ll settle for Gene… as in Garber…
Most underrated stadium/fanbase/history/organization in the history of international sports (Braves).
Brooks Conrad 2.0
Brett Gardner reference! And, before we mock him, Gardner had 44.3 career BWAR
Looking forward to the day when Gardy official retires and the Yankees invite him back to YS to honor him.
Gardy would be an awesome bench coach, imho.
So distinct or intriguing approach at the plate…
Atlanta was short-sighted on this one.
I agree. They came up Short here.
uh ih they’re worried about grisson jk
Not sure what’s worse. Being on a team that’s going to win a lot of games only to get knocked out of the first round by the Phillies or not going to the playoffs at all with the Red Sox. All the best joining your 95+ win Braves team.
This Braves team is somehow more boring to watch than the pre-all star team in 2021. The rotation is terrible, it is unwatchable.
@Should Have Acquired Dylan Cease
If you’re bored, then go watch the Savana Bananas. I get that the general population has the attention span of a goldfish but you don’t need to ruin it for the rest of the fans who like strategy instead of instant gratification.
You mean like the guys who always posts on these board and offer nothing of substance except for negativity?
This is definitely for the Short term!
I don’t think AA will turn around and sign him to a long term extension.
I’m just here for Shorts jokes about his bat or his 9 k’s in 12 AB’s and I’m not sold on his glove either
Sounds like he’ll be on a short leash.
The loss of Casas is proving to be the most difficult injury of all to deal with so far. 5-9 in the Sox lineup has been a black hole all season besides the catchers somehow.
This is about freeing up money to add some salary at the trade deadline.
Great glove, toothpick for a bat….
Zack Short is a very good player but doesn’t get enough playing time. I doubt that changes with the Braves. The Tigers screwed up by not allowing Short to play regular but instead, signed Javier Baez.
Baez is better in the field, and only slightly better at the plate…
He’s not enough improvement to justify his cost.
But……we’re stuck, for now.
For a long time to come
Hey he did go 4 for 5, last night, to get his batting average up to a robust.185 !!!
Yeah so what am I complaining about…
I heard the cash considerations left Boston short changed!!
Just in time for Ian Happ and Zack Short to have a live podcast Episode when the cubs are in Atlanta early next week. If he’s even gonna on the Braves 26man roster.
Does anyone know if it is discoverable how much $ these cash considerations are? Just curious….is it $10,000? $ 100,000? Etc
With the way guys like Short bounce around, have we had any instances yet of a player winning a world series share of the money for both teams because they played for the ws winner and ws loser at some point in that season?
I think so, but I can’t remember the name of the player. Also not sure if he actually received both shares.
2020 Andrew Triggs 4 games 8 innings gone
2020 Matt Hall 4 games 8 2/3 innings gone
2021 Taylor Mott 3 games 6 at bats gone
2021 Brad Peacock 2 games 5 1/3 inning gone
2021 Brandon Brennan 1 game 3 innings gone
Not quite the same as some of the players had some AAA time with the Red Sox, but these are some of the more recent short stint then DFA. Some waiver claims never made it onto the roster at all (other than, on then off the roster, during the offseason) Kyle Tyler, Hoy Park….
Zack is a good teammate but since he’s out of options, all the teams have him by the “short-hairs”!