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The Opener: Alvarado, Guerrero, MLBTR Chat

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Here are three things for MLBTR readers to watch out for throughout the day:

1. Alvarado to return:

Phillies southpaw Jose Alvarado served the 80th game of his PED suspension yesterday, meaning he’s set to be activated for today’s game against the Mariners. While Alvarado won’t be eligible to participate in the postseason, if he can continue to produce anything close to the 2.70 ERA with a 29.8% strikeout rate and 1.84 FIP that he posted in 20 innings of work prior to his suspension back in May, he’ll be a major asset to the Phillies’ bullpen down the stretch. Alvarado will join what’s become a fearsome back of the Phillies bullpen after the club picked up Jhoan Duran and David Robertson to complement Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm. That deep bullpen mix should serve the Phillies well as they look to wrap up the NL East and angle for a bye through the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Corresponding moves to accommodate Alvarado’s addition to both the active and 40-man rosters will be necessary before he can be activated.

2. Guerrero to undergo MRI:

The AL-leading Blue Jays suffered a major scare yesterday when star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited the team’s loss against the Pirates due to a hamstring injury. As noted by MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson, Guerrero is set to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the issue. Matheson adds that the MRI seems to be viewed as “precautionary” at this point.

With just six weeks left in the regular season, it would be understandable if Toronto exercised an abundance of caution with the face of their franchise and sent him for a brief stint on the injured list rather than risk letting him play through the issue and further aggravating the hamstring. Ty France and Joey Loperfido are among the club’s potential first base options to fill in for Guerrero in the event that he misses time.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

The trade deadline is in the rearview mirror, and the stretch run has officially begun. There is no shortage of close postseason races, and it’s never too early to look ahead to the offseason and what free agency and the winter trade market might bring. MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be hosting a live chat this afternoon at 1pm CT to discuss it all. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

Poll: Can The Mets Hang On To A Playoff Spot?

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It’s been a rough few weeks for the Mets. While they managed to take two of three in their series against the Mariners this weekend, it was their first series win since they swept the Giants all the way back on the weekend of July 25. Since then, New York has gone just 4-14 and not only fallen five games back of the Phillies in the NL East, but is getting challenged by the insurgent Reds for the final NL Wild Card spot. Despite that brutal stretch of play in recent weeks, this isn’t exactly a new phenomenon. While the club was at one point up 5.5 games in the division, that was nearly two months ago at this point. They’ve gone 21-34 since then, good for a .318 winning percentage that falls between the full-season figures posted by the White Sox (.355) and Rockies (.282).

That makes the final six weeks of the regular season more important for the Mets than their fans could’ve imagined during their strong first half. The question for the Mets is less about the possibility of an NL East title and a bye through the Wild Card round at this point, and more about if they’ll be able to squeak into the postseason at all. The club attempted to break into what, at the time, looked to be a fairly wide-open race for a bye to the NLDS when they made a number of aggressive, buy-side trades in the run-up to the trade deadline.

Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto joined Edwin Diaz at the back of what was expected to become the most fearsome bullpen in the league, and Cedric Mullins was brought in to plug the one hole on the team’s roster. The results of those trades have been mixed to this point, Soto (8 1/3 scoreless innings) and Rogers (1.93 ERA in 9 1/3 innings) have both excelled to this point, but Helsley has struggled to an ugly 7.11 ERA in eight appearances for the Mets so far, with four additional unearned runs allowed as well. Meanwhile, Mullins has a paltry .255 on-base percentage with a 29.1% strikeout rate since arriving in the Big Apple.

Perhaps the failings of Helsley and Mullins in their first few games with the team could be overlooked if the rest of the team was performing better, but the club’s internal core hasn’t exactly impressed lately either. Only six teams in baseball have scored fewer runs than the Mets since June 13, and while the offense has picked things up in recent weeks (124 wRC+ in August) their run prevention has taken a nosedive. Only four teams (Marlins, Pirates, Nationals, and Rockies) have allowed more runs to score than the Mets since the start of August, and the decision not to bring in a starter at the deadline is looking particularly disastrous given the club’s rotation has put together a brutal 6.23 ERA in the weeks following the end of trade season.

Bleak as things have looked in recent weeks, however, that shouldn’t be taken to mean there’s no reason for optimism. After all, the Mets are still in playoff position even after all of those struggles. Only Cincinnati has a record above .500 among NL clubs not currently in playoff position, meaning the Mets are in a much more comfortable spot than they would be if they were in the AL, where teams like the Royals and Guardians are sticking around the periphery of the Wild Card race with solid records. While the Reds (36-30 since the start of June) have looked good lately thanks to a fantastic rotation, their offense hasn’t looked especially threatening at any point in the year. Mets superstars Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor are both firing on all cylinders offensively in recent weeks, by contrast, and that could help stave off Cincinnati unless the Reds’ bats get going.

Even if the Reds stick around in the race long-term, it’s at least possible that another team in the NL playoff picture could start to struggle. The Cubs have scored the fewest runs in baseball since July 1 after starting the year as an offensive juggernaut. With pitchers like Cade Horton and Matthew Boyd reaching uncharted territory in terms of workload and a big series against Milwaukee this week, their currently stable position in the NL playoff picture could look much less secure in a hurry. The Phillies, meanwhile, lost Zack Wheeler for an uncertain amount of time over the weekend. While Aaron Nola returned from the shelf to replace him in the rotation, his first start back (six earned runs surrendered in 2 1/3 innings to the lowly Nationals) didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

How do MLBTR readers view the Mets’ hopes of making a second consecutive postseason appearance this year? Will they be able to hold on despite their recent struggles, or will the rest of the NL playoff field manage to push them out? Have your say in the poll below:

Will The Mets Be A Playoff Team This Year?
Yes, they'll make the postseason. 60.92% (2,965 votes)
No, they'll be at home in October. 39.08% (1,902 votes)
Total Votes: 4,867

The Opener: Red Sox, Brewers, Cubs, Pitchers’ Duel

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Red Sox roster moves incoming:

The Red Sox are nearing a deal with first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who was designated for assignment by the Nationals last week. Once that deal is finalized, the Red Sox will need to make corresponding moves in order to accommodate the addition of Lowe to both the club’s 40-man and active rosters. That 40-man move could simply come by way of transferring infielder Marcelo Mayer to the 60-day injured list after yesterday’s announcement that he’ll miss the remainder of the season due to wrist surgery, but it’s also worth noting that bench bats like Abraham Toro and Ali Sanchez, whose roster spots could be at risk with Lowe set to join the club, do not have options remaining and would need to be designated for assignment if removed from the roster.

2. Series Preview: Brewers @ Cubs

The Brewers just saw their incredible 14-game winning streak come to an end, but they still hold an eight-game NL Central lead thanks to excellent pitching and timely hitting — not only from regulars like William Contreras and Christian Yelich but also surprise heroes like Andruw Monasterio. Their win streak has coincided with some weak play from the Cubs, who have scuffled to a 6-8 record so far in August and a 12-14 record since the All-Star break. Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong aren’t hitting like the superstars they were in the first half, and the bullpen has begun to show cracks after being carried by unexpected contributors like Brad Keller and Drew Pomeranz earlier this summer.

That leads into what could be the biggest series of the regular season for both clubs, with the Brewers headed to Wrigley Field for five games in four days — starting with a doubleheader today. Cade Horton (3.07 ERA in 16 outings) will face off against Freddy Peralta (2.90 ERA in 25 starts) in Game 1, followed by a second game with two as-of-yet unannounced starters. Tuesday’s game will feature southpaw Matthew Boyd (2.46 ERA in 24 starts) against longtime Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff (2.06 ERA in seven starts). The Brewers are slated to start rookie Jacob Misiorowski (3.89 ERA in eight starts) and righty Quinn Priester (3.48 ERA in 23 outings) for Games 4 and 5. Chicago has not yet announced its starters for those games. Former Brewer Colin Rea and ace Shota Imanaga would be on schedule, but the impending return of Jameson Taillon from the injured list could impact the club’s rotation at some point this week.

3. Pitchers’ Duel in Philadelphia:

The Mariners are in Philadelphia, and the their series against the Phillies will kick off with a particularly exciting pitching matchup. Seattle ace Logan Gilbert is scheduled to take the mound today amid a season where he’s posted a 3.31 ERA with a career-best 2.99 FIP across 17 starts. The Phillies counter with southpaw Ranger Suarez, who’s having a strong year himself ahead of reaching free agency this winter. Suarez sports a 3.28 ERA and 3.27 FIP across 18 starts, though he’s had a rough patch of late (6.59 ERA over his past five starts). With the Mariners just 1.5 games back of the Astros in the AL West and the Phillies tied with the Dodgers for the second playoff bye in the NL, it’s a high-stakes game — and series — for both clubs.

Nationals Claim Julian Fernandez

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The Nationals have claimed right-hander Julian Fernandez off waivers from the Dodgers, per a club announcement. The Nationals had a 40-man roster vacancy and optioned Fernandez to Triple-A Rochester, so no corresponding moves were necessary. Fernandez had been designated for assignment by the Dodgers last week to make room for Buddy Kennedy on their 40-man roster.

Fernandez, 29, made his big league debut with the Rockies back in 2021. He surrendered eight runs on nine hits (including two homers) and four walks while striking out four in 6 2/3 innings of work during that brief cup of coffee, however, and was quickly sent back to the minors. Fernandez spent 2022 at the minor league level with the Rockies before signing a minor league contract with the Blue Jays. Getting out of the Rockies organization didn’t help much, however, as he posted a 10.61 ERA in 9 1/3 innings of work for the club’s Buffalo affiliate.

After 2023, Fernandez departed affiliated ball and pitched for the Mexican League’s El Aguila de Veracruz. He pitched extremely well for Veracruz, with a 1.82 ERA in 34 2/3 innings of work. He struck out 32.1% of his opponents while walking just 9.0%, and that was enough to get the Dodgers’ attention this past offseason. He signed with L.A. on a minor league deal and began the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City. He pitched quite well for that affiliate, with a 3.05 ERA in 35 outings made all the more impressive by the inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League. His 28.7% strikeout rate wasn’t quite as high as it was with Veracruz, but an 8.8% walk rate was actually even better than in the Mexican League.

That was enough to earn Fernandez a call-up to the majors last month, though it proved to be a brief one. He made a single, two-inning appearance with Los Angeles where he surrendered two runs on two hits (one homer) and a walk while striking out one. The Dodgers optioned Fernandez to the minors where he continued to find success at Triple-A, but he was eventually squeezed off the club’s roster and now finds himself headed to D.C. after being plucked off waivers by the Nationals.

With Washington, Fernandez figures to get a more extended big league opportunity. The Nats shipped out a number of big league relief arms ahead of the deadline (including closer Kyle Finnegan), and now Fernandez joins a very unproven bullpen mix where he should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself capable of holding down a big league job. If Fernandez can establish himself with the Nationals down the stretch, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the club hold onto him as they look to rebuild their bullpen for 2026 and beyond.

Jon Gray Placed On IL With Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

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Righty Jon Gray has been placed on the 15-day injured list, according to an announcement from the Rangers earlier this morning. A diagnosis wasn’t announced alongside that IL placement, but Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News was among those to relay that (according to club manager Bruce Bochy) Gray is suffering from thoracic outlet syndrome. There’s no timetable for Gray’s return to play at this point, but Bochy noted that he’ll “miss some time” due to the issue. Right-hander Caleb Boushley was recalled to replace Gray on the active roster.

TOS is certainly a worrisome diagnosis for Gray, though it’s one that comes with a wide variety of potential outcomes. Some of the more notable examples of players who were sidelined by TOS, such as Stephen Strasburg and Chris Archer, were never able to fully recover from the ailment and saw the issue bring an end to their big league careers, even after surgery. On the other hand, however, Gray’s teammate Merrill Kelly underwent surgery due to TOS following his age-31 season and has been quite successful in the years since then with a 3.64 ERA and 3.86 FIP in 128 starts. Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post discussed the medical differences between the situations Kelly and Strasburg faced back in 2023, and interested readers are encouraged to read that piece in full.

It’s impossible to say at this point what the news means for Gray, but it seems unlikely he’ll pitch again this year. Selected third overall by the Rockies back in 2013, the veteran of 11 MLB seasons has spent each of the past four years in Texas. He served as a solid back-of-the-rotation arm for the Rangers from 2022-24, with a 4.16 ERA and 4.05 FIP in 387 1/3 innings of work, but this year he’s surrendered a 7.71 ERA in 14 innings of work across six long relief outings after missing most of the season due to a forearm fracture suffered after he was struck by a comebacker during Spring Training.

The news of Gray’s TOS diagnosis adds a new wrinkle to the club’s decision to place the right-hander on waivers last week, which was only reported on after he went unclaimed last night. The right-hander is owed an additional $3.1MM for the remainder of the 2025 season, and given that the Rangers are known to be just over the first luxury tax threshold it was hardly surprising that the club wanted to see if there were any takers on that remaining chunk of Gray’s salary. There’s no reason to assume that the Rangers knew about Gray’s diagnosis before placing him on waivers, of course, but it’s possible that the specter of an injury causing his recent poor performance scared some would-be suitors off from placing a claim.

Gray is slated to hit free agency following the 2025 season. He figured to be a decent veteran arm for a club in need of a back-of-the-rotation starter or swing man this winter, but now it’s impossible to say what’s in store for Gray until we have more information about his status, including whether he’ll require surgery and what his recovery timetable looks like. Of course, the possibility of retirement can’t be completely ignored for a veteran facing notable health challenges who will turn 34 in November, but Gray has given no indication to this point about his plans for 2026 and beyond.

Twins Select Genesis Cabrera, Place Alan Roden On 60-Day IL

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The Twins announced this morning that they have selected the contract of left-hander Genesis Cabrera. Right-hander Travis Adams was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Cabrera on the active roster, while Cabrera will take the 40-man roster spot of outfielder Alan Roden. Roden was placed on the injured list due to a thumb sprain yesterday, and now has been transferred to the 60-day injured list in a move that effectively ends his 2025 season.

Cabrera, 28, signed with the Rays out of the Dominican Republic and made his pro debut back in 2014. His MLB debut came as a member of the Cardinals in 2019. After a middling start to his career as a swingman, he moved into a pure relief role and turned in solid results over the next few seasons with a 3.81 ERA and 4.53 FIP in 255 1/3 innings of work from 2020 to 2024 with St. Louis and Toronto. After pitching to a 3.59 ERA and 5.13 FIP in 69 appearances for Toronto last year, he reached free agency for the first time in his career.

Upon arriving in free agency, Cabrera signed in Queens on a minor league deal. He’s bounced between a handful of MLB clubs this year, pitching for the Mets, Cubs, and Pirates at various points this season. He’s not pitched especially well in those outings, with a 5.79 ERA and 5.65 FIP across 28 innings of work. Even so, the Twins scooped him up on a minor league deal and are now bringing him onto the roster after one outing with Triple-A St. Paul. In Minnesota, Cabrera will help to fill out a bullpen that lost Jhoan Duran, Louis Varland, Griffin Jax, Brock Stewart, and Danny Coulombe at this year’s trade deadline. That exodus of quality pitching talent has left the Twins’ relief corps in desperate need of reliable innings, and that’s something Cabrera can provide even if his results have generally been below average in recent years. His arrival also provides some support to Kody Funderburk, who had previously been the only lefty in the Twins bullpen following Coulombe’s departure.

As for Roden, the outfielder’s season is over after he was transferred to the 60-day IL today. The Twins are all but eliminated from postseason contention, and he won’t be eligible to be activated from the injured list until the regular season has concluded. Acquired from the Blue Jays in the deal that sent Varland to Toronto, Roden is a 25-year-old rookie who has hit just .191/.261/.294 in 54 games while playing primarily left field. It’s surely frustrating for Twins fans to see the under-performing corner bat they gave up a prized young reliever like Varland to acquire miss the final six weeks of his debut season, but after just 12 games in Minnesota there’s still plenty of time for the young outfielder to make a name for himself as a Twin beyond being part of the return for Varland. In the meantime, the Twins have Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner, James Outman, and Kody Clemens to handle the outfielder corners.

Diamondbacks Select Nabil Crismatt

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The Diamondbacks announced this morning that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Nabil Crismatt. In a corresponding move, right-hander Casey Kelly was optioned to Triple-A. Arizona had a 40-man roster already vacancy for Crismatt to fill, and their roster now stands at 40.

Crismatt, 30, was signed by the Mets out of Colombia and made his professional debut back in 2012. He made his big league debut as a Cardinal in 2020, when he pitched to a 3.24 ERA in 8 1/3 innings of work. Despite that solid first showing, he was outrighted off the club’s roster following the 2020 season. That led him to sign a minor league contract with the Padres, for whom he would have plenty of success over the next two seasons. The righty posted a 3.39 ERA with a 3.76 FIP over 148 2/3 innings of work from 2021-22 while striking out 21.6% of his opponents.

It was a solid showing, but since then he’s been limited to just 13 games in the majors between the Padres, Diamondbacks, and Dodgers. He struggled in those games, with a 6.30 ERA and 5.22 FIP in 20 innings of work. He’s mostly been relegated to the minors since 2023 and spent most of last year in the Rangers organization before signing with the Phillies on a minor league deal this past offseason. Philadelphia stretched Crismatt out to start at Triple-A, and he posted a decent 4.04 ERA in 100 1/3 innings of work for the club. He opted out of his minor league deal with the Phillies once, but re-signed after not finding a more lucrative deal elsewhere.

He was released earlier this month by the Phillies, however, and found himself scooped up by Arizona shortly thereafter. He made one scoreless, two-inning appearance with the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate in Reno and is now slated to join the club’s roster, where he can help round out the pitching staff after the club dealt away a number of pieces at last month’s trade deadline. Crismatt figures to serve as a multi-inning reliever for the Diamondbacks going forward, and a strong showing down the stretch could help him find a big league role for the 2026 season if he can prove to have the same level of effectiveness he flashed with the Padres a few years ago.

Reds Designate Jake Fraley For Assignment

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The Reds announced this morning that they’ve designated outfielder Jake Fraley for assignment. Outfielder Will Benson was recalled to replace Fraley on the active roster. Right-hander Connor Phillips was also recalled to the MLB roster after the club optioned southpaw Joe La Sorsa to Triple-A last night.

Fraley, 30, began his career with the Mariners and was shipped to Cincinnati as part of the trade that sent Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker to Seattle. Since making his Reds debut in 2022, Fraley has been a roughly league average bat for the club. He’s hit .260/.336/.421 (105 wRC+) in 362 games for the club over the past four seasons and has never posted a wRC+ below 96 over a full season. He’s proven to be a solid baserunner as well, with 20-steal campaigns in both 2023 and ’24, though his defense has left him mostly limited to being a middling defender in the outfielder corners.

The biggest flaw in Fraley’s game is his massive platoon split, however. He’s virtually unplayable against lefties, with a .187/.263/.260 (44 wRC+) slash line against southpaws in 137 plate appearances during his time with the Reds. That’s offset by his solid .269/.346/.441 (113 wRC+) line against right-handed pitchers, of course, but Fraley is also in a 1-for-17 slump since the start of August and is hitting a lackluster .226/.305/.377 (83 wRC+) dating all the way back to June 20. That’s not substantially better than Benson, who sports an 80 wRC+ in 201 plate appearances this year. Perhaps the Reds are hoping that giving Benson opportunities down the stretch will get him into position to take over Fraley’s role as a left-handed platoon outfielder for 2026, when Fraley would’ve been due a raise on his $3.125MM salary for 2025 via arbitration and likely found himself non-tendered come November.

As for Phillips, the righty was once a consensus top-100 prospect but suffered a brutal season at Triple-A last year as he walked 15.3% of his opponents in 19 starts. He’s converted to relief this year and done better for himself with a 2.84 ERA in 38 innings, though his 14.6% walk rate remains elevated. He’s made just four appearances at the big league level this year but will now get an opportunity to try and harness his high-octane stuff as the Reds shuffle out La Sorsa, who surrendered a three-run homer to infielder Andruw Monasterio in the 11th inning of yesterday’s brutal 6-5 loss to Milwaukee.

Cardinals Place Victor Scott II On IL, Select Nathan Church

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The Cardinals have selected the contract of outfielder Nathan Church, as noted by Katie Woo of The Athletic. St. Louis had multiple spots available on its 40-man roster, so there was no need to create space for Church’s addition. He’ll be taking the active roster spot of center fielder Victor Scott II, who has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left ankle sprain.

Scott, 24, has appeared in 116 games for the Cardinals this year while serving as the club’s primary center fielder. While his offensive numbers leave something to be desired (he’s hit .233/.311/.312 with a wRC+ of 81 this year), he’s improved substantially relative to last year’s 40 wRC+ thanks to much stronger plate discipline. His elite defense and 31-for-33 record on the bases has made him a two-win player according to both Baseball Reference’s and Fangraphs’ versions of WAR. He’s been used less often in recent weeks, with just 39 plate appearances since July 29, but the Cardinals have kept him as a regular presence in games even as his playing time has dwindled by using him as a pinch runner and defensive replacement.

That makes losing Scott for any amount of time a tough blow, particularly given that super utility man Brendan Donovan and first baseman Willson Contreras are both already out of the lineup with day-to-day injuries. All of this has created an opportunity for Church, who was an 11th-round pick by St. Louis back in 2022. He’s scaled the minor league ladder over the past few years in order to reach Triple-A this season, and he’s looked quite good at the level through 53 games. He’s hitting .335/.400/.521 in 242 plate appearances since being promoted, with nine steals and 22 extra-base hits, including seven homers. He’s also managed to walk (24) nearly as many times as he’s struck out (25). That impressive all-around profile is certainly intriguing, and now it appears to have been enough to earn him a look at the big league level.

Church has split his time between all three outfield spots in the minors fairly evenly, and it’s unclear where he’ll spend most of his time in the majors at this point. Jordan Walker is entrenched in right field, while Lars Nootbaar figures to handle either left field or center field on a regular basis but could switch between the two as needed. Burleson typically plays left field but has been handling first base in Contreras’s absence, which could create an opening for Church to get some playing time while Contreras nurses his injury. Once the rest of the roster is healthy, Church is likely to operate in mostly a bench role but his lefty bat could be used to spell the right-handed Walker in tougher matchups.

Marcelo Mayer To Undergo Season-Ending Wrist Surgery

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Marcelo Mayer’s rookie season is over. The youngster has been on the shelf due to a wrist sprain since late July, and now manager Alex Cora has told reporters (including Christopher Smith of MassLive) that the infielder will undergo season-ending surgery on his ailing wrist. The surgery comes with a three-month recovery period, so he’s expected to be ready for Spring Training 2026.

Mayer, 22, entered the season as a consensus top-20 prospect in the sport. Selected fourth-overall by the Red Sox back in 2021, Mayer’s climb up the minor league ladder was stymied by injuries at times but he made both his Triple-A and big league debuts this year in spite of those obstacles. He hit a solid .271/.247/.472 in 43 games with Worcester this year but scuffled a bit in the majors, with a below-average .228/.272/.402 (79 wRC+) slash line and a 30.1% strikeout rate. He posted those numbers while splitting time between second and third base as well as shortstop at the big league level, with most of his work coming at the hot corner while Alex Bregman was on the injured list earlier this year.

Now that Mayer’s own 2025 campaign has come to an abrupt close due to his ailing wrist, it’s safe to say that the youngster didn’t have the rookie campaign he and the Red Sox were surely hoping for. That’s hardly a surprise, of course. While some top talents (such as teammate Roman Anthony) immediately take to the big leagues, it’s become increasingly common for even the very best prospects in the game to struggle mightily early in their careers due to the growing skill gap between Triple-A and the majors. For Mayer, getting some of those growing pains out of the way this year can only be a good thing, and will hopefully leave him better equipped to impact the big league club in 2026.

Fortunately for the Red Sox, they’ve been able to do just fine without Mayer producing at a high level. Bregman (156 wRC+) earned his third career All-Star nod and has been a game changer for Boston’s lineup at third base, while Trevor Story has bounced back from years of injury-marred campaigns to be a roughly average (98 wRC+) everyday shortstop. That’s solidified the left side of the club’s infield, and while the struggles of both Mayer and Kristian Campbell have made second base into a bit of a question mark, super utility man Ceddanne Rafaela has settled in at the keystone admirably amid a decent offensive season of his own (97 wRC+). Fellow youngster Kristian Campbell is also available to help chip in at second base, though he’s struggled after a hot start to the year and is currently getting regular reps at Triple-A.

Looking ahead to next year, the Red Sox figure to have an embarrassment of riches on the positional side of things. Bregman seems increasingly likely to opt out of his contract and return to free agency, but even setting him aside the returns of Mayer and Triston Casas should give the team a full lineup on paper with both Campbell and Rafaela capable of moving between the infield and outfield as needed. Should Bregman opt into his deal or wind up getting re-signed or replaced in free agency, the Red Sox figure to have more players than positions to play them at between their solid regulars and unproven young players like Mayer and Campbell. Players like Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida have frequently been the subject of trade rumors over the years due to this impending logjam, and while no deals have come together to this point that figures to remain a storyline surrounding the club headed into the offseason.

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