During the month of September, Major League Baseball teams are allowed to expand their rosters to 28 players, giving managers some additional flexibility for the stretch run. For most of the month, however, the Boston Red Sox weren’t really making full use of that advantage. On paper, they had 28 players available, but in reality, they were functioning with only 27.
The reason? The club was carrying three catchers, though you would hardly know it from watching the lineups or the substitution patterns. One of those catchers, 28-year-old Ali Sánchez, essentially occupied a roster spot without being part of the team’s actual rotation. Sánchez, a journeyman backstop who has bounced around multiple organizations, was picked up off waivers by Boston in August. Despite his presence, he played virtually no role in the team’s September games.
Sánchez’s transaction log tells the story of his unusual month. He was first added to Boston’s active roster on August 11. Just a week later, he was designated for assignment, then briefly claimed by the New York Mets. In a twist, he was traded back to the Red Sox on August 31 and once again slotted onto the roster. From there, Sánchez stayed active for the first 17 games of September—but his actual on-field involvement was almost nonexistent. Across that entire stretch, he logged only three innings behind the plate and came to bat just twice. Both of those plate appearances occurred in lopsided contests, including one against Houston Astros outfielder Chas McCormick, who was pitching in relief during a blowout.
By contrast, the other 13 position players on Boston’s roster had each collected at least 29 at-bats over the previous 30 days heading into Sunday. Sánchez, meanwhile, had only two. That disparity highlighted just how little the team relied on him, even as the Red Sox offense sputtered throughout the month and could have used an extra spark off the bench.
Ultimately, the Red Sox made the decision to part ways with Sánchez on Sunday, designating him for assignment in order to clear a spot for outfielder Wilyer Abreu, who was returning from the injured list. Carrying three catchers can be a sensible precaution, particularly in September when games often tighten and substitutions matter more. But in Boston’s case, the choice to keep Sánchez essentially reduced their roster to 27 usable players for weeks on end. With their postseason hopes fading and offensive struggles mounting, it became harder and harder to justify devoting one of their limited position-player spots to someone the club did not trust in any meaningful situation.
