2024 Lineup (What we actually have - no trade speculation.)

[chawson]

O'Neill now up to .333/.450/.758/1.208, with 9 homers in just 19 games. Obviously he won't keep this up but he's been amazing. I'm very curious to see whether Boston extends him or trades him at the deadline.

He’s already shown enough that a QO is a virtual lock, in my mind.

He’s a Boras client so I’m not sure what potential there is for an extension, but O’Neill is hitting like a right-handed Yordan Alvarez and there’s nothing to suggest it’s been lucky. He’s only turning 29 this summer, and the team’s been so short on right-handed power.

It’ll be an interesting, maybe agonizing decision. Even if he falls back into the 160 wRC+ range, I’d have to think he’d fetch a Top 100 prospect and another back-end one at the deadline. I really hope we’re not 2-3 games back again on July 1st.

 

[chrisfont9]

He’s already shown enough that a QO is a virtual lock, in my mind.

He’s a Boras client so I’m not sure what potential there is for an extension, but O’Neill is hitting like a right-handed Yordan Alvarez and there’s nothing to suggest it’s been lucky. He’s only turning 29 this summer, and the team’s been so short on right-handed power.

It’ll be an interesting, maybe agonizing decision.

I’ll say. He was a 6-win player in his last healthy season, and the injuries the last two years weren’t anything big. I’d bet a couple years’ salary on him at least.

 

[Otis Foster]

Weren’t there report that O’Neill was happy with his Boston experience? With Boras riding shotgun, that doesn’t mean very much, but still.

 

[simplicio]

So our IF depth charts now look something like this:

3B Devers Dalbec Reyes Romy Grissom Hamilton Valdez Wong
SS Story Rafaela Reyes Romy Hamilton Grissom
2B Grissom Valdez Reyes Rafaela Romy Hamilton Wong
1B Casas Cooper Dalbec Reyes Romy Refsnyder Valdez Wong

In the minors, we have (assuming Dalbec is optioned when Grissom returns, although Valdez and Hamilton are also candidates):

3B Dalbec Westbrook Sogard Meidroth
SS Sogard Simas Mayer
2B Sogard Simas Yorke Mayer
1B Dalbec Kavadas Hickey

Good post from nvalvo in the Cooper thread after the Reyes DFA, continuing here.

I think Valdez gets optioned when Grissom comes up, unless Masa hits the IL, as he has the least versatility (and Hamilton can PR). I also think Romy bumps someone once he gets healthy, probably Hamilton? And Bobby somehow survives.

My guess on DH without Masa is Refsnyder gets the most time there, but they maybe start rotating OF through the spot for a bit of a break.

 

[Rovin Romine]

May as well. . .and by posting, we're guaranteed quick news on Grissom.

This is a snapshot comparison from the opening day roster to today, not a complete record of ups and downs.
* is LHH, Bold is opening day roster, call-up replacements are indented, whether originally on the roster or not.

Catchers:

Wong​

McGuire*​

Infielders:

Triston Casas* (60 day IL, 4/21 left rib fracture) ​

Tyler Heineman (10 day IL, 4/22 hamstring)​

Garrett Cooper​

Enmanuel Valdez*​

note: Vaughn Grissom IL/Delayed ST, AAA began 4/12, 20 days max. Due up 4/30?​

Trevor Story (60 day IL 4/6, shoulder, out for year)​

David Hamilton*​

Rafael Devers* (day to day shoulder and left knee issues 4/17-4/24.)​

Pablo Reyes - DFA​

Romy Gonzalez (10 Day IL 4/11, wrist sprain) MRI good.​

Bobby Dalbec​

Outfielders:

Masataka Yoshida* Possible wrist injury 4/28​

Tyler O'Neill (7 Day IL 4/16, concussion, back 4/23)​

Rob Refsnyder​

Wilyer Abreu*​

Jarren Duran*​

Ceddanne Rafaela​

Minors (40 man)

NONE​

​

MiL players of note (non-40):

Kavadas - 1B LHH (poor defender?, 3 true outcome hitter)​

Hickey - C/DH LHH (bat first player)​

Westbrook - 3B/2B RHH (age 28 journeyman type.)​

Sogard - IF/OF SH​

Meidroth - 3B/2B (adequate fielder at best, contact heavy)​

Conteras - OF LHH (probably not relevant to immediate needs, age 29 journeyman type)​

Notes:

Pablo Reyes DFA'd 4/29 for Garrett Cooper.​

 

[Rovin Romine]

May as well. . .and by posting, we're guaranteed quick news on Grissom.

Or not. There's been some reporting Valdez/Dalbec are going to AAA today. I'll edit later if wrong.

This is a snapshot comparison from the opening day roster to today, not a complete record of ups and downs.
* is LHH, Bold is opening day roster, call-up replacements are indented, whether originally on the roster or not.

Catchers:

Wong​

McGuire*​

Infielders:

Triston Casas* (60 day IL, 4/21 left rib fracture) ​

Tyler Heineman (10 day IL, 4/22 hamstring)​

Garrett Cooper​

Dominic Smith​

Enmanuel Valdez* (optioned AAA, 5/2)​

Vaughn Grissom (IL/Delayed ST, hamstring/stomach bug: up 5/3)​

Trevor Story (60 day IL 4/6, shoulder, out for year)​

David Hamilton*​

Ceddanne Rafaela​

Rafael Devers* (day to day shoulder and left knee issues 4/17-4/24)​

Pablo Reyes - DFA ​

Romy Gonzalez (10 Day IL 4/11, wrist sprain) MRI good.​

Zach Short​

Bobby Dalbec (optioned to AAA, 5/2)​

Outfielders:

Masataka Yoshida* (10 day IL 4/29, jammed left hand)​

Tyler O'Neill (7 Day IL 4/16, concussion, back 4/23)​

Rob Refsnyder​

Wilyer Abreu*​

Jarren Duran*​

Minors (40 man)

Enmanuel Valdez*​

Bobby Dalbec​

​

MiL players of note (non-40):

Kavadas - 1B LHH (poor defender?, 3 true outcome hitter)​

Hickey - C/DH LHH (bat first player)​

Westbrook - 3B/2B RHH (age 28 journeyman type.)​

Sogard - IF/OF SH​

Meidroth - 3B/2B (adequate fielder at best, contact heavy)​

Conteras - OF LHH (probably not relevant to immediate needs, age 29 journeyman type)​

Notes:

Pablo Reyes DFA'd 4/29 for Garrett Cooper.​

Ceddanne Rafaela moved from CF to SS 4/19.​

Zack Short acquired from Mets (DFA'd) for cash, 5/1.​

Dominic Smith signed 5/1.​

Enmanuel Valdez was on the opening day roster. Optioned to AAA 5/2. Better fielding, poor hitting.​

Dalbec was on opening day roster, optioned 4/8 for Romy Gonzalez, up 4/12 after Romy injury. Optioned 5/2 for Grissom.​

 

[E5 Yaz]

@bradfo
Red Sox will be optioning Bobby Dalbec to Worcester
https://twitter.com/ChrisCotillo

 

[Humphrey]

@bradfo
Red Sox will be optioning Bobby Dalbec to Worcester
https://twitter.com/ChrisCotillo

Having him starting at first today was quite surprising given they brought in not one, but TWO first basemen!

Reminded me of George Costanza quitting/getting fired and showing up for work the next day like nothing had happened.

 

[LoLsapien]

Did we actually have a guy named Short playing 2B today? Or is the MLB app box score f#cking with me?

 

[Humphrey]

I assume he's a short timer (pun intended) given Grissom's supposed to be in the lineup tonight.

 

[Petagine in a Bottle]

Not necessarily; isn’t it possible, even likely, that Grissom replaces Hamilton?

 

[Rovin Romine]

Did we actually have a guy named Short playing 2B today? Or is the MLB app box score f#cking with me?

I assume he's a short timer (pun intended) given Grissom's supposed to be in the lineup tonight.

Are you guys not reading this thread? Or the others on the main board?

We've got 8 starters/primaries and 5 bench players, one of whom will DH.

Starters: Wong, Cooper, Grissom, Rafaela, Devers, Duran, O'Neill, Abreu, (DH).

Bench: McGuire (C), Refsnyder (OF), Smith (1B/DH), Hamilton (2B/SS), Short (2B/SS/3B, emergency OF).

(You can quibble if Refsnyder or Abreu is the 4th OF, or Cooper or Smith is the 1B, or who will DH, but that's basically the shape of it.)

Short's role is to rest the middle infield and provide competent defense - what Pablo Reyes/Romy was supposed to do.

Not necessarily; isn’t it possible, even likely, that Grissom replaces Hamilton?

The reporting at MLB and other places is Dalbec to AAA for Grissom.

And it makes sense. A non-hitting Dalbec is pretty redundant with Cooper + Smith at 1B and Devers + Short at 3B. At the moment, Hamilton can step into the SS/2B role; Dalbec can't do that.

Hamilton may eventually go down for Romy, but ultimately, with a healthy Romy/Short type on the club, we might see whomever has the best bat come up from AAA to take one of the 2 MI spots: Dalbec, Valdez, Hamilton. I don't think you need both Romy and Short on a club, unless Romy is really hitting and the AAA bats are all stalled.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Not necessarily; isn’t it possible, even likely, that Grissom replaces Hamilton?

Dalbec got sent down yesterday after the game so presumably that's how they're getting Grissom on the roster.

Short is the Pablo Reyes replacement, ultimately. Hamilton is effectively the 6th middle infielder and outfielder (by allowing Rafaela to move out there if necessary).

 

[Petagine in a Bottle]

Got it, that makes sense. Hard to keep track of all the comings and goings at this point.

 

[KillerBs]

So, based on where we stand, Dominic Smith and Cooper start vs most RHPers at 1b and dh. Hamilton's role looks like giving Grissom a day off here and there at 2b.

We kinda need Dom Smith and Cooper to OPS around 100?

Against lefties Refsnyder is in the lineup of course (practically in lieu of Smith) and Duran and Abreu are too, though either could get a day off by starting Short at SS and pushing CR to CF.

 

[Rovin Romine]

So, based on where we stand, Dominic Smith and Cooper start vs most RHPers at 1b and dh. Hamilton's role looks like giving Grissom a day off here and there at 2b.

We kinda need Dom Smith and Cooper to OPS around 100?

Against lefties Refsnyder is in the lineup of course (practically in lieu of Smith) and Duran and Abreu are too, though either could get a day off by starting Short at SS and pushing CR to CF.

I think that scans.

Cooper's basically cleared the "average OPS bar" since 2019, so he's a good bet.

Smith is more of a reclamation project at this point. Though he did OPS+ at 93 last year with a large R/L split. So as a DH against RHP, he might be just fine.

Part of the Hamilton equation might be the immediate schedule. They have 3 @ MIN, a day off, 2 @ ATL, a day off, and then they're back for a 7 day homestand against WSN and TBR. The MN games are a night game, then two day games at 2pm Eastern. So if Grissom relapses or someone gets injured during warm-ups or the like, there's no real option to zip in somebody from WOR.