The offseason for Major League Baseball (MLB) officially starts the day after the World Series concludes, yet the initial five days serve as a quiet period focused on finalizing options, assessing opt-outs, and allowing free agents to re-sign with their existing teams. This past Monday marked the end of that five-day period, which coincided with the deadline for clubs to activate players from the 60-day injured list (IL). For the Boston Red Sox, who wrapped up their season with seven players on the 60-day IL, this moment called for necessary roster adjustments.
On Monday afternoon, the Red Sox executed a series of roster moves aimed at trimming their roster to the required 40 players. This included activating pitchers Justin Slaten, Johan Oviedo, and Kutter Crawford, along with first baseman Triston Casas and outfielder Eli White from the 60-day IL. In a decisive step, the team designated right-hander Zack Kelly and left-hander Eduardo Rivera for assignment.
Both Kelly and Rivera were part of the seven Red Sox players who concluded the season on the 60-day IL. Instead of activating them and cutting elsewhere, the decision was made to designate them for assignment (DFA). This move allows other teams the opportunity to claim them. Zack Kelly, initially a Division 2 collegiate pitcher, made his MLB debut in 2022 with the Red Sox. He recorded a 4.04 ERA over 127 strikeouts in 131 1/3 innings across 115 appearances. In the most recent season, he achieved a respectable 3.31 ERA during 17 outings before a right elbow inflammation sidelined him in early July.
In contrast, Eduardo Rivera had a shorter stint in the majors. He made four appearances following his promotion from Double-A on April 22, skipping Triple-A entirely. In those appearances, Rivera allowed seven earned runs over 10 innings, with the last three outings occurring in mid-July. He was later recalled from the minors and placed on the 60-day IL due to a lumbar strain to create room on the 40-man roster ahead of the September 1 expansions.
Among those activated from the 60-day IL, Justin Slaten played a pivotal role during the previous season for the Red Sox. He appeared in 36 games and maintained a 4.60 ERA, serving as one of the team’s most reliable high-leverage bullpen options. Unfortunately, Slaten spent significant time on the IL because of right elbow inflammation, leading to his shutdown in mid-September after further imaging revealed degenerative changes in his flexor mass.
Eli White, who joined the team from the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline, underwent Lisfranc repair surgery following an injury sustained when he collided with the wall at Fenway Park on September 8. Both Kutter Crawford and Triston Casas faced their own challenges, with Crawford dealing with right flexor irritation and Casas battling multiple injuries that kept him off the field for the entirety of the 2026 season. Johan Oviedo was limited as well, making just one appearance on March 30 due to a right flexor strain.
The flurry of moves on Monday concluded a busy first week of the offseason for the Red Sox. After finishing the season with a combined 47 players on both the 40-man and 60-day IL, the organization was tasked with clearing seven roster spots by the deadline. Two spots were cleared when Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Patrick Sandoval entered free agency, while another spot became available when Sonny Gray’s mutual option was declined, allowing him the freedom to explore the market.
In response to the pressing roster situation, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow acted swiftly, trading outfielder Nate Eaton to the Athletics for an 18-year-old minor league pitcher and moving infielder Tsung-Che Cheng to the Detroit Tigers for cash. Despite Monday’s roster adjustments, the Red Sox still face challenging decisions ahead as the offseason progresses.
As the team prepares for potential signings, additional roster spots will need to be cleared. Furthermore, the Red Sox may need to make room ahead of the November 17 deadline to determine which prospects will be protected from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft.
This offseason presents a unique challenge, particularly regarding the uncertainty surrounding the Rule 5 Draft, traditionally scheduled to take place during the Winter Meetings in early December. However, due to impending labor negotiations between players and owners, it remains to be seen if the draft will proceed as planned or if it will undergo rescheduling.
In the wake of these developments, the Red Sox organization is poised to make further moves as they navigate the offseason and prepare for the upcoming season, all while assessing the roster's depth and potential future investments.
Source: Boston Herald
Illustration photo: Tdorante10 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
