Trevor Story’s return is about to force the Red Sox into a roster squeeze, and one of the club’s recent bright spots may be the one who pays the price.
Boston will have to clear space when the two-time All-Star is ready to come back, and that means a move to Triple-A is coming for someone. That decision would have been easier earlier in the season, when the Red Sox were still digging out of their rough start. Now, with the team rolling and the mood around the organization much better, any demotion is going to sting a little more.
The name to watch is Anthony Seigler. On Tuesday, The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey pointed to him as the likely "odd man out."
"That likely means Seigler is the odd man out, despite his huge hit Monday," McCaffrey wrote. "Seigler was a spark plug when he was first recalled in late June to replace Kiner-Falefa, hitting .254 with a .740 OPS in 45 games, but his playing time has taken a hit since Sogard’s call-up.
Seigler’s start Monday was his first in eight days, yet he still managed to contribute with the game on the line. If Seigler is optioned when Story or Kiner-Falefa returns, Monasterio could be the other player optioned."
Seigler has earned the kind of attention that makes this kind of move harder than it looks on paper. When Boston ripped off its historic 15-game winning streak at the end of June, he was part of the action and gave the team more than just production. He brought energy, and that mattered for a club that had been short on it through the first few months of the season.
A former first-round pick, Seigler finally got a real big-league chance and made the most of it. He’s hit .254/.325/.415 with a .740 OPS, three home runs and 13 RBIs in 45 games. On Monday, he delivered his first career MLB triple, a hit that put Boston ahead of the Miami Marlins in the ninth inning.
Anthony Seigler’s first career triple puts the @RedSox ahead in the 9th inning! pic.twitter.com/zVdVHXoz8p
The issue for Seigler now is simple: Nick Sogard has taken hold at second base, and that has cut into his chances. If Story is activated, Seigler is the logical candidate to go down.
Still, there’s one more wrinkle coming soon. Rosters expand on Sep. 1, which gives Boston some breathing room. Even if Seigler is sent to Triple-A to make room for Story, the Red Sox may still need him back before the playoffs for the spark he’s provided.
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Anthony could still be in the lineup often, just not necessarily as an everyday left fielder, with designated hitter among the options the club is weighing. The decision also folds into a broader roster picture that includes Mickey Gasper, Jahmai Jones, Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, leaving the Red Sox with a few moving parts to sort out before the picture fully settles. [Read more 🡒]