The Pink Sox introduced a flurry of roster strikes this morning. Proper-hander Justin Slaten was positioned on the 15-day injured listing with shoulder irritation, and was changed on the roster by right-hander Luis Guerrero. In the meantime, Boston chosen the contract of infielder/outfielder Nate Eaton. Infielder Nick Sogard was optioned to Triple-A to be able to make room on the lively roster, whereas catcher Blake Sabol was designated for project to clear a 40-man roster spot. The additions of Eaton and Guerrero had been beforehand reported final evening.
Slaten, 27, has emerged as a vital piece of the Pink Sox bullpen over the previous two years. Plucked from the Rangers within the 2023 Rule 5 draft, the right-hander has posted a 3.09 ERA with a fair stronger 2.77 FIP throughout 78 2/3 innings of labor. That’s been sufficient to make him one of many high set-up males on the roster in each of his years with the Pink Sox, serving in a high-leverage function establishing nearer Kenley Jansen final 12 months and Aroldis Chapman this season. Spectacular as these outcomes have been, nonetheless, Slaten’s taken a little bit of a step again this 12 months. His strikeout price has dipped to 17.8%, his stroll price has jumped to 7.8%, and he’s shaved almost ten factors off his floor ball price relative to final 12 months.
Maybe right this moment’s placement on the injured listing gives some degree of clarification for that step backwards in manufacturing. The best-hander instructed reporters (together with Chris Cotillo of MassLive) that he’s simply coping with some “fatigue” in his shoulder and hopes to be again in motion after solely a minimal stint. Dropping a key piece of the bullpen isn’t a superb factor, but when a two-week journey to the shelf will help Slaten get again to the dominant kind he flashed in 2024 that may very well be nicely price it for the membership.
As for Sabol, the 27-year-old is a fellow alumnus of the Rule 5 draft. Chosen by the Giants within the 2022 installment of the draft, Sabol hit .243/.313/.392 (95 wRC+) in 121 video games with the Giants between the 2023 and ’24 seasons whereas splitting time between catching and the outfield. Sadly, Sabol didn’t present sufficient offensive potential to function an everyday outfield choice nor sufficient progress defensively behind the plate to be rostered as an everyday catcher within the eyes of San Francisco. That led the membership to designate him for project again in January, and he was traded to the Pink Sox shortly thereafter.
Sabol has largely been a depth choice for the Pink Sox this 12 months, and has solely appeared in eight video games with the massive league membership with a -14 wRC+ in that extraordinarily restricted alternative. The Pink Sox can have one week to commerce Sabol or try to cross him via waivers. If he goes unclaimed, Boston can have the chance to outright him to the minor leagues to make use of as non-roster depth going ahead. Connor Wong and Carlos Narvaez have settled in because the membership’s main catching tandem, and depth choices like Yasmani Grandal and Seby Zavala stay within the fold on the minor league degree.
