Dalbec on major tear, but roster room now scarce
Bobby Dalbec is knocking on the door. Is anyone listening? The corner infielder is 26 of 67 (.388) with 10 home runs and 20 RBIs in his last 18 games for Triple A Worcester.
In all, Dalbec is hitting .306 with a 1.081 OPS in 41 games for the WooSox.
But the Sox don’t see a roster spot for him, even with first baseman Triston Casas hitting .191 with a .677 OPS through 51 games.
“Where we’re at roster-wise, this is who we have,” Sox manager Alex Cora said Sunday. “We’re glad that he’s going well, not only hitting for power but hitting for average. But obviously roster-wise right now, this is who we have.”
Cora said a conversation with Worcester teammate Niko Goodrum and some changes in pregame preparation have helped Dalbec at the plate.
“It seems like it’s working,” Cora said.
Casas was 0 for 2 with two walks in Sunday’s 6-2 loss against Tampa Bay at Fenway Park.
Dalbec, 27, was called up in April and again in May, but had only 13 plate appearances over eight games. He was 2 for 11 with two walks.
Fresh arms in bullpen
The battered Red Sox pitching staff picked up some reinforcements in the form of a pair of relievers as lefthander Brennan Bernardino and righthander Kaleb Ort were recalled from Worcester. Ort pitched two perfect innings with three strikeouts in the loss.
To make roster space, lefthander Joely Rodriguez was placed on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation and lefthander Ryan Sherriff was optioned to Triple A.
Rodriguez felt pain while warming up Saturday and is now on the injured list for a second time this season. In five appearances, he has allowed eight earned runs over four innings.
The belief is Rodriguez will be able to return quickly.
Sherriff has pitched well in four appearances but worked in both ends of Saturday’s doubleheader and would not have been available.
Bernardino was the extra player for the doubleheader and will remain on the roster. He pitched two scoreless innings in the second game.
Kelly optimistic
Zack Kelly, who had surgery to move a nerve in his elbow, is convinced he will pitch again this season.
“I think I could be back by the end of August,” the 28-yearold righthander said.
The reliever was injured while facing the Rays on April 12. Initial tests were inconclusive before it was determined he required an ulnar nerve transposition. The procedure moves the nerve from behind the elbow to the front, relieving any numbness.
Surgery was performed on May 2 and Kelly hopes to start a throwing program at the end of this month. He has a 3.86 earned run average in 19 appearances since making his major league debut last season.
No more offday
The Red Sox and Rays are scheduled to finish their series at 4:10 p.m. Monday, a makeup game for Friday’s rainout.
The Rays preferred to play Sept. 25, a mutual offday before a scheduled two-game series between the teams at Fenway. According to Cora, Major League Baseball wanted to leave that day open in the event other makeup games need to be scheduled.
Players and coaches from both teams are annoyed the Sox scheduled a later start time, as opposed to 1:10 p.m.
The Rays are traveling home after the game and would have preferred to arrive earlier. The Sox are traveling to Cleveland and it’s the club’s annual family trip. With the later start, the team and their loved ones won’t arrive until close to midnight.
The Rays did gain one advantage: They can start ace lefty Shane McClanahan (8-1, 2.07 ERA) in the finale against Bryan Bello.
Rehab updates
Adam Duvall was 1 for 2 with two walks and a home run for Worcester in his fifth injury rehab game. The center fielder is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list Friday and should be ready, having already had 19 plate appearances.
Infielder Yu Chang appears ready to resume his rehab assignment on Tuesday with Worcester. Chang has been out since April 25 after breaking a bone in his left hand. He has been taking batting practice off a pitching machine and does not believe he’ll need more than a few days to get ready.
John Schreiber will start throwing this week. The righthanded reliever has been out since May 16 with a shoulder strain.
Infielder Christian Arroyo has played six rehab games in his return from a hamstring strain but Cora offered no timetable as to when he would be activated.
Paxton on Guardians
James Paxton is scheduled to start the series opener Tuesday against the Guardians. The starters for Wednesday and Thursday are uncertain. Cora indicated Kutter Crawford would mix into the rotation after starting Saturday and going three solid innings . . . The Rays changed their lineup just before first pitch. Second baseman
Brandon Lowe was scratched with pain in his left leg and center fielder Jose Siri with right shoulder discomfort. Isaac Paredes started at second and Manuel Margot in center.