The Red Sox are likely to activate Bobby Dalbec on Friday with Romy Gonzalez and Rafael Devers both dealing with injuries. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
BOSTON — Bobby Dalbec’s latest stay in Triple-A was a short one.
The Red Sox have summoned Dalbec back to Boston and are expected to activate him before Friday’s series opener against the Angels, multiple baseball sources. That means an injured infielder – either Romy Gonzalez or Rafael Devers – is likely going on the injured list. Initial indications Friday are that Gonzalez, who is dealing with a sprained left wrist, is the likely candidate to hit the IL for a short stint. It is also possible Devers, who is battling with nagging shoulder pain, will be shut down for some time. The Red Sox plan to wait to see how Devers and Gonzalez feel when they arrive at Fenway Park on Friday to finalize roster moves.
Late Thursday, Devers said he hoped two to three days off would be enough for his shoulder to get healthy. Earlier in the day, Manager Alex Cora didn’t rule out an IL stint for the star third baseman.
“Let’s see how it goes. But it’s too early to be grinding,” Cora said. “That’s how I see it. He’s too important for us for him to be grinding with his swing and making it worse. He just felt yesterday that he needed a day so we decided to give him a day today.
“If he needs one, two, three (days) or if it’s an IL stint, then so be it. We have to take care of this.”
Either way, it appears Dalbec is likely to start at third base Friday against Angels lefty Reid Detmers. The Red Sox will face two lefties this weekend in Detmers and Sunday starter Tyler Anderson. Dalbec is the most natural replacement for Devers at third base in the near term; Pablo Reyes can play shortstop and second base in platoons with left-handed hitters David Hamilton and Enmanuel Valdez.
Dalbec made the Opening Day roster but didn’t get a hit (0 for 9, six strikeouts) in six games before being sent down to the WooSox on Monday. He homered for Worcester on Wednesday night in Syracuse.
CEDDANNE RAFAELA’S salaries in the final seasons of his $50 million, eight-year contract with the Boston Red Sox could escalate depending on his finish in MVP voting or whether he becomes an All-Star.
Rafaela’s deal, announced Wednesday, includes a team option for 2032 that could make the agreement with the 23-year-old outfielder worth $62 million over nine seasons.
He receives a $2 million signing bonus payable within 30 days of the contract’s approval by the commissioner’s office. He gets $1 million salaries this year and next, $2 million in 2026, $3.5 million in 2028, $7.5 million in 2029, $10.5 million in 3030 and $13 million in 2031. The team option is for $16 million with a $4 million buyout.
Rafaela’s salaries for 2030-32 would increase based on accomplishments for the preceding season: $2 million for MVP, $1 million for second or third in the voting, $500,000 for fourth or fifth, $250,000 for sixth through 10th and $200,000 for making the All-Star team.
He gets a hotel suite on road trips for 2030-32.
Rafaela has played 41 major league games, batting .225 average with two homers, 10 RBIs and four stolen bases while playing center field, shortstop and second base.
JORDAN MONTGOMERY switched agents from Scott Boras to Joel Wolfe of Wasserman Media Group after his drawn out free agency ended with a $25 million, one-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks rather than a long-term deal.
Montgomery’s agent with the players’ association was listed as Boras on Thursday but changed to Wasserman on Friday.
The 31-year-old left-hander’s contract was finalized on March 29, a day after Opening Day, and he cannot be given a qualifying offer by the Diamondbacks after the World Series.
Montgomery was 10-11 with a 3.20 ERA for St. Louis and Texas, which acquired him on July 30. He was 3-1 in the postseason as the Rangers won their first World Series title.
He has made one start for the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A Reno Aces, allowing two runs, three hits and three walks over four innings Sunday at Sacramento.
Montgomery was among several Boras clients who finalized deals during spring training, along with outfielder Cody Bellinger ($80 million, three-year contract with the Chicago Cubs on Feb. 27), third baseman Matt Chapman ($54 million, three-year contract with San Francisco on March 3), left-hander Blake Snell ($62 million for two years with San Francisco on March 19) and designated hitter J.D. Martinez ($12 million with New York Mets on May 23),
All five players can become free agents again after this season. The deals for Bellinger, Chapman and Snell have opt outs.
WHITE SOX: Luis Robert Jr. could return in May, and the team also provided a positive update on third baseman Yoán Moncada.
Robert is on the shelf with a Grade 2 right hip flexor strain, and Moncada has a left adductor strain. The White Sox also are playing without Eloy Jiménez, another key slugger who has a left adductor strain.
The oft-injured Moncada collapsed near first when he tried to beat out an infield grounder at Cleveland on Tuesday, and the team said he would be sidelined for three to six months.
Getz said the organization felt better about Moncada’s timeline after consulting with outside medical personnel.
ASTROS: Houston ace Justin Verlander is scheduled to make his second and likely final rehabilitation start for Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday night.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner opened the season on the injured list with inflammation in his right shoulder.
He allowed six earned runs and struck out six pitching into the fourth inning of his first rehabilitation start Sunday for Triple-A Sugar Land.
YANKEES-GUARDIANS: Steady rain and the forecast for strong winds postponed the opener of a three-game series Friday night between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians.
The teams will play a split doubleheader on Saturday, with the first game starting at 12:10 p.m. The second game is scheduled to begin at 6:10 p.m.
This is New York’s only visit to Cleveland this season, so it was essential for the game to made up right away.
Carlos Carrasco, who was scheduled to start Friday, is expected to pitch Game 1 for the Guardians with Triston McKenzie pitching the second game.
New York has not yet named its starter for the opener. Luis Gil is scheduled to pitch the second game for the Yankees, who are off to an MLB-best 10-3 start, including a 6-1 mark on the road.
A BASEBALL AGENT at Bad Bunny’s Rimas Sports firm has lost his certification with the Major League Baseball Players Association.
The union declined to comment on the reason for its decision to strip William Arroyo of his right to represent MLB players.
“At Rimas Sports, we uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity of our industry,” the agency said in a statement Friday. “Out of respect for an ongoing process within the context of the MLBPA agent regulations, we will refrain from making any comments at this time. We remain committed to continue serving our clients with excellence.”
Arroyo declined comment for now but said he would have something to say soon.
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