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Pablo Reyes, who played in 21 games for the Red Sox this season, was designated for assignment on Monday. Steve Senne/Associated Press

The Red Sox made somewhat of a surprising roster move Monday.

They designated infielder Pablo Reyes for assignment to make room for trade addition Garrett Cooper on the 26-man roster. They chose to cut Reyes instead of optioning Bobby Dalbec, David Hamilton or Enmanuel Valdez to Triple-A Worcester. That said, one of those other three players is expected to be optioned when second baseman Vaughn Grissom is activated from the 10-day IL. Grissom (hamstring strain) went 4 for 4 in his ninth rehab game Sunday and likely will be activated Tuesday when the Red Sox open a three-game series at home against the Giants.

The 30-year-old Reyes batted .287 in 64 games (185 plate appearances) for Boston in 2023. But he has struggled this season, batting .183 with a .234 on-base percentage, .217 slugging percentage, .451 OPS, two doubles, four runs, five RBI, three walks and 19 strikeouts in 21 games (64 plate appearances).

Reyes made nine starts at third base, four starts at second base, one start at first base and one start at shortstop this season.

Boston acquired Cooper, a first baseman, from the Cubs for cash Saturday. Triston Casas has fractured cartilage which connects his ribcage to his sternum and so Boston needed a replacement. Casas is not eligible to return until at least June 21 when Boston plays the Reds in Cincinnati.

Cooper, an All-Star in 2022, went 10 for 37 (.270) with a .341 on-base percentage, .432 slugging percentage, .774 OPS, one homer, one double, one triple, three runs, six RBI, four walks and 13 strikeouts in 12 games for the Cubs before they designated him for assignment. The Cubs and Red Sox then worked out a trade.

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UNIFORMS: Major League Baseball plans to modify its Nike uniforms by the start of the 2025 season following complaints this spring from players and fans, according to a report from ESPN.

The changes will include restoring larger lettering on the nameplates and correcting for mismatched gray tops and bottoms, pants that are sometimes see-through and fabric that looks different when players sweat. The changes were detailed in a memo distributed to players by the MLB Players Association on Sunday and will take affect by the beginning of 2025.

The report says the memo blamed Nike and its new performance-focused Vapor Premier uniform. The union declined comment to The Associated Press.

“This has been entirely a Nike issue,” the memo to players read. “At its core, what has happened here is that Nike was innovating something that didn’t need to be innovated.”

The union said Fanatics, which manufactures the Nike-designed uniforms, was not to blame. The memo said Fanatics “recognizes the vital importance of soliciting Player feedback, obtaining Player buy-in and not being afraid to have difficult conversations about jerseys or trading cards. Our hope is that, moving forward, Nike will take a similar approach.”

TWINS: Minnesota reinstated shortstop Carlos Correa from the 10-day injured list on before beginning a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox, after he missed 16 games with a strained right rib cage muscle.

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Correa batted .306 with two doubles, one home run, four RBI and eight walks in 11 games before he was hurt checking his swing during a strikeout on April 12. Willi Castro played the majority of the games at shortstop in Correa’s absence. The 29-year-old Correa didn’t need a rehabilitation assignment.

The Twins optioned multi-position player Austin Martin to Triple-A St. Paul to make room on the 26-man roster. Martin batted .226 with 16 runs, six doubles, six walks, two steals and one homer in 22 games.

ASTROS: Houston is promoting first baseman Joey Loperfido from Triple-A Sugar Land as it try to solve problems at the position.

The move comes with veteran first baseman José Abreu off to a terrible start as the Astros have limped out to a 9-19 record, which is the second-worst in the American League. Abreu, who is in the second year of a three-year, $58.5 million contract, is hitting .099 with just one extra-base hit and three RBI. In 77 plate appearances across 22 games this season, the 37-year-old has managed just seven hits.

The left-handed Loperfido will join the Astros after getting off to a terrific start in Sugar Land where he hit .287 with 13 homers and 27 RBI in 25 games. The 13 homers lead the minor leagues and he’s tied for third with 17 extra-base hits.

RAYS: Reliever Chris Devenski was placed on the 15-day injured list with tendinitis in his right knee.

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The Rays announced the move, though it’s retroactive to last Friday. Tampa Bay Manager Kevin Cash said before the Rays’ game at Milwaukee that Devenski will undergo an MRI on Tuesday.

ROYALS: Catcher Salvador Perez was scratched from Monday’s lineup against the Blue Jays because of a tight back.

An eight-time All-Star and the MVP of Kansas City’s World Series triumph in 2015, Perez is batting .340 with seven home runs. He was tied for second in the AL with 26 RBI heading into Monday’s games.

METS: Right-hander Kodai Senga faced hitters for the first time since hurting his shoulder, throwing 21 pitches of live batting practice against minor leaguers at Citi Field.

Senga told reporters he’ll face batters two more times before beginning a minor league rehab assignment. He said he thinks he’ll be able to return from the injured list right around when he’s eligible on May 27, or soon afterward.

New York’s top starter, Senga has been sidelined since early in spring training. He is on the 60-day IL with a right shoulder capsule strain.


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