Red Sox: Five players on the roster bubble

The Boston Red Sox will have some roster decisions to make with two players on their way back from the disabled list. Who is at risk of losing their spot?

25 players. That’s how many an MLB team can have active at one time. The Boston Red Sox are preparing to activate two players from the disabled list in the near future. That means two other players are about to lose their spot.

Knuckleball pitcher Steven Wright has sufficiently recovered from knee surgery that sidelined him to begin the season. He has also now served the 15-game suspension for violating the league’s domestic violence policy. Wright is eligible to be activated on Monday. He’s out of minor league options, therefore he must be added to the active roster or designated for assignment.

Letting him go doesn’t appear to be the plan, as manager Alex Cora indicated the intention is to bring Wright back as a reliever. He’s capable of giving the Red Sox multiple innings in relief and forces opposing lineups to adjust to his unique style in the middle of a game.

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia is expected to begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket this week. His imminent return will be a welcome addition to an infield that has struggled a bit defensively. With Pedroia receiving the bulk of the playing time at second, Eduardo Nunez can revert to the utility role he’s best suited for.

The return of Wright and Pedroia means that a bench player and reliever from the current roster are in jeopardy of being shipped to Pawtucket. Or being jettisoned from the organization altogether.

Let’s take a look at which players are on the bubble to see who may be in danger of losing their spot on the big league roster.