Red Sox add Eric Hosmer, send Brayan Bello to IL in roster shuffle
Red Sox add Eric Hosmer to active roster and place Brayan Bello on the 15-day Injured List
The Boston Red Sox are adding yet another pitcher to the Injured List.
On Thursday afternoon, ahead of their four-game set in Kansas City this weekend, the Sox announced a flurry of roster moves, including placing Brayan Bello on the 15-day IL with a groin strain:
- Eric Hosmer is on the active roster and in Thursday night’s lineup
- Darwinzon Hernandez has been recalled from Triple-A Worcester
- Matt Barnes is reinstated from the 60-Day IL
- Brayan to the 15-Day IL
- Kaleb Ort has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester
- Jackie Bradley Jr. has been designated for assignment
The Sox have several pitchers on the Injured List: Bello will join Josh Taylor, James Paxton, Tyler Danish, Chris Sale, Matt Strahm, and Michael Wacha on the sidelines. Hernandez underwent knee surgery in May and began rehabbing in early July. Rich Hill returned from the IL on Wednesday but struggled to shut down the Houston Astros, who tagged him for four earned runs on six hits in just three innings. After Bello left the game and Hirokazu Sawamura got the remaining out in the fourth, Ort allowed two more runs on four hits to put the game out of reach.
While Hernandez and Barnes will hopefully be able to contribute, it’s hard to see the Sox being legitimate contenders in the fall if they can’t get more of their pitching staff back in a meaningful and productive way.
On a more positive note, Hosmer’s addition to the lineup should be an upgrade at first base as well as an advantage in the series, as the four-time Gold Glove-winner called Kauffman Stadium home for the first seven years of his big-league career. During his 521 career regular-season home games in a Royals uniform, he hit .282/.344/.440 with a .784 OPS, 103 doubles, 60 home runs, and 26 stolen bases.
