The Boston Red Sox are dealing with one of the best problems in sports: too many good players. Dealing with a myriad of injuries throughout the season has forced role players to come up to the majors and perform, and they did exactly that.
In 2026, the Sox have seen Mickey Gasper, Nick Sogard, Anthony Seigler, Eli White, Jahmai Jones, Patrick Sandoval, and others all steal the spotlight. It happened at the best time for Boston, as all these players stepped up to help the team make the incredible comeback and reach the playoffs. The problem is, now that some of the star players are back and healthy, there is a real roster crunch, and somebody has to be left off the playoff roster.
3 Red Sox on the outside looking in at the 2026 playoff roster
Jahmai Jones
The addition of Jones flew under the radar, but he made his impression quickly. While he has been mostly a bench bat for the entire time he's been in Boston, he has excelled. Since the Sox acquired him on July 14, he's played in just 26 games, but is hitting .421 with a 1.348 OPS. He has mashed lefties; his 268 WRC+ is the highest among any player with 40 or more plate appearances since he joined the Red Sox.
The problem is: Jones is an outfielder on a team that has way too many outfielders. In the postseason, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and Jarren Duran are going to get the majority of the playing time. Eli White is going to be the speed threat off the bench, if he can get healthy in time for the postseason. There is no reason for the Sox to carry six outfielders into the playoffs when, at most, they can play four.
Andruw Monasterio
The utility infielder got red hot in July. His 185 WRC+ was seventh among all players with 70 or more plate appearances that month. He was a key cog in the Red Sox's insane turnaround, even when his defense has struggled. The problem is, since August 1, he has a 47 WRC+.
With the returns of Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, the infield got crowded very quickly. Once Contreras comes back, he and Caleb Durbin will man the corners. Story is locked in at short, and Nick Sogard has earned his spot on the playoff roster with his play. Monasterio's struggles have likely made him the odd man out.
Patrick Sandoval
When Patrick Sandoval finally made his Red Sox debut after being off the mound for over two seasons, it was a cause for celebration. Then, he went out and pitched great. Even while still building up his stamina, he had a 3.30 ERA through his first six outings. It has started to go off the rails lately, though. In his five starts since, he has a 6.12 ERA, and even when removing the seven-run blowup in Pittsburgh, it's still a 4.29.
In the playoffs, the rotation shrinks to three or four depending on the round. Gray and Tolle are locked in already, and there is currently a debate about who gets the third spot for the Wild Card, but that doesn't include Sandoval. While sometimes the fifth starter will move to the bullpen for a bulk role, Brayan Bello has been covering that excellently for most of the season. That likely means Sandoval is the odd man out of the pitching staff.
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