September is upon us, and fans of the Boston Red Sox are being treated to a playoff push for the first time in what feels like forever. With September come roster expansion. Teams get to add a couple of players for the stretch run.
The moves tend to add some value, whether it’s another bullpen arm, some much-needed speed or defense, or just depth to keep the roster healthy.
We’ve already seen the organization make some moves to bolster the Major League roster with the recent additions of Nathaniel Lowe (FA signing) and rookies Jhostynxon Garcia and Payton Tolle. September call-ups aren’t always rookies, though. Sometimes the biggest impacts come from veterans.
4 most impactful Red Sox September call-ups in recent memory
Quintin Berry (2013)
Outfielder Quintin Berry had a decent enough 2012 season with the Detroit Tigers and possessed some ridiculous speed. Honestly, it feels like the Red Sox were lucky he was stashed in Pawtucket for September.
Berry went 5-for-9 with a walk, a home run, four RBI, and five runs scored in September for Boston. He was also 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts (he went 21-for-21 in his rookie year the prior season).
Berry’s biggest impact came in the World Series run, though. The left-handed hitter didn’t record a plate appearance in the playoffs, but he appeared in three games. One in the ALDS, one in the ALCS, and one in the World Series. Berry swiped a bag each time, going 3-for-3 in the postseason. Talk about playing your role perfectly.
Jackie Bradley Jr. (2013)
Jackie Bradley Jr. spent some time in Boston in 2013 before September. However, the rookie spent most of his year in Triple-A. Bradley Jr. struggled with the bat, but he did pick it up a bit after being recalled on September 7.
The bat wasn’t why Bradley Jr. was there, though. He was an elite defensive outfielder who gave the Red Sox a fantastic late-game defensive substitution option. The fact that his bat wasn’t a complete hole in September (slashed .243/.317/.378) added to his value.
We would see some incredible JBJ seasons in the future. He was one of the best gloves in baseball, and his bat became solid in the process. 2013 was still baby JBJ, though, so seeing him get to contribute in September on an eventual World-Series-winning team was cool.
Rusney Castillo (2014)
Here’s the bonus September call-up. Not much to say about the team. They were bad. That’s why this call-up isn’t going to get highlighted much. The Red Sox finished the season 71-91, last in the American League East.
Rusney Castillo had just signed with the Red Sox to a long-term deal (that would not end well). He was brought in for September and led the team in average (minimum 10 ABs) that month. Castillo slashed .333/.400/.528 with a double, two home runs, and three steals.
The Cuban native looked well worth the money. However, the 2015 season wasn’t great, and he only appeared in nine games in 2016 before be sent to Pawtucket to basically just wait out his contract. To this day, I believe Rusney Castillo would’ve been a good Major Leaguer if it weren’t for that contract making the Red Sox not want to play him (keeping him in Triple-A meant the money didn’t count against the luxury tax).
Joe Kelly (2016)
Back to a player helping a good team. Joe Kelly was bad in 2016.
The right-handed pitcher tossed 1/3 scoreless innings on July 26, then 2 1/3 scoreless innings on July 30. He was then sent to Triple-A. Why, you ask? Because those two straight scoreless outings lowered his ERA on the season to 7.62.
Kelly was called upon for September, though, and it was there that we began to see the important piece he would be in Boston for the next few seasons.
Kelly allowed one run over 14 innings of work. He struck out 20 batters and only walked three. The easiest word to describe him was dominant. He even impressed in the postseason, throwing 3 2/3 shutout innings over three appearances in the ALDS (a series the Red Sox lost, but still).
Joe Kelly is the perfect example of a struggling veteran becoming a surprising hero in September. Hopefully, the Red Sox can get some unlikely sources of magic in 2025.