When news broke late on Sept. 7 that Boston Red Sox pitching prospect Richard Fitts would make his MLB debut the following day, fans had to wait to see the corresponding roster move the team made to accommodate the young pitcher.
On Sunday afternoon, Bobby Dalbec was designated for assignment. The Red Sox took the 29-year-old in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, and he's been a fixture of the 40-man roster for multiple seasons running.
While most of his tenure with the Red Sox organization was spent in the minor leagues, Dalbec posted 331 games with Boston from 2020-24. He's a career .222/.290/.425 hitter in that span. Fans took to the infielder quickly upon his first promotion to the majors and liked him even more after his 2021 campaign when he slashed .240/.298/.494 with a .792 OPS, 25 home runs and 78 RBI.
He got more playing time in the major leagues than expected this season when Triston Casas sustained a rib cartilage injury on April 20. Dalbec posted 37 games with the Red Sox between first and third base, and batted .133/.217/.193 with just 11 hits.
Dalbec was a staple on Boston's 2021 roster that shocked fans when it made it to the ALCS. His playing time in the big leagues dwindled each season after, and fans wondered when he'd have a long-term job in the majors again.
Red Sox fans have mixed emotions after longtime favorite Bobby Dalbec was designated for assignment
After half a decade on the team, Bobby Dalbec and the #RedSox appear to be parting ways:https://t.co/vriQdI5hMb pic.twitter.com/7hbcGcGqYE
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) September 8, 2024
The infielder has spent most of his time in Triple-A since the second half of the 2019 season — when the WooSox were still the PawSox. Dalbec batted .261/.353/.524 with a .877 OPS in 242 Triple-A games in the Red Sox organization.
Dalbec didn't make a ton of sense for the Sox's roster with Casas and Rafael Devers on the squad. Devers is already Boston's everyday third baseman and it seems the team has the same hope for Casas at first. Dalbec's play didn't match up to win a spot over either of them.
Before the 2024 season began, the infielder admitted to being surprised that he was still part of the Red Sox organization. Rumors flew about his fate with the team at the 2023 trade deadline, in the final weeks of Chaim Bloom's tenure in the front office.
After Dalbec was DFA'd on Sept. 8, many Sox fans shared appreciative messages for him on social media. The 29-year-old has been a polarizing figure in Red Sox Nation, but he had many admirers throughout his up-and-down tenure with the team.
Luckily for Dalbec's fans, he'll be back with Triple-A Worcester, but off the 40-man roster, if he clears waivers. If he isn't taken off waivers, Dalbec can elect free agency next season and get a shot at a major-league job with another team.