MLB gifts all its ballclubs two additional roster spots when the calendar turns to September. The Boston Red Sox used one of their extra slots to call up infielder Enmanuel Valdez.
The 25-year-old has been back and forth between Triple-A and the big leagues all season. He's slashing .218/.276/.391 over 62 games in the majors and .233/.330/.446 over 50 games with the WooSox — it's safe to say some Sox fans hoped to see a different face in the middle infield after rosters expanded.
One WooSox middle infielder may already be making Boston regret calling Valdez back up. Jamie Westbrook, who has also played second base for the Red Sox this season, has put on a show since Sept. 1.
The 29-year-old has five hits in his last two games between Sept. 1-2, including two doubles and two homers. He's collected seven RBI, scored three runs of his own and hasn't fanned in eight at-bats to begin the final month of the regular season.
Jamie Westbrook's hot bat would've been a better fit for the Red Sox's expanded roster than Enmanuel Valdez
Westbrook homers for the second day in a row and he's driven in every WooSox run today 🚀 pic.twitter.com/Fdp1qVhAPK
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) September 2, 2024
Westbrook's torrid stretch didn't come out of nowhere, he also posted stellar offensive numbers throughout August. He slashed .316/.416/.447 over 22 games, which includes a four-hit outing on Aug. 7. Westbrook's dominant August and great start to September raised his full-season slash line to .300/.392/.502 with an .894 OPS in Triple-A.
Since Westbrook's September streak began, Valdez has played two games in the big leagues without making any offensive contributions. He made some excellent defensive plays in the field against the Mets on Sept. 2, a great sign for the infielder whose defense has been problematic this year, but the Red Sox need offense to move up the wild card standings, and Valdez has struggled to provide.
Westbrook or Chase Meidroth seem to be better fitted for the Red Sox's expanded roster than Valdez, but the Sox are still in wild card contention and Valdez still has time to prove himself. He's been given a fair few chances to make a statement this year, though, and he's struggled each time. Westbrook could give Boston more consistency on both sides of the ball during its postseason push.