The Boston Red Sox had no easy corresponding roster move to make when they hoped to activate early trade deadline acquisition Curtis Mead. Many of their regular infielders are on the injured list and so many of the replacements played well enough to justify keeping them around.
Boston on July 27 optioned Tsung-Che Cheng to Triple-A Worcester as the corresponding move for Mead. The Red Sox recalled Cheng on June 26 following Marcelo Mayer's arm injury and the 24-year-old played a rock-solid shortstop in his stead.
Cheng arrived to the big leagues in the throes of Boston's 15-game winning streak that propelled it into Wild Card territory. He delivered for the Sox with some clutch at-bats and athletic defense when they needed it most.
Cheng batted .256/.318/.282 with 14 strikeouts over his 14 games with the Red Sox. He knocked one double and logged five RBI. From July 8-10, he logged six hits, two RBI and three runs over his three games played. He also made an incredible catch to save the Sox's win streak at 14 games against the Baltimore Orioles — in the ninth inning with runners on second and third base, Tyler O'Neill cracked a line drive in the air to the left gap and Cheng leaped up to save what could've been the tying run.
Red Sox option Tsung-Che Cheng to Triple-A following activation of trade deadline addition Curtis Mead
Before he landed with Boston during its hot streak, Cheng spent the first months of the season with the WooSox. He batted .254/.351/.424 with eight doubles, three triples and seven home runs over 64 games. He split of his playing time between second base (24 games) and shortstop (39 games), but top shortstop prospect Franklin Arias' promotion may push him to second on more of a full-time basis.
Cheng is far from the only depth player who stepped up during the Sox's 15-game surge. Anthony Seigler and Andruw Monasterio also had their moments, but their offensive impact has continued after the streak was broken.
Cheng's numbers during his 14 games played with the Red Sox don't jump off the page in the grand scheme of things, but for someone who was on five teams over the offseason (Red Sox, Pirates, Mets, Rays, Nationals), he found a way to make a serious impact. The boost Cheng provided to the hottest team in baseball won't soon be forgotten by Sox fans.
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