Red Sox Roster Notebook: Weekend moves brings team closer to Opening Day roster
The Red Sox 2024 Opening Day roster is slowly taking shape.
On Sunday morning, the team released first baseman C.J. Cron, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. Cron was a candidate for one of the final bench spots on the roster.
The veteran right-handed hitter had opted out of his minor league deal with Boston on Friday. The club had 48-hours to either add him to the 26-man roster or release him.
Cron signed a minors pact with the Red Sox during the middle of camp and had hoped to get up to speed with the other players on the roster. The Calif. native was attempting to be the back-up for first baseman Triston Casas and would serve as a right-handed bat off the bench.
While with the team, Cron had just 11 at-bats and didn’t produce an extra-base hit. He went 2-for-11 with three walks in a limited sample size this spring.
The move likely means that Bobby Dalbec will make the Opening Day roster, serving in the role Cron was attempting to lockdown. It’s still possible the Red Sox will add an external bat off the waiver wire or adding another player who has also opted-out.
“It’s just part of the process. My goal coming here was to make this team. It might not happen,” said Cron to reporters. “I had that opportunity to opt out. In a couple days, we’ll see the final result. I guess it’s up to them to decide.”
If Cron had made the Red Sox Opening Day roster, he would have earned $2 million this season and a potential in $500,000 in performance bonuses.
Veteran left-hander Joely Rodriguez makes roster
The Red Sox will add left-handed reliever Joely Rodriguez to the Opening Day roster.
The veteran pitched in 11 games for Boston last season, posting a 6.55 ERA with 14 strikeouts, six walks and surrendered two homers in 11 frames.
When healthy, Rodríguez can be overpowering on the mound but with an extensive injury history, the southpaw will work to become a reliable option for Alex Cora this season.
“Last year was a tough year,” Rodriguez said. “This year I made a goal for myself — forget about what happened last year. This year is a new year, a new goal. Last year after the season, I started working out to be 100% healthy for this next year. I think that was a key. That’s why this year I feel completely different. I made a lot of adjustments in my mechanics and I’ve been working on that.”
Rodríguez was battling in camp with fellow left-handed reliever Lucas Luetge, who also could have opted out. Luetge will remain with the Red Sox and he was assigned to Triple-A Worcester.
