The writing is on the wall for Andruw Monasterio. For a while, he was a bright spot in a roster full of replacement players, but that window just slammed shut. The big guns are coming back, and there simply isn’t a seat left at the table for a guy hitting nothing.
The return of the heavy hitter
The Red Sox are about to get their best weapon back. According to NBC Sports Boston, Willson Contreras is headed to Maine for a rehab assignment with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs this weekend. The 34-year-old slugger has been sidelined since August 31 because of a hamstring strain. He isn’t just coming back to sit on the bench, either. “Chad Tracy said Willson Contreras will join AA Portland for a rehab game Friday (and maybe another Saturday),” according to the news from heavy.com.
Contreras is the engine of this offense. Per NBC Sports Boston, he leads the team in RBIs with 79 and home runs with 26. He also holds the top spot in OPS at .900. You don’t just move a guy like that out of the lineup, especially when the team is looking toward October.
No room for a cold bat
Monasterio’s time as a hero is over. He was part of a group of players that helped the team find its footing, but his recent numbers are a disaster. He is only hitting .120 over his last 15 games. You cannot ask a manager to keep a guy on the active roster when he is going 6-for-50 in that same span. It is just bad baseball.
The roster math is also working against him. The team has six infielders right now, and the roles are already filled. Story and Durbin have the left side locked down. Players like Sogard and Gasper are hitting too well to be sent down. With Contreras reclaiming first base, Monasterio has nowhere to go. He isn’t even a primary defensive backup anymore. He’s essentially a luxury the roster can’t afford while the stars are healthy.
A roster taking shape
The Red Sox are building something for the playoffs, and they aren’t doing it with struggling role players. The goal is to have a fully healthy core. This includes getting Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela ready for October. The club is also getting a boost from Adley Rutschman. According to Sports Illustrated, Rutschman is expected to return this Friday after receiving a Cortisone shot for his elbow.
