Following a 7-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday, Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell hinted that change was in the wind. It didn't take long.
The club has recalled 25-year-old outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. along with right-handed knuckleballer Steven Wright from Triple-A Pawtucket. As a counter move, the club optioned struggling outfielder Allen Craig and relief pitcher Robbie Ross Jr.
Bradley Jr. has been on fire in 24 games at Pawtucket, stringing together a .343/.393/.465 slash line through 24 games to go along with exceptional defense. He will be looked upon to provide a much-needed boost to a slumping Red Sox outfield.
| Player | AVG. | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanley Ramirez | .271 | .327 | .583 | .910 |
| Mookie Betts | .242 | .311 | .433 | .744 |
| Allen Craig | .135 | .237 | .192 | .430 |
| Shane Victorino | .143 | .302 | .171 | .474 |
| Daniel Nava | .136 | .235 | .159 | .394 |
In his final outing of the season, Ross Jr. didn't record an out on Saturday, allowing three runs on four hits to the Blue Jays and holds a 6.17 ERA in 11.2 innings this season.
Wright gets the call to the big club after starting in four games in Triple-A, where he notched a 3.24 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 25.0 innings pitched.
A day after getting thumped 7-0 by the Blue Jays, the Red Sox held a players-only meeting to discuss the emphatic meltdown that has dropped them deeper into the AL East cellar.
"Everything was said that had to be said, plain and simple," first baseman Mike Napoli told reporters after Boston's third straight loss. “We know what we have to do."
The last-place Red Sox, who have lost eight of their last 10, now sit 5 1/2 games behind the division-leading New York Yankees.
