Sep 20, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of Boston Red Sox hats and gloves at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Red Sox's Late-Season Trade With Mets Could Come Back To Haunt Boston

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 12:00 PM ET

You very rarely see trades in Major League Baseball after July 31 anymore, but the Boston Red Sox made one this year.

On Aug. 31, the Red Sox acquired catcher Ali Sánchez from the New York Mets for cash considerations, which they were allowed to do because Sánchez was on a minor-league deal at the time. Boston then promoted him to the major league roster on Sept. 31, the day rosters expanded from 26 players to 28.

As the tumultuous month of September played out from that point forward, Sanchez was a complete afterthought. He remained on the roster for the team's next 17 games, but appeared in three of them (for a combined three innings).

Ali Sánchez trade was a waste of time, roster space

Sánchez was mercifully designated for assignment on Sunday as the Red Sox activated outfielder Wilyer Abreu from the 10-day injured list. But time will tell if the damage was already done by making the trade with New York.

Excluding injured players, every other player on the Boston roster has at least 15 at-bats in September as of Monday. Sánchez, who was completely healthy and taking up a roster spot each and every day, got one at-bat, in an 8-1 blowout loss on Sept. 3.

Boston's offense has been abysmal for much of the month, particularly since Roman Anthony's injury on Sept. 2. Was there no one on the Triple-A roster who could have been given a chance to provide a spark?

Kristian Campbell could have been given his second chance. Jhostynxon Garcia could have received a bit more runway at the major-league level. Or the Sox could have even brought Abraham Toro back to see if he could get hot again.

Instead, Sanchez collected dust in the dugout while the Red Sox decided to hand their opponents a slight (but very real) competitive advantage that comes with having a deeper bench.

There was little reason for the Red Sox to waste their time trading for Sánchez, who they had already designated for assignment in August, before he signed with the Mets. And hanging onto him as long as they did may be remembered as a critical error if they fail to make the playoffs.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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