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Alex Cora’s shout out gave Boston Red Sox trade acquisition ‘more energy’
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- Alex Cora’s shout out gave Boston Red Sox trade acquisition ‘more energy’
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox manager Alex Cora recently gave unsolicited praise to Andruw Monasterio when asked who has stood out to him at spring training so far.
“You see him from afar or whatever, but then you see him here, it’s like, ‘Oh, shoot,’” Cora said about Monasterio on Thursday. “He can move. He’s versatile. He can hit lefties.”
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Monasterio, a 28-year-old right-handed hitter from Venezuela, was one of three players Cora mentioned along with prospect Mikey Romero and recent free agent addition Isiah Kiner-Falefa .
Boston acquired Monasterio in a six-player trade with the Brewers on Feb. 9 .
“It’s a privilege for Alex Cora to say that about me,” Monasterio said. “That made me so happy. So that gave me more energy to come to the field and make myself better. So that pushed me.”
Monasterio said he saw a couple of comments about him from Cora.
“It makes me push myself to put me in a good position to make myself better and also give everything I’ve got to this team to help them win,” he said.
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Infielder Caleb Durbin was the centerpiece player Boston received in the deal. But the right-handed hitting Monasterio, who has two minor league options remaining, is competing for the Opening Day roster, especially with right-handed hitter Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) possibly beginning the year on the IL .
Monasterio will play third base and bat third in the Red Sox lineup vs. the Rays in Port Charlotte on Monday .
“Fighting for a spot, I’ve never saw it like that,” Monasterio said. “I just do my job and what I need to do. At the end of the day, the last decision is the manager and the front office. So I just do my job. Every day you have to do your job right if you’re in the big leagues or the minor leagues. Last year, I didn’t break camp (with the Brewers) but I also spent five months in the big leagues. So at the end of the day, you have to improve and get better and do your job.”
Cora also said he thinks all three players from the trade have more offensive potential.
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“I truly believe that there’s more from the three guys,” he said.
Monasterio said he and the Red Sox staff have worked on his swing path.
“Be more direct to the ball,” he said. “And to catch the ball more in front, it’s something that’s important. Just path, catch the ball in front, be more on time.”
Being a right-handed hitter is an advantage for Monasterio. The Red Sox are heavily left-handed and Monasterio’s ability to hit left-handed pitching is something the Red Sox identified when they traded for him.
Against left-handed pitchers last year, he went 12-for-44 (.273) with a .360 on-base percentage, .477 slugging percentage and .837 OPS.
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“As a right-handed hitter and you see a lefty, I think you have more time to recognizes pitches,” Monasterio said. “But as a right-handed hitter against right-handed pitchers, you have to put yourself in a good position to also do damage.”
The Red Sox also think he can be an above-average defender at multiple positions, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said . He has played second base, third base, shortstop, left field and first base in the majors. His time at first base and outfield has been minimal though.
He has recorded six defensive runs saved in 392 ⅓ innings at second base as a major leaguer. He has four defensive runs saved in 671 innings at third base.
He said he wants to be better at everything.
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“I want to be better at all my stuff — defense, running the bases, hitting, even being a better teammate," he said. “I think that helps to keep you longer in the game.
Monasterio has appeared in 219 games for the Brewers from 2023-25. He went 34-for-126 (.270) with a .319 on-base percentage, .437 slugging percentage and .755 OPS in 68 games last season.
“I want to play for a long time in this game,” he said. “I think if you want to be in this game for a long time, you have to improve everything.”
Monasterio adjusted easily to a new clubhouse. He said everyone welcomed him.
“I’ve also got other Venezuelan guys here, they have (made) me feel like it’s a home since the first day,” he said. “That’s unbelievable.”
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