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Red Sox roster moves: Why catcher/first baseman was promoted to take Roman Anthony’s spot
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- Red Sox roster moves: Why catcher/first baseman was promoted to take Roman Anthony’s spot
BOSTON — The Red Sox recalled first baseman/catcher Mickey Gasper from Triple-A Worcester to take Roman Anthony 's spot on the 26-man roster.
Boston placed Anthony on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist sprain before Thursday's game against the Rays .
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The Sox had other options, including right-handed hitting outfielder Nate Eaton . But they decided on Gasper, a switch-hitter, because of his potential to pinch hit from the left side against right-handed pitchers late in games.
"He's just a really, really quality at-bat from both sides of the plate, but particularly from the left side of the plate," interim manager Chad Tracy said. "He's got some power. He hits to all fields. He doesn't strike out much. He puts the ball in play. You want him up there in big spots."
Gasper, a 30-year-old who also can play second base, batted .296 with a .429 on-base percentage, .519 slugging percentage and .948 OPS in 133 plate appearances at Worcester. He had six homers, six doubles, 27 RBIs, 20 runs, 25 walks and 27 strikeouts.
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He posted a .304/.439/.532/.971 line in 98 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers and a .276/.400/.483/.883 line in 35 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers.
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"I think the big piece for me ... is just having that left-handed bat off the bench if you find a spot late in the game to use it," Tracy said.
The Red Sox were using Masataka Yoshida mostly as a left-handed pinch-hitter. He's expected to start more in the DH role with Anthony out.
"(Gasper is) a nice logical fit with Masa in the lineup more now, whereas we can fill that void on the bench and have a bat for us off the bench, which is helpful," Tracy said.
In 2025, Gasper made two starts in left field in the minors and played four innings there for the Twins. But the Red Sox don't plan to use him in the outfield.
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"We all know that he's played second in a pinch," Tracy said. "So there's things he can do in a pinch if you need him to."
Andruw Monasterio is an option to play the outfield in an emergency. He has played four innings in left field as a major leaguer.
"If we get in a pinch, he may have to go out there," Tracy said about Monasterio. "He's done it before with the Brewers; not a large sample. ... At any point, if we feel like something else happens and we have to rectify that, we will. But we're aware we might have to have someone out there with less experience in case something happens."
Gasper made his MLB debut in 2024 with the Red Sox. He spent last year with the Twins, appearing in 45 games. Boston re-acquired him in the offseason, claiming him off waivers from Minnesota .
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He is a Merrimack, New Hampshire native who starred at Bryant before being drafted by the Yankees in 2018.
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