BOSTON, MA: The Red Sox declared this morning that they have chosen to sign right-hander Richard Fitts, whose promotion was first rumored to have occurred last night. In order to make place for Fitts on the 40-man roster, the team optioned right-hander Chase Shugart to Triple-A and designated infielder Bobby Dalbec for assignment.
The Red Sox selected Dalbec, 29, in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. After making a strong start in the 2020 season that was cut short, he garnered a lot of attention. He was called up midway through the 60-game season, and he ended up being the team's starting first baseman in the closing games, smashing an incredible .263/.359/.600 with eight home runs in just 92 at-bats.
Despite the fact that the Red Sox ended up finishing sixth in the AL East that season and that nobody anticipated Dalbec to hit sixty-three home runs in his first full season in 2021, there was still hope for the 25-year-old.
Even if Dalbec's performance in 2021 was not as spectacular as it was in his first taste of big league action, it was still a productive first full season in the major leagues. Dalbec hit a respectable.293 in 133 games during 453 at-bats .240/.298/.400 with 21 doubles, 5 triples, and 25 home runs in his first-base role for Boston.
Overall, Dalbec was an above average (106 wRC+) bat thanks to his tremendous power production, which served to balance his horrendous 34.4% strikeout rate. However, things took a turn for the worse for Dalbec in 2022 when his power disappeared.
With his strikeout rate remaining relatively stable and his isolated slugging declining by over a hundred runs annually, his output collapsed, and in 117 games in 2022, he only hit .215/.283/.369 with a wRC+ that was 20% below the league average.
By the time the 2025 season rolls around, Dalbec will have run out of options and may be eligible for arbitration, so it's not shocking that the Red Sox have given up on the once-promising shortstop.
In the event that he is not claimed via waivers, Dalbec will have the option to choose minor league free agency at the end of the season in order to pursue a change of scenery, but the Red Sox will have the option to outright send him to the minor leagues for the duration of the 2024 campaign.
Comments