At this point in the MLB season, teams are constantly making changes to rosters at the big league and minor league levels. The Boston Red Sox are one of those teams, as they are getting back players from injury.
When a player comes off the injured list, most teams usually option a player back to the minors or designate him for assignment. If it's the latter, the said player, who is a vet, has the choice to go back to the minors or try his luck in free agency.
One former Red Sox utilityman wasn’t given any of those options. He was released by his most recent team not too long after the 4th of July holiday. However, his fortune quickly turned around as he found a new playing opportunity overseas.
Ex-Red Sox Utilityman Michael Chavis Signs With Chunichi Dragons
According to the Yakyu Cosmopolitan, former Red Sox utilityman Michael Chavis has signed with the Chunichi Dragons of the Nippon Baseball League on Thursday.
The Chunichi Dragons are reportedly going to sign IF Michael Chavis.
— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) July 10, 2025
Chavis, 29, has 42 career HR with a .685 OPS in 357 MLB games and is currently a free agent.
https://t.co/Y6kQjsNeJr
This is the first international contract that Chavis has signed after playing 357 MLB games in his pro baseball career. Chavis was most recently with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who signed him to a minor league deal in February.
The 29-year-old utilityman didn’t appear in any big-league games with the Dodgers and has not played in the majors since 2023 with the Washington Nationals. He most recently spent this season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he hit .291 with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs across 63 games.
Chavis played well in the minor leagues with the Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners’ Triple-A teams, but hasn’t been able to parlay that into a promotion. However, he will now get the chance to play at one of the highest levels internationally in the Nippon Baseball League.
Red Sox fans might vaguely remember Chavis’ time in Boston’s organization, as he was a former first-round pick in 2014. The veteran infielder made his MLB debut during the 2019 season and spent three years with the Red Sox.
During those three seasons, Chavis slashed .234/.291/.413 with 25 home runs and 83 RBIs at the plate. Eventually, the Red Sox traded him in July 2021 to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Austin Davis.
While he never lived up to the expectations of a first-round pick, the fact that he’s still playing baseball is great to see. Red Sox fans hope that Chavis can find success playing overseas, where he can hopefully revamp his career.