The Boston Red Sox are gearing up for a final push toward the postseason and they’ve already begun loading up the roster. Boston acquired pitchers Dustin May and Steven Matz at last month’s trade deadline and they haven’t stopped looking for ways to improve the team.
With Nathaniel Lowe and Nate Eaton joining the team ahead of Monday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, the roster is getting pretty crowded. That means someone has to go and it resulted in a journeyman catcher being designated for assignment after just one game with the team.
Red Sox moves today will include designating third catcher Ali Sanchez for assignment, per source.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) August 18, 2025
Need spots for Nate Lowe and most likely Nate Eaton.
Red Sox Kick Veteran Catcher to the Curb After Latest Additions
According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, the Red Sox have designated third catcher Ali Sanchez for assignment ahead of Monday’s game with the Orioles. Sanchez spent just one game with Boston, getting a single at-bat in the Red Sox’ 14-1 win over the Houston Astros on Aug. 12. He also spent eight games with the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this season, going 5-for-21 at the plate with two doubles and five strikeouts.
A former international prospect signed by the New York Mets, Sanchez is used to living life on the fringe. He debuted with New York in 2020 and has played for five different teams with his longest stint in the majors coming when he played 31 games for the Miami Marlins in 2024. With a career .185/.222/.235 batter’s line, Sanchez wasn’t likely to be in Boston for long, and it clears the way for some important reinforcements.
The Red Sox picked up Lowe just days after he was designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals. The 29-year-old was acquired by Washington in a trade with the Texas Rangers last winter but he’s had the worst season of his career, hitting .216/.292/.373 with 16 homers and 68 RBI in 119 games. While his production has dropped this year, so has his defensive performance with a minus-5 in defensive runs saved. But he could be another stop gap in Boston’s patchwork operation at first base.
Boston also is adding another important player in Eaton. An outfielder and third baseman, Eaton is hitting .250/.296/.333 with an RBI and three stolen bases for the Sox this season. But he was on fire at Triple-A Worcester, hitting .290/.373/.483 with 12 homers, 55 RBI and 15 stolen bases on 21 attempts.
Both players figure to bring something to the table as the Red Sox look for their first playoff appearance since 2021 and make a journeyman like Sanchez expendable.