Red Sox Insider Confirms Ill-Advised Playoff Roster Decision Is On The Table

Simply not a good idea...

Sep 7, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

No jinxes here, but the Boston Red Sox are in good shape this weekend to clinch their first playoff appearance since 2021. All they need is a single win over the Detroit Tigers, or a single loss by the Houston Astros.

If (knock on wood) the Red Sox are in the wild-card series beginning next Tuesday, there will be interesting roster decisions to make. With only three games to play, will Boston carry 11 pitchers or 12? And which position players will fill in the gaps?

There's one player who fans have barely seen step on the field in a Red Sox uniform that, apparently, is still in the mix.

Ali Sánchez in consideration for playoff roster spot

On Friday, insider Sean McAdam of MassLive confirmed that catcher Ali Sánchez, who was designated for assignment on Sunday and outrighted to the Triple-A roster, is under consideration to make the playoff roster as a third catcher.

"Candidates will include Nick Sogard (for versatility and being a switch-hitter), and believe it or not, Ali Sanchez," wrote McAdam. "Sanchez has been designated for assignment twice already this month alone. But Alex Cora likes the luxury of a third catcher to allow him to run for Narvaez or hit for Wong."

"When Sanchez was DFA’d last week, he cleared waivers and was outrighted to Worcester. That means he would have to be added to the 40-man roster for the playoffs, but that could be easily achieved by shifting Richard Fitts to the 60-day IL."

Some may recall that Sánchez spent almost four weeks on the Red Sox's roster this season and got into exactly four games, including two in which he never touched a bat. He was 0-for-2 at the plate, and one of those at-bats came against a center fielder.

Even if there are 15 position players on the roster, it's hard to see why keeping Sánchez is a good idea when the Red Sox don't trust him to hit in any situation. Can't Cora sacrifice a bit of his flexibility to sub out catchers to make sure he has one more bench bat with a prayer of getting a base hit?

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