Red Sox Release Struggling Reliever; Activate Former Top Prospect
The Boston Red Sox made a move to cut ties with a struggling reliever and took a shot on a former top prospect who has yet to put it all together.
Right-handed reliever Jeurys Familia was designated for assignment Wednesday after allowing three runs (two earned) in the 10th inning of Tuesday's game against the New York Yankees which would lead to Boston's eventual loss, 7-6.
Familia ended his short stint in Boston with a 6.10 ERA, 10 hits allowed and an 8-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 10 1/3 innings.
In a corresponding move, the Red Sox added Yu Chang, a 27-year-old former top prospect who has yet to reach his potential. The utility infielder was ranked as the No. 6 Cleveland Guardians prospect in 2017 and 2018 by Baseball America for his power at the plate and steadiness defensively.
Chang has a long way to go before reaching the high expectations bestowed upon him years ago, but will have a chance to build up his reputation in the final weeks of the season in Boston.
The utility man has spent time with the Guardians, Pittsburgh Pirates and most recently the Tampa Bay Rays this season. He'll represent a rare fourth team in a single season.
As it stands now, Chang can be viewed merely as organizational depth. That said, fellow utility man Christian Arroyo had a similar profile when he was claimed late in the shortened 2020 season without much fanfare. He's now become a staple of the Red Sox roster as he concludes his second full season in the organization.
The Arroyo scenario appears to be Chang's ceiling at this point but it would make a lot of sense if the Taiwanese infielder ended the year with a few big hits in a lost season and earned a shot to compete for a role in spring training come February.
Regardless of Chang's future, it was time to end Familia's tenure with the Red Sox.
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