Zack Short’s rollercoaster 2024 season continues.
Just one week after being traded from the New York Mets, the Boston Red Sox designated Short for assignment on Wednesday –– a move that kicks the former Detroit Tigers infielder off the Red Sox 40-man roster.
Boston also optioned right-hander Naoyuki Uwasawa to Triple-A Worcester, which clears active roster spots for infielder Romy Gonzalez and pitcher Nick Pivetta, both players who will return from the injured list before today’s game in Atlanta.
Short, who was just designated for assignment by the Mets late last month, is out of minor league options, which meant the Red Sox had to remove him from their roster in order to send him to Worcester.
The soon-to-be 29-year-old appeared in two games for Boston and went hitless with four strikeouts in seven at-bats. Short, a Kingston NY, native has just 19 plate appearances between the Mets and the Red Sox this season, going a combined 1-for-19.
That’s after enjoying a stellar spring, hitting .308 with a home run and four doubles, while walking seven times and striking out six –– all of which landed him on the Mets Opening Day roster.
Short played parts of three seasons with Detroit after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a trade that included outfielder Cameron Maybin in 2020. He last served as the Tigers’ utility infielder for most of the 2023 season.
A 17th round pick by the Cubs in the 2016 MLB Draft, Short played 179 games with the Tigers, hitting .204 with 13 home runs across 450 plate appearances, as well as 196 games with Triple-A Toledo.
Teams have consistently been intrigued by Short’s infield versatility –– something that’s accumulated to nearly 600 innings of career work at shortstop, along with 200 frames at both second and third base. He’s also been willing to pitch, tossing six innings in lopsided games in Detroit.
However, he’s cooled off at the plate as of late, a big reason for his demotions at the major league level.
The Red Sox have the option to either trade or place Short on waivers in the coming days, as he’s yet to clear waivers despite being designated for assignment by the Tigers, Mets and now Boston since the end of the 2023 season.
