Alex Cora Explains Red Sox’s Decision to DFA Reese McGuire
McGuire had been with Boston since August 2022.
The Red Sox made an unexpected change to their roster just before the MLB trade deadline.
After reuniting with starting pitcher James Paxton, Boston traded with the Toronto Blue Jays to acquire veteran catcher Danny Jansen. The next day, the Red Sox solidified their new catching setup by designating Reese McGuire for assignment.
McGuire, who joined Boston in August 2022, wasn’t performing poorly before being DFA’d. However, with a limit of 26 players on the active roster, Alex Cora explained before Sunday’s loss to the New York Yankees that the team believed Jansen would improve the group overall.
Cora also noted that McGuire found himself in a difficult position to secure a roster spot.
“Reese did a good job, especially defensively in the last month and a half,” Cora told reporters, according to the Boston Herald. “His framing was among the top three in the league, and he worked well with the pitching staff. It was tough because he wasn’t playing much, so it was hard for him to get into a rhythm. Coming into the season, I expected him to play more, but then Connor (Wong) emerged.”
Jansen offers the right-handed bat the Red Sox needed, and both Cora and Craig Breslow believe his game will excel at Fenway Park. Jansen had an impressive debut for Boston on Sunday night, being one of two Red Sox players to record multiple hits against the New York Yankees.
Will swapping McGuire for Jansen turn the Red Sox into World Series contenders? Probably not. But even a slight improvement can help Boston as they aim for a postseason spot.
