Boston Red Sox Option Infielder Sam Travis To PawSox In Addition Other Roster Moves Announced With Multiple DL Stints Confirmed

On Thursday the Boston Red Sox activated World Series MVP Steave Pearce from the DL and optioned infielder Sam Travis to the Triple-A PawSox. 

Travis, 25-years-old, is in his 6th proffesional season and split the 2018 season between Pawtucket and Boston. For Boston in 2019 Travis is 2-for-7.

The former 2014 2nd round pick hit .258 for Pawtucket in 2018 with 8 home runs and 43 RBIS. 2018 was a year of transition for Travis who recieved 35 games in left field with the organization looking to gain defensive flexibility from Travis. 

In addition to Travis the PawSox official roster recieved a number of changes on Thursday. 

• Catcher Jake Romanski to the 7-day-dl
• Relievers Austin Maddox, Mark Montgomery, Zach Putnam and Carson Smith to the 7-day-dl
• Infielder Chad De La Guerra to the 7-day-dl 

Plenty of movement to come on the roster with the potential return of Dustin Pedroia at the big league level, a move needed to add Travis with active roster at 26, and the return of all the relievers who are currently on the DL.

But that is part of the norm of being a Triple-A ball club. 

PawSox Open The Season With Thrilling Extra Innings Win Over Mets, Monster Day For Red Sox Prospect Michael Chavis

On Opening Day in Syracuse the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox defeated the Mets in 10 innings 6-3.

Third basemen Tony Renda with the bases loaded  with one out in the top of the 10th inning hit a bases clearing double to help lift the PawSox to their first victory of 2019. 

New Manager Billy McMillon sent Red Sox pitching prospect Mike Shawaryn to the mound as his Opening Day starter. Shawaryn, 24-years-old, went 5.1 innings allowing 3 earned runs on 4 base hits while striking out 7 batters and only allowing 1 walk.

After Shawaryn, Marcus Walden came in for relief with a 1.2 inning performance allowing only 1 base hit while striking out 2 batters. 

The pitcher of record is Josh Taylor who pitched 2 scoreless innings and picking up the win and it was Jenry Mejia in the bottom of the 10th picking up his first save on the season. 

PawSox pitchers obliterated Mets left fielder Tim Tebow striking out the former Patriots QB twice and forcing him to go 0-for-4. 

Red Sox Prospect Michael Chavis With Monster Opening Day

On the offensive side of things the first hit of the PawSox season came off the bat of Sandy Leon who ended up going 2 for 5 and struck out twice.

It was a stalemate heading into the top of the 5th until Mike Miller hit a two-run shot to make it 2-0. In the top of the 8th trailing by one run it was Michael Chavis who came through to tie the game with a fly ball home run to left field.

Chavis, 23-years-old, hit 9 home runs in 2018 after serving a 50-game suspension for violating the leagues drug policy. Chavis had a massive first game of the year going 3 for 4 with a walk. 

In the top of the 10th ahead of Tony Renda, Bryce Brentz, Michael Chavis, and Gorkys Hernandez got on ahead of 28-year-old hero Renda. 

Chandler Shepherd For Game 2

The PawSox will be back in action in Syracuse at 1:05 pm on Friday April 5th with Chandler Shepherd on the hill. 

PawSox Starting Rotation Headlined By Mike Shawaryn, Followed By Chandler Shepherd, Smith In Line For Home Opener

On Wednesday the Pawtucket Red Sox made their 2019 starting rotation official.

The triple-a affiliate of the Boston Red Sox announced that the rotation the first time through against the Syracuse Mets would be Mike Shawaryn, Chandler Shepherd, Josh A. Smith, Ryan Weber, and Erasmo Ramirez.

Let’s take a deeper dive into the starting group. 

1. Mike Shawaryn, 24-years-old, is coming into the 2019 Red Sox season as Boston’s no.8 prospect according to Baseball America. The 2016 first round pick is entering his fourth season of pro-ball and was called up to Pawtucket last August. In 2018 Shawaryn ranked 5th among Red Sox minor leaguers in ERA (3.44) and SO (132). The former Maryland hurler attended his first Major League Spring training in 2019.
2. Chandler Shepherd, 26-years-old, is the only PawSox starter remaining that was not their roster prior to the start of the 2019 season. Shepherd in 2018 had a 3.89 ERA in 129.1 innings pitched in his first year as a starter after being moved from the bullpen. Shepherd took some time getting used to the new role but settled in nicely over the course of the season and in 9 starts last year he lowered his ERA from 7.36 to 3.36 starting. In addition the Kentucky native finished the year posting a 2.93 ERA in his last 6 starts.
3. Josh A. Smith, 31-years-old, pitched 74 innings in 2018 for Pawtucket with a 4.14 ERA. Smith who has big league experience with Cincinnati and Oakland is entering his first full season in the Red Sox organization after being signed as a minor league free agent in late April of 2018 with Boston. 
4. Ryan Weber, 28-years-old, is entering his 11th professional season, his first with Bostona after signing as a minor league free agent back in mid December of 2018. Weber has 24 Major League appearances, 73.2 innings and a 5.01 ERA. Weber spent the 2018 season with the Rays organization, he made two relief appearances with Tampa, but spent the majority of the season with the Durham Bulls. With the Bulls, Weber had 25 appearances, 18 starts, and posted an impressive  2.83 ERA in 115.1 innings pitched. 
5. Erasmo Ramirez, 28-years-old, is entering his 11th season just like Weber. Ramirez also signed a minor league deal in mid December and was origanally signed as a non-drafted free agent by Seattle out of Nicaragua. Ramirez has made 192 ML appearances, 100 out of the bullpen and 92 as starts. Ramirez has a career 4.36 ERA in the ML in 637 innings. But here is the interesting part, from 2012 to 2018 he went 13-8 against AL East opponents with a 3.20 ERA (80 ER/225 IP) and in 11 games (2 starts) at Fenway Park, he holds a 2.05 ERA (6 ER/ 26.1 IP). 

Shawaryn through Weber will pitch at the Syracuse Mets, and Ramirez is in line for the first game at the Buffalo Bisons. 

Josh A. Smith is in line to pitch in the home opener on April 11th.