The Boston Red Sox will look a little different when they close their series with the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.
Per MassLive’s Christopher Smith, reliever Justin Slaten and veteran bat Rob Refsnyder will be activated from the Injured List.
Additionally, recent acquisition Nathaniel Lowe will be out on paternity leave, and the Red Sox are demoting lefty Jovani Moràn to Triple-A Worcester.
After missing nearly 80 games, Slaten returns to consolidate a Red Sox bullpen headlined by All-Star Aroldis Chapman. Slaten’s right shoulder inflammation has kept him off an MLB diamond since June 1, but all signs indicate that he’s ready to rejoin Boston and pitch in high-leverage situations during a pivotal point in the season.
Refsnyder’s return will enable manager Alex Cora to strategize more savvily against lefties. The veteran Refsnyder has an .827 OPS this year in just 54 games, showing that he can deliver in spot opportunities off the bench.
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The Red Sox are on fire right now, having just won three out of four at Yankee Stadium and three in a row against the Orioles.
With the American League wild-card race not getting any easier, Boston continues to win out of necessity, and the return of Refsnyder and Slaten should provide the Red Sox with some important depth pieces heading into the stretch run of the season.