Dalbec sent down; Chang wins roster battle

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Red Sox made a couple of decisions on Monday that put their Opening Day roster into greater focus.

Bobby Dalbec, who broke camp as the Boston's starting first baseman the past two seasons, was optioned to Triple-A Worcester. That move has cleared the path for Yu Chang to make the team as the utility infielder.

“He played good shortstop,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Dalbec. “He can play third, we knew that. He can play first. Offensively, [he] just [needs to] be more aggressive and not try and do too much. This is a guy we valued. But where we are at right now, this is the position we took.”

Connor Wong, despite missing much of camp with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, got healthy enough at the end of Spring Training to win the backup catching spot. Wong started in a 6-1 loss to the Braves on Monday, getting his first Grapefruit League action since March 2. Jorge Alfaro, who was in camp as a non-roster invitee, will open the season at Triple-A.

There are two decisions left to make for Boston. Non-roster invitee Raimel Tapia and Jarren Duran are battling for the final outfield spot. And the final spot in the bullpen is also up for grabs. Though righty Kaleb Ort has had a rough spring, he might get the job because none of the other candidates are on the 40-man roster. Perhaps the top non-roster candidate is lefty Ryan Sherriff, who could replace lefty Joely Rodríguez, who will open the season on the injured list with a Grade 2 right oblique strain.

As for the Chang-Dalbec decision, there were a few factors that influenced the final ruling.

Although Chang has hardly spent any time in camp due to the World Baseball Classic and visa issues that plagued his return in the days following, the Red Sox feel confident in their decision to go with a versatile and solid defender who can play all four infield positions.

Dalbec’s lack of experience at shortstop -- he’s made one Major League start there -- was one of the deciding factors in the decision to send him down. The fact that Dalbec still has Minor League options was also a factor. Chang was signed to a Major League deal on Feb. 16 and doesn’t have options.

“I thought I played really well,” said Dalbec. “Played good defense, hit a little bit of a lull the last 10 to 15 at-bats. Ran well on the basepaths. I played hard. I did all I can do. I feel I controlled what I could and the rest wasn’t up to me.”

Dalbec played several games at shortstop in Spring Training and did well, but the career corner infielder admitted he still needs to brush up on the nuances of cutoffs and replays.

Two years ago, Dalbec hoped he was Boston’s first baseman of the future. He had his moments in his rookie year in 2021, belting 25 homers in 417 at-bats. But things didn’t go as well in ‘22, as Dalbec slashed .215/.283/.369 with 12 homers and 39 RBIs while striking out 118 times in 317 at-bats.

The Red Sox now have Triston Casas, their No. 2 prospect as rated by MLB Pipeline, set to play first base.

“I’m an everyday player,” said Dalbec. “I’ve never not thought that. I never want to think that. If I’m not playing [every day], I want to help the team win in any way I can. And if [being sent down is] my role [right now], I’ll embrace it. But in the grand scheme of things, I know I’m an everyday player in the big leagues and I’m not going to let these decisions affect that.”

The catching decision was made easier by Alfaro making it through waivers, meaning the Red Sox can keep him in the organization. While there was something to be said for Alfaro having the most MLB experience of anyone in camp (478 games), Wong is a more solid defender. Alfaro worked tirelessly with catching instructor Jason Varitek, but there wasn’t enough time for him to get to where he needed to get from a receiving standpoint.

Minor League instructors will continue to help him refine his defensive skills. If he can make the necessary improvements, Alfaro would be a pretty useful player for the Red Sox, given his offensive ability.