Andruw Monasterio has dropped an OPS north of .900 over his last 13 starts, and let’s be real, that bat is straight fire right now. The Red Sox shortstop situation has been a wild ride this season, but Monasterio’s recent tear makes you wonder how much more clarity we need on who should be playing there.
Shortstop Battle Royal: Who Gets the Hot Hand?
Monasterio might be “hardly a wizard with the glove,” but his offensive output is undeniable. He’s started all 13 of those games, proving he’s got the stamina to stay in the lineup. But hold up, because there’s more to this shortstop saga. Franklin Arias is reportedly “tearing it up” in his introduction to AAA, and Chad Tracy had some serious praise for the kid. Tracy said, “Physical gifts and tools wise, you can watch Franklin and feel like this guy’s going to play in the big leagues.” He also highlighted Arias’s “character and the mental capacity and the ability to overcome things when they aren’t going right,” confirming that “from what I know about the kid, he’s got those skills.”
Then there’s Trevor Story, who is “close to starting a rehab assignment.” So, who plays? This whole situation brings up that age-old debate about momentum. Most people say it doesn’t exist, like that whole “momentum is the next day’s starting pitcher” line. But a Globe analysis of MLB game data from 1901 through 2025 actually found a “striking pattern”: “The longer a winning streak lasts, the higher a team’s winning percentage in the next game.” For the Red Sox, it makes you think twice about messing with what’s working with Monasterio.
Garrett Crochet’s Bullpen Boost is Coming
Garrett Crochet has missed this entire wild ride for the Red Sox, but he’s finally started throwing baseballs again! It sounds like a full rehab to return as a starter is likely out of time. So, will we see him in a relief capacity? Chad Tracy was pretty direct on that, too: “If he’s healthy and right, and he looks like Garrett Crochet, I think we’d be foolish not to consider that.”
Imagine Crochet joining Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, and now Brayan Bello in that bullpen. That’s a nasty group, man. When Crochet does come back, he’ll hopefully be throwing to a “completely healthy Adley Rutschman,” who looked good “putting in work behind the plate” before last night’s game.
This Red Sox season has already been “one of the most improbable campaigns” in team history. With Monasterio crushing it, two other shortstops on the horizon, and a potential flamethrower like Crochet boosting the bullpen, you just know this ride isn’t slowing down. These guys are fighting to make this improbable season even more legendary.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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