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Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers is not in the starting lineup Wednesday versus the Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Tyler Glasnow. The all-world third baseman has been in a funk of late, recording just a pair of singles and two runs scored to account for all of his damage over his last six games and 23 trips to the plate. He has also drawn just two walks against eight strikeouts in that time, including three punchouts in an 0-for-5 effort on Tuesday. For the season, Devers has still raked to the tune of a .272 average with 33 home runs, four stolen bases, and an .857 OPS across 149 appearances. Bobby Dalbec will take over at third base and hit seventh against Glasnow at Fenway Park on Wednesday night.
Boston Red Sox catcher Reese McGuire (thumb) exited Tuesday's matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday with an apparent left thumb contusion, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. The 28-year-old is hitting .271 at the dish but with just one homer, 14 runs, 16 RBI, and a single stolen base over 70 games. It's unclear how serious the issue is right now, though whatever happens, Connor Wong will continue to get the majority of reps behind the plate, and McGuire remains irrelevant in all formats.
Boston Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck will look to play spoiler when he takes on the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday at Fenway Park. While the Rays have a postseason spot well in hand, they are still just 2.5 games back of the Baltimore Orioles for the top spot in the American League East entering the final week of their regular season. Houck has made 19 starts this season, tossing a 4.92 ERA and a middling 12.6% K-BB% in that time. His 4.36 SIERA, 4.08 xFIP, and solid 51.9% ground-ball rate suggest he has probably been a bit better than his surface ERA indicates but the results largely have not been there this season. The 27-year-old has been better of late, however, allowing just two earned runs, albeit with seven walks, over his last two starts and 10 innings of work.
The Boston Red Sox reinstated closer Kenley Jansen (illness) from the COVID injured list on Saturday and optioned pitcher Zack Weiss to Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. Jansen will return to Boston's bullpen for the first time since testing positive for COVID on Sept. 13. He'll have just over a week left to pick up some save opportunities for fantasy managers still playing for a title, but the Red Sox could ease him back into the fold, especially since he had given up five runs in his previous five appearances before going on the shelf. The 35-year-old veteran right-hander hasn't recorded a save since Aug. 20 and has a 3.63 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 29 saves and 52 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings this year over 51 outings out of the 'pen.
The Boston Red Sox placed infielder Luis Urias (calf) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Sept. 21) on Friday with a left-calf strain and recalled infielder Enmanuel Valdez from Triple-A Worcester in a corresponding move. The move to put Urias on the injured list will effectively end his 2023 season. The 26-year-old Mexican spent this year with the Milwaukee Brewers and Red Sox, hitting a miserable .194/.337/.299 with only three home runs, six doubles, 18 RBI and 18 runs scored in 177 trips to the plate over 52 games played. In 32 games for Boston, he hit .225 (20-for-89) with two homers, 13 RBI and 13 runs scored. With Urias out of the picture, Pablo Reyes and rookie Ceddanne Rafaela will battle for extra playing time on Boston's infield for the final nine games of the season.
