Reinforcements are on the way for the Boston Red Sox.
Major League Baseball active rosters expanded to 40 on Sunday, meaning teams can activate, suit up or play any player on its 40-man roster. In other words, “September call-ups” have arrived.
The stretched-thin Red Sox took full advantage, adding a total of seven players. Three players were recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket, while three — including Jhoulys Chacin, who signed a minor-league contract Saturday — were selected to the 40-man roster.
The Red Sox also activated David Price, who had been on the injured list since early August with a wrist issue. The left-hander will start Sunday’s series finale with the Los Angeles Angels.
Here’s the full list of Boston’s first wave of September call-ups:
Red Sox fans should be familiar with Lakins, Weber and Velazquez, all of whom have seen time with the major league club this year.
But what about Centeno, Chacin and Hernandez?
Centeno, a catcher, has appeared in 111 games over the course of his six-year career. He’s seen time with the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. The 29-year-old is a .227 hitter in the big leagues, but hit .248 with four homers in 81 games this season for the PawSox.
Hernandez is an outfielder who could add power off the bench. The 31-year-old slugged 15 homers while hitting .234 in 142 games last season for the San Francisco Giants. Hernandez hit .219 with 16 homers in 123 games this year for Pawtucket.
Chacin joins the Red Sox with a wealth of big league experience. The 31-year-old is 77-85 with a 4.00 ERA in 249 appearances (221 starts) over his 11 seasons in the majors. He went 3-10 with a 5.79 ERA 19 starts last year for the Brewers, but has yet to pitch in a big league game this season.
The Red Sox could add more players in the next week or two with minor league seasons coming to an end.
It’s also worth noting that this will be the final year of “September call-ups” as baseball fans know them. Starting next season, teams will carry 26-man active rosters (rather than 25) until Sept. 1, when rosters will expand only to 28.
