Except that wasn't the case.
McDonald remains on the roster while reliever Scott Atchinson has been bounced back to Triple-A. The move leaves the Red Sox with 11 pitchers, which is a rare occurrence for an organization that tends to go with 12 pitchers to keep pace with the grinder that is the AL East.
At the same time, the team has determined that depth in the outfield is crucial with Ellsbury and Cameron both fresh off a DL stint from injuries that will take a while to heal, despite their readiness to play. Ellsbury's hairline rib fractures will eventually heal completely, but it will take time. Cameron's sports hernia is something that can be played through, but will eventually require surgery.
Combine that with J.D. Drew's history of injuries, and the outfield situation for Boston can reasonably be called tenuous. Should Boston really risk losing McDonald for the benefit of a 12th pitcher?
Not to mention, the right-handed hitting McDonald has been fantastic against southpaws so far. Against lefties, McDonald has posted a 1.024 OPS and has launched all three of his home runs so far this season. Such power could provide tremendous value for a team that has two starting outfielders who bat left-handed.
While a 12th pitcher would enable the arms in the bullpen to stay rested, that might become less of a concern once Josh Beckett returns and Tim Wakefield can soak up more relief innings, more often. While Francona and the rest of the Red Sox brass may normally prefer 12 pitchers, most teams get by with 11 just fine, providing clubs additional flexibility with position players. Would the Red Sox enjoy the benefit of having this same offensive flexibility?
The flip side is that the Red Sox already have outfielder Jeremy Hermida and infielder/outfielder Bill Hall in the fold. Does that make McDonald a luxury on a team that already has five players capable of playing the outfield, or do the Red Sox need that 12th pitcher?
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