Boston Red Sox fans know all too well the importance of the upcoming games, such as the Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, and the San Francisco Giants.
But what you might not know is that a Baseball era is ending this September. The 40-man roster maximum is coming to an end at the end of the season and will see teams carrying a maximum of 26 players come 2020.
Previously, the 40-man roster has provided a chance for minor league baseball players to experience the big league. The 40-man roster provided younger and less experienced players the opportunity to learn with the game and become big players.
Teams will be able to bring in 2 more players after August 31, giving the teams a total of 28 active players. This rule was agreed upon before the start of this season, as was the single trade deadline, the injured/disabled list going back to 15 days, and a three-batter minimum for pitchers.
The Society of American Baseball Research states that the 40-man roster maximum dates back to 1910, however from 2020 onwards the maximum will be significantly less.
This might be in part due to expanded rosters receiving a lot of complaints every year. Most recently, the Red Sox called upon half a dozen players, including pitchers Hector Velazquez, Ryan Weber, and Travis Lakins. Red Sox’s manager, Alex Cora, used all three in relief of David Price, who was only able to cover two innings against the Angels.
Last year, Cora also used at least eight pitchers in four different nine-inning September games, including nin on September 21 in Cleveland. It’s nothing new and nothing that other teams aren’t doing, but perhaps it is why the rosters have been reduced, at least for now.
The 30 year old professional Mexican baseball pitcher, Hector Velazquez, made his debut in the MLB in 2017. Velazquez is a right-handed pitcher, who was born in Ciudad Obregon. The Mexican pitcher was called up to the roster this month and is already proving his worth.
Red Sox’s all hands on deck approach this season has seen them hold onto a good position in the American League baseball table.
According to Nicolás Rodrìguez, from REVIEWBOX México, “Calling upon experienced pitchers such as Hector Velazquez has proved to be a very good decision for the team. The Mexican pitcher, who is known for being gritty and determined, had a successful 2018 season, however despite getting the call-up this season seems to not be at the top of his game.”
However, with the new roster rules it is anybody’s guess how well the Red Sox’s will perform next season and who will be carefully selected for the significantly smaller roster.