Red Sox Outfielder Elects Free Agency After Lackluster Stint In Boston

The Red Sox lost another player to free agency, though this one won't hurt
Red Sox Outfielder Elects Free Agency After Lackluster Stint In Boston
Red Sox Outfielder Elects Free Agency After Lackluster Stint In Boston /
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The Boston Red Sox will head into the offseason with one less outfielder than previously planned.

"The Red Sox today outrighted outfielder Abraham Almonte off the major league roster," the Red Sox announced on Saturday via Twitter. "He has elected to become a free agent."

Almonte was designated for assignment Tuesday to clear out a roster spot for former Minnesota Twins catcher Caleb Hamilton.

Boston needed to remove Almonte from the 40-man roster but the 33-year-old still could have elected to stay in the organization. Instead, Almonte will attempt to stick on a roster elsewhere. 

The 5-foot-10, 223-pound outfielder adds to a growing list of Red Sox players set to hit the open market, a list that boasts many notable names. With the exclusive free agency window coming up, there will be an additional set of players who elect free agency of remaining on their current deals, headlined by shortstop Xander Bogaerts.

Almonte hit .257 with a pair of home runs, a lone home run, two RBIs and a 12-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 15 games. His defense was noticeably poor, and his reasoning for being on the roster in any capacity was quite confusing. Typically, late-season tryouts are not given to aging and out-of-shape outfielders.

More MLB: Ex-Red Sox Pitching Coach Responsible For Aaron Judge's Quiet Postseason


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Scott Neville
SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer.  His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu