Dustin Pedroia is back
There were the familiar names that hit the transaction wire on Tuesday. Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Winckowski were designated for assignment. Luis Guerrero, Chris Murphy, and Brennan Bernardino left via trade.
There were also a few players who some Red Sox followers might have a bit of familiarity with who entered the mix. That was thanks to promotions to the 40-man roster, which is what minor leaguers David Sandlin, Shane Drohan, and Tyler Uberstine received.
But how about the new guys?
Ronny Hernandez. Tristan Gray. Braiden Ward. Luke Heyman.
All four figures are to be introduced to Red Sox followers throughout spring training, and some may very well ultimately play some sort of important role at some point in the next few seasons. That's usually how it works. Seemingly faceless, nameless additions become part of the big league season's story.
So, who are these guys? Well ...
Hernandez and Heyman: These two represent the organization's quest to uncover some much-needed catching depth behind Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong.
Hernandez is a 21-year-old backstop who spent the past two years with the White Sox's Single-A team in Kannapolis. He played in 82 games last season, hitting .251 with a .679 OPS and four homers.
Heyman may be the most intriguing acquisition of the entire day, considering the power he displayed at the University of Florida before being drafted in the 14th round of last season's MLB Draft by the Mariners. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder - who came over for hard-throwing minor league pitcher Alex Hoppe - hasn't played a professional game after recovering from a shattered forearm suffered in college. (He is also friends with Roman Anthony.)
Gray: This is the player acquired Tuesday that might very well have the best chance at cracking the 2026 Red Sox conversation. Coming over from Tampa Bay for Guerrero, the 29-year-old, who can play first, second, and third base as well as shortstop, appeared in 30 games for the Rays after managing a .870 OPS in 72 Triple-A games. He has one option year remaining.
Ward: The 26-year-old, who reached Triple-A in the Colorado organization last season, plays both outfield and second base. But his best attribute isn't hard to uncover: Speed. The former 16th-round pick out of the University of Washington stole 57 bases last season while only being caught seven times. In his 414 professional games, Ward has swiped 211 bags with just 30 unsuccessful attempts.