Zack Short is headed to Beantown.
The Boston Red Sox acquired the former Detroit Tigers infielder from the New York Mets for cash considerations on Wednesday, just a few short days after Short was designated for assignment by the Mets.
It’s already the fourth trade that Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has completed since the start of the 2024 season, as Wednesday’s deal means Boston’s 40-man roster is full.
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Short, who turns 29 this month, was claimed off waivers by the Mets last November when the Tigers dropped him from the roster following the 2023 season.
The Kingston, NY, native played parts of three seasons with Detroit after originally being acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a trade that included outfielder Cameron Maybin in 2020. He last served as the Tigers’ utility infielder for most of the 2023 season.
Short played 179 games with the Tigers, hitting .204 with and 13 home runs across 450 plate appearances, as well as 196 games with Triple-A Toledo. A 17th round pick by the Cubs in the 2016 MLB Draft, Short also pitched six innings in lopsided games last season, allowing four runs on 12 hits.
Short made the Mets’ Opening Day roster after a stellar spring, hitting .308 with a home run and four doubles, while walking seven times and striking out six. He’d beat out a handful of candidates for the Mets’ roster, including former Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias.
But after playing in only a handful of games and going 1-for-9, Short was designated for assignment to make room for former Tigers slugger J.D. Martinez after he completed a tune-up in Triple-A.
And now out of options, Short will be on Boston’s roster for the foreseeable future, especially considering the Red Sox’s slew of injuries on the infield. Starting shortstop Trevor Story is out for the season with a shoulder injury, while third baseman Rafael Devers is dealing with ongoing injury
issues.
