July 7, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Minor Notes: Red Sox acquire Harris; Sandoval nears return
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Red Sox trade for Brett Harris
The Red Sox added some infield depth last Wednesday, acquiring Brett Harris from the Athletics. Harris has spent most of his time at first and third base for Triple-A Las Vegas this season while slashing .336/.441/.537 in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Since the trade, he has reported to Worcester and gone 1 for 11 in three games. In return, the Red Sox sent Ben Hansen to the A's. Hansen was a 20th round pick out of BYU in 2024 and he had pitched to a 4.75 ERA in 41 2/3 innings with Greenville this season.
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Sandoval on the verge of Red Sox debut
Patrick Sandoval was officially reinstated from the 60-day injured list on Monday and he is slated to start against the White Sox on Thursday. It has been a long road back to the majors since Sandoval signed with the Red Sox in December 2024. Recovering from a June 2024 Tommy John Surgery at the time of his signing, Sandoval missed the entire 2025 season after experiencing setbacks in his recovery. Sandoval has dealt with more obstacles this season, making eight starts between Portland and Worcester on three separate rehab assignments. His start last Saturday was his best one yet as Sandoval cruised through five scoreless innings for Portland, striking out seven batters and allowing just a hit and a walk while building up to 68 pitches. With Connelly Early heading to the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation and Ranger Suarez leaving Sunday night's game with left adductor tightness, there is a clear opening for Sandoval in the major league rotation. .
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Primera jumps in updated rankings
The midseason SoxProspects.com rankings were updated this morning, and catcher Franklin Primera continues to rocket up the rankings. Slotted at #36 on opening day, the 19-year-old backstop rose to 13th in the June update and is now up to seventh. In 32 games in the Florida Complex League, he hit .427/.549/.718 with eight home runs and nearly twice as many walks (22) as strikeouts (13).
Other prominent changes:
- Jack Winnay was the biggest mover in terms of raw numbers, jumping 15 spots from 40 to 25.
- Josue Brito and Freyerso Vasquez joined the rankings for the first time at 55th and 60th, respectively.
- Dylan Brown crept into the top 30 for the first time after falling just short in the June update.
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SoxProspects.com links
As you look into Red Sox draft targets over the next week, make sure to check out the 2026 SoxProspects.com draft preview. Editor-in-chief Mike Andrews identifies some names to watch for as the Red Sox potential first-round pick, as well as the top draft prospects from New England. The site also named Players of the Month for June, with Franklin Primera and Gage Ziehl taking home the honors.
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Additional transactions
- The Red Sox designated Tommy Kahnle for assignment and he elected free agency after declining his outright assignment. Kahnle allowed eight runs on 12 hits in nine innings for the Red Sox.
- The Red Sox signed Sam McWilliams to a minor league contract and assigned him to Portland. McWilliams had a 3.04 ERA in 27 relief appearances with the Toros de Tijuana in the Mexican League this season.
- To open up a roster spot for Sandoval after his activation from the 60-day IL, the Red Sox designated Jack Anderson for assignment. Anderson made his major league debut for the Red Sox this season and has a 4.81 ERA in 58 innings in Worcester.
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Where are they now?
Former Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez was named to the first All-Star Game of his career over the weekend. After struggling over his first two seasons since signing with Arizona, Rodriguez has revitalized his career with an excellent season. Rodriguez has been a workhorse for the Diamondbacks, tossing 102 innings over 17 starts while pitching to a sparkling 2.21 ERA. Rodriguez was a core member of the Red Sox rotation from 2015-2021, delivering a 4.16 ERA over 153 starts. Rodriguez finished sixth in Cy Young voting in 2019 and won a World Series championship with Boston in 2018.
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Players of the Week June 29-July 5
Mickey Gasper, C/1B, Worcester Red Sox
5 G, 7-14, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 BB, 4 R, 4 RBI, 3 SB, .500/.667/.857
Mickey Gasper reached base in two thirds of his plate appearances last week, recording seven hits and six walks in five games. Gasper has been excellent in Worcester this season, hitting .320/.461/.557 with seven home runs in 33 games. He was optioned to Worcester on June 28 after posting a .243/.305/.308 slash line in 34 games in Boston.
Jason Gilman, LHP, Salem RidgeYaks
1 G, 1-0, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 9 K
Gilman had a Fourth of July to remember on Saturday, as he threw six shutout innings in a dominant performance against the Augusta GreenJackets. Gilman had his best stuff on display as he struck out nine batters and generated 17 whiffs. A 16th-round pick out of Kean University last year, Gilman has made a strong impression in his first taste of professional ball this season. He has a 2.45 ERA and has struck out 13.4 batters per nine innings in 40 1/3 innings pitched.
Photo Credit: Patrick Sandoval by Kelly O'Connor