To make room for Pablo Sandoval on the 40-man roster the Red Sox have designated for assignment Ryan Lavarnway.
Lavarnway was once a top-100 prospect and looked capable of grabbing hold of a sizable role as a catcher/first baseman/designated hitter in Boston based on his strong minor-league track record, but he hit just .201 with five homers and a .565 OPS in 97 games for the Red Sox.
He’s not much of a defender behind the plate, so the 27-year-old Lavarnway will definitely have to hit well to stick in the majors.
