andruw monasterio stood near the outfield work area as a small but notable experiment began to take shape. The Red Sox, already carrying a crowded group of outfield options, have started giving the utility man practice reps in the grass, a shift that says as much about roster planning as it does about one player’s ability to adapt.
Why is Andruw Monasterio working in the outfield?
The move began at the request of manager Alex Cora, who told Monasterio about the plan at the end of spring training when the team said he had made the roster. Monasterio has been working with outfield coach Kyle Hudson, and the idea is straightforward: if a regular infielder can become a usable outfield option, Boston gains another layer of flexibility.
Monasterio framed that assignment in the clearest possible terms. “This is my role: utility, ” he said. “I have to be ready. ”
That willingness matters because the Red Sox already have five outfielders on the roster in Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran and Masataka Yoshida. Even with that depth, the team appears interested in expanding the number of ways it can arrange the lineup on any given day.
What does the move say about the Red Sox’s roster logic?
The broader picture is not about a shortage of outfielders. It is about fit. Boston has leaned into matchups, especially when left-handed pitching enters the conversation. Rafaela is the only right-handed hitter among the current outfield group, while Anthony, Abreu, Duran and Yoshida hit from the left side.
That makes Monasterio’s bat part of the calculation. He was brought in to provide right-handed depth and was initially expected to work at second base in place of Marcelo Mayer when a lefty is on the mound, with additional time at third base when Caleb Durbin needs a rest. Isiah Kiner-Falefa fills a similar role, which is why adding outfield flexibility could increase Monasterio’s chances of getting into games.
There is also a practical reason the request is drawing attention. Monasterio has very limited outfield experience, with previous games in left field for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024 and 2025. The sample is small, but it gives Boston at least some basis for the experiment.
How much do Monasterio’s outfield reps matter right now?
They matter most as a sign of preparation. The Red Sox do not need a dramatic reshuffle to justify the work. They seem focused on having another answer ready if an injury, a matchup, or a late-game substitution changes the shape of the roster. In that sense, andruw monasterio is being asked to do what utility players often do best: absorb uncertainty.
A named specialist perspective in the team’s coverage also pointed to the same theme. The view was that Boston’s best use of Monasterio’s talent may still be tied to infield work, especially against left-handed pitching, but that expanding his skill set could still help if the club wants to maximize his value. That tension is the story here: the Red Sox may be testing whether one player can cover more ground without losing what made him useful in the first place.
What happens next for Andruw Monasterio and Boston?
For now, the move reads as an experiment rather than a shift in identity. Boston’s outfield remains deep, and the team’s lineup construction already reflects careful attention to handedness. The request for Monasterio to take reps in the outfield does not change that reality; it adds another possible answer to it.
It also leaves a simple question hanging over the practice field: if the Red Sox already have enough outfielders, what does it say that they still want one more option? For Monasterio, the answer is clear enough. Stay ready. Be useful. Be able to move when the game asks it.
Image alt text: andruw monasterio working through outfield practice reps as the Red Sox explore a new lineup option.
