The Red Sox announced the waiver claim of Travis Shaw before today’s 6-2 win, and manager Alex Cora has a familiar connection with the infielder.
“He’s been here before,” said Cora. “He gives us a quality at-bat from the left side, I don’t know about the numbers, (but) I know the kid. Actually, finally, I feel old. I played with his dad. I saw Travis running around the clubhouse in L.A.”
Cora played with closer Jeff Shaw from 1998-2001, as the manager spent the first eight seasons of his major-league playing career with the Dodgers. Shaw spent the final three years of his career with Los Angeles, as he was there when Travis was ages 8-11.
Shaw racked up a pretty solid career, notching a 3.54 ERA in 633 outings. The righty had a 3.37 ERA in his 3 1/2 seasons with the Dodgers, as 129 of his 203 career saves came with L.A.
“One point throughout this I was like, ‘hopefully it doesn’t happen that I have to manage a teammate’s kid.’ It did happen,” Cora said. “When I found out I was like, ‘wow.’ You feel old.”
Shaw spent 2015 and ’16 with Boston after being drafted by the Sox in 2011, but Cora was never able to manage him as John Farrell managed the team up until 2018, when Cora took over.
He hasn’t had the greatest 2021, after he was waived after posting a slash line of .191/.279/.337 with six homers through 56 games before getting injured, mustering a career-worst 68 wRC+.
Cora also explained how Boston will use him, and if he will be on the major-league roster.
(Photo by Jeff Gross/Allsport)