The Boston Red Sox announced the DFA’ing of Franchy Cordero — a key piece in the Andrew Benintendi trade — following the reinstating of Phillips Valdez after he spent a month and a half on the COVID-19 related injured list.
The #RedSox today reinstated RHP Phillips Valdez from the COVID-19 Related Injured List.
To make room for Valdez on the 40-man roster, the club designated OF Franchy Cordero for assignment.
— Red Sox (@RedSox) October 21, 2021
Valdez got COVID in the midst of Boston’s outbreak — he never was taken off the IL.
Cordero, 27, had a strong start in the first two weeks of the season, but then fell off a cliff and finished his 2021 major-league season hitting just .189 across 48 games, tallying nine RBI and a 32 wRC+. He did, despite the struggles, hit the Sox’s longest homer of the year with a 477-foot towering blast — he also did learn to play first base.
The left-handed bat was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on May 27th and only saw 34 plate appearances in the majors after that.
The Sox have seven days to either trade, release, or waive Cordero.
(Photo of Franchy Cordero by Cole Burston/Getty Images)