Jackie Bradley Jr. likely to make the Red Sox opening day roster. Ryan Sweeney was not picked up for the MLB roster. It looks like the Red Sox are willing to sacrifice a year's control of JBJ if he plays well enough to stick. He was not on the 40 man roster, so all they needed to do was to keep him in the minors for a week and a half to get an extra year's control.
This is a little different than Rendon in that there is not a starting spot available for Rendon right away. Espinosa played well enough to keep that job. With Ortiz hurt, Gomes can DH and Bradley, Ellsbury, and Victorino can all play the OF. The Red Sox had an opening, and Bradley out played Overbay, Carp, Sweeney, Gomez, Lavarnway, and Nava, and the team did not decide that Salty as DH and Ross / Lavarnway as catcher was the way to go. We'll see what happens when Ortiz is back and playing time gets squeezed. If they eventually send JBJ down, he will need to stay in the minors 3 weeks this year in order to gain back the extra year of control.
Jose Iglesias is also going to make the roster at SS as Steven Drew is out with a concussion.
