Boston Red Sox acquire former Toronto Blue Jays catcher

With active rosters expanding from 26 to 28 today, the Red Sox are calling up catcher Ali Sánchez, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe.

Sanchez had signed a minor league deal with the Mets just over a week ago but the Red Sox traded for him last night, per Healey.

The Sox will need to open a 40-man spot for Sánchez but could do so easily by moving infielder Marcelo Mayer to the 60-day injured list.

At first blush, it might be a bit confusing that the Sox and Mets swung a trade after the deadline.

However, certain trades are still allowed. A player on a minor league contract which has not been selected to the majors can be traded.

That's true even if the player was in the majors earlier in the season via a different contract. Last year, for instance, Cavan Biggio played for the Dodgers.

After being designated for assignment and released, he signed a minor league deal with the Giants. After the deadline, he was traded from the Giants to Atlanta.

The situation is basically the same with Sánchez, who has played for the Blue Jays and Red Sox in 2025.

The Sox designated him for assignment a couple of weeks back. He cleared outright waivers, elected free agency and signed with the Mets.

Since this Mets deal hadn't been selected to the majors, he was eligible to be traded back to Boston. By being acquired last night, prior to September, he's eligible to be on Boston's postseason roster.