Mike Carp Designated for Assignment

The Mike Carp Era is over for the Red Sox, as the team announced before Friday’s game with the Yankees that their first baseman/outfielder had been designated for assignment.

After the team brought in outfielders Yoenis Cespedes and Allen Craig at the trade deadline, there simply was no place left on the roster for Carp, who had been able to carve out a place in 2013 as a lefthanded bat off the bench who could play both in the outfield and an infield position.

Carp was acquired by the Red Sox after they purchased his contract from the Seattle Mariners in Spring Training 2013. Over the course of the season, he hit .296 with nine homers and 43 RBIs in 83 games, coming up with some clutch hits when the Sox needed one, including a pinch-hit grand slam on Sept. 11 in Tampa Bay to give the Sox a 7-3 win over the Rays.

Carp’s role on the Red Sox diminished this year, as the team featured a slew of outfielders that all competed for playing time, leading Carp to see time in only 33 games over the first two months of the season. He missed the month of June due to a broken foot, and only played nine games in July after being activated on July 7.

It was reported on July 26 that Carp had requested the Red Sox for a trade, but as Ben Cherington was unable to find a suitor for Carp’s services, the decision was made to designate him for assignment.

Carp’s final Boston numbers totaled 128 games played, hitting .268 with nine homers and 52 RBIs.