Red Sox fans are stuck with Bobby Dalbec despite Garrett Cooper move

Bobby Dalbec seemed like his days were numbered when it was announced that the Boston Red Sox had acquired veteran first baseman and designated hitter Garrett Cooper. With Triston Casas out of the lineup, Dalbec has been struggling mightily as the fill-in option, which many felt pushed Craig Breslow and the front office to go and get Cooper.

Though Dalbec exits the Cubs series win for the Red Sox on a five-game hit streak, his overall production at the major-league level since being called up early in the season has been abysmal. In 20 games and 51 at-bats, Dalbec is slashing just .137/.185/.176 with 27 strikeouts and only three walks, meaning he's struck out half the times he's been to the plate. He also has not yet hit a home run this season and has just two extra-base hits.

Cooper is now set to join the Red Sox for Tuesday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants and Boston made a corresponding move... but it wasn't Dalbec getting designated for assignment. Instead, as reported by Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, it's infielder Pablo Reyes has been DFA'd.

Bobby Dalbec stays with Red Sox, despite Garrett Cooper addition, fans' despair

Even if it goes in the face of the assumption that Dalbec would be the DFA choice for the Red Sox, it's hard to quibble with the decision regarding Reyes either. Through 21 games, he's hitting only .183 with a 29 OPS+ on the season (100 is an MLB-average hitter). To make matters worse, his defense has been a negative this season as well with a -0.3 dWAR so far this year.

Dalbec, for all his struggles at the plate, has been solid defensively at first base and less so but still passable when playing at third base. That could've been a differentiating factor here.

However, for any Red Sox fans wishing Dalbec off of the roster, your time could come soon. Guys like Vaughn Grissom, Nick Pivetta, Brayan Bello and maybe Garrett Whitlock should return to the active roster soon, which could be Dalbec's time to get sent down back to Triple-A Worcester or DFA'd. It might actually just be a matter of time.

That time, however, is not today. But as the Red Sox enter the end of April and beginning of May at 16-13 and in solid early AL Wild Card contention, they are starting to get healthier and more complete, which could be a huge boom for Boston.