Red Sox Grab a Power Bat Off the Scrap Heap. Here’s Why It Makes Sense.

The Boston Red Sox made a quiet move Tuesday that could actually matter more than it looks on paper. They picked up Jahmai Jones from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for a player to be named later. Jones is 28, he’s out of minor league options, and he’s had a nightmare season at the plate in 2026. But here’s the thing: last year, the guy looked like a genuinely dangerous hitter.

So what gives?

Let’s rewind. In 2025, Jones played 72 games for the Tigers and hit .287 with an OPS that flirted with .937. He slugged .550, had seven homers and 11 doubles in just 150 plate appearances, and posted a 159 wRC+. That’s elite production, especially for someone used mostly against lefties. He even made a cameo in the postseason, going 1-for-2 with a double and a walk in four games. Not a sample size you bet the farm on. But enough to make you wonder what’s real.

This year, almost nothing went right. In 57 games, Jones hit .137 with a .221 slugging percentage. He struck out a third of the time. Even in his supposed strong suit — hitting left-handed pitching — he managed just .154. That’s the kind of drop-off that gets a guy DFA’d. Detroit cut him loose on July 9, and the Red Sox took a flier.

Boston needed another right-handed bat. Their outfield/DH mix leans left: Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida. They have Andruw Monasterio and Romy Gonzalez on hand, but Gonzalez just came back from shoulder surgery, and Nate Eaton — who got sent down to Triple-A Worcester to clear a roster spot — didn’t exactly force his way into the lineup, hitting .125 in 14 games for Boston this season.

Jones doesn’t have options left, so he has to stay on the big league roster or get exposed to waivers. The Sox created a 40-man opening when they designated lefty Danny Coulombe earlier this week. They’re clearly willing to give Jones a real look. He’s expected to join the team before Friday’s doubleheader against the Rays.

At Triple-A Worcester this year, Eaton was hitting .283 with five homers and a .450 slugging percentage. That’s not nothing. But the majors have been a different story for him. So Jones gets the audition now.

The move is low-risk. Boston gave up a PTBNL, which is often cash or a nobody. If Jones finds even a fraction of his 2025 form, the Red Sox get a useful platoon piece for the stretch run. If he doesn’t, he’s off the roster with no strings attached. That’s how you grind out a season.