Red Sox sign former Phillies infielder/outfielder Dalton Guthrie to minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed free agent infielder/outfielder Dalton Guthrie to a minor-league contract, per the club’s MLB.com transactions log. It feels safe to assume that the deal comes with an invitation to major-league spring training, but Guthrie has nonetheless been assigned to Triple-A Worcester.

Guthrie, 28, is a former 2017 sixth-round draft selection of the Phillies who broke in with Philadelphia in September 2022. The Florida product appeared in 14 games for the eventual National League champions down the stretch that fall and went 7-for-21 (.333) with one home run, five RBIs, three runs scored, one stolen base, six walks, and seven strikeouts.

Last year, Guthrie opened the season with Philadelphia’s Triple-A affiliate in Lehigh Valley before being called up for the first time in late April. In his second stint with the Phillies, the right-handed hitter went 4-for-24 (.167) with one double, four runs scored, three walks, and seven strikeouts over 23 games. He was then designated for assignment in late June and dealt to the Giants for cash considerations shortly thereafter.

Guthrie’s time with the Giants was short-lived, as he got into just nine games for San Francisco’s Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento before yet again being designated for assignment. This time around, Guthrie was claimed off waivers by the Braves, though he did not see any big-league action with Atlanta.

Instead, Guthrie spent the rest of the 2023 campaign with the Braves’ top minor-league affiliate and batted .271/.363/.345 with five doubles, one triple, two home runs, 22 RBIs, 21 runs scored, three stolen bases, 20 walks, and 45 strikeouts in 49 games (205 plate appearances) for the Gwinnett Stripers. He lost his spot on Atlanta’s 40-man roster in August, which allowed him to reach minor-league free agency in November.

All told, Guthrie is a lifetime .244/.393/.333 hitter with one double, one homer, five runs driven in, seven runs scored, one stolen bases, nine walks, and 14 strikeouts in 37 career big-league games (all with the Phillies). In 209 career games at the Triple-A level, Guthrie owns a .289/.357/.434 slash line with 55 doubles, four triples, 16 home runs, 97 RBIs, 117 runs scored, 30 stolen bases, 62 walks, and 117 strikeouts across 856 total trips to the plate.

On the other side of the ball, Guthrie has started games at second base, third base, shortstop, left field, center field, and right field over the course of his career. In his time with the Phillies, the versatile 5-foot-11, 160-pounder logged 65 innings in right field, 57 innings in center field, 22 innings in left field, 7 2/3 innings at third base, and one inning at second base. He posted four defensive runs saved as an outfielder last year alone.

Guthrie, who has two minor-league options remaining, will presumably be aiming to compete for a bench spot on Boston’s Opening Day roster once spring training begins in Fort Myers later this month. He will also be looking to become the second member of his family to suit up for the Red Sox, as his father, Mark, made 46 relief appearances for the club before being traded to the Cubs in August 1999.