The Boston Red Sox dropped the opener of their three-game set in Arlington on Tuesday, falling 4-2 to the Texas Rangers behind a sharp outing from Jacob deGrom.
With the series continuing Wednesday night and Boston still chasing a postseason berth at 82-69, the organization quietly made a pair of September moves that speak to both depth and evaluation.
Double-A Portland shortstop-turned-third baseman Ahbram Liendo and right-hander Max Carlson were promoted to Triple-A Worcester, according to the official MiLB transaction log.
The timing is no accident. September call-ups and internal promotions often serve dual purposes: giving young players a look at a higher level while the big-league club manages innings, injuries, and roster flexibility down the stretch.
Liendo, a 22-year-old from Maracay, Venezuela, has spent the entire 2026 season with the Sea Dogs. In 105 games he posted a .239 average with eight home runs, 55 RBI, and 25 stolen bases.
The power-speed combination represents a step forward from previous years, and this is the first time he will face Triple-A pitching.
At 5-foot-7, he relies on contact, plate discipline, and baserunning rather than raw size, tools that travel if he can handle the jump in velocity and breaking-ball quality.
Carlson’s path has been less linear. The 25-year-old Minnesota native and former 12th-round pick out of North Carolina has already shuttled between Portland and Worcester this year.
Across 36 appearances, he owns a 7-2 record, a 4.37 ERA, and 96 strikeouts in 82⅓ innings. Most of that work has come in relief, where his strike-throwing and ability to miss bats have earned him Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors earlier in the summer.
A brief earlier stint in Worcester produced mixed results, so this latest assignment is a chance to show he belongs for the stretch run and, potentially, a September look if the Red Sox need another arm.
Neither player is expected to transform Worcester overnight, yet both fit the profile of prospects Boston has used to stock its upper minors while the major-league club leans on unexpected contributors.
Liendo’s first taste of Triple-A comes at a moment when the WooSox schedule still offers meaningful at-bats. Carlson, already familiar with the level, can settle into a familiar bullpen role and attack hitters he has seen before.
For a Red Sox team that has survived injuries to cornerstone players and still sits in the Wild Card mix, these promotions are less about immediate rescue and more about finishing the development year with purpose.
How Liendo and Carlson respond over the final two weeks will help determine whether they enter 2027 as Triple-A regulars or still have work to do at Double-A.
