Chang is contending with visa issues and isn't scheduled to report back to Red Sox camp until Thursday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Chang is working to rejoin Boston after he recently took home MVP honors for Pool A of the World Baseball Classic following a four-game stint with Chinese Taipei in which he went 7-for-16 with four extra-base hits and eight RBI. Assuming his arrival at camp isn't delayed any further than the latter half this week, Chang should remain in the mix to win a spot on the Red Sox's Opening Day roster as a reserve infielder. Bobby Dalbec likely represents his main competition for the final roster berth.
Chang signed a one-year contract with the Red Sox on Thursday.
The Red Sox non-tendered Chang earlier this offseason but have ultimately decided to bring him back as infield depth. With Trevor Story (elbow) out indefinitely and Adalberto Mondesi's (knee) timeline cloudy, it's a sensible move. Chang has a career .639 OPS over parts of four major-league seasons.
The Red Sox declined to tender Chang a contract for 2023, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Chang has bounced between Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Boston just within the past six months, and he's now a free agent. The 27-year-old is a short-side platoon infielder with marginal power and negligible speed.
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Red Sox's Yu Chang: Back on bench
Rotowire
Chang is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Orioles, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Chang went 1-for-8 with a double, a walk and a run while starting in three of the past four games, but he'll likely fill a short-side platoon role in the Boston infield as the season winds down.
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Red Sox's Yu Chang: Joins Red Sox
Rotowire
The Red Sox claimed Chang off waivers from the Rays on Monday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Before Tampa Bay designated him for assignment over the weekend, Chang's most recent action actually came against the Red Sox on Sept. 6, when he went 2-for-3 with a home run and walk. The righty-hitting infielder slashed .216/.280/.324 through 164 total plate appearances on the season, and he's unlikely to serve as anything more than a short-side platoon player in Boston for the remainder of 2022. Since he doesn't have minor-league options remaining, Boston will need to add him to its 28-man active roster.
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Rays' Yu Chang: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Chang was designated for assignment by the Rays on Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The move clears space for Wander Franco (wrist) to return from the injured list. Chang hit a respectable .260/.305/.385 (good for a 102 wRC+) in 36 games this season but still owns a poor 76 wRC+ for his career.
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Rays' Yu Chang: Tallies fourth homer
Rotowire
Chang went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk Tuesday against the Red Sox.
Chang continues to occupy primarily a small-side platoon role for the Rays, as eight of his 10 starts since Aug. 20 have come with southpaws on the mound. However, it was righty Eduard Bazardo that Chang took yard in the sixth inning to record his fourth homer of the season. He owns a .216/.280/.324 line across 164 plate appearances on the season.
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Rays' Yu Chang: Occupying small-side platoon
Rotowire
Chang went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored Saturday against the Royals.
Chang drew the start at second base with southpaw Kris Bubic on the mound, sending Brandon Lowe to the bench. Chang has started only two of the team's last six games -- both against lefties. So long as the Rays' infield remains relatively healthy, he figures to occupy a limited role. For the season, Chang has a .211/.276/.316 line across 127 plate appearances with three different teams.
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Rays' Yu Chang: Picks up start versus lefty
Rotowire
Chang will start at second base and bat eighth in Tuesday's game against the Yankees, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Chang will be making his fifth start in six games, but most of his opportunities came while Brandon Lowe was tending to a sore shoulder. The lefty-hitting Lowe was back in the lineup for Monday's 4-0 win, but he'll retreat to the bench Tuesday with the Yankees bringing southpaw Nestor Cortes to the hill. The righty-hitting Chang will most likely fill a short-side platoon role moving forward.
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Rays' Yu Chang: Slugs third homer
Rotowire
Chang went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Brewers.
Chang took Brandon Woodruff yard in the fifth inning to record his third homer of the campaign. He's started three of the team's last four games, which has come at the expense of Ji-Man Choi. Though a limited sample, Chang has hit .333 with two homers, six RBI and six runs scored in 16 games since joining the Rays.
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Rays' Yu Chang: Hits second homer
Rotowire
Chang went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a 9-1 loss to the Tigers on Saturday.
Chang has been playing very good baseball since being picked up off waivers by the Rays in early July. The backup utility player is now slashing .342/.375/.474 with one home run in 38 at-bats with his new team. Chang could continue to find his way into the number nine spot in the Rays lineup, which has been depleted by hand injuries to Wander Franco and Harold Ramirez.
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Rays' Yu Chang: Doubles twice in win
Rotowire
Chang went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored in Friday's 5-4 win against the Orioles.
Chang laced two RBI doubles in Friday's victory, one in the fourth inning and another in the sixth. In six appearances since being claimed off waivers by the Rays, the 26-year-old utility man has gone 6-for-16 (.375) with three RBI and six strikeouts. Through 75 plate appearances with Tampa Bay, Cleveland and Pittsburgh this season, Chang is slashing .191/.267/.279.
The Rays claimed Chang off waivers from the Pirates on Tuesday.
Tampa Bay shifted Brandon Lowe (back) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list to clear room on the 40-man roster for Chang, but the Rays will still have to move another player off the 26-man active roster when Chang reports to the team Tuesday. A right-handed hitter who's capable of playing all four infield positions, Chang could find himself in a short-side platoon role during his time in Tampa Bay.
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Pirates' Yu Chang: DFA'd by Pittsburgh
Rotowire
Chang was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Thursday, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
The 26-year-old went 2-for-18 over his past nine games and will lose his spot on the 40-man roster with Tucupita Marcano (illness) returning from the COVID-19 injured list. Chang has appeared in 22 games between the Pirates and Guardians this year and has a .135/.237/.212 slash line in 59 plate appearances.
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Pirates' Yu Chang: Heads to bench
Rotowire
Chang is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Giants.
Chang will move to the bench after starting in five of the Pirates' last six games. Though the Pirates have typically deployed the righty-hitting Chang against left-handed pitching, he could see an uptick in starts against right-handers following Tucupita Marcano's (illness) recent placement on the COVID-19-related injured list. Hoy Park will fill in for Marcano at the keystone in Sunday's series finale, however.
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Pirates' Yu Chang: Pops first homer of 2022
Rotowire
Chang went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in a 3-1 loss to the Cardinals during the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader.
He spoiled a combined shutout bid for the Cards by taking Genesis Cabrera deep in the seventh inning. It was the first homer at any level this season for Chang, who is batting .208 (5-for-24) in nine games since joining the Pirates.
