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MLB

The end of the rostered bullpen catcher

Teams used to carry a third catcher, whose main job was to work in the bullpen. This was a rostered player whose job was to warm up pitchers before they went into the game. Typically, a bullpen catcher was experienced and had a lot of knowledge to share with younger players. However, in the 1980’s, this role eventually disappeared and the bullpen catcher became a coaching position instead of a rostered player. Some Famous Bullpen Catchers in Red Sox History In the 1930’s, Moe Berg, rep
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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Triple A

Jake Bennett Emerging as Key Left-Handed Option for Red Sox Bullpen

The Boston Red Sox may have something developing in Triple-A, and his name is Jake Bennett. The left-handed prospect, currently with the Worcester Red Sox, is off to an impressive start and quickly making a case to be considered for a call-up. Through his first two appearances, Bennett holds a 1-1 record over 8 innings pitched, striking out 9 batters while posting a 0.63 WHIP and a 0.00 ERA. Those numbers immediately stand out, but it’s the way he’s generating those res
MLB

Will Alex Verdugo go to the dogs?

How much does erstwhile Red Sox Alex Verdugo have left in the tank? He hasn't played since last summer in 2025. Despite signing a minor league with the Padres this spring, he has yet to play a minor league game. With a -0.3 (Wins above Replacement) WAR in 56 games with the Braves in 2025, Verdugo has declined from a 2.7 WAR high with the Red Sox in 2023. So will he get a chance to play on the Padres minor league jersey of the year winning team, the El Paso Chihuahuas or will he se
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Charlie Hoke in MLB

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Series

Red Sox Series 2 at Houston Astros

The Boston Red Sox wrapped up a frustrating opening stretch with a three-game sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros, falling to 1–5 on the season and 0–2 in series play. Boston is now one of just three teams in the league sitting at 1–5, a clear sign of how difficult this start has been. Across all three games, the Red Sox showed flashes of potential, but the overall numbers from the weekend highlight major issues on both sides of the ball. Game 1 set the tone in
Boston Red Sox

Red Sox continue their 5-game loosing streak

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MARCH 28: Trevor Story #10, Alex Cora the manager of the Boston Red Sox and umpire CB Bucknor have a discussion about a strike out by Story in the 8th inning during the game against the Cincinnati Reds during the game at Great American Ball Park on March 28, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) The Boston Red Sox are sitting at 1-5 on the season and have lost 5 straight games for the first time in 2026. Boston has not won since Opening Day last Thu
MLB

Avoiding Arbitration

Under current MLB labor bargaining rules, teams generally have control of players until a player has accrued more than 6 years of MLB service. This ensures that teams have a reasonable amount of time to benefit from developing a player in their organization. Players who excel can enter arbitration after 3 years and sometimes after two years if they qualify under the "Super Two" rule of being in the top 22% of service time.  Arbitration can be an adversarial process where the player submits
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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Boston Red Sox

Red Sox pitchers Garrett Crochet and Ranger Suárez 1-2 punch in 2026

Red Sox starting pitchers Garrett Crochet and Ranger Suárez will start the 2026 season as the 1st and 2nd pitchers in the Boston rotation assuming both stay healthy. Crochet is coming off an incredible 1st season in a Red Sox uniform. He went 18-5 with 2.59 ERA and had 255 K’s in 2025 which led the league in strikeouts. For new addition in 2026 with Suárez he can be durable right behind Crochet in the rotation. Both pitchers are lefties and has the chance to be one of the best top two 1-2 combin
World Baseball Classic

Roman Anthony first World Baseball Classic

Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony made his first World Baseball Classic appearance with Team USAA on Friday night. Team USA won against Team Brazil 15-5 in their first game of the Classic. Anthony went 2-4 with 2 RBI’s in his first ever game with Team USA. Anthony only 21-years-old has impressed since being called-up in June 2025 with Boston. He was named an injury replacement in the World Baseball Classic after Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll suffered an injury during Spring Train
MLB

Expansion and Realignment

How will a future expansion an realignment with 32  MLB impact the Red Sox? Two new teams bringing the total to 32 teams aligned in 8 divisions of four in two leagues will allow 4 division winners and 3 wild cards to play in the post-season. This is an increase of one additional playoff team from the current 3 divisions of 5 teams anointing one division winner and 3 wild cards in the current structure. The Red Sox would likely be in a division with the Yankees, but the 2 other tea
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Charlie Hoke in MLB

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MLB

Missing out or a Saving Grace

Missing out getting free agents Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber may be disappointing at first but a long-term saving grace for the Red Sox. Pete Alonso opted out of a 2-year $54 million contract with the Mets to sign a 5-year $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles as he enters his age 31 year. Entering free agency, Kyle Schwarber elected to stay with the Phillies on a 5-year $150 million contract entering his age 33 year. From Baseball-Reference.com, the most similar play
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Charlie Hoke in MLB

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Great Sox

Keeping the Playoff Window Open

Returning to the post season for the first time since 2021, the 2025 Sox ended the year losing the American League Wild Card Series to the Yankees. Is the playoff window still opening? With a strong base of young players: Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Garrett Crochet, Carlos Narvaez, Brayan Bello, Kristian Campbell, the Sox are well positioned for the future, but veteran talent is thin with only Trevor Story, Jarred Duran, Lucas Giolito,  Masataka Yoshida and Aroldis Chapma
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in Great Sox

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MLB

Small Decision, Big Impact

Small decisions had big impacts in the 2025 World Series. What if one choice had gone the other way? Hobbling from a late regular season knee injury, Bo Bichette played gamely throughout the Series for Toronto and was pinch ran for late in games and often replaced by Isiah Kiner-Falefah, a former gold glover for base running and defensive ability. In the third inning of Game 7, Bo Bichette hit a 3-run homer off of Shohei Ohtani to give Toronto an early lead. In the final
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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Promotions

Check Out Franchise Ball, The FREE Baseball Simulator

The Red Sox's season has concluded, but do you need your next baseball fix over the long winter? Fans who follow the Red Sox know the thrill of building a team from the ground up — from scouting promising talent to developing all-stars. But what if you could experience that same excitement firsthand, managing every detail of your own franchise? That’s where Franchise Ball steps up to the plate. It’s a free online baseball simulation game that lets you become the general manager of your own
Brock Beauchamp

Brock Beauchamp in Promotions

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Great Sox

The pressure of being a star

When you're the perennial All-Star and lauded as the team's superstar, you may feel you need to do it all. October 2, 1978, down by a run in the tiebreaker game to see who would go on to the ALCS, the Red Sox had two men on with Carl Yastrzemski at the plate [1] with 2 outs facing Rich Gossage. Gossage's first pitch was low for the ball. The second pitch was popped up as Yaz could not hold up his swing and Yankees 3rd Baseman Graig Nettles caught the box for the final out. Le
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in Great Sox

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MLB

Choosing the lesser of two evils and the three batter rule

Do you put the go-ahead run on base and walk a dangerous hitter to load the bases or do you pitch to him? In game 7 of the 2025 ALCS, the Mariners with a two-run lead, faced a decision with 1 out, runners on 2nd and 3rd and George Springer at the plate.  With 22 previous post-season home runs and 2 more during the 2025 ALCS, Springer a right handed hitter was facing Eduard Bazardo who had not lost a game for the Mariners all season,, yet Bazardo had thrown 15 pitches over 2 innings the
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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MLB

A MasterClass in holding leads - Eduard Bazardo

Eduard Bazardo, one of 4 remaining ex-Sox players and the only pitcher on still contending teams, will have a chance to play in the 2025 World Series. He plays a vital role for the 2025 Seattle Mariners coming out of the bullpen to preserve leads [1].  Signed as an international free agent in 2014 at the age of 19, Bazardo steadily rose through the minor leagues peaking as the 19th best prospect on the Sox and appeared poised to join the Sox in the majors but a lat injury on May 19, 2021 la
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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MLB

Letting a starter stay in the game

When is the right time to take a starting pitcher out of the game? Who earns the right to stay in a game? In the current game, it is rare for a starter to complete a game. With the availability of bullpen specialists and detailed metrics analysis on pitch counts, platoon advantages, and individual matchups, managers now opt to bring in a reliever for a starter before a starter is ready to leave. In game 4 of the 2025 ALCS playoffs, veteran Max Scherzer all but chased his manager back t
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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MLB

Let the Rookie win

Rookies have made an impact in the post season for both good and bad. Is it wise to trust a rookie during the Playoffs and World Series? Of the remaining 2025 Playoff teams, there are 3 rookies on the Brewers, 1 on Toronto and 1 on the Dodgers. Milwaukee Brewers Issac Collins, OF Caleb Durbin, 3B Jacob Misiorowski, RP Los Angeles Dodgers Rori Sasaki, RP Toronto Blue Jays Trey Yesavage, SP In Game 2 of the ALCS, Trey Yesavage started and pitched u
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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MLB

Rookie Managers and the World Series

History suggests that managers in the first full season with a team have a good chance of winning the World Series. In Red Sox history, the following first year managers all won World Series in their first full season with the team: Jake Stahl (1912) Ed Barrow (1918) Terry Francona (2004) John Farrell (2012) Alex Cora (2018) Honorable mentions should go to Dick Williams who led the Red Sox to the 1967 pennant in his rookie manager season and to Joe "Walpole Joe
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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MLB

Ex-Sox facing off in the 2025 NLDS

Mookie Betts and Kyle Schwarber, two ex-Red Sox, face off in the 2025 National League Division Series. Would the Sox have been better off keeping them instead of letting both go? Mookie Betts was traded away before the 2020 season for Jeter Downs, Alex Verdugo, and Connor Wong. Of the three, only Connor Wong remains now as a Red Sox, playing catcher. Betts had turned down a $300 million extension from the Red Sox resulting in his trade before his final contract year with the Red Sox. The Do
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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MLB

The 4 Out Save

In the first games of the 2025 Wild Card Series, two winning teams had their closers pitch multiple innings and it paid off. Most managers are reluctant to use their closers for more than one inning for fear of injury, overuse, or some other reason that belies the optimal strategy of using your best closer in the most highly leveraged situations. In Game 1 between the Red Sox and the Yankees, Aroldis Chapman came in the bottom of the 8th inning with a one run lead and the tying run at first
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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MLB

The Post-Season Prize Pool

The regular season is over and now the post-season begins. So how much do the playoff teams get for getting into the postseason? Gate receipts from the guaranteed post-season games form the player pool of money. The guaranteed games are the minimum number of games in each series that must be played to determine the winner. This would be 2 games for the Wild Card Series, 3 for the Division series, and 4 for the League Championships and World Series games. 60% of these receipts from
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in MLB

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Great Sox

The Boston/New York Express

Players moving between the Red Sox and the Yankees has been as common and frequent as the express air shuttle between the two cities. Of the 251 players who played for both teams, here’s some of the most significant switches. Which team has come out ahead? 2024: The Cuban Missile Soars! Signing Aroldis Chapman as a free agent is one of the more prescient moves by the Sox. A closer who has won two World Series and having played 7 seasons with the Yankees, at the age of 37, Aroldis
Charlie Hoke

Charlie Hoke in Great Sox

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