Article: Red Sox Week in Review: Don’t Doubt the Red Sox

[Maddie Landis]

Weekly Snapshot

Record Last Week: 4-2 (Overall 62-51)

Runs Scored Last Week: 40

Runs Surrendered Last Week: 16

Standings

2nd in the AL East

3.0 GB 1st Place

Currently Hold the 2nd WC Spot

Scores

Game 108 (7/28) | BOS 4, MN 5

Game 109 (7/29) | BOS 8, MN 5

Game 110 (7/30) | BOS 13, MN 1

Game 111 (8/1) | HOU 1, BOS 2

Game 112 (8/2) | HOU 3, BOS 7 

Game 113 (8/3) | HOU 1, BOS 6

Transactions

8/2/25: Activated RHP Dustin May

8/2/25: Transferred RHP Luis Guerrero (right elbow strain) from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL

8/2/25: Optioned RHP Nick Burdi to Triple-A Worcester

8/2/25: Optioned RHP Cooper Criswell to Triple-A Worcester

8/2/25: Optioned RHP Zack Kelly to Triple-A Worcester

8/1/25: Assigned Nick Burdi on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Worcester

8/1/25: Activated LHP Steven Matz

8/1/25: Optioned LHP Brennan Bernadino to Triple-A Worcester

7/31/25: Transferred RHP Hunter Dobbins (right ACL tear) from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL

7/31/25: Placed RHP Tanner Houck (right flexor pronator strain) on the 60-day IL

7/31/25: STL traded LHP Steven Matz to BOS for 1B Blaze Jordan

7/31/25: LAD traded RHP Dustin May to Bos for RF James Tibbs III and OF Zach Erhard

7/29/25: Recalled Cooper Criswell from Triple-A Worcester

7/29/25: Optioned RHP Richard Fitts to Triple-A Worcester

TL;DR Breakdown/Highlights

Twins series: Fresh off a series dub against the reigning World Series champions, the Red Sox arrived in Minneapolis (or is it St. Paul?). A turbulent flight briefly diverted their route, and they had to stop in Detroit for a layover. The flight left some of their players and relievers with motion sickness, and they were unavailable to pitch Monday night. Richard Fitts yielded two earned runs across four innings. After a 90-minute rain delay, Jordan Hicks blew the Red Sox’s two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth.

Lucas Giolito took the mound in Game 2. He looked better than in his previous outing and threw a quality start. Wilyer Abreu, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, and Ceddanne Rafaela recorded one RBI, and Trevor Story knocked in three runs.

During Wednesday’s day game, the Red Sox’s offense went on a tear. Trevor Story, Jarren Duran, Romy Gonzalez, and Masataka Yoshida hit the ball out of the park. Connor Wong even joined in the fun, recording his first extra-base hit of the season! Gonzalez’s and Yoshida’s home runs came off pitches from Twins position player Kody Klemens. Brayan Bello threw a quality start in the 13-1 win.

Astros Series: Friday night, fans witnessed a surprising pitcher’s duel between Astros’ ace Hunter Brown and Cooper Criswell. Roman Anthony’s first career walk-off (single) secured the Red Sox’s win in the 10th.

Walker Buehler gave up three earned runs on nine hits across 4.1 innings. Luckily, the Red Sox’s offense provided more than enough run support. Trevor Story had another 3-RBI game, and he, Romy Gonzalez, and Abraham Toro hit home runs off the Astros starter, Colton Gordon.

The Red Sox completed their sweep, beating Houston 6-1, and extended their win streak to five games. Carlos Correa homered in the first, but otherwise, the Astros didn’t score any runs. Giolito threw 8.0 innings and struck out four batters. Connor Wong recorded his second RBI of the season via a sacrifice fly. Trevor Story continued his hitting streak, logging his fifth consecutive game with a hit.

The Red Sox have a three-game homestand versus the Royals Monday through Wednesday, before playing the Padres in San Diego this weekend. Let’s hope their longer flight out west is smoother. 

Random Stats

• Per this week’s edition of David Laurilla’s Sunday Notes on FanGraphs, “The Red Sox are 16-1 in games where Trevor Story has gone deep this season. Story has 197 home runs for his career.”
• Trevor Story ranks 3rd among SS in RBIs and 6th in the American League for RBIs. 
• Slash Lines
  • Trevor Story: .391/.462/.957, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, and 278 wRC+
  • Jarren Duran: .333/.391/.810, 2 HRs, 5 RBIs, and 221 wRC+
  • Roman Anthony: .375/.483/.458,  0 HRs, 3 RBIs, and 169 wRC+
  • Ceddanne Rafaela: .304/.320/.478, 0 HRs, 3 RBIs, and 110 wRC+
  • Wilyer Abreu: .278/.300/.389, 0 HRs, 4 RBIs, and 81 wRC+
  • Alex Bregman: .238/.273/.429, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, and 88 wRC+
  • Abraham Toro: .182/.240/.364, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, and 58 wRC+
• Steven Matz threw a scoreless inning with one strikeout in his Red Sox debut.
• Bad weeks (pitchers edition):
  • Jordan Hicks: 13.50 ERA, 18.2% strikeout rate, 6.86 FIP in 1.1 IP 
  • Justin Wilson: 10.80 ERA, 42.9% strikeout rate, 7.31 FIP in 1.2 IP
  • Walker Buehler: 6.23 ERA, 0.00% strikeout rate, 8.18 FIP in 4.1 IP
  • Jorge Alcala: 4.50 ERA, 16.7% strikeout rate, 13.91 FIP in 1.2 IP

Website Highlights

Talk Sox writers were excited to cover the website’s first MLB Trade Deadline! Nick and Alex were on the ball and quickly published pieces after moves were announced. Finley and Brandon wrote in-depth pieces on the Red Sox’s post-trade deadline outlook. ICYMI: 

• Looking at the 3 Prospects the Red Sox Traded at the MLB Trade Deadline by Nick John
• Analyzing Red Sox’s Pitching Staff Going Forward from 2025 MLB Trade Deadline by Finley Rogan
• Red Sox 2025 Trade Deadline Grades: High-Upside Pitching Doesn’t Get Graded on a Curve by Brandon Glick
• It Doesn’t Seem That Way At First Glance, But Steven Matz Makes a Lot of Sense for The 2025 Red Sox by Alex Mayes
• Red Sox Trade for St. Louis Cardinals’ Steven Matz by Nick John

Looking Ahead

August 4th: Royals (Falter) @ Red Sox (Bello): 7:10 pm EDT

August 5th: Royals (Bergert) @ Red Sox (Crochet): 7:10 pm EDT

August 6th: Royals (Wacha) @ Red Sox (May): 7:10 pm EDT

August 8th: Red Sox @ Padres: 9:40 pm EDT

August 9th: Red Sox @ Padres: 8:40 pm EDT

August 10th: Red Sox @ Padres: 4:10 pm EDT

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