Alex Mayes

The month of August started with a bang and ended, mostly, with a whimper thanks to the New York Yankees. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, but the Boston Red Sox still continued their summer march toward their second consecutive Wild Card finish. There are a number of offensive players that deserve their flowers for the contributions they made last month, starting with someone who caught fire in a way we haven't seen in a long time. Ranking Red Sox's Best Hitters In August Honorable Mention: Mickey Gasper I know, I hear you. Gasper was arguably the hottest hitter on the team before he was optioned back to Worcester when Roman Anthony returned and then was promptly recalled a day later when Willson Contreras landed on the injured list. The reason he’s only getting honorable mention here is he only logged 42 plate appearances for August. During that time, though, he slashed .400/.571/1.100. That slugging percentage is not a mistake; look at it again and allow yourself to be awed. He clobbered six home runs, added 13 RBIs, and posted an insane 330 wRC+. Goatee Mickey is a menace and he should help propel the team into the playoffs throughout September. Now onto the qualified hitters. #3: Ceddanne Rafaela August Stats: .276/.298/.415, 4 HR, 16 RBIs, 2 SB, 91 wRC+, 0.6 fWAR Rafaela started out the month incredibly strong and that helped propel him to a top spot. The back end of August saw his strikeout percentage climb, up to 19.1%, and his walk rate bottomed out to 2.3%. That being said, he has been a constant threat at the plate and seems to have rediscovered his swing as we head into the final month of the season. He was a large contributor during the historic run in the middle of the summer, but some old habits have reared their ugly heads as of late. Those 16 RBIs helped keep pitchers honest when he’d step into the box and even though the big, clutch hits seem to have eluded him this season, he’s going to contribute to wins day in and day out. #2: Caleb Durbin August Stats: .277/.370/.356, 2 HR, 18 RBIs, 4 SB, 106 wRC+, 0.7 fWAR Durbin, like Rafaela above him, is carried to his final August stat line by a strong start to the month. Unfortunately, the end of the month saw him begin to revert back into the Durbin from the beginning of the season. At the dish, he worked an 11.7% walk rate and a 13.3% strikeout rate. His four home runs helped put the team in a place to win at the beginning of the month but, unfortunately, he hasn't connected with one in quite a while. As the weather cools, expect Durbin’s altered plate approach to start to pay dividends again. If he can rediscover his song and dance with the Green Monster, the clutch hits will return. #1: Wilyer Abreu August Stats: .279/.384/.587, 7 HR, 17 RBIs, 2 SB, 163 wRC+, 1.4 fWAR Abreu carried this team through the second half of the month, no question about it. He’s been the most consistent offensive player for the last 30 days and was really the lone bright spot of the final series against the Yankees. He worked a 14.3% walk rate to go along with a 16.7% strikeout rate this past month, so he’s getting on base every way you possibly can. While this is an offensive ranking, we’d be remiss to not mention his Gold-Glove-caliber defense in right field. He’s the best right fielder in the game and his offensive production is finally catching up to that. Abreu has become a foundational part of this organization this season and should be a fixture in the middle of the lineup for years to come. View full article

Boston Red Sox Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 3-4 Runs Scored Last Week: 27 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 35 Standings 3rd Place AL East 8.5 GB First Place 2nd Place AL Wild Card 4 GB First Place Transactions 08/25/26: Boston Red Sox sent LF Roman Anthony on a rehab assignment to Worcester Red Sox. 08/28/26: Boston Red Sox signed free agent C Tomás Nido to a minor league contract. 08/29/26: Boston Red Sox recalled LHP Raymond Burgos from Worcester Red Sox. 08/29/26: Boston Red Sox optioned RHP Wyatt Olds to Worcester Red Sox. 08/29/26: Boston Red Sox activated RHP Garrett Whitlock from the 15-day injured list. 08/30/26: Boston Red Sox optioned DH Mickey Gasper to Worcester Red Sox. 08/30/26: Boston Red Sox optioned 2B Anthony Seigler to Worcester Red Sox. 08/30/26: Boston Red Sox optioned LHP Raymond Burgos to Worcester Red Sox. 08/30/26: Boston Red Sox activated SS Trevor Story from the 60-day injured list. 08/30/26: Boston Red Sox activated LF Roman Anthony from the 60-day injured list. Scores Game 131: BOS 4, MIA 2 Game 132: BOS 7, MIA 3 Game 133: BOS 0, MIA 4 Game 134: BOS 0, NYY 1 Game 135: BOS 6, NYY 0 Game 136: BOS 2, NYY 9 Game 137: BOS 1, NYY 16 Series Breakdown/Highlights Marlins Series: The Marlins are a better team than their record would indicate and the Red Sox had the pleasure of seeing their ace, Sandy Alcantara, during the early week series. The Sox got after him for a single earned run, but that’s all they needed in the end. Ranger Suarez got the nod for the first game of the series, tossing five innings of one-run baseball. He struck out and walked four in the outing. Brayan Bello, Erik Miller, and Aroldis Chapman all came out of the bullpen to shut the game down and hand the Sox a win to keep the good vibes rolling from the Giants series. Offensively, Nick Sogard, Mickey Gasper, and Anthony Seigler all knocked in runs to support the bullpen. Game two was an offensive showing for the Sox, who rode RBIs from Gasper’s home run and Jarren Duran’s late-inning grand slam. It was refreshing to see Duran come alive against a left-handed pitcher for the Fish, something he’s going to be asked to do more and more as he moves to a hybrid bench role with Roman Anthony back in the fold. On defense, Payton Tolle wasn’t his usual sharp self, tossing 5.1 innings. He struck out seven, walked two, and allowed two earned runs. Tyron Guerrero, Greg Weissert, Miller, Wyatt Olds, and Alec Gamboa all worked during the extra inning game and they managed to stifle the Marlins’ offense late enough that the Sox could secure a series win. Game three just wasn’t enjoyable. There was literally no offense in the game, the Red Sox were shut out. On defense, Sonny Gray looked beatable, only tossing five innings of two-run ball. He struck out five, walked one, and allowed an uncharacteristic seven hits. Jovani Moran and Olds came out of the pen and kept the Marlins off the scoreboard. Yankees Series: We’d all like to pretend the bulk of this series didn’t happen. In game one, Patrick Sandoval didn’t start sharp but he settled in pretty well as the game went on. He ended up throwing 5.1 innings while striking out seven, walking four, and giving up one earned run. Weissert, Guerrero, and Olds all pitched in relief but the offense just couldn’t show up for the second game in a row. Game two, the first of the double header on Saturday, was a lot more like the baseball the Sox had been playing throughout the summer. Jake Bennett, like Sandoval the night before, seemed to be off in the first part of the game but he settled in incredibly well. He ended up throwing six innings of seven-strikeout ball while working out of jams and not allowing an earned run. Guerrero, a returning Garrett Whitlock, and Moran closed out the game to secure the shutout for the Red Sox. Offensively, Wilyer Abreu tagged Carlos Rodon for a first inning home run and the Sox were off to the races. Ceddanne Rafaela, Nick Sogard, and Andruw Monasterio all added RBIs to the total. Game three is where things began to unravel for the Red Sox. Sogard contributed the solo home run to get the Sox on the board while Willson Contreras drove in the second, but that’s it. Defensively, the game was out of hand before it could really get started. It was a scheduled bullpen game with Gamboa getting the nod to start. He tossed 1.1 innings while allowing one hit and striking out one. Bello came on in relief and was not his usual, lockdown self. He ended up going 4.2 innings but only struck out two while allowing five hits and four earned runs. Raymond Burgos followed Bello and had an even worse go of it in 2.1 innings. He allowed seven hits, two strike outs, and five earned runs. Game four really doesn’t need to be discussed, right? Andruw Monasterio ended up pitching and that’s really all you need to know. Website Highlights Five Weeks to Go: Breaking Down the Biggest Red Sox Storylines and Remaining Schedule by Ryan Salvaggio Willson Contreras’ Historically Good Offensive Season is Only Half of His Impact with Red Sox by Alex Mayes Crummy Red Sox Luck Aside, Adley Rutschman Won’t Stay Down for Long by Nick John Ranger Suarez is Losing One of His Favorite Weapons on the Mound by Yirsandy Rodriguez Looking Ahead 08/31/26: Mariners (George Kirby) @ Red Sox (Payton Tolle): 6:45 PM EDT 09/01/26: Mariners (Brayn Woo) @ Red Sox (TBD): 6:45 PM EDT 09/02/26: Mariners (TBD) @ Red Sox (Patrick Sandoval): 4:10 PM EDT 09/03/26: Red Sox @ Orioles: 7:15 PM EDT 09/04/26: Red Sox @ Orioles: 7:05 PM EDT 09/05/26: Red Sox @ Orioles: 7:05 PM EDT 09/06/26: Red Sox @ Orioles: 1:35 PM EDT View full article

No shot Bello is the arm that gets sent down for any reason. He's penciled in for one of the two games on Saturday.

I think this makes the most sense. Gasper has gone on crazy hot streaks pretty much every time he's been called up this season and then fizzles out before he gets demoted again. It's bound to happen again because there's nothing under the hood that points to this sudden power surge being sustainable at all. The only way I don't see him going down is if we see more of whatever was wrong with Wong during the finale against the Marlins. If he keeps playing behind the dish like that, it's essentially the same level of defensive production Gasper could give you then I'd send Wong down and keep Gasper up until he's out of juice. That being said, I'd still send Gasper down before anyone else.

The trade that brought Willson Contreras to Boston was met with praise for finally addressing the black hole that has plagued the Red Sox since, really, the 2018 season. Here at Talk Sox, we’ve written multiple articles predicting how impactful he was going to be and then highlighting how incredible his season has been. Yet, it's still safe to say that very few people expected his season to be one that would put him squarely in the history books for the organization. To say that Contreras has been an offensive force this season is likely understating what he’s done at the plate. He’s slashing .280/.390/.528 with a .397 wOBA, 155 wRC+, and a 4.0 fWAR. To go along with, that he’s also slugged a career high 26 homers on the season and contributed 78 RBIs, which is only two off of his career high. He’s arguably the most feared bat in the lineup and for good reason, seeing as he leads the team in most offensive categories. He’s third on the team in batting average, behind Ceddanne Rafaela’s .289 and Nick Sogard’s .283, second in OBP with a .390 behind Sogard’s .395, and first in slugging percentage, wOBA, wRC+, and fWAR. When he’s on the field with a bat in his hand it, seems like he’s going to produce more often than not. There’s still some swing and miss in his game and he’s a bit too emotional with the ABS challenges from time to time, but he’s the offensive force driving this team. On the defensive side of the ball, Contreras has settled first base in a way we haven’t seen in years. He’s sure-handed, makes diving plays, and just instills a sense of confidence in both his teammates and fans alike. That confidence means that Chad Tracy doesn’t have to worry about any play that goes down the right field line—Contreras is going to make a great attempt at it. He’s likely not going to be in the Gold Glove conversation at first, as there are a handful of American League first basemen ahead of him in defensive runs saved, but his offense means that his defense isn’t make or break. That’s something the Red Sox haven’t had at the cold corner in quite some time. Maybe most notably though, and what some fans may overlook due to Contreras’ fiery attitude, is his leadership with his teammates. We obviously know that he likes to fire up the boys by doing a bit of barking at opposing pitchers or yelling at the dugout as he passes by it during a home run trot, but what slips through the cracks is how obviously other teammates have gravitated towards him this season. Just look at what his former manager, Oli Marmol, had to say after the All-Star was dealt this winter. What's stood out to me the most this season though happened very recently. Ceddanne Rafaela was going through a rut the plate and hit a weak fly ball to the outfield to end the inning in game two against the Pirates earlier this month. The NESN cameras cut to Rafaela and Contreras walking back onto the field together, and you could easily see the former was still upset. Then, the vet put his arm around his younger teammate's shoulders, and you could almost see the tension and anger melt off his face. He settled down for the rest of the game and has returned to his hot hitting ways as of late. You can’t credit Contreras with the turnaround completely, but that moment speaks volumes to just how much of an impact a veteran presence has on this young club. They look to him for guidance and leadership, and his passion for the game is nothing short of contagious. Willson Contreras has been better than advertised with the Boston Red Sox. Breslow needs to be commended for pushing the right buttons with his offseason trades, but the Contreras one may be his shining moment when all is said and done. View full article

One of my biggest complaints about Duran is that he's a constant stance tinkerer. He finds something that works then when he has a down game, he makes drastic changes to his approach and spirals.

Craig has shown that he has the ability to make some real tough choices in the past. It's time for him to make another one with a phone call to Story.

Really appreciate the insight on this. I was a diehard Manny fan growing up so my views and opinions on the whole situation of him leaving are fairly biased if we're being honest.

I think Anthony comes up before then, but it's not a bad plan honestly. One of the expanded spots will go to a reliever, that's a given. If Whitlock can come off the IL as the team is heading to New York on Friday then likely Olds gets optioned and then potentially called right back up in just a few days. You could make a case for Weissert to be that option instead and I wouldn't argue with it at all. IKF will likely be the position player that takes the second expanded roster spot. You'll get a lot of clamor for Arias instead but with the looming lockout, he's not going to be added to the 40 man so he can keep getting minor league reps next season while the major leagues are locked out.

I forget who it was because I meant to make a note of it and forgot to do it, but someone who played for either the Giants or the DBacks does the same weird little lean back.

His hands right now are almost identical to how they were in 24, so that's promising. As this site's certified 'Duran should have been traded yesterday' guy, I 100% get why he wasn't dealt after 24 even if that's when I started being really vocal about it needing to happen. He should have been traded either at the deadline last season or in the offseason but even with his lack of production for most of this season, I am glad he's been around with Roman and now Masa going down.

I'd send Duran down over Sogard or Mona at this point, yes. Maybe even over Seigler. But in actuality, I'm moving Duran to the bench for Anthony.

I disagree with the Adley take because his swing is coming into form, but agree with the most of the rest. I want Anthony up over Duran for the bat and Crochet in a two inning burst to open for Bello is enticing to say the least, but I’m over IKF and Story. There’s no one on the 26 man I’d option for either of them.

Boston Red Sox Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 5-1 Runs Scored Last Week: 40 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 22 Standings 3rd Place AL East 6 GB First Place 2nd place AL Wild Card 3 GB First Place Transactions 08/17/26: Boston Red Sox selected the contract of RHP Wyatt Olds from Worcester Red Sox. 08/17/26: Boston Red Sox optioned LHP Raymond Burgos to Worcester Red Sox. 08/17/26: Boston Red Sox placed LHP Eduardo Rivera on the restricted list. 08/18/26: Boston Red Sox sent LF Roman Anthony on a rehab assignment to Portland Sea Dogs. 08/19/26: Boston Red Sox sent 2B Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a rehab assignment to Worcester Red Sox. Scores Game 125: BOS 11, AZ 1 Game 126: BOS 9, AZ 4 Game 127: BOS 6, AZ 7 Game 128: BOS 6, SF 4 Game 129: BOS 3, SF 2 Game 130: BOS 5, SF 4 Series Breakdown/Highlights Diamondbacks Series: The Red Sox went into the series against the Diamondbacks after hitting a week-long skid. Luckily for the Sox, almost everything went their way during the homestand. Game one was a scheduled bullpen game with Alec Gamboa being asked to kick off the series. He struck out one over 1.1 innings of work before giving way to the best reliever in baseball, Brayan Bello. Bello went 4.2 innings, striking out three, allowing one earned run, one walk, and three hits. He managed to escape major damage when a pretty clear home run clanked off the foul pole but the Diamondbacks didn’t challenge the call of a foul ball on the field. Finally, Greg Weissert, Jovani Moran, and Wyatt Olds all worked clean innings to close out the game. On offense, both Willson Contreras and Mickey Gasper knocked home runs for the Sox. Instead of listing every RBI here, just know that the entire starting lineup each contributed at least one RBI to the win and none of them struck out. In game two, Ranger Suarez worked the deepest into a game he’s gone since returning from the injured list by tossing 5.1 innings of four-hit, four-run baseball. He struck out three while managing to keep the damage to a minimum. Tyron Guerrero, Erik Miller, and Wyatt Olds all came in out of the pen to shut the game down. Adley Rutschman and Mickey Gasper both homered for the offense in the win. Contreras, Caleb Durbin, and Andruw Monasterio all contributed RBIs as well. Game three was the lone loss on the week, but it really seemed like the Red Sox would pull off the come-from-behind win late. Payton Tolle looked to turn in his third consecutive impressive outing but ran out of gas in the fifth inning. He struck out six while allowing six hits, three earned runs, and two walks. Weissert, Miller, Guerrero, Moran, and Aroldis Chapman all came out of the bullpen to try and get the Sox over the hump, but it was clear when Moran came in in the 10th inning that he didn’t anywhere close to his best stuff on the mound. Offensively, Nick Sogard knocked his first major-league home run off Brandon Pfaadt. Gasper and Jarren Duran also got in on the home run action, but ultimately the offense came up just a bit too short to complete the sweep. Giants Series: The Giants came to Boston for the first time since Rafael Devers was traded last season and he was met by the Fenway Faithful with an overwhelming chorus of boos during each plate appearance. Like clockwork, he did go deep to straight center in the first game, but he was mostly unimportant for the series. In game one, the Sox got to the best pitcher the Giants have, Logan Webb, and chased him out of the game by the end of the third inning. Contreras hit the furthest hit ball at Fenway Park this season, clocking in at 450 feet. Wilyer Abreu, Monasterio, and Gasper all contributed RBIs in the win as well. On the pitching side, Sonny Gray was a little shaky to start but settled in nicely and tossed a solid six innings of four-run ball. Miller, Gamboa, and Chapman all featured out of the bullpen with Gamboa working the first high-leverage eighth inning of his big league career. He handled it beautifully and has likely earned more trust from Chad Tracy as the team awaits some bullpen reinforcements in the near future. Game two was a low-scoring affair, but it takes all kinds of victories to get through a 162-game season. Patrick Sandoval, like Gray the night before, struggled early in the outing but managed to turn in 5.2 innings of effective pitching. He struck out six, gave up five hits, and allowed two earned runs. Weissert, Moran, and Olds all contributed out of the 'pen and allowed the high-leverage guys to get a night of rest just two days after an off day so they’d be fresh for the team to hit the road after Sunday. Offensively, Sogard, Abreu, and pinch hitter Eli White were responsible for the RBIs, with Abreu’s walk-off single being the moment of the game. In game three, Jake Bennett followed the same script as the previous two starters. He started slow, allowing three earned runs in quick fashion. He settled though, and eventually turned in seven innings of six-strikeout baseball. He gave way to Guerrero and Chapman out of the 'pen and the rest, as they say, was history. Offensively, Sogard hit his second big-league home run in three days, this one coming from the right-hand side of the plate. Gasper, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Connor Wong all contributed RBIs in the win. Most notably, Rafaela went three-for-four with a huge play in center field to keep the game close. He looks to be breaking out of the slump he found himself in during the middle of the month. Website Highlights The Red Sox’s Core Four Era is Over. Did the 2026 Trade Deadline Give Us a Glimpse into a Philosophy Shift in Boston? by Ryan Salvaggio Meet Chad Tracy’s Circle of Trust: Ranking Red Sox’s Most Reliable Bullpen Options Ahead of Playoff Push by Alex Mayes Jarren Duran Might be Turning the Corner at the Plate in August by Alex Mayes Calvin Bickerstaff’s Unique Path to Professional Baseball has him Ready to Succeed with Red Sox [Exclusive] by Nick John Looking Ahead 08/24/26: Red Sox (Ranger Suarez) @ Marlins (Sandy Alcantara): 6:40 PM EDT 08/25/26: Red Sox (Payton Tolle) @ Marlins (TBD): 6:40 PM EDT 08/26/26: Red Sox (Sonny Gray) @ Marlins (Ryan Gusto): 6:40 PM EDT 08/27/26: Off Day 08/28/26: Red Sox @ Yankees: 7:15 PM EDT 08/29/26: Red Sox @ Yankees: 1:35 PM EDT | Red Sox @ Yankees 7:15pm EDT 8/30/26: Red Sox @ Yankees 1:35pm EDT View full article

Sorry for the late post! @Maddie Landis and I will be taking your questions for the podcast recording tomorrow night! We'll put the cutoff at 6 pm CST on Monday, August 24th.

Get Mickey off this team as quickly as possible. I’m over the Gasper experience, haha.

Bench/rotating DH I should have said. I expect Anthony to be given the Adley treatment once he’s back. Two games on, one game off. Duran likely gets the start on those off days, unless it’s a lefty starter then Jones should get that look.

Unfortunately this is correct. My hope is he can adapt to the bench/rotating DH spot better than he did earlier in the year once Anthony is back and that helps boost his trade value over the offseason.

I'm actually expecting him to come crashing back to earth sooner than later and, ultimately, be moved to the bench once Anthony is back.

The month of August has been kind to Boston Red Sox players up and down the roster. The offense seems to be clicking again, even as the starting rotation and bullpen have taken a bit of a step backward. There’s one player that has really turned his stock around this month, and it may surprise you that I’m the one talking about it. That’s right, we’re here to give some flowers to Jarren Duran. I’m not here to tell you he’s rediscovered his 2024 self as we’re approaching the playoffs, but he’s looking mostly passable at the plate over the last three weeks and that needs to be celebrated. Thus far in August, Duran is slashing .250/.304/.484 with a .335 wOBA, 111 wRC+, and 0.4 fWAR. To go along with that, he’s hit four home runs, driven in six runs, scored 12 times, and swiped three bags. What’s arguably most impressive, though, is his hard-hit rate for the month has jumped up to 53.2%, second only to the 54.5% posted by Willson Contreras. Comparing those two is really just comparing apples to oranges, but if Duran is finally rediscovering how to be an effective offensive player... well, the remainder of the season, and hopefully the postseason, will seem like a much less daunting gauntlet for the Red Sox. Multiple members of the Red Sox’s commentating team are fond of telling watchers and listeners of the games that Duran has the ability to ‘spark’ the offense and that it’s been missing for much of the season. There’s likely some truth to that, as Duran is at his best as a leadoff hitter with a knack for getting on base and then being a major threat to steal bags at any point. Of course, us viewers know that his biggest struggle this year has been doing just that. He was an ineffective leadoff hitter and he has only swiped 18 bags on the season so far. The power is sort of there with him (he has 17 home runs), but it’s been pretty inconsistent and is being carried heavily by the nine home runs he hit during his one hot month in May. Many had hoped that would be the catalyst to turning his slow start around but until now, he’s been arguably the easiest out in the lineup on a nightly basis. It’s unclear if this sudden turnaround is here to stay or not. Duran is still in the 19th percentile for chase rate at 35.2%, the sixth percentile for whiff rate at 34%, the 13th percentile in strikeout rate at 28.4%, and the 20th percentile in walk rate at 6.7%. He’s struggling to get on base and striking out far more than he’s walking, but August seems to have pushed him in the right direction so far. He has come through with some clutch hits and driven in runs when the guys in front of him got on base as he’s been moved further down in the lineup. If—and that’s a big if—Jarren Duran can sustain this new level of offensive productivity, then he may yet prove useful to the Red Sox's ultimate ambitions. View full article