Maddie Landis

Weekly Snapshot 3-3 Record Last Week 31 Runs Scored Last Week 38 Runs Surrendered Last Week Standings 3rd in the AL East (Overall: 79-65) 4.0 GB 1st Place 2nd AL Wild Card Berth Scores Game 139 (9/1) | CLE 4, BOS 6 Game 140 (9/2) | CLE 7, BOS 11 Game 141 (9/3) | CLE 8, BOS 1 Game 142 (9/5) | BOS 5, AZ 10 Game 143 (9/6) | BOS 1, AZ 5 Game 144 (9/7) | BOS 4, AZ 7 Transactions: 9/1/25: Recalled Zack Kelly from Triple-A Worcester 9/1/25: Selected the contract of Ali Sánchez from Triple-A Worcester 9/1/25: Transferred Marcelo Mayer (right wrist sprain) from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL 9/2/25: Sent Luis Gerrero on a rehab assignment to Double-A Portland 9/3/25: Recalled Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester 9/3/25: Placed Roman Anthony (left oblique strain) on the 10-day IL 9/5/25: Recalled Chris Murphy from Triple-A Worcester 9/5/25: Placed Jordan Hicks (right shoulder tendonitis) on the 15-day IL TL;DR/Highlights Guardians Series: Brayan Bello took the mound on Monday night. In the bottom of the second, he got himself into a loaded bases jam after walking 2 batters and yielding a single to Nolan Jones. The Guardians capitalized on the opportunity to score three runs via two singles, but this wasn’t enough for them to overcome the Red Sox. Carlos Narváez came in to pinch-hit in the fifth inning to tie the game. Trevor Story hit two RBIs, one of them was a sneaky 306-foot home run. In Game 2, the Guardians teed the ball off Garrett Crochet. He yielded seven earned runs across six innings, a season high. Roman Anthony left the game abruptly in the fourth inning. The subsequent day, he was diagnosed with a strained left oblique. Luckily, the Guardians' pitching was unable to withstand the Red Sox offense. Ceddanne Rafaela drove in four runs, and Alex Bregman sparked a four-run rally in the eighth to give the Red Sox the lead. Wednesday night, Guardians starter Joey Cantillo held the Red Sox to one run through six innings. Meanwhile, the Red Sox utilized a bullpen game to provide their starters some relief. Brennan Bernadino opened the game and was pulled early after facing four batters. Hicks completed the first inning, but yielded four runs in the second. The Guardians scored eight total runs in the blowout. Surprisingly, Zack Kelly provided the Red Sox’s bullpen with some rest, recording four strikeouts in four scoreless innings. Diamondbacks Series: Payton Tolle took the mound in Game 1. The Diamondbacks got to him quickly and scored five runs in three innings. Despite their .500 record, the Diamondbacks have a potent offense, more so than the anemic Pirates, who Tolle faced in his debut. Last season, they scored the most runs in baseball (886). Come the eighth inning, it looked like the Red Sox were going to make a comeback. They scored four runs to cut their deficit to one. Alas, Justin Slaten came up short in relief and allowed the Diamondbacks to score four runs and take the lead in the eighth inning. In Game 2, the Red Sox’s offensive woes continued. Red Sox Nation Stats reported that the team set a franchise record of five single-season games with fewer than one run scored, no walks, and nine or more strikeouts. Lucas Giolito allowed seven hits and two earned runs over five innings. Early in the game, Trevor Story let a grounder slip by him with the bases loaded, and the Diamondbacks scored two runs. Later on, Ceddanne Rafaela stole a home run from Corbin Carroll. This was one of the best plays of the season, and he deserves all the recognition for his defensive prowess. Sunday afternoon, Bryan Bello took the mound. The Diamondbacks scored three runs off him across six innings. Jarren Duran made a nice sliding play on a Jordan Lawlar flyout in the third inning. It initially looked like another one-run game for the Red Sox until the seventh inning. David Hamilton sparked a rally to cut the Diamondbacks’ lead. In the eighth, Connor Wong reached first on a throwing error, and Nathaniel Lowe and David Hamilton scored. The Red Sox briefly held a 4-3 lead as the Diamondbacks tied the game later in the inning. Fortunately, Nick Sogard came in to pinch-hit and drove in two runs. Carlos Narvaez subsequently added another run via a single. With Aroldis Chapman closing the game, the Red Sox avoided a sweep. Random Stats Before Garrett Crochet broke his career high innings pitched (146.0) mark on August 5, he held a 2.24 ERA, 24.4% K-BB%, and 2.51 FIP. Since then, he’s posted a 4.38 ERA, 26.0 K-BB%, and 4.19 FIP. Following Roman Anthony’s injury, the Red Sox’s offense ranks 29th, the second-worst in baseball. Aroldis Chapman’s ERA is 1.00. You read that correctly. He hasn’t allowed an earned run or a hit since July 23. Since August 24, Rafael Devers has posted a 250 wRC+, the second-best in baseball behind Juan Soto (262 wRC+). Website Highlights Which Outfield Permutation Should the Red Sox Choose Following Roman Anthony’s Injury? by Nick John Kristian Campbell Shouldn’t Come Up to Boston Before 2026 by Alex Mayes Alex Bregman’s Cold Stretch Is Cause for Concern, but It Is Fixable by Brandon Glick Stock Up, Stock Down: Red Sox Players to Watch in September by Jordan Leandre Looking Ahead September 8th: Red Sox (Crochet) @ Athletics (Morales): 10:05 pm EDT September 9th: Red Sox (May) @ Athletics (Springs): 10:05 pm EDT September 10th: Red Sox (TBD) @ Athletics (Barnett): 3:35 pm EDT September 12th: Red Sox @ Yankees: 7:10 pm EDT September 13th: Red Sox @ Yankees: 4:10 pm EDT September 14th: Red Sox @ Yankees: 7:10 pm EDT View full article

Teams are drafting under-the-radar pitchers who evolve into aces at the major league level. Many of baseball’s current aces were selected in later rounds of the draft. Tarik Skubal was a ninth-round pick in 2018, Joe Ryan was a seventh-round pick in 2018, Bryan Woo was a sixth-round pick in 2021, and Hunter Brown was a fifth-round pick in 2019. I might be speaking prematurely here, but Payton Tolle (a second-round pick in 2024) looked every bit of an ace during his major league debut. I wondered if there was some secret metric that teams utilized to identify top-end talent in later rounds of the draft. While high velocity remains an important metric for evaluating pitchers, there are other factors to consider. Flame-thrower Stephen Strasburg's career was extinguished due to poor pitching mechanics, leading to wear and tear on his body from constantly throwing high-velocity pitches. Notably, after two UCL surgeries, Spencer Strider is struggling without his velocity. This emphasizes a crucial shift in evaluating pitchers. Factors beyond raw speed, such as long extensions, low release heights, and flat vertical approach angles, indicate a pitcher’s ability to miss barrels at the top of the zone with their four-seam fastball. Extension is a mechanical pitching statistic that measures the distance between the pitching rubber and where the pitcher releases the ball. Branch Rickey, former player and GM of the Brooklyn Dodgers, once remarked, “Baseball is a game of inches”. Every seemingly minuscule advantage influences whether or not a team makes the postseason, and ultimately, which team is awarded the Commissioner’s Trophy at the conclusion of the World Series. A pitcher with an extreme extension releases the ball closer to home plate to create the illusion of velocity. Balls thrown closer to home plate have less distance to travel, so to batters, they look faster than they appear. Baseball Savant quantifies this as "perceived velocity". In this case, size matters. While there are some exceptions (cough, cough Oneil Cruz, James Wood, and Aaron Judge), pitchers are the tallest guys on MLB rosters. Height correlates with longer extensions. Logan Gilbert is 6’5” and Tyler Glasnow is 6’8”. Both have 7.6 ft extensions, the longest in baseball, and their four-seam fastballs record a perceived velocity of 97.7 mph (95.4 mph actual) and 98.3 mph (95.8 mph actual), respectively. Rapsodo provides the following definition of release height: While newer Statcast metrics, such as IVB, extension, velocity, etc., are frequently referenced by broadcasters and analysts, they rarely discuss vertical approach angle (VAA). Moreover, Baseball Savant doesn’t list VAA. I had to conduct some extra legwork to find where it’s publicly listed online. Fortunately, Chamberlain’s Pitch Leaderboard includes VAA. You might be wondering, what is vertical approach angle? VAA is a relatively new metric that measures the angle at which a pitch crosses home plate. I’m a visual learner, so I’ve included the following VAA graphic from Baseball Connect. [Image sourced from Baseball Connect] Alex Chamberlain lists the following equation to calculate VAA in his Visualized Primer on VAA: vy_f = -sqrt(vy0² – (2 * ay * (y0 – yf))) t = (vy_f – vy0) / ay vz_f = vz0 + (az * t) VAA = -arctan(vz_f/vy_f) * (180 / pi) where, per Statcast’s documentation: vy0 = The velocity of the pitch, in feet per second, in y-dimension*, determined at y=50 feet. (*toward home plate) ay = The acceleration of the pitch, in feet per second per second, in y-dimension, determined at y=50 feet. y0 = 50 (“y=50 feet”). yf = 17/12 (home plate, converted to inches). vz0 = The velocity of the pitch, in feet per second, in z-dimension**, determined at y=50 feet. (**vertically) az = The acceleration of the pitch, in feet per second per second, in z-dimension, determined at y=50 feet. Consider Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan. Upon first glance, Ryan’s four-seam fastball is unimpressive. It averages at 93.8 mph with 13.6” IVB, but Ryan’s 6.8 ft extension (79th percentile), low vertical release point (4.76 ft) and flat vertical approach angle (-3.9°) creates deceptive rise that causes the pitch to miss bats. Despite its subpar velocity and movement, his four-seamer ranks fifth among starters in strikeout rate (31.1%) and 10th in whiff rate (27.2%). Ryan is a meticulous tinkerer with his mechanics, and Cody Christie from Talk Sox’s sister site, Twins Daily, has posted several excellent write-ups on his fastball over the past year. Ryan has added some velocity to his fastball. Three years ago, Parker Hageman, one of the founders of Twins Daily, posted an overview of Ryan’s fastball when it was averaging around 90 mph. Since then, it's increased to 93.6 mph. On August 13, Ryan recorded the fastest pitch of his career, a 98 mph fastball to strike out Aaron Judge. Even without elite velocity, Ryan’s four-seam fastball is a force to be reckoned with; it’s generated +20 run value, tied for first with Bryan Woo’s, another starter with an illusory fastball thrown at a flat VAA (-3.7°). If Ryan manages to increase its velocity on a consistent basis, the rest of the league had better watch out. When watching old videos of Payton Tolle in college, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to Woo, the current ace of the Mariners. At 6’6”, Tolle is larger and throws left-handed, but their fastballs are very similar, dominating the upper part of the strike zone. Like Woo, Tolle’s four-seam fastball has gained significant velocity since he was drafted, jumping from the low 90s to a 96.2 mph average in his major league debut. He posted a 5.52 release height and elite 7.5 ft (99th percentile) extension, which factored into his flat vertical approach angle and made his fastball exceptionally effective. Tolle recorded a 37.5% whiff rate on the pitch. While his overall command and secondaries need some refinement, his debut showcased plenty of promise. Payton Tolle's Major League Debut Pitch Pitch% VAA Avg Velo IVB HB Ext Whiff% Four-seam fastball 59.5% -4.2° 96.2 mph 16.3" -6.2" 7.5 ft 37.5% Cutter 23.8% -5.9° 90.1 mph 9.0” 2.0” 7.4 ft 16.7% Changeup 9.5% -6.9° 90.1 mph 1.7” -8.0” 7.5 ft 66.7% Slider 4.4% -8.2° 84.5 mph -6.5” 5.2” 7.4 ft 33.3% So, why does VAA matter? An elite fastball is a solid foundation for a pitcher to build their arsenal. Teams can utilize VAA to identify overlooked pitchers whose four-seam fastballs have the potential to perform better than their initial projections. However, it takes two to tango. Players must be receptive to new information, willing to take input from their coaching staff, and implement changes effectively. Joe Ryan, Bryan Woo, and Payton Tolle have meshed well with their respective organizations’ coaching staffs and player development initiatives. In the worst-case scenario, things might not work out well between the team and the player. It was apparent that Walker Buehler was not receptive to the Red Sox’s pitching staff. On the flip side, teams must communicate effectively with their players. Otherwise, suggested changes might not be implemented. At the end of the day, VAA is another metric to consider when evaluating a pitch’s effectiveness. This article primarily reviewed VAA and four-seam fastballs, and there’s definitely more research to be conducted on the relationship between VAA and other pitch types. VAA depends on several interconnected factors, including the location of the pitch, a pitcher’s extension, and their release height. To effectively leverage a flat VAA for four-seam fastballs, a pitcher must be able to consistently throw the pitch up in the zone and utilize a long extension and a low release height. Hopefully, mainstream baseball databases will soon include VAA in the near future, so armchair analysts like you and me can keep exploring these metrics. View full article

Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 5-2 Runs Scored Last Week: 25 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 23 Standings 3rd in the AL East 3.5 GB 1st Place 2nd AL Wild Card Berth Scores Game 132 (8/25) | BOS 4, BAL 3 Game 133 (8/26) | BOS 5, BAL 0 Game 134 (8/27) | BOS 3, BAL 2 Game 135 (8/28) | BOS 3, BAL 2 Game 136 (8/29) | PIT 4, BOS 2 Game 137 (8/30) | PIT 10, BOS 3 Game 138 (8/31) | PIT 2, BOS 5 Transactions 8/26/25: Recalled Jovani Morán from Triple-A Worcester 8/26/25: Placed Richard Fitts (right arm neuritis) on the 15-day IL 8/26/25: Sent Luis Guerrero on a rehab assignment to Single-A Greenville 8/28/25: Optioned Jovani Morán to Triple-A Worcester 8/28/25: Placed Nathaniel Lowe on the paternity list 8/28/25: Activated Rob Refsynder (strained left oblique) from the 10-day IL 8/28/25: Activated Justin Slaten (right shoulder inflammation) from the 60-day IL 8/29/25: Selected the contract of Payton Tolle from Triple-A Worcester 8/29/25: Recalled Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester 8/29/25: Optioned Jhostynxon Garcia to Triple-A Worcester 8/29/25: Released Walker Buehler 8/30/25: Optioned Nick Sogard to Triple-A Worcester 8/30/25: Activated Nathaniel Lowe from the paternity list 8/31/25: New York Mets traded Ali Sánchez to the Boston Red Sox TL;DR/Highlights Orioles series: As I wrote last week, it’s tough to execute sweeps in a four-game series. However, this past week, the Red Sox completed a 4-game series against the Orioles. In Game 1, Roman Anthony hit his first leadoff home run. Red Sox starter Richard Fitts was pulled early from the game, leaving the bullpen to finish the job. He was later diagnosed with right arm neuritis (a nerve inflammation). Game 2, Lucas Giolito tossed eight scoreless innings. David Hamilton and Trevor Story hit home runs, and the team’s offense generated five runs. It looked like the Red Sox were about to lose Game 3, but Ceddanne Rafaela hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth to secure the Red Sox’s lead. In the final game of the series, Roman Anthony hit his second lead-off home run. It’s reassuring to see him finally start tapping into his power. Jhostynxon Garcia recorded his first major league hit, a double in the fifth inning. Red Sox starter Garrett Crochet recorded seven strikeouts and yielded two earned runs in six innings. Pirates series: Game 1 featured a marquee pitching matchup. Pirates ace Paul Skenes took the mound, and Payton Tolle made his major league debut. Tolle looked sharp, racking eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, the Red Sox knocked around Paul Skenes. He yielded seven hits, tied for a season high. (The Reds recorded seven hits against Skenes on August 7). Unfortunately, the team didn’t do much and went 1-7 with RISP. Roman Anthony hit a home run off Skenes in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Pirates won the game 4-2. In Game 2, the team’s bats were dormant, and the Pirates teed the ball off the Red Sox’s pitchers. Dustin May yielded six earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. Brennan Bernardino gave up an additional two runs to solidify the Pirates' lead. Much to the relief of Red Sox fans, the team avoided getting swept by the Pirates on Sunday. Lucas Giolito tossed another gem (three hits, one earned run, and six strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched). The team’s offense went on a tear in the fifth inning. Jarren Duran hit his first inside-the-park home run to drive in three runs. Can you believe it’s already September? The Red Sox play the Guardians in a quick three-game series at the beginning of the week before traveling to Phoenix to play the Diamondbacks over the weekend. Random Stats Sox Stats is active again on social media! I missed their presence, and they’re a great follow for in-depth Red Sox stats. See their post on Roman Anthony’s swing evolution over his first three months in the majors: The team’s starting pitching was solid out in August. Bello and Giolito’s strikeout rates could be higher, but everyone in the rotation can’t be a high-velocity, high strikeout type of pitcher. Garrett Crochet: 3.19 ERA, 28.2% K-BB% across 31.0 IP Brayan Bello: 2.27 ERA, 15.3% K-BB% across 31 2/3 IP Lucas Giolito: 2.39 ERA, 7.1% K-BB% across 37 2/3 IP Payton Tolle looked amazing in his debut: 3.38 ERA, 38.2% K-BB% in 5 1/3 IP AL Rookie of the Year watch: Roman Anthony and Carlos Narváez are tied for the second most fWAR (2.7) among rookies this year. David Hamilton surprisingly recorded 149 wRC+ in August, the second-best on the team behind Rob Refsnyder (152 wRC+). Sometimes it only takes a change of scenery for a player to reach their full potential. Since joining the Red Sox, Nathaniel Lowe has posted a .323 BA, .873 OPS, and 138 wRC+. He previously posted a .216 BA and .665 OPS, and 85 wRC+ with the Nationals. Website Highlights Aroldis Chapman's Extension is a Gamble, but It's One Worth Taking by Alex Mayes Pay Your Toll(e): Payton Tolle's Promotion Proves Red Sox Are Going All-In This Season by Nick John Lucas Giolito Has A Looming Mutual Option. Both Sides Should Be Interested In Exercising It by Alex Mayes Brayan Bello is Emerging as a True No. 2 Starter by Jordan Leandre Examining the Red Sox's Playoff Scenarios and Schedule by Maddie Landis Looking Ahead September 1st: Guardians (Messick) vs Red Sox (Bello) - 1:35 pm EDT September 2nd: Guardians (TBD) vs Red Sox (Crochet) - 6:45 pm EDT September 3rd: Guardians vs Red Sox - 6:45 pm EDT September 5th: Red Sox vs Diamondbacks - 9:40 pm EDT September 6th: Red Sox vs Diamondbacks - 8:10 pm EDT September 7th: Red Sox vs Diamondbacks - 4:10 pm EDT View full article

Upcoming Schedule The Red Sox will spend 50% of September on the road. At the beginning of the month, they’ll be playing the Diamondbacks and Athletics on the West Coast. They return home to play the Yankees and the Athletics (again). Towards the end of September, they play the Rays in “Tampa” and the Blue Jays in Toronto. They finish the season at home with a three-game series versus the Tigers. September 1st-3rd: Guardians (Home) September 5th-7th: Diamondbacks (Away) September 8th to 10th: Athletics (Away) September 12th to 14th: Yankees (Home) September 16th to 18th: Athletics (Home) September 19th to 21st: Rays (Away) September 23rd to 25th: Blue Jays (Away) September 26th to 27th: Tigers (Home) Strength of Schedule According to FanGraphs' Playoff Odds, the Red Sox’s strength of schedule ranks fifth (.502) among all American League teams. Unsurprisingly, the Yankees (.483) sport the second-easiest strength of schedule in baseball. First place goes to the Padres with .465. The Mariners (current holder of the third AL Wild Card spot) also have an advantage in their schedule. They play the Rays, Braves, Cardinals, Angels, Royals, Astros, Rockies, and Dodgers in September. I’ve heard some pundits float around the idea that the Rangers could make a late playoff push. I’m less bullish on them. Old friend Nathan Eovaldi (rotator cuff strain) is likely finished for the season, and Jacob deGrom’s second-half splits also aren’t too promising. Team W L WCGB Strength of Schedule Yankees 73 60 +1.5 0.483 Mariners 72 62 0.0 0.491 Rangers 68 67 4.5 0.496 Red Sox 74 60 +2.0 0.502 Royals 69 65 3.0 0.502 Read How to Determine Playoff Tiebreakers by Anthony Castrovince for more information on the following scenarios. Head-to-Head Record: What are the Red Sox’s records against current playoff teams? Opponent W L Remaining Games Tigers 0 3 3 Blue Jays 3 7 3 Yankees 8 2 3 Astros 4 2 0 Mariners 3 3 0 Royals 4 2 0 Rangers 3 4 0 Toronto triumphs over the Red Sox in any tiebreaker scenario. Fortunately, the Red Sox hold the tiebreaker advantage over the Yankees, Astros, Royals, and Rangers. They are 3-3 with the Mariners this season, and I’ll touch upon Seattle in the next section. If the Rangers made a late playoff push and their record was tied with the Red Sox at the end of the season, they would make the playoffs over the Red Sox. I’m not too worried about the Yankees. Come mid-September, in the worst-case scenario, even if the Yankees swept the Red Sox, the Red Sox would still hold the tiebreaker advantage. Intradivision Record: How did each team fare against their respective division? The Red Sox are currently ranked first in intradivision record among AL Wild Card Contenders. As long as they don’t face-plant in their nine remaining games vs the AL East in September, they will win this tiebreaker over the Mariners. Team W L PCT Red Sox 26 16 0.619 Mariners 27 18 0.600 Royals 22 20 0.524 Rangers 20 23 0.465 Yankees 17 22 0.436 Interdivision Record Let’s imagine the Mariners and the Red Sox finish the season with the same intradivision record. This tiebreaker would be determined based on their record against the remaining portion of the American League (combined record vs the Central and West). I’ve also included the Yankees for reference. Team W L PCT Yankees 30 16 0.652 Mariners 28 25 0.528 Red Sox 24 26 0.480 As you can see, the Red Sox are at a significant disadvantage here. They have 12 remaining games against the AL Central/West, Guardians (three games), Athletics (six games), and Tigers (three games), so there’s some opportunity for the Red Sox to gain ground on the Mariners in September. Since this tiebreaker scenario is less than optimal for the Red Sox, hopefully things don’t whittle down to it. 2025 MLB Postseason Schedule: Breaking down situational outcomes If the Red Sox finish with the first AL Wild Card spot, they would play the second AL Wild Card team, which is currently the Yankees. Given the team’s 8-2 record vs the Yankees this season, I’d love this scenario. They also would have the home-field advantage over the Yankees in a best-of-three series. If the Red Sox win the Wild Card series, they’d go on to play the winner of the first seed in the American League. This is currently the Blue Jays, but it could be the Tigers. Both teams are formidable opponents, and the Red Sox haven’t fared well against them this season. In conclusion, there’s still over a month of baseball to be played. As Red Sox fans, we know the tide can turn quickly. The optimist in me believes the team still has a chance at making a run for the division. After witnessing the team collapse every September over the past three years, it’d be nice for a change of scenery. September 2022: 12-14 September 2023: 8-19 September 2024: 11-15 September 2025: ? Be sure to follow along with the Red Sox’s playoff push right here on Talk Sox! View full article

Perhaps more than ever, speed is an essential component of contemporary baseball. This wasn’t the case 15 years ago. From 2010-19, league-wide stolen base totals steadily dropped. With the shortened pandemic season, they hit an all-time low, but in the following years, they started to make a comeback. The pitch clock made its MLB debut in the 2023 season. It shortened overall game lengths and quickened the pace of play, limiting pitchers to 15 seconds in between pitches with the bases empty and 18 seconds with runners on base. Baserunners are more likely to steal with less time in between pitches. Moreover, wider bases were implemented in 2023. Subsequently, stolen base totals hit a 15-year high with 3,503 in 2023 and 3,617 in 2024. Back in 2017, Statcast started publishing the sprint speed metric, which quantifies the foot speed of baserunners. The Sprint Speed Leaderboard provides the following description: Sprint speed by itself is a fun metric. However, it doesn’t measure how, if at all, a player’s speed contributes to a team’s offense. A player with a high sprint speed can reach base quickly and safely, but whether or not they capitalize on the opportunity to take an extra one from a fielder, should the opportunity arise, isn’t factored into the metric. Recently, I stumbled upon Statcast’s Extra Bases Taken Run Value Leaderboard. The leaderboard tracks the production of baserunners taking (not to be confused with stealing) extra bases from fielders and outfielders preventing extra bases from runners. For Red Sox fans, it’s no surprise that speedster Jarren Duran took 11 extra runs on the base paths from fielders between 2024-25, the second most in the league. When he gets on base, he wreaks havoc, and the team’s offense benefits. I created the following scatter plot, highlighting team fielding runs vs team runner runs. Teams fall under one of the four quadrants: Upper right-hand quadrant: shows which teams are efficient with fielding and advancing on the basepaths. Lower right-hand quadrant: shows which teams are more efficient advancing on the basepaths and less efficient with fielding. Upper left-hand quadrant: shows which teams are more efficient with fielding and less efficient with advancing on the basepaths. Lower left-hand quadrant: shows which teams are inefficient with fielding and advancing on basepaths. The Red Sox are situated in the most optimal group on the upper right-hand corner, meaning both their outfielders prevent baserunners from taking additional bases, and their baserunners take extra bases when possible. They’ve recorded five fielder runs (3rd) and five runner runs (5th). Again, this shouldn’t be a surprise. Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela are two of the best outfield throwers in the league. Abreu ranks 11th (94.3 mph average throw) and Rafaela ranks 15th (93.4 mph average throw) on the arm strength leaderboard. Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar learned the hard way when Abreu gunned him down at third. By sprint speed numbers, the Red Sox aren’t the fastest overall; they sit 9th league-wide (27.6 ft/s). Yet, they’re aggressive and efficient on the basepaths. Red Sox third base coach Kyle Hudson has done an excellent job capitalizing on opportunities to take extra bases. Their success reflects strong preparation through advance scouting. For example, in early April, the Red Sox routed the Cardinals 18-7. The Cardinals rank last in the league with -9 fielding runs. Throughout the game, Red Sox runners kept advancing, knowing the Cardinals outfielders wouldn’t throw them out. What does this all mean from a 10,000-feet point of view? For starters, it’s something to review when formulating game strategy. The teams in the upper right-hand quadrant have recorded a net positive fielder runs and runner runs. The Guardians have recorded 14 fielder runs, by far the most in baseball this season. Their total is eight above the Cubs, who come in second with six. These teams' outfielders will likely prevent runners from advancing, and you don't have to look far on the Guardians (Stephen Kwan and Nolan Jones), Cubs (Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker), or the Rangers (Wyatt Langford and Adolis García) depth charts to see why. When facing these teams, advance scouts conducting their due diligence would advise against getting greedy on the base paths. Moving clockwise, the Brewers stand out in the lower right-hand quadrant; they rank 1st in runner runs with a five-run lead over the Tigers. Coincidentally, the Brewers flaunt the highest run differential in baseball. For fielder runs, they’re at -2. Superstar Jackson Chourio has been on the IL, so the Brewers' outfield defense is lagging. Looking at their other outfielders' Savant pages, Brandon Lockridge's arm strength grades above average in the 71st percentile. Jake Bauers’ defense hasn’t been the best over the past two seasons, and Isaac Collins’ range is elite (92nd percentile in OAA), but his arm strength (58th percentile) and arm value (21st percentile) are weak points. More likely than not, the Brewers, Tigers, and Diamondbacks will attempt to take the extra base, but their outfielders won’t be as successful in preventing opponents from advancing on the basepaths. The Mariners, White Sox, and Cardinals are outliers in the lower left-hand quadrant. Seeing the Mariners, who currently hold the third AL Wild Card spot, situated in the worst quadrant on the chart was shocking. Julio Rodríguez is an elite defender with a cannon of an arm, and he’s an efficient baserunner. With that being said, one elite defender can’t boost the entire outfield. Since he was on the Rays, Randy Arozarena has had a noodle of an arm. If an average to above-average runner is on third with one or two outs and the ball is hit to Arozarena in left field, savvy teams would advance the runner because they’re aware that he probably won’t throw the runner out at home. The Mariners' coaching staff has also faced significant turnover over the past year. Last August, they fired their manager, Scott Servais. Kristopher Negrón, the Mariners' third base coach, was appointed in November 2024. Since he’s a relatively new coach, that could explain their poor output in terms of runner runs. Finishing in the upper left-hand quadrant, you find teams that have solid outfielders, but their baserunners won’t advance on the basepaths. These teams are clustered together distinctly, so there aren’t any glaring anomalies. I’ll point out that the Yankees are notoriously slow and have posted -3 runner runs. My cat is faster than at least half the Yankees lineup. The Blue Jays are another slow AL East team. Their outfield can prevent runners from advancing, but they’re not likely to advance on the basepaths. How do these metrics compare to run differentials? MLB provides the following description for run differential: “A team's run differential is determined by subtracting the total number of runs (both earned and unearned) it has allowed from the number of runs it has scored.” The Brewers, Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers have posted the highest run differentials this season. All of these teams, besides the Yankees, are situated in the upper right-hand quadrant of the chart. Simply put, the Yankees are outperforming their run differential. They’re a one-dimensional team. Most of their runs are driven home via home runs, not through small ball or contact hitting. When they hit home runs, they succeed, but otherwise they fall flat. Effective teams win games in various ways, not just through slugfests. Conversely, the Rockies, Nationals, and Angels have posted the lowest run differentials this season. These teams aren’t regarded for their pitching staffs, which have had difficult keeping opposing offenses off the board in 2025. To their credit, the Rockies and Orioles are plus fielding teams, but aren’t as efficient on the basepaths. For teams with negative runner runs, it’d be worth looking at the efficiency of their third base coaches. A team doesn’t need the fastest players to take an extra base when the opportunity arises. For example, the Phillies rank first (28.1 ft/s) in overall sprint speed, but have only recorded three runner runs this year. Despite their speed, they’re not as aggressive on the basepaths. Teams simply need to recognize the arm strength of the opposing outfielders when deciding whether to advance a runner. While the Brewers aren’t the flashiest team on paper, they hold the best record in baseball because of sound fundamentals and a strong coaching staff. Advanced scouting in baseball is not to be overlooked. With the expanded playoff format, every game matters for contending teams, and capitalizing on opportunities to add runs on the basepaths and prevent runs from scoring is crucial. Small advantages can tip the scales in a team’s favor. As we near the end of the regular season, teams that maximize every facet of the game will break apart from the rest of the crowd and have the best chance of making a deep run in October. View full article

Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 3-3 Runs Scored Last Week: 27 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 21 Standings 2nd in the AL East 5 GB 1st Place 1st AL Wild Card Berth Scores Game 126 (8/18) | BAL 6, BOS 3 Game 127 (8/19) | BAL 4, BOS 3 Game 128 (8/21) | BOS 6, NYY 3 Game 129 (8/22) | BOS 1, NYY 0 Game 130 (8/23) | BOS 12, NYY 1 Game 131 (8/24) | BOS 2, NYY 7 Transactions 8/18/25: Red Sox recalled Nate Eaton from Triple-A Worcester 8/18/25: Red Sox placed Rob Refsnyder on the 10-day IL (left oblique strain), retroactive to August 15, 2025 8/18/25: Red Sox designate Ali Sánchez for assignment 8/19/25: Red Sox optioned Jovani Morán to Triple-A Worcester 8/19/25: Red Sox recalled Brennan Bernardino from Triple-A Worcester 8/19/25: Red Sox sent Justin Slaten on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Worcester 8/20/25: Red Sox optioned Isaiah Campbell to Triple-A Worcester 8/21/25: Red Sox recalled Jhostynxon Garcia from Triple-A Worcester 8/21/25: Red Sox recalled Richard Fitts from Triple-A Worcester 8/21/25: Red Sox outrighted Ali Sánchez to Triple-A Worcester 8/21/25: Red Sox recalled David Hamilton from Triple-A Worcester 8/21/25: Red Sox designated Abraham Toro for assignment 8/21/25: Red Sox placed Wilyer Abreu on the 10-day injured list (right calf strain), retroactive to August 18, 2025 8/23/25: Red Sox outrighted Abraham Toro to Triple-A Worcester TL;DR Breakdown/Highlights Orioles Series: The Red Sox were swept by the last-place Orioles. Personally, I think the team got off on the wrong foot with Nate Eaton batting leadoff in Game 1. Dustin May looked sharp and only yielded two earned runs across six innings. Baltimore’s lineup isn’t as intimidating as, say, the Yankees (who I’ll get to later) or the Astros, but he threw a quality start nonetheless. Meanwhile, the Orioles starter, Trevor Rogers, silenced the Red Sox’s bats. They scored two runs each off Jovani Morán (7th inning) and Jordan Hicks (9th inning) to solidify their lead. In the bottom of the 9th, Jarren Duran attempted to spark a rally with a two-run double, but the Red Sox came up short. In Game 2, Walker Buehler took the mound. He only pitched four innings and gave up two earned runs, so he wasn’t at his worst (albeit the bar is low). The Red Sox would go on to use eight total pitchers in the game. The Orioles aren’t exactly known for the prowess of their starting pitchers, but former Yomiuri Giant Tomoyuki Sugano tossed five scoreless innings. Eventually, the game went into extra innings. At the top of the 11th, Jeremiah Jackson scored, and the Orioles took the lead. Later on in the inning with one out, Nate Eaton was the runner at third base. Roman Anthony hit a fly ball to shallow center field. Given his 95th-percentile sprint speed, Eaton had the opportunity to score and tie the game, but didn’t advance. Yankees Series: The Red Sox took three of four from the Yankees. In Game 1, the Yankees pitchers weren’t terrible. They only gave up three earned runs, but costly errors from Luis Gil, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ben Rice, and Paul Goldschmidt allowed the Red Sox more opportunities to advance and score. Roman Anthony hit his first home run at Yankee Stadium. I can’t stop watching the video: I wasn’t expecting to write the following sentence at any point during the 2025 season: Connor Wong’s contributions helped the Red Sox win a game! In Game 2, he hit an RBI double, allowing Nate Eaton to score from second. This was the only run scored in the game for either team. Brayan Bello was locked in. He tossed seven scoreless innings and fanned five Yankees batters. Jhostynxon Garcia, aka “The Password”, made his major league debut. The big news surrounding his debut was that a squirrel breached the field during his at-bat and caressed his leg. He struck out three times in the game. In 2025, the Yankees' bullpen has been notorious for blowing games. Come Saturday afternoon, the Yankees demonstrated this once again. The Red Sox scored seven runs off Paul Blackburn in the top of the ninth. Watch the full highlights here. Giancarlo Stanton hit a home run off Garrett Crochet, the Yankees' sole run of the game. Yankee Stadium is the only stadium in the entire league where the ball would have been a home run. I wrote about this in another Week in Review, but the team’s offense suffers from a hangover after their offense went on a tear the previous night (see August 12th-13th vs the Astros, feel free to list any other games I’m missing in the comments). Following a pounding of the Yankees on Saturday, the Red Sox crossed home twice the next day. Since the Red Sox used a ton of bullpen pitchers earlier in the series, Dustin May was sort of a sacrificial lamb to provide the bullpen with some rest. Another pitching highlight: Jazz Chisholm hit a home run off Walker Buehler in his bullpen debut game. The Red Sox lost 7-2. It’s tough to execute a sweep in a four-game series. While it would’ve been nice against the Yankees, I understand why the Red Sox chose to rest their arms for the upcoming week. Can you believe it’s almost September? The summer flew by! The Red Sox travel down to Baltimore for a four-game series against the Orioles. Then, they return home this weekend to face the Pirates. Website Highlights Talk Sox is celebrating its One-Year Anniversary! Trevor Story Makes History by Joining 20/20 Club by Jordan Leandre Keep Your Password Secure: Jhostynxon Garcia Brings Something Different to the Red Sox's Outfield by Brandon Glick Ceddanne Rafaela Needs to Play Center Field for the Remainder of the Season by Alex Mayes How Does Marcelo Mayer's Absence Impact the Rest of 2025? by Finley Rogan Looking Ahead August 25th: Red Sox (Bernadino) at Orioles (Sugano) - 6:35 pm EDT August 26th: Red Sox (Giolito) at Orioles (TBD) - 6:35 pm EDT August 27th: Red Sox (Bello) at Orioles (TBD) - 6:35 pm EDT August 28th: Red Sox (Crochet) at Orioles (Povich) - 6:35 pm EDT August 29th: Pirates at Red Sox - 7:10 pm EDT August 30th: Pirates at Red Sox - 4:10 pm EDT August 31st: Pirates at Red Sox - 1:35 pm EDT View full article

Alex and Maddie dive into the fantastic series win against the Yankees while giving some credit to an overlooked Orioles team. They prop up Aroldis Chapman for his performance over the last month and discuss what is going wrong for the bullpen outside of his stellar run. Then they discuss why Nathaniel Lowe seems to have rediscovered his swagger and make a case for Garrett Crochet to win the Cy Young. Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-talk-sox-podcast/id1783204104 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3qPrPXEngu0CxgTmlf0ynm Listen on iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-talk-sox-podcast-244591331/ Listen on Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/4tmd121v Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talksox View full article

Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 3-3 (68-57) Runs Scored Last Week: 33 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 23 Standings 2nd in the AL East 5 GB 1st Place Tied with the Mariners for the 1st AL Wild Card Berth Transactions 8/11/25: Red Sox selected the contract of Jovani Morán from Triple-A Worcester 8/11/25: Red Sox optioned David Hamilton to Triple-A Worcester 8/11/25: Red Sox optioned Chris Murphy to Triple-A Worcester 8/11/25: Red Sox activated Ali Sánchez 8/11/25: Red Sox designated Nick Burdi for assignment 8/13/25: Red Sox sent Nick Burdi outright to Triple-A Worcester Scores Game 120 (8/11) | BOS 6, HOU 7 Game 121 (8/12) | BOS 14, HOU 1 Game 122 (8/13) | BOS 1, HOU 4 Game 123 (8/15) | MIA 1, BOS 1 Game 124 (8/16) | MIA 5, BOS 7 Game 125 (8/17) | MIA 5, BOS 3 TL;DR Breakdown/Highlights Astros series: Game 1, Red Sox starter Garrett Crochet threw his worst game of the season, yielding five earned runs across four innings. The team went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left four men on base. Alex Bregman hit a home run in his first at-bat at Daikin Park (formerly Minute Maid Park). Game 2 was a huge step forward for Dustin May. He tossed a scoreless, quality outing against a first-place playoff team. Meanwhile, the Red Sox’s offense scored 14 runs. Wilyer Abreu knocked in three runs. Alex Bregman and Masataka Yoshida recorded two RBIs. In the top of the 8th inning, Roman Anthony hit a 428-foot home run, his fourth of the season. Most importantly, the Red Sox clinched the head-to-head tiebreaker vs the Astros with the win. Walker Buehler took the mound in Game 3. He initially looked sharp, and to his credit, he limited the Astros' offense to two runs through five innings. He was kept in for the sixth inning and allowed two additional runs. Unfortunately, the Red Sox’s offense woke up hungover from Tuesday’s game. Ceddanne Rafaela, one of the few starting players who didn’t record an RBI the day before, drove in the Red Sox’s lone run. Marlins series: Friday night, the Marlins surprisingly scored only one run off nine hits. Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito recorded a quality start (one ER across 6.1 IP). In the bottom of the sixth, Alex Bregman hit an RBI double to put the Red Sox on board. Trevor Story walked it off in the ninth to cap off the win. Game 2, Isaiah Campbell almost blew the Red Sox’s five-run lead in the ninth inning. Fortunately, he managed to get out of the game, albeit with three earned runs. The red-hot Trevor Story (three RBIs) and Masataka Yoshida (two RBIs) drove in five runs. The Marlins avoided getting swept by the Red Sox. Garrett Crochet limited the Marlins to one run through 7.0 innings, but the Red Sox’s bullpen couldn’t carry the momentum. Greg Weissert and Steven Matz yielded three runs in the top of the ninth. The Red Sox went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position, so their offense also wasn’t helpful. These 3-3 weekly write-ups are getting a little repetitive, and the Red Sox need to capitalize on sweeping mediocre teams. The gap between second and first place keeps growing, and unless the Blue Jays collapse in September, the Red Sox will finish second (at best) in the AL East. This is a huge improvement over previous seasons. However, looking back at some of these series, it's clear they could've done more to try and win the division. The Red Sox stay at home for a quick two-game series versus the Orioles before playing a four-game series against the Yankees from Thursday to Sunday in the Bronx. Random Stats The Red Sox have won five games in their green City Connect jerseys; all of them have been walk-offs. They have the most walk-off wins (10) in baseball, but also lead the league in walk-off losses (11). Masataka Yoshida is slashing .257/.333/.400 with nine RBIs, one home run, and 99 wRC+ in August. Trailing behind Trevor Story and Wilyer Abreu, he’s recorded the third-most RBIs on the team since August 1. Conversely, Ceddanne Rafaela is slashing .208/.276/.283 with three RBIs, zero home runs, and 54 wRC+ in August. Trevor Story ranks second among American League shortstops in home runs (19) and stolen bases (22). Garrett Whitlock’s earned run on Sunday marked his first in over a month. From July 4 to August 15, he threw 13 2/3 scoreless innings (52 batters faced) with a ridiculous 32.72% strikeout rate. Website Highlights What is Alex Bregman Doing Differently Since Returning by Finley Rogan Dustin May 2.0: Why the Cutter Could Define His Red Sox Career by Jack Lindsay Despite Early Returns, the Red Sox Won the Quinn Priester Trade by Nick John Garrett Whitlock the Reliever is So Much Better Than Garrett Whitlock the Starter by Brandon Glick Trevor Story is Going to Opt-In, Which Might Actually Be Good for the Red Sox by Alex Mayes Looking Ahead August 18th: Orioles (Rogers) vs Red Sox (May): 7:10 pm EDT August 19th: Orioles (Sugano) vs Red Sox (Buehler): 7:10 pm EDT August 21st: Red Sox (Giolito) @ Yankees: 7:15 pm EDT August 22nd: Red Sox (Bello) @ Yankees: 7:05 pm EDT August 23rd: Red Sox (Crochet) @ Yankees: 1:05 pm EDT August 24th: Red Sox @ Yankees: 7:10 pm EDT View full article

Weekly Snapshot Record Last Week: 3-3 (Overall 65-54) Runs Scored Last Week: 33 Runs Surrendered Last Week: 27 Standings 2nd in the AL East 4.0 GB 1st Place Currently hold the 2nd WC Spot Transactions 8/5/25: Red Sox recalled Isaiah Campbell from Triple-A Worcester 8/5/25: Red Sox designated Jorge Alcala for assignment 8/6/25: Red Sox signed free agent Jose Alexandra to a minor league contract 8/6/25: St. Louis Cardinals claimed Jorge Alcala off waivers from the Red Sox 8/8/25: Red Sox claimed Ali Sanchez off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays Scores Game 114 (8/4) | KC 5, BOS 8 Game 115 (8/5) | KC 2, BOS 6 Game 116 (8/6) | KC 7, BOS 3 Game 117 (8/8) | BOS 10, SD 2 Game 118 (8/9) | BOS 4, SD 5 Game 119 (8/10) | BOS 2, SD 6 TL;DR Breakdown/Highlights Royals series: The Red Sox offense immediately hit the ground running in game one. They scored five runs off the newly acquired Royals starter Bailey Falter in the first inning. Rob Refsynder drove in two runs via a single, and Jarren Duran demolished a three-run home run (456 ft) to center field, the farthest home run hit at Fenway this year. Brayan Bello threw his 12th quality start of the season. In the eighth inning, Jorge Alcala almost blew the lead, but Justin Wilson and Garrett Whitlock prevented the Royals' offense from gaining additional ground. Tuesday night, Garrett Crochet took the mound. Need I say more? The team only scored two runs off the Royals’ starter Ryan Bergert. However, they rattled the Royals’ relievers, Angel Zerpa and former Red Sox John Schreiber. The opponent’s defense didn’t do much to help their pitchers. The Red Sox’s crown jewel of the 2025 Trade Deadline, Dustin May, made his long-awaited debut. On paper, his outing was so-so; he only pitched 3 2/3 innings and yielded three earned runs. If you dive deeper into his metrics, he recorded 11 whiffs and posted a 34% CSW%. Unfortunately, May got behind in the count often. By the bottom of the third inning, he had clocked 91 pitches, so he was pulled early. After scoring two runs in the first inning, the Red Sox’s offense floundered. Jordan Hicks and Isaiah Campbell gave up four runs in relief to solidify the Royals’ lead. Padres series: On Friday night, the Red Sox faced their former friend, Nick Pivetta. While the top of the order didn’t contribute much, the team’s underperforming players came through and delivered. Masataka Yoshida and Connor Wong each drove in three runs. Walker Buehler tossed a scoreless, quality start. I don’t want to swamp this article with several videos, so check out the highlights from the game on the Red Sox’s YouTube. Games 2 and 3 were less exciting. Lucas Giolito’s performance was below par (or perhaps he was overperforming?). He gave up four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. two of San Diego’s runs were issued freely via bases-loaded walks in the bottom of the fifth. Meanwhile, former friend Xander Bogaerts went 2-4 with an RBI single and a solo home run. Game 2 was dragged into extra innings. David Hamilton pinch-hit for Masataka Yoshida at the top of the 10th. During the Padres series, Yoshida posted a .500 average and 1.444 OPS with 267 wRC+. Yes, speed is important in extra innings. Instead of benching the team’s hottest hitter over the weekend for an underperforming (.174/.265/.492 slash line) defense-first bench bat, maybe wait until the former gets on base? Unsurprisingly, Hamilton struck out on a foul bunt, and the team’s subsequent bats went into hibernation. Ramón Laureano hit a walk-off single to secure the Padres’ win. Brayan Bello took the bump in Game 3. Like Giolito, he wasn’t on his A-game and yielded 5 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. The Red Sox’s offensive hibernation carried into Sunday’s game. At the top of the seventh, they had the opportunity to score with the bases loaded, but Ceddanne Rafaela, Abraham Toro, and Roman Anthony struck out. The Red Sox play the Astros this coming week. Alex Bregman returns to Houston for the first time since his offseason departure. Over the weekend, the Red Sox take on the better-than-expected Marlins at Fenway. Random Stats The Red Sox are 1-9 in extra innings games on the road this year. As previously mentioned, Masataka Yoshida is heating up. His average is up to .258, and OPS is at .707 with 89 wRC+. Skipper Alex Cora is allowing him more opportunities to face lefties, and Abreu’s stats are trending positively. Since July 5, Wilyer Abreu is slashing .250/.294/.375 with 80 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. The team’s catchers have been underperforming since the All-Star Break (July 18 to present): Connor Wong: .207 BA, .560 OPS, 15.6% strikeout rate with 47 wRC+ Carlos Narváez: .111 BA, .393 OPS, 29.2% strikeout rate with -2 wRC+ Website Highlights Please welcome Talk Sox's new writer, Jordan Leandre! Walker Buehler’s Last Stand with the Red Sox is Here by Jordan Leandre Roman Anthony Extension: How Do Contracts for Other Young MLB Stars Compare? by Braden Ramsey Craig Breslow Has Won Over the Red Sox Veterans in the Clubhouse by Alex Mayes Romy González Has Evolved Into Rob Refsnyder 2.0 by Brandon Glick The Gamble of Signing Young Players to Long Contracts and Why Red Sox Fans Shouldn't Worry About Roman Anthony by Nick John Looking Ahead August 11th: Red Sox (Crochet) @ Astros (Javier): 8:10 pm EDT August 12th: Red Sox (May) @ Astros (Arrighetti): 8:10 pm EDT August 13th: Red Sox (Buehler) @ Astros (Brown): 7:10 pm EDT August 15th: Marlins vs Red Sox: 7:10 pm EDT August 16th: Marlins vs Red Sox: 4:10 pm EDT August 17th: Marlins vs Red Sox: 1:35 pm EDT View full article

The Red Sox selected Roman Anthony from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (Parkland, Florida) in the second round (79th pick) of the 2022 MLB Draft. Anthony spent most of his childhood in West Palm Beach, Florida. He attended Cardinal Newman High School in his hometown for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to Stoneman Douglas to follow his travel ball coach, Todd Fitz-Gerald, and play in a more competitive league. Stoneman Douglas has produced numerous MLB players, including Anthony Rizzo (FA), Coby Mayo (Orioles), and Jesús Luzardo (Phillies). Even as a teenager, Anthony’s metrics showcased his power, contact ability, and elite plate discipline. He blasted 450-foot home runs at various high school showcases. Between his junior and senior years, he doubled his home run total, nearly doubled his RBIs, and significantly reduced his strikeout rate in just four additional games. Grade Year GP PA Avg OPS RBI HR K% BB% Senior 2021-22 32 129 .520 1.569 40 10 11.6% 16.3% Junior 2020-21 28 109 .362 1.182 21 5 19.3% 25.7% Perfect Game, a scouting database that hosts tournaments and showcases for high school baseball players, wrote the following about Anthony’s swing in his profile: “Begins with a slightly open stance and a high hand set at the plate; tight turn moving into swing, shows quickness and above average bat speed through the zone. Shows a handle for the barrel, fluidity to path, comes out of coil well into swing and creates separation.” 2022 Season Anthony graduated from high school just two months before his professional baseball debut. At age 18, he had a brief cup of coffee, splitting time evenly between the Florida Complex League Red Sox and Single-A Salem Red Sox. He finished with a .306 average, .734 OPS, 9.6% strikeout rate, and 10.8% batted ball rate in 20 games. 2023 Season Anthony stayed in Salem for the start of the 2023 season. Despite his slow start (a recurring theme throughout his career) with a .228 average in 42 games, the organization promoted him to High-A Salem. Anthony quickly found his stride and posted a .294 average, 38 RBIs, and 12 home runs across 54 games. Towards the end of the MiLB season, Anthony was promoted to Double-A Portland and played his last 10 games (.343 average, 1.020 OPS) with the Portland Sea Dogs. Once an under-the-radar prospect at the beginning of the 2023 season, Anthony garnered organizational and national recognition by the end of the year. He was named the Red Sox’s 2023 Minor League Hitter of the Year. Baseball America ranked him as the Red Sox’s No. 1 prospect in 2023, and he jumped onto their Top 100 list as the No. 19 overall prospect. 2024 Season Anthony entered the 2024 season with increased attention. He began in Double-A Portland, posting a .269 average, .856 OPS, 25.5% strikeout rate, and 12.8% batted ball rate in 84 games. Anthony put on a show-stopping performance at the inaugural 2024 All-Star Future Skills Showcase, displaying his ability to drive the ball to all corners of the ballpark. On July 31, he hit a 116 mph home run, the hardest hit ball in the Red Sox’s entire organization in 2024. On August 12th, he, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer were promoted to Triple-A Worcester. Anthony finished the season with a .288 average, 913 OPS, 18.9% strikeout and batted ball rate, 108.4 average exit velocity (98th percentile), and 45.5% hard hit (85th percentile) rate in 35 Triple-A games. His strong performance garnered national attention. Come September, Baseball America listed him as the No. 1 prospect in baseball. 2025 Season Much to the chagrin of Red Sox fans, Anthony stayed in Worcester at the beginning of the 2025 season. It appeared he was major-league-ready. He still showcased the ability to hit for contact, tapped into more of his power, and maintained composure and discipline at the plate. In 52 games from March to May, he posted a .313 average, 1.244 OPS, 17.5% strikeout rate, and 25.3% batted ball rate. Just days before his eventual call-up, he hit a 497-foot grand slam. Past performance is the best predictor of future behavior. Just like in the earlier stages of his career, Anthony initially struggled after his major league call-up. He recorded three hits, a .074 average, .416 OPS, 15 wRC+, 25.8% strikeout rate, and a 9.7% batted ball rate in his first 31 plate appearances (from June 9 to June 19). That stretch represents 16% of his total 189 plate appearances. Anthony only needed nine games to adjust to the highest level of competition in professional baseball. Since June 20, he’s been on a tear, slashing .313/.429/.456 with a 149 wRC+, a 14.1% batted ball rate, and a 23.9% strikeout rate. It usually takes at least a season for players to get accustomed to the ever-growing gap between Triple-A and MLB pitching. Consider Ceddanne Rafaela and Jarren Duran’s rookie year struggles. He’s brought his power and patience with him to the big leagues. Among players with a minimum of 150 plate appearances, Anthony has posted the fifth-highest hard hit rate (55.0%) and the 15th-lowest chase rate (19.1%). Most analysts harp on Anthony’s offensive prowess. Depending on who you ask, his defense is middle-of-the-road. He’s already shown flashes of above-average potential, particularly in his range and instincts. Adjusting to the faster style of play on the field hasn’t been an issue for Anthony; he’s made several highlight-reel-worthy catches, including one in his second game where he robbed Jonathan Aranda of a hit in right field. In 47 games, he’s recorded four outs above average and a 61st percentile (27.8 ft/s) sprint speed. Anthony’s ascension to the majors occurred in the blink of an eye. He just turned 21 this past May and is already wealthier than 99.99% of the people reading this sentence. As much as I loved advanced metrics, what impresses me the most about Roman Anthony is his character. He demonstrates remarkable poise and maturity in his approach to the game and has consistently maintained a strong desire to improve. Former Red Sox Scout Willie Romay remarked, “A sign of a good player is they’re able to get critiqued and work at it, not everybody does that… I remember having a conversation with Roman, and he’s like, ‘Willie, what do I need to work on that I can be better at? What’s good in my game and what needs to be better?’” In a game where the most successful players fail 70% of the time, a baseball player’s ability to handle adversity and failure is a strong indicator of their success in the majors. I wrote the following in a previous piece about team-friendly extensions: “Conducting due diligence on the potential face of a franchise is a pivotal step in long-term contract negotiations.” Wander Franco and, more recently, Emmanuel Clase serve as cautionary tales of what can happen when teams overlook that process. That’s what makes Trevor Story’s comments resonate more: “It's hard to believe, man. Just given his stature, the way he carries himself, his maturity level and all that follows him onto the field, too… Just a special person, a special player. Obviously someone who’s gonna be around for a long time, and pumped that he's on our squad.” Teams aren’t just investing in a player’s future performance; they’re committing to his character and his role as the face of the franchise. During a recent game, Jarren Duran made a leaping catch on a Carlos Correa fly ball in center field. Anthony was right behind him, ready to back him up, and immediately checked to make sure he was okay. Ceddanne Rafaela has done the same and vice versa. The boys have each other's backs. While other playoff contenders, like the Cubs, also show strong chemistry (if you want to call it that), the camaraderie the Red Sox have built is special, and Anthony has been a key driving force behind it. Anthony’s quiet, humble confidence has transformed the clubhouse, and his breakout performance has arguably been the primary catalyst for the Red Sox’s resurgence. At the time of his major league debut, the team held a 32-36 record, sat in fourth place in the AL East, and trailed the final wild card spot by 4.5 games. FanGraphs estimated they had a 15.4% chance of making the playoffs. Since then, the tide has turned dramatically. The Red Sox have posted a 32-16 record, the second-best in baseball, and a run differential of +66, the third highest in the league. Now, the Red Sox hold the first American League wild card spot, have a 75.0% chance (per FanGraphs) of making the playoffs, and are firmly in the race for the AL East division title. With his rare combination of power, elite plate discipline, and most importantly, his exceptional character, the world is Roman Anthony’s oyster, and he’s just getting started. View full article

Aside from pitchers not named Garrett Crochet, Aroldis Chapman, Brayan Bello, or Garrett Whitlock, the Red Sox’s pitching staff put together a middle-of-the-road performance in July. They threw 130.2 innings (11th) and posted a 3.10 ERA (3rd), 21.1% strikeout rate (18th), and 1.8 fWAR (11th). Here’s an overview of the Red Sox’s best pitching performances this month. While the number one spot remains the same for the fourth consecutive month, there are two new faces featured. 3. Brennan Bernardino Appearing in 47 games this year, Bernardino has looked overworked at times. Upon first glance, Berandino’s stats don’t scream lights-out reliever, but he deserves recognition for his performance and willingness to take the mound whenever his team needs him. He posted a 0.00 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 21.7% strikeout rate, 10.9% batted ball rate, and 0.3 fWAR across 12.0 innings in July. Despite his up-and-down performance, he is the only Red Sox pitcher who has not given up a single earned run over the past month. Bernardino also recorded his first career save on July 23rd. For the sake of his health, I hope the Red Sox lean on Steven Matz so he can get some much-needed rest. 2. Garrett Whitlock Garrett Whitlock is on fire. He posted a 0.96 ERA, 0.20 FIP, 44.4% strikeout rate, 0.0% batted ball rate, and 0.6 fWAR across 9.1 innings in July. His strikeout rate is the highest among Red Sox pitchers over the past month. Whitlock has been sharper than a Japanese steak knife in high-leverage situations, which was a glaring area of weakness earlier in the season. See his 2025 monthly high-leverage situations splits: March/April: 5.40 ERA May: 15.00 ERA June: 0.00 ERA July: 0.00 ERA In June and July, he hasn’t allowed a single earned run during high-leverage situations. Whitlock could easily slot in as the team’s closer right now, and he might get more opportunities to close games as the season progresses. 1. Garrett Crochet Garrett Crochet started in four games, posting a 1.73 ERA, 2.40 FIP, 28.7% strikeout rate, 5.6% batted ball rate, and 0.9 fWAR across 26.0 innings. Whenever he takes the mound, I automatically assume the Red Sox will win. He’s just that good. On July 12, Crochet threw a nine-inning shutout versus the Rays. Crochet is giving Tarik Skubal a run for his money in the American League Cy Young race. He leads pitchers in strikeouts (175) and innings pitched (141.1), and ranks third in fWAR (4.5), eighth in FIP (2.53), and 17th in ERA (2.23). If Crochet maintains his performance through the end of the season, BBWAA members will face a tough voting decision come the fall. Are we missing any players? Let us know below in the comments! View full article

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 View full article

Long before my time, news and entertainment were two separate, distinct entities. In contemporary society, news is falsely distributed under the guise of sensationalist entertainment. The late media theorist and cultural critic Neil Postman warns about the dangers of blurring entertainment and politics, journalism, and other facets of society in his 1985 book "Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business". He primarily discusses using television as the medium (tool) for distributing entertaining subject matter: “In America, everyone is entitled to an opinion, and it is certainly useful to have a few when a pollster shows up. But these are opinions of a quite different roder from eighteenth- or nineteenth-century opinions. It is probably more accurate to call them emotions rather than opinions, which would account for the fact that they change from week to week, as the pollsters tell us. What is happening here is that television is altering the meaning of 'being informed' by creating a species of information that might properly be called disinformation.” While YouTube, Twitch, and other video streaming platforms weren’t present when Postman wrote his book 40-something years ago, his arguments still apply to these new mediums, and they were in action during the last 30 minutes of the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline. Unless you live under a rock, you’re probably aware of the Section 10 Podcast as a Red Sox fan. The podcast originally debuted in 2015 as part of Barstool’s media network. It’s featured a revolving cast of hosts and undergone name and platform changes over the years, but Section 10’s founder, Jared Carrabis, has been the podcast’s mainstay. Carrabis often appears on MLB Network and NESN as a guest commentator. This year, Section 10 hosted interviews with Carlos Narváez and Jarren Duran, which were informative and engaging. Interestingly, the Duran interview came after Carrabis angrily posted a series of tweets about what turned out to be Duran unfollowing Section 10’s Twitter account and Carrabis’s Instagram account. Given Carrabis’s large cult-like following and Duran’s history with mental health struggles, it was weird for him to have a public freakout over an unfollow. Professional athletes have demanding schedules and are not obligated to give content creators the time or maintain personal relationships with them. Following the interview, it appears the pair reconciled. Perhaps it’s the slow, steady decline of cable television, or the loneliness epidemic. Maybe it’s a combination of both that’s driven the popularity of streaming. To me, there’s a meta quality to watching someone else react to a baseball game/news channel when I could just directly watch it myself. Yesterday afternoon/evening, Carrabis hosted a special Baseball Is Dead (sponsored by Underdog Fantasy) livestream for the trade deadline. Watching a group of dudes constantly refresh their Twitter feeds and mutter to themselves in Carrabis’ basement isn’t my cup of tea, so kudos to anyone tuned into their five-plus hour stream. (For what it's worth, Carrabis’ basement looks like a cool place to chill.) In his defense, Carrabis has previously been connected to the Red Sox's moves like the Garrett Crochet trade and the Alex Bregman signing. Between roughly 5:45 to 5:48 pm on the day of the MLB Trade Deadline, Red Sox fans were falsely led to believe that the team traded for Joe Ryan. Section 10 cohost Coley Mick tweeted about it. Subsequently, Fox Sports and Yahoo Sports posted and then quickly deleted two graphics breaking the news. In the wake of the trade deadline, various reports articulated that the Joe Ryan trade was never close to coming into fruition. Ken Rosenthal remarked, “My understanding is that any talks they had with the Twins were feeble at best and did not come at them hard”. Chris Cotilo’s source said they were “not close”. At 6:03 pm, Alex Speier confirmed the team did not acquire Ryan. Carrabis maintains the deal for Joe Ryan was on the five-yard line. Despite the trade not materializing, we can always turn to the fallout’s reaction memes. At the end of the day, Carrabis has a monetary incentive to generate clicks and drive engagement. Tweeting “Streets. Talking.” around the trade deadline is superfluous. Of course, the organization is trying to finagle a move. The sky is blue. For someone who allegedly has a direct line to the Red Sox’s war room, Carrabis, a content creator, breaking a trade just minutes before a reputable reporter, like Jeff Passan, confirms it is rather unremarkable. Boston’s passionate sports culture is reflected in its media industry. Podcasts like Section 10 have captured a sizable chunk of Red Sox Nation. Fans are increasingly turning to digital platforms for news, making it difficult for traditional journalists to compete. Live streams filmed informally by content creators in the comfort of their home represent a welcoming environment compared to watching traditional, suited analysts sitting in legacy media’s imposing network studios. When the distinction between news and entertainment blurs, Postman articulated, “The problem is not that television presents us with entertaining subject matter, but that all subject matter is presented as entertaining”, regardless of its validity. Jared Carrabis and the other Section 10 hosts' reactions to games, trades, and signings serve as a lens through which fans interpret and shape their perceptions. Seemingly, everyone and their mom is a content creator. In a sports media landscape saturated with attention-grabbing personalities, content often triumphs over the truth. 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