Ben Lofy

Boston Red Sox Minor League Affiliate Recap Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series at Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 2-4 Season Record: 23-20 Worcester got back in the win column with a 4-0 victory in the series finale. Six pitchers made appearances for the WooSox as they emptied out their bullpen. Devin Sweet pitched a scoreless first inning, allowing two walks and striking out one before turning the ball over to Eduardo Rivera. Rivera earned his fourth win of the season for his two innings of work, allowing a hit and a walk while lowering his ERA to 2.13. Jack Anderson got a hold for his three innings of work, the longest outing of the afternoon for Worcester. He also allowed just one hit and one walk before Angel Bastardo came into the game. He pitched a perfect inning, striking out two. Tayron Guerrero also pitched a perfect inning, and Tommy Kahnle closed out the game, allowing one hit but completing the shutout for Worcester. It was a successful day at the plate as well for Worcester as they tallied four runs on eight hits. Mikey Romero and Nathan Hickey led the way with two hits and an RBI apiece. Hickey hit his third homer of the year in the third inning, grabbing a 1-0 lead. Romero then added on a run of his own driving in Nate Eaton on a single. Later in the sixth inning, Kristian Campbell doubled, driving in Romero. To cap off the three-run inning, Vinny Capra drove in Campbell on a single as the WooSox put the game out of reach. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series at Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 3-3 Season Record: 17-21 Portland lost on a walk-off for the second straight game, losing 6-5. Michael Sansone got the start and notched five frames of work. He allowed four runs on five hits in what was one of his worst starts of the season. He allowed two home runs while striking out three. Caleb Bolden pitched three innings of relief and flipped the script. He gave up two walks and just one hit, striking out one. He lowered his ERA to 4.43 as he rectified Sansone’s rough start. Unfortunately for Portland, the momentum gained by Bolden faltered when Cooper Adams came into the game. Over ⅔ innings of work he allowed two runs on two hits as he relinquished the lead and Hartford won the game on a walk-off fly ball to center. Franklin Arias has begun to come back to Earth after his scorching start to the season. He went 0-for-4 with a walk as his batting average sunk to .330. Brooks Brannon and Miguel Bleis each tallied two RBIs as they made up the bulk of Portland’s offense. Brannon crushed his seventh homer of the season in the first inning, giving Portland a two run advantage early. Bleis then hit a two-run homer of his own later in the inning as the Sea Dogs took an early four-run lead early. After Hartford tied the game at four runs apiece, Max Ferguson singled in the top of the ninth to score Tyler McDonough and take a one run edge. Despite the homers, Portland couldn’t produce enough to make up for the spotty pitching, falling for the second day in a row. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays): 1-5 Season Record: 15-24 Greenville snapped their eight-game losing streak as they beat Bowling Green 12-10. Alex Bouchard got the nod, starting Sunday’s contest with high hopes for Greenville. He allowed three runs on six hits across four and ⅓ innings. He walked four, but limited the potent Hot Rods offense. P.J. Labriola earned the win for his performance on Sunday. He gave up two runs on two hits but struck out three across one and ⅔ frames of work. Danny Kirwin had trouble keeping Bowling Green in check, allowing four more runs in his one and ⅓ inning appearance. In a close game, Matt McShane entered in a high stakes situation. He handled the pressure well however, allowing nothing but a solo homer as he was just good enough to help Greenville snap their skid. Greenville’s offense was hot on Sunday, amassing 12 runs on nine hits. Mason White contributed five RBIs as he helped lead the Drive to victory. Jack Winnay carried his excellent performance from Saturday into Sunday, getting Greenville on the board with a one-run single in the first inning. White then drove in Yoeilin Cespedes later in the inning with a single of his own. Freili Encarnacion added the third run of the inning as he drove Winnay in on another single. Yophery Rodriguez joined the party in the third inning, reaching on a throwing error as Winnay and Isaiah Jackson scored. Justin Gonzales then hit his eighth double of the season, adding two runs and extending the lead to six. In the fourth, White collected four more RBIs as he crushed his eighth homer of the season, a grand slam to make the lead ten. Justin Gonzales then hit a homer in the fifth inning as he brought the run total to 12. It was just enough to snap the losing streak as Greenville emerged victorious. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series at Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals): 2-4 Season Record: 17-22 Salem lost by one run for the third straight game, this time by a score of 6-5. Jacob Mayers worked the first two frames of the afternoon, allowing two hits and one run but struck out six as he maintained a respectable 2.41 ERA. Myles Patton took the next one and ⅓ innings, allowing the same stat line as Mayers, one run on two hits. Harry Blum took over in the fourth inning, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks. Wuilliams Rodriguez came out of the bullpen hot. He turned in three innings of perfect ball, striking out two. Nicolas De La Cruz entered in the ninth inning looking to stave off a walk-off from the Nationals. He failed to do so, however, walking three and allowing the walk-off on a wild pitch as Salem fell for the third straight time. Salem’s offense has been consistent as of late, and this continued into Sunday’s contest. Kleyver Salazar got the scoring started early, driving in Enddy Azocar on a line drive single in the first. Down 5-1 in the eighth, Ilan Fernandez doubled, driving in Anderson Fermin. Later in the inning, Azocar brought Fernandez home on a double of his own. With the lead within reach in the ninth, Luke Heyman scored on a wild pitch to bring the RidgeYaks within one. D’Angelo Ortiz then tied the game with a sacrifice fly to drive in Avinson Pinto. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough for the win as Salem fell just short yet again. View full article

Boston Red Sox Farm System Recap Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series at Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 1-4 Season Record: 23-20 Worcester fell for the third straight time in a five-inning game shortened by rain. Alec Gamboa made the start for the WooSox, going four innings before the rain became too much. He allowed four hits and two runs, both runs coming via solo homers. Gamboa’s start was otherwise unremarkable, he struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. The WooSox offense recorded four hits before the game was suspended. Similarly to Friday’s contest, they didn’t record a hit with runners in scoring position despite having four opportunities. Kristian Campbell, Matt Lloyd, Nate Eaton, and Braiden Ward each recorded a hit. Campbell, Eaton, and Ward each singled and Lloyd doubled. Ward also drew the only walk of the afternoon for Worcester. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series at Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 3-2 Season Record: 17-20 Portland lost in walk-off fashion despite excellent work from the bullpen. Jedixson Paez was scratched from his start on Saturday evening with a sore hip, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. Patrick Halligan stepped up in his place and put together his best outing of the season. Across a season-high four innings, Halligan didn’t allow a baserunner. He struck out four amid his perfect outing, setting up Erik Rivera for his relief appearance. Rivera’s outing was a mixed bag, however. Over two and ⅓ innings, he allowed one run on a wild pitch and Hartford scored once more on a passed ball. Despite this, he sent five batters packing on strikes. Rivera is a strikeout machine, totalling 30 punchouts over 22 and ⅔ innings. Over the next two and ⅔ innings,Max Carlson struck out three and didn’t allow a run. His outing gave the Sea Dogs offense room to work as the game advanced to extras. In the tenth, Reidis Sena tried to fend off the Yard Goats as they attempted to walk it off. And walk it off they did, with two men in scoring position, they dropped down consecutive sacrifice bunts, winning the game. Sena got hit with the blown save as he failed to win it for Portland. If you went to Saturday’s game after being in attendance Friday, you might have thought you were watching the same game all over again. Slow offense on both sides led to yet another extra-innings match-up. Brooks Brannon got the Sea Dogs started with a one-run double in the first, driving in Nate Baez. Down 2-1, Tyler McDonough stepped to the plate in the seventh and launched a solo homer to tie the game. Max Ferguson played the hero in the tenth, scoring Will Turner on a ground ball to left field. Despite Ferguson’s heroics, Portland fell in heartbreaking fashion. Franklin Arias was also removed from the game in the fifth inning after going 0/2 with a walk. Johanfran Garcia, Brannon, and Ferguson each recorded two hits, but the Sea Dogs went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position as they failed to capitalize. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays): 0-5 Season Record: 14-24 The losing skid continued for Greenville as they lost for the eighth straight game. Devin Futrell put in two and ⅓ innings of work to start Saturday’s contest, allowing seven hits and four runs as Bowling Green’s offense jumped ahead early. He was ejected in the third inning. While not much has gone right for the Drive during their losing streak, Osvaldo Berrios’ rehab stint on Saturday did. Across two and ⅓ innings of work Berrios allowed one hit and one walk as he struck out four of the nine batters he faced. Jay Allmer took the next two and ⅓, but let Bowling Green take control as he got the loss and a blown save. He allowed three hits and walked three, giving up four runs (one unearned) as his ERA rose to 8.24. Allmer was bad, but Luis Cohen was worse. Over the final two innings he allowed the Hot Rods to tack on an additional six runs on six more hits and two walks. Saturday was Greenville’s strongest offensive performance in a long time, but it still wasn’t enough to take down the Hot Rods. Down three in the second, Antonio Anderson tripled, driving in Ronny Hernandez. He was driven in later in the inning on a ground out by Natanael Yuten. Down 4-2 in the third, Jack Winnay homered with Yoeilin Cespedes aboard to make it a tie game. One inning later, the Drive took the lead on an RBI single from Justin Gonzales. Gonzales went ⅘ with an RBI and a run as he continues his dominant season. Cespedes followed this up with an RBI single of his own as he also had a four-hit day, leading the team with a .315 batting average. To cap off a three run inning, Winnay drove in Gonzales with a double, his third RBI of the day. As the Hot Rods scored ten unanswered runs, there was nothing the Drive could do but shake their heads. The only silver lining was a second home run, and fourth RBI, from Winnay, who contributed to half of the Drive’s offensive success. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series at Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals): 2-3 Season Record: 17-21 Salem fell yet again by a one-run margin, this time by a score of 10-9. Cole Tolbert pitched the first three innings of Saturday’s contest, allowing just one run on a solo homer. He struck out five of the ten batters he faced as he let up his first run of the season thus far. Leighton Finley took the next three frames as the game started to unravel. Fredericksburg teed off against Finley, notching ten hits and eight runs as they drew four walks. Finley struck out just one batter in what was his worst start of the season by far. His ERA rose from 1.52 to 4.05 as the Nationals took advantage of his poor showing. Adam Bates took the final two innings, looking to rebound from Finley’s disaster. He pitched okay, allowing one more run and walking four. Salem’s offense fought hard, but fell just short for the second straight contest. D’Angelo Ortiz scored on a wild pitch in the second inning to put the first run on the board for Salem. Ty Hodge followed this up with a sacrifice fly in the third inning to score Skylar King, snagging a one-run lead. King then reached in the fifth on a scoring error as Enddy Azocar crossed home. Andrews Opata scored next as Hodge reached on a fielder's choice. The RidgeYaks weren’t done scoring, King scored a second time on a single by Andruw Musett. Finally, Frederik Jimenez scored on a single by Avinson Pinto to establish a three-run lead. With the tables turned and Salem facing a three-run hole in the seventh, Pinto drove in two on a single to put the RidgeYaks within striking distance. Down 10-8 in the top of the eighth, Opata drove in Starlyn Nunez, but Salem was unable to tie the ballgame. View full article

Boston Red Sox Minor League Recap (May 15) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series at Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 1-3 Season Record: 23-19 Worcester fell for the second night in a row 5-2 in a bullpen game. Cade Feeney got the start in his first game since being called up from Double-A Portland. He gave up one run on one hit over two innings, walking two. Kyle Keller took the next two, allowing another run on three more hits. He struck out three and gave up one walk. Jacob Webb took the fifth and sixth innings, giving up one more run and two hits, and striking out three. Wyatt Olds took the final two innings, allowing Buffalo to tack on another two runs on two more hits. It was a rough day all around for the WooSox pitching staff as they struggled to find stability. It wasn’t a very successful night at the plate either for Worcester, who notched just one RBI as they went 2-for-14 with RISP. Jason Delay got the WooSox on the board in the second, driving in Tsung-Che Cheng on a fielder's choice. Worcester's only other run came in the seventh inning when Mikey Romero scored on a wild pitch. Nine batters reached base as Worcester totaled six hits and eight walks, but they struggled to drive runs in. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series at Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 3-1 Season Record: 17-19 Portland won 2-1 behind strong pitching and timely hitting. Danny Coulombe made his first rehab start on Friday, turning in an inning of one-hit ball. John Holobetz took the next five innings, working an excellent outing of his own. He struck out four, allowing one run on a solo homer, and limiting the Yard Goats to three hits. Joe Vogatsky pitched the following three innings, allowing a hit and a walk, He punched out three as he earned his first win of the season. Caleb Bolden earned the save for his inning of relief work, sitting down one batter on strikes as he staved off any chance of a Hartford comeback in extras. Despite having less than ideal numbers with RISP, Portland’s bats were hot. All but one of the Sea Dogs starters got on base at least once, and four batters had multiple hits. Tyler McDonough struck first with an RBI single in the fifth inning, scoring Nelly Taylor. In a 1-1 ball game in the tenth inning, Nate Baez grounded out to second, driving home the winning run in Ahbram Liendo. Max Ferguson was rock-solid at the dish, going 3-for-5 as he bumped up his average, helping Portland to their third straight win. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Bowling Green Hot Rods (Tampa Bay Rays): 0-4 Season Record: 14-23 The Drive lost their seventh straight, getting crushed 10-2. Marcus Philips continued to struggle through the early stages of his professional career on Friday, allowing five runs across just three and ⅔ innings. Philips bumped his ERA to 8.44 as he lost his third game of the year. Shea Sprague took the next three and ⅔, but wasn’t much better. He gave up eight hits, and walked an additional four batters. He allowed four more runs, striking out four. His struggles continued as well as his ERA rose to 5.66. Joey Gartrell took the final inning and ⅓, allowing one more run and three hits. His ERA rose as well, to 6.45. It wasn’t much better for Greenville at the plate. In the third, Natanael Yuten clubbed his fourth homer of the year, a solo shot to center field that put the Drive in the scoring column. The Drive’s other run also came by way of the long ball. In the sixth inning, Yophery Rodriguez hit his tenth homer of the season. He leads the Red Sox organization in home runs. Outside of Rodriguez and Yuten, the Drive were silent when it came to driving runs in. They went 0-for-11 with RISP and left nine runners on base. Freili Encarnacion was the only one to record multiple hits, hitting a triple in the eighth inning. In the ninth, Justin Gonzales, who started at first base instead of the outfield, hit a triple of his own. However, facing an eight-run deficit, it wasn’t enough to bring Salem back into the game. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series at Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals): 1-3 Season Record: 17-20 Salem fell 6-5 despite an outstanding performance from Ty Hodge in a close contest. Jason Gilman took the first two and ⅔ innings for Salem, allowing a two-run homer in the first inning. It was the only scoring Gilman allowed as he struck out three batters. Dalvinson Reyes was hit with his third loss of the season for his appearance in Friday's game. Over three innings, Reyes walked three and allowed three runs (one unearned) on just one hit. Griffin Kilander took the next inning and allowed yet another hit on three more runs. The pitching staff finally found some steady ground with Wuilliams Rodriguez, who pitched a flawless inning and ⅓. Ty Hodge highlighted the RidgeYaks offensive efforts on Friday, collecting three RBIs on two hits. However, it was Skylar King who scored the first run for Salem, reaching home on a throwing error in the third inning. Kleyver Salazar followed King up with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, driving in Starlyn Nunez. Later in the inning, Hodge singled to drive in King, tying the game. Facing a three-run deficit in the eighth, Ty Hodge brought the RidgeYaks within one on a two-run double. However, it wasn’t enough as Salem fell by a one-run margin. View full article

Boston Red Sox Minor League Recap (May 10) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (New York Yankees): 3-2 Season Record: 21-16 Worcester fell short in the series finale losing 3-2 despite a solid outing from Alec Gamboa. Gamboa started the afternoon for Worcester and turned in five frames of work. He allowed four hits, one being a solo homer, the only run he let up. It was Gamboa’s first appearance since making his big league debut earlier in the week, and he put in some steady work. Jack Anderson, another pitcher who made his majors debut earlier in the season, took the next inning and ⅓ in relief. The Rule 5 draft pick couldn’t find his rhythm on Sunday however, giving up two runs on two hits and allowing three walks. To relieve Anderson, Tayron Guerrero pitched the final two and ⅔ innings, allowing a single hit and lowering his season ERA to 1.15. Despite amassing 10 hits, the WooSox went just 3-for-14 with RISP as they struggled to come up clutch. Down one run in the third inning, Mikey Romero doubled, driving in Braiden Ward to even the score. In the ninth, Ward drove in the WooSox another run with a double of his own, driving in Jason Delay. Anthony Seigler went 2/3 with a walk as he raised his batting average to a team-leading .309. He also leads the team with a .914 OPS. Despite eight of Worcester’s nine hitters getting a knock, they failed to capitalize in key moments. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 1-4 Season Record: 14-18 Portland avoided the series sweep, winning 11-4 as Brooks Brannon led a red-hot offense. In Anthony Eyanson’s Double-A debut he looked just as good as he did in High-A. That is to say that he was downright excellent. Over four innings, Eyanson allowed one run, a solo homer following a seven-pitch battle of an at-bat. He gave up three hits and struck out four as he proved that he could handle the heat in Portland. Jedixson Paez pitched the next three frames and earned the win. He let up four hits and three runs, striking out two. Finally, Michael Sansone returned to Portland after three appearances in Worcester. He threw two one-hit innings and struck out four of the seven batters he faced, landing on his feet after being sent down. After a 13-run performance on Friday, the Sea Dogs kept up their momentum into Sunday as they put up 11 runs in a win. They got started early in the bottom of the first with the bases loaded, Brooks Brannon drew a walk, scoring Arias. One batter later, Miguel Bleis reached on a fielder's choice, driving in Will Turner. With men on the corners and one out, Tyler McDonough grounded out to second, allowing Nate Baez to score. In the third, Brannon drove a ball to center field for a two-run homer, extending the lead. In the sixth, Franklin Arias singled with Nelly Taylor on third, tacking on another run. Baez then stepped up with bases loaded, doubling on a sharp line drive to add two more. Who else but Brooks Brannon would step up next. The 22-year-old doubled, scoring Arias and Turner for his fourth and fifth RBIs of the game. He has 11 in his past two games. One inning later, Franklin Arias singled, driving in Nelly Taylor, bringing the Sea Dogs’ total to 10. Then, Arias crossed home on a double from Turner, tacking on Portland’s 11th and final run. Brannon and Arias combined for seven of Portland’s 11 RBIs as they continued to try and turn around their season. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pittsburgh Pirates): 1-5 Season Record: 14-19 Greenville lost for the third consecutive day, this time 14-11. Luis Cohen’s season has been less than ideal, through six games he has an 11.02 ERA and a 0-4 record. This downward spiral continued on Sunday through ⅔ innings of work. Cohen was shelled, giving up five runs on two homers and six hits. Steven Brooks attempted to right the ship, but struggled to do so. He gave up another three runs on only one hit, giving up four walks. On the other hand, he struck out five but it wasn’t enough to minimize the damage. Joey Gartrell took the next three and ⅔ innings and strung together the best outing of the day for Greenville. Still, he wasn’t in his best form. He gave up two runs on four hits, including two homers. Jay Allmer took the last two, attempting to keep it within reach for the Drive. Unfortunately he could not, giving up four runs on four hits and allowing another pair of home runs. At the plate, the Drive almost made up for the shaky pitching. Facing a five run deficit in the second, Jack Winnay put the Drive on the board with a solo homer, his second of the season. They wouldn't strike again until the fifth inning, in a nine-run hole. Yophery Rodriguez launched his eighth homer of the season on a deep fly ball to right field. Later in the inning, Isaiah Jackson drove in Justin Gonzales on a sac fly. In the sixth, Rodriguez would hit another sac fly, this time to bring Mason White home with the bases loaded. With two runners in scoring position, Justin Gonzales hit a soft single to right field, scoring Ronny Hernandez. Yoeilin Cespedes would then drive in Freili Encarnacion on a bases-loaded sac fly. Down by eight in the ninth, the Drive mounted a comeback effort. Jackson hit a two-run homer with Cespedes aboard, and Jack Winnay scored on a wild pitch. Finally, Encarnacion hit a two run homer to shorten the lead to three. However, it wasn’t enough to take down the Grasshoppers as the Drive lost in spite of an excellent offensive showing. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles): 3-3 Season Record: 15-18 Salem scored ten runs as they prevailed in the series finale, splitting the series. Leighton Finley earned his second win of the year for his five-frame outing. He allowed two runs (one unearned) on four hits and two walks while striking out four. Finley’s been remarkable throughout the season, and hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in any appearance. Nicolas De La Cruz came in after Finley, pitching the next one and ⅓ innings. He allowed one hit and one walk but effectively stalled the Shorebirds offense. Griffin Kilander took the final two and ⅔ innings, allowing one more run on three hits. Kilander struck out five batters in his appearance. Andrews Opata kickstarted the RidgeYaks offense in the first inning, driving in Enddy Azocar and advancing to second on a throwing error. One batter later, Luke Heyman drove in Opata on a line drive single. One night after hitting a walk-off blast, Starlyn Nunez hit another homer. This time it was a two-run shot that gave Salem a three run lead. Opata then drove in his second RBI of the afternoon on a single, scoring Azocar once again. And just like in the first inning, Luke Heyman drove in Opata, this time on a two-run homer. In the fourth inning, with four men aboard and two outs, Kleyver Salazar worked a 2-1 count. Then, he absolutely demolished a high pitch deep to left field and over the wall. With a ten run lead in the eighth, Skylar King doubled to drive in Opata and tack on the RidgeYaks 13th and final run of the contest, capping off an incredible offensive showing. View full article

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (New York Yankees): 4-1 Season Record: 21-15 Worcester’s game was postponed due to rain. No make-up date has been provided yet. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 0-4 Season Record: 13-18 Portland’s game was canceled due to rain and won’t be made up. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pittsburgh Pirates): 1-5 Season Record: 14-18 The Drive fell for the second night in a row, 10-4, as they struggled on the mound. The start of Marcus Phillips’ professional career has been less than ideal. The righty has struggled through 17 and ⅔ innings so far this season, posting a 7.64 ERA through six appearances. This negative trend continued through Phillips' start on Saturday as he gave up five runs on six hits through two and ⅓ innings. He let up two home runs as he hasn’t quite found his footing in Greenville. Shea Sprague was back in Greenville after a one-game stint in Portland, pitching three and ⅓ innings. He let up four runs (two unearned) on five hits and two homers. Calvin Bickerstaff took the final two and ⅓ innings as he continued to build on his solid season. Across his outing, he let up one more run on a solo homer, and K’d two. Despite Bickerstaff’s solid outing, the Greenville pitching staff didn’t do enough to keep the Drive in the game. It was a poor offensive showing by Greenville on Saturday. Only four hitters recorded a hit, and the offense started late, with Antonio Anderson hitting his first homer of the season in the sixth to get the Drive on the board. Later in the inning, Mason White drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in Justin Gonzales. The Drive’s other two runs came on a two-run homer from Henry Godbout with Justin Gonzales on first. Gonzales drew three walks but was hitless at the plate. Isaiah Jackson and Mason White drew two walks apiece. The Drive struck out 13 times and were hitless with runners in scoring position. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles): 2-3 Season Record: 14-18 The RidgeYaks won 7-4 on a walk-off blast by Starlyn Nunez. Cole Tolbert made his first appearance of the season, and it was a strong one. The 23-year-old struck out four and didn’t allow a hit over one and ⅔ innings of work. It was Tolbert’s first appearance since 2024, as he missed the entirety of the 2025 season with injury. Jason Gilman took the next two and ⅓ innings. Of the 12 batters he faced, he sent seven back to the dugout on strikes. He allowed one run on four hits but put together an excellent outing. Wuilliams Rodriguez came in next, giving up two runs on four hits over three innings and getting the blown save. Harry Blum pitched the last two innings to close out the game, earning the win for his work. He allowed one run on one hit and a walk, punching out three as he gave the offense a chance to walk it off. And walk it off they did. After a back-and-forth contest, Starlyn Nunez crushed a three-run, walk-off homer to give the RidgeYaks the victory. Before the walk-off in the first inning, Luke Heyman drove a two-run homer to left field to give Salem an early lead. Then in the fourth inning, D’Angelo Ortiz drove in Avinson Pinto on a groundout to second base. With the game tied 3-3, Anderson Fermin stepped to the plate with Ortiz on third. He hit a short chop to the pitcher's mound as Ortiz raced home. The pitcher made an errant throw home, allowing Ortiz to score and letting Anderson advance to second. Then, tied 4-4 in the ninth, Nunez came up clutch, snagging the victory for Salem. View full article

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRiders: 4-1 Season Record: 21-15 Worcester won 8-3 behind a well-rounded offensive effort. Isaac Coffey started the evening for Worcester and allowed one run on three hits across four innings. The righty struck out five while allowing four walks. Angel Bastardo had a rocky appearance as he let up two runs on five hits. He K’d three and didn’t allow a walk. Noah Song earned the win for his efforts; he put in one and ⅓ innings of no-hit pitching. Wyatt Olds followed up Song with an excellent outing of his own. He went one inning without a hit before turning the ball over to Tommy Kahnle, who was solid as he closed out the game. The veteran allowed a hit and a walk but shut down the RailRiders with two strikeouts. Worcester’s offense put in more than enough effort on Friday, scoring eight runs on twelve hits. Tsung-Che Cheng got the party started with a solo homer in the second, his fourth of the year. In the fourth, Matt Thaiss doubled with men at the corners. Cheng scored as Worcester took the lead. Then, Nick Sogard drove a home run to center field to drive in Jason Delay and Thaiss. One inning later, Delay drove in Nate Eaton on a single to extend the lead to three. Finally, in the sixth, Kristian Campbell continued his hot streak as he drove in Eaton and Vinny Capra with his sixth double of the year. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 0-4 Season Record: 13-18 Portland fell in a high-scoring extra-innings affair 15-13. John Holobetz looked to right the ship after a disastrous outing his last time around. Unfortunately for Holobetz, Friday wasn’t his night. Over just one inning, he allowed five runs (one unearned) on five hits. Holobetz posted a 2.45 ERA through April, but has struggled heavily in May. Patrick Halligan got the ball in the second and threw three innings. He surrendered five hits and three runs, as well as one walk. Cooper Adams posted a very similar stat line across the next three innings. Akin to Holobetz and Halligan, Adams allowed five hits and a walk. New Hampshire tacked on three more runs during Adams’ outing before he turned the ball over to Reidis Sena. Sena had the most successful night against the red-hot Fisher Cats offense; he allowed just one run and two hits while punching out three. In extras and facing a depleted bullpen, Portland turned to second baseman Tyler McDonough to try to work some magic. It was a lost cause, however, as McDonough allowed a two-run homer that gave New Hampshire the lead in the tenth. In contrast to the poor pitching, Portland’s bats were hot on Friday. Down 7-0 in the second, Brooks Brannon belted a homer to right field to get the Sea Dogs on the board. He followed this up with a one-run single with the bases loaded in the fourth. Later in the innings, Miguel Bleis grounded into a force out, scoring Nate Baez. One inning later, Nelly Taylor pulled a solo homer to right field. This was followed up by a two-run shot by Nate Baez that scored Will Turner. Facing a 12-6 deficit in the seventh, Turner doubled, scoring Taylor. Just a few batters later, Brannon crushed his second home run of the night. This one was a three-run blast scoring Turner and Max Ferguson. In the bottom of the ninth and down three runs, Brannon stepped up to the plate again. He hit a sac fly for his sixth RBI of the night as Baez crossed the plate. Then, Marvin Alcantara played the hero. He shot a two-run homer to center field to tie the ballgame and send it to extras. Unfortunately, the Sea Dogs couldn’t come up with the win in the tenth, but it was a hotly contested effort. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Greensboro Grasshoppers: 1-3 Season Record: 14-17 The Drive struggled to accrue offense as they fell 7-1 on Friday evening. Friday’s contest featured just two pitching appearances for Greenville. Dylan Brown took the first four innings for the Drive. He allowed three runs on seven hits, but sat down six on strikes. It was a valiant effort from Brown in his first appearance since being called up from Low-A Salem, but he still got the loss. Devin Futrell backed Brown up with a similar line. Across another four innings, he allowed four runs on six hits and two home runs. He did punch out five, but failed to minimize the damage. The Drive were nearly silent from the dish, totaling a measly four hits. Their solo run came on a Mason White solo home run with two outs in the ninth. It was too little, too late as White was one of only four players to record a hit. Gerardo Rodriguez and Ronny Hernandez each doubled, and Yoeilin Cespedes singled. It was an all-around poor showing as the Drive succumbed without much protest. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs Delmarva Shorebirds: 1-3 Season Record: 13-18 The RidgeYaks fell in a close game on Friday, 3-2. Barrett Morgan got the nod and threw three and ⅔ innings. He punched out five but allowed three runs on three hits and three walks. Dalvinson Reyes had the best performance by far for Salem on Friday. He pitched four and ⅓ innings of no-hit work, sending five batters packing by way of strikes. Adam Bates took the last inning, allowing two hits and a walk but staving off any offense from Delmarva. It was a solid day on the bump for Salem, who gave the offense plenty of opportunities to win the game. Despite only having two runs on the box score, it was a semi-successful night for Salem at the plate. The RidgeYaks recorded 10 hits, as Andrews Opata, Andruw Musett, and Ilan Fernandez had two hits each. Despite the copious hitting, Salem struggled heavily to drive runners in. Nine runners were left on base as the team went 2-for-8 with RISP. The only runs came on a single by Opata that scored Enddy Azocar in the third, and when D’Angelo Ortiz scored on a throwing error in the ninth. 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Boston Red Sox Affiliate Overview (May 1 - May 3) Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals): 3-3 Season Record: 18-14 Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees): 2-5 Season Record: 13-14 High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers): 2-4 Season Record: 13-14 Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Wilson War Birds (Milwaukee Brewers): 2-4 Season Record: 12-15 Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Season Record: 18-14 Series Opponent: Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals) Series Standing: 3-3 May 1: Worcester cruised to a 10-5 win behind an outstanding performance from Mickey Gasper. Isaac Coffey took the mound to start Friday’s game for Worcester but turned in a subpar performance. Through four innings of work he let up seven hits and five runs and didn’t record a single strikeout. Coffey’s ERA jumped to 4.61 through seven appearances this season. Eduardo Rivera took the next three innings, and continued to show why he’s one of the Red Sox best arms in the farm system. He let up a single hit and struck out five, earning the win. Kyle Keller and Tommy Kahnle split the final two innings, each giving up a walk but preventing the Red Wings from making a comeback. The WooSox looked excellent at the plate as all hitters got on base at least once. Mickey Gasper got things started with a solo homer in the first inning. Nick Sogard followed this up with an RBI of his own, driving in Matt Lloyd on a single in the second. In the fifth, Vinny Capra hit a solo shot, his fourth of the year, to cut the deficit to two runs. Worcester broke out in the seventh with five runs. Sogard drove in Braiden Ward, then was driven in on a double by Capra. Gasper then roped a single to left field to get Capra across the plate. Finally, Allan Castro doubled, driving in Gasper and Anthony Seigler. In the ninth, Lloyd capped off the win with a two run single that scored Gasper and Castro. Gasper went 4/5 with two RBIs as he bumped his batting average to .302 amid an excellent season. May 2: The WooSox lost 7-5 in a tightly contested battle. Michael Sansone started the game for Worcester and lasted five and ⅓ innings. However, it wasn’t the smoothest of sailing for the lefty, who allowed six runs on six hits. He K’d five but allowed two homers as Rochester grabbed the lead, giving Sansone the loss. Jacob Webb took the last two and ⅔ innings and allowed one more run on a solo shot, but was otherwise solid, racking up two strikeouts. Despite the shaky pitching performance the WooSox made a valiant effort at the dish. Down 4-0 in the fourth inning, Allan Castro launched a home run to drive in himself and Mikey Romero and bring the game within two. An inning later, Nathan Hickey hit a solo shot to give Worcester a shot. In the next inning, Hickey reached on an error as Romero and Vinny Capra crossed the plate, giving the WooSox a one run lead. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to defeat the Red Wings, as they fell in a close game. May 3: The WooSox lost their second in a row 6-3 in the series finale. Seth Martinez took the first three innings on Sunday afternoon, allowing one run on two hits but preventing any further damage. Jack Anderson got the ball next but his outing wasn’t as smooth as Martinez’s. He K’d three but allowed four runs and nine hits. He allowed two home runs in the sixth inning before he was subsequently pulled. Tayron Guerrero got the last two innings, but couldn’t turn in a clean sheet. The 35-year-old journeyman punched out two but it wasn’t enough to suppress Rochester’s offense as they tacked on one more run. Anthony Seigler stood out at the plate, recording three hits in four at-bats and accounting for an RBI and a run. He got Worcester’s offense going with an RBI single in the fourth that drove in Vinny Capra, then crossed the plate himself on an Allan Castro sac fly in the seventh. Capra was also solid at the dish, hitting his tenth double of the year as well as a single. Nate Eaton drove in the WooSox remaining run with an eighth inning sac fly that drove in Braiden Ward. Worcester only drew one walk, totaling eight baserunners overall. They were effective with RISP, going 3/8, but it wasn’t enough to claim the series win. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Season Record: 13-14 Series Opponent: Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees) Series Standing: 2-5 May 1: Portland was crushed 13-3 as the pitching staff was nothing short of disastrous. John Holobetz posted a 2.45 ERA through the month of April, but his first outing of May was a turn in the wrong direction. Over just three and ⅔ innings, Holobetz allowed nine hits and 10 runs (three unearned) as he couldn’t contain the Patriots offense. Joe Vogatsy came in to try and slow the bleeding, and he did just that. He allowed three baserunners over two and ⅓ innings, while striking out three. Unfortunately, any chance of a comeback was stymied by a poor performance from Reidis Sena. Sena allowed three more runs over the last two innings of the game. He walked five and allowed two hits as he struggled to give the Sea Dogs offense a window to get back into the game. As poor as Portland’s pitching was, its offense was just as bad. The Sea Dogs only generated nine baserunners on five hits and four walks. The offensive struggles continued as Portland hasn’t scored more than nine runs all season long. On Friday they struck out a total of fifteen times. The only runs of the night came from the long ball. In the sixth, Johanfran Gracia, nicknamed “The Username,” clubbed his second home run of the year with a two run blast that scored Max Ferguson. Then, in the ninth, Will Turner also homered. His second shot of the year was absolutely demolished, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Sea Dogs from suffering defeat. May 2: The Sea Dogs fell yet again by double digits, losing 11-0. It was more of the same on Saturday for Portland, a poor pitching performance followed by an even weaker offensive showing. Jedixson Paez turned in a solid two and ⅔ innings to start the night for Portland, his longest appearance of the season. He allowed one run on a hit and a walk, but kept the Patriots potent offense at bay. Shea Sprague made his first appearance in Portland, but it was nothing short of a catastrophe. Over just one and ⅓ innings he gave up seven runs, two walks, and eight runs as Somerset pulled way ahead. Calvin Bickerstaff picked up some of the slack, but it wasn’t enough. Over three innings of work he gave up two more runs on five hits, allowing two home runs. Lastly, Caleb Bolden turned in an inning of nearly flawless work. He let up just one hit, but it wasn’t enough to rectify a terrible day from those before him. The Sea Dogs hitters failed to show up yet again, amassing just five hits and not drawing a single walk. Brooks Brannon had the best day by far, going 2/4 with a double and a single. Franklin Arias was another highlight as he added on to his spectacular season with a double, his fifth of the year. Marvin Alcantara and Ahbram Liendo each added a single, but aside from them it was all quiet at the plate for Portland. May 3: Portland’s bats finally woke up as they crushed Somerset 11-4 behind 10 K’s from Mullins. Justin Slaten pitched the first inning of the contest on a rehab assignment and he looked great. He allowed one hit but punched out two as he made his first rehab appearance. Hayden Mullins then took the bulk of the game, going six innings. He earned the win for his appearance as he allowed two runs on two hits. He struck out a spectacular 10 batters, tied for the most in his career. Cade Feeney took the next inning, allowing one run on two hits, and Max Carlson finished out the afternoon allowing one last run on a solo shot. On offense, Will Turner got the first runs on the board for Portland with a bases loaded two-run single in the third. In the fourth inning, the Sea Dogs executed a rare double steal of home, as Tyler McDonough dashed home while Caden Rose took second. Then, Abraham Liendo drove in Rose with a single as Portland extended the lead to three. In the fifth, Johanfran Garcia hit his third homer of the season all of which have come in the past week. One batter later, Nelly Taylor hit a solo shot of his own as Portland went back-to-back. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Garcia came up big once again with a bases-clearing double. He then scored on a single from Ronald Rosario as Portland capped off an 11-run afternoon. Garcia was the clear stand out from Sunday’s game with four RBIs on 2/5 hitting. High-A Greenville Drive Season Record: 13-14 Series Opponent: Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers) Series Standing: 2-4 May 1: The Drive lost 7-1 despite another dominant start from Anthony Eyanson. Of the 15 batters Eyanson faced, he struck out seven of them. He allowed three walks, the first of the season, on calls that caused some controversy on X/Twitter. Aside from the three walks, he only allowed one other baserunner on a single. Eyanson lowered his High-A ERA to an astounding 0.44 as he has only given up one run through 20 and ⅓ innings. Following the series finale on Sunday, Eyanson was officially called up to Double-A Portland. Brandon Neely came in the fourth, but wasted Eyanson’s start. Across two innings he gave up eight hits and six runs, digging the Drive into a hole too deep to climb out of. Joey Gartrell took the next two and ⅓, allowing one more run on three hits but limiting the damage. Finally, P.J. Labriola pitched the final inning, allowing two hits and no runs. The Drive struck first in the second inning on an Antonio Anderson single that drove in Freili Encarnacion. Unfortunately for Greenville it was a short-lived lead that they couldn’t reclaim. In addition to his single, Anderson also recorded his third double of the season as he was the only member of the Drive to record more than one hit. Hudson White and Yoeilin Cespedes also had one double apiece. The only other Greenville players to get a hit were Adonys Guzman, Yophery Rodriguez, and Encarnacion, all of whom recorded a single. May 2: The Drive fell again 6-2 as they struggled with runners on base. Devin Futrell put together an excellent start and lowered his ERA to 1.26 as he continues to thrive in Greenville. Through five and ⅔ innings he allowed three hits and walked two. Hub City only scored once as Futrell put five batters away on strikes. Similarly to Friday, an excellent start from a Greenville pitcher was spoiled by a poor bullpen performance. Danny Kirwin took the next two innings and entered with a save opportunity. He exited the game with a blown save and the loss as he let up four runs (two unearned) on four hits. To finish out the game, Matt McShane put together a decent one and ⅓ innings. He gave up a walk, a hit, and a run as the game got out of reach for Greenville. The Drive drew an astounding nine walks in Saturday’s contest as they totaled 15 baserunners, but were unable to convert their men on base into runs. Justin Gonzales continues to be a monster for the Drive, he tripled in the first inning and was driven in on a double by Henry Godbout. Gonzales scored again in the fifth on a single by Gerardo Rodriguez as Greenville nabbed the lead. However, that was all the offense Greenville could muster as they left nine runners in scoring position. Rodriguez and Godbout recorded two hits each but it just wasn’t enough to amend the poor bullpen performance. May 3: The Drive lost their fourth in a row as they dropped the series finale 7-5. Marcus Philips made the start, making his way through four and ⅔ innings. It wasn’t the easiest outing as he let up five runs on four hits and three walks. On the bright side, he struck out five batters. Luis Cohen recorded his third loss of the season for his poor outing on Sunday. Through just two innings he let up another four hits and two runs, only striking out one as Hub City pulled ahead. Griffin Kilander had the best performance by far, K’ing two and walking one over the final two and ⅓ innings of the contest. Kilander impressed in his first appearance since being called up from Low-A Salem. Sunday marked an improvement from the plate from recent contests, but it still wasn’t enough to defeat Hub City. Down 5-0 in the fifth, Justin Gonzales reached third on a fielder's choice and throwing error as Yophery Rodriguez scored. Then, Gonzales scored on a Henry Godbout groundout. In the sixth, Mason White tied the ballgame with a three run homer that just snuck over the right field wall. Unfortunately for Greenville, they couldn’t eke out the win as they fell yet again. Isaiah Jackson was the only Greenville player to record more than one hit as he tallied a double and a single. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Season Record: 12-15 Series Opponent: Wilson War Birds (Milwaukee Brewers) Series Standing: 2-4 May 1: Salem was crushed 11-2 as they barely generated any offense. Christian Foutch started the game and struck out seven across three innings. Unfortunately, he let up two hits and three walks that resulted in two runs scored for the War Birds. Jose Bello took the next two and ⅓ but wasn’t in good shape, earning the loss. He gave up five runs (three unearned) and three hits as his ERA jumped to 4.00. The only bright spot for Bello came as he punched out five batters. Nicolas De La Cruz pitched the next one and ⅓, striking out three but giving up another two runs on two hits, including a home run. Harry Blum got the final one and ⅓ and posted a similar stat line to De La Cruz. Blum also let up two runs on two hits with one walk and striking out two. Salem’s offense was quiet to say the least. Only seven runners reached base as the RidgeYaks went down on strikes 13 times. Their only runs came on a Starlyn Nunez single in the third that scored Ilan Fernandez and a Skylar King solo homer in the fourth. Kleyvar Salazar was the only other RidgeYak to record a hit as the offensive struggles continued to pile up for Salem. May 2: The offensive woes just kept coming for Salem as they fell 10-0 on Saturday. Dalvinson Reyes got Salem started but limped through three and ⅓ innings. He allowed four hits and five runs (one unearned) while walking and striking out three. However, Barrett Morgan righted the ship with his outstanding performance. Morgan turned in three and ⅔ innings of one hit ball, allowing one walk as well. He struck out seven of the thirteen batters he faced as the pitching staff finally came through for Salem. Unfortunately Morgan’s momentum didn’t extend to Adam Bates’ appearance. Bates allowed four hits and gave up more runs in just one inning of work as his ERA ballooned to 13.81. If Friday’s offensive performance was bad, Saturday’s was downright horrible. Ilan Fernandez and Anderson Fermin were the only players to record a hit with a single apiece. The RidgeYaks did draw seven walks, but went 0-for-5 with RISP. Additionally, they struck out 13 times as they just couldn’t put the ball in play. Not a single RidgeYak is batting over .265 over a month into the season. May 3: Salem put together a good all-around performance, but it wasn’t enough to get the win as they lost 4-3 in extra innings. Leighton Finley pitched five solid innings in his start, allowing three hits and two unearned runs as he kept his ERA to an excellent 1.45. He walked three and struck out one as he stymied the red-hot Wilson offense. Jason Gilman kept the momentum going with three hitless innings. He allowed two hits and a walk as he struck out two. As the popular saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and Salem’s best pitching appearance all weekend was spoiled by a poor outing from Wuilliams Rodriguez. He allowed a walk-off two run blast in the bottom of the tenth as Wilson defeated Salem in the season finale. The RidgeYaks were noticeably better from the plate on Sunday. Enddy Azocar drove in D’Angelo Ortiz and Ilan Fernandez on an RBI-double in the third as Salem jumped out to a 2-run lead. In the top of the tenth with the game tied 2-2, Luke Heyman reached base on an error as Andrews Opata scored. The one eyesore on the box score was the 13 strikeouts recorded by Salem, especially in contrast to only four walks drawn. Despite the loss it was a significant improvement from the past few days. Fernandez went 4/4 with a run and Skylar King went ⅔ as the RidgeYaks started to get past their offensive woes. View full article

How does one grade 620 wins, eight years, three postseason appearances, and one World Series? The Alex Cora era in Boston is over, and with it, the end of a tumultuous tenure. In 2018, Cora stepped into the managerial role left vacant by John Farrell, who was fired after five seasons with the club. Cora was the bench coach of the Houston Astros for two seasons, winning a World Series with the club in 2017. During the ALCS in the same year, Cora interviewed for the open position in Boston, and was announced as the franchise’s newest manager in late October. He was initially signed to a three-year deal from 2018 to 2020, with an option for 2021. It was a storybook first season for the new manager. He was supported by a star-studded roster featuring Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, and Chris Sale. The Red Sox were dominant, finishing with a league-best 108 wins and cruising through the playoffs. They dispatched the New York Yankees and Houston Astros with ease in four and five games, respectively. Facing off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, Cora became just the fifth rookie manager to win the championship as the Red Sox won their fourth ring of the 21st century. The triumphant season led to a one-year contract extension as Cora seemed well-suited to serve as the Red Sox's manager of the future. He was beloved by his players, communicating with them in both English and Spanish, often seen sitting atop the dugout steps chatting with his coaching staff. Despite that early success and his positive relationships with his players, his scandal rocked the Red Sox. In November 2019, Cora was accused of playing a major role in the Astros' sign stealing affair. Cora was spared punishment for the time being so a separate investigation into the 2018 Red Sox could take place. In January 2020, a report published by The Athletic accused Cora and the Red Sox of using a replay room during the regular season in order to steal opposing catcher's signs. After the scandal came to light, Cora and the Red Sox mutually agreed to part ways. It was a dramatic turnaround for Cora, falling from the peak of the baseball world to the depths in just over a year's time. In April, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred issued a suspension through the 2020 playoffs for Cora, based solely on his role in the Astros scandal. Manfred didn’t impose any punishment in relation to the Red Sox replay scandal because the investigation didn’t conclude that Cora was aware of its occurrence. Manfred did, however, note that Cora didn’t “effectively communicate to Red Sox players the sign-stealing rules that were in place for the 2018 season.” Cora was welcomed back to Fenway with open arms following the 2020 season. He signed to a two-year contract with a club option for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The following season, Cora led the club to its first playoff berth since the 2018 championship season. The Red Sox qualified as a wild card, facing the Yankees in a one-game series. After beating New York in a game for the ages, Boston beat the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS to advance to the league championship series. The storybook run would end here, as the Red Sox fell in six games. Following the playoffs, it was announced that the Red Sox exercised their option to extend Cora’s contract through the 2024 season. Boston struggled through the 2022 and 2023 seasons, finishing with 78 wins in each and placing fifth out of five teams in the American League East. Despite the unsavory results from those years, players backed up his leadership at every turn. From 2018 on, the roster was stripped from its peak. With the front office trading away Mookie Betts and letting Xander Bogaerts walk in free agency, many felt like Cora wasn’t given competitive rosters. He emphasized the importance of a consistent offensive approach throughout his tenure, though he wasn’t always supplied with offense-focused rosters. Following the 2023 season, the Red Sox hired Craig Breslow to be the newest Chief Baseball Officer. The 2024 season showed signs of improvement, the Sox finished third in the East but ended the season 81-81. Following a rocky start to the 2025 season, Breslow made a blockbuster trade, sending Rafael Devers to San Francisco for a slew of prospects. Despite having a close relationship with Devers, Cora backed up the trade, at least publicly aligning with a front office that had inherited his services. The Red Sox made the playoffs for the third time in Cora’s eight-year tenure, but lost to the Yankees in a three-game wild card series. While Cora’s commitment to the Red Sox never faltered, it seemed as if Boston’s front office had other ideas. Just four weeks into the 2026 season, Cora and many key members of his staff were fired in a stunning front office shakeup after disappointing early results. In a press conference the morning after the firing, Red Sox President Sam Kennedy made it clear that there was no ill-will towards Cora. “AC's impact on Boston and our city will be felt forever. The memories that we all shared from 2018 are gonna last a lifetime." Cora leaves behind a mixed legacy and one that is tainted by questionable decisions from the Red Sox ownership group. He led the club to its most dominant championship and is the third-winningest manager in franchise history, but he also dealt with embarrassment and never-ending frustration from the fanbase. Cora leaves behind a complex legacy, but his leadership during the 2018 championship season set a standard that will define Red Sox baseball until the team's next title. View full article