Ben Lofy

Let's check in on all the action from the Boston Red Sox's farm system on Friday night. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 1-3 Season Record: 63-56 The WooSox struggled to generate offense in a close game, losing on a walk-off. Blake Wehunt took the bump to start the game for Worcester. Wehunt turned in a solid outing across 4⅔ innings. He allowed one run on three hits, and issued four walks. Wehunt struck out four before turning the ball over to Patrick Halligan. Halligan was less successful in a two-inning relief appearance. He let up two runs on five hits and Syracuse took a 3-0 lead. Halligan punched out two before Hobie Harris took over in the middle of the seventh. Harris finished the seventh and pitched through the eighth in a shutout performance. He surrendered one hit and sat down two on strikes before Sam McWilliams entered for the ninth. McWilliams got a quick out before allowing a single and hitting a batter. With two outs, he allowed a walk-off double to left field as Syracuse took a two-game lead in the series. Worcester was even worse on the other side of the ball. The WooSox tallied just three hits and had just nine total baserunners as they struggled to make noise. Franklin Arias led the way with two RBIs, but the 6-9 batters didn’t record a single combined hit. The offense came late, with Arias driving in Nate Baez and Nate Eaton on a line drive double to left field. An inning later, Allan Castro tied the game on a single to center, scoring Romy Gonzalez. It looked like the WooSox had a brief moment to take the lead, but the opportunity was squandered as Syracuse claimed victory. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Reading Fighting Phils (Philadelphia Phillies): 2-2 Season Record: 60-57 Roman Anthony drove in two and Justin Gonzales put up two hits as Devin Futrell turned in a solid start despite a 5-2 loss. Futrell made his longest start in three appearances with Portland, hurling six frames of two-run ball. He walked one and struck out four in his best start at Double-A. Tyler Davis took the seventh and eighth frames as Reading pulled ahead. Davis allowed three runs on two hits as he issued three walks. He struck out two and earned the loss. Erik Rivera took the final frame of the night, spinning a perfect ninth and striking out two as he tried to give Portland room to mount a comeback. Portland drove in just one RBI on Friday, going 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and generating just seven baserunners. Gonzales led the way with two hits, but the bottom half of the order failed to muster a hit. Anthony was responsible for both of Portland’s runs as he teed off in the fourth inning. He sent a double to center field and advanced to third as Gonzales scored, cutting the lead in half. In the sixth, Anthony struck again. He scored Gonzales once more on a sac fly to center, tying the game 2-2. However, the Sea Dogs were silenced for the rest of the night as they fell. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox): 2-1 Season Record: 52-62 Greenville led through three innings before the game was suspended due to rain. Dylan Brown was three frames into a shutout start before the game was called, and it’s unclear whether he will continue when the game restarts. The Drive were efficient in a short time period, scoring twice in the early stages of the game. In the second, Maximus Martin drove in Carlos Gutierrez on a two-run homer as the Drive jumped out to an early lead. The game will be completed prior to Saturday’s contest, beginning at 4:30 and picking up in the third inning. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Wilson Warbirds (Milwaukee Brewers): 2-2 Season Record: 51-65 Salem surrendered an early lead and couldn’t recover, falling 7-5. Leghton Finley allowed only one run his last time on the mound, and hoped to carry over that success to Friday’s start. However, Finley fell apart and earned his fifth loss of the season. He allowed seven runs (two unearned) on five hits and issued two walks in 4⅔ innings. He struck out four before Carson Revay made his Low-A debut. Revay allowed three hits and walked one, but kept the Warbirds scoreless across 1⅓ innings. Cam Padgett entered in the seventh and closed the game in dominant fashion. Across three frames Padgett didn’t allow a hit and issued one walk. He struck out three as he completed an excellent bullpen outing from Salem despite the loss. Adonys Guzman led the way with two RBIs on Friday as Salem turned in a solid day at the plate. The Yaks were successful up until it came time to drive runs home, going just 1-for-7 with RISP. Salem dropped the ball throughout multiple chances to make the game more competitive. After a six-run second inning, the Yaks found themselves down seven early. In the fourth, Wills Maginnis put Salem on the board as he scored on a wild pitch. Franklin Primera then scored on an errant pickoff attempt. Guzman scored Starlyn Nunez on a double to center as Salem put up a three-run frame. In the fifth, Primera scored Anderson Fermin on an RBI single as Salem inched closer. In the sixth, Guzman brought the Yaks within two on a solo homer to center field. However, Salem failed to score in the final three frames as they lost. View full article

Let’s see how the Boston Red Sox's farm fared in series finales across the organization. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 2-4 Season Record: 62-53 The WooSox fell in the series finale in a rough start for the pitching staff. John Holobetz took the mound in hopes of ending Worcester’s two-game skid, but exited with his head hanging low after a disastrous performance. Holobetz allowed six runs on six hits in just 2⅔ innings as Buffalo got to him early. Holobetz issued two walks and struck out four before turning the ball over to Devin Sweet in the third inning. Sweet wasn’t much better, allowing three runs on three hits in just one inning of work. He walked two and struck out one before Hobie Harris was called in to finish the fourth frame. Harris steadied the ship for the pitching staff in a 1⅓ inning appearance, allowing two hits and striking out one before Seth Martinez entered. Martinez took the sixth and seventh innings, allowing two hits and notching a pair of punchouts in a scoreless outing. With the bullpen depleted, manager Iggy Suarez turned to first baseman Nathan Hickey for the final two innings of Sunday’s game. Hickey was excellent, allowing three hits but closing the game in shutout fashion. Trevor Story returned to the diamond for the first time since mid-May, playing in the first four innings of Sunday’s matchup before being replaced. Story went 1-for-2 with a single and a popup following a nine-pitch at-bat. Facing an early nine-run deficit, Mikey Romero got the WooSox on the board with a two-run homer in the fourth inning, scoring Story. Franklin Arias would strike next for Worcester, scoring Jason Delay on an RBI single in the fifth inning. Arias would score one more in the seventh inning as he drove in Brett Harris on a sac fly in the seventh inning. Tsung-Che Cheng scored Delay in the seventh as Worcester slowly closed the gap. Delay launched a solo homer in the ninth inning in hopes of sparking a late rally, but he was unsuccessful as the WooSox couldn’t generate any more late offense. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets): 1-5 Season Record: 58-55 A rough night from the bullpen led to Portland’s sixth loss in eight games as the Sea Dogs struggles continued. Reidis Sena started Sunday’s game, but exited after just ⅔ of an inning. Sena let up a home run and issued one walk, recording one strikeout before being replaced by Morgan McSweeney. McSweeney’s second appearance with Portland was a rough one as he gave up four runs on four hits in 2⅓ innings pitched. McSweeney issued a pair of walks and struck out two more before Max Carlson took over in the fourth. Carlson pitched one frame of one-run ball, allowing two hits and issuing a walk as he struck out another. Caleb Bolden took on a bulk relief role as he entered in the fifth inning. Across three innings Bolden let up just one hit as he struck out five of the ten batters he faced. Joe Vogatsky entered in a tie game, but let up two quick runs as Binghamton took a late two-run lead. Vogatsky finished with a line of two runs on two hits in two innings. He issued a pair of walks and struck out one in the loss. The Sea Dogs were able to generate six runs on just four hits, but it wasn’t enough to defeat the Rumble Ponies. Henry Godbout led the way with a pair of RBIs as he continued to adjust to Double-A competition since being called up from High-A Greenville before the series. Will Turner struck first for Portland, driving in Johanfran Garcia on a single in the second inning. Nate Baez drove in Mason White to complete the two-run inning and tie the game. Baez was called up to Triple-A Worcester following Sunday’s game. In the third, Godbout gave Portland a short-lived lead as he drove in Brooks Brannon and Tyler McDonough on a line drive single in the third inning. In the fifth, Brannon cut into the two-run lead with an RBI groundout as McDonough scored. Jack Winnay gave Portland its final run of the afternoon on a game-tying home run in the seventh inning, his sixth of the season. The tie wouldn’t last long, as Binghamton took the lead just a half-inning later and didn’t look back. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers): 3-3 Season Record: 50-61 Greenville was the lone affiliate team to win on Sunday, clinching a 10-5 win to secure the series split. Matt Duffy started the series finale for Greenville, turning in a solid three-inning performance. Duffy allowed one run on a pair of hits as he issued a walk and struck out one before Alex Bouchard took over. Bouchard earned the win for his four-inning relief role. He allowed three runs on five hits and issued two walks. Bouchard struck out four before Brandon Neely got the call in the bullpen. Neely was solid as he closed out the win for the Drive. He allowed one run on one hit as he struck out a pair of Hub City batters. To say that Sunday’s offensive performance was excellent would be an understatement. Led by Justin Gonzales’s first career multi-homer day, the Drive scored ten times on fourteen hits in a sustained performance. In the second inning, Carlos Gutierrez crossed home as Yophery Rodriguez reached via error, giving Greenville an early lead that it wouldn’t relinquish. In the third, Owen Hull scored Gonzales on a fly ball double as Gerardo Rodriguez advanced to third. In the fourth, Y. Rodriguez made his mark yet again. He launched a homer to right center, his 14th of the season. With runners on the corners later in the inning, Jake Schaffner hit a ball between the infield gap as Antonio Anderson scored easily. Then with the bases loaded, Gutierrez drove home G. Rodriguez and Schaffner on a single right up the middle, giving Greenville a 6-0 lead. In the sixth, Gonzales clubbed his first homer of the night, going the opposite way on a ball that was absolutely demolished over the right field wall. An inning later, Anderson brought the lead to four on an RBI single that scored Maximus Martin before Gonzales stepped to the plate once more. Gonzales proceeded to smoke a line drive homer to left center as Anderson crossed home, capping off the ten-run game. Gonzales was promoted to Double-A Portland following the game. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles): 2-4 Season Record: 49-63 Another poor start and less than timely offense led to Salem’s second straight loss. After posting a 1.56 ERA in the month of July, Jose Bello has struggled in August. His last three starts have been less than ideal as his ERA rests at 9.24 for the month. He entered Sunday’s start looking to turn things around, but failed to do so. Bello completed four innings, and pitched to two batters in the fifth before being pulled. He allowed six runs on eight hits and walked a season-high five batters, more than he allowed in the months of June and April. He struck out just one batter before Nicholas Judice took over. Judice’s second appearance back from injury went much better than his first as he allowed one run and issued one walk while striking out three in 1⅔ innings. Caden Vire took over at the end of the sixth, allowing one hit and walking two over 1⅓ frames of work. He struck out a pair before Harry Blum took the ninth inning. Blum allowed one final run and issued one walk in the ninth, striking out two as he completed the game. Multi-hit games from Kleyver Salazar and Josue Brito kept Salem afloat despite the loss. Brito gave Salem an early lead as he scored Franklin Primera on an RBI double in the first inning. Primera scored again in the third by way of a balk, tying the game at 2-2. In the fourth, Adonys Guzman tied the game again, this time by scoring Andrews Opata on a sac fly. Down by four in the seventh, Salazar cut the lead in half as he homered on a deep ball to left field, scoring Primera for the third time in the afternoon. View full article

Let’s check in down on the farm following Saturday’s action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 2-3 Season Record: 62-52 Worcester put up a fight but was ultimately let down by the bullpen as the WooSox lost in the tenth frame. Blake Wehunt took the first five innings of Saturday’s contest, finishing with a respectable line of three runs on five hits. Wehunt allowed two walks and struck out just one, his third consecutive start with one strikeout. Sam McWilliams took the sixth inning, spinning a one-hit frame as he earned his first Triple-A hold of the season. McWilliams punched out two before Noah Song got the call. Song took the next two innings, letting up two runs on two hits, walking two and striking out four as Buffalo took the lead. Tyler Samaniego entered next and staved off the Bisons as Worcester forced extras. Samaniego gave up one hit and struck out one before Wyatt Olds took a high-stakes tenth inning. However, Olds couldn’t answer the call as he gave up two runs (one unearned) on two hits, striking out two as Buffalo took a late lead that proved fatal. The WooSox put together an impressive offensive performance despite the late loss, garnering 11 hits and drawing ten walks. Worcester fell far short when it came to driving runs in, going a measly 3-for-18 with RISP and stranding a staggering 17 baserunners. Romy Gonzalez led the way with three RBIs on four hits as he continued to build back to a big league call-up. Gonzalez got the WooSox on the board with an RBI single in the first inning, scoring Mickey Gasper. Down two in the second inning, Brett Harris scored on a wild pitch as Worcester narrowed the gap. Gonzales then drove in Franklin Arias and Nate Eaton as the WooSox took a one-run lead. Down one with runners on the corners in the eighth inning, Mikey Romero blooped a fly ball to shallow left as Mickey Gasper scored, tying the game. Worcester couldn’t compete in the end as they failed to score on multiple occasions, falling by two. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets): 1-4 Season Record: 58-54 Portland lost by double digits for the second time in five games as its August woes continued to pile up. Mike Sansone got the start for Portland, struggling through four frames of shoddy pitching. Sansone let up five runs on six hits and issued three walks. The one positive for the 26-year-old came in the strikeout column, where he compiled six punchouts. Jeremy Wu-Yelland got the ball next, but struggled even more than Sansone. Over one and ⅔ innings, Wu-Yelland let up another five runs on four hits and issued four walks. He struck out two before Steven Brooks took over towards the end of the sixth. Brooks was solid, allowing two unearned runs on two hits as he struck out three in two and ⅓ innings. Erik Rivera took the first two outs of the ninth, allowing two runs (one unearned) on one hit and issuing two walks before outfielder Nelly Taylor took the final out of Saturday’s blowout. Portland was just as unsuccessful on the other side of the ball, scoring just twice as they stranded nine runners. Portland’s pair of runs came in the fourth inning as Max Ferguson scored Yoeilin Cespedes on a ground out and Ahbram Liendo scored Mason White on an RBI single. The Sea Dogs were otherwise silent as they fell without much protest. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers): 2-3 Season Record: 49-61 Akin to their fellow affiliate teams, the Drive struggled with RISP on Saturday, falling 4-2. Dylan Brown spun an excellent start on Saturday evening, turning in three one-hit innings as he fended off Hub City. He walked two and struck out four before Shea Sprague took over in the fourth. Sprague struggled across four frames, allowing four runs on seven hits. He issued a pair of walks and struck out three more, exiting following the seventh inning. Trennor O’Donnell took the eighth in one-hit fashion, striking out two as he threw the final frame of Saturday’s game. Two-hit games from Justin Gonzales and Carlos Gutierrez marked the headlines in a disappointing day at the dish for Greenville. Going just 1-for-11 with RISP and stranding ten, the Drive couldn’t make it happen in a close game. Both of the Drive’s runs came in the third inning. Gonzales drew a bases-loaded walk before Jake Schaffner grounded out as Antonio Anderson crossed home. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles): 2-3 Season Record: 49-62 Just like Greenville, Salem mustered just one hit with RISP as the Yaks stranded 11 runners in a 7-3 loss. After spinning a scoreless start last time around, Sadbiel Delzine struggled through a three-inning start on Saturday night. The top prospect let up three runs on six hits as he struck out a pair in his third Low-A start. Barrett Morgan made his first appearance since late June and saw encouraging results. In a two-inning outing, Morgan struck out two and allowed one unearned run on one hit. Cam Padgett made his second appearance with Salem, but was less successful than his first go-around. Padgett let up three earned runs on four hits and issued a pair of walks. He struck out one before Yermain Ruiz struck out two in the final frame of Saturday’s loss. Salem compiled nine hits and drew five walks, but fell short when it came time to drive in runners. D'Angelo Ortiz and Anderson Fermin had two hits apiece, and Josue Brito drew a pair of walks. All of Salem’s runs came late, with Wills Maginnis putting the Yaks on the board with his first professional homer in the eighth inning. Franklin Primera stepped to the plate next and launched a solo shot of his own past the right-field wall as Salem cut the lead to five. Colton Coates recorded his first professional RBI as he drove home D’Angelo Ortiz on a sac fly in the ninth inning. View full article

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays): 2-2 Season Record: 62-51 Worcester fell 6-2 amidst a rough night at the plate. On the other side of the ball, Gage Ziehl made his second Triple-A start. He turned in a five-inning, three-run effort as he let up six hits. Ziehl issued one walk and struck out five batters before being pulled as his ERA rose to 2.53. Angel Bastardo took the sixth inning, but was pulled after just two outs. Bastardo allowed one run on three hits, issued two walks, and struck out one before being replaced by John Brebbia. Brebbia struggled as well, but he was able to put together a multi-inning appearance. He allowed two runs on three hits, walked one, and struck out another across two and ⅓ innings. Finally, Raymond Burgos came in for a near-perfect ninth inning. He allowed one hit as he struck out two and closed out a loss for Worcester. The WooSox mustered six hits and drew four walks on offense, but fell short when it came time to drive runs home. A 1-for-6 mark with runners in scoring position was good for just two runs as the WooSox lost by four. The team's pair of runs came early. In the first, Romy Gonzales put the WooSox ahead with a sac fly, scoring Braiden Ward. The lead was short-lived as Buffalo led by two the next time Worcester scored. Nate Eaton drove in Tsung-Che Cheng by way of a sacrifice double play as Ward was thrown out at second after a leaping grab by the Buffalo second baseman. Ward stole two bags throughout Friday’s action, ending the day with 53. Ward is just shy of the Worcester record set by David Hamilton with 57 bags stolen in 2023. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets): 1-3 Season Record: 58-53 Portland snapped a three-game skid with a resounding 10-3 win behind a solid start from Devin Futrell. Futrell made his second start at Double-A on Friday evening, turning in a five-inning outing with a solid final stat line. He allowed two runs on five hits, displaying excellent command as he didn’t issue a walk. In addition, Futrell sat down eight on strikes before Cooper Adams took over. Adams pitched through two smooth innings before running into trouble in the eighth. He was pulled after allowing one run on four hits and notching two strikeouts as he was replaced by Tyler Davis. Davis was excellent as he finished the eighth and closed the ninth, allowing one hit and striking out another as he sealed the convincing win. All but one of the Sea Dogs batters recorded a hit on Friday, but each batter reached base safely at least once. Jack Winnay led the way with three hits and two RBIs, and Nelly Taylor backed him up with a three-RBI performance. After Henry Godbout tallied his first Double-A hit in the first inning, Winnay drove him in with a two-run homer. Yoeilin Cespedes tacked on one more as he drove in Brooks Brannon on an RBI single later in the first. Nate Baez capped off the early onslaught with a sac fly to center, scoring Miguel Bleis. Owners of a two-run lead in the fourth, the Sea Dogs pulled way ahead with another four-run inning. Tyler McDonough got it going with a solo shot to lead off the inning before Bleis drove in Winnay on an RBI double. Leading 6-2, Cespedes drove home his second RBI of the night with another single, scoring Bleis. With the bases loaded, Taylor drove in his first run of the day as he drew a walk, scoring Cespedes. Taylor made his mark again in the seventh, crushing a two-run homer to right field as Max Ferguson rounded the bases, capping off the Sea Dogs’ best offensive showing of the series. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers): 2-2 Season Record: 49-60 An eight-run offensive pop in the fifth inning carried the Drive to an 8-3 win. Jason Gilman turned in a four-inning appearance in his second start at High-A as he struck out seven for the second straight start. Gilman allowed two runs on three hits and issued two walks, but it was a slight improvement over his first start with Greenville. Luis Cohen entered in the fifth inning in search of his first win of the season. He went home happy after earning the win for his bulk relief appearance. It was a deserved win for Cohen, who allowed one unearned run on one hit as he struck out four in one of his most successful appearances of the season thus far. Calvin Bickerstaff took the final two frames of Friday’s contest. Bickerstaff was flawless through the eighth and ninth as his perfect appearance helped secure Greenville’s first win in two games. Stanley Tucker, Gerardo Rodriguez, and Isaiah Jackson all recorded two RBIs on Friday night as Greenville was especially effective with RISP, finishing with a 3-for-5 mark. Maximus Martin got the Drive on the board in the fifth inning, cutting into Hub City’s two-run lead as he drove in Jackson on a groundout to first. Tucker grabbed the lead for Greenville later in the inning, driving in Martin and Yophery Rodriguez on a line drive single to right field. Justin Gonzales kept the momentum going as he scored Tucker on a line drive single of his own. G. Rodriguez scored Gonzales and Carlos Gutierrez with a single to center. G. Rodriguez was then driven home as Jackson capped off the eight-run assault with his 18th homer of the season to right-center. The Drive’s offense stopped altogether after the fifth inning, but it was more than enough to hand them the easy win. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore Orioles): 2-2 Season Record: 49-61 Salem’s bats were hot throughout the evening as the Yaks claimed a 9-3 victory. Salem’s bats weren’t the only thing that went well for the RidgeYaks on Friday. The pitching staff was solid from start to finish as they conceded just three runs. Leighton Finley got the start and hurled four one-run frames, striking out three. Finley issued four walks and allowed five hits, but kept the scoring to a minimum before Nicolas De La Cruz took over. De La Cruz earned the win for his two and ⅔ inning relief job. He allowed two runs on four hits, issued three walks, and struck out a pair as he claimed his fifth win of the season. Wuilliams Rodriguez closed out Friday’s matchup for Salem, walking one and allowing a hit across two and ⅓ innings of outstanding work. The Yaks tallied nine hits and drew seven walks, going 6-for-12 with RISP as they cruised to a dominant win. Andruw Musett led the charge with three RBIs as Kleyver Salazar and Anderson Fermin followed up with two hits apiece. Musett’s RBIs came early as he gave Salem a three-run lead in the second inning. With Andrews Opata and Skylar King aboard, Musett cranked a three-run blast to center field, his third of the year. Salazar added onto the early lead with an RBI single later in the inning, scoring Wills Maginnis from second. In the fifth, Opata made his mark as he drove Salazar home on a standup triple to the gap in right-center. Opata scored as King reached on a fielder’s choice later in the inning. Fermin scored King on a line drive single to cap off the three-run spurt. Maginnis scored Fermin in the eighth inning on a groundball single to left field before Maginnis scored on a Franklin Primera double, rounding out a solid offensive showing. View full article

It was another busy Sunday for the Boston Red Sox's farm system. Let's recap all the action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies): 4-2 Season Record: 60-49 The WooSox squandered a five-run lead late as they dropped the series finale. Blake Wehunt got the nod to kick off Sunday’s contest and turned in a respectable appearance. Across 3⅓ innings, Wehunt allowed one run on two hits and issued one walk. He struck out another before turning the ball over to Osvaldo Berrios in the fourth inning. Berrios was just as successful as Wehunt, allowing one run across 2⅔ innings. Berrios sat down four on strikes. John Brebbia, who recently signed a minor league contract with Boston, made his first appearance in a Worcester uniform. Brebbia got his WooSox tenure off to a strong start, throwing a perfect seventh inning as he struck out one. The game slipped away as Wyatt Olds took the bump in the ninth inning. After throwing a scoreless eighth, Olds allowed five runs (three unearned) on three hits in the ninth as Lehigh Valley took a late lead. Angel Bastardo entered to clean up the mess and allowed one hit, but it was too little too late. The WooSox momentum carried over to Sunday afternoon as a solid offensive performance was spoiled by the bullpen. In the third inning, Vinny Capra tied the ballgame at one run apiece on a soft bunt single, advancing to second on a throwing error as Kristian Campbell scored. One inning later, Nate Eaton put the WooSox on top with a line drive single to center field, scoring Mikey Romero. In the fifth, Romero tacked on another with a bases-loaded single that scored Campbell. With the bases still loaded, Mickey Gasper drove in Capra and Braiden Ward with a single. Worcester wasn’t done as Eaton stepped to the plate. He drove Romero home again as Worcester jumped on a five-run lead. Despite batting an impressive 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position, the WooSox couldn’t respond to Lehigh Valley’s five-run ninth inning as they fell by a thin margin. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 3-3 Season Record: 57-50 Led by Mason White’s four RBIs, Portland avenged its brutal loss on Saturday with a hard-fought effort on Sunday. Jedixson Paez started the afternoon for Portland, turning in three innings of solid work. Across three frames, Paez let up two runs on four hits as he struck out four batters. Caleb Bolden got the ball in the fourth inning and earned the win for his two-inning effort. Bolden allowed three runs (one unearned) on two hits. He issued two walks and struck out two more before turning the ball over to Joe Vogatsky. Vogatsky allowed one run and issued one walk, but left New Hampshire hitless as he struck out three in two innings. Max Carlson took the final two frames of Sunday’s ballgame, allowing two hits and striking out one as he sealed the win and secured the series split. The Sea Dogs went 3-for-6 with RISP as multi-hit games from White and Ronald Rosario helped pave the way for Portland’s win. White gave the Sea Dogs a one-run lead early as he clubbed his second homer of the year to right center in the second inning. After New Hampshire tied the game, Ahbram Liendo put the Sea Dogs back on top with an RBI single in the third, scoring Max Ferguson. Will Turner drove in Liendo and Miguel Bleis with his 13th homer of the season as Portland got out to a four-run lead. In the fourth, Ferguson added one more run, grounding out to first as White scored. In the fifth, White put the game firmly out of reach with his second homer of the game. The towering blast to right field scored Rosario and Brooks Brannon as White tacked on three more runs. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Hudson Valley Renegades (New York Yankees): 2-4 Season Record: 47-58 The Drive fell in extra innings amidst a high-scoring showdown, losing 15-12. Matt Duffy started the afternoon for Greenville, but was pulled after just ⅔ of an inning. In his short appearance, Duffy allowed three runs on two hits and walked three as the Renegades jumped out to an early lead. Griffin Kilander provided some stability from the bullpen in an early relief appearance. Across 3⅓ innings, Kilander allowed two hits as he shut out Hudson Valley, striking out three. Luis Cohen made an appearance next, allowing one run on four hits and two Ks across one and ⅔ innings. Calvin Bickerstaff got the call following Cohen, and saw moderate success. He allowed three runs (two unearned) on two hits, issued one walk, and struck out two as he kept the Drive in the game. Trennor O’Donnell made a bulk appearance next, but the game began to slip away towards the end of his outing. Across four innings, O’Donnell allowed eight runs (three unearned) on six hits. He issued two walks and struck out a pair, but Hudson Valley was too much for the righty as he let the game get away. Catcher Hudson White took the final out of the game in uneventful fashion as Greenville lost in a marathon game. Luke Heyman and Ronny Hernandez recorded three RBIs apiece as Greenville was able to stay in the game late. Hernandez got the Drive on the board in the second inning, cutting a three-run deficit to two with a fly ball single to left field. Heyman and Carlos Gutierrez scored on the hit. Hernandez then tied the game two innings later as he drove Gutierrez home on another single. With the bases loaded in the fifth, Gutierrez, who was recently acquired alongside Erik Miller, drew a walk that scored Gerardo Rodriguez. In the sixth, Owen Hull drove in Antonio Anderson on a sharp single to right field before Heyman scored Justin Gonzales and Jake Schaffner on a double to left. Down by two runs in the ninth, Gonzales brought the Drive within one after he scored Stanley Tucker on a single to center. Facing an 0-2 count with two outs and the bases loaded, Hull tapped a ball to second base that should have ended the game. Instead, however, the throw pulled the first baseman off the bag as Anderson scored, tying the game and forcing extras. After Hudson Valley put up two in the eleventh, Anderson responded with a two-run shot, tying the game at 11 runs each as Tucker crossed home. Facing a four-run deficit in the 12th inning, Heyman scored Rodriguez as the Drive inched closer, but it was all Greenville could muster as they lost late. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): 4-1 Season Record: 47-59 Salem’s Sunday afternoon matchup was postponed due to inclement weather. A make-up date hasn’t yet been provided. View full article

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies): 4-1 Season Record: 60-48 Saturday was a tale of two debuts and an electric performance at the plate as Worcester dominated in a 19-0 rout. Gage Ziehl made his first start in Triple-A and exceeded expectations. Ziehl turned in five and ⅔ innings of shutout, two-hit ball as he racked up eight strikeouts. He paved the way for the offensive onslaught before being replaced by Devin Sweet. Sweet finished the sixth inning and took the seventh as well. Sweet allowed one hit, issued one walk, and sat one batter down on strikes. Tyler Samaniego pitched through an uneventful eighth inning, walking one and striking out another. Nathan Hickey, the WooSox regular catcher, took the ninth inning of the blowout and hurled a perfect inning of work. It was a masterclass from the WooSox staff, who allowed just five baserunners all game. Adley Rutschman made his Red Sox organizational debut as Mikey Romero achieved a feat no Worcester player has achieved before him. In an abbreviated five-inning rehab appearance, Rutschman went 1-for-2 and drew two walks. His first hit as a Red Sox? An RBI double to the corner in right field that scored two. Romy Gonzales got the scoring started early, driving in Rutschman with a single in the first inning. Allan Castro kept it going, scoring Romero on a soft liner to center. Gonzales came around to score on a wild pitch before Tsung-Che Cheng scored Castro and Kristian Campbell on a single to right field. In the second, Romero recorded his second hit of the evening. He hit a towering home run to right-center that drove home Nate Eaton. Romero went an astounding 6-for-6 as he drove in two runs in a historic afternoon, becoming the first player in WooSox history to record six hits in a game. In the fourth, Cheng was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, advancing Romero home. The next batter, Braiden Ward, was hit as well, and Castro scored. Rutschman’s double scored Cheng and Vinny Capra before Eaton scored Ward and Rutschman, giving Worcester a 13-run lead. Campbell’s fifth homer of the year scored Castro and tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning. In the sixth, Castro drove in Eaton on a sac fly, and in the seventh, Jason Delay drove in Capra the same way. In the eighth, Campbell scored Romero via a groundout before Castro scored as Ward was hit by another pitch. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 2-3 Season Record: 56-50 Portland was on the other side of a rout, losing 14-0 in a disappointing game all-around. Mike Sansone got the start on Saturday night and looked good through four innings. However, it all fell apart in the fifth as Sansone let up four runs. He exited the game after allowing six earned runs on nine hits, issuing one walk and punching out three. Steven Brooks, who was recently assigned to Portland, made his first appearance with the Sea Dogs, but it was one to forget. Brooks allowed three runs on five hits in his debut before being replaced by Erik Rivera in the eighth inning. Rivera struggled in just ⅔ of an inning, allowing three runs on no hits as he walked two. Second baseman Ahbram Liendo was called in to finish the game as Portland waved the white flag. Liendo allowed two runs on two hits in his ⅓ of an inning-long appearance before finally getting the last out of Saturday’s disaster. Portland was nearly nonexistent at the plate, generating just six baserunners as they were shut out. Singles from Nate Baez, Matt Turner, Jack Winnay, and Nelly Tayler as well as a double from Ronald Rosario made up all the action on Saturday as the Sea Dogs fell without a whimper. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Hudson Valley Renegades (New York Yankees): 2-3 Season Record: 47-57 A dismal day from the dish and a shaky outing on the rubber left Greenville complacent as they fell 8-2. Dylan Brown struggled in the first few frames of his five-inning start, but smoothed things out in the final two innings. Brown lost his seventh game of the year as he allowed five runs on nine hits despite notching nine strikeouts. Shea Sprague entered in relief but struggled as well. He allowed two more runs (one unearned) on four hits as Hudson Valley started to run away with the ballgame. Sprague struck out five and issued two walks in two and ⅔ innings. Matt McShane took the final one and ⅓ frames of Saturday’s contest, allowing one more run on four hits as he struck out two amid a game to forget for the Drive’s staff. Greenville wasn’t silent at the dish, but they struggled heavily when it came to driving runs home. Yophery Rodriguez and Stanley Tucker recorded two hits apiece, and Isaiah Jackson drew two walks. Greenville struggled with runners in scoring position, going an abysmal 0-for-15 when it mattered the most and stranding eight runners. Single-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Houston Astros): 4-1 Season Record: 47-59 An excellent bullpen performance and a three-hit outing from Louis Andujar helped Salem to a 6-2 victory. Leighton Finley turned in a solid start on Saturday night, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out five as he lowered his ERA to 4.87 and won his sixth game of the season. Caden Vire was the first pitcher called from the bullpen, and he didn’t disappoint. He allowed two hits and issued two walks through one and ⅓ innings before Nicolas De La Cruz entered. De La Cruz finished the seventh and completed the eighth without much trouble. He issued three walks and struck out two but preserved the win for Salem. Harry Blum sealed the victory for good with his ninth-inning performance. He issued one walk and struck out another as Salem won its second consecutive game. Andujar led the way for the RidgeYaks with three hits as Andrews Opata drove in two. Andruw Musett got Salem on the board in the second inning with a single to center field as Andujar scored. Musett then scored via a balk as Salem took a one-run lead. Andujar drove in Franklin Primera on a double to left field in the third inning. Opata drove in Adonys Guzman and Andujar on a single later in the inning as Salem extended its lead. A double steal by Henry Godbout and Starlyn Nunez in the fourth inning put an exclamation point on Salem’s win as Godbout stole home. View full article

It's trade deadline day! Before we welcome any newcomers or say goodbye to any old friends, let's recap all of the Boston Red Sox's minor-league action from Sunday. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles): 5-1 Season Record: 55-47 An excellent day from the pitching staff helped Worcester to victory amid a subdued offensive effort. Raymond Burgos took the first five innings of Sunday afternoon’s matchup, pitching to the tune of one run on three hits. Burgos struck out four as he won his third game of the season. Eduardo Rivera got the ball for the sixth and seventh innings, issuing two walks amid a shutout appearance. Rivera struck out three as he lowered his ERA to 2.61. Seth Martinez followed Rivera with a perfect inning of ball before Tyler Uberstine hurled a perfect inning of his own. Uberstine closed the game with two strikeouts as Worcester won yet again. Franklin Arias sat on Sunday afternoon and the rest of Worcester’s lineup struggled. The WooSox recorded just five hits and two RBIs, but were able to draw six walks. Mikey Romero accounted for one of Worcester’s RBIs in the third inning. He scored Braiden Ward on a line drive single as Worcester grabbed an early lead. Ward drove in two more in the fifth, scoring Tsung-Che Cheng and Vinny Capra on a single to center. In the seventh, Ward scored once more on a wild pitch as Worcester was able to steal a win from Norfolk. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals): 3-3 Season Record: 53-47 An excellent afternoon on the mound and a potent offensive showing led Portland to a 12-2 drubbing of Harrisburg. Gage Ziehl rebounded from a shaky start last time around with six innings of one-run ball. The 23-year-old nabbed his sixth win of the season as he struck out eight across six frames. He allowed six hits and issued one walk, but kept the damage to a minimum. Tyler Davis got the ball in the seventh and turned in a two-frame outing, allowing one run. Cooper Adams completed the win for Portland with a near-perfect outing. He issued two walks but struck out a pair in an inning of closing work. Every batter in Portland’s lineup reached base for the second straight contest, and Yoeilin Cespedes recorded his first Double-A knock. Matt Frazier and Ronald Rosario drove in three runs apiece as they led the Sea Dogs. Max Ferguson drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth, scoring Rosario. Frazier then doubled, clearing the bases and scoring Mason White, Will Turner, and Ferguson. Turner added to the three-run lead with an RBI double in the sixth, scoring Nate Baez. Turner and Ferguson were then driven home on a Tyler McDonough single to right field. Cespedes tacked on two more with a single to left, scoring Frazier and McDonough. After Brooks Brannon reached later in the inning, Ronald Rosario capped off an eight-run outburst with a three-run homer as Portland won in easy fashion. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros): 6-0 Season Record: 44-54 Greenville completed the six-game series sweep as the 2026 draftees continued to get off to a hot start. Matt Duffy got the start in the series finale on Sunday afternoon, turning in an abbreviated start. Across 3⅔ innings, Duffy allowed three runs on three hits and issued two walks. On the bright side for Duffy, he struck out six batters as he set a season high. Adam Bates took over following Duffy’s exit but struggled from the start. Bates allowed four runs on two hits as he walked four. He struck out two before Matt McShane took over. McShane steadied the game for Greenville, throwing 2⅓ innings of shutout, one-hit pitching. He walked two and struck out a pair as he earned the win. Calvin Bickerstaff took over in the eighth and went the distance, closing out the win for the Drive. He allowed two hits but staved off the Tourists as Greenville rolled to another win. Greenville’s bats stayed hot on Sunday, scoring 11 runs for the second consecutive game. Jake Schaffner and Maximus Martin had three RBIs each as Owen Hull led the team with three hits. Enddy Azocar started the scoring for the Drive, driving in Stanley Tucker on a solo home run in the third inning as the Drive took the lead. Martin struck next, scoring Hull and Ronny Hernandez in the fourth on a three-run jack, his second of the year. Down by two runs in the seventh, Schaffner stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. He was unfazed despite the high-pressure situation, tripling to right field and clearing the bases as Tucker, Azocar, and Justin Gonzales all scored. Schaffner was then driven in on a Gerardo Rodriguez double as Greenville grabbed a two-run lead. In the ninth, Hull added an insurance run as he scored Gonzales on a double. Hernandez then drove Hull in on a single, capping off another great offensive effort from Greenville. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox): 2-4 Season Record: 43-58 It was the same story on a different night for Salem as the bullpen faltered despite a solid offensive effort. 18-year-old Williams Montero got the ball in his second start for Salem, turning in an excellent performance. Across 3⅓ innings, the young pitcher allowed just one baserunner as he struck out four. Despite the solid start, Leighton Finley was disappointing as he relieved Montero in a bulk role. Finley kept Kannapolis scoreless until the seventh, when he allowed two runs. Then, in the eighth he allowed two more before being pulled. Finley finished with a line of four runs, six hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. Caden Vire was called in from the bullpen, but struggled in his second appearance with Salem. He allowed four more runs on two hits, walking two and striking out one in a brief ⅓-inning appearance. Luis Cohen entered to close the eighth and allowed one hit as he struck out one. The Yaks recorded nine hits on offense, but struggled to drive runners home as they went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Salem struck first with a pair of homers in the third inning. Franklin Primera went yard with Henry Godbout aboard before Skylar King left the yard, giving Salem an early 3-0 lead. Salem wouldn’t score again until the ninth inning when Godbout scored on a Kleyver Salazar single. View full article

Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles): 4-1 Season Record: 55-47 With Franklin Arias starting at second for the second straight night, Worcester won its fourth straight in an extra-innings thriller. Alec Gamboa took the mound to start Saturday’s matchup with Norfolk, turning in a solid effort across four and ⅔ innings. He allowed one run on four hits, issuing one walk and striking out four. Gamboa turned the ball over to Devin Sweet with two outs in the fifth. Sweet contributed two innings of one-run ball, allowing two hits and walking one. Tyler Samaniego finished the seventh inning and pitched through the eighth following Sweet’s exit. Samaniego allowed one hit and walked one across his appearance, striking out one before Hobie Harris entered the game. Harris closed the game strongly in extras, allowing one run and striking out two as he helped Worcester to its fourth straight win. Worcester saw limited offensive production and a lowly 1-for-9 line with runners in scoring position but was able to capitalize late. Early in the first inning, Andrew Knizner put the WooSox in front as he reached on a fielder’s choice, sending Nate Eaton home. After a four-RBI showcase on Friday, Arias showed no signs of slowing down. In the second, Arias doubled to left field, scoring Kristian Campbell. After Norfolk tied the game in the seventh, Eaton stepped to the plate with one out in the tenth. With Braiden Ward standing at second, Eaton launched a ball to left field, clearing the wall. His late blast put the WooSox ahead as they won on his heroics. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals): 2-3 Season Record: 53-47 Portland won behind a four-run sixth inning and a clutch bullpen performance from Michael Sansone. Jedixson Paez started the contest for the Sea Dogs, who were playing as the Maine Whoopie Pies. Paez ran into trouble early, allowing four runs in the first three innings of the contest. He steadied himself later, however, exiting the game after five frames. He allowed four runs on seven hits and struck out four. Down one run in the top of the sixth, Portland needed Michael Sansone to lock the game down. Sansone delivered, allowing three hits across a four-inning shutout relief appearance. Sansone issued two walks and struck out two as he closed the game. Every batter reached base at least once for Portland amidst a solid day at the dish. Johanfran Garcia led the way with two hits and an RBI. Down by four in the third inning, Brooks Brannon got the Sea Dogs on the board with a sac fly scoring Tyler McDonough. Later in the inning, Miguel Bleis drove in Jack Winnay on a single as Portland slashed the deficit in half. Two innings later Garcia inched the Sea Dogs closer with a sac fly that scored Winnay. After Will Turner drew a leadoff walk to begin the sixth inning, Max Ferguson drove him home with a bang. Ferguson tripled into the corner of left field as Turner crossed home, tying the game. One batter later, Ahbram Liendo drove Ferguson home on a double as Portland took the lead. Once it gained the lead, Portland didn’t look back. Mason White tacked on one more as he drove Liendo in on a single to right field. Winnay completed the offensive surge as he drove in McDonough on a double play. The burst was enough to lift Portland to a hard-fought win. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros): 5-0 Season Record: 44-54 Greenville cruised to its sixth straight win in the professional debuts of top draft picks Owen Hull and Jake Schaffner. Dylan Brown, a 2025 draft pick, turned in one of his best starts of the year on Saturday evening. Brown went the distance, pitching into the seventh inning. He allowed two runs (one unearned) on three hits and issued a walk. Brown struck out nine batters, the most in over a month, before being replaced by Shea Sprague with one out in the seventh. Sprague closed the game without much trouble. He allowed one run on three hits and issued three walks as he struck out three. His effort sealed the win for Greenville as they sit ten games under .500. An offensive outpouring that included a hit from every Greenville batter was more than enough for a win on Saturday night. In his third game with the Drive since returning from injury, Nazzan Zanetello went 4-for-6 with an RBI. The Red Sox’s most recent draftees showed up as well. Hull went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a walk as Schaffner went 2-for-3 with an RBI, scoring three times. Schaffner made his impact felt early, scoring Enddy Azocar in his first professional at-bat on a groundout to second. In the second, Zanetello scored Yophery Rodriguez on a double to left field. Zanetello scored on an RBI single from Stanley Tucker later in the inning. With the bases loaded, Hull came up big. He swung on a ball low in the zone that snuck through the infield, driving in Justin Gonzales and Jake Schaffner. One inning later, Hull reached again on a throwing error as Schaffner scored once more. Gerardo Rodriguez crossed home later in the inning on a Luke Heyman double to right field. In the sixth, Hull made his mark again, scoring Schaffner on a ground ball single to center. With a six-run advantage in the seventh, Azocar added to the lead with a solo homer, his 11th of the season, to right field. Just an inning later, Azocar stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. He delivered a single to center, scoring Heyman. Gonzales completed the 11-run evening later in the eighth with a sac fly, scoring Y. Rodriguez. The Drive tallied 19 runs and drew four walks in one of the most successful offensive days of the season. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox): 2-3 Season Record: 43-57 Despite reaching base 16 times, Salem never led on Saturday and fell behind a rocky start from Jose Bello. Bello, who has been successful throughout the season, limped through a three and ⅓ inning start on Saturday evening. He allowed five runs (one unearned) on seven hits, and he registered just one strikeout. Harry Blum entered and pitched one and ⅔ innings of hitless relief following the quick exit. Blum issued three walks and struck out three before Wuilliams Rodriguez took over. Rodriguez allowed two runs on three hits over two innings as the game slipped further out of reach. He walked two before Nicolas De La Cruz took the final frame of the night. Across the inning, De La Cruz walked three and allowed a run on one hit, striking out two. D’Angelo Ortiz and Franklin Primera had three hits apiece, and Kleyver Salazar drove in two as the Yaks came up short at the dish. Salazar got the Yaks on the board in the fifth. Facing a five-run deficit, Salazar scored Primera and Starlyn Nunez on a line drive to left field. Three innings later, Skylar King scored Primera on a sac fly before Ortiz scored Adonys Guzman on a double to left field. Guzman reached on an error in the ninth as Ilan Fernandez scored, capping off a disappointing day for Salem as they fell by three. View full article

It's trade deadline time! Let's check in on all of the Boston Red Sox's affiliates as various prospects audition for other teams around the league. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Norfolk Tides (Baltimore Orioles): 3-1 Season Record: 54-47 The WooSox won behind an explosive 10th inning and a great game from Franklin Arias. Seth Martinez opened what was a bullpen game for Worcester, turning in an inning of two-run work. He allowed the pair of runs on four hits, walking one and striking out another. Osvaldo Berrios entered next and despite issuing four walks and allowing a hit, Berrios kept the Tides scoreless through his inning and a third of work. Noah Song took over in the third following Berrios and worked through 2⅓ innings, the longest appearance of any WooSox pitcher on Friday. He allowed one run on a hit and two walks, striking out four before Tyler Uberstine got the call. Uberstine allowed a hit and struck out one in 1⅓ frames. Sam McWilliams took the mound next, spinning a perfect two innings for Worcester as he struck out four batters. Angel Bastardo then shoved an inning of one-hit, three strikeout ball, earning the win for the evening. Wyatt Olds took the bottom of the tenth, intent on preserving Worcester’s lead. He succeeded, but not without trouble. He allowed three runs (one unearned) on two hits as he closed out the win. After going hitless in his first two games with Worcester, Arias showed out on Friday evening. The top prospect went 3-for-5 with a walk and four RBIs as he helped lead Worcester to a late win. Andrew Knizner also turned in a three-hit performance, driving in a run. Arias got the WooSox started early, settling in with a leadoff home run in the first inning. Knizner followed Arias with an RBI double later in the inning, scoring Mikey Romero. Down by one run in the seventh, Arias took it upon himself to tie the ballgame. He drove Tsung-Che Cheng home with his first Triple-A double. In the tenth, Brett Harris gave Worcester the lead on a single to left field, scoring Braiden Ward. Jason Delay added to the lead with a soft single to short, scoring Allan Castro. Harris then scored on a Kristian Campbell single to center as Delay advanced to second. Cheng drove in Delay on a single to right before Arias drove in Cheng and Campbell on a single, capping off a six-run tenth inning. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Harrisburg Senators (Washington Nationals): 1-3 Season Record: 52-47 Portland’s bullpen fell apart late, wasting an outstanding effort from Anthony Eyanson. Eyanson lasted 4⅔ innings and made full use of his outing. Of the 20 batters Eyanson faced, ten were sent back to the dugout on strikes, a season high for the Red Sox No. 2 prospect. Eyanson allowed two runs on four hits, issuing two walks before Jeremy Wu-Yelland took over. Wu-Yelland finished the fifth inning and opened the sixth, allowing two runs on one hit and five walks. Reidis Sena took over in the sixth, but earned the loss for his poor performance on Friday. Across 2⅔ innings, Sena allowed three runs on five hits and a walk. He struck out four but it wasn’t enough to stop the game from getting away. Center fielder Matt Frazier took the final frame of action in his first career pitching appearance. He allowed two runs on two hits and issued three walks, but struck out three in Portland’s loss. The Sea Dogs reached base 19 times, but left 15 runners on base and went a lowly 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Ronald Rosario helped Portland take the lead in the third inning as he reached on a fielding error, scoring Jack Winnay and Brooks Brannon. Brannon tied the game in the sixth, scoring Ahbram Liendo and Nelly Taylor on a sharp single to left field. After going down by two runs again, Will Turner tied the game in the seventh, scoring Nate Baez on a two-run shot, his 11th of the year. The Sea Dogs’ offense wasted a solid start and let the opportunity for victory slip through their hands as they failed to capitalize in key moments. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros): 4-0 Season Record: 43-54 A massive seven-run sixth inning lifted Greenville to its fifth straight win. Devin Futrell was a large part of Greenville’s success on Friday night as he turned in six innings of shutout pitching. Futrell was excellent, allowing four hits and issuing three walks as he struck out eight and earned his fifth win of the season. Trennor O’Donnell got the ball going into the seventh and turned in two shaky innings of work. He allowed three runs on five hits and two walks, but didn’t fully let the game get away from him. Joey Gartrell took the final inning of Friday’s contest. He allowed one run on three hits, issuing one walk and striking out two as he closed out the win. On the other side of the ball, Greenville went 3-for-7 with RISP as Hudson White drove in three runs. Antonio Anderson got the Drive on the board in the second inning, driving in Ronny Hernandez on a bases-loaded groundout. In the sixth, the Drive exploded for seven runs. Yoeilin Cespedes kickstarted the rally as he crossed home on a wild pitch. Maximus Martin then drove in Luke Heyman on a single to center, advancing Hernandez to second. Hernandez then scored on a Stanley Tucker sac fly. With Martin and Yophery Rodriguez aboard, Hudson White added three runs with his first homer of the season. Isaiah Jackson then stepped to the plate and launched his 15th homer of the season, going back-to-back with White and capping off a monstrous inning. The Drive didn’t score again, but it wasn’t necessary as they rolled to a four-run win. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (Chicago White Sox): 2-2 Season Record: 43-56 Sadbiel Delzine, who impressed through two and a half months in the Florida Complex League, made his second Low-A start on Friday night. He turned in an excellent 4⅓ inning appearance, allowing one run on two hits. Delzine issued two walks and struck out five of the 17 batters he faced before Ethan Walker took over. Walker struggled through 2⅔ innings, allowing three runs on two hits. He issued four walks and struck out two. Yermain Ruiz took the ninth frame, allowing two more runs on two hits as Kannapolis put the ballgame out of reach. All but two of Salem’s batters tallied at least one hit in Friday’s action, but the Yaks struggled to put runs on the board. Adonys Guzman was responsible for both of Salem’s RBIs on Friday. Guzman struck first in the fifth, giving the RidgeYaks a one-run lead following a solo homer to left field. After the Cannon Ballers tied it, Guzman gave Salem the lead once more with a soft single to center, scoring Andrews Opata in Salem’s only hit with RISP on Friday. Salem’s offense didn’t do any damage aside from Guzman as they fell. View full article

Let’s take a trip down to the farm following Sunday’s action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Marlins): 6-0 Season Record: 51-46 Worcester pulled off the six-game sweep with a 4-3 win on Sunday. Michael Sansone, who has bounced between Triple-A and Double-A this season, was in Worcester to start Sunday’s game. He turned in a 3⅔ innings appearance, allowing one run on three hits and notching three punchouts. Hobie Harris came in next and didn’t allow a run for the first time this season. He pitched 1⅓ innings, allowing a hit and a walk as he struck out one. Osvaldo Berrios got the nod next, entering in the sixth inning. He allowed two runs on three hits, striking out three across 2⅔ innings. Tommy Kahnle entered with the game, and the winning streak, on the line. He turned in 1⅓ frames of shutout ball, allowing one hit and striking out two as he sealed the dominant series sweep. A three-hit, two-RBI game from Braiden Ward helped lift the WooSox to victory. Kristian Campbell also notched two hits as he extended a now eight-game hit streak. With Jason Delay on third in the bottom of the third inning, Ward got the WooSox on the board with a line drive double as Delay scored. In the fifth, Campbell gave Worcester the lead on an RBI double to left, driving home Allan Castro. After Jacksonville snagged a one-run lead, Ward struck again in the eighth. He drove in Campbell on a single to right field, tying the game at three runs apiece. Hitless through seven at-bats in Worcester, Franklin Arias gave the WooSox the lead as he reached on a fielding error while Ward raced home. Arias is still seeking that first hit, but his impact is being felt already as he helped push the WooSox to a win. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Binghamton Rumble Ponies: 3-3 Season Record: 51-44 Portland was outhit 15-3 as they fell 8-4 in the series finale. After twirling a five-frame gem his last time around, Gage Ziehl struggled on Sunday afternoon. Across a three-inning start, Ziehl allowed three runs (one unearned) on seven hits and a walk. He struck out four, but had a hard time getting the Sea Dogs off on the right foot. Caleb Bolden got the ball next as the game got away from Portland. Across two innings, Bolden allowed three runs on four hits, issuing two walks. He earned the loss for his shoddy performance on Sunday. Tyler Davis, who was recently called up from High-A Greenville, closed the final three innings of the contest. Davis allowed two more runs on four hits, walking one and striking out four. It was a poor day from the Portland staff as they struggled to curb Binghamton from the outset. Portland was able to drive in four runs on just three hits on Sunday afternoon, drawing four walks and going 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position. Jack Winnay led the way with two RBIs as no Sea Dog recorded a multi-hit game. Max Ferguson led things off for Portland with a sac fly in the first inning, driving in Ahbram Liendo. Two innings later with the game tied 1-1, Winnay gave Portland the lead with a two-run blast over the left field wall, driving in Ferguson. After the Rumble Ponies tied the game once more, Mason White gave Portland a short-lived lead with his first homer of the season on a fly ball to right center. Portland was dead for the rest of the night as they fell in the later stages of the game, splitting the series with Binghamton. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers): 3-3 Season Record: 39-54 After a back-and-forth game, the Drive won in walk-off fashion to secure the series split. Jojo Ingrassia made the start on Sunday afternoon, turning in a solid outing. Ingrassia let up two hits and struck out two across three shutout frames. Matt Duffy got the ball next, but had a shakier outing. Over 3⅓ innings, Duffy allowed two runs on five hits as he struck out four. His ERA rose to a staggering 12.27. Adam Bates entered next, and nearly let the ballgame slip away. Over just 1⅔, frames Bates allowed four runs on three hits as he issued three walks. Joe Vogatsky came in in the ninth and closed the game with a solid one-hit inning, shutting the door on any late heroics from Hub City. The Drive held a lead through the first seven frames of Sunday’s contest, and came up clutch when it mattered the most. Yoeilin Cespedes contributed three RBIs as Enddy Azocar and Isaiah Jackson had two hits each. Jackson got the Drive on the board with a solo homer in the second inning, his 14th of the year. Three innings later, Cespedes made his mark. With Azocar and Justin Gonzales aboard, Cespedes clubbed his 18th homer of the season to left center. Holding a two-run lead in the seventh, Gerardo Rodriguez tacked on another run for Greenville as he sent Azocar home on a ground ball single to left field. Following a four-run eighth inning from Hub City, the Drive needed a hero. Coming off a suspension following an altercation last week, Gonzales made it clear that he was back. With Azocar on second in the bottom of the ninth, Gonzales absolutely demolished a ball over the wall in left center. Gonzales admired his work, taking his time to celebrate with the dugout as he rounded first and won the game for the Drive. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves): 3-3 Season Record: 41-54 Salem had no issue getting on base but struggled to drive runners home as they fell 13-3. Following his call-up to Salem on July 24, Williams Montero made his first Low-A start on Sunday afternoon. However, it was a debut to forget as Montero let up six runs on just one hit in only ⅓ of an inning. He walked four batters before Yermain Ruiz did some early relief work. Ruiz was excellent over 1⅔ innings of cleanup, allowing a hit and a walk as he shut out the GreenJackets. Leighton Finley took over in the third, but he was no better than Montero. Over 4⅔ of bulk relief, Finley allowed seven runs on 11 hits. He issued two walks and struck out four but any chance of victory slipped away quickly. Harry Blum took over following Finley, allowing a hit and issuing two walks before Nicolas De La Cruz took over. De La Cruz shutout Augusta over the final 1⅓ innings with two strikeouts. He walked two but blanked the GreenJackets otherwise. The Yaks drew ten walks and tallied eight hits as they went hitless with runners in scoring position, struggling to drive runners in. Salem scored just three times and got on board in the second inning. Down 6-0 early, Andruw Musett drove in Louis Andujar on a fly ball homer to center, his second of the season. The Yaks’ third and final run came in the seventh inning on Justin Barry’s first Low-A homer of the season. Andrews Opata was the only RidgeYak to record a multi-hit game as he reached base in all five appearances. He went 3-for-3 with two walks, but Salem limped to a crushing defeat. View full article

The first domino has fallen. After months of being involved in mock trades and rumors, pitcher Connelly Early was traded to the Washington Nationals for infielder Curtis Mead over the weekend. A former top-40 prospect, Mead has enjoyed a breakout season in 2026. He’s blasted 17 round-trippers and his underlying metrics suggest that his swing is built for Fenway. Mead’s wRC+ of 134 is good for third on the Boston Red Sox behind Jahmai Jones (in a small sample) and Willson Contreras. He checks the box for a right-handed impact bat, but the roster still has plenty of needs, including potentially another right-handed slugger. While the market for catchers is still largely abstract, there are a few names that could catch chief baseball officer Craig Breslow's eye. Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong have split time behind the plate this season, but between Narvaez’s regression as a hitter and Wong’s inconsistency, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Red Sox make a big splash. Following Shea Langelier's injury, the Sox could turn their sights to Colorado's Hunter Goodman, Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers, or New York’s Francisco Alvarez for some more thump in the lineup. Goodman is having a career year and the Rockies would demand a king's ransom in exchange for the 26-year-old who has three more years of team control. However, Goodman already has 31 homers on the year and would slot in as the Red Sox's best hitter not named Contreras. A slightly more realistic avenue would be the Twins’ Ryan Jeffers. Coming off of a two-month absence due to a hamate bone injury, Jeffers is one of the best rental hitters on the trade market; he's batting close to .300 and would be a worthy addition to the lineup. A free agent after the 2026 season, he wouldn’t be as expensive as Goodman, but the Red Sox would still have to pay a pretty penny. A more under-the-radar candidate would be New York’s Francisco Alvarez. Batting .260 with 12 homers on the year, Alvarez has an OPS of .740 with average defensive metrics. Trading for Alvarez would take a haul due to his immense upside, but he’s under control until 2029 and could help give the Red Sox long-term stability behind the dish. Elsewhere on the roster, Mead will plug in at second base, giving the Red Sox a plethora of infield utility options, but none with consistent or outstanding offensive numbers. Should the team stay complacent at catcher, they could pursue an upgrade at shortstop. Between Trevor Story’s season hampered by injury and Marcelo Mayer’s consistent struggles, an upgrade might be necessary. According to Bob Nightingale of USA Today, the Red Sox would “love” to acquire either the Angel’s Zach Neto or the Astro’s Jeremy Peña. Boston checked in on both players this past offseason, but now a trade seems more likely with the poor offensive production at the position so far this season. Neto is batting .236 with 19 bombs this year and a .771 OPS. While his career high 31.5% strikeout rate is worrying and his defense leaves something to be desired, he’s hit at least 23 homers in the last two seasons and is on pace to surpass that again this season. His swing would fit at Fenway, as all but four of his homers in 2026 have been hit to left field. Peña is another interesting trade candidate. Despite missing the first month of the season due to injury, the Astros’ infielder is having the best year of his career at the plate with a .315 batting average and a .849 OPS. Peña has no issue getting on base, but with just 28 RBIs and nine homers this season, he lacks the pop the Red Sox might be seeking. The Red Sox have also loosely been tied to Nationals’ shortstop C.J. Abrams, but it’s hard to see the Nationals giving up their young star for anything less than a king's ransom. As enticing as a shortstop trade might be, the Red Sox might be reluctant to go big with top prospect Franklin Arias waiting in the wings in Worcester. Boston could try and swing a trade for a rental bat at shortstop before calling on Arias in the coming seasons. The only other position of immediate need for Boston is in the bullpen. Although the Red Sox have one of the best bullpens in the game, a high-leverage reliever to eat late innings is always beneficial, especially if they part ways with Aroldis Chapman. If the Mets decide to blow it all up, a pair of solid relievers could be on the market. Luke Weaver has been nothing short of outstanding in his first year in Queens. A 1.98 ERA through 41 innings speaks for itself, but when you add in a 0.805 WHIP and an xERA of 2.80, you get one of the best relief arms on the market. Right-handed relief isn’t a necessity for Boston, and the Mets would demand a high return, but with a lack of left-handed relief pitching on the market, acquiring Weaver could make Boston’s pen the best in the sport. A.J. Minter is another potential trade chip from the same source. In 22 games this season, Minter has recorded a 2.45 ERA and an impressive 1.045 WHIP. A look under the hood is slightly more worrisome as an xERA of 3.71 dictates some amount of luck is baked into his results. His groundball rate is also 10% lower than the past two seasons. Despite the concerns and being a step down from Weaver, Minter is still a quality arm and could be a more affordable option. Additionally, Minter fills the left-handed relief role the Red Sox are hungry for. Acquiring players at any of the three positions would be a boon at the trade deadline, making a scorching hot Red Sox squad more dangerous in advance of the postseason. View full article

Let’s check in on the farm following Saturday’s action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Miami Marlins): 5-0 Season Record: 50-46 Worcester cruised to a shutout win as Arias tallied an RBI in his long-awaited Triple-A debut. Devin Sweet got the ball rolling for Worcester as he opened the game. He set the tone with two innings of one-hit ball, striking out one. Tyler Samaniego took the mound in the third and earned the win for his perfect two-frame appearance. Noah Song got the ball next. He walked one and struck out one over two innings, but kept the shutout bid alive. Seth Martinez followed with a one-hit shutout inning of his own as he struck out one. Angel Bastardo closed out the win with ease, allowing one hit and notching three K’s as the WooSox pitching staff put on a show. Arias was hitless in four at bats but still drove in his first Triple-A run on a sac fly. Just as Sweet got the WooSox off to a hot start on the mound, Nate Eaton did the same at the dish. In the bottom of the first Eaton launched a solo homer to left field, giving the WooSox an early advantage. Eaton kicked off a four-run first inning with his two-out blast. Worcester loaded the bases before Vinny Capra sent Andrw Knizler and Brett Harris home with a line drive single. Kristian Campbell joined the party, scoring Jason Delay on a single just one batter later. Campbell continued a seven-game hit streak amid a second-half surge. Arias tacked on the final run of the day, driving in Capra on a sac fly to center. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets): 3-2 Season Record: 51-43 Portland recorded just five baserunners as the bullpen crumbled behind a solid start from Anthony Eyanson. Eyanson’s start on Saturday was a short one as he lasted just three frames. He struck out five of the fourteen batters he faced, allowing two hits and issuing three walks. While interim manager Kyle Sasala likely wanted a few more frames from Eyanson, it was by no means an unsuccessful appearance. Jedixson Paez took the mound next. Eyanson and Paez have emerged as a dominant tandem over the past couple months with Paez closing out Eyanson's starts. However, it was a different story on Saturday night. Paez was lit up across 2⅔ innings to the tune of four runs (one unearned) on seven hits. Paez struck out five before Erik Rivera took over. Rivera couldn’t stem the bleeding in his 2⅓ innings. He allowed another run on two hits, striking out three and closing a disappointing day for the Sea Dogs faithful. As disappointing as the bullpen might have been, the offense was even worse. Matt Frazier and Miguel Bleis were the only two batters to record hits, each with a single. Matt Turner, Max Ferguson, and Mason White all recorded walks as well. The five baserunners was all Portland could muster as they fell without much protest. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Hub City Spartanburgers (Texas Rangers): 2-3 Season Record: 38-54 Greenville’s bullpen collapsed and the offense had a hard time getting going as the Drive fell 6-2. Dylan Brown spun a solid start across six frames on Saturday night. Brown allowed two runs on four hits but displayed excellent command as he didn’t issue a walk. He struck out seven batters, the most in nearly a month for the 22-year-old, as he lowered his ERA to 4.14. Shea Sprague entered next and the game began to slip away. Over two innings, Sprague allowed two runs on five hits as he struck out two. His ERA rose to a staggering 8.45 before Trennor O’Donnell took over. O’Donnell allowed two unearned runs, but maintained his perfect 0.00 ERA across the final frame of Saturday’s game. He walked one and allowed one hit. Antonio Anderson went 2-for-3 with a triple in Saturday’s loss, his third of the year. Despite having a sluggish season up until early June, Anderson has turned his season around since then. In the first, Enddy Azocar hit a leadoff triple, immediately putting himself in scoring position. The next batter, Yoeilin Cespedes, gave the Drive an early lead as he drove in Azocar on a single to left field. After Hub City took the lead, Ronny Hernandez tied the ball game with one swing. He launched his eleventh homer of the season to right field in the second inning, tying the game at 2-2. The Drive’s offense struggled the rest of the night as they let up four unanswered runs and went home with a loss. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves): 3-2 Season Record: 41-53 Despite holding a lead through the first eight frames of Saturday's contest, Salem fell behind a late bullpen collapse. Jose Bello got the start on Saturday and continued his excellent season. Across five frames Bello let up three hits and issued two walks but shutout the GreenJackets. He notched four Ks and lowered his ERA to an impressive 2.55 before Ethan Walker got the call from the bullpen. Walker kept up the shutout as he nearly matched Bello’s line. Across two frames, Walker allowed two hits, issued two walks, and struck out four. The shutout died when Luis Cohen entered the ballgame in the eighth inning. Cohen allowed three runs on three hits across two innings, striking out two and issuing a pair of walks. The GreenJackets late offensive surge forced extra innings and Salem called on Jay Allmer to handle it. Unfortunately for the Yaks, Allmer wasn’t up to the job. He allowed three runs (two unearned) on two hits and a walk as his ERA ballooned to 12.46. Salem’s offense couldn’t match Augusta in the bottom of the tenth as they fell late. A solid offensive effort from the top of Salem’s order gave them the lead throughout most of the game, but the RidgeYaks couldn’t make it happen when it mattered most. Franklin Primera and Skylar King led Salem with three hits apiece as Primera and Andrews Opata pitched in two RBIs each. Opata gave Salem the lead in the third inning with an RBI single, driving in Ilan Fernandez and advancing King to third. Primera finished the job, scoring King on a soft liner to first and adding to the lead. Primera struck again in the fifth inning, scoring Opata on another single. After Augusta scored six unanswered runs, Opata tried to spark a rally in the tenth. He scored Ilan Fernandez on a line drive to right field but it wasn’t enough to get the RidgeYaks going. View full article