Ben Lofy

It's Day 2 of the MLB Draft! Let's check in on the guys who are already in the Boston Red Sox's system before we analyze all of the newcomers. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals): 3-2 Season Record: 44-44 Worcester fell by a large margin for the second day in a row, losing 10-3 without much protest. Michael Sansone got the nod to start Saturday’s contest for the WooSox. He got off to a rocky start, allowing three runs in the first two innings en route to a poor five-frame outing. Sansone allowed seven earned runs, including four in the fourth inning, on eight hits. He struck out just three before Noah Song took over. Song saw a little more success, letting up a run on three hits as he struck out three as well. Angel Bastardo took over in the eighth, allowing two more runs as he closed out the game. The two runs came on two hits as Bastardo struck out two, closing out another disappointing loss for Worcester. The WooSox hardly showed up at the plate, generating just three hits. They were able to score three runs, aided by a pair of triples from Nick Sogard and Braiden Ward. Sogard put the WooSox on the board with his triple, driving in Ward in the sixth inning. Two innings later, Ward drove home Max Ferguson, cutting the deficit to seven runs. Vinny Capra then drove Ward in on a ground out to short later in the inning. The eighth-inning effort came much too late as Rochester held a commanding lead for the majority of the game. It was the second night in a row that Worcester fell by six or more runs. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 3-2 Season Record: 46-39 Portland seized an 8-3 win behind another solid start from Blake Wehunt. Wehunt won his third consecutive game for his 5⅔ innings performance on Saturday, racking up six strikeouts. Wehunt allowed three runs on six hits, but didn’t issue a single walk. While he allowed more runs and hits than his two previous starts, Wehunt continued his campaign for a call-up to Triple-A. Jedixson Paez got the ball with two outs in the sixth inning and closed the game with 3⅓ innings of one-hit shutout ball. Paez struck out two as he earned his second save of the season and lowered his ERA to a respectable 3.86. Portland had a great day on the offensive side of the ball, even with Franklin Arias out of the lineup. The Sea Dogs tallied an impressive 16 hits and eight runs. As a team, Portland went an impressive 5-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Ronald Rosario kept up his momentum from Friday’s contest, getting the scoring started with a line drive single that scored Johanfran Garcia and Miguel Bleis. Two innings later, Matt Frazier tacked on one more with a sac fly, scoring Brooks Brannon. In the fourth, Jack Winnay drove in Caden Rose on a ground ball single to right field. Rosario added another RBI, his seventh in the past two games, with another single, scoring Bleis again. In the eighth, the Sea Dogs put the game out of reach as Winnay scored Rose once more. Winnay was then driven home on Raudelis Martinez’s first homer of the season, adding an exclamation point to an emphatic win. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Greensboro Grasshoppers: 4-1 Season Record: 35-48 The Drive won 12-7 after a late offensive awakening and some extra-inning heroics. Devin Futrell got the start on Saturday, coming off a horrendous outing last week in which he allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits in five innings. Futrell saw improvement this time around, lasting 4⅔ innings. He allowed four runs on six hits, issuing just one walk. He struck out five before turning the ball over to Matt Duffy in the fifth inning. Duffy made his first appearance in an affiliate game since September 2024, striking out five across three frames. He allowed three runs on four hits, but it was a successful outing after a long journey back to the mound. Griffin Kilander got the ball in the eighth, and pitched into extras. Kilander earned the win for his 3⅓ innings of dominance. He allowed just one baserunner, via a walk, as he shut down the Grasshoppers offense in extras with four strikeouts. The Drive’s bats were lively on Saturday, driving in 12 runs on 11 hits. Greenville also displayed excellent plate discipline, drawing a collective eight walks and striking out only five times. Enddy Azocar tallied four RBIs on two hits as all but one of the Drive’s starting nine tallied a hit. Azocar put the Drive on the board in the third, tying the game at 1-1 with a solo home run. The Drive’s next run came in the eighth when Gerardo Rodriguez drove in Hudson White and Yoeilin Cespedes on a groundball single as he advanced to third. Rodriguez raced home later in the inning on an Isaiah Jackson RBI single that tied the game at four runs apiece. Facing a three-run deficit in the ninth, Ronny Hernandez got the Drive within striking distance on a solo home run before Cespedes tied the game on a two-run shot that scored White. With the game tied in extras, Antonio Anderson gave the Drive a lead with an RBI single that scored Yophery Rodriguez. With two runners on later in the inning, Enddy Azocar gave Greenville some cushion with his second homer of the game, a three-run blast scoring Anderson and White. Already ahead by four, G. Rodriguez tacked on one more with a solo blast as he put the game firmly out of reach. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): 3-2 Season Record: 35-50 Salem fell in an extra-innings heartbreaker as the bullpen fell apart late. Ethan Walker made his first appearance with Salem in nearly two months as he returned from a lower back injury. Walker was excellent across three innings, surrendering two hits and striking out four before Jason Gilman took over in the fourth. Gilman took a bulk role, going the distance as he turned in five innings of work. He wasn’t as dominant as Walker, however, as he allowed five runs (one unearned) on just three hits. He issued two walks as he struck out six. Harry Blum got the ball in the ninth inning of a tied ballgame. He allowed one hit and two walks as he stalled out Columbia’s offense in the ninth before the game headed to extras. However, with two outs in the tenth, Blum relinquished a bases-loaded single that put the Fireflies within one. Nicolas De La Cruz took over, but promptly gave up another run on a wild pitch, then allowed the Fireflies to walk-off the game on a bases-loaded single. The Yaks were incredibly successful at the dish on Saturday, registering 12 hits and eight runs and going 5-for-12 with RISP. Louis Andujar led the way with three RBIs and three hits as D’Angelo Ortiz contributed three RBIs of his own. Andujar got the Yaks on the board with his second homer of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning to cut into a two-run Columbia lead. Facing a four-run deficit in the eighth, Andujar struck again, singling on a line drive and scoring Franklin Primera and Kleyver Salazar. Later in the inning, Avinson Pinto drove Starlyn Nunez home as the Yaks were within one. Ortiz then tied the game with an RBI single, scoring Andujar. In the tenth inning, Salazar put the Yaks ahead on a single to center field, scoring Anderson Fermin. Ortiz then added two more to the lead on another RBI single, scoring Salazar and Pinto. It was a short-lived lead, as the bullpen collapsed and handed Columbia the win.

Happy draft day, all! Before we add a bunch of new members to the farm system, let's recap Friday night's action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals): 3-1 Season Record: 44-43 Worcester fell 10-4 on a rough day for the pitching staff. Raymond Burgos had amassed a 1-4 record entering his start on Friday night against Rochester. After he exited in the fifth inning, his record fell to a weak 1-5. Across his start, Burgos allowed four runs on seven hits as he struggled to stop the Red Wings’ offense. He K’d just one and walked another before being pulled. Caleb Bolden, who was called back up to Worcester after a one-game stint last week, made a two-frame appearance in relief. Bolden struggled mightily as his Triple-A ERA rose to 13.50. He allowed four more runs on four hits as the game began to slip away from the WooSox. Bolden struck out four before Wyatt Olds took over in the eighth. Olds struggled, allowing two more runs on four hits. He struck out five of the nine batters he faced before first baseman Nathan Hickey finished off Friday’s contest with a one-out appearance. The WooSox struggled on both sides of the ball, going a measly 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and failing to capitalize at key junctures. Tyler McDonough and Andrew Knizner had two hits apiece as Mickey Gasper drew three walks in five at bats. Although the lopsided final score didn’t show it, the WooSox grabbed the lead first. Braiden Ward crossed home on a wild pitch by former Red Sox prospect Luis Perales in the first inning. The lead was short-lived, however, and the next WooSox run came as they were down two runs. In the third, Allan Castro stole second, advancing to third on a throwing error as Gasper stole home, cutting the deficit to one. The WooSox wouldn’t strike again until the ninth inning, when Tyler McDonough launched a two-run homer to right field, scoring Hickey. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays): 2-2 Season Record: 45-39 Portland rebounded after a seven-run loss on Thursday, winning 7-5 behind four RBIs from Ronald Rosario. John Holobetz set the tone on the pitching side for Portland, turning in another quality start. Across five frames on Friday, Holobetz allowed four runs on five hits. While it was the most runs he’s allowed in his past three starts, it was still a successful night as Holobetz struck out six. Jeremy Wu-Yelland took the mound for the next 2⅔ innings and earned the win for his performance. He struck out two and allowed one run on two hits. Patrick Halligan took the final 1⅓ frames of Friday’s contest, shutting out New Hampshire with a perfect outing. He earned the save as he struck out two. Rosario was on fire on Friday as he contributed the bulk of Portland’s offense. Will Turner got the scoring started for Portland in the third inning, launching his tenth homer of the season. In the fourth, Rosario struck for the first time. With Brooks Brannon aboard and down by two runs, Rosario tied the game with one swing. His fifth homer of the year sailed past the wall in left center as the Sea Dogs evened the score. In the fifth, Brooks Brannon struck as well. His fourteenth homer of the season scored Jack Winnay and nabbed the lead for Portland. With the ballgame tied in the eighth, Rosario put the Sea Dogs ahead once and for all. He hit his second homer of the night to right center, scoring Winnay and leading Portland to victory. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Greensboro Grasshoppers: 2-2 Season Record: 34-48 Greenville won behind late offense even after a near collapse from the bullpen. Marcus Philips was electric in one of his best starts of the season. Across 4⅔ frames, Philips allowed one run on two hits, his second start in a row allowing one run. He struck out six before turning the ball over to Shea Sprague. Sprague earned the win for his 2⅓ innings of relief. He allowed two runs on two hits, striking out one but displaying excellent command as he didn’t allow a walk. Matt McShane took the next 1⅔, innings turning in a poor performance. He allowed four runs on three hits before Tyler Davis took the final out. He allowed one more run on a solo homer, but escaped with the save as Greenville won by a slim margin. Justin Gonzales extended his hit streak to six games as he hit his twelfth homer of the season. Mason White was a major contributor on Friday, recording three RBIs on two hits. Ronny Hernandez drove in White in the second inning to put the Drive on the board. Four innings later, Gonzales put the Drive ahead with his solo homer before White drove in Isaiah Jackson to add to the lead. With the game tied in the eighth inning, Gerardo Rodriguez drove in Gonzales with an RBI double to center field. Luke Heyman tacked on another run, scoring Rodriguez on an RBI single. Ahead by two, White wasn’t done. He drove in two more runs on a homer to right center field, driving in Heyman. One inning later, Rodriguez added another run on a solo homer before Heyman matched him with a solo shot of his own. Owners of a six-run lead, the Drive clung to a win despite a five-run showing in the bottom of the ninth from Greensboro. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Columbia Fireflies (Kansas City Royals): 3-1 Season Record: 35-49 Andrews Opata’s three-RBI night and a solid showing from the bullpen helped lead Salem to a slim 9-8 win. Christian Foutch started the game for Salem, but didn’t last long before being pulled. In just 2⅓ innings, Foutch allowed five runs on four hits as he walked four. He struck out three before being replaced by Yermain Ruiz in the third inning. Ruiz earned the win for his bulk relief appearance. Ruiz lasted four frames, allowing two runs on four hits as he struck out eight batters. Joey Gartrell took the final 2⅔ innings, silencing Columbia’s offense and sealing the win for Salem. Gartrell allowed one unearned run on two hits as he struck out four. Starlyn Nunez and Opata got Salem off to a hot start back-to-back home runs in the first inning. After falling behind by three runs in the fourth, Givian Sirvania put the Yaks back in the game with a two-run shot, scoring Andruw Musett and cutting the deficit to one. One inning later, Avinson Pinto drove in Louis Andujar on an RBI single to tie the game. Musett then scored Pinto as Salem drew ahead. To tack on one more, Justin Barry hit an RBI single of his own as the lead grew to two runs. Salem wasn’t quite done, however. Opata put an exclamation mark on the five-run inning with a line drive single to center, scoring both Barry and Sirvania. Salem held onto a close win as they won their third game in the last four.

Let's see how the Red Sox affiliates fared on Sunday afternoon to wrap up Fourth of July weekend. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 3-3 Season Record: 41-42 Worcester salvaged the series split with a 7-3 win in the finale behind early offense. Raymond Burgos got the nod on Friday afternoon and turned in a one-run outing. Across 4⅔ innings, Burgos allowed four hits and a walk, letting a solo run cross home plate. He struck out three before WooSox Manager Iggy Suarez made a call to the bullpen. Eduardo Rivera took an inning and ⅓ of relief work, sparking what was a solid combined effort from the Worcester bullpen. Rivera allowed a hit and a walk, earning the win before Tyler Uberstine took over in the seventh. Uberstine turned in a perfect inning, striking out two and lowering his ERA to 3.05. Sam McWilliams was up next in the eighth inning. McWilliams allowed two runs on one hit and two walks in one inning of work, but kept the game from getting out of hand. Wyatt Olds took the final frame, sealing the win with a two-strikeout perfect inning. The WooSox took advantage of the good pitching with a solid performance at the plate. Andrew Knizner led the way with two RBIs as Tyler McDonough, Mickey Gasper, and Max Ferguson each contributed two hits. In the first, Gasper stepped up to the plate with runners on the corners. He proceeded to crank a double to the right field wall, driving in McDonough. With Gasper on second and Vinny Capra on third later in the inning, Allan Castro hit a groundball single to left, driving in Capra and advancing Gasper to third. To add to the early offensive surge, Castro and Gasper executed a double steal of second and home, tacking on another run. Knizner drove in Castro shortly thereafter, adding two more runs to the lead. Holding onto a four-run lead in the sixth inning, Ferguson gave the WooSox some insurance as he drove in Kristian Campbell on a single to left. Capra added some extra comfort as he drove in Brett Harris on a sac fly later in the inning. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates): 4-2 Season Record: 43-37 Portland trounced Altoona 10-0 to claim the series win in decisive fashion. On Saturday, Patrick Sandoval and Anthony Eyanson combined for an excellent game. On Sunday, Blake Wehunt and Jedixson Paez did them one better. The duo of Wehunt and Paez let up only two hits amidst nine shutout innings. Wehunt got the ball rolling, earning his fourth win of the season for his five inning efforts. He has been dominant as of late and is a serious candidate for a call-up to Triple-A. On Sunday, Wehunt walked four and allowed just one hit, accumulating nine strikeouts as his ERA dropped to 3.38. Paez entered in the sixth inning, looking to shut down the rest of the game. He did just that. Paez allowed just one more hit and struck out eight more batters while not issuing a single walk. It was a dominant effort from both pitchers as they set up the Sea Dogs offense perfectly. Portland’s offense took full advantage, tallying ten runs and ten hits. Franklin Arias and Marvin Alcantara recorded two RBIs each as the Sea Dogs got the scoring started early. Alcantara sparked a four-run second inning with a two-run shot to center field, scoring Brooks Brannon. Later in the second, Matt Frazier dashed home on a wild pitch as Nelly Taylor advanced to third. Ahbram Liendo drove Taylor in with a one-out single to center field as Portland grabbed a four-run advantage. One inning later, Nate Baez added another run to the lead as he scored on another wild pitch. In the sixth, Brannon clubbed a homer of his own to center, making the lead 6-0. With the game out of reach, Franklin Arias joined in on the fun in the seventh inning, singling on a ground ball with two runners in scoring position. Liendo and Caden Rose scored as a result. Arias then scored later in the inning on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. In the eighth, Raudelis Martinez added insult to injury with a bases-loaded groundout, scoring Rose one final time. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox): 1-5 Season Record: 31-47 Greenville fell 8-3 in the finale of a disappointing series. Devin Futrell, who pitched six shutout innings his last time around, was battered around during his start on Sunday afternoon. Futrell allowed two runs in each of the first three innings, lasting through the fifth inning. Across the five frames, Futrell allowed seven runs on 11 hits in what was easily the worst start of his season. Calvin Bickerstaff entered in the sixth inning, looking to do some damage control. Bickerstaff was successful for the most part, allowing one more run on three hits as he struck out one. Finally, Matt McShane took the eighth and final inning in perfect fashion, striking out two. Antonio Anderson was the only member of the Drive to record a multi-hit game on Sunday as Greenville couldn’t replicate their strong offensive showing from Saturday. It was Isaiah Jackson who first put the Drive on the board, hitting a solo home run in the second inning. Facing a five-run deficit in the fifth inning, Mason White did his part to close the gap, hitting a solo shot of his own. Justin Gonzales drove in Anderson in the eighth on a groundout, but it had little effect as Winston-Salem had opened an eight-run lead. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) : 3-3 Season Record: 31-47 Salem fell in the series finale 4-1 as the offense struggled mightily. Trennor O’Donnell made his first appearance for Salem in 2026 on Sunday, grabbing the start. Unfortunately for O’Donnell, his first appearance was less than ideal as he earned the loss. Over three frames, he allowed two runs on three hits as he struck out four batters. Jose Bello took a bulk relief role on Sunday, pitching from the fourth through the sixth as he struggled as well. He allowed another two runs on three more hits as Augusta took advantage of the shaky pitching. Joey Gartrell took the final two frames for Salem, spinning a near-perfect outing. He allowed just one hit as he struck out five of the eight batters he faced, highlighting the day for the RidgeYaks’ staff. Salem’s offense was nothing impressive on Sunday, accounting for just three hits and one run. The lone run came in the eighth, down 4-1. With Franklin Primera in the box, Justin Barry scored via a balk as Salem avoided the shutout. Barry, Primera, and Kleyver Salazar were the only Yaks to record a hit, each of them smacking a single.

There’s nothing more American than baseball on the Fourth of July. Let’s see how the Red Sox affiliate teams fared on the nation’s birthday. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 3-2 Season Record: 41-42 Worcester fell by one run for the second consecutive night despite a late offensive surge. Seth Martinez started the ballgame for Worcester and turned in two frames of perfect work. He struck out two before being pulled. Noah Song got the ball next, but his appearance was less than ideal as he earned the loss. Over just 1⅓ innings, Song allowed five runs on five hits as Syracuse jumped out to an early lead. Tyler Samaniego was called in to finish off the fourth inning, and stayed in for the fight. Samaniego allowed one baserunner via a walk, but struck out two before turning the ball over to Angel Bastardo. Bastardo allowed one more run, but held it down through two innings of work. Finally, Osvaldo Berrios was called upon to close out the contest. He did just that, striking out the side and putting Worcester in a comeback position. Unfortunately for Berrios, Worcester’s offense fell just short for the second straight night. The WooSox kept it close with five runs on five hits, most of which came in the late stages of the game. Worcester was held scoreless until the eighth inning, when Mikey Romero put the WooSox on the board with an RBI single, scoring Braiden Ward and Vinny Capra. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, Brett Harris grounded out to short but Romero and Jason Delay scored on a throwing error as the WooSox crept within two. With the game in reach in the ninth, Mickey Gasper singled on a ground ball to right, driving in Max Ferguson and advancing Ward to third. However, with the tying run just 90 feet away, the WooSox couldn’t get the job done as they fell by a narrow margin. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates): 3-2 Season Record: 42-37 Portland walked off Altoona in extras behind five excellent innings each from Patrick Sandoval and Anthony Eyanson. Sandoval made what was his reported final rehab start in a lengthy two-year recovery from UCL surgery. Sandoval was excellent through a five inning appearance, allowing a hit and a walk as he sent five batters packing on strikes. In the sixth, Portland made an unusual call to the bullpen as starter Anthony Eyanson took the mound in a relief role. Eyanson won his third game of the season for his outing as he delivered a great five innings. He allowed two runs on three hits and a walk, but gave the offense enough leeway to pull off the win. Eyanson matched Sandoval’s strikeout total with seven of his own as he delivered another superb performance. Despite tallying only three runs, the Sea Dogs did just enough to win Saturday’s contest. Ahbram Liendo provided most of the offense with his two RBIs, as Franklin Arias opened the scoring in the first. Arias skied a fly ball to right field, driving in Raudelis Martinez on a sac fly. After Eyanson conceded two runs in the eighth, Liendo tied the game. He looped a check swing hit just over the glove of the second baseman, reaching first safely as Martinez was thrown out at second. Liendo played the hero for a second time just two innings later. With two runners in scoring position, Liendo smoked a hit off of the third baseman's glove as Miguel Bleis raced home. Liendo was mobbed by his teammates as the crowd celebrated the walk-off win. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox): 1-4 Season Record: 31-46 Greenville snapped an eight-game losing streak, winning in easy fashion 12-3. Marcus Philips got the start for Greenville on Saturday, turning in four and ⅓ innings of solid work. Philips allowed one run on four hits as he struck out three batters. One thing that stood out from Philip's performance on Saturday was his exceptional control. He didn't issue a walk across his outing. Shea Sprague got the nod next, making a one and ⅓ inning relief appearance. He allowed two runs to cross home on two hits as he allowed two walks. Sprague struck out one and got the win for his middle-innings outing. Joe Vogatsky took the final three and ⅓ frames in nearly perfect fashion. Vogatsky allowed just one baserunner via a walk as he struck out four batters and sealed the long-sought win for the Drive. Greenville's offense was exceptional on Saturday as they totaled 12 runs on as many hits. Enddy Azocar lived up to his top prospect status as he led the way with three RBIs on Saturday afternoon. Azocar got the scoring started in the third inning with a line drive single to left field. Stanley Tucker crossed home as ht eDrive captured an early lead. In the fifth, Antonio Anderson added to the lead as he scored Yophery Rodriguez on a double. With Anderson at second, Azocar hit his third home run of the season to tack on two more runs. Not to be outdone, Yoeilin Cespedes stood at the plate next, crushing his 13th homer of the season as the two prospects went back-to--back. But the Drive weren't done yet. Luke Heyman matched Azocar and Cespedes with a homer of his own as the Drive went back-to-back-to-back in an explosive five-run inning. Cespedes stepped up to the plate in the sixth inning with Azocar aboard. Cespedes took the pitcher deep for his second homer of the night, giving the Drive a six-run lead. One inning later, with runners at the corners, Ronny Hernandez grounded out to first as Isaiah Jackson raced home. In the eighth, Azocar was driven in once more as Jackson hit a triple to deep centerfield. To put a bow on a tremendous afternoon, Mason White crushed a two-run homer to put the game firmly out of reach. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) : 3-2 Season Record: 32-47 The RidgeYaks won behind dominant pitching across the staff, prevailing 1-0. Jason Gilman got the nod on Saturday evening, twirling an astounding performance. Over six frames, Gilman limited the GreenJackets offense to just two hits and two walks as he struck out nine of the 22 batters he faced. Following Gilman’s excellent outing, Jay Allmer kept the ball rolling with an inning of shutout relief. Despite walking three, Allmer was able to limit the damage before Harry Blum took the final two innings. Blum was nearly perfect, allowing just two walks in two frames as he struck out two and sealed the close victory for Salem. Salem’s offense was quiet on Saturday, recording just five hits and four walks. However, it was just enough to eke out the victory as Ilan Fernandez was responsible for the lone, game-winning run. The run came early, as Anderson Fermin stood at first in the third inning. Fernandez hooked a double down the line in center field as Fermin hustled around the bases and beat the tag at home. It proved to be critical for the RidgeYaks, however, as they were able to go home satisfied for the third straight contest.

Let’s check in on the Red Sox farm through Friday’s action. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Syracuse Mets (New York Mets): 3-1 Season Record: 40-41 Worcester fell 8-7 in a close game amid a poor day from the WooSox bullpen. Jack Anderson impressed through five shutout frames. Anderson allowed three hits and walked two, but struck out three before his night came to a close following the fifth inning. Zack Kelly followed Anderson and struggled. Kelly didn’t record an out, instead conceding five runs on three hits. Caleb Bolden replaced Kelly, getting thrust into a high-stakes situation in his first appearance in Triple-A. Bolden spent three years in Double-A before getting the long-awaited call-up on Thursday. Bolden pitched through two complete frames, striking out three but allowing Syracuse to tack on three more runs (one unearned) on two hits. In Bolden’s first appearance with Worcester, he was dealt the loss. Sam McWilliams, another Worcester newcomer, took over in the eighth inning and closed the loss for the WooSox. He allowed two walks and struck out one in his first appearance. McWilliams was signed to a minor league deal on July 2 following a stint in Mexico. Worcester went an impressive 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position on Friday, but came up just short. Mikey Romero led the way with three RBIs as Kristian Campbell tallied three hits. Tyler McDonough got the scoring started for Worcester in the third inning, doubling on a fly ball to right field and driving in Campbell. Later in the inning, newly acquired infielder Brett Harris scored Nathan Hickey on a groundball back to the pitcher. With a two-run advantage in the fourth, Campbell smacked a line drive to center, good for an RBI single as Allan Castro crossed home. One inning later, Romero drove in Braiden Ward on a line drive single to left, adding to the lead. Romero smacked another RBI single in the seventh, driving in McDonough and Ward and tying the ballgame. Down by two in the ninth, Mickey Gasper attempted to start a comeback, singling to center and driving in Vinny Capra. However, it was too little too late as Worcester fell by one run. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Altoona Curve (Pittsburgh Pirates): 2-2 Season Record: 41-37 The Sea Dogs went home victorious 9-3, behind another strong start from John Holobetz. Holobetz has recorded six strikeouts in each of his last three starts but on Friday he one-upped himself, punching out seven batters. Holobetz lasted 5⅓ innings, allowing two runs on four hits and walking just one batter as he earned the win. Reidis Sena took over in the sixth inning and lasted through the eighth. Over the 2⅔ innings, Sena allowed one run on four hits and sent three batters down on strikes. Eduardo Rivera allowed one hit as he shut the door on Altoona’s offense and sealed the Friday night victory for Portland. Brooks Brannon turned in a three-hit night, contributing two RBIs in the win. Johanfran Garcia and Ronald Rosario also added two RBIs as the trio helped the Sea Dogs to a win. With the bases loaded in the third, Garcia turned on a ball high in the zone and hit it back to the wall in right center. Franklin Arias and Miguel Bleis scored as Garcia opened the scoring. Portland wasn’t finished as later in the third, Rosario drove in Brannon and Garcia on a ground ball single to center as Portland took an early four-run lead. In the fifth, Ahbram Liendo hit a single to left field, driving in Jack Winnay and sending Caden Rose to third. Two batters later, Rose took advantage of a wild pitch and crossed home. In the seventh, the Sea Dogs scored again on a wild pitch as Matt Frazier scored. To add to the lead later in the inning, Brooks Brannon scored Arias and Rose on a ground-rule double as Portland put the game firmly out of reach. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Winston-Salem Dash (Chicago White Sox): 0-3 Season Record: 30-46 Greenville lost their eighth straight game 7-1 as its struggles on both sides of the ball continued. Despite Winston-Salem tallying seven runs, the Drive’s pitching staff only allowed one earned run on Friday night. Alex Bouchard took the bump to start the game and allowed the only earned run for the staff. Bouchard was pulled in the third, finishing with two walks, two strikeouts, one run, and no hits, earning the loss. The inherited runner scored on a triple allowed by Tyler Davis. Davis took the 2⅔ innings following Bouchard’s exit. He allowed two hits but struck out four before Danny Kirwin took over. Kirwin allowed three unearned runs as he walked four batters and allowed one hit. He struck out four but was replaced by Steven Brooks after just 1⅓ innings. Brooks took the next inning, allowing three more unearned runs on three hits as Greenville truly fell apart. Catcher Hudson White took the eighth and final frame, allowing two walks but staving off any further offense from the Dash. It was an embarrassing night for the Drive at the dish as they only totaled three hits. They drew six walks, but they were far from effective as they only scored one run. The Drive’s lone run came in the top of the eighth, facing a seven-run deficit. With the bases loaded, Isaiah Jackson drew a walk and drove in Antonio Anderson. While the Drive avoided being shut out, there was nothing more to write home about regarding Friday’s poor performance. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Augusta GreenJackets (Atlanta Braves) : 2-2 Season Record: 31-47 The RidgeYaks rode early offense and solid pitching to a 7-4 win. Christian Foutch got the start on Friday night for Salem and turned in an excellent 4⅔ inning performance. Foutch allowed one run on three hits and one walk, but struck out eight. It was the most strikeouts he’s recorded in a game since May 1 as Foutch lowered his ERA to 6.18. Yermain Ruiz split Friday’s game with Foutch, entering in the fifth and closing the game. Ruiz allowed three runs on five hits as he struck out four batters as he staved off Augusta’s offense to give Salem the win. After allowing two runs in the eighth, Ruiz pitched a clean ninth inning to seal the win for Salem. The RidgeYaks totaled ten hits and seven runs at the plate, going a respectable 2-for-8 with RISP. D’Angelo Ortiz led the way with three RBIs, and Andrews Opata and Louis Andujar followed suit with two RBIs apiece. Opata struck early, going yard in the first inning and driving in Starlyn Nunez as Salem established a quick lead. With runners on second and third in the fourth inning, Ortiz hooked a ball past third base and into the corner in left field. Andujar and Adonys Guzman scored easily as Salem’s lead rose to four runs. Ortiz added another RBI in the sixth, driving in Andujar once more on a sac fly. Andujar then joined the party, tacking on two more runs in the eighth as Salem took a commanding four-run lead. Guzman and Franklin Primera scored as Andujar advanced to second on a fielding error. Andujar capped off a successful night for Salem as they left the ballpark victorious.

Let's see how the Red Sox affiliates fared on Sunday afternoon. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): 1-5 Season Record: 37-40 The WooSox avoided the series sweep and snapped a five-game skid, winning 3-1. Patrick Sandoval, who is finally nearing a big-league return after missing two years due to elbow surgery, turned in a quality start on Sunday afternoon. The veteran shoved four frames, giving up one run on three hits and recording three strikeouts. Jovani Morán, who is also nearing a return from a short stint on the injured list, took the fifth and sixth innings. Morán was perfect, striking out three and earning the win for a dominant performance. Alec Gamboa got the ball next, allowing one hit and striking out three over two innings. Joe La Sorsa took the ninth inning and converted a save opportunity. He allowed one hit and walked one but sealed the much needed win for Worcester. Worcester’s offense leaned on Jason Delay as he propelled the WooSox to victory with two-late RBIs. It was Vinny Capra that kicked off the scoring, launching a solo home run in the first inning to give Worcester an early lead. With the ballgame tied and two runners on in the sixth, Jason Delay hit a groundball back to the pitcher. The ball ricocheted off the pitcher's leg, bouncing into shallow right field as Capra and Braiden Ward raced home. The single gave Worcester the push it needed to grab its first win in five days. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 4-2 Season Record: 39-35 Portland’s pitching staff lifted the Sea Dogs to a win as they shut out Hartford 6-0. Blake Wehunt excelled in the starting role, turning in six frames of one-hit ball. Wehunt allowed just one baserunner as he sent eight batters down on strikes in one of his best starts of the season. Jeremey Wu-Yelland redeemed a poor performance earlier in the weekend with a perfect inning of relief. Wu-Yelland struck out the side before Max Carlson took over. Carlson allowed only the second baserunner for Hartford, but sent the Yard Goats packing with ease. Patrick Halligan took the ninth, adding a perfect inning and sealing an excellent afternoon for the Sea Dogs staff. Portland allowed just two baserunners and racked up a combined thirteen strikeouts. Franklin Arias carried his recent hot streak into Sunday, contributing an RBI and two hits. The real story of Portland’s offense, however, was Miguel Bleis. Bleis homered again, his fourth in the past three games amidst a torrid offensive streak. Bleis’s homer came in the first inning, putting the Sea Dogs up early. Arias raced home on a wild pitch in the third, before knocking in an RBI of his own two innings later. Arias hit a groundball single to center field, driving home Nelly Taylor. In the ninth, Jack Winnay and Matt Frazier put an exclamation point on the shutout win. With Johanfran Garcia aboard, Winnay hit his first homer of the season to left center. Matt Frazier stepped into the batter’s box next, going back-to-back with Winnay with his first homer of the season. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros): 2-3 Season Record: 30-41 Greenville fell for the fourth straight game as the pitching staff let up three runs in the top of the ninth, losing 8-5. Marcus Philips took the mound to start the afternoon for Greenville, looking to find his groove amid a rough season. Philips struggled through just 1⅓ innings, allowing three runs on two hits and walking three. Griffin Kilander entered in the second, taking the next three innings. He allowed two more runs on three hits before Matt McShane took over. Despite allowing three hits over 2⅔ innings, McShane fended off Asheville’s offense as he struck out four. P.J. Labriola took the ball in the eighth and pitched into the ninth. Disaster struck for the left-handed reliever as he allowed three unearned runs on three hits. Hudson White limited the damage as he came in for Labriola, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the loss for the fourth straight night. Gerardo Rodriguez and Isaiah Jackson led the offense with two RBIs apiece, and Luke Heyman added an RBI of his own. Heyman’s RBI kick-started the offense’s afternoon as he drew a bases-loaded walk in the third inning. Later in the inning, Rodriguez hit an infield single to second base, as Justin Gonzales and Enddy Azocar scored as the throw to first was misplaced. To cap off the five-run inning, Jackson smoked a groundball to center, driving home Heyman and Rodriguez as Greenville took a two-run lead. It was a short-lived lead, however, as the Drive couldn’t muster any more offense, falling 8-5. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs): 1-3 Season Record: 28-45 Salem split the series with Myrtle Beach on a walk-off single from Starlyn Nunez, prevailing 7-6. Jason Gilman got the start for Salem on Sunday, pitching very well over four and ⅔ frames. He allowed one run on three hits. He struck out six and walked four. Jose Bello has quietly had a great season so far in Low-A and he continued to pitch well on Sunday afternoon. Over 2⅔ innings of relief, Bello allowed two runs (one unearned) on three hits. While it was far from his best appearance this season, he was able to stave off Myrtle Beach. Nicolas De La Cruz took the ball in the eighth inning and was able to earn the win on Sunday, but not without some struggle. Over 1⅔ innings, De La Cruz allowed three runs (one unearned), one hit and three walks. It was a rough outing, but De La Cruz didn’t concede the lead as Salem’s offense won the game for the RidgeYaks. Salem’s bats went back and forth with Myrtle Beach throughout the afternoon and surged late in the game, propelling the Yaks to victory. In the bottom of the first, Skylar King skied a double off the wall in right field, scoring Andrews Opata and putting Salem on the board. Tied 1-1, Anderson Fermin regained the lead for Salem in the fourth, driving Kleyver Salazar home on a sac fly. Down by one in the seventh, Ilan Fernandez shot a double to left field, scoring Fermin and D’Angelo Ortiz as Salem got ahead again. Fernandez then scored on a wild pitch later in the inning. In the eighth, Salazar added to the lead with a double of his own, scoring Opata. After the Pelicans tied the game in the top of the ninth, Salem’s offense got in the box with work to do. Givian Sirvania and Fernadez drew two walks on eight straight pitches before Justin Barry drew the third walk in a row for Salem. Nunez, Salem’s leadoff batter, stepped into the box with the bases loaded and no outs. Nunez played the hero for the second time this season, hitting a line-drive single to right field as Salem walked off the series finale.

Let's see what happened down on the Red Sox's farm on Saturday evening. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): 0-5 Season Record: 36-40 Worcester’s losing streak hit five on Saturday as the WooSox fell 15-6 in a slugfest. The WooSox, playing as the Worcester Kelley Squares, turned to Jack Anderson for Saturday’s start. Anderson struggled across four frames, letting up six runs on four hits. Anderson struck out three and walked two before being replaced by Tyler Samaniego. Samaniego stopped the bleeding temporarily, allowing just a walk and a hit while striking out two in one inning of relief. Tyler Uberstine came next and was rocked to the tune of six runs (three unearned) on five hits in just an inning of work. Eduardo Rivera took the mound next, turning in a solid two innings of work. He allowed one run on four hits before Juan Montero took the ninth frame. Montero allowed two more runs to cross home in the ninth inning of a disastrous day for the WooSox staff. The WooSox offense held its own on Saturday, but it couldn’t compete with Toledo’s onslaught. Max Ferguson and Kristian Campbell led the offense with two RBIs apiece. Andrew Knizner started the scoring with a bases-loaded double in the bottom of the first, driving in Braiden Ward and Vinny Capra and forcing Mikey Romero to third. Romero was driven home later in the inning on a Campbell sac fly. Just one inning later, Max Ferguson drove in Tyler McDonough on a two-run shot to right. The WooSox last run came far too late to do any damage as Romero rounded the bases on a solo home run, his sixth of the year. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 3-2 Season Record: 38-35 TalkSox’s top two prospects took the field for Portland on Saturday as Franklin Arias returned to the lineup and Anthony Eyanson took the mound. The pair put up two excellent outings, leading the Sea Dogs to a 5-2 victory. Eyanson turned in yet another quality start, lasting 5⅔ innings. He allowed one run, his first run given up in the month of June. Eyanson only struck out two batters, his fewest mark all season. It was a successful start despite some minor struggles. Jedixson Paez took the next 2⅓ innings, allowing one more run on a solo homer and striking out three. Erik Rivera followed Paez, sealing Portland’s win with a two-strikeout save. Portland had a great offensive showing on Saturday, tallying 11 hits and five runs. The Sea Dogs were especially effective with runners in scoring position, going 4-for-13. The scoring started late for Portland, with the first two runs coming in the eighth inning. Down one run, Franklin Arias cranked a two-run homer to right center with Nelly Taylor on second. It was Arias’s 15th homer of the season, leading the Red Sox affiliate teams. Miguel Bleis wanted in on the fun, homering after Arias as the pair went back-to-back. It was Bleis’s third homer in just two nights as he continued a hot month at the plate. With a two-run lead in the ninth, Ahbram Liendo put the ball in play with runners on the corners. Liendo reached on a fielder’s choice as Marvin Alcantara crossed home. With the bases loaded, Miguel Bleis stepped to the plate and singled to left field, scoring Caden Rose. Bleis put an exclamation mark on what was a successful day at the dish for Portland. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros): 2-3 Season Record: 30-41 Greenville fell 11-9 in an extra-innings heartbreaker. Alex Bouchard took the mound to start the evening for Greenville. Bouchard limped through a 3⅔ inning start. He allowed five runs (one unearned) on eight hits before being replaced by Ben Hansen. Hansen undertook a bulk relief role, turning in 4⅓ innings of shutout ball. Danny Kirwin took the mound to start the ninth and escaped unscathed. However, in the tenth Kirwin was lit up, allowing six runs (one unearned) on five hits and three homers. Tyler Davis played damage control in the tenth, but it was too late to avoid the loss as the Drive fell apart late. Akin to Portland, Greenville was effective at the dish on Saturday. Going a combined 4-for-11 with RISP and good for nine runs on 11 hits, Greenville’s offense was nearly enough. Luke Heyman continued to impress on Saturday, going 3-for-4 and driving in three runs. Heyman started the scoring for the Drive, scoring Enddy Azocar on a single in the second inning. Then in the fourth inning, Heyman drove a solo home run over the wall in center and cut the deficit to three. Heyman capped off his three-hit performance with another RBI single, this one coming in the fifth inning and scoring Antonio Anderson. Down by two runs in the sixth, Yophery Rodriguez scored on a wild pitch as Ronny Hernandez advanced to second. Hernandez was subsequently driven home on a home run from Anderson. It was Anderson’s third home run in as many days as he gave Greenville a one-run edge. Mason White added to the lead with an RBI single in the seventh, scoring Gerardo Rodriguez. With their backs against the wall in the bottom of the tenth, the Drive tried to mount a comeback effort. Isaiah Jackson scored on a passed ball to cut the deficit to three. Finally, Rodriguez hit his twelfth homer of the season but it was too little too late as Greenville narrowly fell. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs): 1-3 Season Record: 28-45 Salem held on to a three-run lead, prevailing 8-5 behind a good start from Christian Foutch. Foutch turned in three innings of no-hit ball, walking three and racking up five strikeouts. It was a much-needed rebound from a disastrous last start. Yermain Ruiz took the mound next, allowing three runs on six hits over the next three frames. Ruiz struck out another five before turning the ball over to Adam Bates. Bates let up two runs on four hits, but still earned the win. Like the two pitchers before him, Bates recorded five more strikeouts across two innings. Devin Gartrell took the ninth frame and struck out the side in a perfect inning, sealing the win for Salem. Despite a collective 11 strikeouts, the RidgeYaks were more than sufficient at the plate. Down by two runs in the fourth, Louis Andujar put Salem on the board with an RBI double, driving in Skylar King. King hit an RBI single of his own just an inning later, scoring Givian Sirvania and Andrews Opata to take a one-run lead. Down by two in the seventh, Andujar hit another RBI single, tying the game with two more RBIs. Opata and Avinson Pinto scored as Salem evened the game. Andujar then scored as Anderson Fermin reached on a throwing error, giving Salem the lead. D’Angelo Ortiz put the game out of reach with a two-out RBI single, scoring Fermin and Andruw Musett.

Let's check in on Friday’s action on the farm. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series vs. Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers): 0-4 Season Record: 36-39 The WooSox skid continued on Friday as they were crushed 13-1. Not much went well for Worcester on Friday, especially on the mound. Seth Martinez got the start, lasting just two innings before being pulled. Over the course of his short outing, Martinez gave up five runs on four hits, raising his ERA to 6.65 while taking the loss. Devin Sweet took the next two innings and saw some more success. Sweet let up one run on two hits before turning the ball over to Angel Bastardo for the fifth. Bastardo let up two runs on two hits as Toledo began to run away with the ballgame. Zack Kelly put together the most successful outing for Worcester, allowing one walk in his inning-long outing. Noah Song took the seventh through eighth, allowing the Mud Hens to score five more runs. Song walked two and allowed five hits. Wyatt Olds took the ninth and matched Kelly’s inning, allowing a walk but preventing Toledo from tacking on anything else. At the dish, the WooSox struggled to get on base, recording only eight baserunners. A somewhat depleted roster didn’t help, as Anthony Seigler and Tsung-Che Cheng have both recently joined the big league club. Worcester’s only run came on a Mikey Romero solo home run in the first inning, his fifth of the year. Otherwise, newly signed Andrew Knizner and Max Ferguson recorded a double each while both Allan Castro and Jason Delay singled. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series @ Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado Rockies): 2-2 Season Record: 37-35 Miguel Bleis clubbed two homers as Portland lost 4-3 in a close game. John Holobetz spun an absolute gem on Friday, turning in six innings of superb work. Holobetz gave up just one earned run throughout his start, allowing three hits and a walk. Holobetz struck out six for the third start in a row. Jeremy Wu-Yelland got the ball in a tense situation, hoping to carry over Holobetz’s momentum. Wu-Yelland faltered, however, allowing two runs on three hits in just an inning and earning his first blown save of the season. Reidis Sena ultimately lost the game for Portland, allowing one more run (although it was unearned) on one hit in the eight inning as Hartford prevailed. Franklin Arias was absent from Portland’s lineup on Friday evening. Whether or not Arias sat out in anticipation of a Triple-A call-up is unclear, but it’s certain that Portland struggled without him. Coming into Friday night, Arias carried a five-game multi-hit streak. Miguel Bleis stepped up in Arias’ absence, but he was alone in his efforts. He hit a leadoff home run to start off the game, giving the Sea Dogs an early lead. In the third, Bleis stole second as Ahbram Liendo scored on a throwing error. In the fifth, Bleis crushed his second home run of the night as Portland added to a short-lived lead. Liendo, Ronald Rosario, and Jack Winnay recorded a single each, making up the rest of Portland’s offense. High-A Greenville Drive Series vs. Asheville Tourists (Houston Astros): 2-2 Season Record: 30-40 Kyson Witherspoon is finally beginning to look like the pitcher Boston drafted last year. Despite early season struggles, Witherspoon has been terrific over his past few outings. Friday was no exception, as Witherspoon notched seven strikeouts and allowed just one run. He let up five hits and a walk over six innings, but minimized the damage as he turned in yet another great performance. Calvin Bickerstaff took the next two innings, letting up a solo home run and a walk before turning the ball over to Steven Brooks. The outings that preceded Brooks were not in line with his performance as he imploded. Brooks allowed five runs on four hits in the top of the ninth as Asheville took a late lead, and eventually the win. Greenville’s offense was solid for most of the game, but couldn’t rectify poor late-game pitching. Antonio Anderson shouldered most of Friday’s offense as he drove in two runs on two hits. His first RBI came in the fourth inning as he drove in Yophery Rodriguez on a single. Ronny Hernandez then scored on a Hudson White sac fly, taking a 2-0 lead. In the sixth, Hernandez and Anderson teed off. The pair went back-to-back as Greenville established a three-run lead. However, it was all the offense could muster for the rest of the night as Asheville stole a win on Friday night. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series vs. Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Chicago Cubs): 1-3 Season Record: 27-45 Salem lost yet again, falling 8-1 in its 16th loss of the month. With three days until July, you can count the Salem RidgeYaks number of wins in the month of June on one hand. The RidgeYaks have won just four games in 20 contests, good for a .200 winning percentage. This trend continued on Friday as Salem barely put up a fight. The struggles on the pitching side started early. Myrtle Beach got to Brady Tygart early, forcing him out of the game after just 1⅔ innings. Tygart walked five batters and allowed two hits, letting up three runs (one unearned). Jacob Mayers took the next 2⅓ frames, walking four and allowing a hit but staving off any more runs from the Pelicans. Jay Allmer pitched just ⅓ of an inning before being pulled, allowing three runs on four walks and zero hits. Harry Blum took the next 2⅓ innings to the tune of one run on one hit. Wuilliams Rodriguez closed out the final 2⅓ innings of Friday’s game, letting up one unearned run and striking out four. Salem recorded just four hits on Friday, two of which were hit by Avinson Pinto. On a more positive note, Salem drew six walks but struggled to do much with runners on. Its only run of the evening came on an Andrews Opata double in the third inning, driving in Ilan Fernandez to cut the lead to two runs. However, Salem didn’t put up much of a fight as they were dispatched quite easily, striking out 12 times. Opata and Pinto each registered a double and Pinto and Adonys Guzman both singled as well.

Let's check in on Sunday’s action from the Boston Red Sox's farm system. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies): 3-3 Season Record: 36-35 Worcester cruised to an easy victory, trouncing Lehigh Valley 12-3. Jack Anderson pitched a solid five innings on Sunday afternoon. The righty allowed three runs on four hits while striking out four. The WooSox bullpen was dominant, collectively allowing only one hit and one walk. Tyler Samaniego pitched a perfect inning after Anderson exited before Devin Sweet took the seventh inning. Sweet matched Samaniego with a perfect inning of his own before Wyatt Olds got the eighth inning. Olds walked one before Joe La Sorsa shut down the ninth inning, sealing the series tie for Worcester. Worcester’s offense turned in one of its better efforts of the season on Sunday night. The WooSox combined for 12 runs on 15 hits as Jason Delay led the way with six RBIs. The scoring started early as Vinny Capra teed off in the first inning, crushing a solo shot to left field for his fifth homer of the season. With the four men aboard in the third, Jason Delay hit a bases-clearing double, driving in Nathan Hickey, Braiden Ward, and Kristian Campbell. Delay then crossed home on a Matt Thaiss double later in the inning. With a 5-3 lead in the fifth, Delay drove in Ward again on a sac fly. Thaiss then drove in Capra with his first triple of the season. The runs piled up in the eighth inning for Worcester. Max Ferguson drove in Tsung-Che Cheng on a single before Vinny Capra drove in Nathan Hickey on a sac fly. Jason Delay then added two more RBIs with his first triple of the season, driving in Ferguson and Ward. Finally, Tyler McDonough joined the party, driving in Delay on a single to make the score 12-3. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees): 4-2 Season Record: 35-33 Portland’s three game hot streak came to an end as they fell 6-4. Despite the loss, Anthony Eyanson was dominant as always during his start. Over four innings Eyanson allowed three hits and a walk, striking out five and not allowing a run to score. The young star sports a 1.46 ERA in his first season of professional ball. Jeremy Wu-Yelland made his first Double-A appearance of the season in relief, but it didn’t go well. In just ⅔ of an inning, Wu-Yelland allowed two runs on two hits before being replaced by Cade Feeney. Feeney allowed four hits and one more run through two and ⅓ innings of work before turning the ball over to Erik Rivera. Rivera took the final two innings of Sunday’s contest, losing his second ballgame of the season. He allowed three more runs on three hits as Somerset took a two run lead. Rivera struck out three but it wasn’t enough to rectify the poor outing. Franklin Arias continues to impress in Portland as many speculate that a call-up to Triple-A is in short order. On Sunday, the 20-year-old turned in a 3-for-5 performance for the second straight game, driving in one run. His RBI came via a leadoff home run, his 14th of the season. Later in the first Brooks Brannon drove in Will Turner on a line out to center. Just one inning later, Brannon drove in Arias on a sac fly, giving Portland a 3-0 lead. In the sixth, Ahbram Liendo tacked on Portland’s final run of the night, crushing his fifth homer of the season to left center. Despite excellent games from Eyanson and Arias, Portland lost in the series finale. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Philadelphia Phillies) : 3-3 Season Record: 28-38 The Drive lost in walk-off fashion 7-6 as they split the series. Marcus Philips turned in a shaky four and ⅓ inning start, allowing four runs (one unearned) on seven hits. Philips struck out five as his ERA rests at 6.81 on the season. The young righty has struggled in his first season of professional ball as he continues to try and find consistency. Calvin Bickerstaff pitched an okay 2⅔ innings in relief, allowing one more run on three hits and striking out two. Danny Kirwin took the ball in the eighth and pitched into the ninth. However, disaster struck as he allowed a walk-off two-run homer with one out in the ninth, losing the game for Greenville. Justin Gonzales and Yoeilin Cespedes led the way for the Drive’s offense with two RBIs apiece, but it wasn’t enough to carry them to victory. With Enddy Azocar aboard in the first, Gonzales walloped his ninth homer of the year to left field, giving Greenville an early lead. Luke Heyman built on the lead in the third, reaching on an error as Gonzales scored. Isaiah Jackson tacked on one more run with his 11th homer of the season in the fourth inning. Cespedes then hit his 11th homer of the year in the fifth inning with Azocar on board yet again. The Drive’s offense faltered from there on out, however, as they fell in a heartbreaker. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals): 2-4 Season Record: 26-42 Salem’s subpar season continued to slip away as they fell 3-0 in the series finale. Jose Bello has pitched well this season, to the tune of a 3.07 ERA over almost 30 innings. However, Sunday wasn’t his best appearance of the season as his start only lasted two and ⅔ innings. Bello allowed two runs (one unearned) on two hits and two walks before being pulled. He struck out four of the 12 batters he faced. Jason Gilman took the next 3⅓ innings, walking five and allowing two hits but stifling the Nationals offense and not allowing a run to score. He struck out five before Joey Gartrell took the final two innings of Sunday’s contest. Gartrell allowed one run on three hits and a walk as he closed out the loss, striking out three in the process. Salem’s offense was virtually nonexistent on Sunday, tallying only three hits and four walks as it failed to score a run. The RidgeYaks went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position, but neither of the hits had real impact. Adonys Guzman, Frederik Jimenez, and Ilan Fernandez each had a single in Sunday’s contest.

Let’s check in on Saturday’s action from the Boston Red Sox affiliate teams. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies): 2-3 Season Record: 35-35 Worcester lost 4-3, its third straight loss, falling to .500 on the season. Osvaldo Berrios has made five appearances for Worcester in the month of June, and it wasn’t until Saturday that he allowed his first run to score. The righty opened Saturday’s contest with two innings of one-run ball, striking out three. Eduardo Rivera took the next two innings, allowing one more run to cross home. He struck out two before turning the ball over to Alec Gamboa. Gamboa completed the longest stint of the night for Worcester, turning in three innings. He let up one more run and struck out three. Kyle Keller took over in the eighth and quickly allowed the go-ahead run to score. Wyatt Olds took the final two outs of the eighth, allowing one more hit but keeping the score the same. Worcester’s bats were on fire, led by Allan Castro’s three hit night. However, the bats faltered with runners in scoring position. Going just 1-for-10 with RISP, the WooSox left seven runners on base as they squandered plenty of opportunities. Mikey Romero put the WooSox on the board with a first-inning sac fly, scoring Braiden Ward. Allan Castro collected an RBI of his own, hitting his sixth homer of the season, a solo blast, in the fourth. Later in the inning, Tyler McDonough drove in Tsung-Che Cheng on a line drive single to grab a brief lead. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees): 4-1 Season Record: 35-32 Portland won in walk-off fashion, collecting its sixth win in the last eight games by a score of 7-6. John Holobetz took the mound to start Saturday’s contest for the Sea Dogs. However, he saw mediocre results. Over four innings, Holobetz allowed four runs on seven hits as his consistency struggles persisted. He struck out six before Jedixson Paez took over. Paez was better, but not by much. Over the next four innings Paez allowed two more runs on five hits, striking out two. Cooper Adams took the ninth inning for Portland, allowing one hit but sealing the one run victory. Franklin Arias made his first start of the season at second base on Saturday, leading the way for the offense with a 3-for-5 performance. Whether or not the position change was due to Romy Gonzalez’s injury or perhaps preparation for a more permanent role is yet to be seen. Additionally, Johanfran Garcia extended his recent hit streak to 13 games and his on-base streak to 20 games. It was Brooks Brannon who sparked the offense, hitting a solo homer in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. Down by two runs in the third, Caden Rose scored on a wild pitch to lessen the deficit. In the fourth, Matt Fraizer drove in Nelly Taylor with his first double of the season, cutting the lead to one. Down by three in the ninth, Brooks Brannon got drilled with the bases loaded, scoring Arias. Garcia stepped to the plate next and nearly hit a walk-off grand slam, instead settling for a game-tying two-RBI single that scored Will Turner and Miguel Bleis. With the game in reach, Marvin Alcantara smoked a ball to the shortstop who bobbled the flip to second as Ahbram Liendo raced around third. Liendo crossed home safely as Portland capped off the three-run comeback. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Philadelphia Phillies): 3-2 Season Record: 28-37 Greenville rode two dominant pitching performances to victory, winning 4-1. Alex Bouchard claimed his first win of the season for his performance on Saturday. It was well deserved as Bouchard turned in an excellent five-inning performance. He allowed one run on three hits, striking out five in one of his best starts of the season. Ben Hansen took the final four innings, turning in a gem of his own. He allowed just one hit and two walks but prevented Jersey Shore from scoring again. He struck out an additional five batters as he sealed Greenville’s second straight victory. Justin Gonzales got the offense going early, crushing his eighth homer of the season. It was a two-run shot that scored Enddy Azocar as well. Gonzales scored again in the fifth on a fielding error to widen the lead. Mason White drove in Greenville’s final run in the eighth on an RBI single that scored Isaiah Jackson. Despite the win, the Drive went an abysmal 1-for-15 with RISP and left nine runners stranded. Still, it was an encouraging game for a team that has struggled in close games throughout the season. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals): 3-2 Season Record: 26-41 Salem’s season-long woes continued on Saturday night as the RidgeYaks fell 10-2. Christian Foutch lost his fifth game of the season, starting the night for Salem. Over a short two-inning outing, Foutch walked five and allowed four runs on three hits. Foutch was quickly replaced by Yermain Ruiz, who wasn’t any better. Over the next three innings Ruiz allowed five more runs on four hits and four walks before turning the ball over to Griffin Kilander. Kilander was the best pitcher of the night for Salem by far. He allowed three hits and an unearned run over two and ⅔ innings, but he struck out seven of the 13 batters he faced. Nicolas De La Cruz took the final ⅓ inning of the night, allowing a walk but shutting the Nationals down before the score got any worse. Salem collected eight hits, but didn’t do enough damage to challenge Fredericksburg. Kleyver Salazar, Louis Andujar, and Anderson Fermin had two hits apiece, and Ilan Fernandez and Justin Barry accounted for the RidgeYaks runs. The runs came late and with little impact. In the sixth, Barry drove in his first RBI for Salem, driving in Andujar on a single to left field. In the eighth, Fermin scored on a Fernandez groundout. It was a sharp turnaround for Salem, who scored at least seven runs in its last two games.

With the trade deadline just about six weeks away, it is widely expected that the Boston Red Sox will look to trade away Aroldis Chapman. One of the game’s greatest closers in recent history, Chapman is in his age-38 season and playing for his seventh team. Despite being in the twilight of his career, Chapman has found success in Boston unlike anywhere else. Across 61.1 innings in the 2025 season Chapman posted a 1.17 ERA, the second-lowest mark over his 17-year career and the lowest since 2016. His success has carried over into 2026, as he is one of the lone bright spots of the Red Sox's underwhelming season thus far. Through 21.2 innings, the lefty has tallied an ERA of 0.83 and a 0.97 WHIP. His stellar stats amid a season of team disappointment make Chapman a clear trade chip. Should the Red Sox look to the future, there are a few candidates to take over the ninth inning in Chapman’s absence. Ranking Red Sox's 4 Best Replacement Plans for Aroldis Chapman We'll go in order here, with the best (and most likely) candidate first followed by a trio of less-heralded options. Garrett Whitlock Whitlock has blossomed into one of the league's most reliable set-up men over the past few seasons. The Rule-5 draft pick from the New York Yankees made an immediate impact in Boston, turning in a sub-2.00 ERA over 73.1 innings in his first big-league season. After missing the majority of the 2024 season with injury, Whitlock bounced back strongly in 2025. He pitched in a career high 62 games to the tune of a 2.25 ERA and 91 strikeouts, another career high. Through the start of the 2026 season Whitlock has played the same set-up role as last season, and he’s played it well. Through 21.2 innings, Whitlock has produced a 2.91 ERA and four wins. Inarguably one of Boston’s most consistent and reliable bullpen pieces this decade, Whitlock seems to be the heir apparent to the closer role. It makes too much sense to give Whitlock the extra responsibility. He has consistently proved his ability to perform under pressure and has long been one of the league's premier late-inning relievers. Tommy Kahnle Should the Red Sox desire to leave Whitlock in his current role, the next logical closer option would be Tommy Kahnle. A 12-year MLB veteran, Kahnle signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox late in the offseason and began his 2026 campaign in Triple-A Worcester. In early June. Kahnle triggered an upward mobility clause, forcing the Red Sox to add him to the roster, lest he would opt-out and seek other opportunities. He impressed upon arrival, tossing four consecutive scoreless appearances (though he's allowed three runs over his last two innings). Despite the small big-league sample size in 2026, Kahnle’s career 3.58 ERA and his track record of success in the majors make a convincing argument for him to take over as the teams closer. Just two years ago, Kahnle posted a 2.11 ERA as a member of the Yankees. His changeup played a big role in his success, holding batters to a .157 average and generating a 38.9% whiff rate. He used the pitch 73% of the time and has similarly leaned into his changeup in 2026. While his smaller 2026 sample size doesn’t display astounding results, it isn’t a far-fetched possibility that Kahnle with his 17 career saves could be a reliable option for the remainder of the season. Tyron Guerrero Another player recently promoted from Triple-A, Guerrero is a power throwing righty. However, his career path has been less than conventional. The 35-year-old has played in parts of four seasons dating all the way back to 2016 and found a consistent role with the Miami Marlins from 2018-2019 but saw undesirable results. Guerrero bounced around the minors and overseas leagues before landing in Worcester this past January. He settled into a closing role with the WooSox, posting a 0.92 ERA across 19.2 innings pitched and earning a call up to Boston in late May. Guerrero has a four-pitch mix but relies heavily on his sinker, utilizing it 76% of the time. His fastball velocity is in the 99th percentile according to Baseball Savant and he averages 99.9 MPH on his sinker. Guerrero clearly has the tools to be an effective closer, but it all comes down to application. He gave up four runs through his first three big league appearances in 2026, good for a 9.82 ERA. However, in eight outings since then, Guerrero has only allowed one run, settling into a 4.35 ERA. Given his recent reliability, the veteran could be the most logical option to take over the closer role if Whitlock stays in his set-up role and Kahnle follows Chapman out the door at the trade deadline. Additionally, Guerrero has seen success as a closer in Worcester and has proven that he can be trusted to take over in high-stakes situations. Eduardo Rivera If Boston decides to look fully to the future, Eduardo Rivera is an intriguing name who could see more playing time as the season continues to slip away. A well-regarded pitching prospect, he got attention earlier this season when he was promoted to the big-league club without making a single appearance in Triple-A. In one relief appearance in Boston, he dominated. Over 3⅓ innings against the Yankees, Rivera allowed just one hit as he struck out three batters. In the two months since then, he has accumulated a 3.29 ERA while holding opponents to a .188 batting average, albeit entirely in the minors. While Rivera isn’t a traditional closer and typically fills in a multi-inning role, his ability to perform well under pressure helps make a case for a potential role change. Additionally, if the season continues to unravel, the experience of high-leverage work could be beneficial for Rivera’s development down the line.

Let's check in on everything that happened down in the Boston Red Sox's farm system on Friday. Triple-A Worcester Red Sox Series @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia Phillies): 2-2 Season Record: 35-34 Worcester fell 9-3 as Brayan Bello’s struggles continued to mount up. Bello’s miscues have been well documented throughout 2026, eventually resulting in a demotion to Worcester. In his second appearance since being sent down, Bello struggled to find solid ground, a consistent trend throughout most of his starts this season. Over four and ⅔ innings pitched, Bello allowed three runs on seven hits. He struck out five but his woes continued despite being a step below the big leagues. Joe La Sorsa, another recent demoted player, took the next 1⅓ innings and was excellent. He allowed one hit but that was all as he turned the ball over to Angel Bastardo. Bastardo got the loss for his one inning outing, allowing one more run on two hits. Seth Martinez took the next ⅔ innings as the game got out of hand. Martinez allowed five more runs on five hits before first baseman Nathan Hickey took the final out of an embarrassing defeat. The WooSox struggled to get much going from the plate, reaching base eight times and only having two opportunities at the plate with runners in scoring position. Anthony Seigler and Matt Thaiss had two hits apiece as they generated most of Worcester’s offense. Thaiss got the WooSox on the board with a two RBI single in the fourth. The WooSox only other run came an inning later on Tyler McDonough’s third homer of the season as Worcester grabbed its only lead of the day. The bats were all but silent for the rest of the game as Worcester dropped its second in a row. Double-A Portland Sea Dogs Series vs. Somerset Patriots (New York Yankees): 3-1 Season Record: 34-32 Portland triumphed 6-2 behind a nine-strikeout appearance from Gage Ziehl. Ziehl put together one of his best appearances of the season on Friday night. He notched a season-high nine punchouts as he lowered his ERA to 4.56. Ziehl allowed two runs on four hits but didn’t allow a walk over five innings, earning his third win of the season. Max Carlson took the next three innings, allowing two hits but no runs. He struck out three before turning the ball over to Erik Rivera. Rivera was excellent, allowing one hit and striking out one as he sealed the win for Portland. Ahbram Liendo led the way with two hits and three RBIs during Friday night's contest. However, it was Marvin Alcantara who struck first for the Sea Dogs. Alcantara drove in Johanfran Garcia and Miguel Bleis on a double in the second inning. Portland grabbed the lead and didn’t look back as Stanley Tucker drove in Alcantara with an RBI double of his own. Not to be left out, Liendo joined in on the fun. He smashed his fourth homer of the year, driving in Tucker and capping off a five-run second inning. In the seventh, Liendo struck again. He drove in Nelly Taylor on an RBI single as he put an exclamation mark on the four-run victory. High-A Greenville Drive Series @ Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Philadelphia Phillies): 2-2 Season Record: 27-37 Greenville won behind a strong three-run ninth inning. Kyson Witherspoon has slowly begun to replicate his stellar final season at Oklahoma over his past few starts. This trend continued on Friday as he pitched five innings. He allowed two runs on four hits, but struck out a season-high eight batters. He allowed two walks, but it was a successful appearance for the young righty. Joe Vogatsky took the next three innings and was equally as impressive. Vogatsky allowed three hits but prevented Jersey Shore from scoring any runs as he sat down five batters on strikes, earning Friday’s win. Steven Brooks closed out the victory with a perfect ninth inning, completing the save opportunity. Despite a slow start, Greenville’s bats came up clutch to give it the win. Ronny Hernandez gave the Drive their first run of the day, clubbing his sixth homer of the season and cutting the lead to one run. In the top of the ninth inning, with the score 2-1 in favor of Jersey Shore, Mason White stepped to the plate with hero aspirations. He came through clutch, hitting his third triple of the year and tying the game as Hernandez scored. Then, Yoeilin Cespedes hit his first triple of the year, driving in White and giving the Drive a one run advantage. Cespedes crossed home on a Luke Heyman groundout as the lead was extended. It was better late than never on Friday as the Drive overcame early struggles to claim the win. Low-A Salem RidgeYaks Series @ Fredericksburg Nationals (Washington Nationals): 2-2 Season Record: 26-40 Salem won its second game in a row as the top of the order was excellent. Brady Tygart started Friday’s game for Salem and turned in a great outing. Over 2⅓ innings Tygart allowed two hits and walked two as he struck out three. Tygart is closing in on a return from injury and could be added to Salem’s roster in the near future. It wasn’t a lengthy outing from Tygart as he turned the ball over to Jacob Mayers in the third inning. Mayers earned the win for his 3⅔ innings of ball. He allowed one run on two hits as he walked four. He struck out six before Wuilliams Rodriguez took over in the seventh inning. Rodriguez struggled, allowing four runs on five hits. He also struggled with command, surrendering four walks. Adam Bates took the final 1⅓ innings, allowing four walks and a run but doing just enough to give Salem the victory as he earned a save. Salem’s top five batters each recorded an RBI, led by Andrews Opata and Kleyver Salazar who had two hits each. Ilan Fernandez scored in the top of the third to open the scoring, crossing home on an Avinson Pinto groundout. Later in the inning, Andruw Musett and Kleyvar Salazar scored as Skylar King reached on a fielding error. Salazar added to the lead in the seventh inning with an RBI single, driving home Justin Barry. Pinto then scored as Musett drew a bases loaded walk. Later in the seventh, Opata scored on a Skylar King sac fly. In the eighth, Opata added another run, driving in Justin Barry on a single to right. Despite a late-innings fight from Fredericksburg, Salem was able to hold onto the win behind efficient hitting.