Chris Venegas

Bryan Bello once again ran into trouble in the first inning, giving up 6 runs, on 5 hits and 3 walks, and hitting Gunnar Henderson in said inning. Bello only lasted 5 innings in today’s game, allowing a total of 8 earned runs. Ultimately, this led to another Red Sox loss, as they fell 8-2 to the O’s. Hours after the game, Dan Roche reported that Brayan Bello had been optioned to Triple-A Worcester. Red Sox fans across social media have been rejoicing at the team's decision. Who can fill Bello’s spot in the rotation? Jake Bennet is a likely candidate to fill that role for the Red Sox. Bennet has started 9 games, holding a 3-2 record with a 1.60 ERA and a 1.017 WHIP, for the WooSox. Jake Bennet was called up to Boston earlier in the season, posting a 1-1 record, a 4.35 ERA, and a 1.452 ERA, in 2 games started.

After coming off a series win against the AL-Central leading Guardians, where the team had double-digit hits in every game that series, while also scoring 9 runs in the first and last ones. The Red Sox looked poised to carry that momentum in Fenway Park last night, as they were taking on the Orioles. With a 9-19 record at home, surely the Sox were able to figure out a way to turn that around and start winning at home, right? Wrong. The night started off promising as Connelly Early escaped an early jam in the first inning. After walking Taylor Ward and giving up a double to Gunnar Henderson, it was quickly runners on the corners with nobody out. Early was able to regroup, getting Adley Rutstchman to fly out, Pete Alonso to strikeout, and Samuel Basallo to ground out, ending the inning. Jarren Duran continued to stay hot, hitting a lead-off triple to get things going for the Red Sox in the bottom of the first. After that, Wilyer Abreu was able to come through, bringing in Duran with a sac-fly, making it 1-0 Boston. The Red Sox have a 20-9 record when scoring first, a positive sign for the outcome of this game? Unfortunately not. Connelly Early immediately gave the lead away after giving up a home run, initially ruled a double to Coby Mayo, which tied the game. The Red Sox had their next 9 batters retired, as RHP Shane Baz was cruising after the lead-off triple he gave up to Duran. His fellow pitcher was not. Connelly Early allowed a 2-run homer to Pete Alonso in the third inning. Making it 3-1 Orioles. Then a Blaze Alexander sac-fly, in the fourth inning, made it 4-1 O’s. It wasn’t Early’s most efficient start, as the left-handed starter lacked control, constantly finding himself in full counts against Orioles batters. He threw 96 pitches (64 being strikes), and was pulled from the game after 5 1/3 innings pitched. Greg Weisert came in and threw 1 2/3 perfect innings of relief, striking out 3 batters in his outing. Tyler Samaniego came in the 8th inning, allowing 3 hits, 1 walk, along with 2 strikeouts, in 2 innings, out of the pen for the Sox. The Red Sox would score one more in the bottom of the fifth, after a Mickey Gasper single to lead off the inning, a wild pitch which advanced him to second base, an Isiah Kiner-Falefa fly out to right field, advancing Gasper to third base, and a Marcelo Mayer sac-fly to center field scoring Gasper, making it 4-2 Orioles. It was the last time the Sox scored. Rico Garcia, who in 28 appearances has a 3-0 record, a .068 E.R.A, 30 strikeouts, and 4 saves, came in to close the game out. The Red Sox went down easily after strikeouts to both Willson Contreras and Masataka Yoshida. Mickey Gasper flied to center field to record the final out. The Red Sox lost again at home, making their record 9-20 at Fenway Park this season. They are currently on pace to go 25-56 at home this season, an astonishing statistic considering how the championship-winning teams of old always dominated at Fenway Park. After the game, Isiah Kiner-Falefa met with reporters, who asked him about the Red Sox's struggles at Fenway. ”Everybody in here is sick of it. We gotta find a way to be better.” He said. Yes, they do need to improve their home if they want their playoff hopes to stay alive. The Red Sox currently have a 25-34 record on the season, 11.5 games back of the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. Thanks to a weaker American League division, the Sox find themselves only 4 games back of the Texas Rangers, who currently hold the third and final wild card spot. Can they find a way to get their offense straightened out at home and start to win at Fenway Park? An offense that just scored 21 runs in 3 games on the road against Cleveland. If not, they could miss the playoffs after a promising season in which they made the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Yeah! Mickey Gasper has been a hitting machine lately! In his last 17 games, he’s hitting .333 avg, with 17 hits and 3RBI, while also having a .364 OBP. Gasper’s been solid.

Thank you!

Has The Red Sox Offense Come To Life? One of the biggest complaints this season has been about the lack of power in the Red Sox offense. With only two players having double-digit home runs (Jarren Duran with 10HR after hitting 9 in the month of May, and Willson Contreras with 11HR), it’s tough to sell people on the idea that this offense can become a force and win you games. While a lack of power remains an issue, the Red Sox are adapting by finding ways to score runs without the longball. Over the last two weeks, the team has ranked in the top 10 (in MLB) in multiple offensive categories: .292 AVG (1st), .354 OBP (1st), .453 SLG (6th), 23 Doubles (8th), and 6 Triples (1st). With this renewed offensive spark, let’s examine how individual players are contributing. Caleb Durbin, for example, has faced immense challenges in his first season with the Boston Red Sox, struggling through a tough start. Batting .183 with 30 hits, one home run, and 22 RBIs, Durbin has not found it easy in a Red Sox uniform. At times, he has seemed lost at the plate, swinging at pitches outside the zone and attempting home runs that aren’t characteristic of his playing style. Recently, however, he appears to be regaining his rhythm at the plate. In the past two weeks, Durbin has recorded a .280 average, 7 hits (including 3 doubles), and 8 runs driven in over his last 9 games. This personal progress aligns with the overall momentum building for the Red Sox offense. If Durbin maintains this form, he could significantly contribute to stabilizing the team’s offense. Similarly, after getting off to an abysmal start in April, where Duran was hitting at a .172 AVG, tallying 15 hits, 1 home run, driving in 10 runs (RBI), and striking out 24 times (in 22 games), his numbers dramatically improved in the month of May. In 27 games, Jarren Duran hit at a .261 batting average, while also collecting 30 hits, 9 home runs, and 22 RBIs. He has been one of the key contributors to this offense's turnaround. Willson Contreras has also played a crucial role in this resurgence. When the Boston Red Sox acquired him on December 21st, 2025, everyone expected him to be a solid bat in the lineup; he has exceeded those expectations. In his last 26 games, Contreras continued to be the anchor of this Red Sox offense. Hitting at a .315 batting average, smacking 28 hits, driving in 13 runs, and smashing 4 home runs, it’s clear that when the Red Sox need a big hit or runs, they can count on Willson Contreras. The only question is whether he can sustain this level of production. As June begins, the Red Sox face a tough divisional rival tonight in the Baltimore Orioles. The question now is whether the Red Sox offense can maintain this consistency or if they will regress to their early-season struggles. Only time will tell.