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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 18, 2023 9:10:33 GMT -5
September 17, 2023 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Koss records two hits; Kelly and Ort make rehab appearances for Worcester
9/17 Cup of Coffee: With Greenville preparing for the South Atlantic League Championship and Portland dealing with the aftereffects of some pretty severe weather, Worcester was the only affiliate in action on Saturday. Christian Koss (pictured) had a strong day at the plate and Rio Gomez strung together an impressive outing on the mound, but the WooSox ultimately fell to Syracuse by a final score of 7-2 at Polar Park.
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Syracuse Mets (NYM) 7, Worcester Red Sox 2 Corey Kluber was originally scheduled to make a rehab start for Worcester on Saturday but was instead scratched as a result of being shut down for the remainder of the season. In his place, Rio Gomez put forth a solid effort. The 28-year-old lefty allowed only two earned runs on six hits (one home run), two walks, and five strikeouts over five innings of work. He finished with 86 pitches (56 strikes) and induced nine swings-and-misses. In relief of Gomez, the rehabbing duo of Zack Kelly and Kaleb Ort each made appearances out of the WooSox bullpen. The former took the loss after serving up a two-run homer in the top of the sixth. The latter retired the only three batters he faced in a scoreless top of the eighth. Additionally, Chase Shugart was tagged for three runs in the seventh inning while Ryan Fernandez put up a zero in the ninth.
On an otherwise quiet afternoon for the WooSox lineup, Christian Koss stood out by going 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored out of the nine-hole. Nick Sogard accounted for his side's lone RBI by going 1 for 4 with a run-scoring infield single in the bottom of the fifth. He also scored on a wild pitch in the same inning. Enmanuel Valdez reached base three times on a single and two walks. Ronaldo Hernandez and Stephen Scott drew walks as well, though Hernandez showed off his wheels by stealing his second base of the year. Niko Kavadas was responsible for the hardest-hit ball of the contest, as he ripped a 108-mph base hit off William Woods in the ninth inning.
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Hartford Yard Goats (COL), Portland Sea Dogs (Cancelled) Portland's penultimate game of the season was cancelled on Saturday due to the effects from post-tropical cyclone Lee. It will not be made up, meaning the Sea Dogs will wrap up their season at Hadlock Field on Sunday afternoon.
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Player of the Day: Christian Koss is putting together a solid September. Following Saturday's multi-hit performance, the versatile 25-year-old is now batting .289/.341/.500 with five doubles, one home run, two RBIs, six runs scored, and one walk in 12 games (41 plate appearances) this month. In that stretch, he has seen playing time at second base, third base, shortstop, and in right field.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 18, 2023 9:11:25 GMT -5
September 18, 2023 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Esplin tallies 7 RBIs in Portland; Perales leads Greenville to Game 1 win
9/18 Cup of Coffee: Sunday's slate featured a pair of high-scoring affairs for Worcester and Portland and a playoff win for Greenville. Niko Kavadas and Nick Sogard powered the WooSox to an 11-5 victory in their final game of the season at Polar Park. Up the road at Hadlock Field, Tyler Dearden and Tyler Esplin (pictured) combined for seven hits and 13 RBIs as the Sea Dogs blew the doors off Hartford. The Drive, meanwhile, received a quality start from Luis Perales to take a 1-0 lead over Hudson Valley in the South Atlantic League Championship Series.
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Worcester Red Sox 11, Syracuse Mets (NYM) 5 The WooSox came away with a series-splitting victory in their final home game of the season at Polar Park. Five members of Worcester's starting lineup enjoyed multi-hit days at the plate. Nick Sogard paced the group by going 3 for 5 with a double, a home run, two RBIs, and three runs scored. Enmanuel Valdez and Ronaldo Hernandez each went 2 for 4 in the process of combining for two RBIs, six runs scored, and two walks. Batting behind them, Corey Rosier doubled and drove in a run as part of his first two-hit showing at the Triple-A level. Like Sogard, Niko Kavadas provided some pop by going 2 for 5 with a two-run single and a three-run home run that travelled an estimated 447 feet over the Worcester Wall. David Hamilton reached base twice and swiped one bag to bring his season total to 57.
Shane Drohan lasted just two-thirds of an inning in his 19th start for Worcester. The 24-year-old lefty allowed three earned runs on three hits and one walk without striking out a batter. Of the 35 pitches he threw, 18 went for strikes. In what would prove to be a long afternoon for the WooSox bullpen, Oddanier Mosqueda and the rehabbing Zack Kelly combined for 2 1 /3 scoreless frames out of the gate. Bryan Mata then yielded one run on two hits and a walk in his return from the injured list before making way for Justin Hagenman, who picked up the winning decision by tossing 2 1/3 innings of one-run ball. From there, Luis Guerrero, Joe Jacques, and Andrew Politi each put up zeroes to end the final homestand of the year on a positive note.
At 38-30, the WooSox will enter the final week of the regular season trailing the Durham Bulls by 5 1/2 games for first place in the International League East second-half standings. They open a six-game series on the road against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Tuesday.
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Portland Sea Dogs 24, Hartford Yard Goats (COL) 2 Behind strong offensive performances from the likes of Roman Anthony, Alex Erro, Tyler Dearden, and Tyler Esplin, Portland rattled off a franchise-record 24 runs in Sunday's season finale at Hadlock Field. Anthony went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and one run scored out of the leadoff spot. Erro, batting fifth, went 4 for 5 with a double, five RBIs, four runs scored, and a walk. Dearden and Esplin rounded out the lineup. The former drove in six runs on three hits (all singles). The latter did him one better by going 4 for 6 with a double, a home run (his first of the season), three runs scored, and a team-high seven RBIs to tie a franchise record. Phillip Sikes had just one hit, but the speedster drew three walks, scored four runs, and stole his 39th and final base of the year. Despite going hitless, Alex Binelas also walked three times, which resulted in two RBIs and two runs scored for him. In similar fashion, Chase Meidroth and Nathan Hickey combined for six walks and five runs. Nick Yorke and Tyler McDonough each crossed home plate once as well.
Hunter Dobbins was sharp in his final start of the season for the Sea Dogs. The 24-year-old righty allowed only one run on one hit and zero walks to go along with eight strikeouts over four efficient innings. Dobbins had retired the first 10 batters he faced before giving up a solo homer to Sterlin Thompson with one out in the top of the fourth. He finished with 51 pitches (37 strikes) and induced 13 swings-and-misses. Out of the Portland bullpen, CJ Liu fanned three across three innings of one-run ball. Christopher Troye and Brendan Cellucci then combined for two scoreless frames of relief to close it out.
With this historic win, the Sea Dogs close out the 2023 campaign with a record of 73-63 after going 40-29 in the first half and 33-34 in the second half. They fell short in making it to the Eastern League playoffs, which get underway on Tuesday.
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Greenville Drive 2, Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 0 (Game 1) Greenville blanked Hudson Valley in the opener of this best-of-three South Atlantic League Championship Series. Luis Perales got the start for the Drive and impressed, scattering one hit and two walks while striking out four over six scoreless innings. The 20-year-old righty earned the winning decision after throwing 44 of his 69 pitches for strikes and eliciting 12 whiffs. In relief of Perales, Casey Cobb, Frank German, and Felix Cepeda combined for three scoreless frames out of the bullpen. Despite allowing the first two batters he faced to reach base in the ninth, Cepeda held on and notched his second save of the postseason as a result.
The only scoring that took place in this one came in the top of the sixth inning. With the bases loaded and former Red Sox draft pick Sebastian Keane on the mound for Hudson Valley, Ronald Rosario and Kristian Campbell drew back-to-back one-out walks to plate both Allan Castro and Bryan Gonzalez. Rosario wound up going 1 for 3 with that RBI walk while Campbell went 0 for 2. Tyler Miller also went 1 for 3 with a walk and Gilberto Jimenez accounted for his side's lone extra-base hit with a third-inning double. Castro may have gone hitless, but the 20-year-old outfielder drew three walks and swiped one bag.
Following Sunday's victory, the Drive are now just one win away from securing their first South Atlantic League title since 2017. They will host the Renegades in Game 2 of this series at Fluor Field on Tuesday night.
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Player of the Day: Tyler Esplin made the most of his opportunity on Sunday. Receiving his first start in exactly two weeks after being activated from the development list this past Tuesday, the left-handed hitter racked up a career-high of eight total bases in the process of tying the Portland franchise record for RBIs in a single game (7). He also hit his first Double-A home run, so it was certainly a memorable performance for the 24-year-old, who can become eligible for minor-league free agency this winter.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 19, 2023 13:08:26 GMT -5
September 19, 2023 at 12:00 PM Minor Notes: Greenville advances to championship series, Chaim Bloom fired
Even though the end of the minor league season for the Boston organization is likely on Sunday, there has still been plenty of goings on around the system, as Greenville moved past Hickory in two games in the division series and is now one win away from a South Atlantic League championship over Hudson Valley. That's not even the biggest news, as the Red Sox are searching for a new head of baseball operations, with the news that Chaim Bloom was fired on Thursday.
Chaim Bloom, Red Sox part ways
It was quite the bombshell on Thursday, as Red Sox ownership announced just prior to the start of a doubleheader against the Yankees that Chaim Bloom had been fired as Chief Baseball Officer. Bloom had been hired in 2019, seemingly as a direct response to the freewheeling and big spending ways of the Dave Dombrowski era, as he had built the Rays into a perennial contender through drafting and developing inexpensive talent.
It came as a surprise to the public. This offseason is critical for Boston as a solid core is in place with control among position players, including Triston Casas, Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, Trevor Story and Masataka Yoshida, but the pitching lags behind. With a solid offseason prime for big splashes, Bloom's plan to rebuild the farm while cutting payroll and not going full rebuild could have worked out. Instead, ownership determined that he wasn't the man for the job to lead the Red Sox into the next era.
Bloom has always come off as very principled and disciplined in the process he's set forth. This seems to be both a positive and negative, as Sean McAdam of MassLive, among others, reported that he was unwilling to negotiate with regard to trade and free agents, instead sticking strictly to the value they put on players with little wiggle room.
Chris Hatfield and Ian Cundall released an emergency podcast on the topic, which has wide-ranging impacts on the system that won't be fully realized until a replacement is found and they implement their own vision.
Greenville onto South Atlantic League championship series
The Drive will be the second-to-last minor league affiliate playing games in 2023, as Greenville, by virtue of its first-half South Division title, made the four-team South Atlantic League playoffs. In the Division Series, which was against second-half winner Hickory, the Drive won the best-of-three set two games to zero.
Kristian Campbell was the Game 1 hero, as he was 3 for 4 with a double. He would score on the play after a two-base throwing error and Gilberto Jimenez knocked home the game-winning win with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Zach Penrod allowed just one run in five innings of work, while Franklin German and Feliz Cepeda each had no-hit frames to slam the door in a 3-2 final.
The Crawdads scored a run in the ninth of the deciding Game 2, but Greenville celebrated at home with a 6-3 win, despite mustering only five hits. Of those five, Eddinson Paulino's bases-clearing double with the bases loaded in the second was the biggest. When combined with a Campbell single, the Drive scored five in the frame and were able to cruise.
Game 1 of the Championship Series was in New York against Hudson Valley on Sunday. The pitching staff, led by six innings of one-hit ball by Luis Perales, spun a two-hit shutout. He was followed by Casey Cobb in the seventh, then German in the eighth and Cepeda in the ninth. Both of Greenville's runs came on bases-loaded walks.
Greenville now has a pair of chances at home to take home the South Atlantic League crown. Game 2 is on Tuesday, with a potential Game 3 slated for Wednesday.
Transactions
Bobby Dalbec is back in the big leagues, as he was called up from Triple-A Worcester on Saturday to replace Triston Casas on the active roster. He was placed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. That was not the only roster movement in Boston, as Kenley Jansen was placed on the COVID-19 injured list on Wednesday, with Brandon Walter coming up to replace him. His stint in Boston was just two days, as he traded places with Chris Murphy on Friday.
Zack Kelly is also working his way back, as he's been on the injured list since April with right elbow inflammation. His rehab journey began September 1 and he was promoted to Worcester on Wednesday. He's pitched 5 2/3 innings so far, with seven strikeouts against six walks. Six runs have also come in to score, though it's mostly about getting game reps for him, as he missed nearly five months with injury. He is joined in Worcester on a rehab assignment by Kaleb Ort, who was placed there on Saturday.
Bryan Mata has also been activated from the injured list, as he was placed on Worcester's active roster on Sunday. The Red Sox have six games remaining and there's a possibility he gets into game action. The front office must make a decision on him this winter, as he is out of options and must be with the big club to start the year or he'll be exposed to waivers.
Players of the Week
Niko Kavadas, 1B, Worcester Red Sox 6 G, 19 AB, 6 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 4 R, 8 RBI, 0 SB, 4 BB, 7 K
The penultimate week of the regular season was a big one for Niko Kavadas (pictured, top), who led the system with a 1.224 OPS and was the only player with multiple home runs. The Notre Dame product has done nothing but hit since being drafted in the 11th round in 2021 but seems to have met his match in the upper minors, as he has a .207/.363/.415 slash line in Triple-A, showcasing his elite patience, but his fringe-average hit tool has been challenged. If he can improve his contact skills, a great eye and plus-plus raw power should be able to shine through.
Luis Perales, RHP, Greenville Drive 1 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K
Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games. Luis Perales (pictured, bottom) was the starter in Game 1 of the South Atlantic League Championship Series on Sunday and he led the way for a two-hit shutout, with one of the hits on his tab, enabling his team to get to within one win of a league title. He retired the first eight batters he faced and didn't let a runner reach second base safely. He has three potential above-average or better pitches, but can stand to improve his command and control, as demonstrated by his two walks.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 20, 2023 6:50:51 GMT -5
September 20, 2023 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Drive win second SAL championship in franchise history
9/20 Cup of Coffee: This night was about the Greenville Drive, who celebrate their second South Atlantic League championship. They finished off a dominant playoff run, led by 2023 draft pick Kristian Campbell (pictured). It was a full team effort, as the rest of the offense played well and all three pitchers had great nights. Stephen Scott went deep for Worcester in their loss to Lehigh Valley.
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Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 4, Worcester Red Sox 3 Stephen Scott had a nice night for the WooSox, hitting his 13th home run of the year with Worcester and 19th overall this season. He also drew a walk and raised his OPS to .822 in 60 games for Worcester. Corey Rosier had a couple of hits, including a double, and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot. Ronaldo Hernandez added a double as well. Kyle Barraclough started and labored through four innings. He walked seven and allowed five hits, but limited the damage to just two runs. He also stuck out five. Cam Booser had a great night in relief, tossing 1 2/3 shutout innings with three strikeouts and no walks.
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Greenville Drive 7, Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 3 Greenville swept Hudson Valley in a best-of-three series to capture their second South Atlantic League title. Kristian Campbell, taken 132nd overall by the Sox this past July, delivered the knockout blow in the seventh inning, belting a three-run home run to give the Drive a comfortable 7-2 lead. Campbell went off in this postseason, batting .583 with a 1.560 OPS in four games. He ended the run with seven hits in 12 at-bats and six RBI. Ronald Rosario also had a huge home run, a solo shot in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie. It was a great team effort on offense, as eight of nine starters for Greenville collected at least one hit, with Campbell, Nick Decker, Allan Castro, and Eddinson Paulino each having multi-hit nights. Paulino doubled and drove in two runs. Gilberto Jimenez also doubled and scored, while Tyler Miller had a key RBI single in the seventh.
Dalton Rogers started this one off on the mound and pitched well, surrendering just one run over three innings with five strikeouts, two walks allowed, and just two hits allowed. Zach Penrod picked up his second win of the playoffs with five brilliant innings out of the bullpen. He allowed two runs on three hits, striking out seven with just one walk. He tossed 10 innings this postseason and struck out 14 while pitching to a 2.70 ERA. Felix Cepeda finished it off with a scoreless ninth inning that included two strikeouts.
Cepeda recorded the final out via the strikeout, and the celebration was on at Fluor Field. The win capped off a perfect 4-0 record in the playoffs for Greenville, outscoring their opponents 18-8 and never allowing more than three runs in any of the games.
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Player of the Day: Kristian Campbell ended his great 2023 season on a high note with three hits and a home run in Greenville's title-clincher. After eight games with the FCL Red Sox, where he posted a .391 batting average and a 1.082 OPS, Campbell was called up to Greenville. He had a nice regular season, with an .822 OPS in 14 games and had an even better postseason. It was a successful first professional season for the 21-year old shortstop.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 21, 2023 6:55:55 GMT -5
September 21, 2023 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Kavadas records two hits as Worcester falls to Lehigh Valley
9/21 Cup of Coffee: After Greenville took home its second South Atlantic League title on Tuesday, Worcester was the only one of Boston's minor-league affiliates in action on Wednesday night. Niko Kavadas (pictured) drove in his side's lone run as the WooSox fell to Lehigh Valley by a final score of 12-1 at Coca-Cola Park.
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Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 12, Worcester Red Sox 1 It was a rough night for the pitching staff as Worcester dropped its second straight to Lehigh Valley. Brian Van Belle got the start and allowed four earned runs on three hits, five walks (tying a season-high), and four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings of work. Of the 88 pitches the right-hander threw, 46 went for strikes and 10 elicited a swing-and-miss. Oddanier Mosqueda received the first call out of the WooSox bullpen and did not fare much better, surrendering four more runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief. The rehabbing Zack Kelly gave up a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth before Brendan Nail recorded the final two outs of the inning. From there, Bryan Mata yielded two runs in his second appearance back from the injured list while Logan Gillaspie scattered three hits and a walk across 1 1/3 scoreless frames.
Niko Kavadas led Worcester offensively, going 2 for 4 with an RBI double out of the six-hole. Narciso Crook, who scored on Kavadas' two-base hit, Tyler McDonough, and Stephen Scott also had doubles. Ronaldo Hernandez went 1 for 3 with two walks out of the three-hole. McDonough, who also drew a walk, was not in the original starting lineup but was slotted in as a result of Enmanuel Valdez being scratched shortly before first pitch. It's likely that Valdez was taken out of the lineup in case the Red Sox need to place infielder Luis Urias -- who left Wednesday's series finale against Texas with left calf tightness -- on the injured list later this week.
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Player of the Day: Niko Kavadas continued to build on a solid September by recording two more hits on Wednesday. In 15 games this month, the 24-year-old first baseman is now batting .255/.333/.588 with two doubles, five home runs, 13 RBIs, eight runs scored, six walks, and 21 strikeouts over 57 plate appearances.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 22, 2023 6:27:19 GMT -5
September 22, 2023 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: McDonough, Kavadas lead offense, quintet combines for two-hitter
9/22 Cup of Coffee: Despite being eliminated themselves, the WooSox were able to play a key role in shaping the International League playoff picture with a victory over second-place Lehigh Valley.
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Worcester Red Sox 3. Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 1 Worcester was able to play spoiler on Thursday night, helping to cut Durham's (TB) magic number to one in the International League playoff hunt. Niko Kavadas kicked off the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning. Tyler McDonough (pictured) went 2 for 3 with a triple and a run scored. The utility man got the start at second base and is 3 for 5 since joining Worcester at the close of the Double-A season. A quintet of pitchers split up the work on the two-hit victory. Chase Shugart got the spot start, going 2 1/3 hitless innings, striking out two and walking three. Justin Hagenman got credit for the win, following Shugart with 2 2/3 frames of shutout ball. Ryan Fernandez surrendered the IronPigs' only score. Joe Jacques walked one and struck out two in a pair of hitless frames, and AJ Politi also did not allow a hit in the ninth on his way to his 15th save of the year.
Lehigh Valley had entered the series two games behind first-place Durham with six to play. The IronPigs took the first two games of the series (officially eliminating Worcester in the process) but wasn't able to make up any ground. Worcester's victory, combined with another win by the Bulls, has the IronPigs on the brink of elimination.
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Player of the Day: Always a reliable contributor on the bases and with his glove, Tyler McDonough played a key role at the plate as well on Thursday. He was the only player on either squad to collect multiple hits in just his second Triple-A effort. After a slow start to the year, McDonough hit a strong .296/.363/.447 from June 19 onward, and he's reached base safely in each of his 11 games since the start of September.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 22, 2023 13:27:39 GMT -5
RED SOX Red Sox reveal which prospects are headed for Arizona Fall League Published: Sep. 22, 2023, 12:04 p.m.
By Sean McAdam | sean.mcadam@masslive.com Starting Oct. 2, the Arizona Fall League season will commence, and the Red Sox will be well-represented, with eight players chosen to taken part, including five pitchers.
Catcher Nathan Hickey, infielder Brainer Bonaci and outfielder Corey Rosier will be joined by pitchers Felix Cepeda, Bryan Mata, Wyatt Olds, Zach Penrod and Christopher Troye.
The eight will all play for the Glendale Desert Dogs, a team that will be managed by Iggy Suarez, who manages the Red Sox High A affiliate the Greenville Drive.
Hickey, 23, a former fifth-round pick out of the University of Florida, had a strong year in 2023. After starting the year at Greenville, he hit .258/.352/.474 with 15 homers and 56 RBI in 80 games for the Sea Dogs. He’s ranked as the 19th-best Red Sox prospect by SoxProspects.com.
Bonaci, 21, spent most of the season at Greenville where, in 60 games, he slashed .301/.353/.473 with nine homers and 38 RBI before earning a promotion to Portland for the final month. He’s ranked 11th on the SoxProspects.com list.
Rosier, 24, was acquired in the trade that sent Eric Hosmer to the Red Sox at the 2022 deadline. He spent most of the season at Double A where he posted a slash line of .324/.410/.412. His calling card is speed, of which he has plenty. He stole 33 bases in 37 tries before adding another seven (in eight tries) at Triple A Worcester in a September promotion.
Massachusetts sports betting apps are live and legal for online wagering. Sign-up for the top sportsbooks in MA. Bet now with FanDuel Massachusetts, DraftKings Massachusetts, and Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts. Among the pitchers, Mata was once one of the more highly-regarded arms in the system but injuries have cost him development time in recent seasons. He missed all of 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and returned midway through 2022. This past year, he was sidelined in May with a right teres major strain. In 27 innings late in the season, he showed significant rust, with a 6.33 ERA in 27 innings while averaging more than a walk per inning.
Troye, 24, was a 12th-round selection in 2021, and spent 2023 with Greenville and Portland. After posting a 1.96 at High A, he struggled some after graduating to Double A, with a 3.77 ERA in 24 relief appearances. He’s ranked 39th by SoxProspects.com.
Penrod 26, was originally with the Texas Rangers before being released. He spent two seasons playing independent ball before being signed by the Red Sox last month. He made four starts for Greenville, where he compiled a 2.18 ERA.
Cepeda, 23, was signed as an international free agent in 2017 and spent this season splitting time between the two Single A affiliates, Salem and Greenville. He had a superb stint with Greenville, with a 1.33 ERA in 14 bullpen outings. He’s ranked 54th in the organization by SoxProspects.com
Finally, there’s Wyatt Olds, a seventh-round choice in 2021. He’s struggled mightily with his control, and average better than a walk per inning at Portland.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 23, 2023 10:30:35 GMT -5
September 23, 2023 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Sogard's three hits support strong start for Walter
9/23 Cup of Coffee: Nick Sogard (pictured) flirted with a cycle, and Brandon Walter tossed five strong innings in a one-run victory for Worcester.
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Worcester Red Sox 3, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 2 Brandon Walter improved to 3-5 as he ended his season on a high note. Walter allowed one run over five innings, striking out four without walking a batter. Joely Rodríguez threw a shutout inning in his second rehab appearance, and Luis Guerrero picked up his first save for Worcester. Guerrero did make things interesting by walking two batters and allowing a single, but he got a strikeout with two runners on to end the game. Nick Sogard had three of the team's seven hits and scored all three of their runs, going 3 for 4 with a walk, double, and triple. He stole a base for good measure. Ronaldo Hernández went 1 for 3 and was hit by two pitches.
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Player of the Day: Nick Sogard was a one-man show on Friday night, helping lead Worcester to victory in a low-scoring affair. Currently the 52nd-ranked prospect in the system, Sogard has had a strong year for the WooSox. He's posted a .370 on-base percentage while playing solid defense at five positions. He has lacked power with only seven home runs in 112 games, but it has still been a good showing for the 26 year old who will be Rule 5-eligible this offseason.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 24, 2023 6:34:33 GMT -5
September 24, 2023 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Rain cancels season's penultimate contest
9/24 Cup of Coffee
Worcester Red Sox @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI), canceled Worcester ended Lehigh Valley's playoff hopes on Friday, so the teams will not have to make up Saturday's rainout. They'll finish out the season on Sunday if the weather allows.
If you need to fill the void left by the lack of games to be recapped, please check out the recent piece on the history of SoxProspects.com by Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 25, 2023 8:23:26 GMT -5
September 25, 2023 at 7:00 AM Cup of Coffee: Abreu homers in Boston; Worcester's season finale called off due to rain
9/25 Cup of Coffee: Mother Nature got in the way for Worcester and Lehigh Valley yet again, as the IronPigs had to call off their regular season finale against the WooSox on account of rainy conditions within the vicinity of Coca-Cola Park.
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Worcester Red Sox @ Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) (cancelled) For the second year in a row, Worcester's last game of the season was cancelled due to inclement weather on the road. It will not be made up. As such, the WooSox finish the 2023 campaign with a final record of 79-68 under Chad Tracy. They went 39-36 in the first half and 40-32 in the second half but ultimately fell short of securing a spot in the International League playoffs.
Bobby Dalbec and Kyle Barraclough were recognized as Worcester's 2023 MVPs last week. The former led the team in runs scored (82), hits (111), home runs (33), and RBIs (79). The latter, who did not join the organization until late June, went 8-1 with a 3.65 ERA and 62 strikeouts to 45 walks in 14 appearances (13 starts) spanning 74 innings of work. David Hamilton stole 57 bases in 103 games to set a new Red Sox Triple-A single-season record.
Seventy-nine different players suited up for the WooSox this season, including notable prospects such as Hamilton, Wilyer Abreu (pictured, top), Tyler McDonough, Ceddanne Rafaela, Corey Rosier, Stephen Scott, Nick Sogard, Enmanuel Valdez, Shane Drohan, Ryan Fernandez, Grant Gambrell, Luis Guerrero, and Bryan Mata.
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Player of the Day: Wilyer Abreu hit the second home run of his major-league career in Sunday's rain-shortened loss to the White Sox at Fenway Park. Since being called up for the first time last month, the 24-year-old outfielder has batted .362/.431/.552 with five doubles, two homers, 11 RBIs, nine runs scored, three stolen bases, seven walks, and 16 strikeouts in 22 games (65 plate appearances) with Boston.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 25, 2023 10:37:58 GMT -5
Red Sox honor top minor leaguers with annual awards
Published: Sep. 25, 2023, 10:54 a.m.
By
Sean McAdam | sean.mcadam@masslive.com
Now that the minor league baseball season is over, the Red Sox have announced their traditional end-of-season awards, saluting the top players from their organization for 2023.
* Outfielder Roman Anthony was chosen as the Offensive Player of the Year.
* Infielder David Hamilton was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Year.
* Righthander Wikelman Gonzalez was cited as the Starting Pitcher of the Year.
* Righthander Luis Guerrero was named Relief Pitcher of the Year.
* INF/OF Ceddanne Rafaela was selected as Baserunner of the Year.
* INF Yoelin Cespedes was chosen as the Latin Program Pitcher of the Year.
* RHP Gilberto Batista was honored as the Latin Program Pitcher of the Year.
The awards were chosen by the Red Sox Baseball Operations department and minor league roving instructors. The winners will be honored during a pre-game, on-field ceremony at Fenway Tuesday night, prior to the start of the team’s next-to-last home game of the 2023 season.
Anthony, a second-round pick in 2022, slashed .272/.403/.466 with 14 homers, 27 doubles, 16 steals, 64 RBI and 78 runs in his first full pro season, split between High A Greenville and Double A Portland. Anthony, 19, is considered the organization’s second-best prospect.
Hamilton, 25, appeared in 85 games at shortstop, 14 at second base and six games in center field. He also led all of Triple A with 57 steals.
Gonzalez, 21, is a Top 10 prospect in the Red Sox organization. He was 6-3 with a 5.14 ERA in 15 starts for Greenville before going 3-1, 2.42 in 10 starts for Portland. He finished the year with 168 strikeouts, tied for fifth most among all minor leaguers. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
Guerrero, 23, had a 2.32 ERA over 49 appearances between Portland and Worcester, limiting opposing hitters to a .157 batting average. He also converted 18-of-22 saves while at Double A.
Rafaela, 23, who is finishing the year in the big leagues, hit .302 with an .896 OPS to go with 31 doubles, 20 homers, 80 runs scored and 36 stolen bases between Portland and Worcester before graduating to the parent club at the end of August.
Cespedes, 18, had a .346 in the Dominican Summer League with a .952 OPS, with 36 starts at short and another 10 as DH.
Batista, 18, was 1-3 with a 3.54 in 10 starts while leading his team in strikeouts, WHIP and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Additionally, the Red Sox named pitcher Brandon Walter as the recipient of the Lou Gorman Award, presented annually to th the Red Sox minor leaguer who has “demonstrated dedication and perseverance in overcoming obstacles while working his way to the major league team.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 11, 2023 14:39:04 GMT -5
October 11, 2023 at 1:00 PM Fall/Winter Roundup: Rosier on roll as AFL kicks off
With the 2023 minor league regular season in the books, we move on to the winter and fall leagues. The Arizona Fall League kicked off on October 2 with eight players in the Red Sox organization participating on the Glendale Desert Dogs. SoxProspects.com will run our weekly Fall/Winter Notes series, and you can follow along daily on our 2023-24 Fall and Winter Leagues page. This week's edition of the Notes runs from that AFL opener through Tuesday October 10.
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Arizona Fall League
The highlight of the first week-plus of the AFL season has been the play of outfielder Corey Rosier. The 24-year-old, acquired in the deal with San Diego that included Jay Groome and Eric Hosmer, has hit safely in each of his six starts for the Desert Dogs. He is 9 for 24 (.360) with a double, triple, and three stolen bases. He has seen time at all three outfield positions, getting three starts in center field, two in left field, and one in right.
Boston's top-ranked prospect in the circuit was Brainer Bonaci, who went 1 for 7 with four strikeouts in the first two games of the season. He did not appear for the rest of the week, and news came out Tuesday that he has been replaced on the roster by Tyler McDonough.
Nathan Hickey has also seen significant playing time in the desert, getting starts in five of Glendale's eight games. He is just 2 for 14 but has drawn 8 walks in 22 plate appearances, good for a .455 on-base percentage.
Five pitchers have also gotten work for Glendale, each making two appearances apiece. Lefty Zack Penrod drew the opening day start, getting the loss despite allowing just one run on three hits in four innings. He came back with a victory on October 9, giving up just one hit across four scoreless frames, striking out five. Felix Cepeda has twice worked a scoreless inning, getting credit for a save on Monday. Wyatt Olds has three scoreless frames across his two outings. Bryan Mata has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen, going a scoreless inning in his first appearance and surrendering a pair of runs his second time out. Christopher Troye has allowed one run on three hits in three innings, striking out four.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 11, 2023 16:59:13 GMT -5
Red Sox minor leaguer placed on MLB restricted list for policy violation By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated October 11, 2023, 40 minutes ago
Red Sox minor leaguer Brainer Bonaci was sent home from the Arizona Fall League and placed on the restricted list by Major League Baseball for violating the joint domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy, according to a league official.
No further information was available about the nature of the violation or how long Bonaci will remain on the restricted list.
Bonaci, a 21-year-old infielder, hit .297/.354/.464 with 11 homers in 79 games between High A Greenville and Double A Portland in 2023, a performance that had Baseball America ranking him as the No. 11 prospect in the Red Sox system in its mid-year rankings.
However, Bonaci’s season came to an abrupt end when he was placed on the reserve list in late August and eventually sent home to Venezuela due to what one league source at the time called administrative leave.
Bonaci was taken off the reserve list at the end of the minor league season and permitted to take part in the Red Sox’ fall performance program in Fort Myers while also being cleared to play in the Arizona Fall League, where he was on the roster of the Glendale Desert Dogs.
He played just two games in the AFL, going 1 for 7 with four strikeouts, before being placed on the restricted list by MLB.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 16, 2023 13:19:14 GMT -5
October 16, 2023 at 12:00 PM Fall/Winter Roundup: McDonough debuts in the AFL; Dominican and Venezuelan leagues set to begin
Last week, the team announced that Tyler McDonough (pictured) was joining the Glendale Desert Dogs roster while Brainer Bonaci would be leaving. On Wednesday, it came out that Bonaci was sent home and placed on the restricted list for violating the Minor League Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Child Abuse Policy. Bonaci got put on the restricted list on August 30 when he was with Portland as well. There is no word yet on his status for next season, but it will be something to monitor in the coming weeks.
With the Dominican and Venezuelan leagues starting this week, our 2023-24 Fall and Winter Leagues page will have updated rosters once available. This week's edition of the Notes runs from October 11-15.
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Arizona Fall League It was a rough stretch for the Desert Dogs, as they went 0-4 over the four games since our last update. They are now 2-10 and sitting in last place. Corey Rosier continues to see the most playing time, as he started in three of the four games. He went 2 for 11 with an RBI while playing center field. Nathan Hickey appeared in just one game as a designated hitter and went 1 for 4 with two strikeouts. Tyler McDonough made his debut on Saturday and went 0 for 3 while getting the start in left field.
The pitching had a forgettable stretch, with all four players struggling in their relief appearances. Felix Cepeda allowed three runs in his lone inning of work, allowing three hits and walking one. Bryan Mata surrendered two runs on three hits in one inning, striking out one. Wyatt Olds worked two innings and allowed two runs while walking two and striking out two. Christopher Troye did not record an out while allowing five runs on four hits and two walks. Troye did have an introspective thread on X (formerly Twitter) that is worth a read.
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Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM) The season kicks off on October 19.
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Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (LVBP) The season kicks off on October 21.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 23, 2023 13:07:38 GMT -5
October 23, 2023 at 12:00 PM Fall/Winter Roundup: Rosier stays hot in AFL; Valdez returns to Dominican for winter ball
While the Arizona Fall League season continues to roll on out west, winter ball has just begun to start back up in the Caribbean. Corey Rosier (pictured) and Enmanuel Valdez, who both joined the Red Sox organization around the same time last August via separate trades with the Padres and Astros, headline this week's edition of the Notes covering all the action from from October 16-22.
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Arizona Fall League
It was a perfect week for Glendale in the Arizona Fall League. After winning just two of their first 12 games, the Desert Dogs rattled off six straight wins and are now 8-10 on the season. They now trail the 11-6 Scottsdale Scorpions by 3 1/2 games for first place in the standings heading into Week 4 of AFL play.
Boston's contingent of prospects had its fingerprints all over this successful run for Glendale. Corey Rosier led the way offensively, going 6 for 14 (.375) with two doubles, two RBIs, six runs scored, two stolen bases, five walks, and four strikeouts in four games. The left-handed hitting outfielder is currently batting a stout .333/.424/.412 with a team-leading five stolen bases in his first 13 games (59 plate appearances) with the Scorpions. He has already seen playing time at all three outfield positions.
Tyler McDonough has made his impact felt at the plate as well. Despite being a late addition to Glendale's roster, the versatile 24-year-old reached base in 10 of his 24 plate appearances last week while swiping three bags. He broke out for three doubles, one walk, and three runs scored (including the game-winner) as part of a come-from-behind, 10-9 victory over the Salt River Rafters this past Thursday.
Nathan Hickey enjoyed less success as far as offensive production is concerned. The 23-year-old backstop went 3 for 15 (.200) with two runs scored, three walks, and six strikeouts to drop his slash line on the season to just .182/.386/.182 in 10 games (44 plate appearances). Defensively, he has thrown out two of 11 potential base stealers while splitting time behind the plate with Kevin Parada of the Mets and Andrew Cossetti of the Twins.
Turning to the pitching, Bryan Mata made a pair of scoreless relief appearances for the Desert Dogs on Monday and Thursday of last week. The 24-year-old righty allowed just one hit and did not issue a walk while striking out five of the eight batters he faced over 2 1/3 innings of work. A member of Boston's 40-man roster, Mata now owns a 6.75 ERA with eight strikeouts to zero walks in five outings (5 1/3 innings) this fall.
On the topic of relievers, fellow right-handers Felix Cepeda, Wyatt Olds, and Christopher Troye each appeared in two games for Glendale as well. Cepeda, 23, allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks in two innings. Olds, 24, put up zeros in his two outings and picked up the winning decision by tossing a 1-2-3 ninth inning in Saturday's extra-innings victory over the Mesa Solar Sox. Troye, also 24, went 2 for 2 in save opportunities without giving up a run.
Zach Penrod, meanwhile, got start for the Desert Dogs in their matchup against the Solar Sox at Sloan Park on Saturday night. The 26-year-old lefty went three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits (one home run), two walks, and two strikeouts. Of the 53 pitches he threw, 31 went for strikes and nine elicited a swing-and-miss. Through three starts this fall, Penrod is 1-1 with a 1.64 ERA and 11 strikeouts to seven walks over 11 innings in which he has held opposing hitters to a .184 batting average against.
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Dominican Professional Baseball League (LIDOM)
The 2023-2024 LIDOM season began this past Thursday. Enmanuel Valdez appeared in three games for Toros del Este and went 1 for 5 with two RBIs, one run scored, five walks, and two strikeouts. The 24-year-old second baseman was also hit by a pitch on four separate occasions, leading to a sky-high .714 on-base percentage so far.
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