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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2024 6:01:56 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo Doesn't matter the Celtics are playing. (Trust me, bro)
These games went on sale months and months before they made a playoff run. Friday night in June against the Yankees and can't pack the house. Not being a shit-stirrer: that's alarming. 11:14 PM · Jun 14, 2024 · 7,893 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2024 6:05:20 GMT -5
Gabrielle Starr @gfstarr1 "Sweet Caroline" when the Red Sox are losing to the Yankees and the Celtics are down 33 points in a potential deciding game?
No. 11:13 PM · Jun 14, 2024 · 5,575 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2024 6:06:33 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo
Sox were 1-for-11 with RISP, 11 LOB, 14 Ks.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2024 6:10:36 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Red Sox reliever Chris Martin opens up about anxiety battle, scheduled to begin rehab assignment Saturday By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 14, 2024, 9:43 p.m.
Chris Martin felt tired, but this didn’t feel like normal fatigue. He was out of breath after a regular game of catch, a bullpen, running foul pole to foul pole.
He’s a big leaguer. One who has carved out a good career, with detours to independent ball and Japan before he made his way back to the majors. The veteran knew he wasn’t out of shape.
This type of tired was different.
“I was having some body fatigue that was stemming from some other stuff,” Martin told the Globe prior to Friday’s 8-1 Yankees win over the Red Sox. “I think I kind of let it fester a little too long and I wasn’t feeling good. I understand the difference between baseball tired and where was. It was affecting my performance.”
The body fatigue was anxiety. And as a result, the Red Sox placed the righthanded reliever on the injured list on June 5.
Martin was one of the best relievers in baseball last year, his first season with the Red Sox. He helped anchor the back part of the bullpen along with Kenley Jansen, carrying a 1.05 ERA and 1.032 WHIP in 51⅓ innings pitched and yielding just two homers.
This season, in just 21⅓ innings, Martin has a 4.22 ERA. He’s conceded 10 earned runs, compared to just six all of last season.
But despite the forgettable results, it wasn’t baseball that made him feel anxious. More so matters off the field, from which baseball was his escape. But the more he held his secret close to him without opening up, that feeling, like a piano on his chest, weighed him down on the mound.
He knew he had to say something to the Sox. He’s glad he did.
“Accepting it and speaking about it to professionals, getting a better understanding of how to take care of it, is what I’m working on right now,” Martin said. “I think at some point, when I kind of get my head wrapped around all of it, I will speak out. I’m still working right now.”
It always will be something Martin has to manage. Anxiety comes in waves, when you’re not quite expecting it, or it’s day-to-day. There are so many different ways it can hit. Martin is getting a better handle on it.
“Everybody probably deals with it in some sort of fashion. I think that’s why it’s kind of hard to speak up. It’s not the manly thing to do,” Martin said. “But since I’ve opened up about it, obviously, it’s gotten a lot better. I think I’ve gotten a lot of support from people I really didn’t expect. It’s cool.”
Martin is feeling better. Doing the best he can. As such, he will begin a rehab assignment Saturday in Buffalo with Triple A Worcester. Wilyer Abreu improving
Wilyer Abreu (ankle) took batting practice on the field for a second straight day Friday and will likely begin a rehab assignment sometime next week. He should just need one or two games, according to manager Alex Cora. Abreu could return for the Sox’ series against the Reds next weekend . . . Romy Gonzalez (hamstring) went 1 for 4 playing the full game at first base for Worcester, one day after he was the designated hitter . . . Vaughn Grissom (hamstring) is progressing and is doing some baseball activities. Cora said Grissom is running, but not at full speed, and is taking grounders . . . Bryan Mata (hamstring) will resume his rehab assignment at Double A Portland, where he will report either Friday or Saturday . . . Pitching prospect Luis Perales (elbow inflammation) underwent an MRI. Doctors are reviewing the results and expect to have more information soon . . . Triston Casas (ribs) still hasn’t graduated to taking swings at game speed, but is feeling better and meditating. “I think he even meditated [on the field] through the storm [Friday],” said Cora . . . A 72-minute rain delay neutralized Boston’s efforts to start Friday’s game at 6:30, and thus play nearly all of it before the scheduled Celtics’ NBA Finals Game 4 tip-off at 8:30 in Dallas . . . The Red Sox and Yankees, who didn’t play before Friday, began a run of nine meetings through July 28, a full 25 percent (9 of 36) of Boston’s schedule in that span.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2024 6:15:36 GMT -5
New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox
Saturday, June 15, 2024 at 7:15pm EDT Written by Paul Biagioli
Two AL East teams continue their historic rivalry when the New York Yankees (49-22, 1st AL East) take on the Boston Red Sox (35-34, 3rd AL East). This is the first series to be played between these teams this season. The first game of the series was played on Friday night (Note: This article was published before Friday's results). The Yankees just won three of four games against the Royals in Kansas City, while Boston just took two of three from the Phillies in Fenway. The Yankees will start Carlos Rodon (2.93 ERA) while the Red Sox go with Cooper Criswell (4.13 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:15 from Fenway Park and can be found regionally on FOX.
Yanks Take Series in KC The New York Yankees recently dropped a series to the Dodgers, but were able to bounce back against the Kansas City Royals, taking three of four games on the road. They outscored the Royals 28-12, and sill hold a relatively small lead in the AL East. The Yankees have the best record in the American League, but are still only 2.5-games ahead of the Orioles in second. They have a much larger lead over the Red Sox in third place, as they are ahead of Boston by 13 games. In their last game against KC, Anthony Rizzo homered in the 8th inning, but they still lost 4-3.
Rizzo plays first base and batted sixth in the lineup against Kansas City. He just hit his 8th home run of the season and has added 27 RBIs while batting .223 at the plate. Aaron Judge is the top home run hitter in the major leagues, he has 25 on the season, which is four more than any other player in the league. Judge also leads the team with 62 RBIs and is batting .302 from the third spot in the lineup. Juan Soto batted second in the last series, the right fielder has the best batting average on the team at .320 and has added another 17 home runs and 54 RBIs. Giancarlo Stanton sat out the last game of the series, but is still listed as active, he has 17 home runs to go with 40 RBIs and typically takes the DH spot when he plays.
Carlos Rodon will make his 15th start of the season in this game, the 31-year-old left-hander has a 9-2 record, and the Yankees have won in all of his last seven starts. His ERA is 2.93 to go with 74 strikeouts against 20 walks, and has allowed 11 home runs on the year. In his last start, Rodon pitched seven innings and allowed just one earned run in a win over the Royals.
Tough Schedule for Boston The Boston Red Sox are playing two of the toughest teams in back-to-back series. They already took on the Phillies, and more than held their own as they won two of the three games in the series. Immediately after taking on the best team in the National League, they must play the best team in the American League in the Yankees. They will try to make up their 13-game deficit in the standings. In their last game against Philadelphia, Tyler O'Neill hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning to help carry the way to a win.
O'Neill hit his 12th home run of the season against Philadelphia and has added 22 RBIs on the season. O'Neill plays in right field and has a .256 batting average from the third spot in the batting order. He is just edged out in home runs by Rafael Devers, the third baseman has 13 on the season, and also has the best batting average on the team at .286. Devers has been batting cleanup in recent lineups. Ceddanne Rafaela is their center fielder, he leads the team in RBIs with 37 on the season and has seven home runs and a .220 batting average from the 9th spot of the lineup. Their leadoff hitter is Jarren Duran, he leads the team with 15 stolen bases and is batting .272 with five homers and 30 RBIs from the top of the order.
Cooper Criswell will make his 11th start of the season, the 27-year old right-hander has a 3-3 record, and the team has gone 2-3 overall in his last five starts. Criswell has a 4.13 ERA, to go with 43 strikeouts to 11 walks, with six allowed home runs on the year. In his last start, Criswell pitched 4.1 innings and allowed three earned runs in a loss to the White Sox.
Yankees at Red Sox Saturday, at 7:15 PM EST Clear It's expected to be 72° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 6 MPH wind blowing left to right in Boston at 7:15 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Clear skies and comfortable temperatures are expected for Saturday night's AL East matchup at Fenway Park. Light winds blowing in from left field will reduce home run chances slightly in that direction. Overall, weather will have a minimal impact. .
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2024 7:24:48 GMT -5
Former Red Sox OF Alex Verdugo relishing return to Boston with Yankees FLM
Led by a familiar face in Boston, the New York Yankees will look to post a second consecutive road win over the American League East rival Red Sox on Saturday.
In New York's 8-1 Friday win, Alex Verdugo -- who was making his first Fenway Park appearance since being traded by Boston in the offseason -- went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs to pace a 10-hit Yankee attack.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone praised his outfielder before the series began.
"He's been really good between the lines," Boone said of Verdugo. "I don't want to gloss over just how good he's played in left field and just a lot of big hits. I feel like he's even swung the bat better than his numbers would suggest. But there's just a humorous edge that he brings to the park every day that his teammates feed off of."
Prior to Friday, only Roger Maris (1960) had recorded at least four RBIs and seven total bases in his first game against the Red Sox as a Yankee.
"This is one of the days I had circled," Verdugo said of the first game of the season between the teams.
Scheduled New York starter Carlos Rodon (9-2, 2.93) worked seven innings of one-run ball in his Monday start at Kansas City, which marked his seventh straight win and tied for his longest outing this season.
It was a game circled on Rodon's calendar since failing to record an out in his 2023 season-ending start on Sept 29.
"It wasn't just one start, it was a culmination of the whole '23 season that wasn't so great (6.85 ERA)," Rodon said. "That definitely motivated me."
Fast forward to this season, and Rodon has allowed one or zero runs in six of his 14 starts. He already has tripled his three-win total from all of 2023.
The left-hander is 2-3 with a 3.34 ERA in six career starts against Boston.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora was pleased with his team's at-bats during the series opener, working counts and forcing New York starter Luis Gil out of the game after five innings.
But recording just five hits and going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position did not work for the manager.
"I do believe we put good at-bats. A lot of deep counts, 3-2 counts," Cora said. "We just didn't cash in."
Enmanuel Valdez had the lone Red Sox RBI on a fourth-inning double, his fourth two-bagger in a span of seven at-bats dating back to Wednesday's first of consecutive wins over the Philadelphia Phillies to claim the three-game set earlier this week.
Boston right-hander Cooper Criswell (3-3, 4.13) has lost two of his past three starts and will look to bounce back in his first career outing against the Yankees on Saturday.
Criswell lost last Friday at the Chicago White Sox, allowing three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings.
With Friday's results in the first of 13 meetings between the teams this season, New York became the first 50-win team in baseball while Boston slipped back to .500.
The Red Sox will look to even the series and regain some of the momentum that they created against Philadelphia as a key stretch continues.
"The Phillies are the best in the NL and the Yankees are best in the AL," Boston's Rob Refsnyder said. "It'd be foolish not to see how you stack up against the best teams."
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2024 11:03:00 GMT -5
Game 71: Yankees at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Matt Pepin Globe Staff,Updated June 15, 2024, 2 hours ago It was a rough night for Boston sports fans, with both the Red Sox and Celtics getting blown out. For Sox fans, however, the opportunity to turn the page comes quickly, although with its own set of challenges. The Yankees will send one of this season’s top starting pitchers to the mound in the second game of their weekend series at Fenway Park. Carlos Rodón’s 9-2 record is among the best for starting pitchers, and the lefthander has won seven straight starts since May 8. Rodón has rebounded from a lousy 2023 season in which he battled left forearm and back issues and went 3-8 with a 6.85 ERA in 14 starts. He has already reached 14 starts this season. The Red Sox managed just five hits in Friday’s loss. Here’s a preview of Saturday’s game. Lineups YANKEES (50-22): Anthony Volpe (R) SS Juan Soto (L) LF Aaron Judge (R) CF Alex Verdugo (L) RF Giancarlo Stanton (R) DH Anthony Rizzo (L) 1B Gleyber Torres (R) 2B Austin Wells (L) C DJ LeMahieu (R) 3B Pitching: LHP Carlos Rodón (9-2, 2.93 ERA) RED SOX (35-35): Jarren Duran (L) CF Rob Refsnyder (R) RF Tyler O'Neill (R) LF Rafael Devers (L) 3B Connor Wong (R) C Masataka Yoshida (L) DH Jamie Westbrook (R) 2B Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B Ceddanne Rafaela (R) SS Pitching: RHP Cooper Criswell (3-3, 4.13 ERA) Time: 7:15 p.m. TV, radio: Fox, WEEI-FM 93.7 Yankees vs. Criswell: Trent Grisham 1-1, Alex Verdugo 1-1 Red Sox vs. Rodón: Bobby Dalbec 1-2, Rafael Devers 2-8, Reese McGuire 1-2, Ceddanne Rafaela 1-3, Rob Refsnyder 3-7, Connor Wong 0-2 Stat of the day: The Red Sox were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position in Friday’s loss. Notes: Yankees starter Carlos Rodón worked seven innings of one-run ball in his Monday start at Kansas City, which marked his seventh straight win and tied for his longest outing this season. ... Rodón has allowed one or zero runs in six of his 14 starts. He is 2-3 with a 3.34 ERA in six career starts against Boston. ... Enmanuel Valdez drove in Boston’s only run Friday on a fourth-inning double, his fourth double in a span of seven at-bats dating back to Wednesday’s win over the Phillies. ... Sox starter Cooper Criswell has lost two of his past three starts and will have his first career outing against the Yankees on Saturday. Criswell lost last Friday at the Chicago White Sox, allowing three earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. ... New York became the first 50-win team in MLB on Friday. Song of the Day: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlUKcNNmywk
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 15, 2024 11:32:59 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe Wilyer Abreu had a good BP last night. He's eligible to be activated off the IL and that should be soon.
Vaughn Grissom also hit and looked good. This hamstring strain is not as bad as his last one, he said. So some progress there as well. 1:04 PM · Jun 15, 2024 · 3,074 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2024 5:11:05 GMT -5
Devers' 2-run double helps Red Sox beat Yankees, stop Rodón's 7-start winning streak AP
BOSTON (AP) Rafael Devers hit a two-run double and the Boston Red Sox ended Carlos Rodón's seven-start winning streak by beating the New York Yankees 8-4 on Saturday night.
Tyler O’Neill and rookie Jamie Westbrook had RBI doubles in a three-run first inning for the Red Sox, who rebounded from an 8-1 loss in Friday's series opener to win before just the second sellout at Fenway Park this season.
“It was better today than yesterday,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of the atmosphere. “They're into the game. ... Regardless of where we're at, people care. It's been fun the last two days.”
Boston improved to 33-9 wearing their City Connect uniforms with bright yellow jerseys and powder blue lettering, including 18-5 in the past two years.
Rodón (9-3) had allowed three or fewer runs in 13 of 14 starts this season. O’Neill and Westbrook sandwiched their doubles around Connor Wong's run-scoring's single.
“It just looked like he was in the heart of the plate a lot,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Rodón. “I thought his stuff was good.”
Rodón gave up five runs, seven hits and three walks over five innings in his first loss since May 2.
“I just left some balls in the middle part of the plate,” he said of his first two innings. “They hit some balls really hard off me and I just didn't get to the area I wanted to, and put the team down. Five runs was tough, hard for them to claw their way out of it. That's on me.”
Juan Soto hit a solo homer and DJ LeMahieu had a two-run single for the major league-best Yankees (50-23), who had won nine of their previous 10 road games.
“Playing the Green Monster can be fun,” said Soto, who was in left field, “but it's that fun when you're seeing a lot of balls hitting the wall.”
Justin Slaten (4-2) worked 2 2/3 innings of one-run relief, striking out Giancarlo Stanton swinging to stranded the bases loaded in the fifth.
“It's everything you see as a kid growing up,” he said of his first time in a Red Sox-Yankees matchup. “This rivalry goes back a long ways. It's something you can feel coming in the clubhouse everyday, stepping out onto the field for the anthem and all throughout the game. ... It's a really surreal feeling, honestly."”
Kenley Jansen got the final four outs for his 11th save in 12 chances, the 431st of his big league career.
After LeMahieu’s single sliced it to 3-2 in the second against Cooper Criswell, Devers lined his double into the left-center gap in the bottom of the inning.
Soto hit his 18th homer of Slaten, an opposite-field drive that just cleared the top of the Green Monster, and caromed back onto the field in the seventh.
Boston added a pair of runs in the eighth when Jarren Duran had an RBI single and scored from third on a throwing error by catcher Jose Trevino.
Before the game the Red Sox honored the NCAA basketball champion UConn. Alex Karaban, who grew up about 30 minutes away in Southborough, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: Ace RHP Gerrit Cole returned to the club and said he was “feeling good” after his third rehab start Friday night. Boone said the club would decide in the next few days if he’ll join the rotation or make another rehab start.
Red Sox: OF Wilyer Abreu (right ankle sprain) ran the bases. Cora said he was feeling good and the team will talk next week about his potential return. … Cora said reliever Chris Martin (anxiety) will start a rehab assignment Sunday.
UP NEXT
Yankees RHP Marcus Stroman (6-2, 2.82 ERA) is set to start Sunday night’s series finale against Red Sox RHP Kutter Crawford (2-6, 3.47).
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2024 5:23:12 GMT -5
Jansen calls Cora for 8th-inning entrance to finish off Yanks Red Sox closer secures 431st career save: 'This is the best rivalry ever in the game' 1:39 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- On an electric Saturday night at Fenway Park, as fans of the Red Sox and Yankees tested the reach of their vocal chords to outdo each other, it was the home team that staved off its dangerous rivals in a satisfying 8-4 victory.
With the sell-out crowd of 36,673 buzzing from the first pitch, the Red Sox elicited deafening roars from their backers in a three-run first inning in which they bashed a trio of doubles (Jarren Duran, Tyler O'Neill and Jamie Westbrook) off the Green Monster against Yankees lefty Carlos Rodón.
Rafael Devers mashed a 112-mph two-run double to the gap in left-center with two outs in the second to make it 5-2 in favor of Boston.
While the standings show the Yankees with the best record in baseball (50-23) and the Red Sox just a game over .500 (36-35), the rivalry has a way of neutralizing factors like that.
“This is the best rivalry ever in the game. I’m grateful to have played in both rivalries. The Dodgers and the Giants, also, but you can't compare this one,” said Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen. “This is so much different. It's unbelievable. It was fun going out there, and the atmosphere was great.”
Jansen got so caught up in the action around him that he called down to the dugout and told manager Alex Cora he wanted the ball if things got sticky in the eighth inning. The big righty came through with his first four-out save of the season.
“The big man called in the middle of the eighth,” Cora said of Jansen. “He made the call, I didn’t make the call. He made it and said, ‘I’m in.’ So it was a fun game, and we’ve got a chance to win the series tomorrow.”
For a young and athletic Red Sox team that is gaining experience by the game, taking two out of three from the Yankees after they just did so against the equally loaded Phillies would make for a significant week.
“We're young,” Cora said. “We’re going to lose some games, we’re going to win some games. It's a good brand of baseball. It's fun. The offense, when we’re clicking, it’s fun to watch. We’re going to put pressure on the opposition.”
If the early Boston highlights came from the offense, the bullpen staved off a possible Yankees onslaught in the mid-innings.
Some of the biggest outs of the game were the eight from Rule 5 Draft pick Justin Slaten. When the fearsome Aaron Judge walked to load the bases, pitching coach Andrew Bailey came out with some instructions on what to do against Alex Verdugo.
Slaten executed the plan with a first-pitch cutter that Verdugo pounded into the ground for a forceout. But there was still Giancarlo Stanton to deal with -- he of the 17 homers this season and 419 for his career. Slaten punched him out with an 83.7 mph sweeper, leaving them loaded as the crowd roared with approval.
“Everybody was screaming on both sides. It's just a really surreal feeling honestly,” Slaten said. “I had to kind of come in after I was done and just take a minute and kind of think like, ‘Wow, that’s the first time pitching in a game like that.’ All games matter, but it just felt like these last two and the one tomorrow just mean a little bit more.”
If this was new and exciting for Slaten, it was old hat for Jansen, but no less thrilling.
After the 36-year-old stranded two runners -- including the potential tying run -- to end the top of the eighth, the Red Sox gave him some insurance with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Considering that Juan Soto, Judge and Verdugo were due up, that made life a little less stressful.
Jansen disposed of the dangerous trio on eight pitches to finish his 431st career save -- two behind Baltimore's Craig Kimbrel for fifth most all-time.
For all the talk about how Yankees fans dominated the atmosphere in New York’s 8-1 victory over Boston on Friday night, Red Sox Nation had a lot more to cheer about in the second game of the series.
“It was better today than yesterday,” Cora said. “They were very into the game. It is different, regardless of where the [Yankees] are at and where we’re. People care. And that's the reason we played [on national TV] tonight and we're playing tomorrow night. People watch. The last two days, you can feel it at Fenway.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2024 5:28:14 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Casas takes dry swings, targeting July 2 June 15th, 2024
MLB.com
LATEST NEWS
June 15: 1B Triston Casas takes dry swings, still hoping for Miami return Casas, Boston's slugging first baseman, took another step in his rehab from his left rib injury when he took 30 dry swings on Saturday. The big milestone for Casas will be when his swings include the impact of the baseball. Casas, who last played on April 20, is targeting a return date of July 2, when the Red Sox are playing in Miami. Casas, a South Florida native, hasn't played in his hometown since making it to the Major Leagues in 2022.
"That’s a good sign," manager Alex Cora said about Casas upping his swing activities. "I know he has this goal in mind by the time we go to Miami. Hopefully that’s the case. But we’ve got to be smart. He needs to be smart. And so far, he’s been outstanding with it.”
OF Wilyer Abreu (right ankle sprain) Expected return: Possibly June 21-23 in Cincy Abreu ran the bases at full speed prior to the June 15 game against the Yankees and is nearing a Minor League rehab assignment. Asked when Abreu might be activated, Cora said, "Maybe in Cincinnati."
"He’s feeling good. I think going down there [on a Minors rehab assignment], playing one game in the outfield, will be beneficial for him and for us to know where we're at, and then we'll decide what we do.” (Last updated: June 15)
2B Vaughn Grissom (right hamstring strain) Expected return: July Grissom, who missed the first 32 games of the season with a left hamstring strain, injured his right hamstring running out a grounder to third base on June 1. According to Red Sox manager Alex Cora, Grissom is doing everything baseball related but not sprinting at full speed. (Last updated: June 15)
INF/OF Romy Gonzalez (left hamstring strain) Expected return: Imminent The utility man started his Minor League rehab assignment on June 13, going 1-for-2 with one walk and one RBI as the DH for Triple-A Worcester. He started at first base on June 14, going 1-for-4. The right-handed hitter took a day off June 15 and will play first base again on June 16. He could be activated by the Red Sox during the road trip that starts on June 17. He has played 17 games for Boston this season, batting .257 with no homers and six RBIs. (Last updated: June 15)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2024 5:30:59 GMT -5
Red Sox win: Offense lights up tough Yankees lefty, bullpen preserves victory
Published: Jun. 15, 2024, 10:26 p.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON — Yankees lefty Carlos Rodón arrived at Fenway Park on Saturday having posted a 2.19 ERA in last six starts (37 innings). The Red Sox greeted him with a barrage of early rockets.
Boston’s batters ambushed Rodón with three runs in the first inning and two more in the second to open up an early lead and the Sox held on to beat the Yankees for the first time this year, 8-4. Behind five strong — but at times, shaky — innings from the bullpen, the Sox improved to 36-35. They’ll try to secure a series win in primetime Sunday night.
The Red Sox didn’t get many cheapies against Rodón early, as their offense combined to put eight balls in play hit 99.9 mph or harder against him in the first two innings. In the first, Jarren Duran led off with a double before Tyler O’Neill opened the scoring by smashing a 100.1 mph two-bagger of his own off the Green Monster. After Rafael Devers walked and Connor Wong plated a second run with an RBI single through the middle, rookie Jamie Westbrook notched the second extra-base hit of his career by drilling a double (104.9 mph) off the left-field wall to make it 3-0.
Righty Cooper Criswell ran into trouble soon after, allowing a leadoff single to Giancarlo Stanton before walking Anthony Rizzo to start the second. With two outs, D.J. LeMahieu looped a two-run single into right field to make it a one-run game. But the Red Sox wouldn’t have such little breathing room long.
Ceddanne Rafaela led off the bottom of the second with a single, then with two outs, O’Neill extended the inning with another knock. Then came the big blow as Devers smashed a two-run double into the left-field gap at 112 mph to make it 5-2. Rodón settled in with three straight scoreless innings but was tagged for five runs on seven hits in five frames.
With Criswell (4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K) at 88 pitches through four innings, Alex Cora turned to his bullpen early for the second straight night. Righty Justin Slaten got an immediate test as the Yanks loaded the bases with one out — but Slaten got Alex Verdugo to ground into a force at home, then threw five straight sweepers to Giancarlo Stanton and got him to whiff at three to end the inning.
Slaten, throwing the most pitches he has all season (47), came back out for a third inning in the seventh and finally conceded a run when Juan Soto’s 18th homer of the year barely cleared the Green Monster and made it a 5-3 game. But the Red Sox got the run back in the bottom of the frame with a two-out mini-rally. Masataka Yoshida laced a double into the right field gap to get in scoring position and scored when pinch-hitter Enmanuel Valdez singled to center. Yoshida barely avoided the tag at the plate after a missile throw from center fielder Aaron Judge.
Facing his old team, Greg Weissert was the next man up for the Red Sox in relief as the eighth begun. He struck out Stanton then walked back-to-back batters and allowed a single to load the bases. D.J. LeMahieu brought New York back within two runs when he grounded into a force up the middle while a run scored.
With two outs in the eighth and runners on the corners, Cora called upon Kenley Jansen, who ended the inning by getting Anthony Volpe to pop out. Two batters into the bottom of the frame, Duran drove in a run with an RBI single and put the Sox up three again. He came home on a throwing error by catcher Jose Trevino to plate Boston’s eighth run.
Jansen worked a 1-2-3 ninth, inducing three fly balls. He picked up his 11th save of the year.
Crawford has Sunday night start
It’ll be righty Kutter Crawford (2-6, 3.47 ERA) on the mound for the Red Sox in the rubber game of the three-game set and the finale of a tough six-game homestand Sunday night. Veteran free agent signee Marcus Stroman (6-2, 2.82) will get his first start in Boston as a member of the Yankees.
The game is in primetime on ESPN with first pitch at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Red Sox will then travel to Toronto ahead of a three-game series that starts there Monday night.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2024 5:32:26 GMT -5
Red Sox rookie ‘took a minute’ to reflect in clubhouse after huge outs
Updated: Jun. 16, 2024, 1:35 a.m.|Published: Jun. 15, 2024, 11:35 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — Red Sox rookie Justin Slaten faced a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth inning after walking Yankees sluggers Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.
With former Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo stepping to the plate, pitching coach Andrew Bailey visited the mound.
“Bails comes out there. We have the mound visit. We knew exactly what pitch we had to go to, to get Verdugo,” Slaten said.
The Red Sox won 8-4 over New York here at Fenway Park.
Slaten retired Verdugo on the first pitch, a 93.4 mph cutter. Verdugo grounded to first baseman Bobby Dalbec who threw home to catcher Connor Wong for the force-out.
“The only thing on my mind was just make the next pitch,” Slaten said. “I’m not try to think too far ahead but just knowing that if I execute what’s called, I was going to put myself in a good spot.”
Slaten then struck out Giancarlo Stanton swinging on a 2-2 83.7 mph sweeper to escape the jam without allowing a run. The Red Sox maintained their 5-2 lead.
Four Red Sox relievers — Slaten, Brennan Bernardino, Greg Weissert and Kenley Jansen combined to pitch the final five innings. Slaten earned the win, hurling 2 ⅔ innings and allowing one run, two hits and two walks while striking out three.
“It’s everything you see as a kid growing up,” Slaten said about Red Sox vs. Yankees. “This rivalry goes back a long way obviously. And it’s something you can feel coming into the clubhouse every day, stepping out onto the field before the anthem and all throughout the game. You hear everybody screaming. Both sides. So it’s just a really surreal feeling. Honestly, I had to kind of come in after I was done and just take a minute and kind of think, ‘Wow, that’s the first time pitching in a game like that.’ All games matter but it just feels like these last two and the one tomorrow just (matter) a little bit more.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2024 5:50:53 GMT -5
Why these wins over the Yankees make a difference By Rob Bradford WEEI 93.7 22 minutes ago
The Red Sox needed this.
Not only did Saturday night bring Alex Cora's team an 8-4 win over the Yankees, but it also marked a moment in time where some of these Sox realized how good it can be ... How good they can be.
Case in point, Justin Slaten.
"Everybody was screaming on both sides. It's just a really surreal feeling honestly," said rookie reliever, who retired both Alex Verdugo and Giancarlo Stanton with the bases loaded in the fifth inning. “I had to kind of come in after I was done and just take a minute and kind of think like, ‘Wow, that’s the first time pitching in a game like that.’ All games matter, but it just felt like these last two and the one tomorrow just mean a little bit more."
It does mean a bit more. Why? Not necessarily because of the standings since this has become much more about chasing a Wild Card spot (which the Sox are 2 1/2 games out of) than the first-place Yankees (who own a 13-game lead over third-place Boston).
It means more because such wins represent significant leaps forward for a young team trying to figure out how to break out of their one-step forward, one-step back existence.
The definition that might have come with a bench-clearing brawl some fans were clamoring for after Alex Verdugo's home run trot Friday night was never likely. They are far too friendly with the player in question, and also currently a bit too of the youthful living-in-the-moment mindset to jump into that pool.
But there is a difference-making element lurking this weekend, which the Red Sox got a taste of during a game that saw the home team burst out with five runs in the first two innings against New York starter Carlos Rodon on a flurry of doubles from Tyler O'Neill, Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran and Jamie Westbrook.
They showed what they can do against the iron of Major League Baseball. First, it was two of three vs. the powerful Phillies. And now they have a chance to do the same against the club with the best record in all of baseball.
For a young team like these Red Sox still trying to navigate a flurry of forks in the road, such feathers in caps mean a lot.
"We're young," Cora said after his team bumped up to one game over .500. “We’re going to lose some games, we’re going to win some games. It's a good brand of baseball. It's fun. The offense, when we’re clicking, it’s fun to watch. We’re going to put pressure on the opposition.”
Cora understands the importance of such games, as did another veteran - closer Kenley Jansen.
It was Jansen who called down to his manager in the eighth inning, making it clear he was ready for his first four-out save of the season. And when things got a bit dicey in the eighth inning, sure enough, the closer was called upon to get that shut down the Yankees' rally.
"The big man called in the middle of the eighth," Cora explained. “He made the call, I didn’t make the call. He made it and said, ‘I’m in.’ So it was a fun game, and we’ve got a chance to win the series (Sunday)."
A win Sunday would mark just the fourth time this season the Yankees lost a series. For the New Yorkers, such a moment wouldn't represent too much significance. But as the voice of the Fenway crowd Saturday night suggested, the same can't be said for the Red Sox.
For a team desperately searching for its identity, this sort of home-stand punctuation would go a long way to making a much-needed mark.
"This is the best rivalry ever in the game. I’m grateful to have played in both rivalries. The Dodgers and the Giants, also, but you can't compare this one," Jansen said. "This is so much different. It's unbelievable. It was fun going out there, and the atmosphere was great."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 16, 2024 5:58:46 GMT -5
New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox
Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 7:10pm EDT Written by Mark Ruelle
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox wrap up their three-game series at Fenway Park on Sunday night in the National Game of the Week. The Yankees have dominated baseball through the first two-plus months of the season and already possess a double-digit lead over the Red Sox in the AL East Division race. The pitching matchup on Sunday will feature righty Marcus Stroman (6-2, 2.82) taking on Red Sox righty Kutter Crawford (2-6, 3.47). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 PM EST.
Bronx Rules The New York Yankees rolled into Boston this weekend with the best record in baseball and the most dynamic one-two punch in baseball in outfielders Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. Judge is putting together another MVP-level season while Soto has proved to be perfect insurance for him, hitting second in the lineup. The Yankees stumbled a bit last weekend, losing two of three games at home to the Dodgers but rebounded nicely by winning three of four games in Kansas City. The Yankees opened the series with a resounding 8-1 win. Former Red Sox OF Alex Verdugo had three hits including a two-run homer against his former team. On Saturday, starter Carlos Rodon struggled from the outset and the Yankees fell 8-4 to even the series at a game apiece.
The Yankees will give the ball to veteran righty Marcus Stroman in the series finale against the Red Sox. Stroman has fit in perfectly with the Yankees in his first season in the Bronx. He is 6-2 in 14 starts this season including six quality starts. Stroman has an ERA of 2.82 and a WHIP of 1.24 while allowing 10 home runs on the year. He has given up 65 hits in 79.2 innings of work while striking out 58 and walking 34 batters. In his last start, Stroman went 5.2 innings and allowed four hits and no runs in a 10-1 Yankees' win over the Royals.
Key Injuries: SP Gerrit Cole, 3B Jon Berti, RP Sean Boyle, RP Nick Burdi, RP Lou Trivino, and SP Clarke Schmidt are out.
Mediocrity Reigns Supreme The Red Sox have historically been anything but boring but they are testing that long heritage this season. The Red Sox have very little star power and have a lineup filled with players that look like placeholders for what Sox fans must hope will be a more potent lineup very shortly. The Red Sox split last weekend's series with the porous White Sox but did recover to take two of three from the red-hot Phillies this week. The Red Sox dropped the opener 8-1 after producing just five hits and one run while going just 1-of-11 with RISP. On Saturday, the Red Sox had 12 hits including six doubles and doubled up the Yankees 8-4. Rafael Devers drove in two with a double in the second to give the Red Sox a 5-2 lead.
The Red Sox will go with righty Kutter Crawford in the series finale vs. the Bombers. Crawford is just 2-6 on the season with an ERA of 3.47 and a WHIP of 1.18. Crawford has allowed 70 hits in 80.1 innings of work while allowing eight home runs. Crawford has walked 25 batters this season while striking out 79. In his last start, Crawford went six innings and allowed six hits and four runs in a 4-1 loss to the Phillies.
Key Injuries: 1B Triston Casas, RF Wilyar Abreu, RP Chris Martin, SS Remy Gonzalez, and 2B Vaughn Grissom are out.
Yankees @ Red Sox Sunday at 7:10 PM est
It is expected to be 68 F with a 0 % chance of precipitation and wind 8MPH blowing right to left in Boston at 7:10 PM east
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