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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 18, 2024 14:24:30 GMT -5
Tyler Milliken ⚾️ @tylermilliken_ Wilyer Abreu starts his rehab assignment tonight.
He’s expected to play 2 games with the WooSox. If everything goes well, he’ll return for the Reds series this weekend.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 18, 2024 16:42:28 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne Chris Martin is active tonight. Cooper Criswell optioned.
Criswell has options. Red Sox have a team offday on Thursday so they can maneuver the rotation.
5:39 PM · Jun 18, 2024 · 3,066 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 18, 2024 16:51:15 GMT -5
Tyler Milliken ⚾️ @tylermilliken_ Just a reminder, since Cooper Criswell was optioned, he needs to stay in the minors for 15 days unless someone lands on the IL.
Looks like the Red Sox will need a 5th starter again on June 25th. Josh Winckowski could be an option for a spot start.
He’s coming off 6 innings of 1-run ball in his last outing at AAA. Gave up 3 hits. Struck out 8. Throwing a new/harder cutter that generated 8 swings-and-misses in this last start.
Bullpen game is always on the table as well with Chase Anderson and Brad Keller in the mix.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 18, 2024 16:52:41 GMT -5
Tyler Milliken ⚾️ @tylermilliken_ David Hamilton told @ianmbrowne he’s feeling a lot better today.
Obviously not in the lineup, but good news considering Alex Cora said last night they thought something significant was avoided.
He’s slashing .284/.336/.440/.775 with 4 homers, 8 doubles, and 18 SB in 48 games.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 18, 2024 17:39:42 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo Hamilton is OK and will play tomorrow ... Abreu starts rehab tonight ... Grissom hasn't progressed much ... Status quo on Casas. 6:54 PM · Jun 18, 2024 · 7,462 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 18, 2024 18:36:20 GMT -5
Some good pitching early however O'neill doubles in the 2nd Dom Smith singles him home
1-0 Red Sox in the 2nd
and go figure
Turner starting a rally, another hit and Jays on the corner with 0 out
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 18, 2024 18:40:38 GMT -5
Ernie Clement 2B 2-1 Jays
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 18, 2024 21:34:55 GMT -5
How the Red Sox have suddenly defined themselvesBy Rob Bradford WEEI 93.7 18 minutes ago Who knows what awaits. By the time the Red Sox finish off this road swing through Toronto and Cincinnati by this time next week, the memory of taking two out of three against both the Phillies and Yankees could be nothing more than a "remember when" side-note. Yes, this is the first time in franchise history the Red Sox earned consecutive series victories over teams who entered with MLB's best record with a minimum of 50 games into a season. Congratulations. But, as we have learned with these .500 Sox, such positivity can come and go in a hurry. But there does seem something permanent when it comes to these Red Sox after Sunday night's 9-3 win over the Yanks Sunday night. It appears as though Alex Cora's club has found its identity. For much of the season, the Red Sox were the team that was being precariously held together by next-level starting pitching. Once that ran out, the perception was that youth and injuries weren't going to be able to hang with the big boys. Now, it sure seems like they have graduated into another conversation. One that stretches just beyond who might be pitching that night. They are fast. They are athletic. They are all relatively the same age. And they see pretty only know what they know, which is living in the here and now as a big league ballplayer. The reality regarding the Red Sox' overall ability to run faster than most teams was put on display in big neon lights Sunday night, with a franchise-record nine stolen bases against New York. (Four of which came from David Hamilton, who became the third Sox player ever to steal four or more in a game.) “That was good baseball tonight,” Cora said after his team went to two games over .500 for the first time since May 22. "Expect that from us. We got a bunch of athletes. It just happens that three of them are getting on base. Obviously, the lineup did an outstanding job in the series and we were able to put pressure on them. It was fun to watch and we played well. We did an outstanding job against their starters. … It was a good win for us." The stat Craig Breslow will be keeping an eye on According to Baseball Savant, the Red Sox have the fourth-best combined sprint speed in baseball, with Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Connor Wong, Bobby Dalbec, Romy Gonzalez, Wilyer Abreu, Tyler O'Neill and Hamilton all possessing well-above-average numbers. The Sox are tied for the most times scoring runs when advancing on a throw, while managing to be safe at any base the fourth-most of any club on advancements. Want a simpler way to digest what the Red Sox are doing? Understand that entering June 17 last season they had attempted 49 stolen bases. This year there have been 90 tries. Then there is that age thing. There are two active position players - Rob Refsnyder and Masa Yoshida - who were born prior to 1995. And while sometimes such a dynamic can be perilous when it comes to leadership and the need for mentoring, an interesting dynamic has unfolded with this roster. A good chunk of the Red Sox roster will tell you there is a common bond over their youthful demographic. The idea of trade deadlines, bench-clearing brawls and season ebbs and flows are foreign to many of these guys. The idea of enjoying the here and the now is a very real thing. As they woke up in Toronto Monday morning, the here and the now seemed like a pretty good place to be. "That was fun," Hamilton told MLB.com. "Probably the loudest baseball atmosphere I've been a part of, and it was a good experience." Great article. The RS are precarious, but solid. And young.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 18, 2024 21:42:10 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo Hamilton is OK and will play tomorrow ... Abreu starts rehab tonight ... Grissom hasn't progressed much ... Status quo on Casas. 6:54 PM · Jun 18, 2024 · 7,462 Views Grissom better start paying attention to Valdez who has an 1.199 OPS this month. 3 HRs with a 4/6 K/W is pretty impressive, in a short count.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2024 4:59:25 GMT -5
Rafaela has three hits, including tiebreaking single in eighth as Red Sox beat Blue Jays 4-3 AP
TORONTO (AP) Ceddanne Rafaela had three hits, including a tiebreaking single in the eighth-inning, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 on Tuesday night to earn a third straight series win.
Tyler O’Neill homered and scored twice and Rafael Devers had two hits as the Red Sox won for the seventh time in nine games.
Boston arrived in Toronto after taking two of three from Philadelphia and the New York Yankees, both division leaders.
“We’re playing good baseball,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It seems like everybody is locked in and understanding their roles, how we’re going to use them. It’s been fun to watch.”
Red Sox right-hander Zack Kelly (1-1) got four outs for the win as Boston improved to 35-8 when scoring four runs or more.
Rafaela singled in the fifth inning, doubled in the seventh, then drove in pinch-runner David Hamilton with a single off Blue Jays right-hander Chad Green in Boston’s two-run eighth inning.
“It’s awesome to help the team in that situation right there,” Rafaela said. “They needed me to have a good at-bat, so I was trying to get the best pitch I could to drive him in.”
Rafaela has hit safely in seven straight games and is batting .615 (16 for 26) in that stretch.
“We knew it was going to be a struggle early in the season, but right now he’s in a good spot,” Cora said of Rafaela.
Toronto’s Brendon Little (0-1) took the loss, allowing the two runs in the eighth.
Brennan Bernardino got two outs in the eighth and Justin Slaten got the third. Kenley Jansen closed it out for his 13th save in 14 chances.
Boston’s Dominic Smith opened the scoring with a two-out RBI single in the second, but the Blue Jays answered in the bottom half with Ernie Clement’s two-run double.
Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida tied it with a two-out single in the sixth. Reese McGuire followed with a walk but Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt ended his outing by retiring Smith on a comebacker.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa chased Red Sox starter Tanner Houck and put Toronto up 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out single just inside the first-base line.
O’Neill tied it again with a leadoff home run against Little in the eighth. It was the 15th homer of the season for O’Neill. He connected twice in Boston’s 7-3 win Monday.
Two outs later, Smith singled and was replaced by Hamilton, who stole second before scoring on Rafaela’s hit.
“You put yourself in position to hopefully win and it just didn’t work out,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.
Houck allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five.
“My stuff was kind of flat again today,” Houck said.
Bassitt allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out six.
ROSTER MOVES
Red Sox: RHP Chris Martin (anxiety) was activated off the 15-day IL and RHP Cooper Criswell optioned to Triple-A.
Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette was placed on the 10-day IL because of a strained right calf, retroactive to June 15, and top INF prospect Orelvis Martinez was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo. ... The Blue Jays also recalled RHP Ryan Burr from Buffalo and optioned LHP Brandon Eisert to Triple-A.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Hamilton returned after leaving Monday’s game because of discomfort in his left side.
Blue Jays: RHP Alek Manoah (elbow) had surgery Monday, manager John Schneider said. Manoah is expected to return in 12 to 14 months.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (5-5, 4.08 ERA) is scheduled to start against Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (6-4, 5.00) in Wednesday’s series finale.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2024 5:07:56 GMT -5
'Special player': Rafaela stays red-hot as Sox take set in Toronto 12:48 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
TORONTO -- From a speedy Sunday (franchise-record nine stolen bases) to a powerful Monday (four homers), the Red Sox went with a combo of those ingredients -- and also some timely hitting -- to continue their recent surge with a come-from-behind, 4-3 victory over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Tuesday.
With an offense that slumped through much of May getting more dynamic of late, the Sox have reeled off seven wins in their last nine games to pull four games over .500 (39-35) for the first time since May 2.
“We're playing good baseball,” said manager Alex Cora. “It seems like everybody's locked in and understanding their roles and how we’re going to use them. It’s been fun to watch. That was a very intense game, a really good game and we were able to win it.”
Down 3-2 entering the top of the eighth, Tyler O'Neill continued his triumphant return to his native Canada by belting an equalizing solo shot that he scorched at 105.8 mph and went a Statcast-projected distance of 408 feet.
It was O’Neill’s third home run in the first two games of this series, after he again loaded up with breakfast at that old Canadian staple: Tim Hortons.
From homering on Opening Day in Seattle and the home opener at Fenway to also hitting a titanic shot in his return to St. Louis last month, O’Neill seems to always go deep in games he’s revved up about. He now has 15 on the season in 182 at-bats.
O’Neill’s latest long ball was one of his most clutch of the season. Late-inning comebacks haven’t been frequent for a team that improved to 2-30 when trailing after seven innings with Tuesday’s victory.
“It started with a big swing,” said Cora. “We got a matchup we liked, the lefty against the righty and [O’Neill] put a good swing on it.”
But Boston’s win would not have been possible without the additional events of that top of the eighth: Dominic Smith, who had an RBI single earlier in the game, came through with a two-out single to keep the inning going.
And no sooner did Smith get on base then Cora sent the speedy David Hamilton to pinch-run for him. Hamilton immediately took off for second and stole his 19th base.
“Cora was like, ‘Get a good jump, then go,’” said Hamilton. “That’s what I did.”
Not only that, but Hamilton got into scoring position for the hottest hitter on the team.
Once again, Ceddanne Rafaela delivered, this time with a hard low line drive to the left side that ticked off the glove of shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and into left for the go-ahead RBI single.
“It's awesome to help the team in that situation right there,” said Rafaela. “I knew that they needed me right there to put a good at-bat so I was trying to get the best pitch I could to ... drive him in.”
With Hamilton sprinting himself into scoring position, Rafaela had added motivation to drive in a teammate he has played with since Double-A.
“Yeah, but without pressure [on myself],” said Rafaela. “I’m always under control and I just wanted to do my best there.”
It was the third hit of the game for the red-hot Rafaela, who has a glittering batting line of .468/.490/.596 since June 6, raising his average from .202 to .251 over that span.
“Special player,” said Red Sox ace Tanner Houck, who gave up six hits and three runs (two earned) over 5 2/3 innings. “Everyone knew that the talent was there. Obviously everyone sees the athleticism. It's stuff off the field that you don't get to see, the work that he puts in every day. And, it was just a matter of time before everything clicked.”
For all the lumps rookies Rafaela and Hamilton were going through in the early weeks of the season, that athletic speed combo is now benefiting from their pregame work with the coaching staff.
The Red Sox have clearly played with more confidence during this recent stretch; the 8-9-1 combo of Hamilton, Rafaela and Duran has been a large factor during the team’s recent surge.
“I think the boys know who they are and as a group, they are swinging it, and showing a lot of speed on the basepaths,” said Houck. “Whenever they get on, it causes a lot of issues all around.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2024 5:21:31 GMT -5
J.P. Long @soxnotes The Red Sox:
- Have won their last 4 games - Are 6-1 in their last 7 games
- Have won their last 3 series - Are 3-0-3 in their last 6 series
- Have a .338 AVG/.947 OPS in their last 7 games
- Own a +43 run differential - Lead the AL in steals (71) 11:06 PM · Jun 18, 2024 · 8,580 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2024 5:27:19 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Righthander Brayan Bello aiming to get back on track in his next turn for the Red Sox Wednesday By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 18, 2024, 8:21 p.m.
TORONTO — Brayan Bello will take the ball in the Red Sox’ series finale Wednesday evening against the Blue Jays.
To suggest that the righthander is in need of a bounce-back start would be an understatement
Bello has a 6.44 ERA in his last seven starts, walking 17 batters in that span (36⅓) innings pitched, ballooning his overall ERA to 5.00. While the Sox believe that Bello’s stuff is better than last year, that stuff can only play if he is in the zone.
“In some areas his pitches are a little bit better,” said pitching coach Andrew Bailey prior to Tuesday’s contest against Toronto. “Obviously, the performance versus left, specifically with the changeup and two-seamer have taken a little bit of a step back. And then if you peel back another layer and just look at his ability to be in count leverage [situations] his ability to get ahead of hitters when the damage is happening and where the damage is happening. He’s behind in count mistakes. It’s as simple as that.” l
Lefties have always given Bello problems, but this season, it’s even more of an issue.
Lefties are hitting .413 with a .696 slugging percentage against his sinker. While they haven’t had much success against his changeup, batting just .158, half of the 10 homers Bello has allowed this season to lefthanded hitters have come off his changeup.
“We’re working through those things,” said Bailey. It’s part of his growth and development. We need him to be better in those areas, and we’re working towards that.” Cora congratulates Celtics
Before jumping into his daily pregame presser, manager Alex Cora made sure to congratulate the Celtics on their 18th NBA title, beating the Mavericks in convincing fashion, 106-88, in Game 5 Monday night at TD Garden.
“It was fun to watch,” said Cora. “It was fun to see the city last night, the way people went wild. To have a goal in mind and the pressure of winning the whole thing, people think great teams just win. That doesn’t happen very often.
“And since Day 1, they were locked in. Obviously, some ups and downs. There were some doubters. But in the end, they accomplished their thing and it was fun.”
Cora recently compared this year’s Celtics to the 2018 Red Sox, who also dismantled their opponent — the Dodgers — in five games. Both teams had expectations, superstar talent, and role players who knew how to fit into their respective teams’ winning formula.
“You have to, you know, trust your process, regardless of [whether] it’s different than other teams, and the [Celtics] did.” Tommy John for prospect
Top pitching prospect Luis Perales will likely require season-ending Tommy John surgery, interrupting his development during a breakout campaign. Cora said Perales go to Alabama to see Dr. Jeffrey Dugas, the same doctor who performed Garrett Whitlock’s elbow surgery.
Perales, 21, had gotten off to a brilliant start in High A Greenville and Double A Portland. He complemented the mid- to high-90s fastball that has always been the anchor of his repertoire with a cutter, slider, and splitter, a combination that allowed him to attack all quadrants of the strike zone.
In nine starts (seven in Greenville, two in Portland), he forged a 2.94 ERA with a 39 percent strikeout rate that ranks eighth in the minors among pitchers who have thrown 30 innings. He struck out a career-high 12 batters in his last outing in Greenville May 21, then had an impressive Double A debut, fanning seven and allowing just two hits over five innings June 2.
Days after that outing, Baseball America pegged Perales as the No. 57 prospect in all of baseball, as well as the top Red Sox pitching prospect and the fourth-best prospect in the team’s system. Evaluators were like-minded on the idea that Perales had excellent, big league-caliber stuff, though some cautioned that durability for the 6-foot-1-inch righthander (listed at 160 pounds) could be an issue in his development as a starter.
In his start June 8, Perales walked off the mound in the third inning with elbow discomfort. While the Sox initially expressed optimism that he had avoided serious injury, according to a major league source, an MRI showed ligament damage that led to the decision for him to undergo surgery.
Perales, who was added to the 40-man roster after the 2023 season, will miss the remainder of the 2024 season and most if not all of 2025 while recovering. Martin reinstated
The Red Sox reinstated righthander Chris Martin from the 15-day injured list (anxiety) ahead of Tuesday’s game. To make room for Martin, righthander Cooper Criswell was optioned to Triple A Worcester . . . Wilyer Abreu (ankle) played in a rehab game for Triple A Worcester Tuesday. The plan is for Abreu to play again Wednesday with the hope that he can join the Sox for their series against the Reds beginning Friday in Cincinnati.
Alex Speier of the Globe staff contributed to this story.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2024 6:29:59 GMT -5
How Ceddanne Rafaela is helping the Red Sox change the conversation By Rob Bradford WEEI 93.7 an hour ago A stat that matters for Craig Breslow
It was a constant theme throughout spring training. How Ceddanne Rafaela was going to potentially mean so much in so many ways to the Red Sox.
As the first two months of the season unfolded, there were subtle reminders of Rafaela's importance, mostly coming in the form of defensive flexibility. He was the guy who could offer elite defense at two key positions - center field and shortstop - on a team starved for some consistency when it came to catching the baseball.
But the discomfort that came with Rafaela's offensive ability was hard to ignore. Maybe it was because of the leap of faith when it came to the 23-year-old's eight-year contract extension, or his inability to keep his swing decisions in the strike zone.
Much like the Red Sox, the first third of the season seemed like a lot of running in place for Rafaela. But now? Both the player and the team are starting to take steps forward without retreating.
Coincidence? Nope. Remember, Rafaela was always going to be a key piece of this puzzle, and sure enough ...
With their come-from-behind, 4-3 win over the Blue Jays Tuesday night at Rogers Centre, the Red Sox have won seven of their last nine while moving four games over .500 for the first time since May 2.
During that run, Rafaela is hitting .485 with a 1.181 OPS. His three-hit game Tuesday marked his sixth multi-hit contest in the last seven games. And, to top things off, his final hit this time around - coming in the eighth inning - just happened to complete the comeback for the Red Sox.
"It's awesome to help the team in that situation right there," Rafaela told reporters. “I knew that they needed me right there to put a good at-bat so I was trying to get the best pitch I could to ... drive him in."
The impact of a hot-swinging Rafaela isn't hard to decipher, with the Red Sox now having won 12 of the 15 games the rookie has had more than one hit in. The team is also undefeated in games the speedster has stolen a base in (10-0).
The Rafaela dynamic is the latest piece of this puzzle which has helped the Red Sox find their (close to) best-case scenario, which is rooted in the development of their wave of first-year players. David Hamilton. Wilyer Abreu. And now the do-it-all kid from Curacao.
There are other elements at play during this recent hot streak. Tyler O'Neill has rediscovered his early-season groove, tying the game Tuesday night in the eighth with his third home run since arriving back in his native country. And Tanner Houck continues to be the kind of ace any team would hope for.
The entire concoction has put the Red Sox in an interesting place, sitting two games out of a Wild Card spot, with the next-closest contender for that third position - the Blue Jays - residing 5 1/2 games back of Kansas City.
For what was supposed to be a month that put the Red Sox on their death bed thanks to a three-week stretch against the likes of the Braves, Phllies, Yankees and seemingly talented Blue Jays, it has seen Alex Cora's club take an unexpected turn for the better.
And serving as the shining example of this upswing is Rafaela, the player who was always going to be one of the straws counted on to stir this drink
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2024 10:24:47 GMT -5
Blue Jays’ Orelvis Martinez could make MLB debut vs. Red Sox AP
The Toronto Blue Jays could unveil slugging prospect Orelvis Martinez on Wednesday night when they try to salvage the finale of their three-game series with the visiting Boston Red Sox.
The 22-year-old infielder, who has belted 16 home runs this season at Triple-A Buffalo, was promoted Tuesday after shortstop Bo Bichette (right calf strain) was put on the injured list.
Martinez did not play Tuesday in the Blue Jays' 4-3 loss to the Red Sox, who have won the opening two games of the series and four straight overall.
He is likely to see most of his playing time at second base but could also be used at third.
"If he's not in the starting lineup, having his bat on the bench is beneficial," Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. "He'll have to get used to that a little bit, but there's definitely going to be games where he's starting whether it's a left-handed pitcher or a right-handed pitcher. Hopefully he continues to swing it the way he's been swinging it."
He was batting .260 with Buffalo, with which he started 36 games at second base and 15 at third. Isiah Kiner-Falefa has been starting at shortstop for Bichette, who has missed the past four games.
The Blue Jays are scheduled to start right-hander Kevin Gausman (5-5, 4.08 ERA) on Wednesday. He is 7-9 with a 4.44 ERA in 28 career outings (23 starts) against Boston.
The Red Sox are scheduled to start right-hander Brayan Bello (6-4, 5.00). He is 1-3 with a 6.00 ERA in five career starts versus Toronto.
Boston used a combination of power and speed to fashion its winning streak. The Red Sox stole nine bases in defeating the New York Yankees 9-3 on Sunday and belted four home runs in winning the opener 7-3 in Toronto on Monday.
They used a little of both in the eighth inning on Tuesday.
Tyler O'Neill hit his 15th homer of the season and third of the series to lead off the eighth and tie the game at 3-3. After Dominic Smith singled, pinch runner David Hamilton stole second and scored the go-ahead run on Ceddanne Rafaela's third hit of the game.
Hamilton did not start Tuesday after being removed from the series opener with discomfort in his left side. He is a key to Boston's running game and has 19 stolen bases on the season, including four on Sunday.
"We were waiting for the right moment to use Hammy," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "Hammy was a go from the get-go, did a good job, and then, Rafaela with the swing. It was fun."
Rafaela continued his hot hitting, extending his hitting streak to seven games. He is batting .615 (16-for-26) with three doubles, a homer and four RBIs on the streak. He also stole his 10th base of the season on Tuesday.
"He's leading the team in RBI (41), he's been able to control the at-bats, use the other field, he's been doing a good job," Cora said. "We knew that it was going to be a struggle early in the season, but right now he's in a good spot. … He's swinging at the right pitches, he's not chasing as much.
Boston reinstated right-hander Chris Martin (anxiety) from the injured list Tuesday and optioned right-hander Cooper Criswell to Triple-A Worcester.
Toronto recalled right-hander Ryan Burr from Buffalo on Tuesday and optioned left-hander Brandon Eisert to the Triple-A club.
–Field Level Media
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