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TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July Ends

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – As the clock struck Midnight – Pacific Coast time – July 31st, the Boston Red Sox looked at their July record of 24-2 and realized it was the best month in franchise history. It wasn’t just the best month this year or this century, but they recorded the best month in the 125 year history of the club.

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The final victory came against the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Sox showed their resilience. The Red Sox led 3-0, trailed 4-3, then broke open the very important game with a five run seventh inning which included a Ceddanne Rafaela bullet HR to left field. Boston finished the game with nine runs and 12 hits in their 9-4 victory.

The Red Sox were hoping the month of July never ended.

But, the news of the week was not all wine and roses. Despite going 4-1 in their first five games of this important West Coast road trip, newly acquired infielder Curtis Mead’s first game for the Red Sox ended abruptly and caused considerable pain when he was drilled on the left hand with a 94.9 mph fastball from Athletics’ righty Jack Perkins in the top of the fourth inning of Monday’s 4-2 Sox victory at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, the temporary home of the Swingin’ A’s.

Mead initially stayed in the game, but was replaced on defense by Anthony Seigler to open the bottom of the fifth inning. Mead was diagnosed with a left wrist contusion and X-rays came back negative on the night of the game, but Tuesday morning told a different story.

The infielder, expected to provide additional offense for Boston, had a more revealing MRI performed and it found a wrist fracture which will require significant treatment and rehabilitation time. It will not require surgery, which is a good sign.

Not to be overlooked, Mead came at a considerable price with the fact Boston traded one of its three best pitching prospects, Connelly Early, for the infielder. As was said, but now amplified, “Well, at least it wasn’t the worst trade of the Summer of ‘26 in the Boston sports world.”

Wrist injuries are a tricky bunch, as there are several bones within the wrist and each provide the amazing appendage with the ability to do different things – up & down, side-to-side, rotate, twist, snap and the ability to use strength to move the wrist at warp speed, allowing a baseball player to crack a 95 mph baseball to great lengths.

Treatment and rehabilitation can take 6-8 weeks, depending on the individual and the exact location of the bone break. Those figures sound normal and within reason. But, the aftermath of a significant break of a bone in the wrist can take three months to resolve, and in many cases, it’s never the same.

Why is your favorite columnist so interested in one Major Leaguer’s wrist injury?

It harkens back to memories of July, 1981 and a summer league Dek hockey game in Elmont, NY – not far from Belmont Park. My short-staffed Keswick Americans team allowed yours truly with some regular double-shifts and considerable playing time against a mediocre but semi-physical opponent. Yes, we were drilling them, and I had already celebrated a hat trick (three goals), but with the extra time, it made sense to go for four, and a pretty feed resulted in a bullet “one-timer,” to net the fourth on a shot the goalkeeper never saw coming. However, it came simultaneously with a sliding tackle which upended a rather off-balance shooter and it was head over heels and an awkward fall, using my left hand to try to “break the fall.”

Instead, my left wrist ended up looking like the old horse in the Three Stooges films.

It was smashed.

How bad was it? It was so bad, it took two orderlies and a doctor to prod and pull and finally set it, and then a cast (over the elbow) for four weeks. (Nothing like a cast in mid-summer).

Why do I mention this old tale? It is this: Once the cast came off and I had a full month of rehab, rolling a weight up and down with a string and lever, squeezing anything and everything, and using assorted other medieval torture devices, my pin-point, considerably quick and hard wrist shot was gone. Not a little slower.

Gone.

I tried to adjust to quick snap shots, but the wrist was never the same.

That’s enough of one writer’s medical history.

On the pro or amateur side, I’m afraid any major wrist injury, no matter what combo of the eight bones, has a major impact on the rotation, speed and strength of the wrist, and it can not be corrected.

So says Medical Daily: “Returning from a wrist fracture can be especially difficult for baseball players because the wrist plays a critical role in gripping the bat, generating bat speed, and controlling the swing through contact. Rehabilitation focuses on restoring pain-free range of motion, rebuilding grip and forearm strength, and gradually reintroducing batting activities without aggravating the healing bone.”

A number of Major League ballplayers are currently on the IL because of wrist injuries, mostly the result of being hit by a pitch. A few to note:

Nick Kurtz, A’s (rehabbing and returned to action on Thursday night)

Vinnie Pasquantino, Royals

Blaze Alexander, Orioles

Esmerlyn Valdez, Pirates

Junior Caminero, Rays (hit by pitch at MLB All-Star Game, but returned to action)

Jackson Chourio, Brewers (early in Spring Training. has returned to action)

As MLB hits the dog days of August, a high number of star players are sitting due to injury. That’s nothing new, as the MLB season is a long grind. The teams to surface to the top of the standings must endure … or else.

LAST WEEK: In columns here and on Digital Sports Desk last week, after the Sox 15-game winning streak came to an end, the topic came down a more realistic goal of “winning series by series.” The Sunday Night Baseball game between the LA Dodgers and Red Sox (depending on the result of the Saturday, August 1 late night game), can provide Boston with its eighth consecutive series win, dating back to July 3. Only a loss of 2-of-3 to the Washington Nationals is in the way of what could’ve been a 10 consecutive series win streak as Boston swept the NY Yankees from June 25-28th.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: When the St. John’s University men’s basketball team suits up for home games at Madison Square Garden, the home gate split between MSG and the Johnnies is now – officially – out of control. According to research performed by The Athletic, St. John’s basketball is worth some $588 million if they were to be placed on the commodities market, a la an NBA franchise. The Wall Street Journal and ESPN disputed the numbers and rated North Carolina at $388m, more in line with The Athletic’s portrayal. The WSJ report also listed Duke and Indiana at the exact same numbers as The Athletic chart above. So, the question comes? Just how much is coach Rick Pitino (and his good friend and team booster Mike Repole) worth? … One area to keep an eye on, St. John’s might look to jump to a mega-bucks streaming deal with DAZN now that all the Gotham App pro teams have changed their streaming plans. DAZN will stream all non-national game broadcasts for MSG Network’s Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, Devils and Sabres and YES Network’s Yankees and Nets — effectively a takeover of the entire Gotham Sports direct-to-consumer app.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: My “adopted” BC Eagles made a major announcement this week. Boston College A.D. Blake James wrote to the school community and announced the 2026 Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame Class, with eight outstanding Eagles set to be inducted on Sunday, October 18. This year’s class includes Asiya Dair (Women’s Tennis), Chris Hovan (Football), Sarah Mannelly (Women’s Lacrosse), Jillian Mastroianni (Women’s Soccer), Tyler Pruett (Sailing), Duane Woodward (Men’s Basketball), Randy Thomas (Track & Field Head Coach), and Fr. Tony Penna (Athletics Chaplain). The honorees will be recognized during the BC football game against Pittsburgh on Saturday, October 17, as part of Homecoming Weekend on the Heights. … The annual “Red Bandana” game will take place on September 11th. Each year, Boston College honors fallen son Welles Crowther who gave his life saving others on that terrible day in lower Manhattan … This season is special as September 11, 2026, marks the solemn 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States. … The ESPN piece on Welles is possibly the best and most emotionally provocative feature ever produced in sports or entertainment. Here is the LINK and come September, there will be more about BC, Welles and the Red Bandana. Be prepared to cry.

Now, to lighten it up a bit …

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: This week’s “You Can’t Make It Up” segment is simply going to play word/phrase association and allow you to go and Google the ugly details of the following sports stories:

  • FIFA scraps World Cup investment Sell-Off
  • Department of Justice drops case vs. former Olympian
  • SF Giants suspend pay from OF Harrison Bader after scooter crashes into firetruck
  • WNBA’s Sophie Cunningham unconcerned by rallies against transgender participation in women’s sports
  • Announcer-free stream debuts on ESPN+ PGA Tour coverage (no whispering!)
  • Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent discovered a set of stolen Civil War-era cannonballs in a passenger’s suitcase in Alabama
  • Three new women’s world records were set at the Lumberjack World Championships competition held in the small Wisconsin town of Hayward. Karolina Urbanová from the Czech Republic set world records in two events.
  • Book from a bricked-up fireplace returned to Australian library, but it was 150 years over-due.
  • Prosecutors and attorneys spar over a text in the Terry Rozier (gambling) case – “Don’t tell chum ‘bout the bet,” it read.
  • Federal court dealt a chaos-inducing verdict vs. the NCAA’s new eligibility rule. The court ruled that all high school class of 2022 athletes who exhausted their fourth season of college eligibility this past spring are eligible for a fifth season in 2026-27. … Ready? Go!
  • For the first time in five years, the NBA will not play any preseason games in the Middle East, with planned games in Abu Dhabi an obvious casualty of war.
  • Formula 1 announced that its previously postponed Grand Prix in Bahrain will now take place in Malaysia in October. The racing series is still waiting to decide on its planned races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi later this year.

MEDIA COMPANY vs. MEDIA COMPANY: The folks at Puck introduced the Morgan-Stanley MS Media Matrix scorecard, pitting the attention seeking (and getting) media companies now dominating the scene. Surprisingly, F-1 ranks up top and the TKO Group – which owns UFC (Ultimate Fight Championship) and WWE (Wrestling Show), and PBR (Pro Bull Riders) and also oversees the joint venture Zuffa Boxing which combined stage some 500 events a year. TKO Group also delves heavily in the athlete and talent representation world with IMG and the premiere event staging group, On Location. The remainder of Puck’s listing falls into line quite nicely, although the NBA and the PGA TOUR plant a significant stake in the worldwide grounds.

Sox Stay Hot, Hot, Hot

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela hit two home runs, Andruw Monasterio doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the visiting Red Sox slipped past the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-2, on Saturday.

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Left-hander Payton Tolle gave up two runs on nine hits over six innings with seven strikeouts as the Red Sox opened August with a victory after they went 21-4 in July to set a franchise record for a full month with a .840 winning percentage.

Right-hander Justin Slaten (2-4) replaced Tolle and pitched the seventh inning before left-hander Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth inning for his 27th save as Boston played without first baseman Willson Contreras as a precaution after he was hit in the helmet by a pitch on Friday.

After winning the first two games in the series, the Red Sox are 5-1 on a seven-game California road trip that included a stop to face the Athletics.

Teoscar Hernandez hit a home run among his three hits for the Dodgers, who lost for the fourth time in their past six games. Freddie Freeman also had three hits and has seven multi-hit games over his last nine contests.

Los Angeles right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-7) continued a run of solid pitching since the All-Star break by allowing three runs on four hits over eight innings but still took the loss. The Dodgers had 10 hits to four for the Red Sox but were hitless in four at-bats with runners in scoring position and stranded seven.

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Rafaela hit his first home run of the game on a drive to left-center field against Yamamoto.

The Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the second inning on Hernandez’s two-run home run to right field. It was his 10th of the season and second in three games.

Boston tied the score 2-2 in the third on another home run from Rafaela. It was his 14th of the season and his third in a span of four at-bats going back to the series opener on Friday.

Monasterio doubled to lead off the eighth, went to third on a Jarren Duran bunt single and scored on a double-play grounder by Connor Wong.

–Field Level Media

Sox Win vs. LA Caps a 24-2 July

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Ceddanne Rafaela hit a two-run homer and Andruw Monasteiro added a two-run double in a five-run seventh inning as the visiting Boston Red Sox earned a 9-4 ​victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday in the opener of a ‌three-game series. Jarren Duran drove in two runs one day after he caused a stir when he gestured toward third base after Willson Contreras did not tag up from third base on his fly ball. Boston interim manager ​Chad Tracy continued to downplay the incident.

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The Red Sox saw Contreras depart for precautionary ​reasons in the third inning after he was hit in the side of ⁠the helmet on a 95.4 mph fastball from Dodgers right-hander Will Klein. Boston improved to 4-1 ​on a seven-game road trip, 12-3 since the All-Star break and 21-4 in July, their best ​winning percentage (.840) in any month in franchise history.
Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run homer for the Dodgers one game after he sat out with left knee discomfort. Freddie Freeman (3-for-4) and Eliezer Alfonzo each drove in a run, while ​Cole Irvin (0-1) was tagged for six runs on eight hits over six innings in his Dodgers ​debut.
The Red Sox took the early lead when Duran delivered an RBI single to center in the second ‌off ⁠Klein, who was replaced by Irvin after hitting Contreras to load the bases. Masataka Yoshida hit a ground ball to first base that Freeman misplayed for an error, allowing two runs to score for a 3-0 lead.
The Dodgers began to chip away in the fourth on an RBI single ​from Freeman. Los Angeles took ​a 4-3 lead in ⁠the fifth when Alfonzo had an RBI single and Ohtani followed with a two-run blast, his 24th, off reliever Jovani Moran.
The Red Sox moved ​back in front for good at 5-4 in the seventh on ​Rafaela’s two-run shot ⁠off Irvin. It was Rafaela’s 12th of the season. Five batters later, Monasterio ripped his two-run double to left and Duran followed with an RBI groundout for an 8-4 lead. Carlos Narvaez added a ⁠sacrifice fly ​in the ninth.
Boston left-hander Ranger Suarez was charged with ​three runs on four hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings in his second start since returning from a left ​groin strain and an illness. Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello (3-6) pitched four scoreless innings.
–Field Level Media

Sox vs. Shohei Ohtani

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After Shohei Ohtani received an unexpected day off, the Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to have their star back at the top of the order to open a three-game series against the visiting Boston Red Sox tonight.

Ohtani has been dealing with a sore left knee and some right biceps tightness of late, which has forced him out of the rotation since the return from the All-Star break, but not from the designated hitter spot until Thursday.

After a recent run of five hits in seven at-bats, including three extra-base hits, Ohtani went in for treatment on his knee late Wednesday and was given some downtime.

“The last couple days he’s been on base a lot more, so I think that’s been a good thing in one sense whereas the last part of the (recent) road trip he wasn’t,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “So there might have been a little something to that.”

Ohtani received an injection in the knee during the All-Star break and had been making progress with the injury, according to Roberts.

With Tommy Edman in the leadoff spot Thursday, and Teoscar Hernandez serving as the designated hitter, the Dodgers earned a 6-2 victory over the Mariners to take two of the three games in the series. Hernandez hit his first home run since July 3, while Dalton Rushing added a three-run shot.

With Ohtani out of the mix in a six-man rotation, Roberts has resorted to bullpen games on occasion, with another one set for Friday. Right-hander Edgardo Henriquez (4-1, 2.79 ERA) is set to pitch the opening inning.

The Red Sox have a trio of left-handers lined up to face the Dodgers over the weekend, with Ranger Suarez (4-3, 3.02) set to take the ball in the series opener.

Suarez returned from the injured list Sunday, after recovering from a left groin strain and an illness, then delivered four scoreless innings in an eventual victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

“The first couple innings, I was kind of nervous, because I didn’t know how I was going to feel,” Suarez said. “After that, I felt pretty good.”

Suarez gave up four hits with six strikeouts and threw 64 pitches.

“(For) three weeks I never stopped throwing,” Suarez said. “I wasn’t surprised I had my command.”

In eight career appearances (five starts) against the Dodgers, Suarez is 3-2 with 3.64 ERA.

Boston arrived at Los Angeles after rallying for a 5-4 road victory over the Athletics on Thursday with back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning from Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras.

The Red Sox improved to 20-3 since July 3 and 25-5 since June 25 when they entered the day with a 32-46 record.

In the midst of his own rough season, Boston’s Jarren Duran appeared to question why Contreras did not tag up from third base on his fly ball in the sixth inning. He gestured back toward the infield as he returned to the dugout. After the game, Duran downplayed the incident.

“That’s nothing. It’s something that, within the team, that we have, that we work on, and it’s nothing,” Duran told reporters. “Like, you guys don’t need to know. Nobody needs to know. That’s something between us and the team that we know (what) it’s about. That doesn’t really matter.”

–Field Level Media

Eighth Inning Back-to-Backs Boost Sox

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WEST SACRAMENTO – (Wire Service Report) – Wilyer Abreu and Willson Contreras hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning to help the Boston Red Sox notch a 5-4 victory over the Athletics on Thursday in California.

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Sonny Gray went seven innings and Aroldis Chapman worked out of a jam in the ninth as the Red Sox claimed their third win in the conclusion of a four-game series. Ceddanne Rafaela had two hits and two RBIs and Contreras also had two hits for Boston, which has won 20 of its past 23 games.

Lawrence Butler and Jacob Wilson each had two hits and one RBI for the Athletics, who have lost five of six games and 26 of their past 33.

A’s All-Star Nick Kurtz (bruised left forearm) went 0-for-4 with a walk one day after being hit by a pitch. His Thursday MRI exam came back clean.

Abreu led off the eighth with the tying blast against Luis Medina (2-3). He smacked a 2-1 changeup 422 feet, sending it over the fence in straightaway center.

Contreras blasted the next pitch well over the wall in left-center to put Boston ahead. He jumped on a curveball and swatted it 414 feet.

In the bottom of the ninth, Athletics pinch hitter Alika Williams doubled off the center field wall with one out. Chapman then struck out pinch hitter Colby Thomas and Kurtz to record his 26th save.

Gray (13-2) gave up four runs and seven hits. He struck out five and walked two.

Greg Weissert worked a scoreless eighth for Boston.

The Red Sox scored three times in the fifth to overcome a 3-0 deficit.

A’s starter Mason Barnett started the inning by plunking Caleb Durbin, who moved to second on a grounder by Jarren Duran. Andruw Monasterio singled to center to score Durbin.

One out later, Anthony Seigler reached on an infield hit. Rafaela then ripped a two-run double to left to tie the score.

The Athletics moved back ahead in the sixth when Butler doubled and came around to score thanks to two fly balls. Cortes hit the tiebreaking sacrifice fly to left as Butler narrowly beat Duran’s throw.

Barnett allowed three runs and four hits over five innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Carlos Cortes drew a walk to start the bottom of the third inning and moved to second on an infield out. He advanced to third when shortstop Monasterio booted Kurtz’s grounder. Wilson then drilled a single to center to score Cortes.

One inning later, Jonah Heim led off with a double and scored on Butler’s one-out two-bagger. Jeff McNeil followed with a single to put runners on the corners. After Cortes struck out, Donovan Walton singled to right, plating Butler.

–Field Level Media

Can the Red Sox Take the Series v. A’s

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WEST SACRAMENTO – (Wire Service Report) – When the Boston Red Sox were struggling and sitting 11 games below .500 on July 1, Sonny Gray appeared to be a for-sure departure ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.

But Boston has soared back into contention with 19 victories in 22 games. The right-handed Gray has been a season-long standout entering tonight’s start in the finale of a four-game series against the Athletics in California’s Capitol city.

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Suddenly, chatter is increasing that the Red Sox might be interested in working out an extension with the 36-year-old Gray (12-2, 2.78 ERA). This is his first season with Boston but he is finishing a three-year, $75 million deal.

Regardless, Gray will be looking to have a bounce-back start on Thursday. After winning 10 straight decisions, he allowed a season high-tying five runs on a season-worst 10 hits in five innings while losing 6-0 to the visiting Toronto Blue Jays last Saturday.

Gray had allowed just four runs in 32 1/3 innings for a 1.11 ERA over his previous five starts before the unconventional poor outing.

“I’m not happy about it,” Gray said afterward. “But sometimes, that’s part of it. I’ll be OK. … Games like this happen.”

Gray is 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA in seven career starts against the Athletics, the team with which he began his career from 2013-17.

The Red Sox have scored just 11 runs in the series but have won two of the first three games.

Andruw Monasterio was the hero on Wednesday as he smacked a two-run homer in the top of the 10th inning to lead Boston to a 4-2 victory. Monasterio had three hits.

“I just tried to get a good pitch,” Monasterio said of the winning blast against Jose Suarez. “It was a good pitch, 2-0, and I tried to get it in front and I hit a homer.”

Jahmai Jones also homered and Caleb Durbin had three hits for the Red Sox, who have won 11 of their past 12 road games. Nick Sogard had two hits and an RBI and Ceddanne Rafaela also had two hits for Boston.

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Athletics All-Star slugger Nick Kurtz (left forearm) is unlikely to be available for the finale and will undergo an MRI exam on Thursday. X-rays performed Wednesday were “unclear,” according to manager Mark Kotsay.

“We’re going to have an MRI done in the morning, so we’ll have a better idea of what exactly is going on,” Kotsay told reporters. “The X-rays were kind of unclear right now. So we’re hoping for the best”

Kurtz sustained a contusion when hit by left-hander Patrick Sandoval’s pitch in the first inning. Kurtz stayed in to run the bases but left after the inning.

Kurtz was playing in just his fifth game after serving a stint on the 10-day injured list due to a right thumb capsule sprain earlier this month. He was forced out of the All-Star Game due to the injury.

Jonah Heim homered among three hits and Lawrence Butler went deep and doubled for the Athletics, who have lost 25 of their last 32 contests.

Right-hander Mason Barnett (1-1, 4.74) will take the ball first for the Athletics in a contest that will include multiple relievers.

Barnett has made 14 relief appearances this season. His longest effort was a four-inning scoreless stint against the Houston Astros on June 5.

Barnett, 25, was the second pitcher used in last Saturday’s 2-0 setback against the Minnesota Twins. He took the loss and gave up two runs and four hits over 3 1/3 innings.

Barnett started twice against the Red Sox last season and had a 5.87 ERA in two no-decisions. Jarren Duran is 3-for-5 with a double off Barnett.

–Field Level Media

Sox Stall In Sacramento

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WEST SACRAMENTO – The Boston Red Sox’s bats have cooled despite the team playing in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the majors the past two nights.

Boston will attempt to restart its offense on Wednesday night when it faces the Athletics in the third contest of a four-game set at Sutter Health Park in the Capitol city of California.

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The Red Sox scored five or more runs in eight of their first 10 games following the All-Star break. But they have just seven runs while splitting the first two games with the A’s. All of Boston’s runs in Monday’s 4-2 victory came courtesy of Ceddanne Rafaela’s grand slam that was nearly grabbed at the wall. In Tuesday’s 4-3 setback, Connor Wong’s two-run homer with two outs in the ninth brought the Red Sox within one run before Anthony Seigler flew out to deep center to end it.

Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said the Athletics deserve credit.

“They are pitching pretty good, I will tell you that,” he said. “… It took a series of really good at-bats in the eighth and ninth off the bullpen to get close there. It was a great finish. Seigler came up just short. You have to tip your hats sometimes.”

Tuesday’s loss was only the third in 21 games for the Red Sox. It also snapped a 10-game road winning streak. Boston’s 15-game winning streak was broken last Wednesday in a 5-1 loss against the Baltimore Orioles.

The Athletics won for just the seventh time in their past 31 games. Journeyman Brian Serven hit a two-run homer in his third big league game of the season. It was his first blast since 2022.

Serven is in the majors because of the loss of All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers (right knee), who underwent surgery to repair meniscus damage Tuesday but wasn’t ruled out for the season.

“It’s really exciting. It had been a while since I’d hit one in the majors,” Serven said. “What happened to Shea is awful. I’m just trying to do my part however I can.”

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said he isn’t sure whether Langeliers (23 homers) can make it back this season.

“It’s very unlikely, but I don’t put anything past Shea with the way he handles himself and how he’s going to attack his rehab,” Kotsay said. “A lot of it will depend on his progress, and if it’s a benefit for him to come back and (be the designated hitter).”

Boston placed infielder Curtis Mead (fractured left wrist) on the 10-day injured list prior to Tuesday’s game. He’ll learn Wednesday whether he needs surgery.

Mead was hit on the wrist with a pitch Monday while playing in his first game with the Red Sox after being acquired from the Washington Nationals.

“I came here to play and be with the group down the stretch,” Mead said. “So yeah, it’s definitely disappointing. But I’m hopeful that I can be back soon.”

Left-hander Patrick Sandoval (0-0, 3.21 ERA) will start for Boston on Wednesday night. It will be his fourth start since returning from Tommy John surgery.

Sandoval worked 4 2/3 innings of five-hit scoreless ball against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. He exited after 84 pitches, and the Red Sox won 6-4.

Sandoval, 29, has made more starts (11) vs. the Athletics than against any other team due to formerly being with the Los Angeles Angels, another American League West team. He is 4-4 with a 2.56 ERA vs. the A’s.

Left-hander Jacob Lopez (5-4, 6.12 ERA) will take the mound for the Athletics on Wednesday. Lopez, 28, beat the Minnesota Twins 2-0 last Friday when he gave up one hit in five scoreless innings.

–Field Level Media

It’s On to The Athletics

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SACRAMENTO – (Wire Service Report) – The Athletics’ season has been in a free fall in recent weeks and there is likely no recovering from the latest blow.

The Athletics could learn Monday that All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers requires season-ending knee surgery before they later take the field against the Boston Red Sox at the A’s temporary home in West Sacramento, California. Langeliers reportedly sustained a torn meniscus in his right knee during Friday’s game against the Minnesota Twins and was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday.

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“We’re looking at the situation and making sure that he gets the best advice, the best care and, hopefully, the quickest recovery,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said after Sunday’s 11-8 road loss to the Twins.

Langeliers started for the American League in the recent All-Star Game and leads AL catchers in homers (23) and hits (99). This is the fourth straight season in which he has smacked more than 20 homers.

His loss comes at a time in which the A’s have lost 23 of their past 29 games. The Athletics were at .500 on June 19 but now sit 17 games below the mark entering the four-game set against the lava-hot Red Sox.

Boston has won 17 of its last 19 games after Sunday’s 6-1 victory over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays.

The once-floundering team is now in the thick of the AL wild-card chase. The Red Sox are in second place in a race in which only one team below them — the third-place Cleveland Guardians — are above .500.

Jarren Duran helped fuel Sunday’s victory with three singles, two RBIs and one steal.

“I think we’re just settling into ourselves,” Duran told reporters. “Early on, we were still trying to find our identity. I feel like we’re just now coming into what we knew we could be. It’s showing and the boys have bought in since Day One.

“It’s just  baseball and we were going through that grind and we’re starting to roll and it’s awesome to see.”

Jahmai Jones contributed a pinch-hit, two-run double as Boston scored at least five runs for the eighth time during an 8-2 homestand.

“We had some really good performances across the board,” Jones said. “I felt like it was a really good team day.”

Boston sends left-hander Payton Tolle (5-6, 3.31 ERA) to the mound in the opener.

Tolle, 23, received a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles on July 20 when he gave up four runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings in a 6-5 A’s win.

Tolle went 0-0 with a 3.60 ERA in two appearances (one start) against the A’s last season.

He served up a homer to Nick Kurtz, who just returned to the A’s lineup on Saturday after a right thumb injury.

On Sunday, in his second game, All-Star first baseman Kurtz drilled a three-run homer against the Twins. He had been in a 0-for-25 funk before the blast, which was his 21st of the season.

Right-hander Jack Perkins (2-5, 6.75) will start for the Athletics for the eighth time this season.

He took a no-decision against the host Arizona Diamondbacks last Tuesday when he gave up three runs and five hits over five innings.

In his previous two turns, Perkins gave up a combined 10 runs and nine hits — including four homers — in just 6 2/3 innings. He lost both outings.

Perkins, 26, has never faced the Red Sox.

–Field Level Media

Streak Done; It’s All About Series Wins

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief, Digital Sports Desk

FENWAY – With the 15-game winning streak in the rearview mirror, and a flat, 6-0 no-show loss to Toronto on Saturday, today’s Sunday afternoon rubber game became the most important game of the 10-game homestand the Boston Red Sox have just concluded. Adding to the intrigue was the return of starting pitcher Ranger Suarez who was activated today after missing 15 games (two-starts) due to a strained groin.

The Red Sox performed well, as did Suarez. Yes, Boston took an impressive 6-1 victory to the airport as they depart the now-friendly confines of Fenway Park for a four-game set against the swingin’ and travelin’ A’s, then a three-game series against Los Angeles at famed Dodgers Stadium.

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Put it all together and it just might show how to measure this year, – measure a year?

In daytime, (20-23),

At nightime? (34-27)

In June (12-14),

And July (17-3).

36,795 people,

Four consecutive sell-outs to cheer.

Sam Adams? The waves? The Tartan Army so dear.

Kids running bases? Sweet Carolines? And, Tarps off. No fear.

Truth be told, after an incredible 15-game winning streak, the best way to measure this season is by measuring series wins, and the 6-1 Red Sox victory over the Blue Jays made it the sixth consecutive series won – the most for the Sox since June 3-26, 2022.

Boston swept five of those series (vs. NYY, at LAA, at CWS, at NYM and home vs. Tampa Bay).

Boston is 8-2 over their last 10 series, dating back to June 19, and 9-3 over the last 12 series, dating back to June 12.

The 17-3 record in July ties the best record through 20 games to begin ANY calendar month in franchise history (also August 1995, August 1949 and June 1901).

On the scoreboard during this now completed 10-game homestand, the Red Sox outscored their opponents 53-34.

Today, the Sox faithful witnessed a very impressive comeback by Suarez, going 4.0 innings, (64 pitches, 42 strikes). He allowed only four hits, walked none and struck-out six Blue Jay batters. It was the fifth time this season he pitched a scoreless outing and it was his first start since July 5 (missing two outings and benefitting from the MLB All-Star break).

These are all signs of progress for a team that was once 17-27 at Fenway Park, playing in a building so dull, it could make former Senator and Secretary of State John Kerry the most interesting person in the crowd. Now? Fenway is not only sold out, but it’s been alive, with a vibe of confidence and cheers of encouragement not jeers from frustration.

It makes a big difference.

There’s one other important fact to note: The Red Sox, while certainly turning their season into an intriguing chess game going forward, have accomplished nothing. Yes, they are now four games over the .500 mark (54-50), and yes, they are now 25-29 at home, but they head to Sacramento (the temp home for the A’s) with a winning percentage equal to the Arizona Diamondbacks, similar to the Chicago White Sox, and two games ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In the AL Wild Card race (far too early to do too much scoreboard watching), the Red Sox have made their way to the No. 2 Wild Card slot, a game and a half ahead of the Cleveland Guardians. The Minnesota Twins and the Houston Astros are only 1.5 games under those clubs, while Seattle and Baltimore are only two games back from Cleveland.

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If the Sox played in the National League, they’d be chasing the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and Diamondbacks for wild card positioning.

In other words, it’s July 26th and there’s a very long way to go.

A trade of injured SP Connelly Early for mediocre-hitting infielder Curtis Mead from the Washington Nationals came with a tariff, err, modicum of uncertainty. Mead is a .254 hitter with some power (17 HRs, 17 2Bs). His bat might take to the dimensions of Fenway Park. The return of injured pitching ace Garrett Crochet would be just what the team doctor would order, and the return of face-of-the-franchise power hitter, Roman Anthony, would be a major dose of rejuvenation to a batting order thus far pieced together by interim (should be hired for the duration) Manager Chad Tracy.

Another trade, maybe a major trade at the August 3 deadline (6:00pm EDT) would make a huge difference. Colorado heavy-hitting catcher Hunter Goodman is apparently on the market, but is not a candidate to entice the Red Sox and GM Craig Breslow to take a major plunge in terms of giving up much in prospects or current roster players.

August 3 is an off-day for the Red Sox. They’ll be flying back from Los Angles after the upcoming road trip, and will face the Chicago White Sox in a three game series to start the next Fenway Park homestand.

Winning the series against the A’s is realistic. Winning the series against the defending champion LA Dodgers is not.

But winning the series in a Sox vs Sox battle at Fenway will be the next major milestone on the Red Sox “Comeback From the Dead” rock n’ roll tour of 2026.

Get your tickets now. There are Tarps to be twirled, pitchers to return and series to be won.

Or lost.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 26

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

“Don’t Call Me Chief” – Perry White

BOSTON – Do you wonder if the “Tartan Army” checks their bagpipes at the curb or carries them on board, and if so, do they fit in the overhead compartments?

The Rise of the Tartan Army was well documented here in Boston during the recently concluded World Cup. While Spain took home the glorious cup, Boston was rewarded with something even more special; that being a connection with Scotland that just might last forever and a day.

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The sports fans of Boston – a passionate bunch – were not going to see Team USA here in the Commonwealth. Of course, they adopted a team to root for. Enter Scotland, sort of the Sandman of the Futbol types, coming out of the streets like Yankees’ reliever Mariano Rivera used to exit the bullpen, ready to annihilate and and all batters.

There’s a difference, though. Boston fans were not happy with the routine Rivera put forth for the hated Yanks, while Bostonians immediately fell in love with some 50,000 Scottish fans, with bagpipes leading the march straight to the local Sam Adams Brewery to drink all of the beer – and we do mean ALL of the beer.

The Tartan Army of Scots injected more than $1b – with a b – into the Greater Boston – Foxborough – Providence economy, but left much more in the tip jar. They departed with a vibe of the love of sports, the love of people, the love of Boston and they imparted true friendship that will last a lifetime or more.

The Scots visited Fenway Park on the off-nights of the soccer games and marched their way in with 5,000 fans following the bagpipes. For the bars and restaurants in the Fens, it was finding buckets of gold coins in the cash registers. It kept coming and coming and coming.

The Tartan Army also left something money can’t buy and the Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau has no way to measure. They left smiles and positive vibes – dotting local monuments with orange traffic cones to mark their place. The mantra, “No Boston, No Party,” became the rallying cry and it provided young men with confidence to go full Tarps Off in the right field grandstands. (The “Tarps Off” movement started with a small group of fans deciding to remove their shirts in the right-field stands and wave them around like rally towels. The swarm of shirtless spectators continued to grow until almost the entire section was filled with men with hats but no shirts. It’s a GROWING phenomenon, surely to make its way to a cold October evening at Fenway.

All of it together worked miracles – to the tune of 15 straight victories for the local baseball team, a teams mired in last place, and they had to dig-out after falling 11 games under the .500 mark. They’re risen from the dead and this week occupied a Wild Card berth in the American League ladder.

Before the streak, they ranked 27th in scoring (4.0 runs per game), 25th in home runs (0.9), 28th in RBI (3.8), 27th in walks (2.9), and 25th in total bases (12.8).

Since the streak began, they’re fourth in runs (5.9 per game), extra-base hits (3.5), and RBI (5.6). They’re also fifth in home runs (1.6 per game) and seventh in total bases (15.4).

Like the Scots, the Long Ball has been the friend of the Red Sox.

Come next April (2027), Boston Mayor Michele Wu already signed document will begin a formalized international partnership with the City of Glasgow, Scotland, to strengthen economic, cultural and institutional ties. Building on shared values and the collaboration during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the two cities will consider opportunities for cooperation in innovation, education, sustainability and tourism.Orange traffic cones will be in demand.

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HERE NOW, THE NOTES: There are a few things in sports that never get old. For instance, when the San Diego Chicken used to dance backwards with one leg up, it was hysterical. But, then he’d go walking towards the basket and bump his beak into the basket stanchion and turn it inside out. It was Slapstick City, but he’d get the laughs every time he did it. … How about the Olympics? We’ve all seen the scene of any athlete from any country in the world totally losing it on the medal stand when they hear their country’s National Anthem as the flag is raised in the classy medal ceremonies. It’s the best. … Want another tear-jerker? How about the “on the court” surprise family reunion of a member of the military with his/her loved ones after a long deployment always puts a lump the size of a golf ball in my throat. It never fails. … The Red Panda performing is an act seen a million times, but it’s always great. She never fails (although a bad fall sidelined her for a while this year). … There’s another: It NEVER gets old when you hear the story of a minor league baseball player getting the call to join the “Big Leagues,” the “Show,” the “Majors.” It’s just a great story to see a guy rewarded for all the years of hard work; All the batting practice, all the doubleheaders in the park on hot summer days. Then, the time in the minors – Rookie ball, Single A, High A, Double AA, and, usually the final stop, Triple AAA. … The phone call came to Tommy “Tommy Tanks” White this week and he happened to be at his hometown on a break. Let him tell it: “I was on the golf cart just going to get some stuff for the boat,” White said. “It was just me driving the golf cart. Fran called me from Las Vegas and said, ‘You’re going up to the big leagues.’ It was, like, a ‘drop everything’ moment. I was at home, so I got to tell my parents in person. They broke down crying. It was really cool. … This is something I’ve dreamed of and talked about since I was a little kid.”

“Tommy Tanks” – an extra base hit machine for the A’s – has a new fan in Boston.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Some might call it a “hockey assist.” Others, like Bill Bradley, United States Senator of New Jersey, Princeton man, and Basketball Hall of Famer plus two-time champion with the New York Knickerbockers, put it as “the pass that led to the pass that led to the basket.” Bradley had his share, dishing perimeter passes to teammates like Dave DeBusschere, Walt “Clyde” Frazier or two-guard Dick Barnett, never mind a cutting Willis Reed. Bradley made a living of it.

Well, Celtics team GM and head of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens might get credited with one of Bradley’s specialties. Stevens made the trade that led to deal that led to the Philadelphia 76ers signing coveted free agent Lebron James.

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James worked with the Sixers and Topps to make his “final NBA decision” of signing with Philadelphia utilizing a TOPPS trading card and social media post to break the news.

He’ll join former NBA MVP Joel Embiid (healthy or not), all-stars Tyrese Maxey and newly acquired Jaylen Brown (from the Celtics) and V.J. Edgecombe to create the best starting five in the league, assuming Embiid reports to training camp in condition and ready to go.

Truthfully, the Sixers could allow Embiid to work his way back to 100% throughout the Fall and report to play after the NBA All-Star break. As long as Embiid is ready to go and healthy for April-May-June, 2027, the 76ers are Eastern Conference title favorites, edging the reigning NBA champion New York Knicks.

Regardless, the Sixers are likely to play positionless basketball and giddy-up unless they need to pull up and go into half-court sets when Embiid makes his way to the paint. Add. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, too, as he agreed to a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies and plans to sign a one-year, $3.9 million deal with the 76ers.

“This (was) my last decision. I’m not going for money. I’m not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point?” James wrote on his social media post. “I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship.

“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.”

You’ve got to wonder why Stevens traded Brown to an Atlantic division rival, never mind one who knocked the Celtics out of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Certainly, the unintended circumstance was making Philly good enough to attract FA James.

Oddsmakers still have the reigning NBA champion New York Knicks as future favorite to win their divisional title. The ESPN odds read:

  1. New York +170
  2. Philly +200
  3. Boston +240
  4. Toronto +600

A MONTH OF FUN-DAYS: Since June 25, the Red Sox are 21-4, best since 2004. Sunday, they’ll have a chance to win their sixth consecutive series. That would be a first since June, 2022. The Sox won 16 of their last 18 games and goes into the final game of a ten-game home stand with a 7-2 record. Of course, that’s all a part of the team’s 15-game winning streak (July 3-22). … Boston closer Aroldis Chaapman earned his 391st save on Friday night, passing Dennis Eckersley for ninth on the MLB all-time saves list. Billy Wagner is eighth with 422 close-outs.