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Sox Beef Up Bullpen at Deadline

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox added some much-needed bullpen help by acquiring right-hander Lucas Sims from the Cincinnati Reds, then adding another right-hander, Luis Garcia, from the Los Angeles Angels at the trade deadline.

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The Red Sox sent minor league right-hander Ovis Portes to the Reds in exchange for Sims and sent four minor league players to the Angels in exchange for Garcia: infielder/outfielder Matthew Lugo, first baseman Niko Kavadas and right-handed pitchers Ryan Zeferjahn and Yeferson Vargas.

Garcia, 37, was 5-1 with a 3.71 ERA in 45 relief appearances in his first season with the Angels after signing a one-year, $4.25 million deal in December. He is 26-28 with a 4.02 ERA in 530 career appearances (four starts) in 12 seasons for five teams.

Lugo, 23, was Boston’s No. 17 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, drafted in the second round in 2019. The nephew of nine-time All-Star Carlos Beltran, Lugo was batting .285 with 16 home runs and 54 RBIs in 78 games in Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester this season.

Kavadas, 25, hit .281 with 17 home runs and 63 RBIs in 83 games this season at Worcester.

Zeferjahn, 26, was 1-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 25 games (one start) with Portland and Worcester this year.

Vargas, a 19-year-old from the Dominican Republic, was 4-2 with a 3.03 ERA in 11 games (4 starts) with the Red Sox farm teams in the Florida Complex League and Single-A Salem.

Sims, 30, went 1-4 with a 3.57 ERA and one save in 43 appearances out of the Cincinnati bullpen this season. The right-hander struck out 40 batters and walked 20 in 35⅓ innings.

Sims owns a career record of 22-17 with a 4.41 ERA and 12 saves in 230 games (14 starts) with the Atlanta Braves (2017-18) and Reds.

Portes, 19, was in his second season with the Boston organization. He went 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA and two saves in 11 games (five starts) between Class-A Salem and the Florida Complex League.

The Red Sox designated left-hander Brandon Walter, 27, for assignment to make room for Sims on the 40-man roster.

Yankees Come Back at Fenway

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New York catcher Austin Wells hit a sacrifice fly and his shortstop, Gleyber Torres, added a two-run double in the 10th inning to finish the Yankees’ 11-8 come-from-behind win over the host Boston Red Sox on Saturday night at Fenway Park

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Tyler O’Neill (3-for-4, four RBIs) hit go-ahead homers in the fifth and seventh innings for the Red Sox, but New York scored single runs in the eighth and ninth to tie the game.

Aaron Judge went 4-for-4 with a double, homer, three RBIs and three runs to lead New York’s 16-hit attack in making Sunday’s game the rubber match of their three-game series.

Judge hit an RBI double in the eighth, though Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran started a relay that cut down Juan Soto, the potential tying run, at the plate.

In the ninth, Massachusetts native Ben Rice doubled with one out, and Trent Grisham’s two-out double drove in pinch runner Jahmai Jones against Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen, who blew a save for the third time this season.

In the 10th, Torres crushed his double off the center field wall off Chase Anderson (0-2).

New York’s Clay Holmes (2-4) threw two scoreless innings for the win.

Aaron Judge went 4-for-4 with a double, homer, three RBIs and three runs to lead New York’s 16-hit attack in making Sunday’s game the rubber match of their three-game series.

Judge hit an RBI double in the eighth, though Red Sox center fielder Jarren Duran started a relay that cut down Juan Soto, the potential tying run, at the plate.

In the ninth, Massachusetts native Ben Rice doubled with one out, and Trent Grisham’s two-out double drove in pinch runner Jahmai Jones against Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen, who blew a save for the third time this season.

In the 10th, Torres crushed his double off the center field wall off Chase Anderson (0-2).

New York’s Clay Holmes (2-4) threw two scoreless innings for the win.

Jacoby Brissett is No. 1 for Pats

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo knows all about being the new guy, but he reiterated on Tuesday the importance of experience.

That’s the main reason he’ll start his first camp as a head coach since replacing Bill Belichick with a veteran as the starting quarterback.

“Coming out of spring I think it’s clear Jacoby [Brissett] looks like the starting quarterback at this point in time,” Mayo said Tuesday of the depth chart at quarterback. “With that being said, there’s going to be competition. All of those guys will have opportunities.”

No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye will get “as much work as he can” with the first team.

Mayo said if Maye comes out and “lights it up,” he could emerge as the starting quarterback.

The Patriots are starting from scratch at quarterback under Mayo, who is a first-time head coach and part of the monumental shift away from the Belichick-led regime that ruled the AFC East for most of the past two decades.

Maye was the first draft pick in years not influenced or directly chosen by Belichick, with Eliot Wolf promoted to executive vice president of player personnel. Wolf said after rookie minicamp that any decision on the starting QB job likely would be a collaborative effort. He also pointed to Brissett being the starter “right now.”

“He’s taking the first reps, and we’re excited about what he’s shown not only off the field but on the field with his throwing ability. Drake Maye, let’s be honest, we’ve had him for three weeks now,” Wolf said at the time. “There’s a long way to go to for all of our rookies and all of our players as we adapt to this new scheme that coach (Alex) Van Pelt is implementing offensively.”

 

 

Red Sox Rally Past Yanks, 9-7

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida’s two-run single up the middle highlighted a three-run eighth inning that helped Boston earn a 9-7, series-opening victory over the visiting New York Yankees on Friday night at Fenway.

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The Red Sox rallied after back-to-back home runs by Aaron Judge and Austin Wells in the seventh gave the Yankees a 7-4 lead in the seventh inning. Judge bashed a go-ahead, three-run shot to deep center.

Starting the comeback in the bottom of the seventh, Ceddanne Rafaela crushed a two-run homer to deep left that scored Yoshida.

In the eighth, Boston put two on against reliever Luke Weaver (4-2) before Wilyer Abreu greeted reliever Clay Holmes with a game-tying single. That set up Yoshida for the game-deciding hit.

Rob Refsnyder finished with three hits, two runs and an RBI for the Red Sox, who have won two of three following a four-game skid.

Bailey Horn (1-1) earned his first major league win, and Kenley Jansen worked around two hits and struck out two in the ninth for his 20th save.

Wells and Gleyber Torres had three hits apiece for New York, which has lost three straight and five of the past six.

Tyler O’Neill’s sacrifice fly staked Boston to a 1-0 lead. Consecutive one-out singles by Refsnyder and Connor Wong and a walk to Rafael Devers loaded the bases before the RBI opportunity.

The visitors were not down for long, as Anthony Volpe crushed a two-out solo homer to straightaway center field to bring the Yankees even in the second.

A pair of one-out hits by Wong and Devers helped the Red Sox jump back in front in the third. After Wong doubled inside third base, Devers’ knock to left made it a 2-1 game.

It was more of the same for Boston in the fourth. Romy Gonzalez began the inning with an infield single before Jarren Duran’s knock moved him to third, while a second consecutive two-out hit by Refsnyder rolled to the left field wall for an RBI double.

The Yankees quickly responded with a two-run fifth to tie the game, getting an RBI double from Trent Grisham and a sacrifice fly from Alex Verdugo.

The hosts continued to put the pressure on in the bottom of the fifth, scoring a go-ahead run on Yoshida’s sacrifice fly following a walk to Devers and O’Neill’s double through the left side.

Boston reliever Zack Kelly was greeted rudely during the visitors’ four-run seventh, allowing the back-to-back homers.

–Field Level Media

Patriots Extend Safety Peppers

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers signed a contract extension, coach Jerod Mayo confirmed on Friday morning.

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“I can confirm it. I’m the head coach. I can confirm it,” Mayo said. “… I am very happy for Peppers and for his family and also for our team and the organization. He really embodies everything that we want on the field. He’s very selfless and flying around all the time. It’s good to get that deal done.”

While Mayo didn’t provide terms of the deal, multiple media reports penned Peppers’ extension as a three-year contract. It reportedly has a base value of $24 million and is worth up to $30 million with incentives.

Peppers, 28, had been heading into the final year of his existing contract.

He recorded 78 tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 15 games (all starts) last season.

Peppers has totaled 471 tackles, six interceptions, 5.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries in 93 career games (79 starts) with the Cleveland Browns (2017-18), New York Giants (2019-21) and Patriots. He was selected by the Browns with the 25th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft.

–Field Level Media

Dodgers Defeat Sox (Again)

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – LA’s Enrique Hernandez had game-tying hits in the ninth and 10th innings, Dodgers catcher Will Smith hit a game-ending RBI single in the 11th and Los Angeles turned multiple rallies into a 7-6 victory Saturday against the visiting Boston Red Sox.

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It marked the second consecutive Dodgers victory over the Sox after the season resumed post All-Star break.

Hernandez tied the game in the ninth with a home run against former Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen and added a two-out RBI single in the Los Angeles’ two-run 10th inning after Boston’s Tyler O’Neill hit a two-run homer in the top of the 10th.

Smith’s game-winning hit off Greg Weissert (2-2) came with the bases loaded. Right-hander Blake Treinen (3-2) earned the win with a scoreless 11th inning.

Gavin Lux had a home run and a double as the Dodgers pulled off consecutive comeback victories over the Red Sox after they lost six of seven games before the All-Star break.

O’Neill hit a pair of home runs for the Red Sox, including a two-run shot in the seventh inning for a 4-3 lead.

Jarren Duran hit a two-run double for the Red Sox and has delivered multiple hits in four consecutive games wrapped around a home run and MVP Award in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.

Jansen’s blown save was his first since April 16. Boston starter Brayan Bello gave up three runs over six innings with seven strikeouts.

The Dodgers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Lux’s home run to right field, his fourth of the season. Duran’s two-run double in the fifth inning gave Boston a 2-1 advantage.

The Dodgers went on top 3-2 in the sixth inning on an RBI single from Teoscar Hernandez and a sacrifice fly from Andy Pages.

Duran walked with one out in the seventh and O’Neill hit the first pitch for a 4-3 advantage. Enrique Hernandez’s home run off Jansen, to tie the game 4-4, was his sixth of the season.

O’Neill’s homer in the 10th off right-hander Evan Phillips was his 18th of the season.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Take 4th Straight Series

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report). Boston’s Rafael Devers and Dominic Smith each hit a two-run home run to propel the Boston Red Sox to a 5-4 victory over the visiting Kansas City Royals on Sunday in each team’s final game before the All-Star Break.

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Devers hit his 23rd home run of the season to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead in the first inning, and Smith’s fifth home run increased the lead to 4-1 in the second. Both home runs came against Kansas City starting pitcher Brady Singer (5-6), who gave up four runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Jarren Duran went 4-for-5 for Boston, and David Hamilton added three hits. The Red Sox took two of three games against the Royals and have won their last four series.

Adam Frazier (No. 3 of the year) and Salvador Perez (No. 17) each hit a solo home run for the Royals. Frazier led off the game with a home run against Boston starter Brayan Bello (10-5), and Perez homered against Bello in the sixth.

Bello gave up three runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. Kenley Jansen pitched two innings of relief to collect his 19th save. Jansen struck out the side in the eighth, but surrendered a run in the ninth.

After the home runs by Devers and Smith handed Boston a 4-1 advantage, Kansas City cut its deficit by a run in the fourth. Perez scored when MJ Melendez hit into a fielder’s choice. Melendez appeared to injure himself running to first on the play and was replaced in left field by Garrett Hampson the following inning.

The Royals were within 4-3 following the Perez home run in the sixth. Perez and Hunter Renfroe each collected two of Kansas City’s nine hits in the loss.

Smith had an RBI single that drove in Devers to make it 5-3 in the seventh.

Freddy Fermin had an RBI single in the ninth, but Hampson was thrown out at third by Ceddanne Rafaela on the play for the second out of the inning. Fermin was stranded at second.

–Field Level Media

Sox: Cheers to Kutter Sharp

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s starter, Kutter Crawford, tossed seven-plus scoreless innings to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 5-0 victory over the visiting Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

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Crawford (6-7) limited the Royals to two hits, struck out four and walked one. He exited after allowing a leadoff single to Maikel Garcia in the eighth.

The only other hit against him was a double by Garrett Hampson with one out in the third inning.

Crawford also pitched seven scoreless innings in his previous start to help the Red Sox defeat the New York Yankees 3-0 on July 10. He threw 68 pitches (54 strikes) in that game.

Rafael Devers hit his 22nd home run of the season on Saturday and Dominic Smith added two hits and two RBIs for the Red Sox, who began the day tied with the Royals for the final wild-card spot in the American League.

Devers’ home run was the 194th of his career and moved him past Jason Varitek and into the No. 11 spot for most home runs by a Red Sox player in franchise history. Devers, Jarren Duran and Reese McGuire also collected two hits for the Red Sox.

Kansas City starter Seth Lugo (11-4) began the day with the lowest ERA in the major leagues (2.21), but allowed five runs on 10 hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out six. His ERA rose to 2.48.

The loss ended Kansas City’s four-game winning streak.

Boston struck first when Smith singled and scored on McGuire’s double in the second.

The Red Sox extended their lead to 4-0 by scoring three runs with two outs in the third. Wilyer Abreu made it 2-0 when his double drove in Masataka Yoshida, and Smith followed with a two-run single that scored Devers and Abreu.

Devers’ home run put Boston up 5-0 in the fifth.

Kansas City was held to four hits, two of which came with two outs in the ninth.

KC’s Cole Ragans Shines vs Red Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Kansas City’s Cole Ragans allowed one run in seven innings to help the visiting Kansas City Royals extend their winning streak to four games by beating the Boston Red Sox 6-1 Friday night.

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Ragans (6-6) gave up four hits, struck out seven, walked one and looked great doing it.

Bobby Witt Jr. (No. 16 of the year) and MJ Melendez (No. 11) each hit solo home runs for the Royals, who scored a run in the first inning, three in the second, one in the fourth and one in the eighth.

Witt’s home run came against Boston starting pitcher Cooper Criswell (3-4). Witt will be among the contestants in Monday’s Home Run Derby during All-Star festivities. Criswell was called from Worcester for aq spot start Friday afternoon.

Melendez homered against Greg Weissert. Melendez has eight home runs in 14 career games against the Red Sox.

Witt, Melendez and Adam Frazier each had two hits and an RBI for Kansas City. Melendez and Frazier each scored twice, and veteran catcher Salvador Perez drove in two runs.

Ceddanne Rafaela collected two of Boston’s five hits. The Red Sox struck out 10 times.

Chris Stratton and Nick Anderson both tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the Royals. Stratton struck out three after Boston’s first two batters reached base in the eighth.

Criswell allowed five runs on eight hits in six innings, but only two of the runs he gave up were earned.

Kansas City took a 1-0 lead when Perez hit a sacrifice fly that drove in Frazier in the first. An RBI single by Frazier, a sacrifice fly from Vinnie Pasquantino and an RBI single by Perez increased the lead to 4-0 in the second.

Back-to-back doubles by Jamie Westbrook and Rafaela cut Boston’s deficit to 4-1 in the bottom of the second, but Witt’s 429-foot home run made it 5-1 in the fourth. Melendez capped the scoring when he homered in the eighth.

Rob Refsnyder and Rafael Devers had Boston’s other hits in the loss.

–Field Level Media

Boston Faces KC After Impressive Work vs A’s

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox look to go into the All-Star break on a high note as they begin a three-game home series against the Kansas City Royals on Friday.

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A 7-0 win over Oakland on Thursday moved the Red Sox back to 10 games above the .500 mark, was their eighth win in their last 10 games, and secured their third straight series victory.

Connor Wong, Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida all socked home runs to highlight the team’s 10-hit attack — and 13th three-homer game of the season — while All-Star righty Tanner Houck threw six shutout, two-hit innings to post his eighth win.

Manager Alex Cora’s club will look to continue their winning ways for one more series before next week’s All-Star Game festivities in Arlington, Texas.

“I think what we need to do is to keep winning,” Cora said. “Obviously there’s a lot of conversation about a lot of stuff, but the main goal here is to keep winning and we’ve done a pretty good job the last month and a half accomplishing that, and we’re going to continue.”

Winning will be especially crucial this weekend against a Kansas City team that sits just a game back of the third and final wild-card spot in the American League postseason race. That spot is currently occupied by the Red Sox.

Yoshida has been on a 14-game tear to help Boston’s surge, hitting .346 with a .928 OPS and 12 RBIs in that span. He was 3-for-4 with four RBIs on Thursday.

“Great teammates, great supporting staff, everybody in the clubhouse working together for the win,” Yoshida said through an interpreter. “I’m really glad to be a part of that. … I knew from the beginning that we had something going on with this team.”

Boston has not announced a starting pitcher for Friday.

All-Star left-hander Cole Ragans (5-6, 3.28 ERA) is due to make the series-opening start for Kansas City, pitching for his first win since June 24 at Miami. He is one of three Royals arms who ranked in the top 15 in American League ERAs as of Wednesday.

The 26-year-old has matched his season high of seven innings pitched last Friday at Colorado, striking out eight and allowing just two runs on five hits in a no-decision.

Ragans will look to keep the Royals hot after they swept a Wednesday doubleheader in St. Louis, giving them a three-game win streak entering this weekend.

Eight players registered at least one RBI between the two games Wednesday. Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez and MJ Melendez drove in at least one in each game, with Perez homering in each contest. Especially key was the outfield, which combined for six runs scored and six RBIs in the sweep.

“It is outfield production, but there are nine guys in the lineup,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “We don’t care what position they play, but right now, those guys are producing.”

When Ragans’ start in Boston is over, he will turn his attention to an All-Star Game in the stadium where he made his MLB debut for the Rangers in 2022.

“It’s cool that I have a lot of memories on that mound — my first Opening Day, my first big league start, my first big league win,” Ragans said of Globe Life Field. “It’s pretty cool. Of all places for my first (All-Star Game) to be, it just happens to be back (where) I stepped on a big league mound for the first time. It’s full circle.”

Prior to Wednesday’s sweep, Kansas City had been 5-14 in its last 19 road games.