Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

MLB

Yoshi Thumb Injury Might Need Surgery

by

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston Red Sox left fielder Masataka Yoshida might require surgery on his injured left thumb, manager Alex Cora said Thursday.

Embed from Getty Images

Per Cora, the team’s medical staff is gathering information on Yoshida’s injury but noted that surgery remains one of the possibilities. Yoshida was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday, with the move retroactive to Monday.

Yoshida, 30, sustained the injury while jamming his hand on Sunday during Boston’s series finale against the Chicago Cubs.

In his second MLB season, Yoshida is batting .275 with two home runs and 11 RBIs through 24 games this season. He finished sixth in American League Rookie of the Year voting for the Red Sox in 2023.

–Field Level Media

Cubs Look to Win (Again) at Fenway

by

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Chicago Cubs will look to win the first series they have played at Fenway Park since 2017 and extend their winning streak to five games in a Saturday rematch against the Boston Red Sox.

Embed from Getty Images

However, with Kyle Hendricks and Justin Steele both injured, the Cubs did not name a starter for Saturday’s game until manager Craig Counsell gave the nod to rookie right-hander Ben Brown (0-0, 3.72 ERA) following the series opener.

Hendricks officially was sidelined on Monday due to a lower back strain.

“What’s clear for me in this stretch is that we’re going to have to push our starting pitching a little farther in games,” Counsell said after Hendricks was shelved. “I think we’re equipped to do that and in a good spot to do that, but it’s definitely going to be part of the next two weeks.”

Shota Imanaga helped the Cubs achieve that goal in Friday’s series opener in Boston, tossing 6 1/3 solid innings on 88 pitches in a 7-1 win.

A 14-hit attack supported Imanaga. Michael Busch was 3-for-4 with a double, and Pete Crow-Armstrong was 2-for-3 and drove in two RBIs for the second consecutive game following an 0-for-16 streak to begin his career.

“It’s kind of even hard to put into words,” shortstop Dansby Swanson said of Crow-Armstrong. “He cares so much. He works so hard. He wants to do so well and has got a great heart.”

Two of Brown’s six appearances have been starts, and he has allowed just one run on four hits over a combined 10 2/3 innings in those games.

Brown, who made his MLB debut on March 30, has thrown three scoreless frames in two relief outings since his last start on April 15 at Arizona.

The Red Sox are 3-8 this season at Fenway, where they have lost four straight series openers and allowed opponents to score seven or more runs six times.

On Friday, Tyler O’Neill’s solo home run in the fourth inning produced Boston’s only run against Imanaga.

O’Neill, however, has not hit any of his eight home runs this season with a runner on base.

“Us as a unit, where we’re at right now, we have to be better … understanding what we have to do to have traffic for the big boys,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “That’s the bottom line.”

Along with O’Neill, Rafael Devers is 7-for-13 over his last three games following a five-game injury absence. Cora expects him to return defensively to third base on Saturday.

Boston right-hander Josh Winckowski (1-1, 4.20 ERA) will make his second start of the season and only his third since the beginning of 2023. He dealt 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball last Sunday at Pittsburgh but did not factor into the decision.

Winckowski has been pressed into a starting role with Brayan Bello, Garrett Whitlock and Nick Pivetta on the 15-day injured list.

Winckowski, 25, is excited for another opportunity to prove himself out of a Red Sox rotation that has the best starters’ ERA in the American League (2.15).

“Specifically, people were saying we needed help in the rotation and that the rotation (stunk). So I’m really happy for all the guys to be proving everyone wrong,” Winckowski said. “I think the team definitely carries a chip on its shoulder to go win as many games as we can.”

–Field Level Media

Kutter Crawford Gets It Done for Sox

by

PITTSBURGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston DH Masataka Yoshida collected three hits, including a two-run home run, to propel the visiting Red Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.

Embed from Getty Images

Yoshida hit his second home run of the season to give Boston a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning. The home run came against Pittsburgh starting pitcher Mitch Keller and was Boston’s 29th homer in 22 games. Pablo Reyes, who drew a one-out walk, also scored on the play.

Yoshida also singled during Boston’s two-run first inning, and was credited with a double in the eighth on a ball that Pittsburgh left fielder appeared to lose in the sun.

Sox SP Kutter Crawford (1-0) limited the Pirates to one run on seven hits in six innings to collect the win. He struck out six and walked three. Crawford lowered his ERA to 0.66.

Kenley Jansen struck out the side in the ninth to earn his fifth save. Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton was ejected after Mchael A. Taylor struck out on a pitch clock violation with one out in the ninth.

Boston’s victory extended Pittsburgh’s losing streak to five games. The Red Sox improved their road record to 9-3.

Keller (2-2) pitched six innings. He gave up four runs on five hits, walked four and struck out four.

Connor Joe had a pinch-hit home run for the Pirates, who received three hits from Bryan Reynolds. Joe’s home run was his second of the season.

The Red Sox took an early 1-0 lead when Jarren Duran opened the game with a triple and scored on Wilyer Abreu’s infield single. Boston loaded the bases later in the inning and led 2-0 after Rob Refsnyder scored on Bobby Dalbec’s fielder’s choice.

Pittsburgh made it a 2-1 game in the bottom of the fourth. Ke’Bryan Hayes led off the inning with a double and scored on Jared Triolo’s two-out single.

The Pirates had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth, but failed to score. Then Yoshida’s homer with one out gave Boston a three-run lead in the next inning.

Joe’s home run cut Boston’s lead to 4-2 in the eighth.

–Field Level Media

Longballs Back Sox, Bello vs Pirates

by

PITTSBURGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Wilyer Abreu went 3-for-5 and was one of three players to hit their first home runs of the season for the Red Sox in an 8-1 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.

Embed from Getty Images

Boston’s offense pounded out 12 hits en route to its second win in a three-game span.

Rob Refsnyder and Ceddanne Rafaela each drove in a pair with the help of their first homers of 2024, while Triston Casas also left the yard for the Red Sox. Enmanuel Valdez added a two-run double.

Refsnyder and Connor Wong were each 2-for-5.

Brayan Bello (3-1) earned his second consecutive win in dominant fashion, allowing only one hit — Jack Suwinski’s leadoff double to left in the second — and two walks while striking out seven over six innings.

Chase Anderson and Cam Booser worked in relief of Bello. Booser, who allowed Pittsburgh’s only run, was making his MLB debut.

The Red Sox jumped out to a quick lead against Pittsburgh starter Quinn Priester (0-1), socking a pair of first-inning solo homers before scoring another run in the second. The opening run came just one out into the game as Abreu’s 421-foot blast nearly left the ballpark in right.

Casas doubled the Boston lead two batters later with two outs, clearing the fences in left-center field.

After Bello worked around two baserunners in Pittsburgh’s half of the first, Ceddanne Rafaela’s RBI fielder’s choice upped Boston’s lead to 3-0. Bobby Dalbec crossed the plate following a leadoff double, his first hit of the season.

Red Sox McCarty, Dead at 54

by

OAKLAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report from Official Club News Release) – Dave McCarty, a first baseman and outfielder on the Boston Red Sox 2004 team that won the World Series, died Friday in California. He was 54.

Embed from Getty Images

The Red Sox announced his death and said it was caused by a “cardiac event.”

McCarty was among the members of the 2004 team who gathered April 9 at Fenway Park to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the World Series and honor Tim Wakefield and his wife, Stacy, both of whom died of cancer in the past six months.

Kevin Youkilis, McCarty’s Red Sox teammate, paid tribute to him on social media.

“You never know when it’s the last time you will see someone. Grateful to share an amazing ’04 Reunion and a flight back home to the Bay Area with Dave McCarty,” he wrote. “A great father, husband, teammate, and friend. Thank you Big Mac for teaching me how to be a Big Leaguer!”

Guardians Ruin Red Sox Holiday

by

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Cleveland pinch hitter Will Brennan pulled an 87 mph slider straight down the right field line at Fenway Park and it travelled 387 feet for a two out, two run homer. It was Brennan’s first of the season and gave the Guardians a 2-0 lead in the seventh inning of today’s 11:13am Patriots’ Day matinee. It was all they’d need as Cleveland went on to win 6-0 shut-out victory.

Embed from Getty Images

The annual early game, drawing 33,008 fans, coincides each year with the running of the Boston Marathon and comes on a holiday in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Cleveland scored two insurance runs in the top of the eighth inning when Jose Ramirez hit a riccochet grounder, deflected by Sox 1B Tristan Casas and dribbling past 2B Emmanuel Valdez. The grounder made its way to right field, scoring Guardians’ SS Brayan Rocchio from third.

Sox RF Wilyer Abreu misfielded and forced a misguided throw which scored LF Steven Kwan. The play was judged an error and Rocchio’s run was earned but Kwan’s run scored was deemed unearned.

The Guardians continued to score runs in pairs, tallying two more insurance runs in the visiting ninth. The key hits were a double by Cleveland  No. 8 hitter in 3B Gabriel Arias to score Brennan and an RBI single by No. 9 hitter Rocchio to score Arias who had previously stolen third base.

The first five innings of the game produced quite a pitcher’s duel as Cleveland’s SP Xzavion Curry threw a two hitter with one walk and a strike-out while Boston starter Kutter Crawford tossed 5.2 innings of shut-out ball, allowing only two hits and no walks. He struck out six Guardians while throwing 92 pitches and 63 strikes.

Boston was held to three hits on the day while Cleveland knocked the Sox bullpen around and recorded nine hits.

Cleveland reliever Tim Herrin earned the win (1-0) while Boston’s Brennan Bernadino (0-1) was charged with the loss.

 

 

Red Sox Take Series vs LA Angels

by

BOSTON – (Staff Report) – Boston DH Masataka Yoshida hit a two-run home run, his first of the season, to give the Red Sox a 5-2 lead in the sixth inning as starting pitcher Brayan Bello threw a strong 5.1 innings of two-run ball to lead Boston to a x-x win over the Los Angeles Angels. It was Boston’s third series win (3-1-1) of the season.

Embed from Getty Images

Bello limited the Angels to two runs and only six hits while striking out eight against two walks. Bello threw 107 pitches with 72 strikes in his 5.1 innings. RHP Justin Slater came on in relief of Bello in the sixth inning and threw 2.2 innings of one-run baseball.

The Red Sox started the scoring in the home half of the first as Tyler O’Neill and Triston Casas went back-to-back with solo homers. It was the third time Boston hit back-to-backs this season. It was O’Neill’s seventh homer of the season and it gave him both the AL and MLB lead in HRs.

LA first baseman Brandon Drury hit a solo homer in the second inning and the Angles scored another run in the third after a lead-off walk to No. 9 hitter Zach Neto, a base hit by Anthony Rendon and a grounder into a run-scoring fielder’s choice by second baseman Luis Rengifo.

All-Star centerfielder Mike Trout opened the eighth inning with a bullet, stand-up triple to center field and scored on a ground ball by Angeles’ left fielder Taylor Ward to make the score 5-3. It was Trout’s 54th career triple, second only to Jim Fregosi in Angels’ career triples.

Closer Kenley Jansen pitched the top of the ninth inning for Boston and allowed the Angeles to come within a run after loading the bases by hitting lead-off hitter Logan O’Hoppe with an 89 mph cutter, allowing a bloop hit by pinch hitter Mickey Moniak and walking Neto.

Rendon hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring O’Hoppe and advancing Moniak and Neto to second and third base.

Jansen struck-out Rengifo and then had to face the Angeles (and one of MLB’s) best hitter in Trout. Jansen turned up the heat on Trout and threw six pitches in the mid-90s, including a 96 mph sinker to get Trout to swing and miss to end the game.

Bello earned the win and is (2-1) while Jansen earned his fourth save of the season and his 424th save of his career.

 

 

 

 

E-Sox Drop Another

by

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Angels outfielder Taylor Ward highlighted his three-RBI night with a home run while Reid Detmers threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings to lead the visiting Los Angeles  to a 7-0 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Embed from Getty Images

Ward became the last Los Angeles batter to record one of the team’s 12 hits when he socked a two-run shot in the sixth inning.

Anthony Rendon, Nolan Schanuel and Aaron Hicks were all repeat hitters for the Angels, supporting Detmers (3-0) who struck out seven while allowing just three hits — none after the third inning — and two walks in his start.

Boston’s defensive miscues behind starting pitcher Tanner Houck (2-1) helped the visitors to take immediate control, never looking back after turning in a three-run first inning.

After Anthony Rendon sent a single into right and Nolan Schanuel was hit by a pitch to begin the Angels’ at-bats, Mike Trout reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases as Red Sox shortstop David Hamilton bobbled a potential double play turn.

Another double play that wasn’t finished allowed Ward to reach and Rendon to score the first Angels run before Hicks’ line single to center in the next at-bat doubled the lead. After a wild pitch, Brandon Drury’s grounder made it 3-0.

Schanuel led off the Los Angeles half of the third with a ground ball single to second and scored the fourth Angels run on Boston center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela’s relay throwing error following the second of consecutive hits by Hicks and Drury.

The Red Sox had chances to break through against Detmers, recording hits in each of the first three innings including a Jarren Duran double in the third. Double play balls extinguished two of those opportunities.

A run of three straight one-out hits in the fourth ended with Schanuel roping a fly ball double to deep center, scoring Zach Neto to extend the Angels’ lead to 5-0.

In the sixth, Ward’s two-out, two-run homer over the Green Monster and everything in left-center field followed a Mike Trout single. Houck’s day ended there after 5 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs (four earned) on 12 hits while striking out just two.

Relievers Luis Garcia, Jose Cisnero and Hunter Strickland preserved the shutout over the final 2 2/3 perfect frames.

–Field Level Media

Feds Throw the Book at Mizuhara

by

LOS ANGELES – Former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara surrendered to federal authorities in Los Angeles on Friday to face a charge of bank fraud for allegedly stealing more than $16 million from Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani.

Embed from Getty Images

Mizuhara, 39, is scheduled to appear in court at 1 p.m. PT, after which he is expected to be released on bond, according to multiple reports.

Prosecutors filed an affidavit Thursday alleging that Mizuhara siphoned funds from Ohtani’s bank accounts to cover his gambling debts with an illegal sportsbook.

The federal bank fraud charge is a felony offense that carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison and/or a $1 million fine.

The Dodgers fired Mizuhara last month after the allegations surfaced. He had been working with Ohtani since the Japanese two-way star debuted with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017.

From December 2021 through January 2024, authorities allege Mizuhara placed about 19,000 bets with an average wager of $12,800 and total net losses of nearly $40.7 million.

Records seized during the investigation showed no betting on baseball games, however, and authorities said Ohtani was not aware of the alleged theft.

The New York Times reported earlier this week that Mizuhara’s attorney is negotiating a plea deal with prosecutors.

Ohtani, 29, signed a record-setting 10-year, $700 million with the Dodgers in December after batting .304 with an American League-leading 44 homers and 95 RBIs in 2023, when he earned his second unanimous AL MVP.

–Field Level Media

Orioles Pound Sox in 10th Inning

by

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser each homered during the six-run 10th inning that lifted the Orioles to a 9-4 win over the host Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.

Embed from Getty Images

Cowser went 3-for-5 with two homers, a double, four RBIs and two runs scored. The Orioles hit four homers during their nine-hit attack. He drove in 10 runs in the three-game series sweep.

Henderson and Anthony Santander also drove in two runs apiece.

Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu each had two hits and an RBI for the Red Sox.

In the eighth inning with Boston clinging to a 2-1 lead, Red Sox shortstop David Hamilton missed touching second on a would-be double-play grounder by Adley Rutschman. The Orioles took advantage of the miscue as Santander hit a two-run, go-ahead homer down the right-field line.

Pinch-hitter Connor Wong hit a game-tying, two-out homer to deep left-center off Danny Coulombe in the bottom of the eighth.

Boston closer Kenley Jansen retired the final two batters in the ninth and Baltimore counterpart Craig Kimbrel (2-0) threw a scoreless ninth to force extra innings.

Henderson hit a two-run shot off Red Sox reliever Isaiah Campbell (0-1) to give the Orioles a 5-3 lead. Campbell retired the next two batters, but Ryan O’Hearn hit a double and Ryan Mountcastle walked. Cedric Mullins followed with an RBI single to center and Cowser cleared the bases with a three-run shot to center to give Baltimore a 9-3 lead.

Duran got Boston a run back on a leadoff double in the last of the 10th.

–Field Level Media