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Red Sox Return Home for Rockies

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – In search of more offense, the Boston Red Sox return home to open a three-game home stand against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.

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Although Boston won two of three games against the New York Yankees over the weekend, the Red Sox were held to seven runs in the series. Boston has scored three runs or fewer in eight of its last nine games and has a 3-6 record over that span.

“We have traffic,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of the Red Sox’s ability to get on base following Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Yankees. “We’re working the counts, but obviously we’re not scoring runs. We’re not finishing anything. The two-out hits … they’re always important in this game and we’ve just got to find a way to get it going, finish the at-bats.”

Monday’s contest will be the start of a 10-game road trip for Colorado, which ended a six-game losing streak by beating San Diego 5-4 Sunday. That victory also ended the team’s five-game losing streak at home.

Ryan McMahon hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning for the Rockies, and, after a 1-hour, 25-minute rain delay, Nolan Jones hit a game-winning home run later in the ninth.

Colorado also got a home run from second baseman Coco Montes in his major league debut.

Left-hander James Paxton (2-1, 3.81 ERA) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Red Sox on Monday. He’s 1-3 with a 4.82 ERA in four career starts against the Rockies.

Paxton struck out nine and gave up two runs in seven innings during his last start to help the Red Sox defeat Cleveland 5-4 last Tuesday.

“We feel really confident whenever Paxton is taking the bump right now,” Red Sox outfielder Rob Refsnyder said. “He’s got pretty special stuff as you see. A high 90s fastball, kind of just bearing in. He gives us ace-caliber stuff.”

The Rockies will be looking for another strong start from right-hander Connor Seabold, who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to San Francisco. The no-hit bid ended when LaMonte Wade singled with one out in the sixth.

Seabold (1-2, 5.10) limited the Giants to two runs on two hits in six innings before departing in and ultimately receiving a no-decision. He struck out four and walked two.

“That’s the version that you’d like to see out of Connor and his stuff,” Colorado manager Bud Black said following that game. “Four pitches — fastball command to both sides of the plate, good changeup, slider, a couple of curveballs. A mix of pitches, changing speeds, disrupting timing of the hitters, crowding some guys on their hands.”

Before facing the Giants, Seabold allowed one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings against Arizona on June 1. He struck out five and walked two in that game — also a 5-4 loss in which he did not get a decision.

The Rockies acquired Seabold from the Red Sox in January. He spent most of the 2022 season with Triple-A Worcester, where he went 8-2 with a 3.32 ERA. Seabold has never pitched against the Red Sox.

Colorado catcher Elias Diaz was not in the lineup Sunday after he was hit in the mask by a foul ball during Saturday’s game. Catcher Brian Serven was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque for Sunday’s game against San Diego, though he did not play.

–Field Level Media

Yankees’ Home Runs Sink Red Sox

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BRONX, NY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New York’s SP Domingo German allowed only a home run to Boston’s 3B Rafael Devers in six solid innings as the host New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 3-1 Saturday.

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New York’s duo of Gleyber Torres homered in the fourth and Willie Calhoun hit a tie-breaking homer in the sixth as the Yankees defeated the Red Sox for the seventh time in the past eight home meetings. Kyle Higashioka of the Yanks added an RBI single in the seventh.

German (4-3) allowed one run on six hits for his third career win over the Red Sox and first since Aug. 3, 2019.

Devers homered for the second straight night after ending a 16-game home run drought Friday. It was Devers’ 21st career homer against the Yankees since making his debut in 2017.

Before the homer, German retired Devers twice with a runner on base. In the first, German stranded Justin Turner at first by fanning Devers. Two innings later, Turner was stranded at third when left fielder Jake Bauers made a leaping catch of a Devers drive while crashing into the left-field fence.

Sox-A-Pa-Loser

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CLEVELAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The errors keep piling up for the Boston Red Sox, who face the host Cleveland Guardians in the rubber match of a three-game series on Thursday. Boston matched its season high with three miscues in a 5-2 loss on Wednesday and leads the American League with 43 errors. The Red Sox committed all three errors in the fourth inning on Wednesday, leading to a pair of Cleveland runs.

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“It’s frustrating because we’re working,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It’s not lack of effort, it’s not lack of work. It is who we are right now. At some point, you have to slow the game down … they’re trying; right now it’s just not happening for us.”

Boston has lost four of its last five games, while Cleveland has won six of its last 10. Guardians designated hitter Josh Bell has driven in a run in six straight games.

“It’s frustrating because we’re working,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It’s not lack of effort, it’s not lack of work. It is who we are right now. At some point, you have to slow the game down … they’re trying; right now it’s just not happening for us.”

Boston has lost four of its last five games, while Cleveland has won six of its last 10. Guardians designated hitter Josh Bell has driven in a run in six straight games.

Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor committed a costly error in Wednesday’s victory, but finished with three hits, including a run-scoring single. Naylor has 34 RBIs in his last 32 games.

“Josh was pretty locked in after that error,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said after the win. “You could tell he wanted to get some payback. He had a pretty eventful night. There wasn’t much that went on out there that he wasn’t a part of.”

Cleveland will send right-hander Aaron Civale (1-1, 2.04 ERA) to the mound in the series finale. He returned from the injured list after missing 48 games with a strained left oblique and tossed five scoreless innings against the Minnesota Twins last Friday.

Civale, 27, was pleased with his performance after missing large gaps of time due to various injuries over the past two years.

Red Sox Face Guardians

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CLEVELAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Cleveland Guardians outfielder Will Brennan boasts an unremarkable track record, but the 25-year-old Colorado native may hold the key to the team’s search for offensive consistency.

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Brennan will look to continue his hot streak when the Guardians open a three-game series against the visiting Boston Red Sox tonight. Cleveland has won two straight, while Boston is beginning a six-game road trip after losing the final three games of a four-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays.

After batting .204 in April and struggling for most of May, Brennan is 11-for-21 (.524) in his past six games. He made his major league debut last year, appearing in 11 late-season games.

“I’m just growing up every single game up here,” Brennan said. “You have to take a step back and look at what’s going on. It’s pretty awesome to see what you’re doing every day. You’re playing in the big leagues. Struggle comes along with that.”

Cleveland also received a much-needed boost last week from first baseman Josh Naylor and second baseman Andres Gimenez, who were a combined 20-for-50 (.400) as the Guardians went 4-3 on a road trip to Baltimore and Minnesota last week.

Cleveland’s biggest need is more production at the bottom of the order. Brennan could help address that issue with his continued development.

“This might sound dramatic,” Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan said, “but he might be one of our best players once he gets going. He has contact, power, he can run and has a great arm. If he gets going, I think we can be in a really good position.”

The Guardians are beginning a six-game homestand with the series against Boston, which is 30-30. The Red Sox have scored a total of five runs during their three-game skid.

“I don’t want to sound pessimistic or negative, but we have to do it,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We can talk all the talk. We can say that we’re better than this and all that. But at the end, we have to be better. We have to go out there and perform.”

The Red Sox will send left-hander James Paxton (1-1, 4.26 ERA) to the mound in the series opener. He allowed one run and struck out eight over five innings in a no-decision against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.

Paxton pitched a total of 21 2/3 innings over the previous three seasons due to a number of injuries. He has allowed two or fewer runs in three of his first four outings this season, logging 27 strikeouts in 19 innings.

“I really didn’t know what to expect,” Paxton said. “Coming back through the minor leagues, I think I was topping out at 96, 97 (mph with the fastball). But it’s just not the same atmosphere as pitching in the big leagues. I’m just going out there and letting it rip and it’s feeling good coming out.”

Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez is 2-for-14 against Paxton, who is 1-3 with a 5.47 ERA in five career starts against the Guardians.

Cleveland will counter with right-hander Shane Bieber (4-3, 3.72 ERA), who allowed seven runs over four innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Bieber has gone 3-3 with a 5.50 ERA in six career games (five starts) vs. Boston. He yielded two runs over seven frames in a 5-2 road victory over the Red Sox on April 28.

Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers is 3-for-13 (.231) against Bieber with two home runs.

–Field Level Media

Tampa Bay Rays Befuddle Red Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Shane McClanahan pitched six innings of one-run ball and three players went 2-for-4 as the Tampa Bay Rays posted a 4-1 win over the host Boston Red Sox on Monday afternoon – the make-up date for last Friday’s wash-out.

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McClanahan (9-1) struck out five and allowed just five hits and two walks, bouncing back from his first loss of the season. Justin Turner’s solo home run in the sixth inning was the lone blemish for the Tampa Bay ace.

Yandy Diaz, Wander Franco and Francisco Mejia all had two hits for the Rays, who used a three-run fifth inning to post their third straight win to finish the four-game series.

Rafael Devers was 2-for-4 and Christian Arroyo doubled for Boston.

Red Sox righty Brayan Bello (3-4) struck out the side in the opening inning and allowed just two baserunners over the first four frames, but a five-hit fifth helped the Rays jump out to a 3-0 lead.

Luke Raley hit a leadoff double to center and a Manuel Margot chopper through the left side plated the first Tampa Bay run. Margot moved to second on the throw and scored on Mejia’s ground-ball single to center two batters later.

Diaz and Franco followed with back-to-back hits to load the bases before Josh Lowe made it 3-0 on a fielder’s choice grounder.

Bello struck out five and allowed three runs on six hits across six innings.

Boston could not muster a run against McClanahan until the sixth as Turner ripped a solo homer into the Green Monster seats. It was his seventh blast of the season.

The Rays added to their lead as reliever Nick Pivetta issued a bases-loaded walk to Taylor Walls in the seventh. Pivetta also allowed a double to Franco and issued two other walks before Diaz scored the insurance run.

After making two costly errors in Sunday’s loss, the Red Sox defense came to play in the early innings to temporarily keep the game scoreless.

Center fielder Enrique Hernandez robbed Raley of a potential home run by making a catch at the wall near the triangle in center in the second inning. Alex Verdugo’s turn for a web gem in right came when he robbed Mejia of a homer near Pesky’s Pole an inning later.

Boston manager Alex Cora was ejected after the eighth after arguing a called third strike on Devers that led to an inning-ending, strike ‘em out-throw ‘em out double play.

–Field Level Media

 

Pujols Named Special Assistant at MLB

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Retired St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols was named a special assistant to Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred.

Pujols will consult with MLB on a range of topics, including player relations and issues regarding his home country, the Dominican Republic. He will also work as an on-air analyst for MLB Network.

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“Beyond his long list of accomplishments on the field, Albert is a highly respected figure who represents the game extraordinarily well. He cares greatly about making a difference in our communities,” Manfred said in a news release. “We are excited for Albert to join other former players who are doing important work for our sport, and we will welcome his perspective across our efforts.”

Pujols, 43, retired after the 2022 season with 3,384 hits and 703 home runs. The three-time MVP and 11-time All-Star played 12 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, 10 with the Los Angeles Angels and one with the Dodgers.

“I couldn’t be more excited for this next chapter of my career,” Pujols said. “Commissioner Manfred and I share the same passion for growing the game in the Dominican Republic and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to join the MLB Network family. I’ve been a huge fan since the very beginning and can’t wait to get started.”

Pujols made his MLB Network debut on Tuesday morning. He will contribute to the network’s on-site coverage of MLB’s London Series on June 23 between the Cardinals and Chicago Cubs.

Pujols joins a group of former players working in various capacities for MLB that includes Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken Jr., CC Sabathia and Joe Torre.

–Field Level Media

Errors Lead to Sox Weekend Woes

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After dropping the opener of a Saturday doubleheader to begin a four-game series in Boston, the Tampa Bay Rays asserted their American League East dominance by following with a pair of wins over the Red Sox.

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The major-league-leading Rays will go for their third consecutive win to claim the series when they face host Boston in a rescheduled game on Monday afternoon. The game was originally set as Friday’s series opener before being postponed due to persistent rain and thunderstorms.

Tampa Bay was a 6-2 winner on Sunday while playing through several injuries. Wander Franco (hamstring), Jose Siri (shoulder) and Brandon Lowe (back) were all out of the lineup, leading Rays manager Kevin Cash to pencil down several possible lineup combinations prior to the game.

“There was a lot of stuff right there at the end that came down,” Cash said. “It was a little hectic.”

Without Siri available, Manuel Margot had to jump back into the outfield after a scary collision at the Green Monster during Saturday’s twin bill.

The series of injuries led to changes in planned days off, but it did not faze the unselfish Rays.

“We’re kind of a group of grinders,” Tampa Bay outfielder Luke Raley said. “We play for one another. Sometimes people are dinged up and you know you’ve got to go out there with no bench and you’ve got to play through it. So it is what it is.”

The Rays’ Shane McClanahan (8-1, 2.07 ERA) looks to bounce back from his first loss of the season, when he allowed two runs on six hits across 5 2/3 innings last Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. The southpaw had allowed just one run over back-to-back seven-inning outings prior to the setback.

McClanahan pitched an April 11 gem against the Red Sox, striking out nine over five innings of one-run ball. It was his fourth win in six career starts against Boston.

The Red Sox will turn to right-hander Brayan Bello (3-3, 3.89) in the series finale. Bello has taken back-to-back losses despite allowing just three combined runs against the Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds in his last two starts.

Bello is 0-1 and has a 10.13 ERA in two career starts against the Rays, both of which were last season. He surrendered nine runs in eight innings between those games.

While the Red Sox have scored no more than three runs in eight of their last 13 games, it is the defense that has ached Boston manager Alex Cora as of late.

“I’m the manager of this club and we’ve been sloppy,” Cora said. “It’s not about pointing fingers, right? The roster is the roster and we have to play better baseball.”

The Red Sox have committed seven errors in their last six games, including two costly ones on Sunday.

“We just gotta clean it up in all facets,” Boston outfielder Alex Verdugo said. “We’re all professionals, we’re all in the big leagues, we all know how to play.”

Verdugo, who hits in the leadoff spot, has done his part at the plate, recording three hits in two of his last three games. All three of his hits on Sunday were for extra bases, as he ripped two doubles and a triple.

–Field Level Media

Split City

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Harold Ramirez hit a two-run double in the top of the ninth inning to finish a 3-for-5 performance and lift the Tampa Bay Rays past the host Boston Red Sox, 4-2, on Saturday in the nightcap of a doubleheader.

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Francisco Mejia added two hits and a run to help the Rays split the twin bill and the first half of the four-game series.

With Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen (1-3) on for the second straight game, Mejia and Yandy Diaz opened the ninth with back-to-back singles before advancing into scoring position on Brandon Lowe’s deep flyout into the right field corner.

Ramirez’s line-drive double to right plated both runners, giving Tampa a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

In the bottom half of the ninth, Jose Siri made a game-ending diving catch in center field to rob a potential extra-base hit from Jarren Duran. Boston had two on when Siri made the grab.

Calvin Faucher (1-1) and Jason Adam each pitched a scoreless inning for the win and save, respectively.

Triston Casas had a double and a triple for two of Boston’s five hits.

Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford set down six of the first seven batters he faced, but Manuel Margot’s leadoff double to left in the third inning helped the Rays push across the go-ahead run.

Mejia and Diaz followed Margot’s two-bagger with groundouts, with the latter putting Tampa ahead 1-0.

The visitors were held to one run in the inning as Crawford recorded the final out, and then reliever Justin Garza retired the side in order an inning later.

Masataka Yoshida helped get the Red Sox get going in the last of the fourth, driving a leadoff double to left and scoring when Casas ripped a two-out triple to deep center.

After Boston reliever Ryan Sherriff worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fifth, the Rays bounced back to jump ahead in the sixth, as Siri ripped a pinch-hit RBI double past diving third baseman Rafael Devers.

Siri’s hit kept the Rays in front 2-1 until Connor Wong scored in the seventh on a Devers popup that second baseman Brandon Lowe dropped.

Tyler Glasnow worked 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball as the Rays starter. He struck out six.

–Field Level Media

Sox vs Rays: Rain Forces Strange Schedule; Two Today & 4pm Monday

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – An untraditional four-game series between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Ray is due to begin in an untraditional way on Saturday afternoon.

After the scheduled Friday night game was postponed due to persistent rain and thunderstorms, the American League East foes will begin their four-game series with a previously scheduled day-night doubleheader today.

“A lot of baseball getting played,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said entering the series.

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The set is now slated to conclude with a rescheduled Monday afternoon game, taking away what had originally been a travel day for both teams.

Both teams’ pitching plans for the doubleheader were not finalized entering what was set to be series opener, and Boston’s plans were potentially complicated after losing left-hander Chris Sale to the 15-day injured list on Friday due to left shoulder inflammation.

“You cannot predict what happens before the doubleheader, but at the moment (we made the decision to schedule one) we felt really good,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “I’m not saying it feels worse now, but obviously the circumstances have changed. That’s the beauty of 162 (games).”

After being set to start Friday, Garrett Whitlock (2-2, 5.14 ERA) will throw in the series opener today for the Red Sox, who have lost seven of their past 10 games.

It will be Whitlock’s second start since being reinstated from the 15-day disabled list after recovering from right elbow ulnar neuritis. He allowed just one run on three hits in a five-inning victory at Arizona on May 27.

Whitlock started against the Rays on April 11, and he allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings in a 7-2 road loss. In seven career appearances (two starts) vs. Tampa Bay, he is 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA.

Boston’s starting pitchers have allowed four or fewer earned runs in 12 of the past 14 games.

Cora had been excited about the rotation’s makeup before Sale went down.

“He’s really good, and this is where we’re at,” Cora said after Whitlock’s latest start. “The three kids (Whitlock, Tanner Houck and Brayan Bello) and the two veterans (Sale and James Paxton) … and there’s two kids in the bullpen that are really good, too. Structure-wise, this feels good.”

The Red Sox’s starting pitcher for the second game was to be determined.

Tampa Bay is slated to go with Trevor Kelley (0-1, 4.91 ERA) as the Game 1 opener, while Taylor Glasnow (0-0, 6.23) is lined up for a start in the nightcap.

Glasnow pitched 4 1/3 innings of three-run ball against the Dodgers on May 27, which marked his return from a left oblique strain that sidelined him since February.

“I was glad to be back out there,” Glasnow said. “Just to feel the emotions and, like, the adrenaline again was nice and kind of just got me back into that in-season routine.”

As the 27th man added for the doubleheader, Cooper Criswell likely will work the bulk of the first game after Kelley.

The Rays went 17-12 in May and have seen 19 of their past 27 games decided by two runs or fewer. Jose Siri’s two-run, eighth-inning homer was the difference on Wednesday in a 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs, as Tampa Bay avoided being swept for the first time all season.

Red Sox: Sale Back to IL

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox placed oft-injured left-handed pitcher Chris Sale on the 15-day injured list due to left shoulder inflammation on Friday.

Sale left his start Thursday night against the Cincinnati Reds after 3 2/3 innings due to soreness in his pitching shoulder. He had allowed one run on five hits while walking one and striking out six.

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Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sale had an MRI Friday morning and the results were not back yet.

Since making at least 25 starts in each of his first three seasons with Boston, Sale’s career has been riddled with injuries. Thursday marked just his 22nd start since the beginning of the 2021 season, after he missed the entirety of the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Last season was also a disaster, as Sale began 2022 on the 60-day injured list due to a rib stress fracture. He returned in July, only to fully get through one start. In his second outing, Sale took a come-backer on the mound and fractured the pinkie finger on his pitching hand.

The Red Sox then announced in August that Sale had surgery on his right wrist after a biking accident.

“It sucks,” Sale told reporters in Boston Friday. “I was actually kind of getting used to sitting in front of you guys talking about good stuff. It’s been a rocky road. I felt like I was over the hump. I really did. I felt like I was back to being myself. And for something like this to happen, it’s obviously deflating.”

Sale is 5-2 with a 4.58 ERA in 11 starts this season. He’s thrown 71 strikeouts to just 15 walks in 59 innings.

In a corresponding move, Boston reinstated right-handed starter Corey Kluber from the paternity list.

–Field Level Media