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Roman Anthony Out 4-6 Weeks

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Boston rookie outfielder Roman Anthony was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain and is expected to miss four to six weeks, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told WEEI Radio.

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Anthony grabbed his back after he struck out in the fourth inning of Boston’s 11-7 triumph over Cleveland (68-69) on Tuesday. He was replaced in right field by Nate Eaton in the top of the fifth by the Red Sox (78-62).

“He’s going on the IL. He has an oblique strain,” Cora said Wednesday. “Timetable, we don’t know… Usually takes from 4-6 weeks.”

The left-handed-hitting Anthony said he first felt discomfort during a check swing earlier in the at-bat.

“Pretty sudden,” he said after Tuesday’s game. “I’m hoping for the best and staying positive, but any time I’m not out there, I’m pretty (angry). It (stinks).”

Anthony was named the American League Rookie of the Month for August on Wednesday morning.

He has been one of Boston’s most productive offensive players since he was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on June 9. He’s batting .292 with a .396 on-base percentage and a .463 slugging percentage in 71 games with the Red Sox. He has eight home runs, 18 doubles, 32 RBIs and 48 runs.

The Red Sox already are down one outfielder; Wilyer Abreu has been on the injured list since Aug. 21, retroactive to Aug. 18, with a right calf strain.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Out-Slug Guardians

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox broke open a tie game by scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning en route to an 11-7 victory over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night.

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Alex Bregman’s RBI single handed the Red Sox (78-62) an 8-7 lead. Jarren Duran followed with an RBI double and then Trevor Story added a two-run double. Three of the four runs were charged to Cade Smith, who allowed four hits and didn’t retire a batter.

Cleveland’s Hunter Gaddis (1-2) pitched one inning and allowed one run before giving way to Smith.

Nathaniel Lowe (No. 18) and Ceddanne Rafaela (No. 16) homered for Boston, which has won three in a row.

Cleveland (68-69) received solo home runs from Jhonkensy Noel (No. 3) and Austin Hedges (No. 4), a two-run home run from David Fry (No. 7) and a three-run home run from Brayan Rocchio (No. 4). All four home runs were hit off Boston starter Garrett Crochet, who allowed seven runs on nine hits in six innings.

Noel’s home run opened the scoring in the second. Boston strung together six straight hits in the bottom of the inning, when it took a 4-1 lead. The inning featured an RBI single by Romy Gonzalez, a two-run single by Rafaela and an RBI single by Roman Anthony.

Three of Cleveland’s four home runs came in the top of the sixth, when the Guardians scored six runs to take a 7-5 lead. Hedges’ home run made it 5-2, Fry’s two-run shot pulled the Guardians within a run and Rocchio’s three-run home run put the Guardians in front 7-5.

Rafaela tied the game by hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth.

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Anthony left the game after he struck out in the fourth inning. He grabbed his back and went straight to the clubhouse, and Nate Eaton replaced him in right field. The Red Sox said Anthony exited with left oblique tightness.

–Field Level Media

Roman Not Built in a Day

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox may be without rookie outfielder Roman Anthony tonight when they conclude a three-game series against the visiting Cleveland Guardians.

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Anthony grabbed his back after he struck out in the fourth inning of Boston’s 11-7 triumph over Cleveland (68-69) on Tuesday. He was replaced in right field by Nate Eaton in the top of the fifth by the Red Sox (78-62).

“Left oblique tightness,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “He’ll have an MRI (Wednesday), so we’ll know more during the day. Sore. He’s sore.”

Anthony said he first felt discomfort during a check-swing earlier in the at-bat.

“Pretty sudden,” he said. “I’m hoping for the best and staying positive, but any time I’m not out there, I’m pretty (angry). It (stinks).”

Anthony has been one of Boston’s most productive offensive players since he was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on June 9. He’s batting .292 with a .396 on-base percentage and a .463 slugging percentage in 71 games with the Red Sox. He has eight home runs, 18 doubles, 32 RBIs and 48 runs.

The Red Sox already are down one outfielder; Wilyer Abreu has been on the injured list since Aug. 21 with a calf strain.

Boston moved a season-high 16 games over the .500 mark on Tuesday by winning its third straight game.

Despite hitting four home runs, Cleveland lost its third consecutive game.

The Red Sox, who will seek a series sweep on Wednesday, hold the second wild-card spot in the American League, and the Guardians are four games behind the Seattle Mariners in the race for the third and final berth.

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said his team will employ a six-man rotation for the foreseeable future in an attempt to make a late playoff push.

Cleveland will start left-hander Joey Cantillo (3-3, 3.93 ERA) in Wednesday’s series finale. He’ll be joined in the rotation by Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Slade Cecconi, Logan Allen and Parker Messick.

“We’re going to go with the six-man rotation for a little while,” Vogt said. “Just with the starting pitching, where they are innings-wise and where they are in their career. And we have 24 games in 24 days, so we thought it was a good opportunity for us to get them … they’ll all be on five days’ rest throughout this long process.”

Cecconi and Williams already have passed their respective career highs in innings pitched.

Cantillo’s only career appearance against the Red Sox came in relief on April 27. He allowed three runs (two earned) on one hit in two innings and did not factor in the decision in Cleveland’s 13-3 loss.

Left-hander Brennan Bernardino (4-2, 3.08) is scheduled to start what likely will be a bullpen game for Boston today. Bernardino, who pitched a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday, is 1-2 with a 1.54 ERA in 11 career appearances (one start) against Cleveland.

Cora said before Tuesday’s game that rookie Payton Tolle will start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday and Dustin May will make a temporary move to the bullpen.

“(May will) start again next week,” Cora said. “So we’re just moving pieces right now.

“(Wednesday) we might have a bullpen day, and (May is) part of it. And then if he doesn’t pitch in the bullpen this week, it’s going to be 10 days in between starts. So we’re not going to do that to him.”

–Field Level Media

 

Narvaez Pinch Hit Drives Sox

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Timely hitting hasn’t been a problem for the Boston Red Sox in their past two games, and they will aim for their third straight victory on Tuesday when they battle the visiting Cleveland Guardians.

Carlos Narvaez came up with the first pinch hit of his major league career on Monday, and it was the key blow in Boston’s 6-4 victory over Cleveland.

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Narvaez came off the bench to hit for Nathaniel Lowe with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, and he delivered on an 0-2 pitch from lefty reliever Erik Sabrowski. The two-run single broke a 3-3 tie.

“I just (saw) one pitch to get comfortable and then I got two strikes already so I just got back to my approach, which is going to the opposite field,” Narvaez told WEEI. “I saw four fastballs in that at-bat, so I tried to put the ball in play. … Glad to drive in two runs there.

“That’s my bread and butter — trying to go to the other field. Sometimes I was not confident earlier in the month trying to pull the ball. … Sometimes I take my chance if it’s 2-0 or 3-1, but as soon as I get two strikes, I just get back to my approach. I know it probably could be better if I do that from the first pitch, but as of now, that’s what’s bringing me back: trying to put the ball in play to the other side.”

Prior to Monday, Narvaez was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts as a pinch hitter in his career.

“It’s not an easy thing coming in to pinch-hit,” Narvaez said. “I really admire the guys who do it like (Rob Refsnyder) early in the season, (Romy Gonzalez) early in the season with a lot of pinch hits.”

The Red Sox (77-62) also received a timely hit from Jarren Duran in the fifth inning of their 5-2 triumph over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday. Duran hit an inside-the-park home run to break a tie and give Boston a 4-1 advantage.

The highlight for Cleveland (68-68) in the Monday loss was a solo home run by first baseman Kyle Manzardo. It was his third long ball in the past four games and his 24th of the season.

Manzardo, 25, made his major league debut last season, when he hit .234 in 53 games.

“I just think he’s turning into a complete hitter,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “Early in the year he was really selling out to the damage, to the homers. He wasn’t taking as many walks or anything.

“Since early July he’s been taking good at-bats. He’s been taking his walks. He’ll take a single the other way, and if you make a mistake, he still has the power to do (hit a homer). He’s really developing into a complete hitter.”

Manzardo and the Guardians will be facing one of the best pitchers in the game Tuesday, when Boston is scheduled to start left-hander Garrett Crochet (14-5, 2.40 ERA) in the second game of the three-game series.

However, after winning nine consecutive decisions, Crochet is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA in his past four outings. In 12 career appearances against the Guardians (one start), Crochet is 1-1 with a 1.17 ERA.

Cleveland right-hander Slade Cecconi (5-6, 4.41 ERA) is scheduled to start on Tuesday in his first career appearance against the Red Sox. He hasn’t won since July 18, going 0-2 with a 5.35 ERA in his past seven starts.

–Field Level Media

Duran Rattles Pirates with Inside the Park Drive

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jarren Duran’s three-run, inside-the-park home run punctuated a four-run fifth inning, helping the Boston Red Sox salvage their weekend series with a 5-2 win over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon.

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Duran reached base in all four of his plate appearances, going 2-for-2 with a double and two walks alongside the homer. Nathaniel Lowe also had two hits as Boston supported starter Lucas Giolito (10-2), who worked around five walks to finish six innings of three-hit, one-run ball with six strikeouts.

Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth to post his 27th save. It was his 15th consecutive hitless appearance to post the save.

Alexander Canario was 2-for-4 with a homer for Pittsburgh. Mitch Keller (6-13) allowed four unearned runs, but struck out seven and gave up four hits and one walk over the first five innings.

After a two-on, no-out situation went to waste in the fourth, the Red Sox trailed 1-0 and had just two hits entering the game-changing inning.

Duran’s first career inside-the-parker came on a liner to right-center-field, splitting Pirates outfielders Oneil Cruz and Canario before rolling all the way to the wall and kicking around in the triangle area. The speedy left fielder circled the bases and scored standing up.

Romy Gonzalez had led off the inning by reaching on a throwing error and advanced to third on Carlos Narvaez’s ground-rule double down the right-field line two batters later. Roman Anthony’s grounder to shortstop produced the tying run. Alex Bregman was hit by a Keller pitch to set the table for Duran’s electrifying moment.

Ceddanne Rafaela beat out a one-out infield single to score Nathaniel Lowe, adding to the Red Sox lead in the sixth.

Canario greeted Red Sox reliever Justin Slaten with a solo homer to deep left-center in the seventh, but Garrett Whitlock struck him out with the bases loaded to end the following frame.

Giolito allowed just one hit as he cruised through the first three innings. After retiring the side 1-2-3 in the first on just six pitches, he benefited from center fielder Rafaela’s sliding catch to rob Nick Gonzales of a leadoff hit in the second.

The Boston starter, however, lost the strike zone and issued three consecutive two-out walks — all after Spencer Horwitz was caught stealing third base — in the fourth. A wild pitch allowed Gonzales to score the opening run.

–Field Level Media

Consistently … Inconsistent

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A combined eight-run onslaught across the fifth and sixth innings propelled the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates to a 10-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

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All nine Pirates hit safely, and three had two RBIs in support of Johan Oviedo (2-0), who allowed two runs on three hits and struck out six across five innings. Pittsburgh now has two straight wins in the series and eight in 10 games.

Jared Triolo and Spencer Horwitz (2-for-4) combined to score five runs, Bryan Reynolds and Nick Gonzalez each had two-RBI hits and Oniel Cruz hit his 19th home run.

Pittsburgh began breaking the game open after the team scored three runs in the fifth inning before recording an out.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit a leadoff infield single, and after Boston starter Dustin May (7-11) hit a batter and walked another, Reynolds stung a two-RBI knock to right to give the Pirates a lead. Pham’s hit to left provided the inning’s third run.

The visitors sent 10 to the plate to score five runs in the sixth, including Cruz depositing the second pitch of the frame into deep center field for a solo homer.

A Joey Bart double and a walk two batters later ended May’s day. Horwitz then recorded an RBI single to center off of Brennan Bernardino to plate Bart, who kicked the ball away as he slid into home on a Ceddanne Rafaela relay to allow a second run to cross on the play.

After Bernardino walked two and struck out Andrew McCutchen, Gonzales snuck a two-out, two-run single up the middle to up Pittsburgh’s lead to 9-2.

Boston got a run back as Gonzalez hit the third of three straight singles against reliever Mike Burrows in the sixth.

A McCutcheon single and Gonzales double started Pittsburgh’s ninth, and a Jordan Hicks wild pitch brought in the 10th run.

Trevor Story and Romy Gonzalez each had two hits, and Carlos Narvaez homered for Boston.

The Pirates grabbed a quick 1-0 lead four batters into the game, loading the bases on an error, a Horwitz single and a walk against May, which led to Pham’s RBI groundout to third base.

Red Sox Entend Chapman

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox agreed to a contract extension with left-hander Aroldis Chapman, per multiple reports. The deal contains $13.3 million in guarantees, according to MassLive. He will be under contract for next season and carry an option for 2027.

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Chapman, an eight-time All-Star, has posted career-lows in ERA (1.04) and WHIP (0.673) in 57 relief appearances this season, his first with Boston, which signed him to a one-year, $10.75 million contract in December. In addition, he has racked up 26 saves and 74 strikeouts with 14 walks in 52 innings.

The 37-year-old has a career 2.53 ERA in 853 appearances.

Chapman is 13th on the all-time career saves list (361); he is only 17 saves away from passing Joe Nathan and moving into the top 10.

The Red Sox are in the midst of a successful regular season. They currently have a 75-62 record and occupy the second wild card spot in the American League.

–Field Level Media

Pirates are Pham-ily, Down Sox

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Fresh off their Cy Young Award candidate Paul Skenes victory in the series opener, the Pittsburgh Pirates will look to make it two wins in a row in Boston and eight victories in their last 10 games when they face the playoff-chasing Red Sox again this afternoon.

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The Pirates are seven games deep in the basement of the National League Central, but their bats woke up late in a 4-2 win on Friday. Seven of their 10 hits came after Boston MLB-debuting star Payton Tolle exited through 5 1/3 innings.

Former Red Sox player Tommy Pham hit a game-tying, two-run double in the sixth inning before Andrew McCutchen highlighted his 3-for-3 performance with a deciding RBI double in the next at-bat.

Pham has been a major key of late for Pittsburgh, hitting .300 with a 1.017 OPS and 10 RBIs in his last 12 games. He hit just .170 over the first 28 games.

“People wanted him out, and look what he’s been able to do the second half of the season,” McCutchen said of Pham. “That’s why baseball’s a crazy game. For him to be able to turn his season around like he’s done, it just goes to show you just no excuses, you’ve gotta work.”

Meanwhile, it was McCutchen’s second game with multiple extra-base hits in the last seven. His effort Friday supported Skenes, who overcame a career high-tying seven hits in six innings but gave up only two runs (one earned) and struck out six.

Now, in the second game of a three-game series, Pittsburgh right-hander Johan Oviedo (1-0, 3.60 ERA) is set to make his fourth start since returning from a 2024 season-long absence due to Tommy John surgery.

After lasting just one inning in his Aug. 4 season debut, Oviedo has back-to-back solid starts. He struck out five across four innings of one-run ball Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Pirates lost 7-6.

“Looked really sharp, you know, and stuff was good,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said of that outing. “Fastball was electric, and kept them off balance with the offspeed, and went to the curveball really effectively there in the middle of the outing.”

Oviedo, 27, pitched 4 2/3 innings in his only career start against the Red Sox on April 3, 2023, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits — including three homers.

The Red Sox entered Friday off a four-game sweep in Baltimore but have still won seven of their last nine games. However, they have lost four straight contests at home.

Boston was out-hit 10-9 on Friday, but Roman Anthony hit a solo home run and Romy Gonzalez went 3-for-4.

“I think we put good at-bats,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We had three innings to try to get to the bullpen. It just didn’t work out.”

Right-hander Dustin May (7-10, 4.79 ERA) enters his first career start against Pittsburgh looking to stop back-to-back losses and three in four outings with Boston.

In his first taste of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry last Sunday in the Bronx, May allowed three home runs among five hits and five runs in 4 1/3 innings.

May’s start not only comes a day after Tolle’s impressive debut, but also after the Red Sox parted ways with pitcher Walker Buehler before the game.

A week ago, Buehler was demoted from his starting spot and made one relief appearance before his release. Tolle and May are holding down the end of the rotation behind the consistent trio of Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito.

“We’re playing important games and want to give ourselves every opportunity to win as many of those as possible, and we think that Payton and Dustin give us the best chance to do that right now,” said Craig Breslow, Boston’s chief baseball officer.

–Field Level Media

Story, Refsnyder HR for the Sweep

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BALTIMORE – (Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Trevor Story and Rob Refsnyder homered, and Romy’s Gonzalez’s tiebreaking single in the eighth inning lifted the Boston Red Sox to a 3-2 victory against the host Baltimore Orioles to complete a four-game series sweep Thursday afternoon.

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Roman Anthony had two hits for the Red Sox, who went 7-1 on an eight-game road trip vs. American League East Division rivals. Refsnyder, who rejoined the roster from the IL earlier in the day, homered for the first time in more than a month and ended up with two hits.

Jordan Hicks (2-7) was the winning pitcher with a shutout inning in relief of Garrett Crochet. Steven Matz picked up his second save despite surrendering a double to Dylan Carlson to lead off the ninth.

Alex Jackson homered for the Orioles, who stranded nine runners on base and finished a 1-7 homestand. Jackson Holliday, Emmanuel Rivera and Jeremiah Jackson all had two hits.

Baltimore starter Cade Povich gave up two runs on seven hits in five innings. Shawn Dubin, claimed off waivers from the Astros, threw a shutout top of the ninth in his debut with the Orioles.

Crochet worked six innings, allowing two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Three games in the series were decided by one run.

It was also the third time in the series that the Red Sox had a first-inning solo home run. Story homered for the second time this week and for the 22nd time this season.

Alex Jackson hit his fourth homer of the year in the third inning to tie the score.

Refsnyder, who had been out since Aug. 13 because of an oblique strain, regained the lead for Boston in the fourth with his seventh homer. Jeremiah Jackson tied it for Baltimore in the fifth on a double to left that scored Alex Jackson.

With two outs in the eighth, Gonzalez hit a full-count curveball to left to score Anthony from second.

The Red Sox were without first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who went on the paternity list Thursday just 10 days after signing with Boston following his release from the Washington Nationals.

–Field Level Media

Crochet Throws for Sox Sweep

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BALTIMORE – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox, seeking a positive finishing act on what has been a rewarding road trip, will go for a four-game series sweep of the Baltimore Orioles today.

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“It’s a different group,” Boston manager Alex Cora said of his team. “We’re winning, which is important, too.”

The Red Sox defeated the Orioles 3-2 on Wednesday night courtesy of Ceddanne Rafaela’s two-run homer in the ninth inning. It was Boston’s second one-run victory in the series.

Boston is 6-1 on the road trip, which began against the New York Yankees. After losing the finale of that series, the Red Sox won the next three nights in Baltimore.

“Let’s take care of business here,” Cora said, “and I truly believe this weekend at home (against the Pittsburgh Pirates) is going to be fun.”

Much of the good times have come with outfielder Roman Anthony providing key production. The top prospect in pro baseball this spring, he has made good use of his promotion to the major leagues. This week, he has led off two games with home runs.

“The one thing lately, he has opened it up a little bit more as a person,” Cora said. “He’s a cool kid.”

The Orioles have lost six of their past seven games. They are still making player transactions in attempts to have the right combinations available despite their last-place standing in the American League East. They brought back infielder Emmanuel Rivera on Wednesday while designating Vimael Machin for assignment.

“I think Emmanuel Rivera is a guy who’s excelled defensively in the big leagues at third base,” Baltimore interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “I think just trying to get a little more stability at the position for us, knowing that the other corner spot we have a young infielder learning there as well.”

Rivera came off the bench as a defensive replacement on Wednesday and grounded out in his lone at-bat.

Baltimore also promoted Roansy Contreras from Triple-A Norfolk, and he threw 4 1/3 shutout innings Wednesday night. Yaramil Hiraldo was optioned to Norfolk.

After Contreras exited, the Orioles went back to Keegan Akin for his third appearance in four games, and the left-hander gave up the winning home run.

“We felt very comfortable with it,” Mansolino said. “Just didn’t work out.”

The pitching matchup for the finale will involve a pair of left-handers.

Boston’s Garrett Crochet (14-5, 2.38 ERA) continues his bid to be in line for postseason honors. He has allowed one run in each of his past two outings, both covering seven innings. He matched his season-high strikeout total with 11 on Saturday against the Yankees.

Crochet’s first victory of the season came via eight shutout innings at Baltimore on April 2. The 26-year-old is 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA in four career games (two starts) vs. the Orioles.

Cade Povich (2-7, 5.13) goes to the mound for the Orioles, who have lost all four of the games he has pitched this month. On Friday against the visiting Houston Astros, he got the defeat after permitting six runs (four earned) in 4 2/3 innings.

Povich, who lost to Boston twice last season as a rookie, has allowed four runs in 9 1/3 total innings over two no-decisions against the Red Sox this year.

–Field Level Media