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Red Sox Sit Top Prospect

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FT. MYERS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s top prospect Roman Anthony was scratched from the Red Sox lineup Friday with right elbow soreness.

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Manager Alex Cora said the move is a precaution after Anthony was hit by a pitch in the right elbow on Thursday, and he might be back after sitting out Boston’s spring training exhibition opener against Northeastern.

Anthony was slated to hit leadoff and play left field with Boston’s “Big Three” prospects in the top three spots in the batting order. Second baseman Kristian Campbell and shortstop Marcelo Mayer remained in the lineup Friday.

“He’s sore,” Cora said after Anthony arrived to take batting practice.

The No. 2 prospect in baseball, Anthony was replaced by Trayce Thompson, a spring training non-roster invitee. Thompson has played seven seasons with five teams prior to joining the Red Sox.

Anthony, 20, was a second-round pick in the 2022 draft. Baseball Prospectus ranks him first among all MLB prospects with Major League Baseball Pipeline and Baseball America ranking Anthony second.

In parts of three minor league seasons, he has a combined .284 batting average with 32 home runs, 141 RBIs and 38 stolen bases in 245 games.

–Field Level Media

Sox Officially Ink Bregman

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FT MYERS – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – After a few days of speculation, the Boston Red Sox today signed infielder Alex Bregman to a three-year MLB contract through the 2027 season. He will wear No. 2. To make room on the 40-man roster, Boston placed left-handed pitcher Patrick Sandoval on the 60-Day Injured List. 

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Bregman, 30, is a two-time All-Star (2018-19), two-time World Series Champion (2017, 2022), and winner of the 2019 Silver Slugger Award and 2024 Gold Glove Award at third base. He has earned American League Most Valuable Player votes in four seasons (2018-19, 2022-23), finishing second in 2019 and fifth in 2018, and was named Ted Williams All-Star Game MVP in 2018. The right-handed hitter has batted .272 (1,132-for-4,157) with an .849 OPS, 694 runs scored, 265 doubles, 18 triples, 191 home runs, and 663 RBI in 1,111 career games with the Houston Astros (2016-24). Selected by Houston in the first round (No. 2 overall) of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft, he has made 977 career starts at third base, 107 at shortstop, 13 as the designated hitter, and two at second base.

In 145 games during 2024, Bregman batted .260 (151-for-581) with 30 doubles, two triples, and 26 home runs while making 142 starts at third base and three as the designated hitter. It marked his fifth season with as many as 30 doubles (also 2017-19, 2022) and his fourth season with 25 or more home runs (also 2018-19, 2023). From May 9 through the end of the season, he batted .280 (127-for-454) with 25 doubles, 25 home runs, and an .838 OPS in 112 games.

The two-time World Series Champion has played in the Postseason in each of his eight full Major League seasons (2017-24), tied for the longest current streak in the Majors. In those eight seasons, he has reached the American League Championship Series seven times and the World Series four times. Since his debut in 2016, his 99 Postseason games are tied for most in the Majors. In that span, he ranks second in runs scored (63) and extra-base hits (37), and tied for second in home runs (19) and RBI (54).

Bregman owns the highest OPS (1.240) of any player with at least 75 career plate appearances at Fenway Park and ranks second in on-base percentage (.490), trailing only Ted Williams (.496). In 21 games at the ballpark, Bregman has hit .375 (30-for-80) with 24 runs scored, nine doubles, and seven home runs. The New Mexico native was selected by the Red Sox out of Albuquerque Academy High School in the 29th round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, but did not sign and attended Louisiana State University.

Along with his wife, Reagan, Alex founded the Bregman Cares Charity to accelerate life-changing resources to those in need. The foundation has focused on autism awareness and at-risk youth, raising two million dollars. He was named the Astros’ Roberto Clemente Award nominee three times (2019-21).

Sandoval, 28, was signed by Boston to a two-year contract on December 23, 2024. The left-hander made 16 starts for the Los Angeles Angels in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery on June 26. Originally selected by the Houston Astros in the 11th round of the First-Year Player Draft, the California native has posted a 4.01 ERA (239 ER/536.0 IP) with 529 strikeouts in 107 career Major League games (100 starts) with the Angels (2019-24).

Red Sox Ink Duran

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BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox announced a one-year deal with outfielder Jarren Duran on Friday, avoiding arbitration.

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Durran, 28, will earn $3.75 million in 2025 and has an $8 million club option for 2026 with a $100,000 buyout, according to MLB.com.

He can earn up to an additional $150,000 in performance bonuses in 2025.

FanSided reported that the option includes escalators based on the 2025 MVP voting, including $2 million for a top-10 finish (he finished eighth in 2024) and $4 million if he wins the award.

Durran led the majors in triples (14), doubles (48), plate appearances (735) and at-bats (671) in 2024, batting .285 with 21 homers, 75 RBIs and 34 stolen bases in 160 games.

He also was named to the American League All-Star team for the first time. He won MVP honors at the All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas, after hitting a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the fifth inning of the AL’s 5-3 win.

A seventh-round pick by Boston in 2018, Durran made his MLB debut in 2021 and has batted .272 with 34 homers, 142 RBIs and 67 steals in 353 games.

–Field Level Media

It’s Official: Sox Ink Buehler

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BOSTON – (Staff Report utilizing Official Team News Release) – After a week or two of speculation, the Boston Red Sox today signed right-handed pitcher Walker Buehler to a one-year contract for the 2025 season. Boston’s 40-man roster is now at 40.

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Buehler, 30, is a two-time All-Star (2019, ’21) and two-time World Series champion (2020, ’24). A 2021 All-MLB First Team selection, the right-hander finished in the top 10 in Cy Young Award voting in 2019 (ninth) and 2021 (fourth). In seven seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2017-22, ’24), he went 47-22 (.681) with a 3.27 ERA (259 ER/713.2 IP), 1.09 WHIP, .221 opponent batting average, and 754 strikeouts over 131 appearances (122 starts).

After missing the entire 2023 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, Buehler made 16 regular season starts in 2024 and went 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA (45 ER/75.1 IP). He helped the Dodgers win a World Series title by posting a 3.60 ERA (6 ER/15.0 IP) in four Postseason outings (three starts), allowing zero runs in his final 13.0 innings pitched and earning a save with a perfect ninth inning in the decisive Game 5 against the New York Yankees. In 19 career Postseason games (18 starts), Buehler is 4-4 with a 3.04 ERA (32 ER/94.2 IP) and .210 opponent batting average. He has allowed only one run in 19.0 World Series innings (0.47 ERA) spanning four games (three starts), going 2-0 with one save, 24 strikeouts, and three walks in the Fall Classic.

Selected by the Dodgers in the first round (No. 24 overall) of the 2015 First-Year Player Draft, Buehler graduated from Henry Clay High School in Kentucky before pitching at Vanderbilt University from 2013-15.

Crochet All Sewn-Up by Sox

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DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox acquired All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for four highly touted minor league prospects, multiple media outlets reported Wednesday.

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The Red Sox are sending catcher Kyle Teel, outfielder Braden Montgomery, infielder Chase Meidroth and right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez to Chicago, according to the reports.

Teel is Boston’s No. 4 prospect and No. 25 in all of Major League Baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. Montgomery is the No. 5 prospect in the Red Sox organization and No. 54 overall. Meidroth and Gonzalez are both top 15 prospects in Boston’s system, according to MLB Pipeline.

Crochet, 25, is coming off an All-Star season, his first as a starter, in which he went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA in 146 innings over 32 starts for the woeful White Sox. Overall, he is 9-19 with a 3.29 ERA in 104 career appearances (32 starts).

Crochet played last season on a one-year deal worth $800,000 and he is under team control for two more years. He signed a one-year deal with the Red Sox worth an estimated $2.9 million, according to Spotrac. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent in 2027 unless he signs a long-term deal with the club before then.

Teel, 22, was selected No. 14 overall by the Red Sox in the 2023 draft. He hit .288 with 13 home runs, 23 doubles and 78 RBIs between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester in 2024.

Montgomery, 21, was taken No. 12 overall in this year’s draft. He hit .322 with 27 home runs and 85 RBIs with an OPS of 1.187 in his final season at Texas A&M in 2024.

Meidroth, 23, was a fourth-round pick of Boston’s in 2022. He hit .293 with seven HRs and 57 RBIs at Worcester this past season.

Gonzalez, 22, went 4-3 with a 4.73 ERA in 24 appearances (19 starts) at Portland.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Lose O’Neill

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BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Former Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O’Neill has agreed to a three-year, $49.5 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles, multiple media outlets reported Saturday.

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The deal includes an opt-out clause after the first year, per the reports.

O’Neill heads to Baltimore after spending the 2024 campaign with the American League East rival Red Sox. In 2024, he hit .241 with 31 home runs and 61 RBIs in his lone season in Boston, a welcomed spark to an otherwise sluggish offense.

The Orioles, who went 91-71 this year, bring in O’Neill after electing to let Anthony Santander walk in free agency. Santander posted a .235 average while clubbing 44 homers and driving in 102 runs this season. He has yet to sign with another team.

In 590 games with the St. Louis Cardinals (2018-23) and Red Sox (2024), O’Neill, 29, has cracked 109 homers to go along with 278 RBIs. He is a career .246 hitter and has won two Gold Glove Awards.

–Field Level Media

THE PASSING OF LUIS TIANT

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Red Sox and all New England baseball fans today mourn the loss of Red Sox Hall of Famer Luis Tiant, who passed away this morning at his home in Maine at the age of 83. One of the most beloved figures in Red Sox history, “El Tiante” spent 31 years in the organization as a player, coach, broadcaster, and special assignment instructor.

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“Luis had the kind of unforgettable presence that made you feel like you were part of his world,” said Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry. “He was a pitcher with incredible talent, accomplishing so much with a style uniquely his own. But what truly set Luis apart was his zest for life, embracing every moment with an infectious spirit, even in the face of his many challenges. He channeled everything into his love for the game and the people around him. He was magnetic and had a smile that could light up Fenway Park. Luis was truly one-of-a-kind and all of us at the Red Sox will miss him.”

“Luis embodied everything we love about this game: resilience, passion, and an undeniable sense of belonging to something greater than himself,” said Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner. “He was a cornerstone of the Red Sox pitching staff for years, with an unmatched grit and tenacity on the mound. His ability to rise in the most pressure-filled moments—especially his complete-game performances—cemented his place as a true legend. But what made Luis unforgettable was his vibrant personality. He was a gifted storyteller, always sharing tales filled with humor, honesty, and an enduring loyalty to his teammates. All of us are deeply saddened by his passing. We lost one of the great ones today.”

“Luis had a style of pitching that was as memorable as it was effective, but to me, the rarer gift was his ability to lift you up with just a smile,” said Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy. “When you were with him, you were reminded of what really matters. Whether you were a teammate, a fan, or just someone fortunate enough to share a conversation, Luis had a way of making you feel special, like you were a close friend. His legacy on the mound is undeniable, but all of us today are mourning the man, the friend, the mentor who connected generations of fans and players. I am gutted by the news of his passing and will miss him more than words can express. Spring Training won’t be the same without Luis’s infectious energy spreading throughout camp.”

Born in Marianao, Cuba, Tiant went 229-172 with a 3.30 ERA and 2,416 strikeouts in 19 Major League seasons with Cleveland (1964-69), Minnesota (1970), Boston (1971-78), the New York Yankees (1979-80), Pittsburgh (1981), and the California Angels (1982). He finished among the top six in American League Cy Young Award voting three times—all with Boston—and finished fifth in 1968 AL Most Valuable Player voting. A three-time All-Star (1968, ’74, ’76), Tiant led the AL in ERA in 1968 (1.60) and 1972 (1.91), recorded four seasons with at least 20 wins, and served as his club’s Opening Day starter on four occasions (1969, 1973-75).

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Inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997, Tiant was signed by Boston as a free agent in May 1971. He compiled a 122-81 record and a 3.36 ERA for the club and still ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in wins (5th, 122), starts (5th, 238), innings pitched (4th, 1,774.2), strikeouts (7th, 1,075), complete games (T-6th, 113), and shutouts (4th, 26). He led Boston in wins in 1973 (20), 1974 (22), and 1976 (21), and in 1972 he finished eighth in MVP voting after leading Major League Baseball with a 1.91 ERA. In his final outing as a member of the Red Sox, Tiant threw a two-hit shutout against the Toronto Blue Jays on October 1, 1978, setting up a one-game playoff against the Yankees.

The Red Sox won each of Tiant’s four starts in the 1975 Postseason, including Games 1, 4, and 6 of the World Series. After throwing a three-hitter against the Oakland A’s in Game 1 of the ALCS, he shut out the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the World Series. Tiant recorded another complete game in Game 4 of the Fall Classic, then threw 7.0 innings in Game 6, which ended with Carlton Fisk’s 12th-inning home run. In 1982, he was named to the Red Sox All-Time Second Team (as voted by the fans), and in 2012 he earned a spot on the All-Fenway Park Team as a First Reserve.

In addition to serving as a pitching coach in the Dodgers (1992-95) and White Sox (1997) organizations, Tiant was Nicaragua’s pitching coach in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He spent 1998-2001 as head coach for Division III Savannah (GA) College of Art and Design, then returned to the Red Sox organization in 2002 as a pitching coach for Short-A Lowell. From 2002-03, Tiant served as a broadcaster for the Red Sox Spanish Baseball Network. For the past 21 years (2004-24), he had served as a special assignment instructor.

Tiant is survived by his wife, Maria, and their four children, Luis Jr., Isabel, Daniel, and John Papile.

Twins Push Towards Wild Card

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After gaining a cushion in the American League wild-card race with their series-opening win, the Minnesota Twins will look for another victory over the host Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

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Minnesota (81-73), which broke through for a three-run 12th inning in its 4-2 triumph on Friday, will now turn to ace right-hander Pablo Lopez with a chance to win the series.

A day after being held to three hits in a 3-2, 10-inning loss at Cleveland, the Twins struck for 13 hits against the Red Sox. The top five batters in the Minnesota order produced two-hit efforts in a result that gave the Twins a one-game lead over the Detroit Tigers for the final AL playoff spot.

“It’s a really important eight games that we have left, so it was a huge (win) for sure,” Twins shortstop Carlos Correa said. “The way everyone came together to make it happen was really special. … The message is simple: Never give up.”

Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner had RBI singles in the 12th inning, while the eight pitchers who followed Twins starter David Festa to the mound allowed a total of five hits and one unearned run in seven innings.

The Twins have the utmost confidence in Lopez, who is 5-0 with a 1.35 ERA over seven straight quality starts since his Aug. 6 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

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Lopez (15-8, 3.84 ERA) had won four straight starts prior to Monday at Cleveland. He pitched 6 1/3 innings in an eventual 4-3 Twins loss, striking out four while allowing two runs on eight hits and two walks.

“He pitched so well until (the seventh),” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said of Lopez. “A leadoff walk, that’s not … like him.”

Lopez is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two career starts against the Red Sox, including a win on May 4, when he fanned eight while tossing six innings of one-run ball.

“I didn’t make pitches when I needed to,” Crawford said. “Obviously, you can’t throw Judge a 92-mile-per-hour fastball right down the middle. I just didn’t do my job (on Sunday).”

The home run ball has been a backbreaker for Crawford. He has allowed five in his past three starts and a major-league-leading 33 on the season.

–Field Level Media

 

Twins Beat Sox in Extra Innings

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Minnesota’s Trevor Larnach and Matt Wallner each had RBI singles during a three-run top of the 12th inning, helping to propel the Minnesota Twins to a 4-2 win over the host Boston Red Sox in the opener of a three-game series on Friday.

The Twins (81-73) moved to a game ahead of the Detroit Tigers for the final American League wild-card spot. Detroit lost 7-1 to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. Each of the top five hitters in Minnesota’s lineup had multiple hits, including leadoff hitter Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis, who doubled.
With Kyle Farmer placed as the designated runner on second to start the top of the 12th, Buxton and Larnach singled to help bring home the go-ahead run. After Carlos Correa walked, Wallner added an insurance run with another single. Two batters later, Willi Castro hit a sacrifice fly to right to push the lead to 4-1.
Griffin Jax allowed only Connor Wong’s RBI groundout in Boston’s half of the inning to save a victory for Scott Blewitt (1-0).
A two-out hit allowed Boston to take the lead in the fourth. Tyler O’Neill drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on Wilyer Abreu’s single two batters later. O’Neill scored the opening run as Story ripped an RBI single into center.
The Twins tied the score in the seventh. Correa beat out a potential double play, allowing Buxton to score.
After Ceddanne Rafaela’s leadoff double in the Boston seventh, Twins relievers Cole Sands and Jhoan Duran struck out five straight Red Sox before the latter stranded the bases loaded with two outs in the eighth.
Minnesota rookie starter David Festa allowed one run and four hits in six innings, walking three and striking out six.
After the game, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said third baseman Rafael Devers is going to have an MRI exam Saturday on his right shoulder and is likely done for the season.
–Field Level Media

Red Sox Scratch-out Win vs Rays

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ST PETERSBURG – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Jarren Duran drove in the winning run in a small-ball eighth inning as the Red Sox evened their three-game series with Tampa Bay on Wednesday, edging the Rays 2-1 in Florida.

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After Trevor Story (2-for-3, homer, two runs) opened the eighth with a weak single past Drew Rasmussen (0-2), the Boston shortstop stole second and third. With one out, Duran slapped the winning hit to right for the Red Sox (76-76).

Boston starter Tanner Houck yielded one run and four hits in four innings. He struck out four without issuing a walk.

Justin Slaten (6-2) pitched out of trouble in the seventh. Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen worked around two walks in the ninth to notch his 27th save.

Josh Lowe (double, run), Jonny DeLuca (hit by pitch) and Taylor Walls (RBI, walk, stolen base) had two hits apiece for Tampa Bay (74-78).

Rays starter Ryan Pepiot dominated Boston for six innings, allowing just one run on two hits and no walks while fanning a career-high 12 batters. He crafted an immaculate inning (struck out all three batters on a total of nine pitches) in the fifth.

One night after tying their season high by going deep four times in an 8-3 win, the Rays produced a second-inning run. Lowe doubled with one out and DeLuca was hit by a pitch. After a strikeout, Taylor Walls slapped a liner that scored Lowe for a 1-0 lead.

In the fifth, Pepiot blew away the Red Sox lineup, whiffing Connor Wong looking and Wilyer Abreu and Triston Casas swinging.

The first-year Rays hurler set down 15 of the first 16 Boston batters he faced — 10 by strikeouts, nine swinging.

However, Story was ready to swing right away in the sixth and belted a first-pitch 93 mph fastball to left-center, making it 1-all with his second homer of the year.

Not known for his defense, Rays left fielder Christopher Morel prevented two runs in the seventh by ending the inning with a leaping catch above the fence’s pads on Casas’ drive with two runners on base.

–Field Level Media