With their postseason hopes hanging in the balance, the Boston Red Sox didn’t make their path to October any easier this weekend.
The Red Sox dropped two of three to the Detroit Tigers, falling in the season series to a club that now sits a half-game back of them (tied with the Seattle Mariners) in the American League wild-card standings. The Red Sox are currently 4 1/2 games out of the third wild-card spot, while Detroit and Seattle are five games back. Unlike with Detroit, though, the Red Sox own the season tiebreaker with Seattle.
With less than a month left in the regular season, the Red Sox are not officially out of playoff contention, but they continue to make their path more difficult. They head to New York on Monday for three games against the Mets before an off-day on Thursday.
On Sunday, with MLB rosters expanding to 28, the Red Sox added right-hander Chase Shugart and infielder Enmanuel Valdez.
Shugart debuted in Baltimore last month and made a strong impression on manager Alex Cora. He pitched in just one game, allowing one run on three hits over 2 2/3 innings but helped reset the bullpen at a crucial point. In four games since returning to Triple-A Worcester, he’d pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. On Sunday in Detroit, he pitched two scoreless innings.
Valdez has been up and down with the Red Sox since last season, and he adds a left-handed infield bat off the bench. He’s hit .224 with a .682 OPS in 60 games for the Red Sox this season, while posting a .776 OPS in 50 games for Worcester.
There was some thought the Red Sox might add second base/outfield prospect Kristian Campbell, but he’s only been in Triple A for less than a month. The more surprising move was that the Red Sox opted to add Valdez over Vaughn Grissom. Grissom has a .239 average and .667 OPS in 39 games for Worcester.
Meanwhile, Trevor Story started a rehab assignment with Worcester just over four months after he had what was deemed at the time to be season-ending left shoulder surgery. In his first game, Story served as designated hitter and went 2-for-4 with a double and a strikeout. He’s set to play shortstop on Monday.
Right-hander Liam Hendriks pitched in his fifth rehab game on Friday for Worcester, throwing a scoreless inning. He’s scheduled to pitch in at least two more games but could joining the Red Sox bullpen within a week or so.
Now, some updates from the farm system…
Hunter Dobbins debuts for Worcester
In Worcester, right-hander Hunter Dobbins allowed two runs on six hits and four walks, striking out seven over five innings in his Triple-A debut on Friday. Dobbins had a 1.03 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings over his last five starts for Portland.
After going 8-for-23 in his first five games in Triple A, Kristian Campbell hit safely four of five games last week, going 4-for-17 with a homer (his first in Triple A) and a double. With Marcelo Mayer done for the season, Campbell, who’s split time between second base and center field, has mainly played shortstop for Worcester.
Kristian Campbell home runs hit different. Literally.
The 22-year-old outfielder’s third HR in just six Triple-A games travelled 431 feet with an exit velocity of 108.3 mph. pic.twitter.com/66S6K893o6
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) August 28, 2024
Outfielder Roman Anthony finished a homer shy of the cycle in a four-hit night on Tuesday, but collected two hits the rest of the week. Nevertheless, he’s hitting .319 with a .928 OPS in 17 games for Worcester.
Catcher Kyle Teel hit a solo homer and an RBI single on Sunday in a 2-for-4 day at the plate. It was his first multi-hit game at Triple-A. He’s hitting .145 with a .456 OPS over his last 14 games, as a long season at a demanding position is likely catching up to him.
Tried to Teel ya not to run pic.twitter.com/Nm82cHrUZ2
— Worcester Red Sox (@WooSox) August 27, 2024
Left-hander Shane Drohan was placed on the 7-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation early last week. Drohan was a Rule 5 pick of the Chicago White Sox who had been returned to the Red Sox organization earlier this summer after not sticking in the majors. After time on the development list, he joined Worcester in mid-August and pitched seven innings before landing on the IL.
Mikey Romero on fire after promotion to Portland
In Double-A Portland, 2022 first-rounder Mikey Romero collected his second three-hit game since being promoted to Double A last week. Romero hit a two-run homer and a double on Sunday and is hitting .360 with an 1.120 OPS through five games since the promotion. Romero hit .271 with a .817 OPS in 59 games for High-A Greenville after starting the year on the IL.
Mikey Romero got ALL of that one.
In four games Double-A games, Romero is hitting .316 with two home runs. pic.twitter.com/wSgrbl92B0
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) August 31, 2024
Outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia posted a 2-for-4 day on Sunday. He’s hit safely in each of his last five games after a stretch in which he’d collected four hits in his previous eight games. He’s hitting .278 with a .738 OPS since joining Portland on Aug. 13.
Right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez has thrown 14 straight scoreless innings over his last three appearances. Gonzalez threw two scoreless starts over the last two weeks before tossing five scoreless innings in relief on Thursday. In 10 appearances, including eight starts since the end of June, Gonzalez has posted a 1.29 ERA in 35 innings. It’s been an impressive turnaround for the right-hander, who began the year with a 7.94 ERA over 39 2/3 innings through the first three months of the season.
Wikelman Gonzalez capping off an incredible month by throwing five shutout innings.
He posted a 1.00 ERA over 18 innings in August while allowing just six hits. pic.twitter.com/4VlJxPGnFO
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) August 30, 2024
After a solid debut in his first two starts for Portland, right-hander David Sandlin has allowed 14 earned runs in his last four starts over 12 2/3 innings. He has struck out 17 compared to walking five batters in that span.
In High-A Greenville, Yordanny Mongero’s has now thrown 39 innings over eight starts without allowing an earned run. Monegro threw five innings on Sunday and did allow an unearned run after an error at third base. Monegro allowed two hits and two walks on the day, striking out five. Over the 39-inning span, he’s allowed two unearned runs, walking 22 and striking out 47.
Right-hander Elmer Rodriguez allowed one run on a solo homer over five innings, striking out seven on Saturday. He now has a 2.92 ERA in six starts for Greenville.
Miguel Bleis homered twice last week, including in a 3-for-5 day on Tuesday. It marked his first multi-hit game of August.
That’s two homers in the last three games for Miguel Bleis! pic.twitter.com/ZRX38nU450
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) August 30, 2024
Franklin Arias extends hitting streak to six games
In Low-A Salem, 18-year-old shortstop Franklin Arias extended his hitting streak to six games with a double on Sunday. Arias is hitting .238 with a .671 OPS for Salem since his promotion earlier this summer. Last week, Arias was named the Florida Complex League MVP. In 51 games in the FCL before his promotion, Arias hit .355 with a 1.055 OPS.
Right-hander Juan Valera threw four hitless innings striking out eight on Saturday.
Stop us if you’ve heard this before:
Another no-hit outing for Juan Valera.The 18-year-old righty struck out 8 over 4 IP for the @salemredsox. pic.twitter.com/fEx65mMSVH
— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) August 31, 2024
Dominican Summer League champions
The Red Sox’s Dominican Summer League Red team won the championship this past weekend, the organization’s first DSL championship since 2016.
First baseman/outfielder Justin Gonzales, 17, hit .391 with a .908 OPS this summer in the DSL and had a 4-for-5 day in the clinching game.
Another 17-year-old, right-hander Dalvinson Reyes, had an impressive summer in the DSL, with 17 scoreless innings over five starts, walking two and striking out 19.
The DSL Red Sox are Dominican Summer League Champions!
They dominated in 2024:
– 42-14 regular season
– 6-1 post season
– Scored 99 more runs than they allowed pic.twitter.com/CTppNgbH2d— Red Sox Player Development (@RedSoxPlayerDev) August 31, 2024
(Photo of Story: Maddie Malhotra / Boston Red Sox / Getty Images)
