BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
WHERE WE LEFT OFF: The Red Sox won Thursday’s series opener at DET to snap a 3-game losing streak. The Sox scored 6 runs on Thursday, including 4 in the 6th inning, after being held to 2 runs total over their previous 2 games on Tuesday and Wednesday vs. PIT. Adam Duvall hit a go-ahead 3-run HR in the 6th inning…Rafael Devers hit a solo HR in the 4th and a game-tying RBI double in the 6th. Chris Sale earned the win (5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 7 SO). Kenley Jansen (1.0 IP) earned his 1st save with the Sox.
HOT START: The Red Sox have scored 41 runs through their first 7 games for just the 2nd time in the last 20 seasons (43 runs through first 7 games of 2015). The Sox have reached 10 home runs in the fewest number of games since 2002 (5 games). Boston has averaged 5.9 runs per game and 8.9 hits per game through the first 7 games of 2023… The only teams to average more runs per game are MIL (6.0) and TB (7.6).
LEADERS OF THE PACK: The Red Sox rank T-2nd in the AL and T-5th in MLB in runs scored (41). Red Sox hitters have struck out in just 18.4% of
their plate appearances, the lowest SO% in the AL and 4th lowest in MLB (50 SO/272 PA). The Sox also rank in the AL’s top 5 in various offensive categories (see below).
RED SOX OFFENSIVE RANKINGS
Stat AL Rank
41 R………………………T-2nd
25 XBH……………………. 5th
10 HR …………………… T-4th
109 total bases…………. 5th
Stat AL Rank
.261 AVG…………………….. 5th
.445 SLG …………………….. 5th
.777 OPS …………………….. 5th
18.4 SO%………………….1st
INNINGS OF INTEREST: The Red Sox have scored in the 1st inning in 4 of their first 7 games of 2023. They have scored 8 runs in the 1st inning, most among AL teams and tied for 2nd most in MLB. The Sox have not allowed a run in the 8th or 9th inning yet this season…The only other team to do so is TEX. They have outscored opponents in the 8th and 9th innings, 8-0.
WHAT A RELIEF: Red Sox relievers tossed 4.0 scoreless innings in Thursday’s win (2 H, 2 BB, 2 SO)…Dating back to the 7th inning on Opening Day vs. BAL, 24 of the 29 innings started by Red Sox relievers have been scoreless. 5 of the 8 relief pitchers the Red Sox have used this season have allowed 1 or 0 earned runs (see below).
RED SOX RELIEVERS TO ALLOW 1 OR 0 RUNS
Pitcher IP R
Chris Martin 4.0 0
Kenley Jansen 2.0 0
Josh Winckowski 6.0 1
Zack Kelly 4.2 1
John Schreiber 4.0 1
TEAM OF THE CENTURY: The 2023 season is the 22nd for the Red Sox’ current ownership group (Henry-Werner, 2002-2023)…In the last 22 seasons, the Sox have won more World Series titles (4) than any other team. Among MLB and the NFL, NBA, and NHL, the only other franchises to win as many as 4 championships since the start of 2002 are the New England Patriots (6), Los Angeles Lakers (4), San Antonio Spurs (4), and
Golden State Warriors (4).
MOST WORLD SERIES TITLES, 2002-2022
Rk. Team World Series
- Boston Red Sox 4 (2004, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18)
- San Francisco Giants 3 (2010, ‘12, ‘14)
- St. Louis Cardinals 2 (2006, ‘11)
Houston Astros 2 (2017, ‘22)
DUV-ALL ABOUT IT: Adam Duvall leads qualified AL players in AVG (.458), SLG (1.042), OPS (1.578), RBI (12), and XBH (7)…He ranks 2nd in HR (tied, 3), OBP (.536), runs scored (tied, 8), and total bases (25). Duvall’s 12 RBI are the most ever by a player in their first 6 games with the Red Sox. The only other player to compile at least 7 XBH and 12 RBI within their first 6 games with any franchise was Trevor Story in his first 6 career games with COL in 2016. On Monday, Duvall earned the AL’s first Player of the Week honors for 2023 after recording 6 extra-base
hits and 8 RBI in his first 3 games with BOS.
ADAM DUVALL’S OFFENSIVE RANKINGS
Stat AL/MLB Rank
12 RBI……………. 1st/2nd
8 R………………. T-2nd/T-4th
3 HR ……………. T-2nd/T-4th
7 XBH …………. 1st/T-2nd
Stat AL/MLB Rank
.458 AVG…………… 1st/2nd
.536 OBP………………. 2nd/5th
1.042 SLG…………. 1st/2nd
1.578 OPS…………. 1st/2nd
ON THE MEND: Garrett Whitlock made a rehab start for Double-A Portland in their home opener vs. Binghamton on Thursday (6.0 IP, H, R, BB, 8 SO)…He also started in Triple-A Worcester’s home opener on 3/31 (4.0 IP, 6 H, R, BB, 6 SO). James Paxton is scheduled to make a rehab start tomorrow in Game 2 of Triple-A Worcester’s doubleheader at Buffalo…He threw 49 pitches over 3.0 innings on 4/4 in an intrasquad game at Fenway South. Brayan Bello is scheduled to make a rehab start for Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday vs. Columbus…He threw 72 pitches over 5.0 innings in an intrasquad game at Fenway South on 4/5.
MACHO MAN: Masataka Yoshida has hit from the 4th spot in the lineup in each of his 7 career games…He is the first player since Jack Hoey in 1906 to bat 4th for the Red Sox in each of his first 7 MLB games. Prior to Yoshida, the last players bat 4th in each of their first 7 MLB games were Kris Bryant (2015 with CHC) and Tim Salmon (1992 with CAL).
THE NEW GUYS: Eleven members of the Red Sox’ active roster or injured list were not in the organization during the 2022 season (see below).
SOX & TIGERS: The Red Sox and Tigers are currently playing their 1st series of 2023…The Tigers will visit Fenway Park for a 3-game series
from 8/11-13. BOS are 6-1 vs. DET over the last 2 seasons, including 3-1 at Comerica Park. The Sox lead the all-time series vs. DET, 1,054-981, including a 45-37 mark at Comerica Park…They are 18-8 vs. DET since the start of 2018.
ROAD TRIPPING: The Red Sox on Thursday began a 7-game road trip to DET (3 games) and TB (4 games). Last season, the Sox went 35-46 (.432) on the road… It was their 1st time posting a sub-.500 road record over a 162-game season since 2015 (also 35-46). Yesterday was a scheduled off day…Beginning today, the Sox will play 19 games in 19 days, through 4/26.
TODAY’S STARTER: 89 TANNER HOUCK – RHP
Started on Sunday vs. BAL (5.0 IP, 5 H, BB, 5 SO)…Held the O’s scoreless through the first 4.0 innings before allowing 3 runs, including 2 HR, in the 5th.
Tossed a scoreless inning in relief in his lone appearance vs. DET, on 6/20/22 (1.0 IP, H, SO).
Has issued 3 BB or fewer in 20 of his 21 career starts.
Allowed 3 ER or fewer in 32 of his 33 outings since 4/8/22.
In 2022, did not allow a run in 16.0 consecutive IP across 8 games from 5/19-6/12, his longest career scoreless streak.
Underwent a successful lumbar discectomy on 9/6/22, performed by Dr. Christopher
Bono at Massachusetts General Hospital.
DETROIT TIGERS NOTES:
No release available.
