BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox (21-14, .583) hold the AL’s 3rd Wild Card position…They own the 5th-best record in the AL, tied for 7th best in MLB. The Red Sox lost the series finale Sunday at PHI to snap a season-long 8-game winning streak, which entered Sunday as MLB’s longest active streak. The Sox’ recent winning streak from 4/29-5/6 was their longest since 6/25-7/2/21 (also 8 games).
A.L. WILD CARD STANDINGS
Rk. Team W-L Pct. GB
- Baltimore 22-13 .629 +1.5
- Toronto 21-14 .600 +0.5
- Boston 21-15 .583 –
RED HOT SOX: The Red Sox are 16-7 (.696) in their last 23 games, dating back to 4/14…They are tied with TB for the best record in MLB in that span. During that span, they have averaged 6.0 runs/game (137 runs) on 10.1 hits/game (232 hits). Since 4/14, the Red Sox lead MLB in hits, AVG (.290), and OPS (.826).
SERIES BUSINESS: The Red Sox have won each of their last 3 series (2-1 vs. CLE, 4-0 vs. TOR, 2-1 vs. PHI). They are 6-1-0 in their last 7 series (8-3-0 overall). Last year, the Sox went 2-7-2 in their first 11 series and did not earn their 8th series win until 6/12 (began 7-8-3).
SLUGGING SOX: The Red Sox lead MLB in doubles (80) and are tied with TB for the lead in hits (336)…They rank 3rd in runs (208), AVG (.271), OPB (.346), SLG (.452), and OPS (.793). The Sox scored 5+ runs on 8+ hits in all 8 games of their winning streak from 4/29-5/6…The last time they recorded 5+ runs and 8+ hits in at least 8 straight games was from 5/2-11/2008 (10 games). The Red Sox have recorded 10+ hits in 17 games this season, 1 behind TB for most in MLB.
RED SOX OFFENSIVE RANKINGS
Stat MLB Rank
208 R 3rd
47 HR 6th
336 H T-1st
129 XBH 3rd
19.8 SO% 2nd
Stat MLB Rank
.271 AVG 3rd
.341 OBP 3rd
.452 SLG 3rd
.793 OPS 3rd
114 wRC+ 4th
PITCHING IN: Red Sox starting pitchers have tossed at least 5.0 innings in 13 consecutive games, their longest streak since May 2021 (15 games from 5/7-22). The Sox rank 9th in MLB in relief ERA (3.46; 2022: 4.59). The Sox are 16-0 when leading after 6 innings. 6 of the 10 pitchers to appear in relief for BOS own a relief ERA below 2.50, most in MLB (min. 5.0 IP).
RED SOX PITCHERS WITH A RELIEF ERA BELOW 2.50
Pitcher Relief ERA IP ER
Kenley Jansen 0.84 10.2 1
Brennan Bernardino 1.08 8.1 1
Kutter Crawford 1.08 16.2 2
Josh Winckowski 1.57 23.0 4
Chris Martin 1.80 10.0 2
John Schreiber 2.16 16.2 4
RUNNIN’ RED SOX: The Red Sox lead MLB in SB% (92.0%, 23-for-25), after ranking 22nd in 2022 (72.2%)…Prior to Sunday, they were successful in 13 consecutive SB attempts.
SOX & BRAVES: Tonight marks the 1st of 4 matchups this season between BOS and ATL…The Braves will visit Fenway Park for a 2-game series from 7/25-26. The Sox are 46-40 (.535) all-time vs. ATL, including 8-2 at Truist Park since it opened in 2017. The Red Sox are an MLB-best 292-200 (.593) all-time in Interleague play…They’re in a stretch during which 17 of their 23 games from 5/5-6/1 are against NL teams.
CLOSING TIME: Kenley Jansen recorded his 399th career save Saturday at PHI…Only 6 pitchers in MLB history have reached 400 saves, most recently Francisco Rodriguez in 2016. At 35 years, 221 days old, Kenley would become the 2nd-youngest pitcher ever to join the 400-save club (Francisco Rodriguez-34 years, 138 days).
MOST SAVES IN MLB HISTORY
Rk. Pitcher SV
- Mariano Rivera …..652
- Trevor Hoffman …..601
- Lee Smith …………..478
- Francisco Rodriguez..437
Rk. Pitcher SV - John Franco………..424
- Billy Wagner……….422
- Kenley Jansen .. 399
- Craig Kimbrel ……..397
WHAT A WEEK: Masataka Yoshida was named AL Player of the Week for 5/1-7, posting a .480 AVG, .800 SLG, and 1.319 OPS. Yoshida recorded multiple hits in 5 of his 6 games, going 12-for-25 with 7 runs, 8 RBI, 2 doubles, and 2 HR. The Red Sox are the 1st team in MLB to have multiple Player of the Week recipients in 2023 (also Adam Duvall, 3/30-4/2).
MACHO MAN: Masataka Yoshida’s 16-game hitting streak is the longest active hitting streak in MLB and 3rd longest this season (Mauricio Dubón-20 games, Bryson Stott-17). During his streak, Yoshida is batting .438 with a 1.229 OPS, 8.5 SO%, 14 runs scored and 18 RBI (28-for-64, 5 2B, 5 HR, 5 BB, 6 SO, HBP, SF). He’s the 6th player born in Japan record a hitting streak of 16+ games, joining Ichiro Suzuki (13x), Hideki Matsui (2x), Nori Aoki, Shohei Ohtani, and So Taguchi.
YOSHIDA’S MLB RANKINGS, 4/20-PRESENT
Stat MLB
28 H………………………1st
14 R……………………… T-3rd
18 RBI……………………1st
48 total bases………….. 2nd
Stat MLB
.438 AVG…………………..1st
.479 OBP…………………….. 3rd
1.229 OPS ………………….. 2nd
35 hard-hit balls……….1st
ROOKIE BALL: The Red Sox have 2 rookies with active on-base streaks of 15+ games (Casas and Yoshida)…This is just the 2nd time in club history the Red Sox have concurrent on-base streaks of 15+ games by rookies…Jacoby Ellsbury (26 games) and Dustin Pedroia (19) did so in 2007 (source: Elias). Triston Casas’ 18-game on-base streak is tied for the 4th-longest active streak in MLB, behind Yordan Alvarez (29), Jurickson Profar (20), and Randy Arozarena (19). TEAM EFFORT: The Red Sox have an MLB-leading 15 players with at least 5 RBI, including 11 with 10+ RBI. From the 7-9 spots in the lineup, the Sox lead MLB in hits (106) and RBI (62), and rank 2nd in XBH (37).
ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD: The Red Sox’ outfielders lead MLB in AVG (.310), OBP (.380), SLG (.526), OPS (.906), hits (132), doubles (37), XBH (56), runs (80), and RBI (80).
DON’T START WITH US: Starting pitchers have lasted fewer than 4.0 innings in 11 starts vs. BOS this season, most in MLB…No other team has more than 7 such starts. Starters have completed at least 6.0 innings against the Sox just 5 times this season, fewest of any team in MLB. Starting pitchers are 11-13 with a 6.14 ERA vs. BOS.
SOX SPLITS: The Red Sox lead MLB with a .278 AVG and .343 OBP against RHP…They rank 2nd in SLG (.472) and OPS (.815). They are tied for 2nd in the AL with 36 HR vs. RHP. Right-handed starting pitchers have a 6.10 ERA vs. BOS. Against LHP, the Sox rank 2nd in the AL in hits (103).
Left-handed starters have a 6.36 ERA against the Sox.
COMEBACK KIDS: The Red Sox have come from behind in 14 of their 21 wins, most in MLB…They trailed by multiple runs in 7 of their 14 comeback wins, including by 4 runs on 4/15 vs. LAA and by 6 runs on 4/1 vs. BAL.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 37 NICK PIVETTA – RHP
W-L ERA G GS IP ER HR BB SO AVG WHIP
2023 2-2 4.99 6 6 30.2 17 7 12 34 .237 1.30
CAREER 42-52 5.02 164 142 771.2 430 131 303 818 .259 1.39
The Red Sox are 3-3 in his starts (3-1 in last 4). Allowed 6 ER on 4/15 vs. LAA, but has a 3.71 ERA in his other 5 starts (11 ER/26.2 IP). Has tossed 5.0+ innings in 5 of his 6 starts, including each of his last 3…Has 18 SO and 4 BB in his last 3 starts (16 SO and 8 BB in his first 3). In 2 road starts, is 1-0 with a 2.53 ERA (3 ER/10.2 IP). In 17 games against the Braves (14 starts), is 6-3 with a 4.82 ERA (43 ER/80.1 IP)… In 8 outings at Truist Park (all starts), is 3-1 with a 3.83 ERA (18 ER/42.1 IP). Is 12-4 with a 3.70 ERA (48 ER/116.2 IP) in 21 career starts in the month of May. Is 1 of only 13 pitchers to make at least 69 starts since the beginning of 2021.
ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Braves and Red Sox tonight open a two-game series with the first of four games between the clubs this season…Atlanta will travel to Boston for a pair of games, July 25-26.
• The Braves and Red Sox have met in each of the last three seasons, with Atlanta going 8-6 against Boston in 14 total games…In four games last year, Atlanta went 3-1.
• Boston went 1-1 against Atlanta here at Truist Park last season…The Braves are just 2-8 versus the Red Sox at Truist Park since the facility opened in 2017, including losses in five of their last six…Boston’s .800 winning percentage here is easily most of any visiting team to play at least 10 games.
• Since the advent of Interleague Play in 1997, Atlanta has played Boston far more than any other American League team…The two clubs have met 86 times prior to this season…The Braves have not played any other A.L. team more than 61 times (Toronto).
• RH Charlie Morton has made 13 career starts against Boston, going 7-1 with a 4.03 ERA (33 ER/73.2 IP)…The 6-foot-5, 235-pound righthander made one start against the Red Sox last season, allowing five runs over 6.0 innings in a no-decision…Morton’s .875 winning percentage against Boston is best among active pitchers in baseball to make at least four starts vs. the Red Sox.
• RH Nick Pivetta has faced Atlanta 17 times in his career, including 14 starts, and is 6-3 with a 4.82 ERA (43 ER/80.1 IP) versus the Braves…Over his first eight games against Atlanta, all starts from 2017-18, he went 4-1 with a 2.72 ERA…In nine games since, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Canadian is 2-2 with a 7.23 ERA, allowing 30 earned runs in his last 37.1 innings against Atlanta.
WIN: Atlanta drove in a run in the bottom of the 12th inning Sunday afternoon to beat Baltimore, 3-2…The 12-inning affair matched the longest for Atlanta since Major League Baseball placed a runner on second to start extra innings in 2020.
• Atlanta improved to 2-0 in extra-inning games this season, and the Braves have won six of their last seven games to go to extras dating to last season… Over their first 27 extra-inning games since the runner rule began, Atlanta went just 9-18.
• The victory marked the third walk-off win for the Braves this season, one shy of Boston for the major league lead…The Braves are one of three teams with as many as three walk-off victories without a loss in such fashion this season, joining Boston (4-0) and New York-AL (3-0).
• Michael Harris II delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 12th, singling home Ozzie Albies from second…It was the first walk-off hit and RBI of his career.
• The victory gave Atlanta a winning record at Truist Park, improving the club to 9-8 in 17 games here.
ROSTER MOVES: The Braves today recalled LHP Danny Young to Atlanta and placed LHP Max Fried on the 15-day injured list, backdated to May 6, with a strained left forearm…Yesterday, Atlanta returned C Travis d’Arnaud from his rehabilitation assignment and reinstated him from the injured list…The club optioned C Chadwick Tromp to Gwinnett following Sunday’s game.
• D’Arnaud returns after missing 26 games with a concussion, suffered on April 8 vs. San Diego…The 2021 All-Star and 2020 Silver Slugger winner batted .333/.333/.424 for Atlanta over his first eight games of the season.
• Young has pitched in four games for the Braves this season, pitching to a 2.45 ERA (1 ER/3.2 IP).
FIRST INNING: The Braves took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Sunday after Matt Olson homered..Atlanta has scored at least one first-inning run in 15 games this season, tied with Tampa Bay for the third-most such games in MLB.
• Only the Dodgers and Cardinals have scored more often in the first inning, doing so in 16 different games.
• The Braves own a 13-2 record when scoring in the first inning, the best such record in the National League.
• Atlanta’s 28 first-inning runs are tied with the Dodgers for most in the N.L., and trail just the Rays (33) and Angels (31) for most in the majors.
BULLPEN: Five Atlanta relievers combined to allow one unearned run over 6.2 innings on Sunday afternoon, yielding just one hit and one walk while fanning five.
• It marked the longest relief appearance without an earned run by the Atlanta bullpen this season, and the longest since 7.0 innings without an earned run on June 4 of last season at Colorado.
• The Braves have compiled a 10-4 record with a 3.60 ERA (51 ER/127.1 IP) in relief this season, and their 10 wins in relief are one short of the major-league leading Orioles (11-6)…Atlanta’s .714 winning percentage (10-4) in relief is the best such record in the National League.
• The Braves are 8-3 (.727) in one-run games this season, the second-best record in the N.L. (Milwaukee – 6-2, .750).
INTERLEAGUE: The Braves are in their fourth interleague series of the season, including their second consecutive, and are 5-4 against the American League so far.
• Atlanta swept Kansas City, April 14-16, was swept by Houston, April 21-23, and took two-of-three from Baltimore over the weekend.
• The Braves went 13-7 (.650) against the A.L. last season, tied for the third-best interleague record in the majors…Only the Brewers and Dodgers, both at 15-5 (.750), were better.
Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #50 Charlie Morton RHP 2023 Record: 3-3, 3.38 ERA • 2022 Record: 9-6, 4.34 ERA vs. RHB: .247 (19-77), 0 HR • vs. LHB: .276 (16-58), 3 HR Home: 1-1, 2.25 ERA (3/12.0) • Away: 2-2, 3.97 ERA (20/22.2)
Today’s Game
• Set to make his seventh start of the season and first against Boston.
• Was the Game 2 starter in the doubleheader against New York (NL) and was dealt the loss after allowing a season-high four runs through 5.1 innings pitched.
• Morton has struck out 294 hitters with his curveball since the beginning of the 2020; the most in the majors.
• During that span hitters are missing on 51.8% of curveballs thrown, the second highest rate in the majors…The MLB average is 12.3% (among QS).
• Over the last two seasons he has thrown his curve on 39.1% of pitches, also the most in baseball.
• Morton’s 936 strikeouts since the 2018 season are the fourth most in baseball.
• Prior to the 2018 season, Morton threw his curveball on 22.4% of pitches throughout his career.
• Since the beginning of 2018 he has thrown his curve on 35.8% of pitches.
• Enters play with only 17% of balls put in play against him registering as line drives this season.
• The second lowest mark in the majors.
• Has a 1.00 groundball to flyball ratio this year, 14th highest rate in MLB.
• Hitters are registering a .317 batting average on balls in play against Morton in ’23.
• The MLB BABIP this season is .300 for qualified starters.
• Batters are hitting 37.9% of balls 95 mph or higher against Morton while the MLB average for qualified starters is 39.6%.
• In his age 39 season, Morton is the sixth-oldest active pitcher in the majors.
2023 Recap
• Made his first start of the season against St. Louis.
• Only struck out one hitter through 5.1 innings pitched against the Cardinals, marking just the ninth time in his career Morton pitched at least 5.0 frames while failing to record at least two punchouts and the first since June 5, 2015 against Pittsburgh.
• Struck out San Diego’s Jake Croneworth on April 8 to record his 1,700th career punchout.
• Is one of 16 active pitchers in baseball with as many strikeouts.
