BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: At 32-32 (.500), the Red Sox entered today with a share of MLB’s 15th-best record (T-8th in AL). Since improving to 21-14 after an 8-game winning streak from 4/29-5/6, the Sox are 11-18…They are 6-12 in their last 18 games, including 2-2 in their last 4.
SERIES BUSINESS: The Red Sox have lost each of their last 3 series (1-2 vs. CIN, 1-3 vs. TB, 1-2 at CLE)…Prior to this streak, they had not lost consecutive series all season. The Sox are 11-8-1 in series, including 1-4-0 in their last 5 (started 10-4-1)…4 of their 8 series losses have been sweeps (0-3 vs. PIT, 0-4 at TB, 0-3 vs. STL, 0-3 at LAA). The Sox have lost the last 2 series in which they won Game 1 (began the season 8-0-0 in such series).
NO TIME TO REST: The Red Sox are in a stretch of playing 13 games in 12 days from 6/3-14 (doubleheader on 6/3)… They are scheduled to play 23 games in 23 days from 6/3-25.
SOX & YANKEES: Since the start of 2022, 11 of 20 games between the Red Sox and Yankees have been decided by 1 run, including 6 of 11 at Yankee Stadium. Each of the last 10 games between the Sox and Yankees has been decided by 3 runs or fewer…9 of those were decided by 1 or 2 runs, including each of the last 7.
CLOSE SHAVES: 10 of the Red Sox’ last 13 games have been decided by 3 runs or fewer, including 5 one-run games and 2 two-run games.
The Sox are 15-14 (.517) in games decided by 1 or 2 runs, tied with the Yankees for MLB’s 14th-best mark.
BRONX BOMBER: Rafael Devers hit his 10th career HR at Yankee Stadium last night…The only other Red Sox to hit as many as 9 HR against the Yankees in New York prior to the age of 27 are Babe Ruth (10) and Ted Williams (9). Devers has made 48 starts at 3B at Yankee Stadium, 2nd most among visitors in the ballpark’s history (2009-present) behind only Evan Longoria (67).
YOUTH MOVEMENT: Each of the Red Sox’ 3 starting pitchers this weekend will be 26 years old or younger on the day of their start: Garrett Whitlock (26), Tanner Houck (26), and Brayan Bello (24). Against the Yankees in their careers, those 3 pitchers have a combined 1.86 ERA (13 ER/63.0 IP). The last 2 instances of the Sox starting a pitcher 26 years old or younger in each game of a series at Yankee Stadium came in September 2014 (Joe Kelly, Anthony Ranaudo, Brandon Workman) and June 1986 (Roger Clemens, Rob Woodward, Oil Can Boyd).
I’VE GOT YOUR SIX: The Red Sox are 13-4 (.765) when their starting pitcher throws at least 6.0 innings (2-0 in last 2). The Sox are 26-18 (.591) when their starter throws 5.0+ innings, including 14-7 (.667) on the road.
EASTERN STANDARD: The Red Sox are 9-10 against the AL East (7-4 home, 2-6 road)…Last year, they went 6-13 in their first 19 games against the division. The Sox are 2-3-0 in series against AL East teams… Last year, they lost each of their first 8 series vs. AL East teams and were 0-11-1 in their first 12. The Sox are 0-2-0 in road series against AL East teams… Last year, they were 1-11-0 in such series (started 0-9-0).
THE 400 CLUB: Alex Cora earned his 394th win as manager of the Red Sox last night…He would become the 9th manager to win 400+ games with the Sox. Cora has managed 712 games with the Red Sox, 9th most in franchise history (8th: Don Zimmer, 715).
COMEBACK KIDS: Boston has 18 come-from-behind wins this season…Opponents have earned only 8 comeback wins against the Red Sox, including 0 walk-off wins. The Sox have won 5 games in which they trailed after 7 innings (had 4 such wins in all of 2022)…They have lost only 1 game in which they led after 7 innings.
TOUGH TEST: The Red Sox have played 37 games against teams that entered today with a winning record, 3rd most in MLB (OAK-43, STL-39)…The Sox are 17-20 in those games. Following this weekend, only 1 of the Sox’ next 4 series is against a team with a winning record (vs. NYY).
PITCHING IN: The Red Sox have allowed 4 ER or fewer in 17 of their last 22 games (beginning 5/16)…In that time, they rank 12th in the majors in ERA (3.86, 82 ER/191.0 IP), as well as 9th in opponent AVG (.234) and T-9th in WHIP (1.25). In their last 4 games, Sox pitchers have recorded 29 SO and only 6 BB…They have issued 2 BB or fewer in each of those games, their longest streak of the season. Sox pitchers have allowed only 5 HR in June (9 G, 79.0 IP), 4 of which came on Thursday in Cleveland.
SLUGGING SOX: The Red Sox rank 3rd in the AL and 6th in MLB in runs scored (319)…They also rank among the AL’s top 5 in doubles (1st, 144), AVG (4th, .260), OBP (4th, .333), SLG (4th, .426), OPS (T-3rd, .759), and walks (5th, 215). The Sox rank 3rd in the AL and 6th in MLB in SO% (20.9).
UPS AND DOWNS: The Red Sox have been held to 18 runs in their last 7 games (2, 2, 1, 5, 2, 3, 3)…In that time, they have hit .216 with 4 HR and a .653 OPS. In their last 20 games (beginning 5/19), the Sox rank 19th in MLB in AVG (.234) and OBP (.311)…They entered that span ranked 2nd in MLB in AVG (.272) and OBP (.342).
RED SOX OFFENSE BY DATE
Dates Record AVG OPS Runs/G
3/30-5/6 21-14 .273 .800 5.9
5/7-pres. 11-18 .244 .707 3.9
RISPY BUSINESS: With runners in scoring position, the Red Sox rank 4th in the majors in AVG (.284), OBP (.362), and strikeout rate (19.5%), as well as 6th in OPS (.804). With RISP in 2022, BOS ranked outside MLB’s top 10 in OBP (19th, .329), OPS (16th, .752), and SO% (11th, 20.9).
SELECTIVE SOX: Red Sox batters have drawn at least 4 walks in 12 of their last 16 games…In June, they rank 2nd in the AL and 4th in the majors in walk rate (11.3%). The Sox drew 4+ walks in each of their first 8 games this month, their longest streak since 2004 (9 G, 8/28-9/6).
GET AHEAD, STAY AHEAD: The Red Sox are 20-6 (.769) when scoring the game’s 1st run, compared to 12-26 (.316) when their opponent scores 1st. The Sox are 24-2 (.923) when leading after 6 innings.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 89 TANNER HOUCK – RHP
W-L ERA G GS IP ER HR BB SO WHIP AVG
2023 3-5 5.46 11 11 57.2 35 7 21 56 1.32 .251
CAREER 12-14 3.71 64 31 203.2 84 15 73 220 1.18 .224
Allowed 4 runs over 5.0 IP Sunday vs. TB (5 H, 4 BB, 6 SO). Has pitched at least 5.0 innings in 9 of his 11 starts this season. Owns a 2.28 ERA (7 ER/27.2 IP) in 9 career games (4 starts) vs. NYY…Tossed a scoreless inning in his last outing (in relief) at NYY on 7/18/22. The Sox are 17-14 in his 31 career starts…Allowed 3 ER or fewer in 27 of those. Has allowed 0 HR to his last 300 RHH faced (last: José Abreu on 9/10/21)…He is the only pitcher to face 150+ RHH since the start of 2022 and allow 0 HR. Has an expected ERA of 3.85 (based on contact quality and quantity).
NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees continue their six-game homestand tonight with the second game of a three-game set vs. Boston (0-1 thus far)…began the homestand by dropping two-of-three games vs. Chicago-AL…after this homestand, will play a two-game Subway Series vs. the Mets at Citi Field (Tues.-Wed.) before traveling to Boston for a three-game set (6/16-18).
At 37-28 (.569), have the fourth-best record in the AL and the sixth-best record in the Majors.
Have lost three of their last four games after winning six of their previous eight games…are still 7-5 in their last 12 games, 12-8 in their last 20 games, 14-9 in their last 23 games, 16-10 in their last 26 games and 19-11 in their last 30 games.
Are 22-13 (.629) in their last 35 games (since 5/2), the third-best record in the AL and fourth-best record in the Majors in that span.
Have won three of their last four completed series and five of their last seven completed series…have won or split seven of their last nine completed series (since 5/8) and eight of their last 11 completed series (since 5/1).
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Yankees fell to the Red Sox, 3-2, in their series opener on Friday at Yankee Stadium…RHP Gerrit Cole (6.0IP, 7H, 2ER, 1BB, 6K, 1HR, 1HP) started and took his first loss of the season despite allowing just 2ER in 6.0IP…3B Josh Donaldson (1-for-4, 1R, 1HR, 1RBI) hit a solo HR in the sixth inning…2B DJ LeMahieu (2-for-4) snapped an 0-for-11 stretch with a single in the first inning…CF Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2-for-4, 1R, 1SB) scored the Yankees’ second run on a wild pitch in the seventh inning…DH Giancarlo Stanton (1-for-4) singled in the first inning to record his 1,400th career hit…PH/2B Gleyber Torres (1-for-1, 1BB) reached base in both of his plate appearances…RHP Albert Abreu (0.1IP, 2H, 1ER, 1K, 1HR) allowed a solo HR to Kiké Hernández in the seventh inning…LHP Nick Ramirez (1.0IP, 1H, 1BB, 1K) tossed a scoreless inning of relief…RHP Jimmy Cordero (1.2IP, 2K) tossed 1.2 scoreless innings of relief.
BRONX BOMBERS: Yankees batters have hit 100HR this season, the second-most home runs in the AL and the fourth-most in the Majors…their 66HR since the beginning of May are the most in the Majors in that span.
The Yankees have homered in each of their last seven games (since 6/2), hitting 13HR in that span…have homered in 11 of their last 12 games (since 5/27), hitting 22HR in that stretch.
The Yankees have had a Major League-leading 18 different players homer this season, matching their 2022 total.
Their 32 games with multiple home runs are tied with Los Angeles-NL for the second-most in the Majors this season, trailing only Tampa Bay (33).
Since 5/1, rank fourth in SLG (.453), and fifth in runs scored (183) and runs scored per game (5.08).
Their 59HR at home this season are the second-most by any team at home (Tampa Bay-60HR).
WHAT A RELIEF: Yankees relievers have posted a Major League-best 2.81 ERA (246.1IP, 77ER) and a .210 opponents’ BA…the Yankees are the only Major League bullpen that currently owns an ERA below 3.00 (next: Cleveland – 3.05).
Own a Major League-best .335 opponents’ SLG and .636 opponents’ OPS…rank second in the Majors in HR/9.0IP (0.77) and third in WHIP (1.18).
Have posted a 1.62 ERA (39.0IP, 7ER) in their last 12 games (since 5/27) and a 1.98 ERA (72.2IP, 16ER) in their last 20 games (since 5/18)…have held opponents to a .156 BA (39-for-250) over that 20-game stretch.
CLOSE CALLS: Each of the Yankees’ last six games and seven of their last eight games have been decided by 3R-or-fewer.
Each of the Yankees’ last three losses, four of their last five losses and eight of their last 14 losses have been by one run.
HAWAIIAN PUNCH: INF/OF Isiah Kiner-Falefa has hit safely in a season-high five straight games…is batting .308 (16-for-52) with 7R, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1HR, 11RBI, 1BB and 2SB in his last 14 games (since 5/24).
Is batting .333/.375/.667 (10-for-30) with 8R, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2HR, 3RBI, 2BB and 2SB in 14 games vs. AL East opponents this season.
PITCH PERFECT: Yankees pitchers have posted a 3.65 ERA this season, the fifth-lowest in the Majors…have allowed 3R-or-fewer in five of their last six games, seven of their last nine games and nine of their last 14 games.
Have held opponents to a .225 BA, the third-lowest opponents’ BA in the Majors (Tampa Bay and Minnesota – .224)…also rank fourth in WHIP (1.21) and sixth in opponents’ OPS (.687).
DEALING DOMINGO: RHP Domingo Germán has allowed 2ER-or-fewer in five of his last six starts (since 5/1), posting a 2.31 ERA (35.0IP, 9ER) in that span…has held opponents to a .164 BA (20-for-122) over that stretch.
OH MY JOSH: INF Josh Donaldson hit a solo HR in the sixth inning on Friday vs. Boston…has 4HR in six games since returning from the injured list on 6/1 and 5HR in 11 games this season.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: The Yankees current series vs. the Red Sox marks the latest in a season the Yankees have played their first game against Boston since 1996, when they didn’t face the Red Sox until July 1 (excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season).
MATCHING UP: The Yankees had their six-game winning streak vs. Boston snapped on Friday…are still 6-1 in their last seven games against the Red Sox, 9-3 in their last 12 games vs. Boston (since 7/16/22) and 19-7 in their last 26 games against the Red Sox.
Are 13-3 in their last 16 games vs. the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium (since 7/17/21).
STANTON ISLAND: DH/OF Giancarlo Stanton recorded his 1,400th career hit with a first-inning single on Friday… including the postseason, has reached base safely in 23 of his last 25 games vs. Boston (since 7/22/21), batting .354/.415/.708 (34-for-96) with 17R, 4 doubles, 10HR, 25RBI
and 10BB in that span.
Has hit 10HR in his last 20 games (including the postseason) vs. the Red Sox (since 8/17/21-G2).
JAKE RAKES: INF/OF Jake Bauers has reached base in eight of his last 10 games, batting .333/.417/.800 (10-for-30) with 5R, 5 doubles, 3HR, 7RBI and 5BB over that span (since 5/29).
Has reached base multiple times in three of his last six games and five of his last 10 games.
ON A ROLL: OF Willie Calhoun is batting .308 (12-for-39) with 8R, 5 doubles, 1HR, 7RBI and 4BB over his last 12 games (since 5/24)…has reached base in 14 of his last 17 games (since 5/15).
10 of his last 20 hits have gone for XBH (6 doubles, 4HR).
FOR STARTERS: Yankees starters have allowed 2ER-orfewer in four of their last six starts, posting a 2.80 ERA (35.1IP, 11ER) in that span.
Have allowed 3ER-or-fewer in seven of their last nine starts and 2ER-or-fewer in six of those starts.
COLE TRAIN: RHP Gerrit Cole took his first loss of the season on Friday despite allowing just 2ER in 6.0IP… has allowed 2R-or-fewer in 11 of his first 14 starts this season, the third-most such starts in the Majors…trails only Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan (12) and Chicago-NL’s Marcus Stroman (12).
Had his season-opening 13-start undefeated streak snapped on Friday…was tied for the third-longest by a Yankees starter in franchise history, trailing only Ron Guidry’s 17-start streak to begin the 1978 season and Allie Reynolds’ 15-start streak to begin the 1954 season…Orlando Hernández (2004), Bob Wickman (1993), Jim Coates (1960) and Monte Pearson (1937) also recorded 13-start streaks.
Had his season-opening seven-game winning streak snapped…was the longest winning streak by a Yankees pitcher to start a season since Aaron Small’s season-opening 10-game winning streak in 2005.
Has tossed at least 6.0 innings in 10 of his 14 starts.
Friday marked just the third time this season the Yankees lost a game that Gerrit Cole started…are 11-3 in those games.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP DOMINGO GERMÁN (3-3, 3.69 ERA)
RHP Domingo Germán will make his 12th start of the season tonight vs. Boston…the 30-year-old will start on extended five days’ rest due to Monday’s team off day…did not record a decision in his last start on Sunday at Los Angeles-NL despite allowing just 1ER over 6.2IP (4H, 1BB, 6K, 1HR)…has allowed 1ER-or-fewer in four of his last six starts and in six of his last 10 starts…among pitchers with at least 50.0IP this season, ranks second in the Majors in opponents’ BA (.179, second in AL) and H/9 (5.75, second in AL), fourth in WHIP (0.95, fourth in AL) and sixth in opponents’ OBP (.253, sixth in AL)… allowed 2R-or-fewer in four straight starts from 5/1-16, tying the longest such streak of his career (also four straight starts from 7/27-8/12/22 and from 5/9-27-G1/21)…in 2022, went 2-5 with a 3.61 ERA (72.1IP, 65H, 31R/29ER, 19BB, 58K, 11HR) in 15 games (14 starts) with the Yankees…allowed 3R-orfewer in a career-high 12 consecutive starts from 7/27-9/30/22…missed the first 93 games of the season with right shoulder impingement syndrome…in six seasons with the Yankees, is 29-24 with a 4.29 ERA (474.2IP, 226ER) and 488K in 103 career games (81 starts)…was signed by the Yankees as a minor league free agent on 12/11/15…was originally acquired by the Yankees from the Miami Marlins along with RHP Nathan Eovaldi and INF Garrett Jones in exchange for RHP David Phelps and INF Martín Prado on 12/19/14.
LAST TIME OUT: Did not record a decision on Sunday at Los Angeles-NL despite allowing just 1ER over 6.2IP (4H, 1BB, 6K, 1HR)…allowed his only run on a game-tying a solo HR to J.D. Martinez in the seventh inning.
Retired 14 of his first 15BF…allowed just three baserunners (0R, 2H, 1BB) through his first 6.0IP.
Has allowed 1ER-or-fewer in three of his last four starts.
His 99 pitches marked a season high and his most since 5/27/21 vs. Toronto (also 99 pitches).
VS. BOSTON: Is 2-2 with a 3.88 ERA (53.1IP, 23ER) and 60K in 12 career games (10 starts) vs. Boston.
Made two starts vs. the Red Sox in 2022 and posted a 3.27 ERA (11.0IP, 8H, 4ER, 3BB, 9K, 2HR).
Has allowed 3R-or-fewer in eight of his 10 career starts vs. Boston…has allowed 1R-or-fewer in three of his last five starts vs. the Red Sox.
Is 1-0 with a 3.63 ERA (22.1IP, 9ER) and 23K in five career games (four starts) vs. Boston at Yankee Stadium.
HOME SWEET HOME: Is 1-3 with a 3.19 ERA (31.0IP, 11ER) and 34K in five home starts this season…has held opposing hitters to a .155 batting average (17-for-110) at home this season…his .155 opponents’ batting average at home is the second-lowest in the Majors and the second-lowest in the AL.
Has gone 13-11 with a 3.75 ERA (225.1IP, 168H, 100R/94ER, 76BB, 248K, 42HR) in 49 career games (38 starts) at Yankee Stadium…has allowed 3ER-orfewer in 33 of his 38 home starts.
Has held opponents to a .202 BA (168-for-832) at Yankee Stadium in his career, compared to a .248 BA (242-for-975) on the road.
Has allowed 3R-or-fewer in 12 of his last 14 starts at home (since 6/30/21 vs. Los Angeles-AL), including eight starts with 2R-or-fewer allowed.
His 11 wins at Yankee Stadium since 2019 are tied with Nestor Cortes and Masahiro Tanaka for the third-most by any pitcher at the venue during that span, trailing only Gerrit Cole (19) and Jameson Taillon (12).
2023: Will make his 12th start of the season tonight…is 3-3 with a 3.69 ERA (61.0IP, 25ER) and 59K in 11 starts this season…among pitchers with at least 50.0IP this season, ranks second in the Majors in opponents’ BA (.179, second in AL) and H/9 (5.75, second in AL), fourth in WHIP (0.95, fourth in AL) and sixth in opponents’ OBP (.253, sixth in AL). Has allowed 1ER-or-fewer in four of his last six starts and in six of his last 10 starts…has also allowed 2ER-or-fewer in seven of his last 10 starts.
Has surrendered only 2HR in his last six starts after allowing 7HR in his first five starts this season.
His .157 opponents’ BA (18-for-115) vs. left-handed batters is the eighth-lowest among all AL pitchers this season.
His 59K are the second-most strikeouts he’s recorded through his first 11 starts of a season in his career, trailing only his 67K through his first 11 starts in 2019.
Allowed 2R-or-fewer in four straight starts from 5/1-16, tying the longest such streak of his career (also four straight starts from 7/27-8/12/22 and from 5/9-27-G1/21). Was ejected on 5/16 at Toronto prior to the bottom of the fourth inning for violating MLB’s prohibitions on foreign substances and served a 10-game suspension from 5/17-27.
Did not record a decision on 5/1 vs. Cleveland despite allowing just 1ER over a career-high 8.1 innings (2H, 1BB, 6K)…allowed just three baserunners…after allowing a one-out single to Amed Rosario in the first inning, did not allow a hit to his next 25BF (1BB) before allowing the single to Steven Kwan in the ninth…became just the fifth Yankees pitcher (sixth time) in the last 22 years (since 2002) to toss at least 8.1IP and allow three-or-fewer baserunners…joined Gerrit Cole (2H and 1BB in 9.0IP on 4/16/23 vs. Minnesota), Corey Kluber (1BB in 9.0IP on 5/19/21 at Texas), Masahiro Tanaka (twice: 2H and 1BB in 9.0IP on 6/17/19 vs. Tampa Bay and 3H in 9.0IP on 4/27/17 at Boston) and Chien-Ming Wang (2H in 9.0IP on 4/11/08 at Boston).
Allowed 1ER-or-fewer in back-to-back starts on 4/10 at Cleveland and 4/15 vs. Minnesota, tying the longest such streak of his career…marked the sixth time in his career he’s recorded consecutive such starts. Earned his first win of the season on 4/15 vs. Minnesota after recording a career-high 11K (6.1IP, 3H, 1ER, 0BB)…marked his third career double-digit strikeout game (also 10K on 7/25/21 at Boston and 6/14/18 vs. Tampa Bay)…marked the first time in his career he’s recorded at least 10K without surrendering a walk… marked his fifth career start with at least 8K and 0BB allowed, including his second this season (8K and 0BB on 4/4 vs. Philadelphia)…is the first Yankee to record at least 10K and 0BB in a game this season and the first since Gerrit Cole did so on 7/17/22 vs. Boston (12K and 0BB)…tossed 5.1 perfect innings before allowing a one-out single to Christian Vázquez in the sixth inning…his 11K matched the most by a Yankees pitcher this season (also Gerrit Cole on Opening Day vs. San Francisco).
