BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox have lost back-to-back games following their 6-game winning streak from 6/14-20. They were held to 4 runs on Wednesday and 0 runs yesterday at MIN, after scoring 50 runs during their 6-game winning streak (10, 9, 4, 6, 15, 6). At 39-37 (.513), Boston entered today with MLB’s 16th-best record.
HEATING UP: The Red Sox are 8-5 in their last 13 games, beginning 6/9, the 2nd-highest winning percentage in the AL during that span (BAL: 7-4). The Sox are outscoring opponents 70-47 in those games. Over that span, Boston owns MLB’s lowest ERA (2.97, 39 ER/118.1 IP)…Starters are 5-2 with a 3.26 ERA (25 ER/69.0 IP), while relievers are 4-for-4 in save opportunities with a 2.55 ERA (14 ER/49.1 IP).
SERIES BUSINESS: The Red Sox split their 4-game series at MIN from Mon.-Thu., despite winning the first 2 games. The Red Sox are 13-9-2 in series play, including 2-1-1 in their last 4 series (both wins against NYY). The Sox have alternated series results on the road (W, L, W, L, W, T, W, L, W, L, W, T): 3-0 at DET, 0-4 at TB,
2-1 at MIL, 1-2 at BAL, 2-1 at PHI, 1-1 at ATL, 2-1 at SD, 0-3 at LAA, 2-1 at ARI, 1-2 at CLE, 2-1 at NYY, 2-2 at MIN.
PAIR OF SOX: The Red Sox are 5-8 against the White Sox since the start of 2021, but 19-15 against them from 2017-22. The Red Sox have won 7 of their last 10 series at Guaranteed Rate Field, beginning in 2012 (7-2-1)… Since the start of 2019, BOS has outscored CWS 80-38 at the venue.
The White Sox will visit Fenway Park for a 3-game series from 9/22-24.
CENTRAL TIME: The Red Sox are 10-6 against AL Central teams this season, after going 18-15 in 2022. They’re 3-1-1 in series against AL Central opponents (3-0 at DET, 2-1 vs. MIN, 2-1 vs. CLE, 1-2 at CLE, 2-2 at MIN). Boston’s record would lead the AL Central by 1.0 game.
TOUGH TEST: After this weekend’s 3-game series at CWS, the Red Sox’ next 3 series are against teams that entered today with a record of .500 or better (vs. MIA, at TOR, vs. TEX). Following the Sox’ 3-game series vs. TEX from 7/4-6, 8 of their 11 series from 7/7-8/17 are against teams that entered today with a record below .500. The Red Sox have played 52 games against teams that entered today with a record of .500 or better, tied with NYY and OAK for 2nd most in MLB (TOR-54). The Sox are 28-24 (.538) in those games, the 3rd-best record in the AL and 5th best in MLB…Their 28 wins rank 2nd in MLB behind TB (29).
NO TIME TO REST: The Red Sox are currently in a stretch of 23 games in 23 days from 6/3-25 (10-10 so far). After last Saturday’s game vs. NYY was postponed and made up as part of a doubleheader on Sunday, the Sox are now playing 9 games in 8 days from 6/18-25.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW: Three of the Red Sox’ top 20 prospects, according to Baseball America, have made their Major League debut during June: LHP Brandon Walter (No. 7), LHP Chris Murphy (No. 14), and INF David Hamilton (No. 17). Walter made his debut yesterday at MIN, tossing 6.2 innings of relief (6 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 SO)…He became the 1st Red Sox pitcher to toss more than 6.0 innings of relief in their MLB debut since Clem Hausmann on 4/28/1944 vs. the Philadelphia Athletics (8.0 IP).
Hamilton debuted on Wednesday at MIN, pinch-running in the 8th inning and stealing 2nd base, then scoring the game-tying run…He was the 1st Red Sox player to make their MLB debut as a pinch-runner and steal a base since Trot Nixon on 9/21/1996 at NYY. Murphy has tossed 6.0 scoreless innings over his first 2 career games, making relief appearances on 6/7 at CLE (3.1 IP) and 6/18 vs. NYY-G1 (2.2 IP)…He’s the 1st Red Sox pitcher to toss 6.0 scoreless innings of relief over their
first 2 career games since Steve Crawford in 1980 (6.2 IP).
SLUGGING SOX: The Red Sox were held scoreless yesterday at MIN, snapping a streak of 8 straight games with 4+ runs. They’ve scored 60 runs in their last 9 games, compared to 25 runs in their previous 10. The Sox did not record an XBH yesterday…They collected 39 XBH in the previous 8 games (26 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR). Over their last 7 games, they’ve scored 33 of their 48 runs with 2 outs, batting .352 (32-for-103) with a .422 OBP, 9 doubles, 1 triple, 5 HR, and 9 BB.
RISPY BUSINESS: The Red Sox did not have a plate appearance with a runner in scoring position yesterday, their 1st time doing so since 9/6/22 at TB. The Sox are batting .351 (26-for-74) with runners in scoring position over their last 7 games, after hitting .165 (18-for-109) with RISP in their previous 12. Overall with RISP, Boston ranks 2nd in MLB in strikeout rate (18.9%), 3rd in OBP (.367), 4th in AVG (.286), 6th in OPS (.816), and 7th in SLG (.449). With 2 outs and RISP, The Sox lead MLB in OBP (.386) while ranking 2nd in AVG (.287) and 3rd in OPS (.861).
PITCHING IN: The Red Sox allowed 4+ ER in each of their last 3 games (6, 4, 4) following a season-high-tying stretch of 5 straight games with 3 ER or fewer allowed (3, 1, 2, 3, 3). The Sox allowed 8 HR over the 4-game series at MIN…They had only allowed 9 HR in their previous 17 games since the start of June.
START ME UP: Beginning 5/17, Red Sox starting pitchers rank 6th in MLB with a 3.61 ERA (66 ER/164.2 IP). Sox starters have allowed 2 runs or fewer in 9 of their last 13 games, and 3 runs or fewer in 21 of their last 26.
RUNNIN’ RED SOX: The Red Sox rank 4th in the AL and 10th in MLB in SB% (81.5%, 44-for-54)…In 2022, they ranked 22nd in MLB with a 72.2 SB%. 15 players have stolen a base for the Red Sox this season (matches their total from 2022), most in the AL and tied with CIN and PIT for 2nd most in MLB (MIA-16). 34% of the Red Sox’ baserunners have scored, tied for the 4th-highest percentage in MLB.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 66 BRAYAN BELLO – RHP
W-L ERA G GS IP ER HR BB SO WHIP AVG
2023 4-4 3.49 11 11 59.1 23 7 20 57 1.30 .247
CAREER 6-12 4.09 24 22 116.2 53 8 47 112 1.53 .281
Is facing the White Sox for the 1st time in his career. Earned the win on Sunday vs. NYY-G2 (7.0 IP 4 H, 1 R)…Set a career high with 8 SO. Has a 2.60 ERA in his last 9 starts (15 ER/52.0 IP)…Allowed 6 or fewer hits and 3 or fewer ER in each of those outings (2 ER or fewer in 8 of them). Has allowed 0 HR in his last 4 starts and in his last 26.0 IP. Has tossed a career-high-tying 7.0 innings in each of his last 2 starts and in 3 of his last 5…Has tossed at least 6.0 innings in each of his last 3 starts and 5 of his last 7. In his MLB career, opponents are 21-for-114 (.184) with 0 HR against his changeup (12-for-57 with 22 SO in 2023).
CHICAGO WHITE SOX NOTES:
WHITE SOX AT A GLANCE
The Chicago White Sox have lost seven of their last 10 games as they continue a six-game, seven-day homestand tonight with the series opener against Boston.
RHP Lucas Giolito is scheduled to start for the White Sox, who are in fourth place in the American League Central, but just 6.0 games off the pace set by division-leading Minnesota.
The Sox lost two of three games to Texas to begin the homestand, including a 6-3 defeat in Wednesday’s series finale.
Following this three-game series, the White Sox conclude the homestand with three games vs. Boston (6/23-25) before returning to the west coast for a seven-game trip to Los Angeles-AL (6/26-29) and Oakland (6/30-7/1).
TONIGHT’S STORYLINES
Lucas Giolito is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA (3 ER/18.0 IP) and 20 strikeouts over his last three starts and 5-4 with a 2.91 ERA (25 ER/77.1 IP) and 80 strikeouts over his last 13.
The White Sox rank second in MLB with a 3.36 ERA (120 ER/321.2 IP) in 36 games since 5/13.
The Sox rank fourth in MLB in June with a 3.33 ERA (60 ER/162.0 IP) but are 29th with a .210 (128-609) average and 3.33 runs per game (60 runs).
The White Sox have hit 15 home runs in the last eight games, but 13 of the 15 have been solo shots … they are 7-57 (.123) with no extra-base hits with RISP over the last seven games.
Andrew Benintendi batted .273/.353/.435 (502-2,104) with 119 doubles, 51 home runs, 260 RBI and 279 runs scored in 485 games with the Red Sox after being selected in the first round (7th overall) of the 2015 draft … Benintendi was a member of Boston’s 2018 World Series championship team.
WEDNESDAY’S RECAP
The White Sox were limited to four hits in a 6-3 loss to Texas.
Michael Kopech suffered the loss, allowing three runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts over 4.0 IP.
Touki Toussaint, who was claimed off waivers on Tuesday, threw 4.0 scoreless, hitless IP in his Sox debut.
Andrew Vaughn hit a solo homer (No. 11) in the sixth inning.
Elvis Andrus played in his 2,000th career game, becoming the 247th player in MLB history to reach that milestone.
MORRIS RECOGNIZED WITH 2023 HEMOND AWARD
The White Sox will hold a pregame ceremony where HOF legend Harold Baines will present Bloomingdale native Joan Morris with the 2023 Roland Hemond Award.
The Hemond Award has been presented to nine individuals who have shown a selfless commitment to helping others since its inception.
More information about the award, Morris’ remarkable volunteer work and the nomination form for next year’s recognition can be found at whitesox.com/hemondaward.
WHITE SOX VS. BOSTON RED SOX
Chicago won the 2022 series, 4-2, sweeping a three-game set at Fenway Park from 5/6-8 before losing two of three at home from 5/24-26.
The White Sox batted .239/.311/.348 (48-201) with a 5.89 ERA (36 ER/55.0 IP) and were outscored, 38-23 … the Red Sox scored five runs in three games at Fenway Park and 33 runs in three games at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The White Sox have won five of the last seven series since 2015 but are 23-25 during that span.
KNOCKING THEIR (RED) SOX OFF
Some notable White Sox career numbers against Boston.
Tim Anderson: .313/.343/.481 (41-131) in 32 games.
Clint Frazier: .309/.382/.485 (21-68) with three home runs and 13 RBI in 20 games.
Luis Robert Jr.: .366/.395/.561 (15-41) with five doubles, one home run and nine RBI in 10 games.
Andrew Vaughn: .368/.400/.684 (7-19) with three doubles, one home run and five RBI in five games.
STARTING PITCHER – #27 LUCAS GIOLITO RHP
GIOLITO AT A GLANCE
Is scheduled to make his 16th start of the season, ninth at home and first vs. the Boston Red Sox.
Has gone 5-4 with a 2.91 ERA (25 ER/77.1 IP), .218 (62-285) opponents average and 80 strikeouts over his last 13 starts … has tossed 6.0-plus IP in 10 of the 13
starts and has allowed two runs or less in eight.
Opponents are hitting .227 (17-75) against him with RISP and .229 (8-35) with RISP/two outs in 2023.
Is 49 strikeouts away from becoming the 12th pitcher in White Sox history with 1,000 (38 strikeouts away from 1,000 in his career).
Finished sixth in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 2019, seventh in 2020 and tied for 11th in 2021.
Threw the 19th no-hitter in White Sox history on 8/25/20 vs. Pittsburgh, walking one with 13 strikeouts.
Was a finalist for a Rawlings(R) Gold Glove and Comeback Player of the Year Awards and was a 2019 AL All-Star.
Won AL Pitcher of the Month honors in May 2019 and AL Player of Week for 8/24-30/20 and 5/27-6/2/19.
LAST START
Did not factor in the decision on 6/17 at Seattle after allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits (one home run) with three walks and five strikeouts across 5.0 IP … surrendered a leadoff home run to J.P. Crawford and Ty France scoring on a passed ball in the first inning.
Exited the game in the sixth with the White Sox trailing, 3-2 … the Sox bullpen tossed a combined 6.0 scoreless IP in a comeback 4-3 win.
Owned a 68.0 first-strike percentage and 11.3 swinging-strike percentage (14 swing and misses) vs. 25 batters … threw 48 four-seam fastballs (92.3 mph avg; 93.7 mph
max), 33 sliders (83.7 avg; 85.6 max) and 24 changeups (80.8 avg; 82.0 max) … threw 105 pitches (66 strikes)
