MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
No team release available.
BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox have lost 4 of their last 5 games following a 6-game winning streak from 6/14-20. The Sox went 3-4 on their 7-game road trip to MIN (2-2) and CWS (1-2)…They’re 9-7 in their last 16 games, beginning 6/9, tied with LAA for the AL’s 2nd-best record in that span (BAL: 10-5). At 40-39 (.506), the Red Sox entered today with MLB’s 16th-best record…They’re 3.0 games back from the AL’s 3rd Wild Card position.
HOME COOKING: The Red Sox have won each of their last 4 games at Fenway Park, sweeping NYY in their last home series. The Sox are 7-11 in their last 18 games at Fenway Park, after going 11-3 in their previous 14.
RED SOX OFFENSE IN HOME GAMES
Stat MLB Rank
5.9 R/game 2nd
10.1 H/game 1st
4.1 XBH/game 1st
Stat MLB Rank
.291 AVG 1st
.360 OBP 1st
.837 OPS 2nd
SERIES BUSINESS: The Red Sox lost their 3-game series at CWS from Friday-Sunday, falling to 13-10-2 in series play. The Sox are 2-4 in their last 6 home series, beginning 5/12-14 vs. STL, after going 5-1 in their first 6. Boston has won the opening game in 6 of its last 7 series, but has gone 2-4-1 during that span…Overall, the Sox are 10-3-1 in series when they win Game 1.
NO TIME TO REST: Prior to having yesterday off, the Red Sox played 23 games in 23 days from 6/3-25 (11-12 record), including 9 games in 8 days from 6/18-25 (5-4).
The Sox have 8 days off in the next 31 days, through 7/27, including the All-Star Break from 7/10-13.
SOX & FISH: The Red Sox are 31-13 (.705) all time against the Marlins, their 2nd-best winning percentage against any team (15-5 vs. CIN; .750). The Sox swept a 3-game series vs. MIA in 2021… They’re 9-1 vs. MIA since the start of 2018 and 16-4 since the start of 2012, their best records against any opponent during both of those spans. The Red Sox have won each of their last 10 games vs. MIA at Fenway Park, their longest winning streak ever against an NL team the venue and longest against any team since an 11-game streak vs. BAL from 7/12/2008-7/25/09.
TOUGH TEST: The current 3-game series vs. MIA is the first of 3 consecutive series for Boston against teams that entered today with a record of .500 or better (also
games at TOR and 3 games 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, 5th most in MLB (NYY-55, OAK-55, CWS-54, 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 are tied with NYY for 2nd most in MLB behind TB (29).
NATIONAL AFFAIRS: The Red Sox are an MLB-best 299-210 (.587) all time in Interleague play, but 11-15 this season. The Sox are 4-4-1 in Interleague series this year…They’ve lost all 4 home series vs. NL teams, going 2-10 in those games (0-3 vs. PIT, 0-3 vs. STL, 1-2 vs. CIN, 1-2 vs. COL).
RUNNIN’ RED SOX: The Red Sox rank 2nd in the AL and 5th in MLB in SB% (83.3%, 50-for-60)…In 2022, they ranked 22nd in MLB with a 72.2 SB% (52-for-72). The Sox are 9-for-their-last-10 in stolen base attempts. 15 players have stolen a base for the Red Sox this season, matching their total from 2022 and tying CIN for 3rd most in MLB (MIA and PIT-16 each).
PITCHING IN: Red Sox pitchers have posted a 3.06 ERA (49 ER/144.0 IP) in their last 17 games, beginning 6/9…They own MLB’s 3rd-lowest ERA in that span (CHC-3.05, SEA-2.93). Starters are 6-3 with a 3.15 ERA (30 ER/85.2 IP) during that span, while relievers are 5-for-5 in save opportunities with a 2.93 ERA (19 ER/58.1 IP).
The Sox have allowed 13 HR in their last 6 games, after allowing 10 HR in their previous 18 games from 6/1-19.
WHAT A RELIEF: The 9 relievers on Boston’s active roster own a combined 2.77 relief ERA (54 ER/175.1 IP; Bernardino, Garza, Jacques, Jansen, Martin, Murphy, Ort,
Pivetta, Winckowski). The Sox rank 3rd in MLB in save% (75.0%, 21-for-28), after ranking 22nd in 2022 (58.2%, 39-for-67).
SLUGGING SOX: The Red Sox have scored 68 runs with 44 XBH (29 2B, 4 3B, 11 HR) in their last 12 games, starting 6/13…They lead the AL in runs scored during that span. The Sox have been held to 5 hits or fewer in 3 of their last 4 games (.162 AVG), after recording 8+ hits in a season-high 9 straight games from 6/12-21 (.307 AVG). The Sox have scored 36 of their last 56 runs with 2 outs.
RISPY BUSINESS: The Red Sox are 6-for-33 (.182 AVG) with runners in scoring position over their last 5 games, after going 23-for-59 (.390) with RISP in their previous 5. Overall with RISP, Boston ranks 3rd in MLB in strikeout rate (19.2%) and OBP (.364), 4th in AVG (.283), 5th in OPS (.808), and 8th in SLG (.444).
CLOSE SHAVES: 11 of the Red Sox’ last 16 games have been decided by 3 runs or fewer, including 6 one-run games. 12 of Boston’s last 15 losses have been decided by 3 runs or fewer…9 of those losses have been by 1 or 2 runs. Boston’s 17-19 (.472) mark in games decided by 1 or 2 runs ranks 19th in MLB.
WALK-OFF WOES: 2 of the Red Sox’ last 4 losses have ended on a walk-off (Saturday at CWS, last Wednesday at MIN). The Red Sox entered last Wednesday as the only
team in MLB without a walk-off loss this season.
ON THE MEND: Joely Rodriguez is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester…He has made 3 appearances for the WooSox, allowing 2 runs in 2.1 innings (6 H, BB, 6 SO). He struck out 3 of his 4 batters faced during a scoreless inning on Sunday vs. Lehigh Valley (17 pitches).
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 22 GARRETT WHITLOCK – RHP
W-L ERA G GS IP ER HR BB SO WHIP AVG
2023 4-2 4.50 8 8 46.0 23 7 7 39 1.22 .278
CAREER 16-8 3.14 85 17 197.2 69 23 39 202 1.10 .239
The Sox have won 4 of his last 5 starts and are 10-4 in his last 14. Has thrown more than 6.0 innings in each of his last 3 starts, going 2-0 with a 3.10 ERA in that stretch (20.1 IP, 7 ER, 21 H, 2 BB, 19 SO). Made his lone appearance vs. MIA on 6/7/21 in Boston, when he retired his only batter faced in relief.
Has allowed 4 HR in his last 7 starts (41.0 IP), including 2 in his last 4 (25.0 IP). Has walked only 7 of his 186 batters faced (3.8%)…Ranks in MLB’s 97th percentile in BB%, as well as in the 94th percentile in chase rate. Among Red Sox pitchers in the Live Ball Era (min. 150.0 IP), ranks 18th in ERA (3.14) and 5th in SO/BB ratio (5.18) behind only Koji Uehara (7.86), Chris Sale (6.25), Pedro Martinez (5.45), and Curt Schilling (5.31).
