BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox are 7-3 in their last 10 games, after beginning the season 5-8. The Sox rank 13th in MLB in run differential (+11). The Sox have played more games than any other AL team (23)…They are in a stretch of 19 days without an off day from 4/8-26 (9-7 so far), their longest stretch of the season…They will not play on more than 10 consecutive days again until 8/15-30 (16 G).
RED SOX THROUGH 23 GAMES
Stat 2022 2023
W-L 9-14 12-11
Runs scored 81 132
Home runs 13 30
AVG .229 .252
OPS .622 .763
Walks 52 82
SERIES BUSINESS: The Red Sox are 5-2-0 in series…Last season, they went 1-5-1 in their first 7 series and did not earn their 5th series win until 5/26 (began 4-7-2). The Sox have won each of their last 3 series, each against a team that entered Game 1 with at least a share of 1st place (3-1 vs. LAA, 2-1 vs. MIN, 2-1 at MIL). The Sox have won 3 consecutive series for the 1st time since winning 7 straight from 6/3-26/22.
COMEBACK KIDS: The Red Sox have come from behind in 9 of their 12 wins, most in MLB…They trailed by multiple runs in 5 of those 9 wins, including by 4 runs on 4/15 vs. LAA and by 6 runs on 4/1 vs. BAL. The Sox have won 4 games in which they trailed after 7 innings, already matching their 2023 total (4-64)… That is the most such wins in MLB.
WHERE WE LEFT OFF: The Red Sox defeated the Brewers yesterday in Milwaukee, 12-5…They trailed, 4-3, after 7 innings before scoring 9 runs in the 8th, their highest total in any inning since 5/4/19 at CWS (9 runs in 3rd inn.).
MACHO MAN: Masataka Yoshida hit 2 HR in the 8th inning yesterday, a solo shot that broke a 4-4 tie and then a grand slam that gave the Red Sox a 12-4 lead…According to Elias: Yoshida recorded the 65th instance of a player hitting 2 HR in an inning, including the 1st by a player born in Japan and the 4th by a rookie (most recently Joe Pepitone in 1962). It marked only the 2nd 2-HR inning in which at least one HR gave his team a lead in the 8th inning or later (also PHI’s Andy Seminick on 6/2/49 vs. CIN), and the 15th in which at least one was a grand slam.
RED SOX TO HIT 2 HOME RUNS IN AN INNING
Player Game Inn. Types
Masataka Yoshida 4/23/2023 at MIL 8th Solo, GS
David Ortiz 8/12/2008 vs. TEX 1st 3-R, 3-R
Nomar Garciaparra 7/23/2002 vs. TB-G1 3rd 2-R, 2-R
Ellis Burks 8/27/1990 at CLE 4th 3-R, solo
Bill Regan 6/16/1928 at CWS 4th 2-R, solo
SLUGGING SOX: The Red Sox rank 3rd in MLB in runs scored (132)…In their last 10 games (beginning 4/14), they have averaged 6.1 runs per game with an .804 OPS. This is only the 9th time the Sox have reached 30 HR in 23 games or fewer (1st since 2002). The Sox have scored 9+ runs in a game 7 times (6-1), tied with TEX for 2nd most in MLB behind TB (8). The Sox have put 159 balls in play with 100+ MPH exit velocities, 2nd most in the AL behind TB (167).
RED SOX OFFENSIVE RANKINGS
Stat AL Rank
132 R 3rd
30 HR T-2nd
80 XBH 2nd
20.6 SO% 2nd
Stat AL Rank
.252 AVG 5th
.330 OBP 5th
.433 SLG 3rd
.763 OPS 3rd
LONG WAY TO GO: Each of the last 3 World Series Champions in 162-game seasons have been 12-11 or worse through their first 23 games: 2022 Astros (12-11), 2021 Braves (11-12), and 2019 Nationals (11-12). In all, 29 teams have lost at least 11 of their first 23 games and gone on to win the World Series, including 9 in this century…The Red Sox did so in 1903 (12-11) and 1916 (11-12).
TEAM EFFORT: Four different players have recorded a go-ahead RBI in the 8th inning or later for the Red Sox: Adam Duvall (4/1 vs. BAL), Yu Chang (4/15 vs. LAA), Alex Verdugo (4/18 vs. MIN), and Masataka Yoshida (4/23 at MIL). Rafael Devers leads the AL in HR (8), XBH (tied, 15), and total bases (tied, 54)…Alex Verdugo ranks T-2nd in the AL in hits (29) and runs (18), as well as 7th in AVG (.322) and 9th in OBP (.396).
RED SOX INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES OF LATE
Player Span (Start Date) Stats
Justin Turner Last 13 G (4/11) 1.018 OPS, 2 HR
Kiké Hernández Last 12 G (4/12) .923 OPS, 12 R
Yu Chang Last 7 G (4/15) .840 OPS, 3 HR, 8 RBI
Jarren Duran Last 7 G (4/17) .391 AVG, .994 OPS, 4 2B
Masataka Yoshida Last 4 G (4/20) .412 AVG, 2 HR, 9 RBI
OUT OF THE GATE: The Red Sox have scored in the 1st inning in 6 of their last 11 games (beginning 4/13 at TB)… They have not allowed a 1st-inning run in their last 4 games. The Sox have been out-scored in the 1st inning, 26-15… Their 9.78 ERA in the frame ranks 29th in the majors.
RUNNING RED SOX: The Red Sox are 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts…That is their longest streak of successful attempts to begin a season since 2015 (12-for-12). The only other team that has not been caught stealing this season is KC (13-for-13). The Orioles were 10-for-10 in stolen base attempts against the Sox in their opening series of 2023… Since then, opponents are 10-for-15 vs. BOS.
WHAT A RELIEF: The Red Sox rank 10th in MLB with a 3.35 bullpen ERA, after ranking 26th in 2022 (4.59). In their last 10 games, Sox relievers have posted a 2.48 ERA (11 ER/40.0 IP) with 41 SO and 12 BB.
RED SOX PITCHERS WITH A RELIEF ERA OF 2.50 OR LOWER
Pitcher Relief ERA IP ER
Kenley Jansen 0.00 7.0 0
Kutter Crawford 0.79 11.1 1
Josh Winckowski 1.65 16.1 3
John Schreiber 2.45 11.0 3
CLOSING TIME: The Red Sox have a 1.54 ERA in the 8th and 9th innings, tied with the Rays for lowest in MLB (7 ER/41.0 IP)…The Sox have out-scored opponents in those innings, 31-8. The Sox are 8-0 when leading after 6 innings. The Red Sox are 1 of 2 teams in MLB without a blown save this season (6-for-6; also MIA-5-for-5).
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
T7. Kenley Jansen .. 396
Craig Kimbrel ……..396
PINCH ME: The Red Sox have used a pinch-hitter 27 times this season, most in MLB (9-for-24, 1 BB, 2 CI). The Sox’ .375 AVG in pinch-hit situations ranks 2nd in MLB…Their 9 pinch hits are 3 more than any other team.
SOX & O’S: The Red Sox are 7-2 in their last 9 games against the Orioles, having won each of the last 3 series. The Sox went 4-5 at Camden Yards last season, winning each of the last 2 meetings (W 17-4, W 1-0).
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 41 CHRIS SALE – LHP
Is making his 100th career start with the Red Sox, the 58th pitcher to reach that mark. Allowed 1 run while striking out 11 batters over 6.0 IP on Tuesday vs. MIN (3 H, 2 BB)…Recorded each of his first 7 outs via strikeout…Was his 51st career start with at least 11 SO (last: 8/13/19 at CLE, 12 SO). Has 30 SO in 18.0 IP (15.00 SO/9.0 IP)…Has 11.11 SO/9.0 IP in his career (2,094 SO/1,696.0 IP), the highest rate in the Live Ball Era (min. 1,000 IP). In 24 career games vs. BAL (18 starts), is 10-3 with a 3.21 ERA (39 ER/109.1 IP)…In 14 career games at Camden Yards (11 starts), is 7-2 with a 2.20 ERA (17 ER/69.2 IP). In his last 4 starts at Camden Yards, has 42 SO and only 2 BB…Has thrown 5.0+ innings and allowed 3 runs or fewer in each of his last 10 starts at the venue.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES NOTES:
A WILD FINISH: Adam Frazier scampered home on a wild pitch to give the Orioles a dramatic 2-1, 10-inning victory yesterday, completing the three-game sweep of the Tigers…The O’s did not have a baserunner until Ryan Mountcastle broke up Eduardo Rodriguez’s perfect game with a two-out single in the seventh inning…Jorge Mateo scored from first base on an Anthony Santander two-out, pinch-hit double in the eighth inning to tie the game.
WHAT’S TRENDING: The O’s have won six consecutive games, eight of their last nine, and 10 of their last 12…Marks the team’s longest winning streak by the Orioles since a 10-game stretch from July 3-13, 2022…The 14-7 start to the season is tied for the third-best in team history (since 1954), done in 2017, 2005, 1997, 1994, 1985, 1970, and 1969, and trailing only 1966 (16-5) and 1968 (15-6).
Baltimore is tied for the second-best record in the AL with Texas, trailing only Tampa Bay (19-3); the O’s .667 winning percentage is tied for the fourth-best in MLB behind Tampa Bay (.864), Pittsburgh (.696), and Milwaukee (.682).
The Birds have won four straight games at Oriole Park for the first time since winning eight in a row from June 22-July 10, 2022.
The six-game winning streak is the second-longest active stretch in MLB, trailing the seven in a row the Pittsburgh has won.
MAKING THEIR PITCH: The Orioles have pitched to a 1.15 ERA (7 ER/55.0 IP) during the current six-game winning streak…Starters have thrown to a 1.25 ERA (5 ER/36.0 IP), the best in MLB during the streak, while the bullpen has a 0.95 ERA (2 ER/19.0 IP), third-best in MLB, over that period…This comes after the team had a 5.36 ERA (79 ER/132.2 IP) in the first 15 games through April 15, sixth-worst in MLB in that time.
O’s hurlers did not allow a run in 34 consecutive innings from the second inning on April 16 at Chicago-AL through the eighth inning on April 21; according to the Elias Sports Bureau, it marked the sixth-longest streak in club history (since 1954) and the longest since the O’s tossed 45 straight scoreless frames to end the 1995 campaign…According to STATS, it was the longest streak by an AL team in a single season since Baltimore’s 45-inning streak in 1995.
Baltimore starting pitchers had a scoreless innings streak of 29.2 from the second inning on April 16 through the sixth inning on April 22…Marks the longest such stretch by Orioles starters in a single season since a 42.0-straight scoreless stretch to end 1995.
THE CANO SHOW: Yennier Cano has set down the first 17 hitters he has faced to begin the season, including five on Saturday night…He is the first O’s pitcher to do so since Fred Holdsworth set the team record (since 1954) by retiring the first 24 batters he faced in the 1976 campaign from July 17-24.
HOME SWEET HOME: The O’s continue their six-game homestand tonight with the first of a three-game set against the Red Sox through Wednesday…The Orioles swept the series against the Tigers over the weekend…The O’s have gone 7-3 so far at home and their .700 home winning percentage ranks second in the AL and tied for second in MLB (see chart at right)…Baltimore went 4-3 (.571) in their season-opening homestand against the Yankees (1-2) and Athletics (3-1) from April 7-13.
AGAINST THE RED SOX: Baltimore and Boston meet for three games for the second time this season after the teams squared off at Fenway Park for the opening series of the year from March 30-April 2…After Wednesday, the O’s and Red Sox do not meet again until a three-game series September 8-10 in Boston before the teams wrap up the regular season with four games at Oriole Park from September 28-October 1. LOOKING AHEAD: Following the current homestand, the Birds embark on the longest road trip of the season with four games at Detroit from April 27-30, an off day on May 1, three games at Kansas City from May 2-4, and three games at Atlanta from May 5-7.
ON THE ATTACK: Baltimore is batting .239/.332/.409 (165-for-689) with 38 doubles, two triples, 25 home runs, 108 runs scored, 104 RBI, and 92 walks to start the season… The O’s rank fifth in the AL and tied for 10th in MLB in runs scored after finishing 10th in the AL and 20th in MLB with 674 runs scored in 2022…The Birds rank among AL teams in walks (1st, 92), on-base percentage (4th, .332), slugging percentage (4th, .409), and OPS (4th, .741).
The Orioles lead MLB with 4.11 pitches per plate appearance this season; the O’s have three players in the top six in the AL in pitches per plate appearance: Adley Rutschman (2nd, 4.40), Adam Frazier (4th, 4.35), and Anthony Santander (6th, 4.32); Gunnar Henderson (12th, 4.22) and Cedric Mullins (20th, 4.16) also rank in the top 20 in the AL.
NEED FOR SPEED: The O’s have 25 stolen bases, tied for second in MLB with the Pirates and trailing only the Guardians (28 SB) for the most in MLB this season…The 25 steals through the first 21 games of the year are the most in O’s history (since 1954) to open a campaign, though the team has not attempted a stolen base in the last four games since April 19…The O’s have only been caught stealing three times for an 89.3 percent success rate…Cedric Mullins is tied with Chicago-NL’s Nico Hoerner for second in MLB with nine stolen bases, behind only Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. with 12, while Jorge Mateo is tied for second in the AL and tied for fourth in MLB with eight steals…The duo’s 17 combined stolen bases are more than 17 MLB teams while four teams have eight-or-fewer steals to start 2023.
Mullins’ nine successful stolen bases are the most to begin a season by an Oriole since Adam Jones also swiped his first nine attempts in 2013; the last Orioles to steal 10-or-more bases successfully without being caught to begin a season are Brian Roberts and Corey Patterson, who each swiped their first 13 attempts, an O’s record, to begin 2006.
BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY: The Orioles lead MLB with 26 Net Bases Gained, per Sports Info Solutions…Net Bases Gained is an all-encompassing baserunning stat that includes stolen bases, caught stealings, taking an extra base on hits, advancing on wild pitches, passed balls, and fly balls, and not getting thrown out on the bases… The O’s have taken 33 bases on wild pitches, passed balls, balks, sacrifice flies, and defensive indifferences this season, tied for the most in MLB with the Mariners, Rangers, and Red Sox.
STARTING PITCHER – #64 DEAN KREMER RHP
QUICK HITS: Scheduled to make his fi fth start of the season, third at home, and second against the Red Sox this season tonight…Made a career-high 22 appearances (21 GS) in 2022, 11 appearances at home (10 GS), and 11 on the road… Owned an 8-7 record with a 3.23 ERA (45 ER/125.1 IP) and 87 strikeouts…Made six starts of 5.0-or-more scoreless innings, tied for seventh-most in the AL… Acquired by the Orioles along with 2B Breyvic Valera, RF Yusniel Díaz, RHP Zach Pop and 3B Rylan Bannon in exchange for SS Manny Machado on July 18, 2018… Originally selected by the Dodgers in the 14th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of UNLV.
LAST TIME OUT: Earned his first win of the season on April 18 at Washington, allowing four hits with six strikeouts and a hit batter in a season-high 6.2 innings; left with a runner on first base…Also marked his first quality start of the season… Issued no walks in a start for the first time since August 27, 2022 at Houston…Went 10 games (9 GS) between no-walk outings…Threw a season-high 95 pitches, 66 season-high strikes.
AGAINST BOSTON: Making his seventh career start against the Red Sox…Owns an 0-4 record with a 7.76 ERA (23 ER/26.2 IP) through his first six career outings against Boston…Made his 2023 debut on April 1 at Fenway Park; did not factor into the decision after allowing fi ve runs on six hits (2 HR) with one walk and three punchouts in 3.0 innings at Boston…Has pitched to a 3.48 ERA (4 ER/10.1 IP) in two career home starts against the Red Sox.
AGAINST THE AL EAST: Making his 25th career appearance (24th start) against the AL East…Sports a 2-11 record with a 5.91 ERA (74 ER/112.2 IP) through his first 24 appearances against divisional foes…Appeared in 10 games (9 GS) against the division in 2022, going 1-5 with a 3.90 ERA (24 ER/55.1 IP) with three quality starts… Did not factor into the decision in his last start against the AL East on April 7 vs. New York-AL.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS: Went 3-4 with a 2.95 ERA (19 ER/58.0 IP) in 10 games (9 GS) with 46 strikeouts to 14 walks at Oriole Park in 2022…The Orioles owned a 6-4 record in those games…Allowed three earned runs-or-fewer in eight of his 10 home starts…Opposing batters slashed .236/.288/.311 (50-for-212) with just four home runs against Kremer at OPACY in 2022…Owns a 4-7 record with a 4.57 ERA (55 ER/108.2 IP) with seven quality starts in 21 career appearances (20 GS) at Oriole Park.
‘KREM’ OF THE CROP: Had his career-high scoreless streak snapped at 22.2 innings on July 4 vs. Texas…Marks the longest scoreless streak by an Orioles starter since Mike Mussina pitched 27.0 scoreless innings from September 21, 1995 to April 2, 1996…The last Orioles pitcher with a scoreless streak of at least 22.2 innings was Steve Johnson, who tossed 25.1 scoreless frames across eight games (three starts) from August 25 to September 29, 2012.
