BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox are on a 5-game winning streak, tied with BAL for the longest active streak in MLB. The Sox have won 8 of their last 9 games. They own the MLB’s best record since June 30 (8-1) and the AL’s best since June 14 (15-8)…At 48-43 (.527), Boston entered today with MLB’s 15th-best record.
WHERE WE LEFT OFF: The Red Sox defeated the A’s on Sunday, 4-3, to complete a 3-game sweep and extend their winning streak to 5 games. The Sox trailed after 5 innings, 3-1, earning their 27th come-from-behind win of the season. In the 6th inning, Adam Duvall hit a solo HR to cut the deficit to 3-2…Masataka Yoshida singled, stole 2nd base, then scored the tying run on Christian Arroyo’s RBI double. Yoshida hit a solo HR in the 8th to give BOS a 4-3 lead. Joely Rodriguez (1.0 IP, 2 SO), Chris Martin (1.0 IP, 2 H) and Kenley Jansen (1.0 IP, BB, SO) held OAK scoreless over the final 3.0 innings…Jansen earned his 19th save.
SERIES BUSINESS: The Red Sox swept the A’s at Fenway Park from Friday-Sunday, completing their 5th sweep (also 4/6-9 at DET, 5/1-4 vs. TOR, 6/16-18 vs. NYY, 6/20- 7/2 at TOR). Boston has won each of its last 3 series (at TOR, vs. TEX, vs. OAK) and is 5-3-1 over the its 9, beginning 6/9. The Sox have alternated series results on the road (W, L, W, L, W, T, W, L, W, L, W, T, L, W): 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, 1-2 at CWS, 3-0 at TOR.
HANG TEN: Boston recorded 7 hits on Sunday vs. OAK, snapping a streak of 7 straight games with 10+ hits…It was the Sox’ longest streak since 2019 (7 games, 7/25-8/1). They are the only team this season to record 10+ hits in as many as 7 consecutive games. Boston has recorded 10+ hits in 39 games this season, tied with ATL for 2nd most in MLB (TEX-49). The Sox are 38-10 (.795) when they record 10+ hits.
I GOT FIVE ON IT: The Sox have scored 5 or more runs in 6 of their last 9 games (54 total runs), following a season-long streak of 8 straight games with 4 runs or fewer (15 runs). Boston is 38-6 (.864) when scoring 5+ runs, the 2nd-best record in the AL (4th in MLB).
OUT OF THE BREAK: In each of the last seven 162-game seasons (2016-19, ‘21-23), the Red Sox have finished the 1st half with a record above .500…The only teams with longer active streaks are LAD (9 seasons) and HOU (8). The 2021 World Series Champion Atlanta Braves were 44-45 in their 1st half, and the 2019 World Series Champion Washington Nationals were 47-42.
SLUGGING SOX: In 8 July games, the Red Sox lead MLB in AVG (.319), OBP (.378), and OPS (.871)…They lead the AL with a .493 SLG this month (90-for-282, 24 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 23 BB). The Sox have hit 2 HR in each of their last 2 games since snapping a season-long 4-game homerless streak.
RED SOX OFFENSE BY DATE
Dates Record AVG OPS Runs/G
3/30-5/6 21-14 .273 .800 5.9
5/7-6/13 12-21 .243 .704 3.8
6/14-pres. 15-8 .279 .779 5.2
RISPY BUSINESS: The Red Sox have gone 25-for-65 (.385) with runners in scoring position over their last 6 games. Overall with RISP, BOS ranks 2nd in MLB in OBP (.361), 3rd in AVG (.283), and 5th in SO% (19.3).
RUNNIN’ RED SOX: The Red Sox rank 3rd in the AL and 7th in MLB in SB% (82.4%, 61-for-74)…In 2022, they ranked 22nd in MLB with a 72.2 SB% (52-for-72).
PITCHING IN: In their last 10 games, Red Sox pitchers have posted a 3.10 ERA (31 ER/90.0 IP)…During that span, Red Sox starting pitchers (including openers) are 4-1 with a 2.53 ERA and .221 opponent AVG (12 ER/42.2 IP, 34-for-154).
SOX & CUBS: The Sox are 8-10 against the Cubs since the start of Interleague play (1997), including 4-5 at Wrigley Field. The Sox visited Wrigley Field for a 3-game series from 7/1-3/22 and lost 2 of the 3 games.
CENTRAL SCARIES: The Red Sox are 1-3-0 in series against NL Central opponents this season (3-9 in games). They beat the 2nd-place Brewers in a 3-game series in Milwaukee from 4/21-23 (2-1), but have lost their 3 home series against the 1st-place Reds (1-2), 4th-place Pirates (0-3), and 5th-place Cardinals (0-3).
IT’S GO TIME: The Red Sox are 3-0 so far in their stretch of 12-straight games against teams that currently own a sub- .500 record (3-game series vs. OAK, at CHC, at OAK, vs. NYM). 7 of their 11 series from 7/7-8/17 are against teams that entered today with record of .500 or lower.
A LOOK AHEAD: The Red Sox, in conjunction with MLB, announced their 2024 regular season schedule yesterday. Boston will open next season with a 10-game, 11-day west coast road trip to SEA (4 games), OAK (3), and LAA (3)…Their 1st game is scheduled for 3/28/24 at SEA. The Sox’ home opener is scheduled for 4/9/24 vs. BAL…Their opening homestand continues with a 3-game series vs. LAA and a 4-game series vs. CLE which begins on Patriots Day, 4/15/24.
WORLDWIDE SOX: As part of MLB’s World Tour, the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays will play a pair of Spring Training contests at Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from 3/9-10/24.
DRAFT DAY: The 2023 MLB First-Year Player Draft was held from Sunday-Tuesday…Boston made 22 selections over the 3 days: 8 RHP, 5 INF, 4 LHP, 4 OF, and 1 C. With their 1st-round pick (14th overall), the Red Sox selected C Kyle Teel out of the University of Virginia… The 2023 ACC Player of the Year and consensus First Team All-American was ranked by MLB.com as the No. 7 prospect available in this year’s draft.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 66 BRAYAN BELLO – RHP
W-L ERA G GS IP ER HR BB SO WHIP AVG
2023 6-5 3.04 14 14 80.0 27 8 22 70 1.19 .239
CAREER 8-13 3.74 27 25 137.1 57 9 49 125 1.43 .272
Is making his 1st career start against the Cubs. Is 3-1 with a 1.82 ERA, .185 opponent AVG, and 0.87 WHIP in his last 5 starts (34.2 IP, 7 R, 23-for-124, 7 BB, 24 SO, HB)….The Sox are 9-5 in his starts this season. Has made 5 consecutive starts with more than 6.0 IP and 2 R or fewer allowed…Is the 1st Red Sox pitcher to do so prior to turning 25 years old since Roger Clemens in 1986 (6 straight from 5/25-6/21/86). Has tossed 6.0+ innings in each of his last 6 starts (7.0+ in 4 of his last 5). Has a 2.35 ERA (19 ER/72.2 IP) and 1.09 WHIP in his last 12 starts, beginning on 4/29. In his MLB career, opponents are 22-for-132 (.091) with 0 HR against his changeup (13-for-75 with 30 SO in 2023).
CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
Cubs vs. Red Sox
The Cubs and Red Sox meet at Wrigley Field for the second-straight season as the Cubs took two of three from Boston here last July 1-3 … the teams last met at Fenway Park in 2017, with Boston taking two of three from Chicago April 28-30 … the clubs have played series at the Friendly Confines in 2005, 2012 and 2022.
SINCE WE LAST SAW YOU…: The Chicago Cubs tonight emerge from the All-Star break and open the season’s “second half” with the first of three games against the Boston Red Sox to open a 10-game homestand that continues with three games against the Nationals (starting Monday) and four games against the Cardinals (beginning Thursday).
The Cubs finished the “first half” last Sunday with a 7-4 come-from-behind victory in a rubber match against the Yankees in New York, erasing a 4-1 deficit with a three-run seventh, a two-run eighth and one run in the ninth … that put a bow on a 4-3 road trip through Milwaukee (2-2) and New York (2-1).
Chicago finished the “first half” with a 42-47 record … the team was 35-57 in the “first half” of 2022.
The Cubs are 5-9 in their last 14 games since June 25 following a stretch in which it went 11-2 in 13 contests from June 9-24.
The Cubs are the only N.L. Central Division club with a positive run differential (+26) … Pittsburgh is at -46, St. Louis -33, Milwaukee -13 and Cincinnati -9.
I GOT A FEVER, AND THE ONLY PRESCRIPTION IS MORE HENDRICKS: Kyle Hendricks tonight toes the rubber after starting last Sunday’s game heading into the All-Star break … Hendricks becomes the first Cub to start consecutive team games since Carlos Zambrano did so during the 2007 season … he started July 8 in Pittsburgh (3 ER/7.0 IP) to head into the All-Star break then started the team’s first game back July 13 vs. Houston (0 ER/6.2 IP).
Hendricks is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA (11 ER/38.0 IP) in his last six starts since June 10, having walked five and striking out 20 to go along with a 0.87 WHIP.
Since making his big league debut in 2014, Hendricks has a 3.35 interleague ERA (77 ER/207.0 IP) in 36 starts … that’s the sixth-lowest interleague ERA in that span (min. 35 GS).
TOP TIER: The Cubs return from the All-Star break with two pitchers in the top-five of N.L. ERA qualifiers for the first time since 1963 … Justin Steele’s 2.56 ERA ranks second in the N.L. while Marcus Stroman’s 2.96 ERA ranks fourth … in 1963, Dick Ellsworth’s 2.02 ERA ranked fourth and Larry Jackson’s 2.07 ERA ranked fifth … thanks to Elias.
BELLY AT BAT: Cody Bellinger in 21 games since being reinstated from the injured list on June 15 (left knee contusion) has batted .351 (26-for-74) with 15 runs, four doubles, two home runs, nine RBI and an .876 OPS.
Bellinger enjoyed a career-high 13-game hitting streak from June 24-July 7, a stretch in which he hit .479 (23-for-48) with three doubles, two homers, seven RBI and a 1.167 OPS.
Bellinger owns a .436 average since June 24, the top mark in the majors in that span.
PESKY AT THE PLATE: Cubs batters are averaging 4.07 pitches per plate appearance, the highest rate in the majors ahead of Milwaukee (4.02) and Seattle (3.98) … can Happ’s 4.36 pitches per plate appearance are second-most in the majors behind San Diego’s Ha-Seong Kim (4.42).
Nico Hoerner’s 11.9% swing-and-miss rate is the third-lowest in the majors among qualified hitters behind only the Marlins’ Luis Arraez (7.6%) and Cleveland’s Steven Kwan (11.6%).
PITCHING IN: Jameson Taillon last Friday night became the fourth Cub this season to pitch at least 7.2 shutout innings with one hit allowed, joining Drew Smyly (April 21 vs. LAD), Marcus Stroman (May 29 vs. TB) and Kyle Hendricks (June 10 at SF) … just two others in the majors have turned that trick: the White Sox Michael Kopech (May 19 vs. KC) and the Yankees Domingo Germán (perfect game, June 28 at OAK).
In just one other season since 1901 has Chicago recorded four outings of at least 7.2 innings with one or no hits allowed … that would be in 1972 when Burt Hooton (no-hitter), Fergie Jenkins, Bill Hands and Milt Pappas (no-hitter) did so.
STARTING STUFF: Cubs starting pitchers have posted a 4.02 ERA (213 ER/476.1 IP) this season, the fourth-best mark among N.L. starting rotations and 10th-best in the majors … the rotation’s 57 home runs allowed are sixth-fewest in the majors, while their 1.22 WHIP is seventh.
Chicago has 40 quality starts, second-most in the N.L. (San Diego, 42) and seventh in baseball.
INTERLEAGUE INTERLUDE: Chicago is 15-15 in interleague play thus far, including 5-4 in its last nine games dating to June 16 … Chicago is 6-3 against the A.L. East including 2-1 series wins vs. Tampa Bay (May 29-31), vs. Baltimore (June 16-18) and vs. New York (July 7-9).
Mike Tauchman has reached safely in each of his last 12 interleague contests dating to May 30 of this season.
WHAT A RELIEF!: The Cubs bullpen has a 2.06 ERA (19 ER/83.0 IP) in the team’s last 24 games since June 13, the second-lowest mark in the majors in that span behind Philadelphia (1.96).
Julian Merryweather since April 17 has pitched to a 1.69 ERA (6 ER/32.0 IP) with two wins and allowed 25 hits and 19 walks with 46 strikeouts in 33 appearances.
Michael Fulmer in 17 games since May 28 has pitched to a 0.93 ERA (2 ER/19.1 IP) with eight walks and 17 strikeouts.
Adbert Alzolay has posted a 1.82 ERA (5 ER/24.2 IP) in his last 21 games since May 6, walking three, striking out 25 and posting a 0.89 WHIP.
Starting Pitcher – #28 RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-3, 3.04)
Last Time Out
Kyle received his second-straight no-decision July 9 in New York … allowed two home runs in an outing for the first time since June 19, 2022 vs. Atlanta … his 10 hits allowed were his most since surrendering 11 Aug. 12, 2021 vs. Milwaukee.
Date Opp. Result IP H R ER BB SO PC-S Left
7/9 @NYY ND, 7-4 5.2 10 4 4 0 5 100-70 1-4
2023 Splits and Season Notes
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
Home 1-2 3.80 4 4 21.1 23 11 9 5 13
Road 2-1 2.53 5 5 32.0 22 13 9 5 19
AVG vs. LHB: .194 (21-for-108) / AVG vs. RHB: .255 (24-for-94)
Kyle will make his 10th start of the 2023 campaign, his fifth at Wrigley Field … after starting the Cubs final game prior to the All-Star Break on July 9, will become the first Cub to start consecutive team games in the same season since Carlos Zambrano did so July 8 and 13, 2007 … is 3-1 with a 2.61 ERA (11 ER/38.0 IP) in his last six starts dating to June 10 … owns a career 3.35 interleague ERA (77 ER/207.0 IP) in 36 starts, the sixth-lowest interleague ERA in the majors during that span (min. 35 GS) … has held opponents to a .151 average (16-for-106) with 25 strikeouts against his changeup.
Posted a 1.95 ERA (7 ER/32.1 IP) in five starts from June 10-July 4, allowing three runs or fewer in all five outings … his 1.95 ERA was the fourth-lowest in the majors during that span (min. 5 GS).
June 10 in San Francisco, carried a no-hit bid into the eighth … the 7.2 inning nohit bid was the second-longest of his career (Sept. 12, 2016 at St. Louis, 8.0 IP).
Became the 12th pitcher in Cubs history to pitch for the Cubs in at least 10 season (last Kerry Wood).
Made his season debut May 25 vs. Mets (3 ER/4.1 IP), his first major league start since July 5, 2022.
Made five rehab starts with Triple-A Iowa, going 2-1 with a 5.75 ERA (13 ER/20.1 IP) … allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last three rehab starts, posting a 1.69 ERA (3 ER/16.0 IP) during those outings.
Began the season on the 15-day injured list, as he rehabbed from a capsular tear in his right shoulder that he suffered in July 2022.
