BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox have won each of their last 3 games, sweeping the Tigers in a 3-game series at DET after being swept in a 3-game home series vs. PIT. BOS outscored DET over the 3-game series, 24-9. The Sox are 2-1-0 in their first 3 series of 2023. Boston won yesterday’s series finale at DET, 4-1… Kutter Crawford earned the win (5.0 IP, 5 H, R, 6 SO). Triston Casas (2-for-4, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) hit an RBI double and a solo HR.
LEADERS OF THE PACK: The Red Sox rank 2nd in the AL and 3rd in MLB in runs scored (59), trailing only TB (75) and LAD (60)…They rank 3rd in SLG (.473), 4th in OPS (.814), and T-5th in HR (15). Red Sox hitters have struck out in just 17.4% of their plate appearances (62 SO/356 PA), the 2ndbest SO% in MLB (TB-16.5%). The Sox also rank in the AL’s top 5 in various offensive categories (see below).
RED SOX OFFENSIVE RANKINGS
Stat AL Rank
59 R……………………….. 2nd
35 XBH…………………… 2nd
15 HR …………………… T-3rd
148 total bases…………. 4th
Stat AL Rank
.259 AVG…………………….. 4th
.473 SLG ……………………. 2nd
.814 OPS ……………………. 2nd
17.4 SO%…………………… 2nd
HOT START: The Red Sox have scored 59 runs through their first 9 games for the 8th time in club history and the 5th time in the last 80 seasons (also 2003, 1994-95, and ‘78). The Sox’ 15 home runs are 1 behind their most through a season’s first 9 games (16 HR in 2002 and 1973). Boston’s offense has averaged 6.6 runs/game (59 R), 9.0 hits/game (81 H), and 6.9 strikeouts/game (62 SO).
INNINGS OF INTEREST: The Red Sox have scored in either the 1st or 2nd inning in 7 of their 9 games. They have scored 8 runs in the 1st inning, 2nd most among AL teams and tied for 5th most in MLB. They have scored 9 runs in the 2nd inning, tied with TB for most in the AL and 2nd in MLB. The Red Sox have outscored opponents in the 8th and 9th innings, 11-3. They Sox have scored 4+ runs in 4 innings this season, trailing only TB (5) for most such innings in MLB.
WHAT A RELIEF: Over the last 6 games (since 4/3), Red Sox relievers have posted a 2.16 ERA (6 ER/25.0 IP). Dating back to the 7th inning on Opening Day vs. BAL, 31 of the 37 innings started by Red Sox relievers have been scoreless. 5 of the 8 relief pitchers the Red Sox have used this season have allowed 1 or 0 earned runs (see below).
RED SOX RELIEVERS TO ALLOW 1 OR 0 RUNS
Pitcher IP R
Chris Martin 5.0 0
Kenley Jansen 3.0 0
Josh Winckowski 7.0 1
Zack Kelly 6.2 1
John Schreiber 5.0 1
ON THE MEND: James Paxton yesterday made a rehab start for Triple-A Worcester in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Buffalo…He struck out 3 batters over 3.0 scoreless innings (2 H, 2 BB, 58 pitches, 34 strikes). rayan Bello is scheduled to make a rehab start for Worcester tomorrow vs. Columbus…He threw 72 pitches over 5.0 innings in an intra-squad game at Fenway South on 4/5. Garrett Whitlock made a rehab start for Double-A Portland vs. Binghamton on 4/6 (6.0 IP, H, R, BB, 8 SO)…He also started for Triple-A Worcester on 3/31 (4.0 IP, 6 H, R, BB, 6 SO).
SOX & RAYS: Tonight marks the 1st of 11 scheduled meetings between the Red Sox and Rays in 2023. The Rays will visit Fenway Park for 4 games in 3 days from 7/2-4…The Sox will return to Tropicana Field for 3 games from 9/4-6. The Red Sox went 7-12 vs. TB in 2022, including 1-9 at Tropicana Field…They swept TB at Fenway Park over the final 3 games of 2022, from 10/3-5.
ROAD TRIPPING: The Red Sox are undefeated so far on their 7-game road trip to DET (3-0) and TB (4 games). The Red Sox are currently in a stretch of 19 games in 19 days, from 4/8-4/26 (3-0 so far).
DUV-ALL ABOUT IT: Adam Duvall leads qualified players in SLG (1.030), OPS (1.544), RBI (tied, 14), XBH (10) and total bases (tied, 34).
ADAM DUVALL’S OFFENSIVE RANKINGS
Stat AL/MLB Rank
14 RBI…………T-1st/T-1st
11 R…………………. 2nd/2nd
4 HR ………………T-1st/T-3rd
10 XBH …………… 1st/1st
Stat AL/MLB Rank
.455 AVG………………. 2nd/3rd
.514 OBP………….. T-3rd/T-6th
1.030 SLG………….. 1st/1st
1.544 OPS………….. 1st/1st
FOREVER AND DEVERS: Rafael Devers ranks T-3rd in MLB in HR (4), T-4th in hard-hit balls (95+ MPH, 18), T-5th in total bases (28), T-6th in XBH (7). Devers and Adam Duvall are tied with Wander Franco, Aaron Judge, and Luis Robert Jr. for the AL lead in home runs (4; T-3rd in MLB).
MACHO MAN: Masataka Yoshida has hit from the 4th spot in the lineup in each of his 8 career games…He is the first player since Jack Hoey in 1906 to bat 4th for the Red Sox in each of his first 8 MLB games. Prior to Yoshida, the last players bat 4th in each of their first 8 MLB games were Kris Bryant (2015 with CHC) and Tim Salmon (1992 with CAL).
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 37 NICK PIVETTA – RHP
Allowed 3 runs (1 ER) over 5.0 IP last Tuesday vs. PIT (3 H, 3 BB, 6 SO, 2 HR)…Held the Pirates to 1-for-9 (BB) over his last 10 batters faced.
Owns a 3.38 ERA (8 ER/ 21.1 IP) in 4 career starts at Tropicana Field…Allowed 1 run on 2 hits over 5.0 IP in his last start at the venue, on 9/7/22 (3 BB, 3 SO).
In 2022, set career highs in wins (10), starts (33), and innings pitched (179.2)…Led the Red Sox in each category, as well as in strikeouts (175).
Tied for the MLB lead in starts (33)…Ranked among AL leaders in innings (13th), strikeouts (14th), complete games (T-3rd, 1), and fWAR (17th, 1.5).
Made 30+ starts for the 3rd time in his career and 2nd consecutive season (also 32 in 2018, 30 in ‘21).
TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:
HOW SWEEP IT IS — The Rays recorded their second consecutive 11-0 shutout win over Oakland on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field to cap off a three-game series sweep of the Athletics…2B Brandon Lowe (2-for-4, 2R, BB, HR, 5RBI) belted his third career grand slam in the fourth inning while SS Wander Franco (1-for-4, R, HR, RBI) and DH Harold Ramírez (3-for-5, 3R, BB, 2B, HR, 2RBI) also produced homers for Tampa Bay…Rays starter RHP Drew Rasmussen (7.0IP, H, 0R, 8SO) sat down 21 of the 22 Oakland hitters he faced to claim his second consecutive win.
The Rays have recorded back-to-back shutout wins by 11+ runs for the first time in club history…Tampa Bay is just the fourth team in MLB history to accomplish the feat, joining the 2019 Baltimore Orioles (2G, 6/28-29, 2019), 1936 Detroit Tigers (2G, 9/22, 1936) and 1885 New York Giants (3G, 5/25-28, 1885) (Sarah Langs, MLB.com).
Overall, Rays pitching has turned in consecutive shutouts within a single season for the first time since 8/28-29, 2020…Tampa Bay has never strung together three straight shutout victories.
ON CLOUD NINE—The Rays are the first club to open a season with nine consecutive wins since the 2003 Kansas City Royals started 9-0…since 1901, Tampa Bay is the 13th team to start 9-0 or better — the last club to open a season with a 10-game win streak was the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers, who started an MLB-record-tying (since 1901) 13-0.
Tampa Bay’s nine-game win streak is its longest since an 11-game run from 5/13- 24, 2021.
The Rays’ six-game win streak at Tropicana Field is their longest to open a home slate in club history, surpassing three-game runs by the 2002, 2012 and 2022 clubs.
The club’s three-game road win streak is its longest to begin a season since a seven-game road streak to kick off the 2010 season.
NEVER IN DOUBT — Per STATS LLC, the Rays are the first major league team to win each of their first nine games of a season by 4+ runs since the 1884 St. Louis Maroons (13G)… no other clubs in MLB history have begun a season with a streak of more than four such wins…the last team to win nine consecutive games by 4+ runs at any point in a season was the 1939 New York Yankees (10G, 8/20-28, 1939).
The Rays have yielded only 18 runs, fewest through nine games in club history, ahead of the 2019 squad (19 runs)…marks the fewest runs allowed through nine games by any club since the 2013 Atlanta Braves (also 18 runs)…the Rays record for fewest runs allowed through 10 games is 19, also done in 2019.
Tampa Bay’s 75 runs scored are its most ever through nine games, ahead of the 2009 Rays (46 runs)…marks the most runs scored by an MLB team through nine games since the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals (also 75 runs)…prior to this season, the fastest the Rays have reached 75 runs in a season was 14 games (2006 & 2007).
BLAST OFF — The Rays have hit a major league-best 24 homers, ahead of Los Angeles-NL (18HR)…marks the second most long balls through nine games in MLB history, trailing only the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals (25HR)…the Rays have hit six more home runs than their total number of runs allowed (18 runs).
The Rays would need four home runs tonight to match the current MLB mark for most homers through 10 games, also done by the 2000 Cardinals (28HR)… Tampa Bay has already registered a pair of 4+ homer games (4/4 at WSH, 4/7 vs. OAK) after recording only one such contest in 2022 (6/21/22 vs. NYY).
NO FLY ZONE — Rays pitchers have allowed just four home runs across 81.0 innings, good for an MLB-best 0.44 HR/9.0IP…marks the second-fewest homers allowed through nine games in club history, behind the 1998 Rays (3HR)…the fewest home runs allowed through the first 10 games of a season in franchise history is four, also accomplished in 1998.
Overall, Tampa Bay’s pitching staff has produced an MLB-leading 1.89 ERA, including the best starter ERA (1.90) and second-best bullpen ERA (1.86) behind only Milwaukee (0.84).
BOSOX IN THE BAY — The Rays open the 13-game season series against Boston tonight at Tropicana Field…in 2022, Tampa Bay won the season series for the fourth consecutive year, winning 12 of 19 matchups…since 2019, the Rays are 42-25 (.627) against the Red Sox, their second most wins against any opponent in that span behind only Baltimore (46-21).
Tampa Bay has won nine straight home games over Boston, the longest streak in club history, ahead of a pair of seven-game runs (last: 6/23-8/31, 2021).
Despite the recent run of success, Tampa Bay is looking to snap a three-game losing streak to Boston dating back to 10/3/22…the Rays have not dropped four straight games to the Red Sox since a five-game skid from 9/13/20-6/22/21.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS — Wander Franco has hit safely in 17 straight home games dating back to 6/29/22, tying the sixth-longest home hit streak in Rays history… marks the longest such streak since Wilson Ramos produced a 20-game run from 4/14- 6/12, 2018…Franco is slashing .375/.423/.641 (24-for-64) with eight doubles, 3 HR and 11 RBI during the streak.
Franco’s streak ties the eighth-longest in Tropicana Field history…Johnny Damon holds the current record, a 25-game run from 5/13/1998-9/9/2002.
A STREAK OF MY OWN — Randy Arozarena owns a 10-game hit streak dating back to 10/5/22, tied with St. Louis’ Nolan Arenado for the fourth-longest active stretch in the majors…Arozarena has produced a .387/.477/.622 (14-for-37) clip with three doubles, 2 HR and 11 RBI during his current run.
Marks the third-longest hit streak of Arozarena’s career, trailing 11-game (8/2-19, 2021) and 12-game (6/3-17, 2021) runs…he has also hit safely in 11 straight home games since 9/21/22, batting .419 (16-for-38) with 17 RBI in those contests.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: LHP JOSH FLEMING (0-0, 15.00)
SINK OR SWIM — Last season, Fleming used his sinker for 54.7 percent of his pitches…his ground ball rate of 63.8 percent ranked eighth in the
majors among pitchers with at least 35 innings.
In 2021, he used his sinker for 45.7 percent of his pitches…his ground ball rate of 55.7 percent ranked third in the AL behind Houston’s Framber Valdez (70.3%) and Houston’s Lance McCullers Jr. (56.9%) (min. 75.0IP).
RAMPING UP — In six Grapefruit League outings, Fleming pitched to a 4.91 ERA (14.2IP, 8ER) while holding opponents to a .214 average (12-for-56)…after allowing six runs on 2/25 at Minnesota, Fleming pitched to a 1.32 ERA (13.2IP, 2ER) while holding opponents to a .125 average (6-for-48) over his remaining five appearances.
LAST TIME OUT — Fleming did not factor into the decision on 4/4 at WSH after throwing 3.0 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits and a walk with two strikeouts.
His 10 hits allowed were tied for the second most of his career (also, 10H on 6/4/21 at TEX) and one shy of matching his career high (11H on 8/11/21 at BOS).
SEEING RED — Fleming is 1-3 with a 9.59 ERA (25.1IP, 27ER) in six career appearances (4 starts) vs. the Red Sox…in his last start against Boston on 10/5/22, he took the loss after allowing four runs on eight hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
Red Sox hitters have batted .398 (47-for-118) off Fleming in his career, including a 10-hit, 11-run output on 8/11/21 at Fenway Park…the 10 hits and 11 runs both mark single-game career highs for Fleming.
FAMILIAR FOE — In 17 career appearances (5 starts) against AL East opponents, Fleming is 6-5 with a 5.95 ERA (65.0IP, 43ER)…he has pitched to a 8.87 ERA (22.1IP, 22ER) as a starter, compared to a 4.43 ERA (42.2IP, 21ER) as a reliever.
TAKING A LOOK BACK — In 2021, Fleming tied Shane McClanahan for the team lead with 10 wins and tied for second among major league rookies behind Houston’s Luis Garcia (11)…on 6/13/21 vs. Baltimore, Fleming became the fifth pitcher in club history to make a hitless relief appearance of four innings or more and the first since Álex Torres on 5/18/13 at Baltimore.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW — Fleming was selected from the alternate training site on 8/23/20 and made his major league debut that night…he earned the win over Toronto after throwing 5.0 innings of two run ball, allowing four hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Ê Fleming became the third Rays pitcher to start and win each of his first three major league appearances, joining Jake Faria in 2017 and Jeremy Hellickson 2010.
From 8/23/20 through season’s end, his five wins tied Tyler Glasnow and Seattle’s Marco Gonzales for the major league lead.
He became the second Rays rookie to finish a season with five wins or more and no losses, joining Jalen Beeks (5-0) in 2018.
MVP HONORS — In 2019, Fleming was named Most Valuable Player for Double-A Montgomery by the Rays baseball operations department.
His 11 wins for Montgomery tied for the Southern League lead while his 3.31 ERA (127.2IP, 47ER) ranked fifth.
Fleming earned SL Pitcher of the Week honors for 7/22-28, 2019 after tossing back-to-back nine-inning complete games.
Earned a mid-August promotion to Triple-A Durham and combined to go 12-7 with a 3.57 ERA (148.2IP, 59ER) between the two levels during the 2019 campaign.
