BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox own MLB’s best record since June 30 (10-2) and the AL’s best since June 14 (17-9). The Sox have won 7 of their last 8 games, including a 6-game winning streak from 7/5-14. at 50-44 (.532), Boston entered today tied with NYY and CIN for MLB’s 13th-best record.
SERIES BUSINESS: The Red Sox have won 4 consecutive series (at TOR, vs. TEX, vs. OAK, at CHC), improving to 17-11-2 in series play (home: 9-6-0, road: 8-5-2). They are 6-3-1 in their last 10 series, beginning 6/9. Boston has won back-to-back road series for the 1st time this season, after alternating results in their first 14 road series (W, L, W, L, W, T, W, L, W, L, W, T, L, W). The Sox are 17-13 in series openers, going 13-3-1 in series when they win Game 1.
ABOUT YESTERDAY: The Red Sox defeated the Chicago Cubs yesterday at Wrigley Field, 11-5. Masataka Yoshida went 3-for-5 with 6 RBI, including his 2nd career grand slam…Rafael Devers (2-for-4) hit a solo HR in the 1st inning, his 3rd HR during the 3-game series at CHC…Triston Casas hit a 2-run pinch-hit HR in the 8th inning, his 3rd-straight game with a homer. Kutter Crawford earned the win, allowing 1 hit over 6.0 scoreless innings with a career-high 9 SO (4 BB, HB). Boston improved to 8-3 in rubber games.
IT’S GO TIME: The Red Sox are 5-1 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). 8 of their 11 series from 7/7-8/17 are against teams that entered today with record of .500 or lower.
SOX & A’S: 6 of the Red Sox’ 9 games from 7/7-19 are against the A’s…Boston swept OAK in a 3-game series at Fenway Park before the All-Star Break (7/7-9). The Sox have won 9 of their last 10 games vs. OAK (beginning 7/4/21), outscoring the A’s 61-19 in that span.
BEST WESTERN: The Red Sox are 10-6 against AL West teams this season and 35-14 since the beginning of 2022, the best record of any AL team over the last 2 seasons. The Sox have won their 4 home series against AL West teams and lost their only road series (3-1 vs. LAA, 2-1 vs. SEA, 0-3 at LAA, 2-1 vs. TEX, 3-0 vs. OAK).
ON THE MEND: Pablo Reyes and John Schreiber are on rehab assignments with Boston’s minor league affiliates. Reyes has played in 7 games for Triple-A Worcester (4 games) and Double-A Portland (3), making 3 starts at 2B, 2 at DH, 1 at SS, and 1 in CF (8-for-25, 3 HR, 7 RBI). Schreiber has made 4 appearances for the WooSox (3.2 IP, 2 H, R, BB, 3 SO)…He allowed 1 run (solo HR) over an inning of relief yesterday at Jacksonville.
A LOOK AHEAD: The Red Sox, in conjunction with MLB, announced their 2024 regular season schedule on 7/12. 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.
SLUGGING SOX: In 11 July games, the Red Sox lead MLB in AVG (.313), SLG (.539), and OPS (.905), and rank 2nd in OBP (.366; 123-for-393, 32 2B, 3 3B, 17 HR, 30 BB).
The Sox have hit 14 HR in their last 5 games…Since 6/30, they lead the AL and rank 4th in MLB with 20 HR. Red Sox players rank 1-3 in the AL in AVG since 6/30 (min. 30 PA): Masataka Yoshida (1st, .465), Jarren Duran (2nd, .459), and Justin Turner (3rd, .422). Overall, Yoshida ranks 2nd in the AL in AVG (.317), 4th in OBP (.381) and OPS (.883), and 8th in SLG (.502).
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. 17-9 .281 .804 5.5
I GOT FIVE ON IT: The Sox have scored 5 or more runs in 8 of their last 12 games (77 total runs, 6.4 runs/game). Boston is 40-6 (.870) when scoring 5+ runs, the 3rd-best record in MLB (MIN: 33-4; ATL: 48-6).
HANG TEN: Boston has recorded 10+ hits in 9 of their last 10 games, including 7-straight games from 7/1-7/8…They’re the only team in MLB this season with 7-straight 10-hit games. Boston has recorded 10+ hits in 41 games, 2nd most in MLB behind TEX (50). The Sox are 33-8 (.805) when they record 10+ hits.
RISPY BUSINESS: The Red Sox went 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position yesterday, after going 1-for-16 (.063) with RISP in their previous 2 games. Overall with RISP, BOS ranks 3rd in MLB in AVG (.283), and OBP (.358), and 5th in SO% (19.4).
RUNNIN’ RED SOX: The Red Sox rank 3rd in the AL and 8th in MLB in SB% (81.6%, 62-for-76)…In 2022, they ranked 22nd in MLB with a 72.2 SB% (52-for-72).
PITCHING IN: In their last 13 games, Red Sox pitchers have posted a 3.80 ERA (49 ER/116.0 IP)…During that span, Red Sox starting pitchers (including openers) are 6-2 with a 3.28 ERA and .221 opponent AVG (21 ER/57.2 IP, 46-for-208).
BRIGHT LIGHTS: 2023 All-Star pitchers started against the Sox in each of their last 2 games (Sat.-Stroman, Sun.-Steele). All-Star pitchers are 4-5 with a 5.00 ERA (42 ER/75.2 IP) in 15 starts against Boston this season. The Sox are 9-6 those 15 games.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 83 BRENNAN BERNARDINO – LHP
W-L ERA G GS IP ER HR BB SO WHIP AVG
2023 1-0 2.43 26 2 29.2 8 2 8 31 1.04 .215
CAREER 1-1 2.53 28 2 32.0 9 2 10 31 1.13 .222
Is making his 3rd start this season, and 2nd consecutive against the Athletics. Tossed 2.0 scoreless innings in his last start vs. OAK on 7/7 (H, BB, 3 SO). Has started in 3 of his last 4 appearances (also 7/4 vs. TEX, and 7/7 vs. OAK). In his last 15 outings, has allowed 3 runs in 17.1 IP (9 H, 5 BB, 21 SO). Has issued 1 or fewer BB in each of his 26 outings. 18 of his 26 outings have been scoreless. Left-handed hitters are 7-for-45 (.156) with 1 BB and 14 SO and a .391 OPS against him, while right-handers are 16-for-62 (.258) with 7 BB and 18 SO.
OAKLAND ATHLETICS NOTES:
ABOUT THE A’S: The A’s lost their 70th game of the season yesterday and are on pace to lose 119 games, which would be the most since the 2003 Tigers went 43-119 (.265)…have lost each of the last seven games to fall a season-low 45 games under .500 at 25-70 (.263)…it is the first time the A’s have been 45 under since Oct. 2, 2022 (57-102)…the season-low last year was 46 on Oct. 1 (56-102)…have the lowest winning percentage in the majors behind the Royals (27-67, .287)…the last two Major League teams to finish with a winning percentage under .290 are the 2003 Tigers and 1962 Mets (40-120, .250)…were swept by the Twins to open the homestand and have been swept 13 times, which matches the season total from last year…have one sweep this year…are 5-7-1 over the last 13 series after going 1-16 over the first 17.
SEVEN-GAME LOSING STREAK: The A’s extended their losing streak to seven games yesterday, which is their fourth losing streak of seven or more games this year…the other streaks are 11 (May 17-28), 8 (June 14-22) and 7 (April 13-19)…have a 7.63 ERA (50 er in 59.0 ip) during the current streak, including 8.87 (23 er in 23.1 ip) by the starters…are batting .239 (55-for-230) and have been outscored 50-24.
OFFENSE: The A’s rank last in the majors in batting (.222), slugging (.355), OPS (.656), runs scored (344) and extra base hits (228)…also rank second in fewest doubles (126), tied for third in most times shut out (10), fourth in lowest on-base percentage (.301) and most strikeouts (876) and tied for sixth in fewest home runs (88)…also rank second in sacrifice hits (18) and tied for third in hit by pitches (52).
IN THE PINCH: A’s pinch hitters are 25-for-93 (.269) with four doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI and 10 walks…lead the majors in hits, rank third in plate appearances (104), tied for fourth in doubles and extra base hits (6), tied for seventh in walks, tied for ninth in home runs and tied for 10th in RBI.
PITCHING: The A’s have a 6.07 ERA, which is the highest in the majors…the highest ERA in Athletics history is 6.07 in 1936…the last team to finish the year with an ERA above 6.00 is the 1999 Rockies (6.03)…also have the highest opponents on-base percentage (.361) and the second highest OPS (.830), batting average (.273) and slugging percentage (.469)…lead the majors in most walks (413) and hit batters (62), are tied for the most wild pitches (43), rank second in most home runs (135) and eighth in fewest strikeouts (758).
STARTING PITCHING: A’s starting pitchers are 2-12 with a 5.29 ERA (69 er in 117.1 ip) over the last 26 games after going 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA over the previous eight contests…are 8-44 with a 6.33 ERA for the season…the ERA is second highest in the majors (Rockies, 6.44), the wins are the fewest and the losses are third most…have tossed 7.1 innings or fewer in each game and have the fewest innings pitched (433.2).
FOR OPENERS: The A’s have used an opener 11 times this year (all since May 24)…openers are 0-4 with a 8.10 ERA (13.1 ip, 21 h, 12 r, 12 er, 2 bb, 14 so) and the main pitchers are 3-2 with a 5.23 ERA (53.1 ip, 52 h, 31 r, 31 er, 22 bb, 57 so)…are 3-8 in the 11 games…used an opener nine times in 2018 (all in September) and three times in 2019 (none after June 5).
THE BULLPEN: The A’s bullpen has been charged with the loss in each of the last four games, which matches the longest such streak in Athletics history (July 28-Aug. 1, 1976)…has two blown saves and a 7.11 ERA (15 er in 19.0 ip) during the streak…now has 26 losses for the season, which are the most in the majors…also has the highest ERA in the majors (5.79) and the most innings pitched (402.2)…has converted 14-of-31 (45.2%) save opportunities, which is the lowest percentage in the majors…has the third fewest saves and is tied for the seventh most blown saves (16)…has allowed 72-of-182 (39.6%) inherited runners to score, which is the third highest percentage…has the second most inherited runners.
ON THE BASES: The A’s stole five bases in five attempts in the three-game series against Minnesota and are 17-for-18 (94.4%) over the last 13 games…are 96-for-115 (83.5%) for the season…rank third in the majors in stolen bases and attempts and sixth in percentage…the stolen bases are the most by an A’s team since 2012 (122)…A’s opponents are 69-for-101 (68.3%) in stolen base attempts, which is the second lowest success rate in the majors…the 32 caught stealings are eight more than any other team…A’s pitchers have 11 pickoffs, which is third most.
DEFENSIVE DOINGS: The A’s have committed 56 errors, which is sixth most in the majors…have turned 69 double plays, which is tied for sixth fewest…A’s outfielders have 16 assists, which is tied for eighth most…A’s catchers have six passed balls, which is tied for seventh most.
WINNING LATE: The A’s have scored the winning run in their final at bat in 13 of their 25 victories (52.0%)…are 6-6 (.500) in extra inning games and the six wins matches the A’s total from last year…are tied for third in the majors in extra inning games (12), tied for fifth in wins and tied for sixth in losses… have six walk-off wins, which is tied for second most…have 12 wins when tied or trailing after seven innings, which is tied for fifth most.
ONE-RUN GAMES AND THE REST: Three of the A’s last four games and 16 of the last 31 have been decided by one run…six of the A’s last eight wins and 15 of 25 overall have been by one run…are 15-20 (.429) in one-run games… are tied for the most one-run losses in the majors, rank third in games (35) and tied for ninth in wins…however, are 10-50 (.167) in games decided by two or more runs, including 2-19 in games decided by six runs or more…have a run differential of -253, which is the lowest in the majors.
HOME AND AWAY: The A’s are 0-3 on this 10-game homestand against Minnesota (0-3), Boston (three games) and Houston (four games)…it is the first of two 10-game homestand and it begins a 27-day stretch where the A’s will leave the state of California once (July 28-30 at Colorado)…went 3-3 on the last homestand against New York-AL (1-2) and Chicago-AL (2-1) and are 12-35 (.255) at home, which is the lowest home winning percentage in the majors…went 2-4 on the last road trip to Detroit (2-1) and Boston (0-3) and are 13-35 (.271) on the road, which is the worst road record in the majors… have compiled a 5.38 ERA (260 er in 435.0 ip) at home compared to 6.80 on the road.
PLAYERS USED: The A’s have used 52 players, which is tied with the Angels for the most in the majors…employed a franchise record 64 players last year… have used 32 pitchers, which is third most in the majors (Reds and Rays, 33) and third most in Athletics history…used 34 pitchers in 2018 and 2022…have used an Athletics record 28 relievers, topping the previous mark of 27 set in 2018 and 2022…14 have started a game, which is tied for third most in Oakland history (16 in 1983, 15 in 2018)…17 of the 52 players are rookies after using an Oakland-record 34 rookies last year…10 have made their Major League debuts (had 23 do that last year).
THIS AND THAT: The A’s have used the injured list 24 times, including 15 times for pitchers…currently have 12 players on the IL, including seven pitchers… are 20-32 (.385) in night games, 5-38 (.116) during the day…are 7-7 (.500) on Tuesday, 6-9 (.400) on Friday and 12-54 (.182) on all other days of the week… are 3-27 (.100) in the final game of a series…have an average time of game of 2:45, which is second longest in the majors (Orioles, 2:46)…however, have not averaged under 2:53 per game since 2010 (2:44).
A’S VS. RED SOX
- The A’s were swept in a three-game series at Fenway Park earlier this month to open the season series and have now lost nine of the last 10 games.
- Have lost two of the previous three season series and four of the last seven.
- Are 17-30 (.362) against the Red Sox dating back to 2015, which includes 11-12 in Oakland and 6-18 in Boston.
- Went 0-3 in Oakland last year marking just the third time the A’s went winless in the season series in the Coliseum (were also 0-3 in 2002 and 2004)…have lost four straight in Oakland.
Year Home Road Totals
2023 0-0 0-3 0-3
2022 0-3 1-2 1-5
Oakland History: 251-311
at the Coliseum: 151-128
at Fenway Park (since 1968): 99-182
All-Time: 893-1092
TODAY’S TIDBITS
Zach Gelof has an extra base hit in each of his three games and joins Shea Langeliers (2022), Yoenis Céspedes (2012) and Jason McDonald (1997) as the only players in Oakland history to start their career with three straight games with an extra base hit…Céspedes’ streak reached four before ending…Ryan Noda leads the American League and is tied for third in the majors in walks (60)…ranks 16th in the majors in on-base percentage (.374)… leads Major League rookies in walks.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: Paul Blackburn (1-1, 4.86 ERA)
FOR STARTERS: Was reinstated from the injured list May 29 and is scheduled to make his ninth appearance and eighth start of the season…the relief appearance came in the final game before the All-Star Break after being scratched from his scheduled start a day earlier…is 1-1 with a 6.61 ERA (12 er in 16.1 ip) over his last four games after going 0-0 with a 3.48 ERA over his first four starts…began the year on the 15-day IL with a right middle fingernail avulsion…had no decisions, a 7.50 ERA and 1.012 OPS in six rehab starts with Single-A Stockton and Triple-A Las Vegas.
OPPONENTS BATTING: Has allowed four home runs, all to right-handed hitters…has a .241 (14-for-58) opponents batting average the first time through the order, .352 (19-for-54) the second time and .282 (11-for-39) after that… the opponents two through five hitters are batting a combined .408 (29-for71) while the six through nine hitters are 11-for-60 (.183)…now has a .301 (159-for-528) career average against the two through five hitters compared to .260 (119-for-458) against the six through nine hitters.
THIS AND THAT: The A’s are 3-4 in his starting assignments…has allowed one run or fewer in three of his seven starts and has walked two batters or fewer six times…has a win and a loss over his last two starts after beginning the year with five no decisions over his first five starts…the season-opening streak of five consecutive starts without a decisions matches the longest such streak in Oakland history (Mike Oquist, 1998)…has not committed an error in eight games and eight total chances…did not make an error last year and his 21 total chances tied for fifth most among American League pitchers with no errors.
2023 DAY-BY-DAY: Began the season on the 15-day injured list with a right middle fingernail avulsion…made three rehab starts with Single-A Stockton and Triple-A Las Vegas from April 7-16 before his rehab assignment was halted…resumed on May 14 and made three more starts with the Aviators… had no decisions, a 7.50 ERA and 1.012 OPS in six rehab starts overall when he was reinstated from the IL on May 29…started and had a no decision that day in a 7-2 A’s loss to Atlanta in Oakland…it was his first Major League appearance since a start on Aug. 4, 2022 at Los Angeles (AL)…logged 4.0 innings, which was his shortest outing as a starter this year…allowed a season-high five runs in 5.0 innings in a no decision on June 4 at Miami…tossed a season-high 6.0 scoreless innings June 10 at Milwaukee but had a no decision in the A’s 2-1, 10-inning win…left with a 1-0 lead but Lovelady allowed a run in the eighth for the blown save…struck out a career-high nine batters in 5.2 innings on June 15 against Tampa Bay but had a no decision in the A’s 4-3 loss…logged a season-high 104 pitches…allowed a season-high nine hits on June 21 at Cleveland…picked up his first decision of the season in his sixth start, a 2-1 A’s win over New York (AL) on June 27.
LAST START: He was the losing pitcher in the A’s 8-7 loss to Chicago (AL) on July 2 in Oakland…walked a season-high four batters and allowed a season-high tying five runs in 5.0 innings…all five runs came in the third inning on an Anderson sacrifice fly, a Jimenez RBI single, a Sheets hit by pitch with the bases loaded and a Remillard two-run single.
LAST APPEARANCE: He was scheduled to start on July 8 at Boston but was scratched due to illness…pitched in relief the next day against against the Red Sox and was charged with the blown save in the A’s 4-3 loss…it was his fourth career relief appearance (the other three were in 2019)…relieved Sears to start the sixth inning with Oakland leading 3-1…allowed a leadoff home run to Duvall and a two-out RBI double to Arroyo.
