BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox have won 6 of their last 8 games…Are 12-9 in their last 21 games since 7/22. Despite losing 8 of their 10 games from 7/29-8/8, the Sox own the AL’s 2nd-best record since 6/14 (30-21). They’re 23-14 since 6/30, the 5th-best mark in MLB. At 63-56 (.529), Boston has MLB’s 12th-best record.
TO THE LEFT: Boston will face a left-handed starting pitcher in each of their next 2 game vs. the Nationals. On Sunday vs. DET they improved to 21-12 facing a left-handed starting pitcher (.636)…Are 42-44 vs. righty starters (.484). They are 8-2 in their last 10 games versus lefty starters, including wins in each of their last 4 since 8/7. LH starters have only gone 6.0+ IP seven times this season vs. the Sox.
SERIES BUSINESS: With a win today or tomorrow, Boston would climb to 22-15-2 in series play, matching their season total in series wins from last season were they went 22-24-6. They would also improve to 9-8-2 in road series, 1 shy of their win total from 2022 (10-14-2). They are 8-4-0 in their last 12 series, beginning 6/30.
NL FEAST OR FAMINE: The Sox are 8-6 this year vs. the NL East (3-1 vs. ATL, 0-3 vs. MIA, 2-1 vs. NYM, 2-1 at PHI, and 1-0 at. WSH). The Sox are 3-1-1 in series play vs. the division.
SOX & NATS: The Red Sox have won 9 of their last 10 games vs. WSH since 7/2/18, including each of their last 6. The Sox are 9-1 all time at Nationals Park. The last time the Red Sox played in Washington was from 10/1-3/21, where a 3-game sweep clinched the Sox a postseason berth. The Sox are 4-0 in their last 4 series vs. WSH since the start of 2015.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS: The Red Sox are an MLB-best 307- 217 (.589) all-time in Interleague play…They’re the only team with 300+ Interleague wins (2nd: NYY-298). The Sox are 19-22 vs. NL clubs this season (13-8 road, 6-14 home).
LATE SURGE: Boston has scored 242 runs in innings 6-9, 4th most in the AL behind TEX (266), HOU (255), and TB (253)…They rank 2nd in the AL and T-4th in MLB in hits during those innings (445; TEX-447).
RUNNIN’ RED SOX: Overall, the Sox rank 6th in the AL in steals and 7th in stolen base % (80.00, 84-for-105). Reese McGuire stole 2nd base in the 3rd inning last night for his 1st stolen base of the year. He became the 18th different player to record at least 1 SB for the Sox this season…That leads the AL and is tied with PIT for the major league lead.
BACK TO THE GRIND: Yesterday, the Red Sox began a 10-game road trip to WSH (3 games), NYY (3 games), and HOU (4 games)…It is their longest trip of the year by games. Boston is in a stretch of 32 games in 34 days, from 7/28-8/30…Monday was their only scheduled day off in a 27-day span from 8/4-30. Starting yesterday, the Sox are scheduled to play a game on 16 consecutive days from 8/15-30, their 2ndlongest stretch of the season (19 games, 4/8-26).
IT’S GO TIME: Boston is 6-2 so far in a stretch of 10 games against sub-.500 teams (3-1 vs. KC, 2-1 vs. DET, 1-0 at WSH). Those 3 teams are a combined 145-212 (.403). Prior to this stretch, the Sox went 4-7 in a stretch of 11 games against teams with a winning record (2-0 vs. ATL, 1-2 at SF, 1-2 at SEA, 0-3 vs. TOR).
SLUGGING SOX: The Red Sox rank 2nd in MLB in doubles (259)…They rank 2nd in the AL in AVG (.262) and XBH (407), 3rd in OBP (.327), and 4th in SLG (.431), and OPS (.758). In their last 37 games since 6/30, Boston is tied for the AL lead in AVG (.269), ranks 2nd in SLG (.458), and is 3rd in OPS (.782).
HIGH FIVE: BOS is an MLB-best 50-7 (.877) when scoring 5+ runs…They’ve done so in just 4 of their last 12 games. Since 6/14, they’ve won 23 of their last 24 games when scoring 5+ runs, including each of their last 9 since 7/22.
LOCK IT DOWN: The Red Sox own MLB’s best record when leading after 6 innings (50-3, .943)…In 2022, they ranked 18th in MLB when leading after 6 (63-10, .863). Boston leads MLB in save % (78.3; 36-for-46).
PITCHING IN: The Red Sox have allowed 4 runs or fewer in 6 of their last 8 games (2, 9, 3, 0, 2, 6, 3, 4), posting a 3.50 ERA. In that span, Sox starters are 2-2 with a 4.19 ERA (18 ER/38.2 IP), while relievers are 4-0 with 8 holds, 5 saves, and a 2.70 ERA (10 ER/33.1 IP). Over their last 2 games, the Red Sox bullpen has not
allowed a run in 9.0 innings (5 H, 0 BB, 7 SO).
THE CLOSING ACT: Since 7/1, Kenley Jansen is tied for the MLB lead with 12 saves…Overall, he ranks T-4th in the AL with 28. Jansen has converted each of his last 19 save opportunities since 5/20, tied for the longest active streak of successful save chances (TOR’s Jordan Romano). Additionally Jansen has converted each of his last 19 save opportunities on the road, beginning 9/24/22. The last Red Sox pitcher to convert 20 or more consecutive SVO was Craig Kimbrel (23) from 5/10-7/23/2018.
MARTY PARTY: Since 6/9, Chris Martin has allowed only 1 run over his last 25 outings (22.2 IP)…He leads MLB with a 0.40 ERA in that span (min. 20.0 IP). Overall, his 1.34 ERA (6 ER/40.1 IP) is 4th best in the majors (min. 30.0 IP)…His 0.42 home ERA (1 ER/21.1 IP) is tied for the MLB lead with Josh Hader (min. 20.0 IP).
ON THE MEND: Tanner Houck is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester…He tossed 3.0 scoreless innings in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader vs. BUF (H, 3 SO, 34 pitches) and also started 8/5 at SYR (1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 3 SO, 46 pitches). Houck started today vs. SBW and retired 12 of his 13 batters faced (4.0 IP, 1 H, 4 SO, 59 pitches).
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 65 JAMES PAXTON – LHP
W-L ERA G GS IP ER HR BB SO WHIP AVG
2023 7-3 3.36 15 15 80.1 30 12 22 90 1.15 .231
CAREER 64-36 3.57 152 152 835.0 331 93 253 921 1.21 .238
Is making his 2nd career start vs. WSH (1.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, BB, SO on 7/25/20 with NYY). In his last 4 starts, has recorded a .299 opponent AVG (26-for-87) but a 2.95 ERA (7 ER/21.1 IP)…Threw 5.0+ innings in each of those starts. Has pitched 5.0+ innings in 12 of his 15 starts…Has allowed 2 ER or fewer in 10 of them, and issued 2 or fewer walks in 13 of them. In his last 12 starts, beginning on 5/31, is 6-2 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, .228 opponent AVG, and 4.44 SO/BB (66.1 IP, 24 R/22 ER, 57 H, 16 BB, 71 SO). Has issued 2 or fewer walks in 13 of his 15 starts this season. 43 of his 90 strikeouts have come with the 4-seam fastball. Leads Red Sox starting pitchers in ERA…Has allowed 1 or 0 ER in 7 starts this year.
WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
OPPONENT – BOSTON RED SOX
The Nationals and Red Sox will face off three times in 2023…Mike Rizzo worked seven seasons (1992- 98) as a scout for the Red Sox…Tim Bogar spent four seasons (2009-12) on the Major League coaching staff of the Red Sox: first base coach (2009), third base coach (2010-11), and bench coach (2012)…Nationals third base coach Gary DiSarcina is from Malden, Mass. and attended the University of Mass-Amherst…Michael Chavis was drafted by Boston in the first round in 2014 and played for the Red Sox from 2019-2021…Jeter Downs made his Major League debut with the Red Sox in 2022… Joey Meneses played in Double and Triple-A for the Red Sox in 2021…Jordan Weems was drafted by the Red Sox in the third round of the 2011 draft… Red Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta was drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 Draft by the Nationals.
MOVING ON
The Washington Nationals fell to the Boston Red Sox, 5-4, in the first game of the three-game series on Tuesday night…Dominic Smith went 2-for-4 with two doubles, while Keibert Ruiz and Stone Garrett each drove in two runs…The bullpen combined for 6.0 innings of two-hit, shutout ball with four strikeouts and zero walks.
- Following this series, the Nationals will welcome the Philadelphia Phillies to Nationals Park on Friday and Saturday before both teams head to Williamsport, Pa. to face off in the 2023 Little League Classic.
STATUS CHECK
The Nationals have won three of four, eight of 12, 10 of 16, 15 of 24 and are 25-20 (.556) since June 24.
- Since July 8, Washington is 19-13 (.594), the third-best record in the National League behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers (22-8, .733) and Chicago Cubs (20-12, .625).
- The Nationals have won 12 of their last 15 home games dating to July 8 vs. Texas.
BACKSTOP BAT
Keibert Ruiz leads Major League catchers in average (.343), on-base percentage (.404) and slugging percentage (.559) and is second in hits (35) since July 9…He’s recorded seven doubles, five homers, 15 RBI, 11 walks, one stolen base and 15 runs scored in 28 games over this stretch. • Ruiz is 9-for-21 (.429) with a double, two homers – including a walk-off homer – four RBI, two walks and six runs scored over his last five games.
WHAT A RELIEF
The Nationals have the best bullpen ERA in the NL (2nd in MLB) since July 21 at 2.53 (24 ER/85.1 IP)…Nationals relievers have posted a .208 opponents’ average over this stretch.
- Since Aug. 2, the group has pitched to a 1.91 ERA (10 ER/47.0 IP) with 9.38 strikeouts per 9.0 innings and a .171 opponents’ batting average.
BORN TO RUN
CJ Abrams is tied for third in the National League with 30 stolen bases…He stole 25 consecutive bases without being caught from May 5 to Aug. 10, the longest streak in Nationals history (2005- pres.) according to the Elias Sports Bureau…It was the longest active streak in MLB at the time.
- Since being moved to the leadoff spot on July 7, Abrams is hitting .301 with six doubles, a triple, four homers, 10 RBI, nine walks, four hit by pitch, 19 stolen bases and 23 runs scored.
OK, KYLE
Kyle Finnegan has seven saves, five holds and has pitched to a 0.68 ERA (2 ER/26.1 IP) with a .141 opponents’ average (12-for-85, 2B, HR) in his last 24 appearances…He’s tossed 12.2 consecutive scoreless innings since July 14, the second-longest streak by a Nationals pitcher this season.
- He’s set a new career-high and is eighth in the NL with 18 saves this season.
- Finnegan surrendered seven earned runs and three home runs in his first three outings…Since the next outing on April 7 at Colorado, he has pitched to a 1.48 ERA (8 ER/48.2 IP) with 51 strikeouts and three home runs allowed in 46 games.
NEXT ON 20-20: LANE THOMAS
With five more stolen bases, Lane Thomas would record the sixth 20 home run – 20 stolen base season in Nationals History (2005-pres.) and the first since 2016.
- Thomas ranks in the National League in hits (T4th, 133), doubles (T5th, 29), runs (8th, 81) and total bases (9th, 226)..He leads Major League Baseball with a career-high 12 outfield assists.
