BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox have lost 4 straight games and 10 of their last 12…They’re 5-15 in their last 20. At 74-76, Boston is 2 games under .500 for the 1st
time since 6/29 (40-42).
BITTERSWEEP: Boston was swept by Toronto in the 3-game series, concluding the season series in which all 4 series facing the Blue Jays were sweeps (2 by BOS, 2 by TOR). It’s the 1st time the teams have gone 4 consecutive series within a single season in which all were sweeps. Dating back to 7/22/22, the Sox & Jays have gone 7
straight series in which one of the teams swept the other. Prior to this stretch, the last time they went 4+ straight series which were sweeps was 8/18/09-4/28/10 (3-1 BOS).
SOX & RANGERS: The Red Sox took 2 of the 3 games vs. the Rangers at Fenway Park from 7/4-6…Boston is 3-4 at Globe Life Field since it opened in 2020, however, the
Sox are 10-7 on the road vs. TEX since the start of 2017. The Red Sox are 8-2 vs. TEX since the start of 2022, including 6-1 last year…Boston has won the season
series vs. TEX in 4 of the previous 5 years (since 2017).
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Red Sox are on a 6-game road trip at TOR (3 games) and TEX (3). 7 of the Red Sox’ remaining 12 games will be on the road (3 at TEX, 4 at BAL). Boston is 8-8 in their last 16 road games since 8/18, and 2-2-1 in their 5 road series during that span.
EASTERN STANDARD: Yesterday concluded the Red Sox’ stretch of 13 straight games against AL East teams…They faced each divisional opponent over the span (3 at TB, 3 vs. BAL, 4 vs. NYY, 3 at TOR). Following the Sox’ current 6-game stretch against TEX (3 games) and CWS (3), they will then finish the season with 6 divisional games (2 vs. TB, 4 at BAL).
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 9 of the Sox’ remaining 12 games will be against teams that currently have a record of .500 or better (BAL-4, TEX-3, TB-2). The Red Sox have played 26 of their last 29 games against teams that are currently above .500…They’re 9-17 in those 26 games, including 4-15 in their last 19. BOS is 47-50 against teams with a current record of .500 or better, and 27-26 against teams below .500. The Sox have played 97 games this year against teams currently above .500, 2nd-most in MLB behind SD (101).
ON THE MEND: Zack Kelly and Kaleb Ort are currently on rehab assignments with Triple-A Worcester. Kelly retired all 3 batters faced yesterday vs. Syracuse (1.0 IP, SO, 11 pitches)…He’s tossed 5.2 innings over 6 outings with Single-A Salem (2), High-A Greenville (1), Double-A Portland (1), and Worcester (2). Ort tossed a scoreless inning for the WooSox Saturday vs. Syracuse, his 1st rehab appearance (SO, 18 pitches).
THE INCREDIBLE HOUCK: Tanner Houck is the Red Sox’ nominee for the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award, recognizing the player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions both on and off the field. He will be honored in pregame ceremonies on Fri, 9/22, celebrating the 21st annual Roberto Clemente Day.
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Red Sox lost to TOR via walkoff in the bottom of the 9th yesterday, 3-2…It was their 2nd straight walk-off loss and 7th this season.
The Sox were walked off in 2 straight games for the 2nd time this year (also: 7/29-30 at SF)…The last time Boston was walked off in 3 consecutive games
was from 7/17-18/1921 (doubleheader on 7/18). Boston’s pitchers allowed just 8 earned runs over the 3-game series, their fewest ER allowed in a span of 3 consecutive losses since 4/25-27/08 at TB (also 8 ER)…Their last 3-game span of losses with fewer than 8 ER allowed was from 8/31-9/2/2001 vs. NYY (5 ER).
FOREVER AND DEVERS: Rafael Devers hit a 2-out, game-tying solo HR in the top of the 9th yesterday…It was his 172nd career HR, tying Jim Rice for most by a Red Sox player prior to turning 27 years old. It was his 3rd career game-tying HR in the 9th inning or later (also: 7/27/18 vs. MIN & 8/13/17 at NYY). It was also his 400th career XBH…The most recent players to record 400 XBH before turning 27 are Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Mike Trout, Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols, Andruw Jones, Alex Rodriguez, and Ken Griffey Jr. In 7 games over the last week, Devers has hit .400 (8-for-20) with a 1.000 SLG, 1.586 OPS, 4 HR, 5 runs scored, and 5 RBI…He leads all qualified AL players in HR, OBP (.586), SLG, and OPS over that span.
START ME UP: Red Sox starting pitchers have allowed 3 runs or fewer in each of the last 8 games, posting a 2.90 ERA (13 ER/40.1 IP) with 12.27 SO/9.0 IP (55 SO) in that span.
RED SOX STARTING PITCHERS, LAST 8 GAMES
Pitcher (Date) IP H R BB SO
Brayan Bello (9/10 vs. BAL) 5.0 7 3 0 4
Nick Pivetta (9/12 vs. NYY-G1) 5.1 4 3 1 10
Kutter Crawford (9/12 vs. NYY-G2) 4.2 3 1 3 7
Tanner Houck (9/14 vs. NYY-G1) 6.0 4 0 3 7
Nick Robertson (9/14 vs. NYY-G2) 1.0 0 0 1 1
Brayan Bello (9/15 at TOR) 6.0 4 3 1 10
Chris Sale (9/16 at TOR) 6.0 2 1 2 10
Nick Pivetta (9/17 at TOR) 6.1 4 2 0 6
TOTALS: 40.1 28 13 11 55
MARTY PARTY: Chris Martin has not allowed a run in 18 straight appearances…At 17.0 IP, it is the 3rd-longest active scoreless streak among relievers and 0.1 innings shy of his career long of 17.1 IP (9/4/22-4/9/23). Martin has allowed only 1 run in his last 35 outings since 6/9 (31.2 IP)…He leads MLB with a 0.28 ERA
in that span (min. 20.0 IP). Overall, his 1.09 ERA (6 ER/49.1 IP) ranks 2nd in MLB (min. 40.0 IP) behind TB’s Shawn Armstrong (0.76).
ON THE OFFENSIVE: The Red Sox lead MLB in doubles (323)…Among AL teams, they rank 2nd in AVG (.261) and XBH (517), 4th in SLG (.433) and OPS (.760), and 5th in OBP (.327). BOS has 3 players in the AL’s top 15 in OPS, and 4 in the top 25 in AVG and OBP (see box on right).
RED SOX OFFENSE BY DATE
Dates G W-L AVG OPS R/G
3/30-5/6 35 21-14 .273 .800 5.9
5/7-6/13 33 12-21 .243 .704 3.8
6/14-7/27 34 22-12 .281 .803 5.4
7/28-8/12 15 6-9 .231 .668 3.3
8/13-9/5 22 11-11 .275 .814 6.0
9/6-pres. 11 2-9 .233 .675 3.6
NO FLY ZONE: Boston ranks 2nd in the AL and T-4th in MLB in outfield assists this season (29)…Since the start of 2021, the Sox lead the Majors with 94. Alex Verdugo leads the team and ranks T-3rd in MLB with 12 OF assists…Since he joined BOS in 2020, he ranks T-2nd in MLB with 36, behind only Adolis García (37)…He also leads AL right fielders with 10 defensive runs saved.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: 50 KUTTER CRAWFORD – RHP
W-L ERA G GS IP ER HR BB SO WHIP AVG
2023 6-7 4.26 28 20 112.0 53 16 33 114 1.17 .232
CAREER 9-14 4.94 50 33 191.1 105 29 64 193 1.30 .251
Has a 9.82 ERA in his last 3 starts (12 ER/11.0 IP), after posting a 3.28 ERA in his previous 12 outings from 6/20-8/25 (22 ER/60.1 IP). Has issued 7 BB in his last 2 starts (8.1 IP), after recording only 9 BB in his previous 8 starts (36.1 IP)…Overall, ranks in MLB’s 69th percentile in walk rate (7.1%). Has allowed only 4 HR in his last 9 starts (40.2 IP), including 1 HR in his last 4 (16.0 IP). In 14 road games (10 GS), is 6-3 with a 2.69 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and .194 opponent AVG (60.1 IP, 18 ER, 42 H, 64 SO, 16 BB)…Is 0-4 at home (6.10 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, .271 AVG). Opponents are hitting .172 against his 4-seam fastball (25-for-145, 11 XBH). Has 3 outings of 6.0+ IP and only 1 hit allowed (vs. LAA, at CHC, at NYY). Has faced TEX once in relief (5/13/22 – 2.0 IP, 0 R) and once as a starter (7/6/23 – see below).
TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
No team release available.
