BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:
STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox have lost 5 of their last 6 games and 11 of their last 14 beginning 9/5…They’re 6-16 in their last 22 games beginning 8/27. At 75-77, Boston is 2 games under .500…They have not been at 3 games under .500 since 4/13 (5-8).
SERIES BUSINESS: With a win today, the Sox would snap a 4-series losing streak and improve to 24-22-3 in series play. They would also improve to 11-11-3 in series on the road, surpassing their road series win total from 2022 (10-14-2). They’ve already surpassed their overall series win total from 2022 (22-24-6). The Red Sox have not lost 5 straight series since doing so from 4/22-5/8/22.
SOX & RANGERS: Boston is 4-5 at Globe Life Field since the venue opened in 2020, after going 7-3 at Texas from 2017-19. The Sox took 2 out of 3 vs. TEX at Fenway Park from 7/4-6…They’re 9-3 overall vs. TEX since the start of 2022. With a win today, the Red Sox would secure the season series over the Rangers for the 5th time in the last 6 full seasons (beginning 2017, no meetings in 2020).
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Today concludes the Red Sox’ 6-game road trip at TOR (3 games) and TEX (3). Boston is 9-9 in its last 18 road games since 8/18, and 2-2-1 in its 5 road series during that span. The Sox will complete the season on the road with a 4-game series at BAL from 9/28-10/1.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: 7 of the Sox’ remaining 10 games will be against teams that currently have a record of .500 or better (TEX-1, TB-2, BAL-4). The Red Sox have played 28 of their last 31 games against teams that are currently above .500…They’re 10-18 in those 28 games, including 5-16 in their last 21. BOS is 48-51 against teams with a current record of .500 or better, and 27-26 against teams below .500. The Sox have played 99 games this year against teams currently above .500, 2nd-most in MLB behind SD (101).
ON THE MEND: Zack Kelly, Kaleb Ort, and Joely Rodríguez are currently on rehab assignments with Triple-A Worcester. Ort retired one of his three batters faced last night at Lehigh Valley (0.1 IP, H, BB, SO, 16 pitches)…It was his 2nd rehab outing for Worcester after tossing a scoreless inning Saturday vs. Syracuse (SO, 18 pitches). Rodríguez went 0.2 innings in his 1st rehab appearance last night at LHV…He faced four batters and allowed a run on 2 hits (20 pitches). Kelly retired all 3 batters faced Sunday 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).
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.
FOREVER AND DEVERS: Rafael Devers was named AL Player of the Week on Monday…It is the 2nd time in his career he’s won the award (also 8/19/19), and 4th time this season a Red Sox player has earned the honors (also Duvall, 4/3 & 8/28, and Yoshida, 5/8). In 9 games since 9/11, Devers has hit .385 (10-for-26) with an .846 SLG, 1.414 OPS, 4 HR, 7 runs, 5 RBI, and 9 walks…He leads all qualified AL players over that span in OBP (.568), SLG, OPS, and BB, and is tied for 1st in HR. On Sunday at TOR, he hit his 172nd career HR, tying Jim Rice for most by a Red Sox player prior to turning 27.
START ME UP: Red Sox starting pitchers have allowed 3 runs or fewer in each of the last 10 games, posting a 3.04 ERA (17 ER/50.1 IP) with 11.80 SO/9.0 IP (66 SO) in that span. Boston’s starters have gone at least 6.0 innings in 5 of their last 7 starts…They snapped a season-high-tying 4-game streak of 6.0+ IP starts last night (also 6/9-12). The Sox are 33-14 when their starter goes at least 6.0 innings, including 15-5 in their last 20 games since 6/30.
RED SOX STARTING PITCHERS, LAST 10 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
Kutter Crawford (9/18 at TEX) 6.0 4 2 0 7
Tanner Houck (9/19 at TEX) 4.0 3 2 4 4
TOTALS: 50.1 35 17 15 66
MARTY PARTY: Chris Martin has not allowed a run in a career-long 19 straight appearances (18.0 IP)…It is the 3rd-longest active scoreless streak by IP among relievers. The last Red Sox pitcher to go more than 19 straight appearances in a single season without allowing a run was Josh Taylor from 4/30-7/5/21 (26 games, 21.2 IP). Martin has allowed only 1 run in his last 36 outings since 6/9 (32.2 IP)…He leads MLB with a 0.28 ERA in that span (min. 20.0 IP). Overall, his 1.07 ERA (6 ER/50.1 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 (326)…Among AL teams, they rank 2nd in AVG (.261) and XBH (520), 4th in SLG (.430) and OPS (.757), 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. 13 3-10 .230 .657 3.7
CLOSE SHAVES: Each of the Sox’ last 4 games have been either a 1-run or 2-run game (1-3 record)…It is their longest stretch since also going 4 straight 1-or-2-run-games from 7/26-30 (2-2). Their season-long stretch of such games was 5 consecutive (2x), from 6/9-13 (2-3) & 4/14-18 (4-1).
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). Verdugo also leads AL right fielders this year with 9 DRS.
TODAY’S STARTER: 66 BRAYAN BELLO – RHP
W-L ERA G GS IP ER HR BB SO WHIP AVG
2023 12-9 3.71 26 26 148.0 61 20 39 127 1.26 .259
CAREER 14-17 3.99 39 37 205.1 91 21 66 182 1.41 .275
Has won both of his career starts vs. TEX: 9/3/22 (6.0 IP, 0 R) and 7/5/23 (7.0 IP, 2 R). The Sox are 17-9 in his starts (7-3 in his last 10, 12-5 in his last 17). Struck out a career-high 10 batters over 6.0 IP Friday at TOR. Has allowed 3 runs or fewer in each of his last 6 starts (4-2, 3.38 ERA). In 3 September starts, has 21 SO, 3 BB, and only 1 HR allowed. Leads Sox starters in ERA (3.71). Leads Sox pitchers in wins (12), starts (26), and innings (148.0)…The last pitcher to lead BOS in each of those categories was Eduardo Rodriguez in 2019; the last to do so in an age-24 season (or younger) was Roger Clemens in 1987.
TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas beat the Red Sox last night, 6-4, as club has a 1-1 record to begin this 6-G, 7-day homestand vs. BOS (1-1 + today) and SEA (3 G)…club has 83 wins, most wins and 1st winning season since 2016 (95-67), and a 15-win improvement over 2022 (68)…last night’s win snapped 4-G skid, 1st win since Thurs. at TOR…streaks in last 15 G beg. 9/4: 0-4 (9/4-8), 6-0 (9/9-14), 0-4 (9/15-18), 1-0 (win last night)…club is 8-8 in last 16 G and 8-11 in last 19 G…club is 11-20 (.355) in last 31 G beg. 8/16, T4th-lowest win pct. in MLB over that span…the 11-20 span began with a season-long 8-G losing streak from 8/16-25, 2nd-longest for TEX since beg. of ’22 (0-9, 8/27-9/5/22)…team has dropped 21 of 34 and is 15-22 since a season-best 8-G win streak (8/1-8), longest for club since going 10-0, 5/9-19/17…have gone 25-29 in last 54 G since a 6-G win streak (7/14-19) out of the break…team is 31-29 (.517) in the 2nd “half”, 7th-best record in the A.L…club’s 42-48 (.473) mark since 6/7 ranks 10th in A.L. and 20th in MLB…team was 12-19 over a 31-G span from 6/7-7/9 to end the 1st “half”. At 83-68 (.550), TEX still has the T5th-best record in A.L., T8th in MLB…83 wins also rank T5th in A.L./T8th in MLB. The 83-68 mark is T9th-best 151-G record in Washington/
Texas franchise history (beg. 1961), best since 2016 (89-62). The Rangers have recorded 3 win streaks of 6+ games this season for the 7th time in franchise history (last: 4-2011).
SERIES STUFF: Rangers enter today with a 9-5 record in rubber games in ’23, including 4-1 at home…have played just one rubber game since AS break: win on 9/10 vs. OAK… club has gone 2-3-0 in 5 series this month…prior to current 3-6-0 series span, club had a 5-0-0 stretch from 8/1-16 that was 2nd-best streak in 2023 (6-0-0, 5/19-6/7)…team is 27- 19-2 overall in series in 2023: 14-8-2 at home; 13-11-0 on the road…series win 9/8-10 vs. OAK (2-1) ended span of season-high 3 straight series losses in Arlington…team is still 6-4-0 in home series since the AS break.
AT HOME: TEX is 46-31 (.597) at home in ’23, 3rd-best in A.L. (TB-.671, 51-25; BAL-.600, 45-30) and 6th-best in MLB… best 76-G home start since 2016 (club-record 51-26)…club has won 3 of 4, but is 4-11 over last 15 G in Arlington (including a 6-G losing streak from 8/16-9/2), this after going 15-2 in 1st 17 home games after AS break…4-11 span came immediately after GLF record 9-G win streak from 7/23-8/15.
VS. BOSTON: Texas is 2-3 in 5 G against the Red Sox in ’23 and club has lost 7 of 9 and 10 of last 13 meetings with Boston dating back to 8/23/21…Rangers are 12-27 (.308) vs. the Carmine Hose since the start of 2017, lowest win pct. against any A.L. opponent in that span (12-26, .316 vs. CLE)…TEX has dropped season series in 4 of 5 years beg. 2017, lone win in that span coming in 2021 (4-3)…TEX is 5-4 vs. BOS at Globe Life Field, but have a 8-11 mark at home since 2017, going 1-4-0 in 5 home series in that span.
FEELING 100: Adolis García hit his 35th HR last night, extending his single-season career high, 3rd-most in the A.L. this season…most HR by a Ranger since Joey Gallo hit 40 HR in 2018, and García is just the 11th player (25th instance) to hit 35+ HR in a single season…now has 101 RBI in ’23 to match his career high (also 2022), the 1st Ranger with backto-back 100+ RBI seasons since Adrián Beltré in 2011-12. Enters today’s game with 99 R this season, one shy of becoming the 12th player (20th instance) in franchise history with 100 R/100 RBI in a season…the only Ranger to do it in the last 18 seasons (beg. 2006) is Josh Hamilton in 2012 (103 R/128 RBI).
TOP 10 HIGHLIGHT: Aroldis Chapman retired all 5 batters faced in the 7th and 8th innings last night (1.2 SHO IP, 3 SO), just his 2nd outing of the season in which he has recorded 5+ outs (also 2.0 IP on 8/21 at ARI)…recorded career SO no. 1,143 in the 7th inning (Rafael Devers), passing Francisco Rodríguez (1,142) for sole possession of 10th place in MLB history for relief strikeouts…was awarded his 50th career relief win last night, joining David Robertson (63) as the only active Major League pitchers with 50+ career relief victories.
KEEP IT CLEAN: The Texas bullpen allowed just one unearned run last night over 4.0 IP, recording a blown save, win and save…José Leclerc’s perfect 9th inning marked the 1st save by a Ranger without allowing a baserunner since 8/1 vs. CWS (Will Smith)…it was just the Rangers’ 2nd save in Sept. and the club has 4 saves since 8/12: 2 by Leclerc and 2 by Aroldis Chapman.
FOREVER JUNG: Josh Jung’s go-ahead RBI single in the 7th inning gave Texas a 5-4 lead, and provided his 9th game-winning RBI of the season…the 9 GW RBI are tied for most among A.L. rookies (also BAL’s Gunnar Henderson) and 4th-most among Rangers in ’23 (11-Lowe, 10-García/ Semien, 9-Jung)…the Rangers are 28-11 (.718) when Jung has at least one RBI in 2023.
ALL ABOUT A LOVE IN SEPTEMBER: Leody Taveras had a single and 2 BB last night, as he ranks among A.L. September qualifiers (min. 50 PA) in BA (4th, .353) ad OBP (8th, .421)…his 24 times on base this month equal Corey Seager’s total for Sept., and his 5 doubles are T2nd this month.
THE M’S AT THE END: Texas will end the season by playing 7 of its final 10 games against Seattle, beginning with this weekend’s 3-G series in Arlington…Rangers have not played the M’s in 3 1/2 months, since winning all 3 G from 6/2-4 at Globe Life Field…club is 5-1 vs. SEA in 2023, needing 2 wins to secure a season series victory and ensure tiebreaker status vs. M’s in any postseason scenario…TEX has won 8 of last 11 G dating to ‘22.
STILL GOING: Marcus Semien has started all 151 games at 2nd base for Texas this season, one of 4 MLB players to appear in each of their team’s games in 2023, joining ATL’s Matt Olson, SD’s Juan Soto Jr., and SEA’s Eugenio Suárez… of that group, only Semien (2B) and Olson (1B) have started each of their team’s games in ’23…Semien is seeking to become 11th Ranger to appear in each of the club’s games in a season, the 2nd to start every game of a campaign in the field (also Ruben Sierra in 1989).
SHORTS: Texas catchers have combined to plate 115 RBI this season, the 2nd-highest single-season total by Rangers backstops in club history (124 in 1999)…each of Nathaniel Lowe’s team-high 89 BB this season have come as a first baseman, good for the highest walk total by a Texas 1B since Mike Hargrove in 1978 (106)…Rangers own the A.L.’s highest OPS with 2 strikes in ’23 (.568), 2nd in MLB to ATL (.593)… TEX has 131 HR at home in ’23, 4th-most single-season HR in Arlington in club history: 153-2005, 140-2003, 132-2002.
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER – #22 Jon Gray, RHP (8-8, 4.05)
TODAY: The 31-year-old right-hander is set to make his 28th start of the season in today’s series finale against the Red Sox…the 2023 Texas Rangers Roberto Clemente Award nominee has pitched less than 4.0 IP in back-to-back starts, allowing 7 R-6 ER in 6.1 IP…is 2-3, 5.72 (29 ER/45.2 IP) his last 9 G/GS beg. 7/24 to raise season ERA from 3.31 to 4.05, 2nd-highest figure all season (4.40 thru 5/2)…fell out of qualifying status on Monday after his consecutive short outings… took loss in Rangers’ 12-3 defeat on Fri. at CLE (see below)…3.65 pitches per batter faced figure would rank as 2nd-lowest in A.L. if he qualified…has struck out 134 of 622 (21.5%) of batters faced in ’23, which would be the 2nd-lowest SO pct. of his career (12.6% in 2020 w/ COL)…this despite a 26.5% swing-and-miss pct. that would rank 7th in A.L. if he qualified…Gray’s ERA by month in 2023: April (3.91), May (1.95), June (3.99), July (5.48), Aug. (4.30), Sept. (7.15)…has combined to go 15-15, 4.01 ERA (123 ER/276.1 IP) with 268 SO (8.7 SO/9) in 51 G/GS across 2 seasons with Texas…this is his 2nd season with Texas after signing a 4-year free agent contract with the club on 12/1/21…was hindered by several injuries last season, but still managed to post a 7-7 record, 3.96 ERA (56 ER/127.1 IP), and 134 strikeouts over 24 starts…was the 3rd overall selection by Colorado in the 2013 MLB Draft after pitching 2 seasons at the U. of Oklahoma… is a native of the Oklahoma City area, growing up in Chandler…Texas has gone 15-12 in Gray’s 27 starts this season, winning 3 of 4, 5 of 8 and 7 of his last 11 outings.
LAST START: Took loss in Rangers’ 12-3 defeat on Fri. at CLE (3.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R-ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, 1 HR, 73 pitches/44 strikes)…Guardians starter Lucas Giolito (7.0 SHO IP, 12 SO) shut down the TEX offense, as all 3 TEX runs came in the 9th inning after C Austin Hedges had pitched the bottom of the 8th in a 12-0 game at that point…Andrew Heaney allowed 6 R-ER in 2.0 IP out of the bullpen.
VS. BOSTON: Is 1-1, 3.38 (5 ER/13.1 IP) in 2 G/GS career vs. Boston, both outings at Fenway…only start vs. Sox with Rangers came in series earlier this year, taking loss in 4-2 defeat on 7/5 at BOS (L, 6.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R-3 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR, 94 pitches)…TEX offense was stymied by BOS starter Brayan Bello (7.0 IP, 2 R-ER), as club went 1-for-7 w/ RISP…other start was an 8-2 Rockies win on 5/26/16 at Fenway (W, 7.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R-ER).
AT HOME: Has seen better results on the road (5-4, 3.61 ERA in 13 GS) than at home (3-4, 4.46 ERA in 14 GS) in 2023…is 1-2, 6.28 ERA (27 ER/38.2 IP) over his last 8 starts in Arlington, but owns a lifetime 7-5 record and 3.98 ERA (55 ER/124.1 IP) across 23 G/GS at Globe Life Field (22 w/ TEX; 1 w/ COL)…ranks among this facility’s all-time leaders (incl. 2020 MLB postseason) in starts (3rd), strikeouts (3rd, 121), wins (T4th), and innings (5th)…despite calling hitter-friendly Coors Field home for the first 7 years of his MLB tenure, Gray has seen more success in his career at home (38-23, 4.43 ERA in 97 G/96 GS) than on the road (30-41, 4.46 ERA in 106 G/GS).
COMPLETE GAME: Was tough-luck loser in start on 6/7 vs. STL, a 1-0 Rangers defeat (CG, 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R-ER, 0 BB, 12 SO, 1 HR, 100 pitches/76 strikes)… according to Stathead, it marked just the 2nd time in modern MLB history that a pitcher took the loss despite 9.0+ IP, 12+ SO, 4-or-fewer hits, 1 R allowed, and zero BB…the other instance?: TB’s James Shields on 10/2/12 vs. BAL…the lone run in Gray’s loss to the Cards was a solo HR by Alec Burleson in the 8th inning… it was the 23rd instance of a TEX starter taking a 1-0 loss in a CG, 1st since Matt Harrison on 9/22/12 at SEA…produced 2nd-highest game score of his career (87), trailing only CG SHO on 9/17/16 vs. SD (95 game score). Also took 1-0 loss on 6/24 at NYY (5.0 IP, 1 R-ER) and 2-0 loss on 8/16 vs. LAA (7.0 IP, 1 R-ER)…his 3 losses in starts when allowing a single run this season are tied for most in MLB (also MIN’s Kenta Maeda)…has suffered a pair of 1-0 losses on solo HR in ’23 (6/7 vs. STL and 6/24 at NYY), joining Yu Darvish (2x in 2013) as the only starting pitchers in TEX history w/ multiple 1-0 losses in a season on a solo HR.
SCORELESS STREAKS: Has produced 2 of the longest scoreless streaks of his career since the start of May: 20.0 IP (5/26-6/7) and 17.0 IP (5/8-20)…Gray’s loss on 6/7 vs. STL ended spans in which he won a career-best 5 consecutive starts (5/8-6/2) along with a career-high 6-G win streak (4/9-6/2)…Gray was the 1st Ranger to win 5 consecutive starts since Lance Lynn from 6/17-7/11/19… Rangers went 5-0 in his 5 May starts, with Gray going 4-0, 1.95 (7 ER/32.1 IP) over 5 GS in May, 2nd-lowest monthly ERA of his career (min. 4 GS) to only a 1.89 figure over 5 G/GS in July 2016.
2023: Opp. BA by time thru the lineup: 1st (.247), 2nd (.280), 3rd (.238), 4th (0-4)…number of GS in ’23 by starting catcher: 17-Heim, 6-León, 3-Garver, 1-Hedges…notched his 50th career start as a Ranger on 9/10 vs. OAK (ND, 2.2 IP, 4 R-3 ER)…Rangers went 5-0 in his 5 May starts, with Gray going 4-0, 1.95 (7 ER/32.1 IP) in 5 GS for the month, 2nd-lowest monthly ERA of his career (min. 4 GS) to only 1.89 over 5 G/GS in July 2016…recorded 1,000th career strikeout on 4/26 at CIN (Spencer Steer)…made early exit in start on 4/15 at HOU (ND, 2.0 IP, 1 R-ER) after he took a liner off his right forearm…earned 1st win on 4/9 at CHC (5.2 IP, 2 R-ER), when Will Smith stranded bases loaded in the 6th inning… Began start 5/13 at OAK w/ 6.2 hitless innings before a Jace Peterson 2-out single to RF in the 7th…it was the longest no-hit bid by a TEX starter since 4/15/18 at HOU, when Bartolo Colon retired the first 21 Astros…surpassed 1000.0 career innings during the start (on 2nd out in 6th inn.)…in win on 5/20 vs. COL, escaped a 27-pitch 1st inning in which the Rox loaded the bases with no outs and did not score…was 1st career meeting with the team that drafted him.
