Red Sox's Liam Hendriks: Throws another bullpen session
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Hendriks (elbow) threw another bullpen session Sunday and is expected to ramp up his activity during the upcoming week, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
Hendriks finished his three throwing sessions of the week in New York on Sunday and he'll now progress towards the next step in his recovery from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last August. The right-hander remains without an expected timetable to return, but his ability to complete the bullpen sessions without any sort of setbacks is a positive outcome nonetheless.
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Red Sox's David Hamilton: Starts at shortstop
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Hamilton started at shortstop and went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Saturday's 14-4 loss to the Yankees.
Hamilton and Enmanuel Valdez have shared second base against right-handers, but both were in the starting lineup Saturday against Gerrit Cole. Hamilton had a hot stretch from mid-May to mid-June but was cooled off since. He entered Saturday's contest on a 3-for-25 (.120) run, which has reduced his playing time. Hamilton's started just four of the last 10 games. Boston manager Alex Cora talked to Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe about the challenges of getting both Hamilton and Valdez in the lineup. "We would love them to play against righties, but Tyler [O'Neill] is swinging the bat well," Cora said. "We have Wilyer [Abreu], he's healthy. It's more about the fastball of the opposition [with Valdez and Hamilton]. They have their strengths and weaknesses." Hamilton has a better track record against four-seamers, while Valdez is better against off-speed pitches.
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Red Sox's Vaughn Grissom: Building strength in hamstrings
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Grissom is trying to regain strength in both hamstrings before the team maps out a plan for his return, MLB.com reports.
Grissom has been running the bases and moving better, per manager Alex Cora, but a rehab assignment is not imminent. He had been expected to be Boston's primary second baseman, but Grissom may not be guaranteed that role when he's ready. The Red Sox have been getting by with lefty hitters David Hamilton and Enmanuel Valdez for now.
The Tigers traded Wingenter to the Red Sox on Saturday in exchange for right-hander CJ Weins.
Wingenter missed out on Detroit's Opening Day roster and has logged a 3.31 ERA across 33.2 innings at Triple-A Toledo this season. Though the 30-year-old reliever is expected to report to Triple-A Worcester with his new organization, he'll join the Red Sox's 40-man roster because he had an assignment clause in his minor-league deal with the Tigers, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Wingenter could eventually see some big-league action later this season.
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Red Sox's Rafael Devers: Homer, steal in loss
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Devers went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base in a 14-4 loss to the Yankees on Saturday.
Devers hit an RBI single in the third inning before stealing second and coming around to score later in the frame. He then chased Gerrit Cole in the fifth with his 26th career home run against the Yankees. The steal was just his second of the season, but the 27-year-old has slashed a fantastic .287/.373/.570 with 19 home runs, 53 RBI and 54 runs scored over 332 plate appearances.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Allows two homers in no-decision
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Winckowski did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 14-4 loss to the Yankees, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 3.2 innings.
Winckowski surrendered a leadoff home run to Ben Rice in the first inning and a two-run homer to Alex Verdugo in the third. He departed at 66 pitches with one out to go in the fourth frame in an unimpressive follow-up to the five scoreless frames he threw Sunday. On the season, the 26-year-old owns a 3.23 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over 39 innings and lines up to face the Royals next week if he remains in the rotation.
Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham recently said the organization is looking for Mayer to develop an increased walk rate, a narrowed strike zone and to see more left-handed pitching, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
Abraham responded to the question of what Mayer has left to prove at Double-A Portland. The prospect has shown improvement in the first two areas, but Abraham acknowledged it's harder to evaluate his performance against left-handed pitching because there aren't as many in the minors. He also wants to see the shortstop increase his range defensively to the arm side and make those plays in the hole. "So while it might be smaller areas of improvement, I think those areas are going to allow him to be great, not just good," Abraham said. "Those things don't happen overnight." Mayer, who is batting .307/.371/.479 over 299 plate appearances, should see Triple-A Worcester in the second half.
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Red Sox's Romy Gonzalez: Contributes to win
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Gonzalez started at first base and went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 5-3 extra-inning win over the Yankees.
Gonzalez's fifth-inning homer was all the offense Boston mustered over the first eight innings before its late-game comeback. The utility infielder has mostly worked as a pinch hitter and fill-in at all four infield positions. Gonzalez is 9-for-26 (.346) with three steals, two doubles, a home run, four RBI and three additional runs over 14 games since being activated off the injured list in mid-June.
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Red Sox's Tyler O'Neill: Resting Saturday
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O'Neill isn't in the Red Sox's lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
O'Neill will get a day off Saturday after going 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout during Friday's victory. While he rests, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu will start across Boston's outfield.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Not starting Saturday
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Wong isn't in Boston's lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
After putting together a 17-game hitting streak, Wong has gone 0-for-7 with three strikeouts over his last two games. He'll get a breather Saturday while Reese McGuire starts behind the dish, batting seventh.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Finishes off Yankees
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Rafaela went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's 5-3 extra-inning win over the Yankees.
Rafaela put the final touch on the Yankees, as the Red Sox hit two-run home runs in the ninth and 10th innings to steal a win at Yankee Stadium. It was the 10th homer for Rafaela, whose slow start to the season is in the past. The young outfielder/shortstop is batting .348/.375/.522 with five doubles, a triple, three home runs, 16 RBI and three steals over the last 24 games.
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Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Clutch homer versus Yankees
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Yoshida went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 5-3 extra-inning win over the Yankees.
With the Red Sox down 3-1 in the ninth inning, Yoshida crushed a Clay Holmes sinker deep to right field, tying the game and setting the stage for further heroics from Ceddanne Rafaela in the 10th. It was Yoshida's third homer of the season and first since April 20, snapping a 21-game drought that included a six-week absence due to a thumb injury. The 30-year-old may be feeling 100 percent again, however -- over his last nine games, he's batting .364 (12-for-33) with two doubles in addition to Friday's long ball.
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Red Sox's Kenley Jansen: Notches 17th save
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Jansen gave up a hit in a scoreless 10th inning Friday to record his 17th save of the season in a 5-3 win over the Yankees.
The veteran closer is on an impressive roll. Jansen has been scored upon only once in his last 14 appearances, racking up two wins and 10 saves on 10 chances over that stretch with a 0.61 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 13:2 K:BB over 14.2 innings. The 36-year-old isn't as dominant as he was during his Dodgers heyday, but Jansen is still finding ways to be effective and has yet to serve up a home run in 2024.
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Red Sox's Tanner Houck: Struggles after rain delay
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Houck came away with a no-decision in Friday's 5-3 extra-inning win over the Yankees, giving up three runs (one earned) on two hits and four walks over 3.1 innings. He struck out one.
The right-hander was looking sharp early, but a 38-minute rain delay in the middle of the third inning caused Houck to lose his focus, and he fell apart completely in the fourth. He's winless in his last four starts, stumbling to a 5.40 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 17:8 K:BB through 20 innings over that stretch, but he figures to bounce back in his next outing, which lines up to come at home next week against Oakland.
Mayer (back) is starting at shortstop and batting second in Friday's game for Double-A New Hampshire, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Mayer returns to the lineup Friday after missing four games due to back discomfort. The 21-year-old prospect is slashing .307/.371/.479 with 25 doubles, 13 stolen bases, seven home runs and 36 RBI over 299 plate appearances in Double-A this season.
