Red Sox send Hansel Robles out on rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester

The Red Sox have sent veteran reliever Hansel Robles out on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester, per his transactions log on MLB.com.

Robles was initially placed on the 15-day injured list because of back spasms on May 28. Since his stint on the IL was backdated to May 25, though, the right-hander is eligible to be activated as soon as this Thursday.

The plan was to have Robles make an appearance for the WooSox in their game against the Buffalo Bisons at Sahlen Field on Tuesday, but that contest has since been postponed due to rain and will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader on Wednesday.

Robles is now expected to pitch for Worcester at some point during Wednesday’s twin bill. He would then travel to Anaheim with the hopes of being activated in time for Thursday’s series finale against the Angels.

Prior to being placed on the injured list, the 31-year-old had made 16 relief outings for Boston this season, posting a 2.65 ERA and 5.20 FIP with 11 strikeouts to six walks over 17 innings of work.

(Picture of Hansel Robles: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Michael Wacha tosses complete game shutout to lead Red Sox to 1-0 win over Angels

One run of support is all Michael Wacha needed to put together one of the best performances of his career on Monday night.

Wacha, making his ninth start of the season, threw a complete game shutout to lead the Red Sox to a 1-0 victory over the slumping Angels at Angel Stadium. The veteran right-hander dazzled by allowing just three hits and one walk to go along with six strikeouts over nine dominant frames.

Boston’s lone run came in the top of the second inning, when Christian Vazquez drove in Alex Verdugo all the way from first base on an RBI single off Los Angeles starter Noah Syndegaard. Besides that, the Sox lineup went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base as a team.

That did not matter for Wacha, though, as he worked his way around two singles in the first inning with the help of a double play and at one point retired 15 straight batters before giving up a two-out double to Matt Duffy in the sixth.

Duffy, representing the potential tying run, was stranded at second base when Wacha reached back and struck out the dangerous Shohei Ohtani on a foul tip. His last two pitches to Ohtani — both fastballs — registered at 96.4 and 96.6 mph, respectively. They are his two fastest pitches of the season to date.

From there, Wacha maneuvered his way around a leadoff walk in the seventh by inducing another twin killing before fanning two in a clean eighth and retiring the side in order in the ninth. He fittingly put an exclamation point on his outing by getting Ohtani to ground out to second for the third and final out.

Finishing with a final pitch count of 105 (71 strikes), Wacha improved to 4-1 on the season while lowering his ERA down to 1.99. The 30-year-old hurler became the third Red Sox pitcher to toss a complete game this season, joining Nathan Eovaldi and Nick Pivetta. Boston currently leads all of baseball in complete games thrown.

With the win, the Red Sox extend their winning streak to five straight games to improve to 28-27 on the season. This is the first time since April 19 that they are over .500. The Angels, meanwhile, dropped their 12th straight game and are now 27-29, or 1/2 games back of the Sox in the American League Wild Card standings.

Next up: Whitlock on deck

The Red Sox will send right-hander Garrett Whitlock to the mound as they look to continue their winning ways on Tuesday night. The Angels, on the other hand, have yet to name a starter.

First pitch from Angel Stadium is scheduled for 9:38 p.m. eastern time on NESN and MLB Network.

(Picture of Michael Wacha: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Latest mock draft links Red Sox to James Madison University outfielder Chase DeLauter

In his latest 2022 mock draft for Prospects Live, Joe Doyle has the Red Sox selecting University of Tennessee outfielder Jordan Beck with their top pick at No. 24 overall.

That is nothing new, as Beck has been connected to the Sox in past mock drafts. What does stick out here, though, is that Doyle links Boston to California’s Dylan Beavers and James Madison University outfielder Chase DeLauter.

“Dylan Beavers and Chase DeLauter are worth monitoring here,” writes Doyle, “the latter being one of the best players left on the board and a guy the Red Sox got a ton of lengthy looks at while on the Cape in 2021.”

DeLauter, 20, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 18 prospect and by MLB Pipeline as the No. 19 prospect in this year’s draft class.

Playing for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League last summer, DeLauter opened some eyes by slashing .298/.397/.589 to go along with a league-leading nine home runs and 21 RBIs in 34 games.

With the Dukes this season, the left-handed hitting junior batted .437/.576/.828 with eight doubles, one triple, eight homers, 35 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 28 walks, and 21 strikeouts over 24 games spanning 118 plate appearances. His season ended in early April when he sustained a broken left foot after sliding into second base on a double.

Per his Baseball America scouting report, the West Virginia native “has plenty of strength … that gives him plus raw power and while his swing isn’t described as fluid, he gets himself into good hitting position consistently. He’s uniquely athletic for his size and has posted double-plus run times in the 60-yard dash.”

MLB Pipeline, on the other hand, notes that DeLauter “could be a middle-of-the-order type of hitter. He’s put up gaudy numbers at JMU, beating up the pitching in the mid-major Colonial Athletic Conference. He has at least plus raw power and even though there’s a little drift to his lower half that causes him to be more of a front-foot hitter at times, he’s so big and strong he can still out-leverage pitching.”

Defensively, DeLauter possesses the kind of speed that has allowed him to stay in center field to this point, though most evaluators view the 6-foot-4, 235 pounder as a future corner outfielder given his size and power profile. His arm strength is to be reckoned with as well on account of his past experience as a pitcher.

If DeLauter, who turns 21 in October, were to fall to the Red Sox at No. 24 on July 17, he would become the first college outfielder the club used a first-round pick on since Andrew Benintendi, whom they took out of the University of Arkansas in 2015.

The recommended slot value for the 24th overall pick in this year’s draft, which will take place in Los Angeles, comes in at roughly $2.975 million.

Besides Beavers, Beck, and DeLauter, other college outfielders who have been linked to the Red Sox include Tennessee’s Drew Gilbert and Stanford’s Brock Jones.

(Picture of Chase DeLauter: James Madison University Athletics)

Red Sox activate Jackie Bradley Jr. from paternity leave list, option Jarren Duran to Triple-A Worcester

Before opening a four-game series against the Angels in Anaheim on Monday night, the Red Sox activated outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. from the paternity leave list. In a corresponding move, fellow outfielder Jarren Duran was optioned to Triple-A Worcester following Sunday’s 5-2 win over the Athletics in Oakland, the team announced.

Bradley Jr. returns to the Sox after spending the last three days away from the team to be with his wife Erin for the birth of their third child, Elle, at home in Naples, Fla.

In 48 games with Boston this season, the left-handed hitting 32-year-old is batting .227/.284/.353 with 14 doubles, one triple, one home run, 20 RBIs, nine runs scored, one stolen base, 12 walks, and 34 strikeouts over 164 plate appearances.

Bradley Jr. will bat ninth and start in center field for the Sox in Monday’s series opener at Angel Stadium. It will mark just his fourth start in center this year as Enrique Hernandez has the day off and is therefore out of the lineup.

Duran, meanwhile, returns to Worcester after filling in for Bradley Jr. over the weekend. The speedy 25-year-old appeared in two games and went 3-for-9 at the plate with one run scored and four strikeouts.

This was Duran’s second big-league stint of the year. He previously started one game against the White Sox on May 6 while Hernandez spent a very brief amount of time on the COVID-19 related injured list.

With the WooSox this season, Duran is slashing .314/.393/.523 with 12 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 22 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 19 walks, and 42 strikeouts over 37 games spanning 173 trips to the plate. The left-handed hitter was also riding a 29-game on-base streak at the time he was called back up on Friday.

(Picture of Jackie Bradley Jr.: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Red Sox prospects Victor Santos, Juan Daniel Encarnación earn Eastern League, Carolina League Pitcher of the Week honors

Red Sox pitching prospects Victor Santos and Juan Daniel Encarnacion have respectively been named the Eastern League and Carolina League Pitchers of the Week for the week of May 30-June 5, Minor League Baseball announced on Monday.

Santos made two appearances (one start) for Double-A Portland in its most recent series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats at Delta Dental Stadium. In those two outings, the right-hander allowed one earned run on seven hits, three walks, and nine strikeouts over 12 total innings for the Sea Dogs.

On the 2022 campaign as a whole, Santos has posted a 3.94 ERA and 4.63 FIP with 42 strikeouts to 12 walks across 11 appearances (10 starts) spanning 61 2/3 innings with Portland. Among qualified Eastern League pitchers, the 21-year-old ranks sixth in walks per nine innings (1.75), seventh in walk rate (4.8%), 12th in batting average against (.232), seventh in WHIP (1.07), and first in innings pitched, per FanGraphs.

Originally acquired from the Phillies last July as the player to be named later in the trade that sent C.J. Chatham to Philadelphia, Santos is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the 51st-ranked prospect in Boston’s farm system.

Per his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the 6-foot-1, 191 pound hurler from the Dominican Republic throws from a three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 90-92 mph fastball that tops out at 94 mph fastball, a 77-79 mph split changeup, and a 77-81 mph slider.

Santos, who turns 22 in July, can once again become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft this winter. Because of that, he could be a prime candidate to pitch in the Arizona Fall League later this year.

Encarnacion, meanwhile, also made two appearances (one start) for Low-A Salem in its latest series against the Columbia Fireflies at Carillion Clinic Field. Over seven cumulative innings of work, the righty allowed no runs on just four hits and zero walks to go along with seven strikeouts.

In 10 outings (nine starts) with the Salem Sox this season, Encarnacion has produced a 4.01 ERA and 3.36 FIP with 49 punchouts to 12 walks across 42 2/3 innings. Among qualified pitchers in the Carolina League, the 21-year-old ranks eighth in strikeouts per nine innings (10.34), seventh in walks per nine innings (2.53), 10th in strikeout rate (27.2%), eighth in walk rate (6.7%), eighth in FIP, and ninth in xFIP (3.84), per FanGraphs.

The Red Sox originally signed Encarnacion for $40,000 as an international free agent coming out of the Dominican Republic in September 2018. The San Pedro de Macoris native is not yet regarded as one of the premier pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system, though he certainly possesses intriguing potential.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 173 pounds, Encarnacion throws from a three-quarters arm slot and works with a 90-93 mph fastball that reaches 94 mph, a 76-81 mph slider, and an 84-85 mph changeup, according to his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Unlike Santos, Encarnacion — who does not turn 22 until next March — is not eligible for the Rule 5 Draft until the conclusion of the 2023 season. So there is still a ways to go there.

(Picture of Victor Santos: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Red Sox pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins makes professional debut for Low-A Salem

Nearly 11 months after getting drafted, Red Sox pitching prospect Hunter Dobbins made his professional debut for Low-A Salem on Sunday night.

Pitching in front of 2,017 spectators at Carillion Clinic Field, the right-hander got the start and allowed two earned runs on four hits, one walk, and one strikeout over three innings of work in Salem’s 7-4 win over the Columbia Fireflies.

After retiring six of the first eight batters he faced, Dobbins gave up three straight hits — two of which produced runs — to begin things in the top half of the third. Following a brief mound visit from Salem pitching coach Nick Green, he bounced back by fanning Carter Jensen and getting Guillermo Quintana to hit into an inning-ending double play.

Of the 45 pitches Dobbins threw on Sunday, 30 went for strikes and five of those were whiff-inducing. The 22-year-old now owns an ERA of 6.00 and will likely start again for Salem in its next series against the Charleston RiverDogs later this week.

The Red Sox originally selected Dobbins in the eighth round of last year’s amateur draft out of Texas Tech University and signed the native Texan for $197,500.

One of the primary reasons Dobbins fell to the eighth round was because the righty had just undergone Tommy John surgery in March, which resulted in him missing the entirety of his junior season with the Red Raiders.

As a sophomore during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, Dobbins posted a 1.35 ERA and 1.10 WHIP with 25 strikeouts to just five walks over six appearances (three starts) spanning 20 innings pitched.

Per his SoxProspects.com scouting report, the 6-foot-2, 185 pounder throws from a three-quarters arm slot and — prior to going under the knife — operated with a four-pitch mix that consisted of a 91-94 mph fastball that reached 98 mph, a 77-79 mph curveball, a circle changeup that evolved from a split-fingered change, and a slider.

Dobbins, who turns 22 in August, is not yet regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. He was, however, identified by FanGraphs back in March as “enviable bullpen depth” given his ability to miss bats with both his curveball and changeup in college.

With that being said, SoxProspects.com notes that Dobbins still has a “wide range of outcomes” when it comes to his career outlook on account of the uncertainty surrounding what kind of pitcher he will be post-Tommy John.

If he can pitch similarly to the way he did in 2021, though, Dobbins represents another intriguing addition for the Red Sox’ minor-league pitching pipeline.

(Picture of Hunter Dobbins courtesy of the Salem Red Sox)

Red Sox promote versatile prospect Ceddanne Rafaela to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox are promoting versatile prospect Ceddanne Rafaela from High-A Greenville to Double-A Portland, as confirmed by SoxProspects.com’s Chris Hatfield.

Rafaela, 21, is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 22 prospect in Boston’s farm system. The right-handed hitter began the 2022 season in Greenville and batted a stout .330/.368/.589 with 16 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, 36 RBIs, 37 runs scored, 14 stolen bases, 10 walks, and 15 strikeouts over 45 games (209 plate appearances) with the Drive.

Among qualified South Atlantic League hitters, Rafaela ranks first in batting average, 23rd in on-base percentage, second in slugging percentage, second in OPS (.957), fourth in isolated power (.259), and ninth in stolen bases, per MiLB.com’s leaderboards.

On May 17, Rafaela became the first player in Drive history to hit for the natural cycle, as he went 4-for-5 with a first-inning single, third-inning double, seventh-inning triple, and eighth-inning home run in an 11-6 win over the Hickory Crawdads at Fluor Field.

Originally signed for just $10,000 as an international free agent coming out of Curacao in July 2017, Rafaela began to open eyes with Low-A Salem last year because of his defense. After playing six different positions (second base, third base, shortstop, left, right, and center field) in 2021, the Willemstad native was named the Red Sox’ Minor League Defensive Player of the Year in September.

So far this season, Rafaela has gotten playing time at second base, shortstop, and center field. To be exact, the 5-foot-8, 150 pounder has logged 270 1/3 innings in center while impressing the Red Sox with his defensive ability there, according to The Athletic’s Chad Jennings.

Rafaela, who turns 22 in September, will join the Sea Dogs before they open a six-game series against the Hartford Yard Goats at Hadlock Field on Tuesday night.

That the Red Sox are promoting Rafaela has deeper meaning when you consider the fact that he can become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft in December. By allowing him to face stiffer competition in Portland, Boston gets the chance to further evaluate Rafaela before deciding if he will be added to the 40-man roster by the deadline in late November.

(Picture of Ceddanne Rafaela: Gwinn Davis/Greenville Drive)

2022 MLB Draft prospect Tucker Toman works out for Red Sox in Greenville

The Red Sox hosted Hammond School (Columbia, S.C.) infielder Tucker Toman for a pre-draft workout at Fluor Field in Greenville on Saturday, according to SportsTalk Media Network.

Toman, 18, is the son of current Middle Tennessee State baseball coach Jim Toman. He is also currently regarded by MLB Pipeline as the No. 42 draft-eligible prospect and by Baseball America as the No. 70 prospect in this year’s draft class.

A switch-hitter, Toman batted .487 and slugged .887 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs in his senior season with the Skyhawks. The South Carolina native is committed to play his college baseball at the esteemed Louisiana State University, but he is expected to go pro this summer.

Per his MLB Pipeline scouting report, “Toman shows better bat speed with his left-handed stroke but is proficient from both sides of the plate. He understands his swing and barrels balls with ease when he just concentrates on making hard contact to all fields. He got too aggressive and pull-happy at times last summer but has the hittability, bat speed and strength for at least average and perhaps plus power without swinging for the fences.”

Baseball America, on the other hand, notes that Toman “has impressive power potential as a switch-hitter and is an offensive-oriented infielder who had an up-and-down summer. At his best, Toman barreled the baseball and sprayed line drives and deep fly balls all over the field, but he also had events where he swung and missed consistently and got himself out with bad chases on pitches out of the zone.”

Defensively, the 6-foot-1, 190 pounder is described by MLB Pipeline as a player with an uncertain future given that he only has below-average speed and average arm strength.

“The best-case scenario would be third base, where his arm and hands might be a little light but he has the work ethic to possibly make it to happen,” Toman’s scouting report reads. “Second base seems like a bigger stretch with his lack of quickness, and he could wind up on an outfield corner.”

Toman, who turns 19 in November, could very well be someone the Red Sox target in the second round as opposed to the first in this year’s amateur draft, which begins in Los Angeles on July 17.

Boston owns the 24th and 41st overall picks in the 2022 draft. They also own the 79th overall selection, which they received as compensation for losing Eduardo Rodriguez to the Tigers in free agency.

While it remains to be seen just how interested the Red Sox are in a prospect such as Toman, it is somewhat intriguing that this information got out there.

(Picture of Tucker Toman via his Instagram)

Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata strikes out 2 in first start of rehab assignment

Red Sox pitching prospect Bryan Mata officially began his rehab assignment with Low-A Salem on Saturday night.

Pitching in front of 3,971 spectators at Carillion Clinic Field, the right-hander allowed one unearned run on no hits, two walks, and two strikeouts over two innings of work in Salem’s 6-2 win over the Columbia Fireflies.

Of the 45 pitches Mata threw on Saturday, 27 went for strikes and nine were of the swing-and-miss variety. The 23-year-old reportedly topped out at 98 mph with his fastball.

Not including extended spring training, this marked Mata’s first in-game action since August 2019 and, more significantly, his first official minor-league appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery last April.

Originally signed by the Red Sox for just $25,000 as an international free agent coming out of Venezuela in January 2016, Mata is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 11 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks fifth among pitchers in the organization.

When healthy, many believed Mata had some of the best pure stuff in the system as he complemented his high-octane fastball with a changeup, a curveball, and a slider, among other offerings.

After tearing his ulnar collateral ligament and having his elbow reconstructed last spring, it remains to be seen if Mata will remain effective as a starter or will instead transition to a relief role at the next level. Either way, he still has a high ceiling.

Already a member of Boston’s 40-man roster, Mata will make his next start for High-A Greenville, per The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. He is expected to reach Triple-A Worcester by the time his rehab assignment comes to an end. At that point, the 6-foot-3, 229 pound hurler could be paired up with fellow righty Brayan Bello in the WooSox’ starting rotation.

Bello, the top pitching prospect in the Sox’ farm system, made his fourth start for Worcester since being promoted from Double-A Portland on May 17. The 23-year-old yielded three runs on five hits while walking one and striking out eight over five innings on Friday. His ERA with the WooSox now sits at 3.63.

Between Bello and Mata, the Red Sox have two extremely exciting young pitchers who have the chance to make their big-league debuts at some point this season. At the same time, Chaim Bloom and Co. will surely exhibit patience when it comes to the development of these two prospects as well those who fall behind them in the pipeline.

(Picture of Bryan Mata courtesy of the Salem Red Sox)

Red Sox place Jackie Bradley Jr. on paternity leave list, recall Jarren Duran from Triple-A Worcester

Before opening a three-game weekend series against the Oakland Athletics on Friday night, the Red Sox placed outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. on the paternity list. In a corresponding move, fellow outfielder Jarren Duran was recalled from Triple-A Worcester, the team announced.

Bradley Jr. did not make the trip with the Sox to Oakland as he and his wife Erin are expecting the birth of their third child soon, as noted by MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith.

Duran, on the other hand, will join the Sox for a second time this season after making a brief one-game cameo with the club. He went 1-for-4 with a triple, run scored, and strikeout in a 4-2 loss to the White Sox at Fenway Park on May 6.

The speedy 25-year-old was called up for that game after Enrique Hernandez was placed on the COVID-19 related injured list. Since Hernandez’s stint on the COVID-related IL lasted just one day, Duran was optioned back down to Worcester on May 7.

With the WooSox this season, Duran has batted a stout .314/.393/.523 (144 wRC+) with 12 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 22 RBIs, 31 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 19 walks, and 42 strikeouts over 37 games spanning 173 trips to the plate. The left-handed hitter was also riding a 29-game on-base streak.

Duran is not in Boston’s starting lineup for Friday’s series opener against Oakland since he only just landed in the Bay Area. He is not expected to arrive at Oakland Coliseum until shortly before first pitch.

That being said, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including Smith) that Duran will be in the lineup on Saturday and Sunday with a pair of right-handers in Paul Blackburn and Frankie Montas scheduled to start for the Athletics.

(Picture of Jarren Duran: Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)