Tag: 2021 season

Red Sox bullpen combines to walk 6 batters in 5-3 loss to Yankees in Game 1 of doubleheader

The Red Sox certainly had their chances, but lost their hold on a late lead over the Yankees and ultimately fell to their division rivals by a final score of 5-3 in the seven-inning day cap of Tuesday’s doubleheader in the Bronx.

Right from the jump, the Sox lineup had an opportunity to get on the board while matched up against Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery.

With one out in the top of the first inning, Hunter Renfroe ripped a line-drive single to left field. Following a Xander Bogaerts strikeout, Renfroe attempted to go from first to third on another single off the bat of Rafael Devers, but was instead gunned down at third base by Luke Voit to retire the side.

Tanner Houck, meanwhile, made his seventh start (and ninth overall appearance) for Boston after being appointed as the club’s 27th man earlier in the day.

Pitching just four innings, Houck surrendered two runs — both of which were earned — on five hits, no walks, and one hit batsman to go along with two strikeouts on the afternoon.

Both New York runs the right-hander gave up came in his second inning of work when he filled the bases by grazing Luke Voit and issuing a pair of singles to Rougned Odor and Tyler Wade.

Though he was just one out away from escaping the jam, Houck could not get out of it before yielding a two-run single to the Yankees’ No. 9 hitter in Andrew Velazquez.

That sequence allowed New York to jump out to an early 2-0 lead, but the Boston bats countered with two runs of their own a half inning later.

There, in the top of the third, Bobby Dalbec and Enrique Hernandez each reached base with one out and advanced an additional 90 feet on a groundout from Renfroe.

Bogaerts then came through by lacing a game-tying, two-run single to left field that brought in both Dalbec and Hernandez to knot things up at two runs apiece, but was thrown out at first base after rounding the bag to prematurely end the inning.

From there, Houck wrapped up his outing by retiring six of the final eight batters he faced, though he was pulled having thrown all of 58 pitches (39 strikes).

To kick things off in the fifth, Christian Vazquez snapped the 2-2 stalemate by crushing his fifth home run of the season off Montgomery, thus giving his side their first lead of the day at 3-2.

Vazquez’s first homer since June 27, which traveled 409 feet to left field and left his bat at 106.2 mph, very well could have paved the way for the Red Sox to run away with a win, but that was simply not the case.

Why? Because in relief of Houck, the Boston bullpen struggled mightily, particularly in the fifth inning.

Garrett Whitlock got the first out of the fifth rather quickly, then walked back-to-back hitters, which led to him getting the hook from Red Sox manager Alex Cora in favor of Josh Taylor.

Taylor, just back from a short stay on the COVID-19 related injured list, had control issues of his own, as the left-hander walked Joey Gallo to fill the bases before issuing a softly-hit two-run single to Voit.

Voit’s clutch hit was just out of the reach of Hernandez in shallow center field, but it was still good enough to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead. The pinch-hitting Giancarlo Stanton followed by drilling another RBI single off Taylor, providing what would prove to be an important insurance run in doing so.

Hansel Robles took over for Taylor with one out in the fifth, got out of the inning, and also got the first two outs of the sixth before fellow trade deadline acquisition Austin Davis came on to finish it without allowing a single run to cross the plate.

All in all, though, four different Red Sox relievers combined to walk six batters in just two total innings of work out of the Boston bullpen.

Despite those struggles, the Sox still had a chance to pull off what would have been an epic comeback in their half of the seventh.

With righty Jonathan Loaisiga on the hill looking to protect a two-run lead for New York, Kyle Schwarber, Vazquez, Alex Verdugo all reached base to fill the bases with no outs.

In that crucial spot, Bobby Dalbec was slated to hit next for Boston, but was instead pinch-hit for by the recently-acquired Travis Shaw.

Shaw, making his first appearance for the Red Sox in nearly five years, worked a six-pitch at-bat against Loaisiga, but ultimately flew out to left field without bringing in Schwarber from third.

Hernandez followed by getting ahead in the count against Loaisiga at 0-3, but the Yankees reliever battled back to punch out the right-handed hitter on six pitches.

Down to their final out, Renfroe went down on four pitches, meaning the Red Sox stranded three runners on base to seal a frustrating 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Yankees.

With the loss, the Sox see their three-game winning streak come to an end as they fall to 69-52 on the season.

Next up: Eovaldi vs. Gil

Boston will send right-hander Nathan Eovaldi to the hill in the night cap of Tuesday’s doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. New York will counter with fellow righty Luis Gil.

First pitch Tuesday night is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. eastern time on NESN and MLB Network.

(Picture of Garrett Whitlock: Adam Hunger/Getty Images)

Red Sox activate Josh Taylor from COVID-19 related injured list, designate Matt Andriese for assignment

Before opening up a three-game series against the Yankees with a day-night doubleheader at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, the Red Sox made a series of roster moves.

First off, left-handed reliever Josh Taylor was reinstated from the COVID-19 related injured list. In order to make room for Taylor on Boston’s 40-man roster, right-hander Matt Andriese was designated for assignment.

Secondly, right-hander Tanner Houck was appointed as the 27th man for Tuesday’s twin bill in the Bronx, the club announced earlier Tuesday morning.

Taylor winds up missing just one day of action after initially being placed on the COVID-related injured list before Sunday’s series finale against the Orioles.

Though it does not appear as though the 28-year-old ever tested positive for the virus this time around since he tested negative on multiple occasions, he was forced to take a car service to get from Boston to New York as opposed to flying with the team.

Taylor, who did test positive for the virus last summer, opened the truncated 2020 campaign on the COVID-19 related injured list.

Through 48 appearances out of the Boston bullpen this year, the southpaw has proven to be one of the Sox’ most effective relievers, posting a 3.23 ERA and 2.92 FIP with 51 strikeouts and 20 walks over 39 total innings of work.

Per Red Sox manager Alex Cora, Taylor should be available for both games of Tuesday’s twin bill.

Because Boston placed Taylor on the COVID-related injured list on Sunday, they were able to temporarily create a spot on their 40-man roster, which in turn allowed them to claim infielder Travis Shaw off waivers from the Brewers without making a corresponding move.

With Taylor’s return, however, the Sox needed to make room on their 40-man roster for the lefty, and they did so by designating fellow reliever in Andriese for assignment.

Originally signed to a one-year, $2.1 million deal that included a team option for 2022 back in December, Andriese got his Red Sox career off to a solid start, as he put up a 1.42 ERA and .577 OPS against over nine relief appearances spanning 12 2/3 innings pitched in the month of April.

Once the calendar flipped to May, however, things seemed to take a turn for the worse for the veteran right-hander, as he struggled to the tune of an 8.39 ERA and 1.090 OPS against across 17 outings (24 2/3 innings) before landing on the 10-day injured list with right hamstring tendinitis on July 10.

Andriese, who turns 32 later this month, was able to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on August 7 and was even scheduled to work two innings for the WooSox on Tuesday, but that is no longer the case.

Instead, the Red Sox will have seven days to either trade, release, or sneak Andriese through waivers, though he could refuse an assignment to Worcester and elect to become a free agent instead.

Finally, we arrive at Houck, who was recalled from Worcester to serve as the 27th man for Tuesday’s doubleheader.

The 25-year-old will get the start for Boston in Game 1 on Tuesday, as he will be matched up against Yankees left-hander Jordan Montgomery. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. eastern time on NESN and MLB Network.

(Picture of Matt Andriese: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Red Sox outfield prospect Miguel Bleis off to hot start in Dominican Summer League: ‘He’s the real deal’

The 2021 Dominican Summer League season may only be five weeks old, but one Red Sox prospect in particular is already drawing early praise from scouts who are on hand to watch the action unfold.

Miguel Bleis, Boston’s top international signing of 2021, has gotten his first professional season off to a hot start down in the Dominican.

Through eight games with the Dominican Summer League Red Sox Red team, the 17-year-old outfielder has slashed an impressive .391/.462/.652 (205 wRC+) to go along with three doubles, one home run, four RBI, five runs scored, two walks, two strikeouts, and three stolen bases in 26 plate appearances thus far.

In addition to what he has done at the plate, Bleis has also played 50 defensive innings in center field, has recorded 14 put outs, and one outfield assist while only committing one error.

While Bleis has played in just eight of the DSL Red Sox Red’s 22 games to this point in the season, he has been able to garner positive feedback from scouts and other evaluators.

According to SoxProspects.com’s director of scouting Ian Cundall, the consensus among scouts seems to indicate that Bleis “is the real deal.”

The Red Sox originally gave Bleis a lucrative $1.8 million signing bonus back in January, making him the highest-paid member of their 2021 international free-agent class.

Bleis, who was regarded by Baseball America as the No. 20 prospect coming into this year’s international signing period, which began on January 15, is now regarded by BA as the 20th-ranked prospect in Boston’s farm system, per their midseason organizational rankings update.

According to his Baseball America scouting report, the right-handed hitting, right-handed throwing center fielder “has a lean, lively frame that’s sleek and athletic with high physical upside. His tools have trended up over the past year as projected, with plus speed and a plus arm now. He has long, gliding strides with an easy gait, covering a lot of ground in center field with the physical projection for his arm to potentially develop into a 70-grade tool.

“Bleis has fast bat speed and his power has jumped up from a little below-average to now showing above-average raw power, driving the ball fairly easily with backspin from center field over to his pull side,” the Dominican native’s scouting report reads. “With room to put on another 25-30 pounds of good weight, there could be more power in the tank. Bleis isn’t an advanced pure hitter, but he isn’t raw either, so if he can develop into an average hitter, he has the secondary tools to be a dynamic center fielder.”

Currently listed at 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds, Bleis — who does not turn 18 until next March — hails from San Pedro de Marocis, a city on the Dominican Republic’s southeastern coast that has produced major-league stars such as Fernando Tatis Jr., Robinson Cano, Johnny Cueto, Tony Fernandez, Alfonso Soriano, and Sammy Sosa, among others.

Back in February, Red Sox executive vice president and assistant general manager Eddie Romero appeared on the SoxProspects.com Podcast with Cundall and Chris Hatfield and described Bleis as a “premium center field talent” who has “all five tools” in addition to “an absolute hose” of an arm.

“He’s got surprising power,” Romero said of Bleis. “Being so young and being able to have above-average raw power is something we don’t see often for a center field player given his body type and athleticism. So, really, what we need to hone in on with him is approach. He performed well offensively in competition for us, and he’s continued to do that in the academy.”

As Bleis looks to build off his strong start to the Dominican Summer League campaign as the summer continues, it should be noted that the young outfielder is still a ways away from netting any sort of major-league consideration.

That said, it should be interesting to see if Bleis at any point this summer earns a promotion to the Florida Complex League. If not, he will still likely receive an invite to participate in the Sox’ fall instructional league in Fort Myers later this year.

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

Red Sox add Travis Shaw to major-league roster, option Franchy Cordero and Connor Wong to Triple-A Worcester, release Marwin Gonzalez

Ahead of their three-game series against the Yankees that begins in the Bronx on Tuesday, the Red Sox made a series of roster moves during their day off on Monday.

First off, infielder Travis Shaw was added to Boston’s major-league roster, while both outfielder Franchy Cordero and catcher Connor Wong were optioned to Triple-A Worcester.

Secondly, utility man Marwin Gonzalez was released after he was designated for assignment on Friday, the club announced earlier Monday night.

Shaw was claimed off outright waivers by the Sox from the Brewers on Sunday and was promptly added to Boston’s 40-man roster since they had an open spot after placing left-handed reliever Josh Taylor on the COVID-19 related injured list that same day.

The Red Sox originally selected Shaw in the ninth round of the 2011 amateur draft out of Kent State University, and the left-handed hitter spent the first two seasons of his major-league career (2015-2016) with Boston before being traded to Milwaukee in December 2016.

After bouncing around between the Brewers, Blue Jays, and Brewers again, Shaw was ultimately placed on outright waivers by Milwaukee this past weekend.

The left-handed hitter had slashed .191/.279/.337 with eight doubles, six home runs, 28 RBI, 14 runs scored, 19 walks, and 51 strikeouts across 56 games (202 plate appearances) with the Brewers this season prior to dislocating his left shoulder in early June.

Sent out on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville on July 27, Shaw hit .273/.415/.485 with two home runs and eight RBI over 11 games (41 plate appearances) with the Sounds before losing his spot on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster.

In claiming the 31-year-old off waivers, the Red Sox add another left-handed power bat to the mix that has proven capable of playing first base, second base, and third base over the course of his big-league career.

“He’s a good kid, he’s a good guy,” Sox manager Alex Cora said of Shaw on Sunday. “We’re going to use him the right way. I think he gives us more weapons to maneuver over nine innings. We can pinch-hit, we can platoon, we can do a lot of things with him. Looking forward to seeing him and start working with him.”

A noted fan of former Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, Shaw — a native of Ohio — will don the No. 23 in his second stint with the Red Sox.

In order to make room for Shaw on the major-league roster, Boston only had to send down one player, but instead optioned two in Cordero and Wong.

Cordero, who was recalled from Worcester on July 22, appeared in 13 games during his second stint of the season with the Sox. Over the course of those 13 games in which he made starts at first base and in left field, the 26-year-old went 7-for-32 (.219) at the plate with seven singles, three runs scored, two walks, and 14 strikeouts.

Wong, meanwhile, was recalled from the WooSox on Sunday as part of the same series of moves that saw Taylor head to the COVID-19 related injured list.

The fact that Boston optioned the 25-year-old backstop back down to Worcester — and thus trimmed down their big-league roster to 25 players for the time being — would seem to indicate that they are hopeful that Taylor will be cleared to return to action on Tuesday, though that is no sure thing.

If Taylor were to be activated before Tuesday’s doubleheader, though, the Red Sox would need to clear a 40-man roster spot in order for him to be added back to the major-league squad.

In addition to the possibility of Boston getting Taylor back this week, they will also be adding right-hander Tanner Houck as the 27th man for Tuesday’s twin bill at Yankee Stadium.

Though Cora has yet to officially name starters for the upcoming doubleheader, the expectation seems to be that Houck will start one game while fellow righty Nathan Eovaldi will start the other.

Finally, we arrive at Gonzalez, who was released three days after being designated for assignment on Friday — at the same time Kyle Schwarber was activated from the injured list.

The versatile 32-year-old initially signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Sox back in late February, but never really found his footing at the plate with his new club.

Despite providing value as a switch-hitter who could play multiple defensive positions, Gonzalez hit just .202/.281/.285 with two home runs and 20 RBI in 77 games (271 plate appearances) with Boston prior to losing his roster spot.

(Picture of Travis Shaw: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox have No. 9 farm system in baseball, per Baseball America

The Red Sox now have one of the more prominent farm systems in baseball, according to Baseball America.

In their latest midseason organizational talent rankings, Baseball America ranks Boston’s farm system as the ninth-best in Major League Baseball as things stand today.

Ranking behind the Mariners, Orioles, Royals, Pirates, Giants, Tigers, Rays, and Reds and ahead of the Blue Jays to round out the top 10, the Sox’ minor-league pipeline at present includes three of Baseball America’s top 100 prospects in first baseman Triston Casas (No. 20), outfielder Jarren Duran (No. 22), and shortstop Marcelo Mayer (No. 32).

“First baseman Triston Casas looks like a potential middle-of-the-order cornerstone who can hit for average and power,” BA noted of Boston’s farm system on Monday. “The addition of shortstop Marcelo Mayer with the fourth pick in the draft gave the Red Sox an immediate jolt of impact talent.”

Coming into the 2021 season, the Sox were in possession of the No. 20 farm system in baseball, which is the same exact ranking they received in the spring of 2020 as well.

What can be attributed to Boston’s rise from No. 20 to No. 9 in the span of just a little more than six months?

Well, as previously noted, selecting Mayer, who was regarded as arguably the top prep prospect going into this summer’s draft, with the fourth overall pick certainly helps.

Casas, meanwhile, made a name for himself at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, as he slashed .217/.308/.652 with a team-leading three home runs and eight RBI over six games while helping Team USA win a silver medal and being named the tournament’s best first baseman in the process of doing so.

As for Duran, the speedy outfielder came into the season as one of Boston’s more exciting prospects after what he did in spring training, then — like Casas — gained more notoriety as he helped Team USA qualify for the Olympics, but was not named to the United States’ final roster.

That being the case because the Red Sox would call up Duran from Triple-A Worcester on July 16. The 24-year-old has since hit .215/.232/.367/.599 through his first 23 games in the majors, though he is batting .282 (11-for-39) since August 3.

In addition to what Mayer, Casas, and Duran have done, the contributions from 2020 first-round pick Nick Yorke, 2017 first-round pick Tanner Houck, and international signees such as Brayan Bello, Miguel Bleis, and Wilkelman Gonzalez cannot be forgotten about, either.

All in all, as the Red Sox look to contend for an American League East title this year, they are also putting in the necessary work to ensure a promising future for the organization by bolstering an ever-improving farm system.

That is something chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has hammered home since he joined the Sox in 2019, and it appears as though his vision has netted some encouraging results less than two full years into his tenure in Boston.

(Picture of Triston Casas: KAZUHIRO FUJIHARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Why the addition of Travis Shaw makes Red Sox manager Alex Cora ‘feel old’

In his heyday with the Dodgers, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was teammates with former big-league right-hander Jeff Shaw from 1998 through 2021.

On Sunday, the Red Sox claimed Shaw’s son, major-league infielder Travis Shaw, off waivers from the Brewers, meaning Cora will now be managing one of his former teammates’ children.

“I know the kid,” Cora said of the younger Shaw following Sunday’s 6-2 win over the Orioles at Fenway Park. “Actually, finally, I feel old. I played with his dad. I saw Travis running around in the clubhouse in LA. So, at one point throughout this, I’m like, ‘Hopefully it doesn’t happen, that I have to manage a teammate’s kid.’ It happened. So, when I found out, I was like, ‘Wow.’ Yeah, you feel old.”

Shaw, who was drafted by the Red Sox out of Kent State University in the ninth round of the 2011 draft, spent the first two years of his major-league career (2015-2016) in Boston prior to being dealt to the Brewers (along with prospects) in exchange for reliever Tyler Thornburg in the winter of 2016.

While Shaw initially found success in Milwaukee by hitting 31 and 32 home runs in his first two seasons with the club, he regressed in 2019, was non-tendered that December, and ultimately signed a one-year deal with the Blue Jays prior to the start of the 2020 campaign.

After his one and only season with Toronto came to a close, the Sox reportedly were interested in a reunion with Shaw, but he opted to return to the Brewers on a minor-league deal with the Brewers this past February.

After making Milwaukee’s Opening Day roster out of spring training, the 31-year-old got off to a sluggish start at the plate in which he slashed .191/.279/.337 with just six home runs and 28 RBI across 56 games (202 plate appearances) before dislocating his left shoulder during a game against the Reds on June 9.

The Brewers placed Shaw to the 60-day injured list on June 12, but decided to designate the veteran infielder just as he was nearing a return from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville.

In designating Shaw for assignment, the Brewers accepted the fact that they could lose Shaw on waivers, and the Red Sox stepped up to the plate by claiming and adding him to their 40-man roster on Sunday.

By acquiring Shaw, the Red Sox were able to add yet another versatile player who is capable of playing around the infield while also providing power from the left side of the plate, as Cora explained on Sunday.

“He’s a good kid, he’s a good guy,” said Cora. “We’re going to use him the right way. I think he gives us more weapons to maneuver over nine innings. We can pinch-hit, we can platoon, we can do a lot of things with him. Looking forward to seeing him and start working with him.”

The reason the Red Sox were able to add Shaw, who was making $1.5 million this season, without making a corresponding 40-man roster move was on account of the fact that left-handed reliever Josh Taylor was placed on the COVID-19 related injured list earlier in the day, thus creating a spot for a new addition.

If Shaw is to join the Sox in New York on Tuesday ahead of their three-game series against the Yankees, which as of now sounds like the plan, the club would also need to make room on its 26-man major-league roster to acommodate him.

“I haven’t talked to Chaim [Bloom] about it,” Cora said when asked if Shaw will be joining the team right away. “Somebody mentioned that he’s here. So, I don’t know what the plan is, but I bet there’s a good chance he’ll be with us on Tuesday.”

(Picture of Travis Shaw: Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

J.D. Martinez homers in second straight game as Red Sox finish off sweep of Orioles with 6-2 win; Kyle Schwarber records first 2 hits with Boston

The Red Sox capped off one of the more memorable weekends of the 2021 season by finishing off a three-game sweep of the Orioles with a 6-2 victory at Fenway on Park on Sunday.

Eduardo Rodriguez, making his 23rd start of the year for the Sox, put together yet another solid outing, as he has done since the calendars flipped to August.

Over six innings of work against his former team, the left-hander surrendered just one unearned run while scattering three hits and three walks to go along with six strikeouts on the afternoon.

The lone Rodriguez gave up came right away in the top half of the first after he issued a one-out walk to Austin Hays that was followed by a Trey Mancini single.

Anthony Santander ripped a single to left field of his own that should have just loaded the bases, but a poor throw from J.D. Martinez allowed Hays to score all the way from second to give his side the early 1-0 lead.

Martinez’s throwing error also put a runner at third base, but Rodriguez was able to escape the jam by recording back-to-back punchouts.

Despite falling behind by a run before even taking their first at-bats, the Sox lineup was undeterred, as they were matched up against Orioles starter Keegan Akin, who came into play Sunday the owner of a 8.23 ERA on the season.

With that favorable matchup in mind, Martinez did not waste any time in making up for his defensive miscue, as he came to the plate for the first time with two outs in the first and two runners on.

On the fourth pitch he saw from Akin, a 2-1, 86 mph slider on the outer half of the plate, Martinez clobbered a three-run home run 396 feet over the Green Monster and off the National Car Rental sign to give Boston their first lead of the day at 3-1.

While Martinez’s 23rd homer of the season looked like it would set the tone for another explosive day from the Red Sox offense, they actually did not get on the board again until their half of the sixth.

Between the time the Sox scored their first and last runs of the afternoon, Rodriguez was in the midst of stringing together five consecutive scoreless frames after he got pushed around a bit in the top half of the first.

From the beginning of the second inning through the middle of the sixth, the point in which his outing came to a close, Rodriguez retired 14 of the final 17 Orioles hitters he faced to end his day on an extremely encouraging note.

Though he certainly would have liked to have pitched beyond the sixth inning, the 28-year-old hurler did finish with a final pitch count of 83 — 55 of which were strikes.

In completing six quality frames, Rodriguez was able to pick up his ninth winning decision of the year while also lowering his ERA on the season down to 4.97.

Moments after Rodriguez’s outing had concluded, the Sox lineup picked things up again in their half of the sixth inning.

There, with old friend Fernando Abad on the mound for Baltimore, Kyle Schwarber made his impact felt by leading things off with a line-drive double to deep right field, marking his first hit in a Red Sox uniform and his first of two doubles on the day.

Back-to-back one-out walks drawn by Alex Verdugo and Christian Vazquez filled the bases for leadoff man Enrique Hernandez, who greeted new Orioles reliever Tanner Scott by lacing an RBI single that deflected off the leg of third base umpire Will Little and brought in Schwarber while also keeping the bases loaded.

Hunter Renfroe took advantage of that by drawing a bases-loaded walk to record an RBI while bringing in Verdugo from third, and Xander Bogaerts followed by beating out a double play on a ground ball that plated Vazquez, thus giving the Sox a commanding 6-1 lead.

From the top of the seventh inning on, the Red Sox bullpen took over in relief of Rodriguez, with Adam Ottavino getting the first call to action.

Making his first appearance out of the bullpen in exactly one week, Ottavino was clearly rusty, as he plunked the first batter he faced in Pedro Severino before throwing two wild pitches that allowed Severino to move all the way up to third base.

A one-out walk of Maikel Franco put runners at the corners for Jorge Mateo, who promptly laced a 105 mph off Ottavino’s left shoulder that scored Severino and would ultimately force the veteran righty to exit, as he was later diagnosed with a left shoulder contusion.

Garrett Whitlock, who was already warming up in the Boston bullpen, was forced to enter sooner than he may have expected, but he kept Baltimore at bay by stranding Mateo at first in the seventh and striking out the side in order in the eighth to hold the opposition at two runs.

That paved the way for Matt Barnes to enter in the ninth in a non-save situation, and despite allowing two of the five batters he faced to reach base, the Red Sox closer was able to shut the door on the Orioles to preserve the 6-2 victory for his side.

With the win, not only do the Sox finish off their first series sweep of at least three games since early July, but they also improve to 69-51 on the season and move to 3 games back of the Rays for first place in the American League East.

Next up: On to the Bronx

The Red Sox will board a flight to Newark Sunday evening and enjoy a well-deserved off day in New York on Monday before opening up a three-game, two-day series against the Yankees in a split doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon.

Right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Tanner Houck are slated to start for Boston in Tuesday’s twin bill at Yankee Stadium, though the order in which the two will pitch has not yet been determined.

The Yankees, meanwhile, will go with right-hander Luis Gil for Game 1 and left-hander Jordan Montgomery for Game 2.

First pitch of the day cap on Tuesday is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. eastern time on NESN and MLB Network, while the night cap will begin at approximately 7:05 p.m. ET and also be broadcasted on NESN and MLB Network.

(Picture of Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez, and Rafael Devers: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Red Sox bring back Travis Shaw by claiming veteran infielder off waivers from Brewers

The Red Sox have claimed corner infielder Travis Shaw off waivers from the Brewers, the club announced earlier Sunday afternoon.

Shaw, 31, was designated for assignment and promptly placed on outright waivers by Milwaukee earlier this weekend after slashing a dismal .191/.279/.337 with eight doubles, six home runs, 28 RBI, 14 runs scored, 19 walks, and 51 strikeouts across 56 games (202 plate appearances) with the club this season.

Signed to a minor-league deal by the Brewers in February, Shaw, who made Milwaukee’s Opening Day roster out of spring training, has appeared in 48 games at third base and 20 at first base so far this year.

In early June, the left-handed hitter dislocated his left shoulder, resulting in him being placed on the 10-day injured list and transferred to the 60-day injured list on June 12.

Late last month, the Brewers sent Shaw out on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville. He hit .273/.415/.485 with two home runs and eight RBI over 11 games (41 plate appearances) with the Sounds.

Due to the emergence of other corner infielders such as Rowdy Tellez and Eduardo Escobar, however, Shaw ultimately lost his spot on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster.

In being claimed off waivers by the Red Sox, though, Shaw rejoins the organization he originally began his professional career with as a ninth-round draft selection out of Kent State University in 2011.

After eventually making his major-league debut for Boston in May 2015, the Ohio native enjoyed a decent amount of success during his rookie season, posting a .270/.327/.487 slash line to go along with 10 doubles, 13 homers, and 36 RBI in 56 games in the process of being dubbed the “Mayor of Ding Dong City.”

Following the 2016 campaign, the Red Sox traded Shaw — as well prospects Mauricio Dubon, Josh Pennington, and Yeison Coca to the Brewers in exchange for reliever Tyler Thornburg.

Thornburg’s time in Boston did not go well, but Shaw got his tenure in Milwaukee off to a solid start by clubbing 31 home runs in 2017 and a career-best 32 home runs in 2018.

That said, Shaw regressed mightily in 2019 and was later non-tendered by the Brewers that December. He inked a one-year contract with the Blue Jays shortly thereafter.

In his lone season with Toronto, Shaw posted a .717 OPS in 50 games before becoming a free-agent once again. The Red Sox had interest in bringing him back over the winter, though he ultimately decided to return to Milwaukee on a minors pact.

Now that he is back with Boston, Shaw — listed at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds –will look to provide the Sox with a left-handed power bat that has experience at every infield position besides shortstop.

The Red Sox were able to add Shaw to their 40-man roster without making a corresponding move since they placed left-handed reliever Josh Taylor on the COVID-19 related injured list earlier in the day.

On top of that, WEEI’s Rob Bradford reports that the plan is for Shaw to join the Sox ahead of their series against the Yankees that begins in New York on Tuesday.

The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier was the first to report that the Red Sox had claimed Shaw off waivers.

(Picture of Travis Shaw: John Fisher/Getty Images)

Red Sox place Josh Taylor on COVID-19 related injured list, recall Connor Wong from Triple-A Worcester

Before wrapping up their three-game weekend series against the Orioles at Fenway Park on Sunday, the Red Sox placed left-handed reliever Josh Taylor on the COVID-19 related injured list.

In a corresponding move, catcher Connor Wong was recalled from Triple-A Worcester, the club announced earlier Sunday afternoon.

Taylor has proven to be one of the more consistent relievers out of the Boston bullpen this season, posting a 3.23 ERA and 2.93 FIP to go along with 51 strikeouts and 20 walks over 48 appearances spanning 39 total innings of work.

At the moment, it’s unclear if the 28-year-old has tested positive for COVID-19 or if he is just experiencing COVID-like symptoms, as has been the case with several Red Sox players (Matt Barnes, Jarren Duran, J.D. Martinez) within the last few weeks.

Taylor did, however, test positive for the virus at the onset of summer camp last year and — in addition to being forced to quarantine at a Boston hotel — opened the truncated 2020 campaign on the COVID-related IL. He did not make his season debut until August 17 as a result of all that.

If the lefty does indeed test negative for COVID-19, he could be activated as soon as Tuesday ahead of an important doubleheader against the Yankees in the Bronx.

If Taylor’s PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test comes back positive, though, he would be placed into a mandatory 10-day quarantine, which would result in the Red Sox triggering additional virus-related protocols.

Wong, meanwhile, returns to the Sox just one day after he was sent down to Worcester at the same time fellow catcher Christian Vazquez was activated from the bereavement list.

In six games spanning four separate stints with Boston, the 25-year-old rookie has gone 4-for-13 (.308) with one double, one triple, one RBI, three runs scored, one walk, and seven strikeouts over 14 total plate appearances.

It’s likely Wong will be available off the bench for the Red Sox in Sunday’s series finale against the Orioles.

(Picture of Josh Taylor: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Yairo Muñoz makes Red Sox history by extending hitting streak with Triple-A Worcester to 35 straight games

While the Red Sox welcomed Chris Sale back in grand fashion with a 16-2 romping over the Orioles at Fenway Park on Saturday afternoon, Yairo Munoz was making some history approximately 45 miles away at Polar Park in Worcester.

Coming into play on Saturday, Munoz had recorded at least one base hit in 34 consecutive games for Triple-A Worcester dating back to the beginning of July.

In compiling a 34-game hitting streak, Munoz had tied Dom DiMaggio for the longest such streak in Red Sox organizational history, as DiMaggio accomplished the feat at the major-league level during the 1949 season.

Facing off against the Syracuse Mets on Saturday, it took Munoz until the eighth inning to extend his streak after he went 0-for-3 with a strikeout against opposing starter Adam Oller.

In the bottom of that eighth inning, with one out and runners at first and second in a 5-0 contest in favor of Syracuse, Munoz was matched up against Mets reliever Roel Ramirez.

On the very first pitch he saw from the right-hander following a mound visit, Munoz ripped a line-drive single to right field to advance both runners an additional 90 feet while etching his name into the record books.

At that moment, the 26-year-old received a standing ovation from the 7,166 who were on hand at Polar Park to witness some history.

Joey Meneses followed by belting a grand slam that cut Syracuse’s lead down to one run, but the WooSox’ comeback attempt fell short in the form of a 5-4 defeat.

Still, while his team may not have had the best of days, Munoz certainly had a memorable one — at least on an individual level.

“I feel really, really proud of myself and fortunate to be where I am right now, thankful to God and all the sacrifices made to be here today,” he told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Katie Morrison) through translator Pete Amalbert. “I’m just really fortunate to be here and have this record under my name.”

Over the course of his historic streak, Munoz has amassed 57 hits in his last 35 games and is now slashing .317/.345/.446 to go along with 14 doubles, four triples, six home runs, 31 RBI, 40 runs scored, 17 stolen bases, 13 walks, and 44 strikeouts across 77 total games (329 plate appearances) in his first season with the WooSox.

The Red Sox originally signed the versatile right-handed hitter to a minor-league contract last March, shortly after he was released by the St. Louis Cardinals and shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic-induced shutdown began.

After spending the majority of last summer at Boston’s alternate training site in Pawtucket, Munoz was called up in late August and impressed in his brief stint with the club, which was ultimately cut short due to a season-ending lower back strain.

In December, the 5-foot-11, 201 pounder had his spot on the Sox’ 40-man roster taken away from him when he was designated for assignment and somewhat-surprisingly cleared waivers, resulting in him being outrighted to Worcester.

Because of that, the Red Sox were able to retain Munoz’s rights, which has paid off thus far considering what the Dominican native has accomplished at the minor-league level.

That being said, it’s no sure thing Munoz will make it back to the majors before season’s end, as he would need to be re-added to Boston’s 40-man roster, which is currently at full capacity.

Still, Munoz — a former top prospect who has proven he can hit at the major-league level (.278 hitter in parts of three seasons with the Cardinals and Red Sox from 2018-2020) while also playing multiple defensive positions — could provide value for a club looking to make a push for a division title during the final stretch of the 2021 regular season.

“One thing about Yairo, he brings energy on a daily basis,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Munoz earlier this month. “He has that bat-to-ball skill regardless of where the ball is, you know? It can be way up there or way down there and he’ll find barrel. We’re very pleased with what he’s doing. Not only because of the results, but because he’s doing the things he’s supposed to do — playing hard and doing the things that winning players do.”

“Obviously, we pay attention to everything that is going on and we’re very pleased with the way he’s going about it,” added Cora. “I’m not saying he’s on the radar or he’s not, but we are aware of what’s going on with him, and every report we get is a positive one.”

Regardless of the possibility that Munoz may or may not be on the verge of another call-up to the Red Sox, he will look to extend his hitting streak to 36 games in Worcester’s series finale against the Mets at Polar Park on Sunday afternoon.

(Picture of Yairo Munoz: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)