Red Sox pitching prospect Luis Perales is being promoted to Double-A Portland.
Perales had a 15.7 K/9 and a 3.42 ERA over 7 starts to begin the season in Greenville.
Free agent pitcher Stephen Nogosek has signed a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, per source.
Nogosek became a free agent after turning down an outright minor league assignment by the New York Mets earlier this week.
WooSox manager Chad Tracy just compared Ceddanne Rafaela to Mookie Betts physically.
Also adds that he is ready defensively for the bigs. Still work to be done hitting wise.
How can you not be happy for Wilyer Abreu getting the chance to make his MLB debut?
Has quietly put together a great season in Worcester. One of the more liked guys in the WooSox locker room. Great plate discipline, great arm in the OF.
Well deserving of a chance.
Dinelson Lamet is finished with his first start for the WooSox.
3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K. 48 pitches, 30 strikes.
First start since 6/16, encouraging signs as he is built back up for a starting spot.
Just spoke to a Red Sox player regarding the Netflix cameras being around the clubhouse all year.
“Going to be interesting, but think good things can come of it. My haircut bill just went up though. Going to have to have a fresh cut every week.”
If the Jorge Alfaro experiment doesn't work out, the Red Sox might want to give Ronaldo Hernández a look at some point.
Posted .306/.411/.542 in June. He only struck out 6 times the entire month.
He is a free agent this winter.
Another WooSox injury update:
Red Sox are targeting a mid-August return for pitcher Bryan Mata in Worcester.
He has been throwing down in Fort Myers for a few weeks now ramping back up. Hasn't pitched since 5/9.
Pablo Reyes just smoked a two-run home run. His second homer in two days.
Playing second base today, which is first time playing in field on the rehab assignment.
Bryan Mata was hitting 97 MPH today in his live BP in Worcester.
"That was the Bryan Mata we got used to seeing here when he came up" WooSox manager Chad Tracy said pregame about the live BP.
Just spoke with Tanner Houck as he was leaving WooSox clubhouse.
Targeting the start of his rehab next Tuesday. Hasn’t talked about role with club yet upon return.
A few takeaways from Winter Weekend 2024:
-Good for Red Sox to get top prospects there and talking to fans on stage
-Papelbon set a Guinness World Record for most censors on a recorded show for TV
-
@PlayTessie
guys are a wholesome crew to be around
-Zack Kelly is such a dude
Injury update on Red Sox prospect Nazzan Zanetello who has yet to appear in a game in Salem this season despite not being added to the IL.
He will be “testing the full speed” tomorrow and the team will determine when he can make his 2024 debut if all goes well.
So far, the Red Sox have signed official deals with 4 draft picks:
6th round RHP CJ Weins
7th round OF Caden Rose
8th round RHP Trennor O’Donnell
9th round RHP Blake Wehunt
Chatted with Vaughn Grissom pregame to see how he felt in the batters box after a week of rehab games:
"My legs feeling great. My timing is right around where everyone else was in first week of Spring Training. It is just about getting more at-bats."
Former Red Sox pitcher and Rule 5 draftee Ryan Fernandez just struck out 3 batters in his MLB debut for the Cardinals.
His cutter was producing a ton of swing and misses.
@EdHand89
My favorite and very accurate quote from Sogard he gave me earlier this season:
“If you come watch me for a day, you are probably not going to notice that I was on the field. If you come for a month or two, you will probably leave saying I am a pretty good player.”
Former Baltimore Orioles infielder Josh Lester has signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals, source said.
Lester was a key part of the championship run for the Norfolk Tide last season and also played in 11 games in the majors.
Wrapped up my first season covering the WooSox today. Beyond grateful to have had the chance to spend all year in the clubhouse and to be with the team.
I have a ton of words I need to write regarding the experiences I had this year. Thank you to all for following along.
All Ceddanne Rafaela does is make highlight reel catches in center field.
Just opened up the 5th inning here in Worcester with a diving catch to rob Syracuse of a base hit. It's starting to become a nightly thing.
I’m loving the Nick Sogard hype coming from
@LouMerloni
on NESN right now.
Got to watch him all year last year in Worcester. Makes a ton of contact and plays every position.
My favorite quote from him about himself:
“If you come watch me for a day, you are probably not going
All smiles from WooSox right-hander AJ Politi during WooSox media day today.
Pretty interesting quote regarding new pitching leadership in the org:
“It’s more in line with what I like to do in regards to analytics. It was huge for my development just during spring training
Justin Hagenman has been nails this spring for the Red Sox as a NRI.
4.2 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 Ks.
Just finished a scoreless inning against the Yankees getting DJ LeMahieu to strike out swinging on a nasty cutter.
Yu Chang was supposed to be playing shortstop this weekend for the WooSox.
We haven’t seen him since Thursday for Worcester. Something to keep an eye on.
WooSox manager Chad Tracy told me postgame yesterday that when David Hamilton gets on base, he has unlimited freedom to steal and advance bases.
He noted Hamilton went first to third successfully on an infield single last night. The speed is real.
Red Sox prospect Roman Anthony turns 20 years old today.
Pretty crazy to think about how far he has come through Red Sox system before even turning 20.
How cool of a story is Zach Penrod? The Red Sox signed him out of INDY ball in August.
Threw 30.2 innings starting for Greenville and only gave up 8 runs. Struck out 34 batters in that span.
He also picked up the win tonight to win the championship for Greenville.
Some interesting crossover:
WooSox added a new bullpen coach Noah Junis. He is the brother of MLB pitcher Jakob Junis, who is coming off a career best season with the San Francisco Giants under pitching coach Andrew Bailey.
Chris Sale has wrapped up his first rehab outing for Worcester.
2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. 40 pitches.
Fastball had good life, topped out at 96 five different times, according to
@LT__Murray
.
Wilyer Abreu has put up a quietly great year in Worcester so far.
.248/.369/.476 with 13 HRs and 37 RBIs over 59 games. Has walked 42 times as well.
Has shown plus arm strength in OF. 6 outfield assists and only 2 errors on the year. Current member of the 40-man roster.
Brendan Nail might be one of the better stories in Worcester this season.
Undrafted free agent signing in 2017, spent 7 years in Red Sox system and got called up to Worcester this season.
Just picked up his third Triple-A save and has a 2.40 ERA for WooSox.
I know there is a lot of news going on right now in the Red Sox world right now but uhh…
Jason Alexander is doing something pretty cool for the WooSox… in the 7th inning…
Kyle Barraclough’s night is finished for the WooSox.
6 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K.
Has only given up 4 runs in his three starts. Spot start candidate up in Boston.
Roberto Pérez is staying put with the Red Sox, declining to exercise his opt-out. If he doesn't make the team, pretty solid insurance option at Triple-A.
WooSox manager Chad Tracy on Richard Fitts coming in out of the bullpen in Buffalo:
“We didn’t want his first time coming out of the bullpen being in the major leagues. This is to make him feel more comfortable if that situation comes.”
Nobody should be upset when Nick Sogard eventually gets the call to Boston to be a valuable utility bench bat.
He is the perfect guy to come off the bench and give guys a rest day. Also grinds out at-bats when he is in the box.
Jonathan Brand facing off against Termarr Johnson and making it look easy against the Pirates
#2
prospect…
Brand this season:
11.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 BB, 15 K, 39 swings and misses
Red Sox pitchers to keep an eye on that are pitching today:
Brian Van Belle: Coming into year 2 of pitching in Worcester’s rotation.
Zach Penrod: Coming off an excellent showing in Arizona Fall League.
Nathan Landry: Lefty had hot start to 2023, battled injuries late season.
John Schreiber postgame on his outing in Worcester:
“Felt good tonight, right where I want to be on my first rehab assignment. Pitch shapes were good, command could be a little better with certain pitches and counts but felt good with the results.”
WooSox notes:
- Yu Chang (SS) and Pablo Reyes (DH) in lineup tonight on rehab assignments.
- Kyle Barraclough on mound tonight. 2-0 with 1.64 ERA.
- Enmanuel Valdez activated off IL.
I’ve never been around a crew like the one in Worcester for WooSox games.
@agreenphotog
,
@R2DTay
, &
@MoniganPhotog
are one of the best creative crews I have ever seen in person.
Doing something new and fun every single week. It was very cool to see the finished product on
John Schreiber just finished up another rehab outing.
1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.
Gave up a solo HR to begin the inning then followed it up with three ground balls.
I spoke with Joe Jacques on Tuesday in WooSox clubhouse.
He mentioned he had circled this Yankees series on his calendar before the season started to make his MLB debut.
Jacques went to Manhattan College and is from New Jersey so bit of a homecoming for him.
With Shane Drohan being returned back to the Red Sox, I am curious to see if he ends up in the bullpen instead of going back into the WooSox rotation.
All 10 of his rehab outings this season in White Sox organization were out of the bullpen in relief.