Boston Red Sox have made a notable change to their lineup for Saturday's meeting with the Kansas City Royals, with Jarren Duran moving up the batting order as Boston looks to respond to three consecutive defeats.
Duran will remain in centre field for the second straight game, but interim manager Chad Tracy has opted to give the outfielder a different spot in the order for the latest Royals clash at Fenway Park.
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Duran will bat seventh against the Royals after hitting eighth in Friday night's series opener, which Boston lost 3-2.
The Red Sox have also kept Duran in centre field, with Ceddanne Rafaela and Eli White both on the injured list. Roman Anthony and Wilyer Abreu will join him in the outfield for Saturday's contest.

#duran #boston #jarren

Rays news: What Junior Caminero said after walking off Astros with 2-run bomb appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Tampa Bay Rays star Junior Caminero delivered a two-run walk-off homer Friday night, beating the Houston Astros 3-1 and clinching the Rays' first postseason berth since 2023. His 40th homer ended the series opener at Tropicana Field and made Tampa Bay the first MLB team to secure a 2026 playoff spot. Afterward, theScore's Bryan Mcwilliam shared Caminero's postgame message as the All-Star third baseman made clear reaching October wasn't his final goal.
"We're going to enjoy this, we're going to have a lot of fun, we're going to enjoy the moment, but the job is not finished. We're going to win the division," Caminero said before yelling, "Tampa, this is for you."
Caminero delivered his first career MLB walk-off hit with one out in the ninth and the score tied 1-1. Jonathan Aranda doubled off the right-field wall before Jonny DeLuca replaced him as a pinch-runner. Caminero then attacked Bryan Abreu's first pitch, sending a 96.6 mph four-seam fastball 417 feet to left-center at 107.2 mph.
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#caminero #first #going #junior

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - An unorthodox pitching plan worked about as well as the Houston Astros could have hoped Friday. Their offense could not capitalize against another American League contender.
Junior Caminero cranked a walk-off, two-run home run against Bryan Abreu to send the Astros to a 3-1 loss in the opener of a series against the Tampa Bay Rays, who became the first American League team to clinch a spot in this year's playoff field. Houston, which entered the day with a three-game lead in the AL West, ended it with a 75-73 record.
Using an opener, three Astros pitchers combined to hold the Rays to two hits before the ninth inning. Jonathan Aranda hit a one-out double against Abreu. With first base open, the Astros opted to face Caminero, the AL home run leader, who crushed a first-pitch fastball 417 feet to ignite a celebration at Tropicana Field.
The Astros totaled nine hits. But they were 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position, with neither of the hits scoring a run, and stranded six men on base.
A 1-1 tie reached the ninth inning. The teams took different routes there. Rays starter Drew Rasmussen worked seven innings, navigating eight hits. One run against him scored on a fielder's choice. He threw 92 pitches before Tampa Bay turned to its bullpen.

#astros #houston #abreu #tampa

A 4-year-old filly died earlier this week after competing in a stakes race at Saratoga Race Course, after the horse was found to have suffered a fracture that left her unable to put her full weight on her left hind leg.
According to the state Gaming Commission's Equine Death and Breakdown Database, Marvelous Madison, who was trained by Jorge Abreu, was returned to her barn after finishing fifth in the Yaddo Stakes over Saratoga's Mellon turf course on Aug. 30. In the barn, Marvelous Madison became "toe touching lame in the left hind leg," meaning the filly was hesitant to put her full weight on the affected leg.
According to the Gaming Commission database, further evaluation of Marvelous Madison "revealed a displaced fracture." Because of the "poor prognosis," the database states, Marvelous Madison was euthanized.
The 4-year-old Marvelous Madison ran seven times in her career, with four of those races - including both of her career victories - coming at Saratoga. Earlier this summer at Saratoga, she won an allowance race on July 26 in her first race since August 2025.
On the state database, Marvelous Madison's injury and death were listed as "other" in the description of the incident, rather than being specifically racing- or training-related.

#madison #according #stakes

In his second media interview in three days, Dana Brown, who was dismissed as Houston Astros general manager Aug. 24, stood up for Jeff Bagwell, Jim Crane and Joe Espada.
Speaking with A.J. Pierzynski, Erik Kratz and Scott Braun on Tuesday's episode of "Foul Territory," Brown made it clear he had no hard feelings about the people trying to keep the Astros in first place in the American League West, especially Bagwell, the senior advisor for the franchise, who works closely with Crane, the team's owner, on baseball decisions.
"Jeff Bagwell's a good baseball man," Brown said in the 16-minute interview. "I have no problems with Jeff Bagwell. I love talking with Jeff. We have some great conversations."
Bagwell, a Hall of Famer for the 15 years he manned first base for the Astros, has become a bit of a divisive figure among fans concerned about his influence in front-office decisions. After general manager James Click was let go shortly after the team won the 2022 World Series, Bagwell and Crane orchestrated many of the moves that offseason, including signing first baseman José Abreu and reuniting with reliever Rafael Montero and outfielder Michael Brantley. Neither Abreu or Montero made it to the final season of their three-year contracts and Brantley was able to play just 15 games after signing his deal.
With Brown gone, Crane has taken over baseball operations with Bagwell working with the team's three ******* istant general managers to take over Brown's duties until the next general manager is in place.

#astros

NEW YORK - Amid a troubling stretch for the Houston Astros rotation, an ace restored order. Fourteen games elapsed without an Astros starter finishing six innings before Hunter Brown took the mound at Citi Field on Friday. Half of those games saw their starter work 4 ⅓ innings or fewer, taxing a bullpen showing signs of strain. The rotation posted a 5.64 ERA in that span. Just two teams had a higher one.
The formula feels unsustainable for a team with playoff aspirations, but nor are solutions apparent for this team's pitching instability. Houston has three starters in which it shows trust. One, Peter Lambert, already is nearing a career-high innings total. Another, Hayden Wesneski, has not surpassed 91 pitches yet in six starts back from elbow surgery.
With both Cristian Javier and Tatsuya Imai - the two highest-paid starters on their roster - rested, the Astros will deploy an opener Saturday against the Mets. Bennett Sousa will draw the **** ignment, two days after a messy seventh inning at Yankee Stadium. Javier and Imai would ostensibly be available for bulk innings, but Imai has been on ice, appearing in three games this month.
Houston's bullpen has essentially been operating a man short as a result, magnifying the workload its regular relievers have shouldered. Steven Okert entered Friday with the third-most outings among AL relievers and AJ Blubaugh with the most relief innings in the majors. Okert, Enyel De Los Santos and Bryan Abreu were all among the 33 relievers in the league with at least 52 appearances.
Maintaining key arms for a playoff push is desirable, but the Astros' lack of cushion - a two-game lead over Texas in the AL West after their 3-1 win Friday - complicates strategic rest. So does the rotation's recent lack of reliability, forcing them to rely heavily on leverage relievers to secure wins. Getting more from that group seems critical over the final 27 games of their season.

#Friday #houston #javier

Jarren Duran has struggled offensively this season and is far from the player he was in 2024 when he was an All-Star.
Duran led the league in doubles and triples in 2024. His numbers declined in 2025, but he still had a .774 OPS and had 70 extra-base hits. This year, he is hitting .209 with a .632 OPS, but this month has been much better.
He has played in 21 games this month, starting all but one of those games. He had a day off on Aug. 17, but is slashing .267/.321/.507 with nine extra-base hits. He has a .828 OPS, six RBIs, five walks and four homers. His batting average last month was .210.
With Roman Anthony returning soon, Duran is at risk of losing playing time. However, Masataka Yoshida's injury opens the designated hitter spot up for Duran to get at-bats. Mickey Gasper has filled in nicely, but as players return, Gasper is a candidate to lose his spot. If the Red Sox think Duran can continue to do what he's done in August, they could go back to using the designated hitter spot to get all four of Anthony, Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela in the lineup.
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#duran

The Boston Red Sox (72-59) and the Miami Marlins (67-65) continue their respective postseason pushes tonight when they take the field at loanDepot Park in Miami. The Red Sox won the series opener last night, 4-2, to stay within six games of first place Tampa Bay in the AL East and further strengthen their hold on the second Wild Card spot in the American League. Miami is third in the NL East at 67-65 but they remain 9.5 games behind the Braves in the division race and four back of the final Wild Card spot in the National League.
Last night's game remained tight throughout primarily because Boston managed just a single hit in 14 at bats with runners in scoring position. Miami struck first in the second inning when Otto Lopez drove home Jakob Marsee with a sacrifice fly, giving the Marlins a 1-0 lead. Boston answered in the fifth when Jarren Duran doubled and later scored on Mickey Gasper's RBI double to tie the game. The Marlins regained the lead in the seventh on Xavier Edwards' RBI single, but once again, Boston answered. Wilyer Abreu doubled in the eighth and eventually scored on a wild pitch, knotting the game at 2-2. The game was decided in the ninth. Anthony Seigler, who entered the game with only 12 RBIs on the season, delivered the biggest hit of the night, lining a go-ahead RBI triple to right field. Nick Sogard followed with an RBI single to provide an insurance run and give Boston a 4-2 advantage. Aroldis Chapman closed the door for his 30th save of the campaign. The Sox have now won four in a row.
Rookie Payton Tolle (8-6, 3.08 ERA) gets the ball today for the Sox. The southpaw takes the mound after six days of rest. In four August starts, Tolle has allowed six earned runs (25 innings pitched). Boston lost against the Diamondbacks in his last start (5 IP, 3ER) after wining in his seven previous starts. Tyler Phillips (3-6, 3.67 ERA) will be on the ******* p for Miami. The righthander gave up one run in two innings in Philadelphia last Tuesday after giving up four in 5.1 innings in his previous outing. The Marlins have lost his last three starts.
Lets dive further into today's game and find a sweat or two.
We've got all the info and ******* ysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

#boston #last

Chivas goal scoring finally appeared in the Apertura 2026 when they defeated Tijuana by a 5-2 score. Chivas finally scored more than one goal in a Liga MX game during the season after they were able to convert their chances days after the news came that their top goal scorer, Armando Gonzalez, was transferred to Olympiakos in Greece. Tijuana came into the match tied in first place but they had a poor defensive display that Chivas took advantage of. Chivas will now travel south to face off against Pachuca while Tijuana returns home where they will host Pumas.
The 1st half started with a two hour and thirteen minutes rain delay. While the stadium crew did a huge effort to get the field in playable conditions, the field was drenched in a lot of areas. A good combination play ended with Efrain Alvarez getting the ball in the area but his left footed shot went wide. A left footed shot from outside the area by Santiago Sandoval was easily saved by Tijuana's goalkeeper, Jose Rodriguez. A back pass was badly fumbled by Rodriguez and left there for Ricardo Marin, who incredibly kicked the ball straight to Rodriguez in a terrible miss. Off a corner kick, the cross into the area was headed back by Luis Romo into the path of Santiago Sandoval, who headed the ball from close range past Rodriguez to score and give Chivas the early 1-0 lead. It was a deserved goal as Chivas had been the better team. Tijuana would try to answer back with a counter in which Ramiro Arciga got off a header that would be cleared off the line by Romo. Off another corner kick, the cross into the area was headed back by Diego Campillo into the path of Ricardo Marin, who headed the ball from close range past Rodriguez to score and increased the lead to 2-0. It was the same play that Tijuana failed to defend and from set pieces, Chivas had a two goal lead. A cross into the area was headed by Diego Abreu but his teammate, Ignacio Rivera would get in between the path of his shot and deflected it wide. After a thru pass would allow Hugo Camberos to get into the area, he would be brought down by Arciga and the referee would give a Penalty Kick to Chivas. Ricardo Marin took the PK and calmly placed his left footed shot past Rodriguez to score and increased Chivas' lead to 3-0. The halftime whistle blew and Chivas had a solid lead after having their best half played so far in the Apertura 2026.
The 2nd half started with Tijuana subbing out Pablo Ortiz, Diego Abreu and Ignacio Rivero for Alan Vega, Elias Manoel and Yael Padilla. Seconds after the start of the half, Chivas lost the ball and allowed Ivan Tona to get to the area but his left footed shot was blocked by Chivas' goalkeeper, Raul Rangel. Rafael Fernandez got off a right footed shot from outside the area that went wide. Chivas subbed out Efrain Alvarez and Miguel Gomez for Brian Gutierrez and Luis Rey. Tijuana subbed out an injured Ramiro Arciga for Francisco Gonzalez. A great combination play by Chivas ended with Gutierrez finding a

How to Watch Red Sox vs. Giants Today: Channel, Live Stream & Start Time for Sunday MLB Game originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Red Sox will try to complete a sweep against the Giants after beating San Francisco on Saturday in dramatic fashion.
Boston faced a 2-0 deficit heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, but it stole a victory with a three-run rally. Wilyer Abreu hit a hard grounder with the bases loaded, and Eli White beat the throw to home plate for the game-winning run.
"I think we've been that way for a while now, where it's like, we might lose, but you're gonna get our best all the way down to the last strike, the last pitch, and they've been doing that for a while," Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said.
Can Boston do it again in the final game of the weekend series?

#game #live #stream

BOSTON (AP) — Eli White slid headfirst into the plate with the winning run to complete a three-run ninth-inning rally, a play that was upheld after a review, and the Boston Red Sox got to twice celebrate their 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night.
Wilyer Abreu hit a hard grounder that first baseman Bryce Eldridge made a diving stop on, then threw home for an attempted force, but White was ruled safe by umpire James Hoye, setting off a celebration. The Giants challenged the call on the field and the call stood after a video review, prompting a second celebration.
Willy Adames hit a solo homer over the Green Monster for the Giants, who lost for the 10th time in 13 games.
Dylan Smith had escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the eighth before Boston rallied against Sam Hentges (1-6), tying it on Nick Sogard's RBI double down the left-field line after pinch-hitter White had a run-scoring single.
Wyatt Olds (1-0) earned the win.

#call

Red Sox Erase Eight Innings Of Frustration With Wild Walk-Off Win originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox were down to their final three outs Saturday night. They also had not scored a run. That somehow did not stop them from delivering one of their most dramatic wins of the season.
Boston scored three times in the bottom of the ninth inning to stun the San Francisco Giants, 3-2, at Fenway Park. Wilyer Abreu completed the comeback by putting the ball in play with the bases loaded, allowing Evan White to race home with the winning run. It was an unlikely finish for Abreu, who had struck out in each of his first four plate appearances. Faced with one more opportunity, he battled through a seven-pitch at-bat and hit a ground ball toward first base.
Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge attempted to get the force out at home, but his throw was off line. White scored safely, setting off a celebration near home plate and giving Boston its second consecutive win over San Francisco. The win improved the Red Sox to 70-59 overall and 33-32 at Fenway. The Giants dropped to 52-77.
Boston's offense spent most of the evening searching for an answer against Giants starter Blade Tidwell. Tidwell allowed only three hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He struck out seven and kept Boston from producing a hit with a runner in scoring position.

#first #abreu

BOSTON — In the first five months of his Red Sox career, Willson Contreras has made it clear he has a swing fit for Fenway Park. On Friday night, he proved his swing might also fit the Mass. Pike.
Contreras turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead with a mammoth three-run home run off Giants All-Star Logan Webb that easily cleared the Green Monster — and perhaps a couple of buildings behind it. Contreras' homer left his bat at 116 mph and had a final projected distance of 452 feet. It was both the hardest- and farthest-hit ball by a Red Sox batter in 2026.
"It was hit a ton," said interim manager Chad Tracy. "He hit it really good."
Trailing 1-0 after a Bryce Eldridge RBI single in the top of the inning, the Red Sox got to Webb with two outs in the third. With Nick Sogard on first, Wilyer Abreu smoked a single to extend the inning. In a 1-1 count, Webb left a low changeup over the plate and Contreras demolished it. He admired it for a few seconds, demonstratively flipped his bat while throwing his hands up, pounded his chest and screamed into the dugout where his teammates marveled at his blast.
Some of them remained in awe hours later.

#webb

BOSTON - Even when they lose, which they do a lot, the San Francisco Giants are never short of story lines and interesting twists.
Slugger Rafael Devers got a mixed reaction in his return to Fenway Park - lots of boos when he was announced and during his first at-bat, but many cheers during a between-innings video tribute. Then Devers hit a blast to dead center in the fourth, cutting Boston's lead to one, and the boos got the edge. Devers went back-to-back with Drew Gilbert, not a slugger type, who slipped a two-run shot down the right-field line.
That wasn't quite enough in an eventual 6-4 loss to the onrushing Red Sox. Logan Webb, so sharp this month, with an ERA under 1.00 and 17 strikeouts to just two walks, succumbed to the same issues that have plagued many of the team's younger starters. He walked three and hit two, leading to three Boston runs. He also gave up a 116 mph laser of a three-run homer by Willson Contreras (the answer at first base for the Red Sox when Devers wasn't).
Giants infielder Christian Koss, traded a little more quietly than Devers was when he went from Boston to San Francisco for cash at the end of spring training in 2024, singled, doubled and scored twice against the club that gave up on him when he still had an option remaining. Nick Sogard, who led off for the Red Sox and scored two runs Friday, was among those who'd moved ahead of Koss on Boston's Triple-A depth chart.
Webb's third inning, his second time through the order, was all the rougher because the floodgates opened with one on - Sogard, who had walked - and two outs. After a Wilyer Abreu single, Contreras hit his 450-foot bomb, and two singles, two hit by pitches and a walk added two more to the damage. By that point Webb had thrown 35 pitches in the inning, and he left with the bases loaded. Lefty Reiver Sanmartin got Sogard to hit into a fielder's choice to end the inning.

#webb

Red Sox Spoil Rafael Devers' Fenway Return With Statement Win originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Rafael Devers delivered the dramatic moment everyone expected Friday night. The Boston Red Sox still walked away with the result that mattered. Boston spoiled Devers' first game back at Fenway Park since the blockbuster trade, defeating the San Francisco Giants 6-4 in the opener of a three-game series.
Devers launched a 412-foot home run in the fourth inning, but Willson Contreras answered the former Red Sox star with an even bigger blast. Contreras' three-run homer highlighted a five-run third inning, while Wilyer Abreu provided an important insurance run later in the night. The victory improved Boston to 69-59 and helped the club rebound from Wednesday's extra-inning loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
San Francisco struck first when Bryce Eldridge delivered an RBI single against Sonny Gray in the third inning. That lead did not last long.
Nick Sogard singled and Abreu drew a walk before Contreras crushed a three-run homer off Giants ace Logan Webb. The ball traveled 450 feet and completely left Fenway Park, giving Boston a 3-1 advantage. The Red Sox continued applying pressure with two outs. Adley Rutschman and Caleb Durbin singled before Jarren Duran loaded the bases with another hit.

#inning #nesn #park

BOSTON (AP) — Willson Contreras hit a three-run home run and the Boston Red Sox held off the San Francisco Giants 6-4 on Friday night in the return of Rafael Devers to Fenway Park.
The Giants pulled within 5-4 in the fourth inning after Drew Gilbert hit a two-run homer off Boston starter Sonny Gray, and Devers followed with a solo homer, his 26th this season.
But Wilyer Abreu's RBI triple in the sixth gave Boston enough cushion. Gray (16-3) pitched six innings, allowing four runs off seven hits and while striking out six. Aroldis Chapman struck out three and walked one in the ninth to pick up his 28th save.
Bryce Eldridge added an RBI single for San Francisco.
Contreras jumped on an 85-mph changeup from Giants starter Logan Webb (8-8) and crushed a 450-foot rope over the Green Monster and out of stadium for his 26th homer to put the Red Sox in front 3-1.

#contreras #devers #gray #willson

Red Sox Offense Sends Loud Message With Another Fenway Outburst originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox offense suddenly looks dangerous again. One night after pounding out 16 hits in an 11-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston followed with 13 more hits in a 9-4 win Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox have scored 20 runs on 29 hits through the first two games of the series. Eight different Boston hitters recorded at least one hit Tuesday, while Adley Rutschman and Mickey Gasper supplied the power.
For a lineup that recently endured another frustrating disappearance, the two-game eruption could not have come at a better time. Boston has won three of its last four games, improving to 68-58 and remaining firmly involved in the American League playoff race.
Boston immediately applied pressure against Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly. Ceddanne Rafaela and Nick Sogard opened the bottom of the first inning with consecutive singles before Wilyer Abreu drew a walk to load the bases.

#fenway #diamondbacks #games

Sonny Gray worked seven innings for his career-best 15th win of the season, Wilyer Abreu hit a home run, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 on Saturday night.
Gray (15-3) struck out seven and allowed six hits while walking one. He had won 14 games in three other seasons, most recently in 2025 with St. Louis.
He is just the third Red Sox starter since 2019 to win 15 or more games, joining Garrett Crochet (18 in 2025) and Eduardo Rodriguez (19 in 2019).
Abreu hit his 22nd homer in the second inning to put the Sox ahead 1-0, sending a fastball from Jared Jones (2-5) 420 feet over the right-field wall.
Red Sox DH Masataka Yoshida left the game in the third with left hamstring tightness, coming up limping as he came into second with a double. He was replaced by Anthony Seigler.

#seven #games #second #wilyer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sonny Gray worked seven innings for his career-best 15th win of the season, Wilyer Abreu hit a home run, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 on Saturday night.
Gray (15-3) struck out seven and allowed six hits while walking one. He had won 14 games in three other seasons, most recently in 2025 with St. Louis.
He is just the third Red Sox starter since 2019 to win 15 or more games, joining Garrett Crochet (18 in 2025) and Eduardo Rodriguez (19 in 2019).
Abreu hit his 22nd homer in the second inning to put the Sox ahead 1-0, sending a fastball from Jared Jones (2-5) 420 feet over the right-field wall.
Red Sox DH Masataka Yoshida left the game in the third with left hamstring tightness, coming up limping as he came into second with a double. He was replaced by Anthony Seigler.

#abreu #seven #left

Pete Alonso hit a home run last night and can hit another homer today.
The MLB best home run bets couldn't build momentum after snapping the cold streak on Saturday. Instead, Wilyer Abreu and Tyler Soderstrom failed to homer on Monday.
The season's record for home run bets sits at 19-74, with three no-bets. As a reminder, home run props are long-shot bets, and the record won't be aesthetically pleasing.
Still, the season's profits are underwhelming after grinding all year, checking in at $61 for anyone who bet $100 on each of the touted home run bets at the listed odds. It's not ideal. A small profit is better than being in the red, though.
Wednesday's MLB slate offers an opportunity to bolster the season's profit and create some wiggle room to finish the season in the black. A slugging first baseman and a sweet-swinging, left-handed outfielder have the most appealing home run props today.

#bets

TORONTO (AP) — Ernie Clement drove in the tiebreaking run in the sixth inning, Brett Bateman had two RBIs and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 5-3 on Tuesday night.
Toronto's George Springer walked to begin the sixth and went to third on Alejandro Kirk's single before scoring on Clement's fielder's choice.
Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu hit solo homers, but the Red Sox lost their fourth straight. It's Boston's longest skid since losing four in a row from June 7-10.
Adley Rutschman went 1 for 3 and walked twice in his debut with the Red Sox. The three-time All-Star, picked up in a deal with Baltimore at the trade deadline, hadn't played since July 18 with the Orioles because of left wrist inflammation.
Chase Lee (1-0) got five outs for his first big league win, and Spencer Miles earned his first career save.

#since #first

Red Sox Make Wilyer Abreu Decision For Athletics Finale originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Red Sox received encouraging news before Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Athletics. Wilyer Abreu returned to the starting lineup one day after swelling in his lower right leg forced Boston to scratch him from Saturday's game. Abreu will bat third and serve as the designated hitter as the Red Sox attempt to secure another series victory at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox elected not to return Abreu to right field immediately. Eli White will handle the defensive **** ignment and bat eighth, allowing Boston to restore one of its most dangerous hitters without placing additional strain on his injured leg.
Abreu originally suffered the injury when he fouled a ball off himself during Friday's 13-1 victory.
Abreu's quick return represents a significant development for a Boston lineup already operating without several important players. The 27-year-old entered Sunday batting .256 with 20 home runs and 62 RBIs through 113 games. He also has played a major role in Boston's remarkable surge, hitting 10 home runs and driving in 24 during the club's 32-5 run beginning June 25. Reuters reported Saturday that the Red Sox were optimistic he could return for the finale.

#return

Adley Rutschman is playing baseball! Unfortunately he's doing it in Worcester, not Boston. Still, it was nice to see him behind the plate for five innings, during which he went 1-2 for two walks and threw out a runner. It was also nice for him, given that he played in front of both his father and the family that hosted him during his season playing in the Cape league. "He was great to have. It was exciting, he was coming off being in the College World Series at Oregon State," said his former host Bill Matta. "He'd play with my boys — they played wiffle ball, they'd go for ice cream. And then we'd watch him play." (Matty Wasserman, Boston Globe)
Speaking of rehab, Marcelo Mayer hopes to finish his rehab soon and make his debut with the Giants. He doesn't sound too upset about being shipped west. "It's been, like, six months since I had a burger from In-N-Out, so had to go back," he said. "That's usually the first thing I do when I get home in the offseason. So I was able to get one two months early." (Andrew Baggarly, The Athletic)
Rutschamn didn't need to be worried about being booed by the fans in Worcester. But apparently Willson Contreras did need to worry about it at Fenway. In his first game after returning from an illness, Sox fans booed the team's best player after he didn't run out a grounder to lead off the eighth. Chad Tracy didn't take isssue with his play, though. "I know how that looks," he said. "But I'm also aware, more than others, that he's a little beat up and told us before the game, 'I don't have everything today.' So I'm fine. Especially with a guy that plays the game as hard as he does, and how hard he turns around first base all the time. I'm fine with him." (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Contreras returned just in time to anchor the middle of the lineup on a day when Wilyer Abreu wasn't able to, after he suffered some swelling as a result of hitting a foul ball off his leg on Friday. But he's expected to be back in the lineup this afternoon. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
Someone who won't be back, though, is Raymond Burgos. Burgos had the unusual honor of pitching three innings in two consecutive games, as he saved the bullpen during yesterday's loss. He's been optioned back to Worcester, with Seth Martinez taking his spot. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)

#first #didn 't

BOSTON (AP) — Wilyer Abreu homered for the fourth time in three games, Sonny Gray struck out eight in six innings for his 14th win, and the surging Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 4-0 on Wednesday night.
Boston has won seven straight, tied with Atlanta for the longest active streak in the majors, and has won 25 of 28. The Red Sox have also won nine consecutive series, the second-longest streak in franchise history behind an 11-series run in 1912.
Gray (14-2) allowed three hits and walked two, moving into a tie with Philadelphia's Cristopher Sánchez for the major league lead in victories.
Willson Contreras had an RBI single in the first inning that brought Abreu in from second.
Chicago threatened to tie it in the third. Miguel Vargas reached on an infield single to third baseman Caleb Durbin. First baseman Contreras fielded the throw off the bag and then threw to the plate, where catcher Connor Wong tagged Sam Antonacci for the third out.

#boston

No MLB Hitter Is Hotter Than Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Wilyer Abreu cannot stop hitting home runs. The Boston Red Sox outfielder continued his remarkable power surge Wednesday night against the Chicago White Sox, launching a 390-foot solo home run into the right-center-field seats at Fenway Park. Abreu's third-inning blast gave Boston a 2-0 lead and marked his fifth home run over his last six games. He also singled and scored on Willson Contreras' first-inning hit, accounting for both Red Sox runs through the first three innings.
The Red Sox celebrated the latest blast with a fitting social media message.
"WHO ELSE?" the team wrote on X.
It is a fair question. No hitter in baseball is producing more consistent power than Abreu right now.

#home #nesn #boston

One of the commenters on the Daulton Varsho lab asked if I would do a lab on Trevor Larnach. Usually, I don't pay much attention to what hasn't been done, but multiple reports have now indicated that a deal was in place to send Bryan Abreu to the Twins in exchange for Larnach. According to all of those sources, Jim Crane nixed the deal. Before I dive into numbers, we should probably look at the differences between the two deals.
Everyone has opined about the Varsho deal. The primary criticism is that you traded away a pitcher with years of control (can become a free agent following the 2029 season) for a player with no control beyond this season. However, Arrighetti had minimal present value. He was 7-5 with a 4.60 ERA, but virtually all of those wins came in a brilliant first month that saw him win the Pitcher of the Month Award. He was not currently in the Astros rotation and some would argue that he wouldn't likely rejoin it unless there were major injuries. So, this was a classic get something now for someone that could help in the future kind of deal.
As much as I have enjoyed covering performance in spurts lately, the overall numbers on Arrighetti tell a story. He is 15-23 with a 4.66 ERA. He had a really good month in 2024 and a really good month this season. Take those two months away and he is a 5.00 ERA pitcher. Naturally, the Blue Jays are thinking but what if he can become THAT pitcher again? The deal makes sense for them because they aren't going anywhere this season anyway, so why not trade for a lottery ticket?
The Larnach trade is different because you would have traded a pitcher that has an ERA near 2.00 since May 1st. Abreu is useful to you right now and certainly has been lately. The fact that the trade was vetoed by ownership means one of two things (both can be true at the same time). First, Jim Crane has little confidence in Dana Brown, so he is micromanaging him through the end of his contract. Secondly, Crane might actually be interested in re-signing Abreu and that wouldn't happen if he is dealt.
Both of those statements deserves some additional focus, but I will save that for another piece. In this piece, we will look at what Brown was thinking and whether there was some upside there. Larnach has only been a regular for three seasons, so we will go back three years instead of five like we did for Varsho. However, we are looking at the same numbers as yesterday's piece except I will jettison bases per out for now.

#abreu #numbers

BOSTON (AP) — Caleb Durbin hit a grand slam, Patrick Sandoval earned his first major league win in more than two years and the Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to six games with a 14-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
Wilyer Abreu launched a pair of solo homers for the rolling Red Sox, who hit four home runs for the second consecutive game and have won 24 of their last 27.
Sandoval (1-0) struck out five and allowed two runs on six hits and four walks over five-plus innings. It was his first win since May 7, 2024, when he pitched for the Angels before missing half that season and all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The Red Sox had to come from behind in their previous six wins but broke this one open early with six runs in the first. Durbin did the bulk of the damage with a grand slam to left field and Jarren Durran followed with a shot to right. Ceddanne Rafaela, whose streak of three straight games with a homer came to an end, also had an RBI single in the inning.
Brayan Bello pitched the final three innings for Boston and picked up his first career save.

#durbin

BOSTON (AP) — Caleb Durbin hit a grand slam, Patrick Sandoval earned his first major league win in more than two years and the Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to six games with a 14-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
Wilyer Abreu launched a pair of solo homers for the rolling Red Sox, who hit four home runs for the second consecutive game and have won 24 of their last 27.
Sandoval (1-0) struck out five and allowed two runs on six hits and four walks over five-plus innings. It was his first win since May 7, 2024, when he pitched for the Angels before missing half that season and all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The Red Sox had to come from behind in their previous six wins but broke this one open early with six runs in the first. Durbin did the bulk of the damage with a grand slam to left field and Jarren Durran followed with a shot to right. Ceddanne Rafaela, whose streak of three straight games with a homer came to an end, also had an RBI single in the inning.
Brayan Bello pitched the final three innings for Boston and picked up his first career save.

#sandoval #four

The Dodgers were swept for just the second time this season after the red-hot Boston Red Sox hit four home runs, including three off embattled starter Emmet Sheehan, to take an 8-4 win on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium.
Boston hit three home runs in four at-bats in the third inning, with Sheehan giving up blasts to Ceddanne Rafela, Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida as the Dodgers suffered their second three-game sweep at home in less than a month.
"Really good ball club," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about the Red Sox before the game. "Really fundamentally sound. It's a younger group, as far as service time. They're hungry. Seems like they play well together. They can really defend. They're athletic. Remind me a lot of the Brewers. They can really pitch. They don't beat themselves. Dynamic. They put the ball in play."
Read more: Inside the aggressive push Andrew Friedman and Dodgers made to acquire Tarik Skubal
Boston got to Sheehan early with a pair of RBI singles from Yoshida and Caleb Durbin in the first inning.

#home #three #they 're #second

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ceddanne Rafaela homered for the third straight game and the Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-4 on Sunday night to sweep the three-game series.
Masataka Yoshida homered and drove in two runs, and Jake Bennett (7-4) allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings to help the Red Sox win their fifth straight game. Boston is 23-3 since July 3.
Emmet Sheehan (4-8) was pulled after allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings, with the Red Sox pushing across two runs in a 30-pitch first inning.
Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu then clocked Sheehan for back-to-back homers to start the third inning, followed by Yoshida's solo shot for a 5-3 lead two batters later.
Rafaela went 7 for 14 with four homers and five RBIs in the series. He has an eight-game hitting streak with four straight multi-hit outings.

#game #angeles #sheehan #homered