The Red Sox farm system kept the power surge rolling this week, and the headline names came from all over the map - Triple-A, Double-A, High-A, and Single-A all delivered plenty of loud contact and a few eye-catching pitching lines.
At Worcester, Allan Castro did a little bit of everything. The switch-hitting outfielder finished 8-for-23 with a double and two home runs, drove in eight, scored five times, and added a steal.
For the season, he’s hitting .237/.307/.361 with seven doubles, one triple, and eight homers. He also has 41 RBI, 33 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases.
Mikey Romero matched the pop with a big week of his own. The left-handed-hitting infielder went 6-for-18 with two home runs, one steal, and a team-high nine RBI. His line now sits at .240/.305/.384 with 11 doubles, two triples, and eight home runs, along with 39 RBI, 31 runs, and two steals.
Nathan Hickey joined the home run parade too. The left-handed-hitting first baseman was 4-for-10 with a pair of doubles and a pair of homers, bringing his season line to .200/.345/.400. He has five doubles, six home runs, 16 RBI, and 20 runs scored.
Portland’s offense had no shortage of production either. Franklin Arias went 6-for-16 with a double and two home runs, while also drawing six walks and striking out just twice.
The right-handed-hitting shortstop is now slashing .332/.418/.602 with 16 doubles, one triple, and 17 home runs. He’s driven in 47 runs, scored 46, and stolen five bases.
Brooks Brannon also kept driving the ball. The right-handed-hitting first baseman went 7-for-19 with two doubles, two home runs, and a team-high seven RBI. He’s hitting .277/.370/.554 with 13 doubles, one triple, and 12 home runs, plus 43 RBI, 23 runs scored, and two steals.
Marvin Alcantara chipped in with a 5-for-13 week that included a double and a home run. The right-handed-hitting infielder is slashing .240/.291/.375 with 16 doubles, one triple, and six home runs. He’s driven in 30, scored 32, and stolen 15 bases.
Jack Winnay kept his Double-A stint moving in the right direction, going 7-for-20 with two doubles and a home run. Since the promotion, the right-handed-hitting corner infielder is hitting .289/.386/.526 with three doubles and two home runs. He’s driven in four runs and scored nine.
Ahbram Liendo also stayed hot. The right-handed hitter went 5-for-15 with a double, five RBI, and a steal, continuing what has been one of the organization’s better stretches at the plate over the last few weeks.
He’s slashing .229/.311/.366 with nine doubles, two triples, and five home runs. Liendo has scored 32 runs, stolen 15 bases, and already set a career high with 41 RBI.
The pitching side in Portland was just as sharp. Blake Wehunt allowed one hit over five shutout innings on Sunday, striking out nine and walking four. He now owns a 3.38 ERA, .230 BAA, and 1.19 WHIP in 12 starts, with 66 strikeouts and 16 walks in 48 innings.
Jedixson Paez followed with four scoreless innings of his own, giving up one hit while striking out eight and not issuing a walk. He has a 4.26 ERA, .209 BAA, and 0.88 WHIP in 11 appearances, including five starts. In 31 2/3 innings, he has 35 strikeouts and four walks.
Gage Ziehl also logged a solid outing, allowing one run on six hits over five innings. He struck out eight and walked one. In 13 starts, Ziehl has a 3.94 ERA, .273 BAA, and 1.27 WHIP, along with 72 strikeouts and 12 walks in 64 innings.
Greenville got a strong week from Luke Heyman, who went 7-for-21 with two home runs. The right-handed-hitting catcher is now slashing .231/.366/.466 with eight doubles, one triple, and 14 home runs in 65 games between Single-A and High-A. He has 41 RBI and 33 runs scored.
Antonio Anderson kept making his case as Greenville’s hottest bat. The switch-hitting infielder went 7-for-18 with three doubles, extending the strong month he’s put together.
He’s hitting .255/.355/.411 with eight doubles, one triple, and four home runs. Anderson has 21 RBI, 24 runs scored, and one steal.
Mason White added more damage with a 6-for-19 week that included a double and two home runs. The left-handed-hitting infielder is slashing .267/.359/.511 with 12 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs. He’s driven in 37 runs and scored 31.
Joe Vogatsky turned in one of the cleaner relief lines of the week. Over 7 1/3 shutout innings in two bullpen appearances, he allowed four hits, struck out eight, and walked one. Vogatsky has a 4.94 ERA, .270 BAA, and 1.46 WHIP in 19 appearances, with 55 strikeouts and 18 walks in 47 1/3 innings.
At Salem, Louis Andujar picked up his first Single-A home run and finished 6-for-17 with five RBI. The right-handed-hitting shortstop is slashing .162/.252/.212 since the promotion, with two doubles and one home run. He has nine RBI, nine runs scored, and three steals.
Andrews Opata added speed and power, going 6-for-19 with a home run and four steals. The right-handed-hitting outfielder is slashing .250/.367/.371 with nine doubles, two triples, and five home runs. He’s driven in 27 runs, scored 48, and stolen 37 bases.
Jason Gilman delivered the best pitching line in Salem, allowing two hits over six shutout innings in his lone start. The left-handed pitcher struck out nine and walked two. He has a 2.45 ERA, .189 BAA, and 1.26 WHIP in 11 games, including seven starts, with 60 strikeouts and 24 walks in 40 1/3 innings.
Christian Foutch also had a solid strikeout total, allowing one run on three hits over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked one. In 14 games, including 10 starts, the right-handed pitcher has a 6.18 ERA, .203 BAA, and 1.88 WHIP, with 54 strikeouts and 46 walks in 39 1/3 innings.
In Other News...
This Bizarre MLB Record Still Belongs To The 2005 Red Sox
The 2005 Red Sox have a strange little corner of MLB history all to themselves, and it has nothing to do with a pennant race or a dramatic October finish. Their season opened with an unusual run of games that never needed extra innings, a stretch that lasted long enough to become a league record and still stands as one of the quirkiest marks attached to that championship club.
It briefly looked like the Dodgers might put that number in danger this season, but their own streak finally ended in an 11-inning game against the Rockies. The common thread is part of what makes the record so odd: both clubs were defending World Series champions while piling up all those regulation games, a reminder that even on title teams, baseball can produce the kind of statistical oddity that lingers for years. [Read more 🡒]
Former Red Sox Infielder Hits An Early Setback In Milwaukee
David Hamiltons return to Milwaukee hit an early snag this week, a reminder that roster churn can turn quickly for a player still trying to settle in with a new club. The Brewers are already adjusting around him, with Greg Jones back on the major league roster and Brandon Lockridge moved to the 60-day injured list to clear space on the 40-man.
For the Red Sox, Hamiltons latest step matters because his path to Milwaukee began in the six-player trade that sent him out of Boston, and he also happens to be a player the Brewers know well from before his time with the Sox. His latest setback leaves another small thread of that deal in motion, even if the bigger picture around the trade is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]