Devers' homer boosts Giolito to first win since 2023 as Red Sox beat Royals 3-1
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Rafael Devers' 440-foot homer snapped a 1-1 tie and Lucas Giolito pitched into the seventh inning for his first win since 2023 as the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1 on Sunday.
Giolito (1-1) allowed two singles and one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings to get his first win for Boston. He missed last season with a partially torn elbow ligament, and his last victory was for Cleveland on Sept. 15, 2023.
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Boston Globe
14 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Red Sox rookies Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer will likely take a seat against tough Yankees southpaws this weekend
Yet with the Yankees likely to roll out three consecutive lefthanded starters (Ryan Yarbrough, Carlos Rodón, and Max Fried) for their weekend series at Fenway against the Red Sox, both rookies are likely to sit in deference to righthanded hitters Rob Refsnyder and Romy González for some — perhaps even all — of the games. Advertisement 'We have some good righties here. If we don't play Romy, we don't play Ref against the lefty, is that good for the team?' wondered manager Alex Cora. 'People get frustrated [about sitting the rookies against lefties]. I get frustrated, too, because I get the same question over and over again, but I've been doing it since 2019 like this.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Indeed, Cora has typically used platoons to protect lefthanded hitters such as Rafael Devers, Jarren Duran, and Triston Casas as they acclimated to the big leagues. But why not look at the performance of Mayer and Anthony in the minors and conclude that they're ready to handle both lefties and righties? 'I can drive a car,' analogized assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson. 'That doesn't mean I can be an Indy racecar driver.' Advertisement The caliber of stuff featured by lefties in Triple A is drastically different than that of big league lefties. Across Triple A, the average left-on-left fastball (combined four-seamer and sinker) entering Wednesday was 91.7 miles per hour, with just 7.5 percent of them exceeding 95. In the big leagues, the average left-on-left fastball this year has hummed across the plate at 93 m.p.h., with 24 percent of the offerings coming in at 95 or hotter. 'Especially if you're a lefty that's 95 or better and can command it enough to execute game plans, every major league team wants that on their staff,' said Lawson. 'So you're not seeing that in Triple A.' Anthony's first big league at-bat against a lefty illuminated the point. In the sixth inning of Monday's game, Rays manager Kevin Cash summoned southpaw Garrett Cleavinger specifically for Anthony. Cleavinger threw Anthony two fastballs: One at 96.4 m.p.h. (first-pitch called strike), one at 96.8 (0-1 chase for a swing and miss). Anthony had seen only one left-on-left pitch in his entire Triple A season that was thrown that hard, a 96.9-m.p.h. fastball from Anthony Gose on April 24. Cleavinger finished the at-bat by freezing Anthony with a sweeper — a middle-middle pitch that was hittable based on location but that Anthony didn't have in his mental database. He took a called third strike. The pitch had 20 inches of horizontal break toward the rookie. In Triple A this year, Anthony saw only four left-on-left sweepers with more than 18 inches of glove-side movement; he swung at none of them (three were balls, one was a called strike). For that matter, Anthony had seen just 15 left-on-left sweepers with at least 15 inches of horizontal break. He swung at three, resulting in one well-struck single, one double-play grounder, and one swing and miss. Advertisement That single at-bat highlighted why it's difficult to look at Triple A left-on-left numbers and assume they'll translate to the big leagues. There's an adjustment that players must experience. 'That's why they're here. That's why they're not in the minor leagues,' said Anthony. 'You come to learn from it and realize, 'OK, this isn't the same guy you're facing in Double A or Triple A three times a week,' so now we've got to adjust.' The Sox want to give Anthony and Mayer opportunities to learn by facing elite lefties. But right now, the growth opportunities are secondary to trying to win games. And with both Gonzalez (.353/.421/.529 against lefties entering Wednesday) and Refsnyder (.279/.400/.558) demolishing lefties, the Sox won't shy from employing righthanded hitters who give them the best chance of success against lefties in critical situations. Cora has discussed the topic with Anthony and Mayer when turning to the two righthanded veterans as pinch hitters. The rookies, in turn, said the conversation is unnecessary. 'Ref's our guy. Ref's the guy against lefties. [Hitting against lefties] is Ref's bread and butter. So as soon as [Cora] told me [Refsnyder would pinch hit for Anthony against a lefty on Monday], I was excited to cheer him on,' said Anthony. '[Cora] didn't really have to explain much to me. I know that that's the goal, to get Ref up and try to help the team win. Ref obviously has more experience than I do, especially with big league pitching in general, but [especially] with big league lefties.' Advertisement 'Romy's a hell of a player, so whenever a tough lefty comes in and [Cora] switches me for Romy, I'm really confident that he's going to get the job done,' said Mayer (1 for 7 with three strikeouts against lefties). 'I trust every single person in this lineup, on this team, to help the team win.' Eventually, if Anthony and Mayer are what the Red Sox expect them to be, their opportunities against lefties will come — just as they eventually did for Devers, Duran, and Casas. There will be learning moments in the big leagues that will allow them to adjust to the level of competition — something they'd shown the ability to do in the minors. 'Every level, there's growing pains and learning experiences,' said Mayer. 'And I think just getting at-bats and learning every single day, you get better and you figure it out.' Alex Speier can be reached at
New York Times
39 minutes ago
- New York Times
How do Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid compare all-time?: Penguins mailbag
Good morning, everyone, and thank you for the wonderful array of questions, as always. Hopefully you're enjoying the Stanley Cup Final and the U.S. Open, if you've got tickets. We'll start in that direction before moving to more Penguins-centric questions. Part 2 of this mailbag is coming soon. Away we go. Do you think it's silly to root against McDavid to win a cup to keep him a peg below Sid? —@beancantfly No, not really. I get it. If you're from Pittsburgh and/or a Penguins fan, you aren't just rooting for championships. You've had the privilege of watching some of the greatest players of all time, from Mario Lemieux to Jaromir Jagr to Sidney Crosby to Evgeni Malkin. It's completely natural to get territorial and to want your guy to be considered the best. And if you're a Sid fan and are very prideful in him being the best player of this century, then I imagine you feel a bit threatened by Connor McDavid. Deep down, you know McDavid's overall talent probably exceeds Sid's. But then again, Lemieux was twice as talented as Gretzky, and most hockey experts like to say Gretzky is the greatest player of all time. I was so, so happy when the Canadiens beat the Kings in the 1993 Stanley Cup Final. I just didn't want Gretzky to get another one. Mind you, I was 13, but still, it's fair. Advertisement While McDavid might be more talented than Sid, the fact is, Sid's accomplishments in terms of winning utterly dwarf McDavid's. I believe the five greatest players who ever lived are Lemieux, Gretzky, Bobby Orr, Crosby and McDavid. I can't imagine anyone else cracking that top five, with all due respect to Gordie Howe, Jagr, Alex Ovechkin, Rocket Richard or whomever else you want to put on this list. You can make an argument for anyone in that top five. There's no right or wrong answer. It's yet to be seen, but if McDavid wins the Cup this year, does he jump over Sid as an all-time great, or does it take more? How many Cups do you think McDavid wins before he retires? — @skiab94 Well, we're talking about public opinion now. Many people these days like to say, 'McDavid is the greatest player of all time!' And hey, maybe he is. He's remarkable. But I also think we fall into the trap of always wanting the person we're currently watching to be the greatest. There's no real joy in taking your son or daughter to a game and saying, 'Look at that, the eighth-greatest player who ever lived!' We tend to forget how great Crosby was in his prime. His prime was cut terribly short because of concussions. But I suspect that McDavid will exceed him in the opinion of many if indeed he does win the Cup. What was your favorite Stanley Cup Final series that did not involve the Penguins? — @cgibson724 Other than this one? Because this one has been insanely entertaining. I'd probably say the 2015 series between Chicago and Boston. That was great stuff with a stunning ending. Josh, how surprised were you that Dan Muse was the coaching choice? Where does it rank among surprise coaching and management hires in Penguins history? — @jlkaplan7 Oh, I was surprised, Jake. Many people in my line of work like to come across as knowing everything and refuse to act surprised as a result. But yeah, I was surprised. Advertisement I knew Muse was interviewed early on, so I guess it didn't come as a total shock. I never sensed he was a front runner and I was certainly not expecting him to be the choice. Do you think one of Rust, Rakell, or Karlsson will be moved this offseason? Kyle Dubas acknowledged he's getting tons of calls on them. — @DustinDiGenio Anything is in play with all three of them. Of the three, I think the most likely to be dealt this summer is Karlsson. My guess is all three will be with the Penguins when next season begins but at least one will be dealt before the deadline. I think Rust is the most likely to finish his contract in Pittsburgh. The Penguins could certainly receive plenty in return for him, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's a lifer. They really love him. As for Rakell, he could go at some point. Interestingly, there wasn't the level of interest in him before the deadline that you would have expected. I struggle with the segment of Pens fans who are dying to just make the playoffs. We rightly criticize the Steelers for their perpetual 10-7/9-8 records while never winning playoff games. Why not strive for a return to a Cup contender like KD wants? The Penguins should always shoot for cups — @nathan_lewy Everyone has their opinion on this topic. Personally, I agree with Dubas' line of thinking. He's shooting big. He doesn't just want to be a wild-card team. I get it, and I like it. That's what I would do if I were the GM. That said, nothing is much worse than a spring without playoff hockey. Do you think that, with the new coaching staff, the Pens give Tristan Jarry and Ryan Graves 'one last chance' to get back to the level of play that won them those contracts? — @TheAndoman I don't think they have any choice. No one is going to trade for them, and the Penguins don't want to buy them out. Advertisement It will be very interesting to see how Graves plays with a new set of eyes on him. Expectations will be disturbingly low, mind you, but it can't hurt to have some new coaches working with him. For the last three seasons, the Pens have lost so many games while leading. I'm certain this was very frustrating to players and coaches. Do you believe Dubas thought Sully's methods had anything to do with this? This team had enough talent to get leads just couldn't hold them…. — @cooljerdoc I have no doubt that the Penguins' defense has been troubling to Dubas since he took over two years ago. But I don't think he ever blamed Sullivan for it. I truly believe he thinks Sullivan is a great coach. What do you think is the best path forward for the Penguins on goalie? Sit tight and hope someone develops? Ride out Jarry's contract then trade for a 1G? Draft more? — @Lemieux67 Sergei Murashov is the future. At least, that's what the Penguins are hoping for. He's probably one year away from being NHL-ready. Playing Jarry heavily this season probably makes sense. As putrid as he was for most of the last season, he actually was the Penguins' best goalie and, to his credit, was good in the season's final month. I think you play Jarry until Murashov is ready, and you hope Murashov is the guy. If he's not, worry about it at that point. A good goalie is often the last thing a hockey team needs. It's like a closer in baseball. You don't really need a great one until you're ready to win. The Penguins just aren't there yet. Is Doc Emrick as awesome in real life as he was on the call? — @LetangCult Oh yeah. One of the kindest people I've ever met. In May 2020, I showed him a Pirates face mask that my girlfriend's aunt had made. She was selling them, and he asked me if he could have one. Naturally, I mailed him one and told him not to worry about the money. Advertisement A week later, I received $30 in cash in an envelope and a handwritten note on a PNC Park letterhead. Doesn't get any better than that. He's the epitome of class. How do you go about acquiring reliable sources as a sports journalist who specifically covers a team? — @BigSaveEh There's no direct answer to this one. Sometimes, when people start to learn who you are, they come to you with information. Sometimes, people want you to write nice things about them — assistant coaches who want to be head coaches are always great for this — so they'll give you information so that, in turn, you might write nice things about them. The ol' 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine' approach. (I absolutely hate this. It makes me feel dirty.) In other cases, you just treat people well and get to know them over the years, and they'll help you out. The best thing you can do is treat people with respect. Don't quote them when it's off the record. Use common sense. Check with them before you write something. Do that, and you'll be fine. Wings: Bone-in or boneless and what flavor? — @KMarker14 Bone-in, and with conviction. Are they really wings if they aren't bone-in? And I like flats better than drumsticks. I'm so boring and tame with sauces. The Big Sexy sauce (Mark Madden's trademark) at Big Shot Bob's is sensational. I like any kind of garlic parmesan as well. Or honey mustard. Anything but Cajun-y sauces. Not my thing. Thanks for all the great questions. Another mailbag is on deck. (Photo of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Last Night in Baseball: Marcelo Mayer's first multi-homer game powers Red Sox
There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to handle themselves. That's why we're here to help, though, by sifting through the previous days' games, and figuring out what you missed, but shouldn't have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: Mayer goes deep twice, Red Sox win The Red Sox have been having plenty of issues in 2025, but even if their season doesn't end up going anywhere because of them, there are still plenty of reasons to watch. For one, their "Big Three" prospects are now all MLB rookies, on the big-league roster at the same time: Kristian Campbell, Roman Anthony, and Wednesday night's hero Marcelo Mayer. Mayer, in a game the Red Sox won just 4-3 over the Rays, hit two homers – his first multi-homer game, and his second and third homers of the season. Mayer was called up and made his debut on May 24, so he's just 15 games in at this point, but after those two shots, he's up to a line of .250/.313/.523, good for an OPS+ of 129. Not a bad start for a 22-year-old who spent just 43 games at Triple-A before coming to the bigs. Whether Mayer sticks in the majors in the long run in 2025 is still a bit up for debate, as he was brought there to fill in for the injured Alex Bregman, who is expected to return from his quad strain in July. The more he hits over the next few weeks, the more difficult it will be to send him back to Worcester rather than finding at-bats for him in Boston's lineup, however. Cutch passes Clemente on Pirates' all-time HR list Andrew McCutchen was originally drafted by the Pirates back in 2005, and then spent his entire pro career with them as a homegrown star until he was dealt to the Giants before the 2018 season. Cutch would then be traded to the Yankees prior to signing first with the Phillies and then the Brewers, before reuniting with his original club before the 2023 season. A series of one-year deals have kept him in Pittsburgh since, and while he's not the offensive force he once was, he can still put up a quality season, and move himself up the franchise's all-time lists in the process. On Wednesday, McCutchen hit his sixth homer of the year, no. 241 in a Pirates uniform, and it pushed him past Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente into sole possession of third-place on the Pirates' all-time homer list. Given McCutchen is 38 years old, that's probably as far as he's going to get in the rankings: Ralph Kiner is in second with 301 long balls, and Willie Stargell is very comfortably in first with 475. Still! Third place is nothing to sneeze at, for any organization, never mind one that had Stargell, Kiner, Clemente, Barry Bonds and Dave Parker – the only one of those that isn't a Hall of Famer is the one who happens to be MLB's all-time home run leader. Luzardo gets back on track Jesús Luzardo started the season 5-0 with a 2.15 ERA over his first 11 starts, striking out 77 batters in 60 innings of work. He was basically as good as that ERA said, too, but things came undone in the next two starts. Luzardo allowed 21 hits and 20 earned runs over just 5.2 innings against the Brewers and Blue Jays. His earned run average shot all the way up to 4.46 for the season. On Wednesday, though, Luzardo returned to form, and kept one of MLB's best offenses quiet. Luzardo held the Chicago Cubs to just one run over six innings, and more impressively, struck out 10 batters for the fourth time this season. It'll take a little longer to fully undo the damage from those two starts – his ERA dropped to 4.23 – but at least he helped the Phillies win a ballgame again. Judge homers for third straight game Aaron Judge's solo home run in the seventh inning added some cushion to the Yankees lead over the Royals, as they were already up 5-0. His 25th shot of the year came on the heels of a two-homer game Sunday against Boston and a 469-foot shot in the series opener against Kansas City on Tuesday night. For those keeping score at home, that's four homers in three games, and the two-time MVP has eight RBIs over those contests, as well. This marks the first time this season that Judge has hit home runs in three consecutive games. He's inching closer to becoming the AL's homer leader, too, as he's now within one of Seattle Mariners' catcher Cal Raleigh. Buxton out-Judges Judge Remember that mention of Tuesday's 469-foot Aaron Judge homer from a couple of paragraphs back? As discussed in this space on Wednesday, that was the third-longest homer of the season. Emphasis on the past tense there now, as the Twins' Byron Buxton knocked it to fourth place with one swing of the bat the very next day. Buxton's blast went 479 feet, the second-longest home run of the season by anyone, trailing behind only Mike Trout's mammoth 484-foot shot from April. Here's one of the beautiful things about baseball: being big and strong can add to your power, yes, but it's not the only reason that someone can hit a titanic homer. Judge is listed at 6-foot-7 and 282 lbs. Trout is 6-foot-2, 235 lbs., and built like a linebacker. Byron Buxton is also 6-2, but listed at 45 lbs. less than Trout. And yet! Thanks to his wrists and a beautiful, efficient swing, Buxton hit a ball five feet short of Trout's impossible shot, and 10 feet further than Judge's eye-popping dinger. That's baseball, baby. Rockies almost win, until they didn't (again) It's been a bad week for the Rockies. They came off of a sweep of the Marlins only to be swept by the Mets, and now the Giants are one game away from a four-game sweep of Colorado. On Tuesday, the Rox blew it in the ninth, but on Wednesday, it only took until the eighth for things to fall apart. The Rockies entered the top of the eighth up 6-3, but then they loaded the bases and walked Casey Schmitt, making it 6-4. Mike Yastrzemski followed up with a double that scored Heliot Ramos and Dominic Smith – 6-6. Things got worse before the inning was over. Schmitt, still on third, attempted to score on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Fitzgerald. He was originally called out, but the Giants challenged, and the call was overturned: 7-6, Giants. San Francisco would score three more in the top of the ninth, with Schmitt and Yasztremski responsible for two of those runs via singles, and the Rockies couldn't muster enough offense in the bottom of the frame to come back. They're now 12-55, with the most losses for any team through 67 games. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Marcelo Mayer Boston Red Sox Major League Baseball recommended Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
