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Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Marcelo Mayer hits first 2 career home runs at Fenway Park to help Red Sox beat Rays
Boston Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer, right, is kissed on the Wally the Green Monster mask by pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) after his solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer points towards the Red Sox dugout while rounding the bases on his solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Red Sox third baseman Marcelo Mayer, right, celebrates with pitcher Aroldis Chapman after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays following a baseball game at Fenway Park, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Red Sox third baseman Marcelo Mayer, right, celebrates with pitcher Aroldis Chapman after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays following a baseball game at Fenway Park, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer, right, is kissed on the Wally the Green Monster mask by pitcher Lucas Giolito (54) after his solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer points towards the Red Sox dugout while rounding the bases on his solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Red Sox third baseman Marcelo Mayer, right, celebrates with pitcher Aroldis Chapman after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays following a baseball game at Fenway Park, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) BOSTON (AP) — The soundtrack to Marcelo Mayer's first major league home run was a chorus of boos as he rounded the bases at New York's Yankee Stadium last week. The Red Sox rookie added his latest two homers on much friendlier soil. Advertisement Mayer hit a pair of solo home runs, two of four on the day for Boston, to help the Red Sox claim the rubber match of their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Wednesday night. 'I'd much rather get cheered than booed," Marcelo said. "I love the energy that Fenway Park brings. It's something that I'll remember the rest of my life.' The 22-year-old, who has played 15 games since being called up on May 24, is the youngest Red Sox player to have a multi-homer game since Rafael Devers in 2018. He's the third-youngest player in team history to do it in five career games, behind only Billy Conigliaro (21) and Ted Williams (20). Advertisement 'It was a good one,' Cora said of Marcelo's performance. 'They had a good game plan going into it and they executed it.' Marcelo said his comfort level is rising with each one of his appearances at the plate. He credits the work that he's put in with the Red Sox assistants. 'The process always stays the same I feel more comfortable every single day I'm here," he said. "All the adjustments I've made have helped me a little more on the timing.' Boston is off on Thursday, then will open a three-game series against the Yankees on Friday. Though he's faced the Yankees already, this was be his first time seeing Boston's rivals at Fenway. 'I know this place is going to be rocking,' Marcelo said. 'We'll see what happens.' ___ More AP baseball:
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
This One Cheap Red Sox Trade Could Turn Their Season Around; Here's Why
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Boston Red Sox entered Monday having won three of their last four games, including two wins in a three-game set against their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees, over the weekend. But that short burst of success can't change the fact that the underachieving Red Sox, expected to contend for an American League East pennant this year, have been a major disappointment. Heading into a three-game home set against the second-place team in the AL East, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox remained three games under .500 and 8 1/2 games off the Yankees' pace. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 30: Alex Cora #13 of the Boston Red Sox sits in the dugout in front of the Wally the Green Monster head prior to the first pitch against the Atlanta Braves... ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 30: Alex Cora #13 of the Boston Red Sox sits in the dugout in front of the Wally the Green Monster head prior to the first pitch against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on May 30, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. More Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images The Red Sox have plenty of issues to analyze, but one in particular has been perhaps the most glaring: starting pitching. More specifically, starting pitching in the first inning. With a first-inning ERA of 7.12, second only to the 12-53 Colorado Rockies for worst in MLB (8.58), Boston pitchers have repeatedly put their team in an immediate hole and forced the Red Sox hitters to play from behind in game after game. What can the Red Sox do to solve this problem? One answer would be to acquire a pitcher who does not give up runs in the first inning. And there is one possible trade the Red Sox could make that would accomplish that goal, while costing Boston almost nothing. Even Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet has been shaky in the first inning, allowing five runs in 14 first innings, a 3.21 ERA. His overall 2.35 ERA is ninth in the AL. Other Red Sox pitchers have been much worse. More MLB: Tigers Trade Urged for $33.6 Million 'Luxury Item' Shortstop by MLB Insider Brayan Bello has allowed four first inning runs in nine innings. Walker Buehler has given up nine in 10 first innings. Lucas Giolito has also allowed nine, but in only seven first innings. Tanner Houck, now on the injured list, allowed a staggering 11 runs in just 11 innings to start off games. In total, Red Sox starters have given up 54 runs (53 earned) in 65 innings at the start of games. There are currently only four major league pitchers who this year have yet to allow a single run in the first inning. Three of them — Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Michael Wacha of the Kansas City Royals, and Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies — are very unlikely to be available in trade. And if any were, they would come at a high price. But what about the fourth one — JP Sears of the team formerly known as the Oakland Athletics? In 13 starts, Sears has yet to be touched for a first-inning run, earned or not. In fact, Sears has allowed just six hits, none for extra bases, and two walks while striking out 13 in the first innings of games. An 11th-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2017 out of The Citadel, Sears was traded to the Yankees later that year. Debuting in 2022, he pitched just seven games for New York before being traded again, this time to Oakland. In addition to turning in shutdown first innings this season, Sears has been a workhorse throughout his career. He has made all 13 of his starts this season after making 32 in each of the previous two seasons. Pitching for just $770,000 this season, only $10,000 over the MLB minimum, Sears would represent a minimal financial commitment for Boston. He also comes with three more years of team control. Despite his first-inning dominance, Sears has a somewhat bloated 5.21 ERA this season. But that could work to the Red Sox' advantage because they likely could obtain him with one or two mid-level prospects — again, a low cost to Boston. But for the Red Sox offense, whose 330 runs are fourth-most in MLB, a pitcher who can give them a chance to score first by blanking the opposition out of the gate obviously gives them a much better chance to win. A 2020 Society for American Baseball Research study of 73 previous seasons found that teams that lead after the first inning win about 70 percent of all games. More MLB: Red Sox to Promote Top Prospect: Reports
