Red Sox's Rafael Devers: Homers in fifth straight game
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Devers went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk and two runs scored Sunday against the Cardinals.
Devers' sixth-inning blast gives him nine on the season and marked his fifth consecutive game with a home run, tying a Red Sox record in the process. After a slow start to the season, Devers has caught fire lately, hitting safely in 21 of his last 23 games while batting .337 with seven homers, 16 RBI and 17 runs scored.
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Red Sox's Tyler O'Neill: Smacks 11th homer
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O'Neill went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, two walks and three runs scored Sunday against the Cardinals.
O'Neill got the green light on a 3-0 pitch from Matthew Liberatore in the first inning and smashed it over the wall in left center for his 11th homer of the season, but just his second since April 27. He would go on to reach base a total of four times in five plate appearances, crossing the plate three times against his former club. In 37 games, O'Neill is slashing .263/.376/.556 with 11 homers, 17 RBI, 29 runs and a steal across 133 at-bats.
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Red Sox's Nick Pivetta: Efficient in earning second win
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Pivetta (2-2) earned the win Sunday, allowing one run on one hit over six innings against the Cardinals. He struck out eight.
A fourth-inning solo homer by Lars Nootbaar was the only blemish against Pivetta, who needed just 72 pitches to retire 18 of the 19 batters he faced. It was the second consecutive start for Pivetta with eight punchouts, as he's struck out 16 over 11.2 innings while allowing only three runs during that stretch. However, it should be noted that all three runs were scored by way of the long ball, and Pivetta has now allowed six homers, including five of the solo variety, over his last three appearances. Pivetta will look to carry the momentum into his next start, tentatively slated to take place next weekend when the Red Sox welcome the Brewers into Fenway for a three-game set.
Mata (hamstring) allowed two runs on four hits and one walk over two innings in a rehab start for High-A Greenville on Saturday.
Mata, whose rebab assignment moved from the Florida Complex League to Greenville, made his second rehab appearance. He worked a quick first inning but was knocked around in the second. "We just want him to throw strikes and hopefully the stuff is back," Boston manager Alex Cora told Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe. "It's hard. So we'll see what happens in the upcoming weeks. Hopefully he stays healthy." Mata is out of options and will need to be activated to the parent club or get designated for assignment.
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Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu: Not starting Sunday
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Abreu is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's matchup against the Cardinals, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
The lefty hitter will begin the game from the dugout as the Cardinals send out Matthew Liberatore for the series finale. Rob Refsnyder will start at right field in place of Abreu while Ceddanne Rafaela and Jarren Duran round out the Red Sox outfield.
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Red Sox's Justin Slaten: Suffers second loss
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Slaten (2-2) was charged with Saturday's loss to the Cardinals. He allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits while striking out one over one inning.
Slaten handed back momentum a half inning after Boston tied the game, 2-2, in the top of the eighth. As sharp as Slaten was during April (0.52 ERA), he's been ineffective in May (10.80). The right-hander, who has two losses and a blown save in the last five appearances, has given up nine runs (eight earned) on 13 hits over 6.2 innings this month.
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Red Sox's Dominic Smith: Idle against southpaw
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Smith is not in the lineup for Sunday's matchup against the Cardinals, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
The lefty-hitting Smith will get a break as Boston takes on southpaw Matthew Liberatore. Garrett Cooper will fill in at first base and bat sixth while Tyler O'Neill moves to designated hitter as the Red Sox look to avoid the sweep in St. Louis.
Devers went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 7-2 loss to the Cardinals.
Devers has homered in four straight games, giving him eight long balls on the year. The third baseman took Miles Mikolas deep in the fourth inning Saturday. Devers is batting .294 (10-for-34) with seven extra-base hits and seven RBI during his eight-game hitting streak. He's up to a .284/.381/.537 slash line through 36 contests this season.
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Red Sox's Kutter Crawford: Comes away with no-decision
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Crawford allowed a run on six hits and two walks while striking out five over 5.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Cardinals on Saturday.
Nolan Gorman's second-inning solo shot was the only run on Crawford's line, but he was an out short of a quality start. It was still a good showing from the 28-year-old, who allowed a season-high four earned runs in his previous start versus the Rays. Crawford has given up one run or fewer in six of his 10 starts this season, pitching to a 2.17 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 57:18 K:BB over 58 innings this season. His next start is projected to be at home versus the Brewers.
Red Sox's Tyler Heineman: Activated, optioned to Triple-A
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Heineman (hamstring) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Saturday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
Heineman has been out since April 23 with a right hamstring strain, but he'll now return to regular action at Triple-A. The catcher has produced a .235 average with a double, three RBI, eight runs scored and two stolen bases over 34 at-bats in 12 games with Worcester this season. Both Connor Wong and Reese McGuire are healthy at the major-league level, but Heineman is likely the next man up if Boston needs another backstop down the road.
Bello (4-2) allowed five runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings Friday, striking out four and taking a loss against the Cardinals.
Bello coughed up three home runs, including Lars Nootbaar's two-run shot in the first inning. The five runs allowed were a season high for Bello and it was also his shortest outing of the year. Entering Friday's start, he'd allowed just five earned runs over his previous 21.2 frames (2.08 ERA). Bello will carry a 3.96 ERA into his next matchup, which is lined up to come in Tampa Bay next week.
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Red Sox's Connor Wong: Four hits in loss
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Wong went 4-for-5 with an RBI double in Friday's loss to St. Louis.
Wong continues to impress in 2024 as he's up to 11 multi-hit efforts in his first 30 games. It was his first four-hit game since April 24, bumping his slash line up to .362/.389/.552 with 10 extra-base hits and 16 RBI. Through 11 games this month, Wong has gone 15-for-38 (.394) with four multi-hit games.
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Red Sox's Garrett Whitlock: Shut down from throwing
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Whitlock (oblique) reported soreness in his right elbow following his rehab start at Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports.
Whitlock looked good during his outing Wednesday, throwing 4.2 scoreless innings while striking out five batters, but any trouble with his elbow could cause his return to the Red Sox to be postponed. The 27-year-old righty will be examined by team doctors in Boston on Monday. Whitlock has been on the shelf since mid-April due to a left oblique strain.
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Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela: Gets break Friday
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Rafaela is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals.
Rafaela will get a break as Boston kicks off its series against the Cardinals. The second-year major leaguer opened the campaign as the Red Sox's primary center fielder but has mostly played shortstop over the past month. The lineup absence marks his first time on the bench since April 11.
