MLB Notebook: Red Sox sweep Yankees behind Brayan Bello's 7-shutout innings, Tanner Houck set for rehab outing, injury updates, and a look around the league

The sellout crowd at Fenway Park was clinging to the edge of their seats as the Red Sox were clinging to a two-run lead with two runners on in the top of the eighth inning.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge stepped to the plate with a chance to change the course of the game with just one swing of the bat. Judge, who broke a 1-0 Sox lead on Friday night off Garrett Crochet, was looking to spoil the potential sweep.

Boston summoned Garrett Whitlock out of the bullpen and forced Judge to hit into an inning-ending double play, helping the Red Sox finish off a 2-0 win, completing the three-game series sweep.

Whitlock recorded his first save since 2023. Aroldis Chapman sat for the second straight day. Alex Cora has utilized Greg Weissert and Whitlock to close games this weekend.

The Red Sox are back above .500 (37-36) and have won five straight and seven of their last eight games. The Sox are 5-1 against the Yankees this season.

Beyond the dramatic eighth inning, Brayan Bello emerged as the star of the game, demonstrating a remarkable turnaround. He threw 114 pitches over seven scoreless frames, striking out eight, allowing three hits and three walks, and striking out Judge three times during the outing.

Judge struck out nine times over the weekend, including three times in each game. According to the Red Sox, this is the first three-game span in which Judge struck out nine times this season. It’s the first time the Sox have struck him out nine or more times in a three-game span.

Yankees starter Max Fried allowed a run in the first inning after Romy Gonzalez tripled into the right field corner with two outs. Gonzalez face-planted on his slide into third base and bloodied his nose on the head-first dive. Trevor Story plates the first run, dropping a bloop single into left field.

Rafael Devers added a solo home run in the fifth inning, just sneaking the ball over the red line atop the Green Monster. The Sox’ designated hitter has 15 homers and 58 RBI this season. Devers also recorded his 500th extra-base hit on the blast to left.

The Red Sox will have a quick turnaround and begin a huge nine-game West Coast road trip on Monday night in Seattle. Boston will use righties Lucas Giolito (2-1, 5.45 ERA) and Walker Buehler (5-4, 5.01 ERA) with Crochet (6-4, 2.24 ERA) in the series finale.

HOUCK REHAB OUTING

Alex Cora was hopeful that after Tanner Houck threw his most recent bullpen session, he could begin a rehab assignment.

Houck will join the WooSox on Wednesday and throw between two and three innings as he begins to ramp up to rejoin the Red Sox in the coming weeks.

At Fenway Park on Friday, the 2024 All-Star threw a two-inning bullpen consisting of about 20 pitches.

“Most likely, he’ll go on a rehab assignment Wednesday,” said Cora. “Or have one more of these and then go at the end of the week. He feels really good about it. Just watching from the backstop, good fastball, good breaking ball, and good split.”

The righty has been on the injured list since May 14 with a right flexor pronator strain. Prior to landing on the IL, he was going through one of the worst stretches in his big league career, recording an 8.04 ERA through his first nine starts this season.

Initially, Houck’s IL stint seemed more of a “phantom” IL assignment, but the righty acknowledged his right arm issue had been bothering him since the spring.

“I just wasn’t quite recovering in the same way I know my body should,” Houck said Friday. “At this point in my career, I know where I get sore, and I know where I need to get sore and what’s normal for me. Ultimately, it was going into the wrong spots. For me, I’m a shoulder soreness guy. For me to get sore in the elbow like that, it’s just not normal.

“I had a little bit starting in spring training. All in all, I just want to pitch and be out there. It flared up a little bit more than feels comfortable. It was time to take a step back and trust the other guys."

Houck tried to pitch through the injury before telling the team there was a problem.

“He didn’t talk too much about it,” Cora said. “We pitched him every five days. Maybe towards the end, it affected him, but early in the season, we thought he was close to 100%, of course.”

Houck was initially shut down for a few weeks before he started to play catch and eventually throw off a mound. The right-hander feels that his arm is in a better place but won’t know until he tests it on Wednesday night at Polar Park against the Buffalo Bisons.

“Overall, I feel a lot better with the body, delivery, and arm especially,” Houck said. “I feel a lot stronger and able to execute my pitches.”

If Houck is healthy, he will be a huge boost to the Red Sox pitching staff, whether it’s in the starting rotation or as a bulk-innings reliever.

“With recovery and being on the IL, you shouldn’t really put expectations,” Houck said. “Just try to show up and have a good day each and every day and get the stuff done that ultimately helps you get on the field as quick as possible.”

RED SOX INJURY UPDATES

Wilyer Abreu (left oblique strain) could join Houck at Polar Park this week for rehab games before he’s expected to rejoin the Red Sox this Friday, when Boston begins a three-game series on the road in San Francisco.

Bregman (right quad strain) will stay behind in Boston when the club goes on the road for an 11-day trip to continue his rehab. Boston is optimistic that the third baseman could return to the club before the All-Star break (July 14).

Masataka Yoshida (right shoulder) will also remain behind in Boston and continue his throwing progression. He is ramping up his throwing program and has been taking regular batting practice. Yoshida may soon embark on a rehab assignment as he prepares to make his Red Sox debut this season.

“Couple of weeks? Maybe,” said Cora when asked about a rehab assignment. “This week, no.”

Righty Nick Burdi (right foot) and lefty Chris Murphy (Tommy John) will remain with the WooSox and continue their rehab this week.

Justin Slaten is being treated for a neck issue that could be nerve-related, which is causing soreness in his right shoulder.

“When we were looking at the [test results], they just kind of said it’s not something we’ve really ever seen before,” Slaten said, describing the problem as “very minor” to reporters. “I just asked [head athletic trainer Brandon Henry], what would I call it? He was like, we don’t even really know what to call it.

“So we don’t know what to call it right now, to be honest with you. But it’s not like some big dark secret or anything like that. Things are getting better. I will be fine. I will be able to throw and everything.”

Slaten has been on the IL since June 1 because of right shoulder inflammation. Boston initially thought the righty would need just the minimum 15-day stay, but it looks like he’ll be delayed a little longer.

“Then we found out it kind of isn’t. It’s more of a nervy thing,” he said. “That’s the feeling I’ve been having. It’s a nerve issue. So that’s what we’re treating it as and hoping it calms down soon.”

Slaten, who owns a 3.47 ERA, served as a high-leverage bullpen option for Cora this season.

“I could wake up tomorrow or wake up the next day, and things have completely cleared up, and we start the progression of throwing,” said Slaten, referring to the startling line of a process that likely would take at least a couple of weeks. “Unfortunately, there is not a timetable right now. We’re not trying to keep anybody in the dark. I just don’t know, and they don’t know. It truly is as day-to-day as day-to-day can be.”

TALK THE TALK AND WALK THE WALK 

Rookie starter Hunter Dobbins backed up his trash talk of the New York Yankees.

Dobbins made headlines before his first start at Yankee Stadium, telling The Boston Herald that he’d rather retire than play for the Yankees in his career. He also had to speak publicly after the New York Post found out that Dobbins’ claims that his father, Lance, was never drafted by the Yankees nor was close friends with Andy Pettitte.

Through all the drama, Dobbins remained locked in on the mound, defeating the Bronx Bombers twice in a week span, including his latest outing on Saturday night, allowing just two hits and striking out five batters in six shutout innings, in the Sox’ 4-3 win over New York.

“I think what makes this one more satisfying is that we won the series and we’re building momentum,” Dobbins said. “We’re crawling back into this race. There’s a lot of season left. We’re building momentum for the rest of the year, and that’s what‘s more satisfying to me.”

Dobbins said earlier in the week that he was unfazed by the Post’s story.

“It doesn’t bother me,” Dobbins said. “I love working with the media and everybody here. Everybody’s been great. So my focus is performing for the guys here in the locker room, for the fans of Boston, and even y’all. Something that’s a few hours away doesn’t faze me.”

Dobbins is the first Red Sox pitcher to record a start of six-plus innings pitched with no runs and two or fewer hits allowed this season and is the first to do so against the Yankees since Michael Wacha on Aug. 14, 2022, when he went seven innings and allowed two hits.

RED SOX TRADE

Prior to the game, the Red Sox traded right-handed pitcher Brian Van Belle to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for cash considerations.

The 28-year-old was designated for assignment on June 11 and did not appear in a game for the Red Sox after he was added to the 40-man roster.

Van Belle had pitched well for the WooSox prior to his promotion, going 5-1 while recording a 2.29 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 12 games.

Boston signed Van Belle as a non-drafted free agent in June 2020. The Florida native went 37-19 with a 4.41 ERA in 115 career minor league games (84 starts) while in the Red Sox organization.

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara is going to be an interesting pitcher that should be available around the MLB Trade Deadline on July 31. One team that is reportedly “lurking” in the background for the Marlins' ace is the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The reigning World Series champions are without Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki.

Alcantara, who has pitched to a 1.50 ERA in his last two starts compared to 8.47 over his first 11 starts, looks poised to be the No. 1 starting pitcher on the trade market come July.

Earlier this week, the Brewers traded right-handed starter Aaron Civale to the White Sox for first baseman Andrew Vaughn. Civale has requested a trade after he learned he was going to be demoted from the rotation and moved to the bullpen to make room for top pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski.

Speaking of Misiorowski, the Brewers' top pitching prospect made his big league debut this week, dazzling on the mound, dialing up his fastball to 102.2 mph in the outing.

The 23-year-old flamethrower made his highly anticipated pitching debut and worked five-plus innings without allowing a hit or a run, working around four walks and striking out five before his abrupt exit. He felt his right quadriceps and calf cramp while also tweaking his right ankle on a follow-through while pitching. The Brewers aren’t expecting Misiorowski to miss any time.

The White Sox aren’t expected to hang on to Civale for very long. The club plans to trade the impending free agent at the deadline, with the hopes of landing a few mid-tier prospects, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.

If Vaughn returns to form and can play first base every day, the Brewers could trade veteran Rhys Hoskins at the deadline.

The Astros traded former top pitching prospect Forrest Whitley to the Rays this week. Houston designated the once top-10 prospect in baseball for assignment.

Whitley, who had been converted to the bullpen last season, has dealt with a laundry list of ailments over the course of his career, including undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021.

“We really like the arm. We really like the off speed pitches and the weapons that he has. I just want to get him in here and get to know him,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

If any team in the league can potentially fix Whitley and get him back on track, it’ll be the Rays.

Zack Wheeler has a date circled on his calendar. The Phillies' ace intends to retire once his current contract is up with the club after the 2027 season.

Wheeler is still in his prime on the mound, and one of the game's best starters wants to walk away after the age-37 season.

“That’s the plan,” he said to reporters. “It’ll be easy to walk away.”

The righty hasn’t seen a decline as he’s gotten a little longer in the tooth. He finished second in Cy Young voting last season after finishing sixth in 2023. He also was the runner-up back in 2021. Wheeler is 109-72 with a career 3.31 ERA and 1,726 strikeouts in his career. He has pitched in 12 postseason games, achieving a 2.18 ERA, a 0.73 WHIP, and recording 77 strikeouts over 70⅓innings.