MLB Notebook: Red Sox bats unable to solve Cubs pitching, Garrett Crochet looks to end losing streak, Connor Wong is a liability, trade deadline thoughts, and more

The start of the second half of the season hasn’t gone to plan for the Red Sox.

Boston has dropped two straight games to the Cubs, including Saturday, getting shut out 6-0. This comes on the heels of winning 10 straight before heading into the break. The Cubs pitching has held the Sox in check, allowing just one run and striking out 18 batters over the first two games.

Sox starters Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello were punched in the mouth in the first inning of their starts on Friday afternoon and Saturday night. 

Giolito allowed back-to-back walks in the bottom of the first before NL All-Star snub Seiya Suzuki demolished a three-run homer into the center field seats for a 3-0 lead. He would settle down over the course of his start and keep his club in the game.

Bello gave up back-to-back home runs in the first inning to Michael Busch and Kyle Tucker to open the first inning. Busch’s blast came off the first pitch thrown from Bello. Vidal Bruján added a sacrifice fly in the second inning to give Chicago a 3-0 lead.

Similar to Giolito, Bello settled into his outing, recording his eighth quality start of the season — a career high. The right-hander hurled six innings, giving up three runs off six hits with one walk, and struck out four batters.

“I felt a little bit uncomfortable on the mound [to start], but after that, I was able to settle in,” Bello said, through a translator. “For me, the takeaway from today is that it doesn’t matter how you start but how you finish, and I feel like that was the main learning moment for me today.”

Red Sox reliever Chris Murphy had tossed 7 2/3 scoreless frames, returning off the injured list. The southpaw gave up three solo homers to Matt Shaw, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Ian Happ, giving Chicago a 6-0 lead.

Boston’s offense has been stagnant, struggling against the Cubs pitching. Chicago left-hander Shota Imanaga threw a gem, tossing seven shutout innings, giving up only five hits along the way with one walk and five punch-outs.

The Sox had a missed opportunity to open the game after Rob Refsnyder roped a double into the gap in left-center on the first pitch of the game from Imanaga.

With Refsnyder in scoring position, Alex Bregman had a chance to cash in but weakly grounded out to first base, followed by Romy Gonzalez, who has crushed lefties all season, striking out on a pitch out of the zone. Roman Anthony followed with another strikeout, ending the threat.

Boston was 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base.

“Obviously we came in here playing pretty good baseball, and you know, we got beat these first two games,” said Bregman, who went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. “But the best part about baseball is you get to go out there again tomorrow and get after it. And we got our big guy [Garrett Crochet] on the mound, so I think we got a lot of confidence in this group and can get it rolling again.”

Saturday’s slow start was eerily similar to Friday afternoon’s 4-1 loss. The offense squandered multiple opportunities throughout the game, including in the seventh inning, coming up empty-handed despite having two men on with one out and later having runners on the corners with two outs. The Sox finished 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight men on base in total Friday.

THE STOPPER

Boston will turn to Crochet on Sunday, hoping to avoid a series sweep before heading to Philadelphia.

The ace left-hander was 10-4 in the first half of the season with 160 strikeouts and a complete game in 20 starts. Cora wanted Crochet to pitch the finale of the series to give the lefty plenty of rest during the All-Star break.

Crochet also leads the league in innings pitched heading into the break, throwing 129 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old is inching close to tying a career high of 146 innings last season. Boston isn’t looking to limit Crochet’s workload, but the extra time off during the All-Star break gives the lefty a chance to recharge his batteries. He is coming off throwing a complete-game, three-hit, 1-0 shutout over the Rays last weekend. 

“It is a good time for him to reset, you know, and go from there,” Cora said. “But there’s no limitations. We’re going to keep going and keep pushing and use the schedule to our advantage and the rest of the guys, and there’s a reason he’s here. And just like everybody else, at one point, you have to throw 30 starts, and he’s on his way to doing that.”

WHY LET CONNOR WONG HIT IN SEVENTH?

Cora said he did not consider pinch-hitting for struggling catcher Connor Wong in the seventh inning of the Sox’ 6-0 loss to the Cubs.

Boston trailed 3-0 with runners on the corners with two outs with Wong coming to the plate. The backup catcher has one RBI and no extra-base hits this season and was the tying run at the plate.

Wong swung at the first pitch from Imanaga and flied out to second baseman Nico Hoerner in shallow right field.

“You’ve got to trust your players,” Cora explained. “He’s playing today for a reason. I felt like it was a good matchup—lefty against him. And it just didn’t work out."

Wong finished the game 0-for-3 and is now slashing .144/ .228 / .144/ .372 in 36 games this season. Cora has no answers for his catcher’s struggles this season.

“I wish we can have the answer right now and he contributes,” Cora said. “We need him to contribute. We know that. We’re not going to play Narvi (Carlos Narváez) every game.”

There’s a possibility that Wong is still dealing with lingering effects from his broken fifth finger that shelved him earlier this season.

Narváez seized the opportunity to become the starting catcher in part due to Wong’s injury and inability to generate any offense at the plate. He’s caught 606 2/3 innings, which is the most he’s ever caught in professional baseball.

“The innings are up there (for Narváez). Tomorrow’s a day game,” Cora said. “So today was his chance to play. He did a good job behind the plate. At the end, it got out of hand. but we trust the player.”

The trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and while Boston needs to add a starting pitcher, the club needs to address the backup catching spot on the roster. Narváez’s workload is increasing, and to avoid burning out the rookie, adding someone who can help shoulder some of the load and contribute offensively is a massive need.

Boston doesn’t necessarily need to designate Wong for assignment or even trade him at the deadline; he has one minor league option remaining and could stash him back in Worcester to get back on track.

TANNER HOUCK REMAINS ON IL

The Red Sox have returned right-hander Tanner Houck (right flexor pronator strain) to the injured list, and he will remain on his rehab assignment.

His 30-day rehab stint expired on Thursday, but he will remain in the minors as he continues to work back from his injury. Houck will need to wait seven days before he can begin a new rehab assignment.

“We’re going to keep him on the IL,” said Cora before the Sox’ loss on Saturday night. “So that’s what we’ve got right now. I know the trainers are working on him over there in Boston, and we’ll have more information in the upcoming days.”

The 2024 All-Star posted an 8.04 ERA in nine starts before going on the IL on May 14. While in the minors, Houck has recorded a 5.74 ERA in 15 2/3 innings, allowing 10 runs off 18 hits with six walks and 15 strikeouts in five rehab appearances (four starts). He’s pitched in four games for the WooSox and one for the Sea Dogs.

Houck’s injury issues will impact what the Sox will do at the trade deadline. If he were healthy, the righty could have been moved to the bullpen and pitched in either a bulk inning role or in late relief.

With Hunter Dobbins out for the season, Richard Fitts has been inserted into the starting rotation, and they need a starter and presumably a reliever.

TRADE DEADLINE THOUGHTS

After Abraham Toro’s baserunning blunder in the first game of the series in Chicago, it’s made me reconsider that Boston should be content with the platoon of Gonzalez and Toro at first base.

Boston could use another power bat in the middle of the lineup to remove Narváez from the cleanup hole and offer protection around Anthony.

There’s no shortage of possible first base candidates the Sox could pursue. Earlier in the week, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo floated the idea that the Red Sox could pursue the Rays slugger Yandy Díaz.

“If he is (available), sources indicate, he’d be high on the wish list of some Red Sox decision-makers,” Cotillo wrote.

Díaz offers pop in his bat, hitting 14 homers before the All-Star break. He hit a grand slam on Saturday night for the Rays. He won’t come cheap, especially trading within the division, but would give the club stability at first base the remainder of this season and next year. Díaz is making $10 million this season and $12 million next season with a vesting option that could kick in for 2027.

Baltimore’s Ryan O’Hearn could be made available with the Orioles' struggles this season, and Diamondbacks’ Josh Naylor could walk in free agency this winter. If the Red Sox wanted to make a big splash, they could try and pry Braves first baseman Matt Olson away. He has four years left on his eight-year, $168 million deal with Atlanta. Any combination of the four hitters would slot in perfectly into the Sox' lineup. 

Boston should look to upgrade the bullpen with Houck remaining on the injured list. Earlier this season, the Red Sox acquired hard-throwing right-handed reliever Jorge Alcala from the Twins, and he has proved to be a reliable asset for Cora’s bullpen. Justin Slaten is still on the injured list and could help the backend of the bullpen once he returns.

The Guardians are reportedly no longer shopping closer Emmanuel Clase. The Cardinals are listening on Ryan Helsley and could work out a deal to land the impending free agent.

Joe Ryan has been the top starting pitching target for teams ahead of the deadline. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, he expects the Twins to hang on to their ace. Boston could look to the Nationals and try and acquire left-hander MacKenzie Gore, who would slot perfectly behind Crochet atop the Red Sox rotation.

Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen could fetch Arizona a decent haul as they retool their starting rotation. If Boston is unable to land Ryan and Gore, they could try and put together a package of Kelly and Naylor and kill two birds with one stone.

The Sox have no shortage of players that they could move to fill out their needs on the 26-man roster. There’s a handful of Rule 5 eligible players in David Sandlin, Miguel Bleis, Allen Castro, Blaze Jordan, Tyler Uberstine, Isaac Coffey, and Jedixon Paez to trade.

After drafting 15 pitchers in this year's draft, Boston could part with current pitching prospects and replenish them with their recent draftees.

Lefty Payton Tolle is reportedly untouchable, according to a league source. Kristian Campbell could headline a package, but Boston would be giving up on the rookie after a rough first big league season.

A LOOK AROUND THE LEAGUE

Yankees All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Braves coach Eddie Pérez exchanged words on Saturday night. Their verbal confrontation came after Pérez was seen pointing to his head, leading the Yankees to believe that he was insinuating his team would hit Chisholm in the head.

“I know they were saying some things that will probably be looked at, and should be,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

Pérez denied the allegation and said he saw Chisholm relaying signs from second base during Anthony Volpe’s sixth-inning at-bat, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. When Pérez pointed to his head, he claimed he was telling Chisholm, “Think.”

“I was just saying, ‘Be smart,’” Pérez added. “I like that guy. He’s one of my favorites. And he got mad about it. I don’t know why he got mad about it. So, I was like, ‘Take it easy’, and he started doing some [stuff].”

Prior to the All-Star break, the Yankees relayed signs in a game against the Mariners on July 10 at Yankee Stadium. M’s closer Andrés Muñoz had been tipping his slider, and the Yankees picked up on his pitch.

“I don’t know anything about that,” Boone denied.

Relaying signs through natural means is legal in baseball, and opposing teams should be able to ensure their pitchers aren’t tipping pitches.

- The Athletics are telling teams they will not be trading closer Mason Miller, according to Nightengale. The Phillies are looking for additional bullpen help, and despite the A’s refusal to trade Miller, Dave Dombrowski has been known to give up the top prospects needed to complete a deal to get his team over the top.

- Scouts watched 40-year-old reliever David Robertson work out this past weekend. The veteran has wanted to pitch this season, but teams balked at his $10 million asking price. It’s likely he prefers to join a contender, and there’ll be a handful of teams that could use him in the bullpen.

- The Braves have a handful of players they could deal ahead of the deadline to replenish their farm and retool ahead of free agency this offseason. Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris, and Sean Murphy could be moved. Marcel Ozuna seems more likely to be traded by the MLB trade deadline. The slugger is a 10-and-5 rights player and could reject any trade.

- Byron Buxton has no plans on waiving his no-trade clause and plans to stay with the Twins.

- Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo’s mother, Windy, who had been dealing with a major heart issue since 2021, underwent heart transplant surgery on July 8.

- On July 27, Dick Allen, Dave Parker, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, and Billy Wagner will be inducted in Cooperstown.

- The Nationals signed first overall draft pick Eli Willits to an $8.2 million signing bonus, according to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis. His record deal breaks Jackson Holliday’s $8.19 million deal he signed after being drafted by the Orioles.

- The Pirates had their third-biggest crowd of the season on Saturday when they gave away Mac Miller bobbleheads. Pittsburgh saw 38,041 fans pack PNC Park, drawing more fans than on Opening Day (36,893) and Paul Skenes bobblehead day (37,713). Despite giving away the bobbleheads on Saturday, fans chanted “sell the team.”

- The suspension for Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias ended this week. It’s unclear if any teams around the league will look to bring in the free agent who hasn’t pitched since 2023.

- Cora went to the Coldplay concert during the All-Star break. Yes, that Coldplay concert that has now birthed likely the biggest meme ever due to a kiss cam incident. 

“I was actually [at] the Wednesday [Coldplay] concert,” Cora said. “It was fun.”