The Boston Red Sox Saturday, May 22, 2021

* The Boston Globe

High-scoring Red Sox continue road dominance, beat Phillies

Julian McWilliams

Despite striking out a jarring 17 times, the Red Sox were on the offensive all evening against the Phillies Friday.

The Sox racked up 13 hits, two of which came by the homer. The Red Sox collected seven runs with two outs, including a Christian Vázquez double with two down in the ninth that scored three, leading to an 11-3 drubbing over the Phillies.

While the strikeouts neared 20, the Sox’ brute force at the plate led them to Friday’s win.

“I didn’t notice that,” manager Alex Cora said of the strikeouts. “We just kept putting together good at-bats after good at-bats. We’ve been striking out a lot but at the same time we’ve been scoring a lot of runs lately. The quality of at-bats, they’re different.”

Different emerged in the fifth inning when newcomer Danny Santana had his grand entrance. With the game tied, 2-2, Santana belted a go-ahead solo shot on a 1-2 Aaron Nola offering. Nola hung the pitch over the heart of the plate, allowing Santana to torque his stocky 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame and send the pitch into the right field seats at Citizens Bank Park.

It sparked what eventually resulted in a blowout win for the Sox, moving them to 28-18 on the year, propelling them to 42 consecutive days in sole possession of first place in the American League East.

“He put a good swing on it,” said Cora of Santana’s homer. “He stayed in the zone and that’s what he brings. He can hit the ball out of the ballpark and we’re very excited that he’s with us and I know he’s gonna help us.”

The Nola piece is important. The Phillies starter had the Sox’ number in his three career starts against the club prior to Friday’s outing. He went at least seven innings, allowing two runs or fewer on four hits or fewer on each occasion.

On Friday, though, the Red Sox tagged Nola for five runs — four earned — in just five innings of work.

The Red Sox established their offense against Nola in the first inning when a Xander Bogaerts groundout on a high chopper scored Alex Verdugo. Rafael Devers belted an RBI double to left that plated J.D. Martinez.

Red Sox starter Martín Pérez cruised through his first two innings of work. But with two outs in the third after Andrew McCutchen double, Pérez met Jean Segura with a changeup that was sent to left-center for a two-run shot.

By the end of it, however, Pérez turned in six innings, yielding three earned runs on five hits.

“I was pounding the zone,” said Pérez. “My changeup, it was good. I think I was moving the ball really good inside and outside and fastball up helped me a lot, too.”

Santana’s homer in the fifth led to a three-run Sox inning, which included a two-out RBI single to left by Bogaerts. McCutchen hit third baseman and cutoff man, Alec Bohm, who had Martinez between second and third — but on the back throw toward second, Bohm delivered an errant throw. That allowed Martinez to come around and score and Bogaerts to move to third on the error.

The Red Sox added some insurance in the sixth when Renfroe registered an RBI single against reliever Connor Brogdon.

Yet the Sox extended their lead, 8-3, in the seventh after Rafael Devers tacked on a two-run shot off Brogdon. Vázquez’s bases-clearing double in the ninth rounded out the scoring.

The Red Sox have faced some formidable starters this year and beat them. That list includes the White Sox’ Lucas Giolito, the Mets’ Jacob deGrom, and now Nola.

“You want to face the best,” Vázquez said. “You can prove yourself when you face the best and we did it today. It’s fun to face those guys because they have great stuff and you prove yourself there.”

Danny Santana homers in his Red Sox debut

Julian McWilliams

Danny Santana made his debut with the Red Sox in their series opener against the Phillies Friday evening. Santana played first and led off, grounding out in his first at-bat. He finished the game 1 for 5, launching a solo homer in the fifth inning off Aaron Nola to get his Sox career off to a good start.

Santana inked a minor league deal with the Red Sox back in March with an invite to spring training. He suffered a foot infection shortly thereafter. The veteran INF/OF recently went on a rehab assignment which began in High A Greenville followed by Triple A Worcester. In eight games Santana hit a combined .433 with three homers.

Last season, Santana tore a ligament in his right elbow which required surgery in September. He played in just 15 games, hitting .145 in 63 plate appearances. During the 2019 season, however, Santana emerged as one of the Rangers’ best players. In 130 games, he slashed .283/.324/.534 with 28 homers and an .857 OPS, stealing 21 bags. Manager Alex Cora and the Sox hope they are getting that version of Santana.

“He’s a switch-hitter who can hit the ball out of the ballpark,” Cora said prior to the game. “I think the thing that he brings that we don’t have is speed. We run the bases well, we pick and choose when we want to go and we’ve been pretty effective. But he can and I think that’s a dimension that will add something to the equation.”

Santana said he’s 100 percent and just happy to be back with a big league club.

“I feel really good right now,” Santana said. “I know I can run a little bit. I can do a lot of things when healthy. I’m ready for everything. I played a couple of positions back in Worcester last week, so I’m ready.”

Austin Brice DFA’d

For now, both Michael Chavis and Franchy Cordero are safe. To make room for Santana on the 40-man, the Red Sox designated reliever Austin Brice for assignment. Brice had a 6.94 ERA in 11 ⅔ innings this year. In his May 4 outing vs. the Tigers, Brice allowed four earned runs in just one-third of an inning. He followed that up with two earned runs during his May 8 appearance vs. the Orioles. Despite delivering back-to-back scoreless outings against both the A’s and Angels, it was evident Brice wasn’t a long-term option for the Sox out of the bullpen.

The Sox now have 13 position players on their roster. In the meantime, Chavis and Cordero get a bit more time on the big league roster. Yet with Christian Arroyo lurking in the background, the Sox will have to decide whom they send to Worcester between Chavis and Cordero.

Arroyo (left hand contusion) began his rehab assignment with the WooSox Friday, in the lineup as the team’s DH and batting second. The plan for Arroyo is to play with the WooSox at least through the weekend before the Red Sox make any type of decision on the infielder.

Eovaldi looking to get back on track

Nate Eovaldi gets the start against the Phillies Saturday, carrying a 4.50 ERA in nine starts. In his most recent outing against the Angels, Eovaldi allowed four earned runs. He’s yielded 11 earned runs in his last three starts. “With Nate, just keep doing what he’s doing, don’t change too much,” Cora said. “Obviously, sometimes we feel like he should elevate a little more. But at the end, you see the real numbers and you’re like, you know, what else can we ask from him? So we’ll keep it simple. We’ll make subtle adjustments, and hopefully they can have better results.” ... Alex Verdugo left Friday’s game in the top of the seventh inning with left hamstring tightness. Kiké Hernández took over in center field... Major League Baseball announced Friday that 14 teams have reached the threshold of 85 percent or more of their Tier I individuals being considered fully vaccinated. The Red Sox haven’t reached that mark yet. “We are getting closer,” Cora said. “We are closer than 15 days ago. We’re almost there, but we’re not there.”

Martín Pérez continues positive trend with Red Sox

Peter Abraham

PHILADELPHIA — Martín Pérez took what very well may have been the worst swing in the long history of major league baseball Friday night.

When Aaron Nola threw him a two-strike curveball in the second inning, Peréz swung two feet over it as he dipped his back shoulder. Then the ball hit him in the left foot.

The Red Sox dugout broke up laughing.

“He actually got lucky because he almost twisted his ankle when he tried to get out of the way,” manager Alex Cora said. “We were giving him a hard time.”

Peréz initially pretended he was hurt when he returned to the dugout before breaking into a smile.

“Just trying to hit the fastball and he threw me a breaking ball and hit my foot,” Peréz said. “That happens when you don’t hit and play in the American League. I tried to enjoy the moment.”

Peréz’s real job is to pitch and that he did very well in an 11-3 victory at Citizens Bank Park. The lefthander allowed only three runs on five hits over six innings and struck out seven with one walk.

“I just came here to pitch,” Peréz said.

Perez had a tough assignment on Friday. Nola is one of the best starters in the National League and the Phillies stacked their lineup with righthanded hitters.

But he continued what has been a positive trend for the Sox. Perez has given the team 28⅓ innings in his last five starts while allowing only seven earned runs. He is 2-2 with a 3.55 earned run average in nine starts overall.

For a No. 5 starter, that’s solid gold. Keep your team in the game and get through five innings.

“Solid again, solid again,” Cora said. “That’s a tough lineup to maneuver with all those righties. He did a good job elevating his pitches, using a changeup. His stuff was crisp.

“For him to go six, it put us in a good spot. We were able to stay away from certain [relievers]. Another good one. He’s been doing that the whole time … in every outing he’s giving us a chance.”

Peréz effectively used his changeup, worked the corners and used a high fastball more than in previous starts.

“Just trying to attack the hitters and compete, man,” he said. “I feel great.”

The stability of the rotation has been the foundation of the Red Sox building a 28-18 record. They’re 10 games over .500 and have won three in a row.

As explosive as the offense has been, the Sox arrive at the park every day confident in their pitching. Perez, Nate Eovaldi, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Richards, and Eduardo Rodriguez have started 44 of the 46 games.

The only exceptions were when Rodriguez missed his first start with a sore arm and Tanner Houck filled in. Houck also pitched the first game of a doubleheader on April 18.

“They’re not missing any starts,” said catcher Christian Vazquez, who had two hits and drove in three runs. “That’s a great job by everybody. We’re doing a good job of being healthy.”

Peréz has pitched 10 years in the majors thanks in large part to his reliability. He’s not an overwhelming talent but there’s a lot to be said for showing up.

“If you can go out there and throw five innings, we can rest the bullpen and they’ve been throwing a lot, too,” he said. “The way that I see it is to have fun and enjoy it

“The way that I see it is to have fun and enjoy it,” he said. Peréz is a good-natured guy who engages with fans on social media and jokes around with his teammates. So one awkward swing didn’t ruin his night. In the end, he was the winner.

Red Sox appear certain to get a major talent with the No. 4 draft pick this year

Alex Speier

With less than two months until the Red Sox make their highest draft pick in more than a half-century, the top of the board is jumbled.

In a year when the Red Sox hold the No. 4 overall pick, five names have emerged as the proverbial cream of the crop. But there are differing accounts of the pecking order.

The top three names entering the year continue to be discussed as talents near the top: Vanderbilt righthanders Kumar Rocker (11-2, 2.45 ERA, 13.2 strikeouts per nine innings) and Jack Leiter (8-2, 2.05 ERA, 15.2 strikeouts per nine innings), and Texas high school shortstop Jordan Lawlar (.412/.556/.732 with 6 homers and 32 steals in 32 attempts).

But they’ve been joined by California high school shortstop Marcelo Mayer (.439/.594/1.075 with 13 homers, 15 steals, 23 walks, and just 2 strikeouts) as well as Louisville catcher Henry Davis (.371/.493/.641 with 12 homers, 31 walks, and 22 strikeouts) in the conversation.

There’s no clear consensus about how to order that group.

Would it be a surprise to see any of them taken in any of the top five spots?

“The most honest answer is no,” said Carlos Collazo of Baseball America. “I don’t think there’s enough separation in those guys to feel confident — really confident — that one would be gone before the Red Sox or Orioles [at No. 5] are picking. There’s no way Texas [at No. 2] is going to let Jordan Lawlar get past them.

“Other than that, you can randomize the order, throw it out there, and it would make sense.”

Rocker is the prospect with the longest track record. He was highly regarded coming out of high school, threw a no-hitter in the College World Series as a freshman, and his mix (mid- to high-90s fastball and dominating slider, along with a cutter as a third pitch) profiles as a mid-rotation starter or better. And at 6 feet 5 inches and 245 pounds, the son of former NFL defensive lineman Tracy Rocker has the size and strength to believe he can handle the rigors of the rotation.

Leiter exploded out of the gates this year, but hit a bump in the road in late April and early May, allowing 14 runs in 15⅓ innings over three starts while seeing his control falter. Vanderbilt skipped him for a start, raising at least a yellow flag for some teams who already had questions about the 6-1, 205-pound sophomore’s durability.

Lawlar is a five-tool talent who will anchor the middle of the infield. Mayer is a better pure hitter than Lawlar and slightly younger, though Lawlar is the better defensive player and runner. Davis, meanwhile, has forced his way into the conversation thanks to a standout junior year in which he has exhibited excellent strike zone judgment, significantly growing power, and strong defensive tools.

Red Sox closer Matt Barnes threw to Davis during the 2020 shutdown, and was impressed with how easily he handled major league-quality fastballs and breaking balls while also exhibiting a tremendous throwing arm.

“He has an absolute cannon,” said Barnes.

That group of five has yet to produce a clear No. 1. There’s no Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg or David Price standing clearly above the rest. On the other hand, the draft class features a handful of strong options at premium positions — two college pitchers with front-of-the-rotation potential, a college catcher, two high school shortstops — that suggest star potential. And at least two of those consensus top-of-the-draft names will remain on the board when the Red Sox pick at No. 4.

“This would not be the draft where you wanted to pick 1,” Collazo said, noting the absence of an obvious superstar-in-waiting. “I think picking 4 or 5 in this year’s class is where you want to be.

“It’s not the same draft class, but it’s kind of like the Padres picking sixth in 2019 and winding up with [shortstop] C.J. Abrams [now viewed as one of the top prospects in the minors]. I think the Red Sox and Orioles could be in a really good spot at 4 and 5 this year.”

Of course, even with that enviable position, there’s no guarantee that the Sox will limit themselves to those five names. Because there was no 2020 amateur season, and no Cape League and Team USA play for both high school and college players, the board could still reshape.

Moreover, teams may be more willing than usual to buck consensus given that evaluations are based on a smaller sample. In particular, if a top-five team identifies another player as having comparable talent as well as a willingness to accept a signing bonus below MLB’s slot recommendations, then it could move outside of that group to take him, keeping more money available to make aggressive picks further down.

It’s lost on no one in the industry that the Red Sox bucked expectations last year by tapping high school infielder Nick Yorke — viewed as a likely second- or third-round pick — in the first round and signing him for a below-slot deal, then using some of the savings to take power-hitting high schooler Blaze Jordan in the third round.

Still, the Red Sox find themselves in an enviable position, with a pick that gives them a shot at what appears to be the very top tier of amateur talent.

Getting Dennis Eckersley’s take on the Tony La Russa flap, and other thoughts

Dan Shaughnessy

Picked-up pieces while waiting for Fenway Park to be at full capacity next Saturday …

▪ Dennis Eckersley is the perfect baseball person to comment on Tony La Russa’s dustup with his own player in Minnesota this past week. It was a story replete with themes of old school vs. new, baseball’s “unwritten rules,” and social-media warheads bordering on ageism aimed at the 76-year-old Hall of Fame skipper.

Eck doesn’t necessarily agree with his former boss, but he thinks the barrage of criticism heaped on La Russa is rooted in the manager’s senior status.

“He’s getting killed,” said Eckersley. “I can’t help but think a lot of it is because he’s old. It’s the age we live in.”

Here’s the background: Leading, 15-4, in the top of the ninth inning of Monday’s game, White Sox manager La Russa gave the take sign to Yermin Mercedes as Mercedes prepared for a 3-and-0 pitch from position player Willians Astudillo, who’d been summoned to pitch for the Twins.

Mercedes, a 28-year-old rookie who’s batting .358, either missed the sign or ignored it, and swatted a home run. After the game, La Russa apologized to the Twins and called out his own player, saying Mercedes “made a mistake” and “there will be a consequence.”

Mercedes used the “I have to be me” defense and La Russa was buried from coast to coast, hearing complaints from players around baseball, even some White Sox (Lance Lynn and Tim Anderson).

Eckersley was La Russa’s Hall of Fame closer for many seasons with the Oakland A’s. Eck was often demonstrative on the mound, celebrating after punching out his victims. He is 66 years old, remains loyal to La Russa, and sees both sides of the argument, but said, “Once you put a position player out there to pitch, everything seems to go out the window to me a little bit. If somebody’s throwing lollipops out there, who gives a [expletive] what the hitter is doing? I’m kind of not with Tony on this.

“The problem is that if the manager gives him a take sign, the batter is supposed to take regardless.”

Eckersley doesn’t push back on bat flips after home runs.

“I gave up enough homers,” he said. “I got you, you got me, whatever. I didn’t really mind. When you give up home runs in money time, that’s life. They’re happy. They’re glad. You can do whatever you want to do. It’s the ninth inning, for [expletive] sake.”

What about the unwritten rules of diamond decorum?

“I think time has sort of made them fade away,” said Eck. “But what rules? This one in particular, this 3- and-0 [expletive]? What I don’t know is if Tony talked to the player before he went off on him with the media. He must have said something to him about the take sign before he talked to the media.

“But these days it gets out of hand with the players’ Twitter accounts and whatever. How do you control that? It’s a tough job to manage today.”

When Lynn came to the defense of Mercedes, La Russa responded with, “Lance has a locker; I have an office.”

“Tony used to say that to me,” Eckersley said. “I love that line. Basically, he’s saying, ‘Shove it. I’m the [expletive] boss.’ And that’s where we come from. That’s where I come from. Do what the manager says. And he did give you the take sign.

“I go both ways on this,” Eck said with a sigh. “Sometimes I wish I didn’t pay attention. Being oblivious can be a beautiful thing.

“I know nobody wants to hear us say, ‘Poor Tony’s getting buried.’ But he is old — and so are we! That’s the message here: If you’re old, you’d better duck!”

▪ When it comes to female sports broadcasters, NESN reminds me of a Triple A ball club prepping talent for the big leagues. Ever notice how many good female reporters leave NESN, then show up in a better place? Tina Cervasio, Heidi Watney, Hazel Mae, Jenny Dell, Kathryn Tappen, Elle Duncan, Jade McCarthy, Nikki Reyes, Kacie McDonnell, Jamie Erdahl, and Wendi Nix come to mind.

Now you can add Leah Hextall to the list. Hextall, who worked at NESN from 2012-14, signed with ESPN this past week and will become the first female NHL play-by-play announcer for a national outlet.

▪ Quiz: Name the only two big league players who won a World Series MVP, a regular-season MVP, and an All-Star Game MVP (answer below).

▪ One of my favorite quotes of all time was uttered this past week when NESN analyst and former Bruins goalie Andrew Raycroft told the Globe’s Matt Porter, “As soon as you leave Boston, no one knows you play in the league anymore.”

▪ David Krejci collects soccer jerseys and once told the defunct Improper Bostonian, “I’ve always wondered what would’ve happened — because I quit soccer because of hockey.” My soccer friends insist that Krejci must have worn No. 10 when he was a young player in Czechoslovakia.

▪ Is spin rate a God-given talent? Is it enhanced by substances that improve grip? Asking for a friend.

▪ How bad was the play-in game between the Pacers and Hornets? I called an NBA vice president at home to ask about the rules governing stat-keeping for play-in games. In the course of getting my answer (play-in games are neither regular-season nor playoff games; they are their own category), I asked the league rep if he was watching the Charlotte-Indiana farce and he said, “No, I switched to the Penguins.”

▪ Why are there so many more quads and lats and other assorted baseball injuries that we never used to hear about? Giancarlo Stanton was sent back to the IL this past week with a strained left quad. Two days later, it was Mike Trout going on the shelf for 6-8 weeks because of a strained right calf.

My theory is too much year-round conditioning. These guys look great at the beach, but give me a George Scott, who played in 152 or more games in nine of his first 12 big league seasons, never fewer than 124 in that period. Bad body Mickey Lolich averaged 35 starts in his first 14 big league seasons, making fewer than 30 only once. Have another doughnut, guys.

▪ Joe Thornton, who turns 42 in July, is still going but has never hoisted the Stanley Cup.

▪ Tim Hortons fans, rejoice: The Canadiens and Maple Leafs are engaged in their first playoff meeting since 1979. Dating back to 1918, it’s the 16th time they’ve met in a postseason series. Montreal leads the all-time series, 8-7.

▪ Congrats to Ryan Berardino, grandson of both Dwight Evans and former Red Sox coach Dick Berardino, who hit .489 for Bentley this year, striking out only four times in 94 at-bats. Berardino homered in his final collegiate at-bat against Franklin Pierce. The Red Sox drafted the slick-fielding first baseman in the 34th round in 2019 and would do well to go after him again in June and give him a shot in the minors this summer.

▪ Congrats also to the Boston University softball team, which went 36-2 and carried an 18-game winning streak into Friday’s NCAA Regional against Mississippi State in Stillwater, Okla.

▪ May 21 was the 40th anniversary of St. John’s Frank Viola vs. Yale’s Ron Darling in an NCAA tournament regional opener, attended by Roger Angell and Smoky Joe Wood. Darling fanned 16 and took a no-hitter into the bottom of the 12th of the 0-0 game before losing, 1-0, in New Haven.

▪ May 21 also was the 50th anniversary of the release of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” According to the New York Post, Gaye’s pals from the Detroit Lions — Lem Barney, Mel Farr, and Charlie Sanders — sang backup on the hit, as did Detroit Piston Dave Bing.

▪ Does Kemba Walker’s ubiquitous Yankee cap bother any of you?

▪ Brockton honors the late Marvin Hagler Sunday at Brockton High School starting at 2 p.m.

▪ Globe baseball scribe Julian McWilliams is the voice of Willie Mays in the audio version of John Shea’s outstanding biography with the Say Hey Kid.

▪ Speaking of books, now is the time to pre-order (Amazon or your local independent) “Remember Who You Are: What Pedro Gomez Showed Us About Baseball and Life.” Everybody’s favorite ESPN baseball guy died unexpectedly in February, and those who knew him best (including Terry Francona, Eckersley, Peter Gammons, and Tim Kurkjian) contributed 62 personal essays to the tome.

Pedro’s son, Rio, is a lefty pitching prospect in the Red Sox system and was just called up to Double A Portland. Rio also wrote a piece on his dad.

▪ Not enough scorn can be heaped upon TNT for its amateur-hour broadcast of the Celtics-Wizards play-in game from the Garden Tuesday. The great Marv Albert deserved better for one of his final broadcasts. Albert and analyst Grant Hill sounded as if they were broadcasting from bus terminal bathrooms in separate locations.

▪ After a 14-month hiatus, the Sports Museum will begin offering private VIP tours June 1. To schedule a tour for your group, e-mail Maria Kangas at [email protected].

▪ If you are on Twitter, do yourself a favor and follow tennis legend Chris Evert. She’s smart, irreverent, and hilarious. Asked by one of her followers to list the top five women’s clay-court players in history, Evert wrote, “I would say, in no particular order: Steffi, Monica, Martina, Serena, moi … ”

▪ Quiz answer: Brooks and Frank Robinson.

* The Boston Herald

Hidden gem: Danny Santana shines in debut to lead Red Sox to 11-3 win over Phillies

Jason Mastrodonato

Danny Santana was so calm, his swing so easy on a go-ahead home run that it makes you wonder how the Red Sox were able to sign him on a minor-league deal.

In his debut with the Red Sox on Friday night, he looked like he’s been in the big leagues all year.

Santana made some fine plays at first base and connected on a two-out, go-ahead homer in the fifth inning as the Sox trampled the Phillies, 11-3, at Citizens Bank Park.

“You can see quality at-bats, he controls the strike zone,” manager Alex Cora said. “He actually said he was a little bit nervous before his first at-bat. I said, ‘Well, you’re only human. That’s part of what we do and if you don’t feel nervous at this level there’s something wrong with you. We all feel that way on a daily basis so put a good swing on it.’

“That’s what he brings. He can hit the ball out of the ballpark. We’re very excited that he’s with us and I know he’s going to help us.”

The 30-year-old was a 20-20 guy just two seasons ago with the Texas Rangers, when he hit .283 with 28 homers, 21 steals and an .851 OPS. But he suffered an elbow injury and needed surgery that held him to just 15 games last year.

On March 7, right in the middle of spring training, the Red Sox signed him on a minor-league contract knowing that he wouldn’t be ready for the season. Santana said he chose the Red Sox because he thought he’d get an opportunity; they were thin on position player depth and it was clear they’d need him at some point.

After eight games in the minors in which he hit .433, Santana was called up to the big leagues and was inserted into the leadoff spot while playing first base for Cora’s club.

In the fourth inning, Santana caught a liner off the bat of Alec Bohm and doubled off Rhys Hoskins at first.

The next inning, with the score tied, 2-2, and two outs, Santana got a 1-2 curveball from Aaron Nola, one of the best starters in the National League, and deposited it in the right-field seats.

Nola hung the pitch and Santana looked like he was waiting for it. His swing was so easy that NESN color guys Jerry Remy and Dennis Eckersley commented on how simple he made it look while turning on the pitch to his pull-side without any stride; he just used his arms.

Asked if Santana would continue to bat leadoff, Cora said, “We’ll see, we’ll mix it up. I do believe speed is good up there, but at the same time balance helps and a switch hitter down in the lineup might help, too, hitting behind Christian (Vazquez), right around there. So we’ll keep playing with the lineup. We’ve been doing it the whole season, so why change now?”

Santana also made a handful of nice stretches, including one to help Xander Bogaerts finish a beautiful play to his right.

Overall it was an incredible debut by a player who hadn’t seen big-league action since Aug. 26 of last year.

“He can hit, man,” said starter Martin Perez. “He knows how to hit. He knows how to play baseball and he did great things before with Texas. He knows how to play baseball, man. He’s just got to go out there and swing the bat. That’s it.”

Bobby Dalbec remains entrenched at first base, but there’s an opening at second and there could be some playing time to be had in the outfield as Alex Verdugo continues to battle hamstring issues.

After Santana homered to put the Sox up 3-2 in the fifth, Verdugo singled, J.D. Martinez walked and Bogaerts roped a single to left that scored two more runs thanks to a sloppy relay by the Phillies. Bohm cut off the throw from left and had Martinez dead between second and third, but Jean Segura fell down trying to catch the ball at second and Martinez raced home.

The Sox added three more runs in the ninth inning, again with two outs.

It continued the trend of the Red Sox scoring runs with two outs, which they’ve done in bunches this week. Overall on the year, they’ve had just a 112 OPS-plus with two outs compared to a 123 OPS-plus with no outs and 121 OPS-plus with one out.

Verdugo exited the game in the sixth due to hamstring tightness. Cora said he probably won’t play on Saturday.

A few more takeaways:

1. Rafael Devers added some two-out insurance runs in the seventh inning, when he worked the count full and got a high changeup that he didn’t miss. Using almost exclusively his wrists, he yanked the outside pitch to his pull-side and put it in the right-field seats for a two-run shot. It was his 12th of the year, tying him with Martinez for the team lead. Shohei Ohtani leads the American League with 14 home runs.

2. Bogaerts had an excellent game on defense, making several plays to both sides of him and even one spectacular play while on the right side of the infield in the shift. He continues to outpace other big league shortstops with 2.5 WAR on the season, which is second overall to only Blue Jays’ first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2.6 WAR).

3. Perez pitched a strong game, striking out seven over six innings while allowing three runs. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in six consecutive starts and has a 3.55 ERA overall.

Red Sox Notebook: Danny Santana brings power, speed to top of the order

Jason Mastrodonato

The Red Sox added a 20-20 guy to their roster on Friday.

Danny Santana, who hit 28 home runs and stole 21 bases for the Texas Rangers just two seasons ago, was promoted from Triple-A Worcester and slotted into the leadoff spot in his Red Sox debut against the Phillies.

“I’m really happy to be here again,” the 31-year-old said. “I thank God for giving me another opportunity to show myself in the big leagues and do what I can do, try to help the team win and play the game the right way.”

Santana was playing first base in his debut, but has played every defensive position except catcher during his seven-year big league career.

The Red Sox now have a handful of super-utility players on the roster, including Kiké Hernandez, Marwin Gonzalez, Michael Chavis and Santana.

“We’re going to move him around just like Marwin and Enrique,” manager Alex Cora said. “Today he’s playing first, Marwin is playing second, but he can play center, he can play left, he can play second — well he can play third, short, second and first — but we’ll keep him probably most likely at first, second and center field.”

After his breakout season with the Rangers two years ago, Santana played in just 15 games last year due to an injured throwing elbow that required surgery to repair a torn ligament, according to MLB.com. Rather than having Tommy John surgery, which can require 10-12 months of recovery for position players, Santana opted for a similar surgery that uses a brace to repair the ligament rather than a human tendon.

“It was a lot of work to do,” he said. “Sometimes I was sitting home frustrated because I couldn’t play. I watched my teammates and the whole team was playing and I am just sitting at home, watching TV and seeing them play. It made me feel bad. Now I’m really happy. I got a new opportunity and I’m going to enjoy it.”

Santana hit the cover off the ball in eight minor league games, batting .433 with three doubles and three homers before his call-up.

“I feel really good right now,” Santana said. “I know I can run a little bit. I can do a lot of things when I am healthy.”

To make room on the roster, the Red Sox designed right-hander Austin Brice for assignment. The 28-year- old reliever had a 6.32 ERA since joining the Sox last year.

Speed kills

All offseason, Cora talked about the importance of the Red Sox playing faster than they had played a year ago.

But entering Friday, they ranked below average in stolen bases with just 19 on the year.

Christian Vazquez and Xander Bogaerts lead the team with four steals a piece, but Cora thinks Santana can add the speed element the club has been missing.

“We run the bases well, we pick and choose where we want to go and we’ve been pretty effective, but he can run,” Cora said. “I think that’s a dimension that will add something to the equation. Offensively we should be better. It creates more balance, it gives us more alternatives and we’re very happy he’s with us.”

Santana is 71-for-95 (75%) in stolen base attempts in his career. Cora said he’ll have the green light to run on certain pitchers.

“We like action, we like pressure and I do believe having somebody like that is going to benefit the hitter and whoever is coming behind him,” the skipper said. “We’ve done a good job with the running part of it, stealing bases and putting pressure on guys, but I think when you have somebody that can run actually, not just a sneak runner or just an average runner, he’s done it before. He did it with Texas in 2019 and it was really good.”

E-Rod looking up

Eduardo Rodriguez will pitch Sunday after a start in which he showed diminished velocity.

“There’s a few things that he needs to do better, but he’s getting closer,” Cora said. “His fastball up in the zone was good actually against the Jays, but you know we got to find the right mix, and the more he throws the better he’s feeling about his fastball so that’s going to be a game changer.”

Vaccination rate not up to par

MLB announced Friday that 14 teams have reached the 85% vaccination threshold and no longer have to wear masks in the dugout or the clubhouse, among other loosening of restrictions.

Cora said the Red Sox are still not at 85%.

“We are closer than 15 days ago,” he said. “We’re almost there but we’re not there.”

Christian Arroyo (hand) began a rehab assignment with Worcester on Friday. The team will re-evaluate him after the weekend.

Red Sox pitcher Martin Perez took perhaps the worst swing in MLB this year

Jason Mastrodonato

There’s a new clubhouse leader for Major League Baseball’s “Worst Swing of the Year.”

Red Sox starter Martin Perez took a swing that missed the pitch by about three feet on Friday night.

Perez did a much better job on the mound, throwing six innings of three-run ball to lead the Red Sox to an 11-3 win over the Phillies. But his work at the plate had his teammates laughing in the dugout for a while.

“If you see the replay he actually got lucky because he almost twisted his ankle when he tried to get out of the way,” manager Alex Cora said. “So they were giving him a hard time. But he pitched well.”

Aaron Nola threw him a 1-2 curveball that was so low and inside it hit Perez in the back foot. But he had already begun his waist-high swing and couldn’t stop himself as he took an awkward hack while his body turned sideways.

“You’re trying to hit the fastball and he threw me a breaking ball and it hit my foot,” Perez said. “But you know, that happens when you don’t hit and you play in American League. But it was fun, enjoying that moment and just trying to stay focused on my game.”

He ended the plate with both feet facing the pitchers mound. Even though the ball hit him, his poor swing resulted in a strikeout.

“He came in the dugout all serious, like, ‘the ball hit me,'” Cora said. “Then he started laughing ,so we were able to laugh with him too.”

Having spent his entire career in the American League, the 30-year-old lefty entered the game just 1-for-23 with 19 strikeouts at the plate.

He added three more strikeouts on Friday, including his swing in the second inning that’ll be played on blooper reels for years to come.

“It was fun after that at-bat,” Perez said. “Just trying to stay focused because I don’t want distractions. I just come here to pitch. It’s hard when you pitch in the American League and just come to the National League. My job is just to go out there and give my team a chance to win.”

On the mound, Perez has a 3.55 ERA and has gone six straight starts without allowing more than three runs.

“I think we’re using all the pitches,” catcher Christian Vazquez said. “Now we’re pitching up. That changed everything, with the eye level of the hitter. After that, we can use whatever off-speed is working, the curveball, changeup away, and his cutter.

“Everybody is pitching good. It’s fun to be behind and catching those guys, to see success, getting the win for them. We’re responding back. They give up some runs, we are responding back to support him.”

* The Providence Journal

Latest great sign for the Red Sox came Friday

Bill Koch

We won’t know until much later this season if the Red Sox are great.

Baseball is a marathon. Eventual champions are developed over periods of months, not weeks.

One certain indicator on the way to that conclusion is a consistent ability to focus. Put the previous day’s result in the rearview mirror, good or bad, and move on. Boston did that on Friday night.

The Red Sox followed up Thursday's dramatic victory over the Blue Jays with a shellacking of the Phillies on Friday night. Boston’s offense was relentless and Martin Perez is now on a five-start run of effectiveness. The resulting 11-3 thumping brought the welcome sound of booing from the traditionally prickly locals.

“You come here and you feed off the fans and everything that goes on,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “You could feel the energy from the get-go.

“It’s not that we felt more prepared today than other days, but you could feel it in the dugout. It’s a big challenge.”

Taking two of three from Toronto in its adopted home was a good start to the Red Sox road trip. TD Ballpark is a Grapefruit League staple with casual fans in the bleachers, not a big market populated by diehards. Citizens Bank Park is a different sort of stage, and the visitors made themselves at home despite a predawn arrival on the team charter.

“You want to face the best,” Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez said. “You can prove yourself when you face the best. We did it today.”

Boston dispatched Aaron Nola after just five innings and piled on against the Philadelphia bullpen. Rafael Devers drilled a two-run homer to the boxes in right and Vazquez sent a three-run double down the line in right to provide the cushion in what was a 5-2 game. Bryce Harper’s seemingly misjudged bid to make a catch on the Vazquez ball wasn’t ruled an error, but the Phillies committed three of them and were generally sloppy throughout.

Perez hung a changeup to Jean Segura for a two-run homer and was fooled badly while striking out swinging at a curveball from Nola that hit him on the lower left leg. The left-hander was still smiling in his postgame meeting with the media after finishing six innings for the second straight start. Perez holds a fine 2.22 ERA over his last five outings.

“It’s a game,” Perez said. “I know it’s our job, too, but the way I see it is go out there and just have fun and enjoy it.”

The Red Sox improved to 10 games over .500 with the victory, reaching that standard for the first time since September 2019. Boston was 76-65 early in the final month and suffered through a five-game losing streak, dipping under the mark for good. The Red Sox started 6-18 in a shortened 2020 and never came close to recovering.

Boston was a runaway train in Cora’s debut season, sitting at least 50 games over .500 through its final 34 contests in 2018. The Red Sox raced to 10 games over after a 12-2 start and never dropped to single digits again. The current group isn’t built to hammer the competition in similar fashion, and its peers in the American League East are considerably improved.

What Boston does have in common with that club is a spot in first place and a developing feeling of confidence. The Red Sox would improve to 9-3-3 in their 15 series to date with a victory in either of the next two games. Current scuffles aside, you generally wouldn’t bet against Nathan Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez on consecutive days.

RED SOX JOURNAL: Arroyo starts rehab assignment in Worcester

Bill Koch

Christian Arroyo (left hand contusion) started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Friday.

The Red Sox infielder served as the designated hitter and batted second in his first game action since early May. Arroyo was hit by pitches twice on the back of the hand and eventually forced out of action.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but he’ll probably play the whole weekend there — the three games,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “Then we’ll make a decision. Let’s see how he comes out of tonight.”

Arroyo was unable to take batting practice last weekend, relegated to soft toss and tee work. He’s received treatment throughout the week at Polar Park after staying off the road trip and made a quick improvement. The 25-year-old took batting practice in each of the last two days and felt well enough to be activated on Friday against Buffalo.

Arroyo made all of his 18 starts for Boston at second base and batted .275 with a .710 OPS. The former top prospect with the Giants hasn’t played in the minor leagues since spending 33 games with Triple-A Durham in 2019. Arroyo was traded by San Francisco to the Rays and then by Tampa Bay to Cleveland prior to being placed on waivers in August.

“The fact that he’s playing tells you where he’s at right now,” Cora said. “But I do believe getting your legs under you, moving around, playing second, playing short — it's going to help him.”

Keeping their focus

Cora turned the page on Thursday’s dramatic victory over the Blue Jays prior to meeting with the media on Friday.

J.D. Martinez cracked a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning as the Red Sox rallied past Toronto, 8-7. Boston squandered an early 5-2 cushion and was on the verge of dropping the three-game series when Martinez smacked his 250th career home run.

“They’re not caught up on what happened yesterday,” Cora said. “They’re getting ready for the Phillies, which is the mark of a good team.

“You’ve got to turn the page when it’s a tough loss or a W like yesterday. You’ve got to be ready for the next day.”

The Red Sox moved back to nine games over .500, matching their best mark of the season. Boston went to 22-13 after a May 9 victory at Baltimore but dropped the series finale to the Orioles the following afternoon at Camden Yards.

No change in pitching assignments

The starting rotation will remain on turn through the two scheduled Red Sox off days next week.

Boston will rest twice around a two-game series with Atlanta at Fenway Park on Tuesday and Wednesday. Garrett Richards and Nick Pivetta would be the projected starting pitchers in those two interleague meetings.

“We feel very comfortable,” Cora said. “With the off days, they can go deeper into the games. We can match up in the seventh (inning) if they get there.”

The lack of a designated hitter over the weekend against the Phillies leaves the Red Sox starting just eight position players. Cora will use that to hand at least a partial rest to most of his regulars over the next three days. Normal starters who don’t play on Saturday or Sunday would enjoy two days off in a three-day stretch.

Vaccine update

Major League Baseball announced 14 of its 30 teams had reached the 85% COVID-19 vaccine threshold as of Friday.

Boston still isn’t one of them. The Red Sox are shy of what would be the trigger for relaxed virus protocols both while traveling and at home.

“We are getting closer,” Cora said. “We are closer than 15 days ago. We’re almost there, but we’re not there.”

Organizations have upwards of 100 people considered Tier 1 personnel — players, coaching staff members, medical staff members and more. That includes both the big leagues and the Triple-A ranks, which are grouped in the same testing bubble.

The Mariners reported a positive test on Friday and touched off fears of a significant spread within their clubhouse. ESPN reported Seattle was among the least-vaccinated franchises in baseball.

Red Sox's Santana makes long-awaited return

Bill Koch

Danny Santana made his Red Sox debut on Friday night. The veteran utilityman played first base and batted leadoff against the Phillies. His rehab assignment at Class-A Greenville and Triple-A Worcester ended after just eight games, as Santana tore through opposing pitching at both stops.

Austin Brice was designated for assignment to make room on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters. The right-handed reliever worked to a 5.95 ERA in 21 appearances last season with Boston and posted a 6.94 ERA through his first 12 games of 2021.

“I thank God for giving me another opportunity to show my abilities and do what I can do,” Santana said. “Try to help the team win and play the game the right way.”

The switch-hitting Santana went 13-for-30 with three doubles and three home runs while playing for the Drive and the WooSox. He made defensive starts at first base, second base, third base and in left field for Worcester. Santana enjoyed his 184th career start as an infielder on Friday, 15 shy of the 199 starts he’s made to date as an outfielder.

“We’ll keep him most likely at first, second and center field,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We’ll move him around. We’ll keep moving people around.”

Santana broke out with the Rangers in 2019, filling his batting line with 28 home runs, 23 doubles, 21 stolen bases and an .857 OPS. Injuries stalled his career in 2020, as Santana underwent a modified form of Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He had another minor procedure in spring training to clear an infection in his right foot, setting back his first appearance with the Red Sox and an activation clause in his contract.

“Sometimes I sat at home and felt frustrated because I couldn’t play,” Santana said. “I watched my teammates and my old teammates playing. I was just sitting at home watching TV and seeing them play — it made me feel bad.

“Now I’m really happy. I’ve got a new opportunity and I’m going to enjoy it.”

Brice was acquired from the Marlins in January 2020 for minor-league shortstop Anguedis Santos. Hitters swung and missed at his four-seam fastball an even 50% of the time last season, but he was roughed up to the tune of a 1.53 WHIP in 19 2/3 innings. Brice was out of minor-league options and can be claimed by any team prior to clearing waivers.

Cora is hopeful Santana can bring a speed element to the offense. He’s stolen 141 bases in the minor leagues and 71 more in the big leagues, including three seasons in double figures. Santana swiped 20 bags with the Twins in 2014 before a host of minor injuries and a trade to Atlanta sidetracked his career.

“We like action,” Cora said. “We like pressure. I do believe having somebody like that is going to benefit the hitter and whoever is coming behind.

“We’ve done a good job with the running part of it — stealing bases and putting pressure on guys. But when you have someone who can run actually, who’s not just a sneak runner or just an average runner — he’s done it before.”

Boston leads the American League East entering this weekend series in Philadelphia. The Red Sox carried 14 pitchers and 12 position players through their first 45 games, a number that’s now even at 13 and 13. Boston has a pair of scheduled off days coming up and could be forced to make frequent in-game lineup switches without the designated hitter available.

“I saw a lot of opportunities in the team,” Santana said. “The Red Sox gave me a good chance to play in the big leagues. That was the reason I signed.”

* MassLive.com

Danny Santana hits home run in Red Sox debut, Rafael Devers adds homer, 3 RBIs as Boston beats Phillies, 11-3

Chris Cotillo

PHILADELPHIA -- Danny Santana didn’t take long to welcome himself to the Red Sox lineup.

Santana homered in the third at-bat of his club debut to put the Sox up for good in an 11-3 series-opening win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Rafael Devers had three RBIs, including a two-run homer, as Boston won its third straight game and improved to 28-18.

The Sox got to Phillies starter Aaron Nola early, tagging him for two runs and three hits in the first. After back-to-back singles by Alex Verdugo and J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts got Boston on the board with an RBI groundout. One batter later, Devers drove a double to the top of the left field wall to give the Sox a 2-0 advantage.

Sox starter Martín Pérez cruised for most of the night but ran into some quick trouble in the third, allowing an Andrew McCutchen double and Jean Segura homer that made it 2-2. Santana, who was leading off in his first game with the Red Sox, drove a Nola pitch deep into the right field stands with two outs in the fifth inning to retake the lead.

The Sox then tacked on to their lead by capitalizing on a sloppy defensive night from Philadelphia, plating two runs on a Bogaerts RBI single and throwing error by third baseman Alex Bohm. In the sixth, Hunter Renfroe added an RBI single to put the Sox up, 6-2. Bohm cut the deficit to three runs with an RBI hit of his own in the sixth before Devers broke things open with his 12th blast of the year in the seventh.

Christian Vázquez made it a laugher in the ninth, clearing the bases with a three-run double to make it 11-3.

Pérez got the win, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out seven Phillies in six innings. Garrett Whitlock, Josh Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez combined for three scoreless innings of relief; Whitlock struck out in his first career big-league at-bat in the eighth.

Verdugo (hamstring) pulled in sixth

Verdugo was removed from the game in the middle of the sixth inning due to left hamstring tightness and was replaced in center field by Kiké Hernández. Verdugo was spotted limping around the bases Thursday night in Dunedin, Fla., but looked fine at the plate Friday, going 3-for-3 with three singles before being taken out.

Eovaldi gets Saturday night nod

Righty Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 4.50 ERA) will look to bounce back from a rough outing against the Angels on Saturday night in the middle game against the Phillies. Rookie righty Spencer Howard (0-0, 8.31 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Phillies. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

Boston Red Sox notebook: Nick Pivetta reflects on Phillies’ tenure in return to town; Danny Santana homers after ‘nervous’ first at-bat

Chris Cotillo

PHILADELPHIA -- This weekend’s interleague series between the Red Sox and Phillies represents a homecoming of sorts for Nick Pivetta, who spent the first 3-½ years of his major-league career with Philadelphia before being traded to Boston in August. Though Pivetta isn’t scheduled to pitch against his old team, the trip allowed him to catch up with some old friends and teammates and reflect on the success he has had since switching teams nine months ago.

Pivetta had some good times with the Phillies -- including in 2018 when he posted a 4.77 ERA in 164 innings as a member of their rotation -- but it’s clear the relationship between the player and the team had run its course when former general manager Matt Klentak decided to deal him last summer. In 11 starts with the Red Sox, Pivetta has looked like a new pitcher, posting a 7-0 record and 3.59 ERA. The Red Sox are 10-1 in his outings.

“The change of scenery is always a thing. It seems like it’s a thing. I always thought it wouldn’t be a thing for me but it was a thing,” Pivetta said. “I think it was that and a combination of believing in myself and being comfortable, knowing I have a second chance. I worked really hard. I came back. I didn’t throw very well at the end with Philly and I’ve been throwing well since. I’ve made the right adjustments that I needed to make.”

Since Pivetta joined the Red Sox, he has worked with pitching coach Dave Bush and other coaches to fine- tune his approach, both mentally and physically. As soon as the Red Sox acquired him, Pivetta said, he knew it was the right place for him.

“They gave me the confidence in myself, which was really good,” he said. “They valued me, they traded for me, which was really nice of them. They valued me as a starter, which was huge, so it instilled a lot of confidence in me. They kind of let me be me, but they’ve helped me.

“It’s not just moving, a change of scenery,” he added. “It’s different verbiage, different ways people have talked to me. I’ve been able to grow and understand that knowledge a little better and it has helped me.”

By the end of his tenure with the Phillies, Pivetta was bouncing back and forth between Triple-A and the major-league bullpen, but his goal was to be in the majors as a starter. He had a miserable 15.88 ERA (10 runs in 5 ⅔ innings) in three outings in the majors with the Phils last year.

“I didn’t pitch good,” he said. “I wasn’t comfortable. I didn’t pitch good at the end of the day. I wasn’t doing good, I was trying too hard and I was trying to be something that I’m not and I didn’t have success.”

Pivetta wouldn’t say whether or not the success he has had with the Red Sox would have been possible in a Phillies’ uniform, noting that he doesn’t have a crystal ball. He is certain, however, that his time in the Phillies’ organization helped him transform into the successful pitcher he has been so far in 2021.

“I’ve learned a lot from my past and where I came from and I’ve just been able to step into my own and do my own thing here,” he said. “It has been really good so far.”

Santana homers after nervous first at-bat

Newcomer Danny Santana homered in the third at-bat of his Red Sox career, crushing an Aaron Nola curveball into the right-field stands with two outs in the fifth inning. But two innings earlier, leading off the game, Santana felt some nerves as he stepped into the plate for the first time in a Sox uniform.

“He said he was a little bit nervous before his first at-bat and during his first at-bat,” Cora said. “I said, ‘Well, you’re only human. That’s part of what we’re doing. If you don’t feel nervous at this level, there’s something wrong with you.’ We all feel that way on a daily basis.”

Santana hit 28 homers for the Rangers in 2019. The Red Sox his swing against Nola is a sign of things to come.

“That’s what he brings,” Cora said. “He can hit the ball out of the ballpark. We’re very excited that he’s with us and I know he’s going to help us.”

Sox inching closer to vaccine threshold

Slowly but surely, the Red Sox are inching closer to the 85% threshold of vaccinated coaches and players required for Major League Baseball to relax COVID-19 restrictions. Fourteen of baseball’s 30 teams had reached the mark as of Friday but the Red Sox are not one of them.

“We are getting closer,” said manager Alex Cora. “We’re closer than 15 days ago. We’re almost there but we’re not there.”

Getting to the 85% mark means the Red Sox wouldn’t be required to wear masks in the dugout during games and that players and coaches could do more activities off the field, including playing cards on the team plane and gathering indoors without masks.

Thursday’s win a ‘circle game,’ Cora says

Thursday’s dramatic win over the Blue Jays counts as a single victory over the course of an 162-game season, but Cora readily admitted that it could mean more. J.D. Martinez’s ninth-inning homer to give Boston an 8-7 victory could easily go down as one of the key moments in a special season for Boston.

“Wins like that, they matter,” Cora said. “Like my friend Tim Kurkjian says on ESPN, those are ‘circle games.’ Let’s see what happens after that. Hopefully, in a month and a half, we get hot and we can keep playing good baseball and we look back at that game and it’s like, ‘You know what, that was a game- changer.’”

‘Circle games,’ as Cora mentioned, are the few of the 162 that stand out as critical. Though Thursday’s win might prove to be just that, it was already in the rearview mirror for the Red Sox as of Friday afternoon.

“One thing also that I like about the group — today, they’re not caught up on what happened yesterday,” Cora said. “They’re getting ready for the Phillies, which is the mark of a good team. You’ve got to turn the page, when it’s a tough loss or a W like yesterday.”

Eovaldi, Rodriguez look to get back on track

Boston’s two best starters, Nathan Eovaldi and Eduardo Rodriguez, have both struggled in May but have a chance to right the ship this weekend against Philadelphia. Eovaldi owns a 6.46 ERA in three May starts after allowing six runs (four earned) in five innings against the Angels on Sunday; Rodriguez has a 6.00 ERA in four May outings.

Cora doesn’t think each pitcher has been particularly bad, noting he believes they have both been victims of some bad luck.

“The last one by Nate and the last one by Eduardo, the batting average for balls in play had to be like .700,” Cora said. “And that’s going to happen.”

Eovaldi will get his chance to bounce back Saturday night and Rodriguez will pitch the finale Sunday afternoon. Cora thinks Rodriguez has more work to do than Eovaldi.

“With Eduardo, there’s a few things he needs to do better but I do believe he’s getting closer... we’ve got to find the right mix,” Cora said. “The more he throws, the better he feels about his fastball. That’s going to be a game-changer.

“With Nate, just keep doing what you’re doing,” he said. “Don’t change too much. Sometimes, we feel like he should elevate a little bit more. At the end, you see the real numbers and you ask, ‘What else could we ask from him?’ Hopefully, they can have better results because I think the process is good.”

Boston Red Sox’s Martín Pérez becoming stabilizing force at back end of rotation; lefty has 2.22 ERA in last 5 starts

Chris Cotillo

PHILADELPHIA -- Quietly, Martín Pérez has become a stabilizing force at the back end of the Red Sox’ rotation.

Pérez, who got the win Friday night after allowing three runs on five hits in six innings against the Phillies, owns a 2.22 ERA (seven earned runs in 28 ⅓ innings) over his last five starts, going at least five innings in each outing. The lefty now owns a 3.55 ERA on the season -- a better mark than fellow starters Eduardo Rodriguez, Nathan Eovaldi and Garrett Richards.

Re-signed to be the club’s No. 5 starter over the winter, Pérez has been better than the Red Sox could have expected. He has given them five innings in seven of nine outings and struck out 29 batters in his last 28 ⅓ innings.

“He has been doing that the whole time,” said manager Alex Cora. “Overall, in every outing, he’s giving us a chance and that’s what we wanted.”

Facing off against Phillies ace Aaron Nola on Friday night, Pérez generally made quick work of Philadelphia’s lineup and needed just 79 pitches to get through six frames. His only real trouble came in the third inning, when he allowed a double to Andrew McCutchen and a home run to Jean Segura in a three- pitch span. The Red Sox won, 11-3.

“I was pounding the zone, Pérez said. “I think my changeup was good. Not against Segura, but I think I was moving the ball really good inside and outside. The fastball up helped me a lot, too. Just trying to attack the hitters and compete, man. My velocity was not there tonight but I was able to compete and feel great.”

“That’s a tough lineup to maneuver with all those righties and he did a good job elevating his pitches, using his changeup,” Cora said. “His stuff was crisp. For him to go six, it put us in a good spot. We were able to stay away from certain guys. Just another good one.”

With Eovaldi (6.46 ERA in May) and Rodriguez (6.00 ERA in May) both struggling as of late, Boston’s other three starters have stepped up in a big way. Nick Pivetta has continued his solid season with a strong month and both Richards and Pérez have stepped up, posting better numbers than they did in April. The back end of the rotation has picked up the slack for a struggling front end.

“Our job is just trying to cover when one other starter doesn’t have a great game,” Pérez said. “Our goal is to go out the next day and be the guy who can go more than five and win.”

Pérez’s night wasn’t all fun, as his swing-and-miss on the third strike of his second-inning against Nola might go down as the ugliest of the season for the Red Sox. On a curveball that hit his foot, Pérez swung and missed by a wide margin.

Cora thought Pérez might have twisted his ankle on the pitch but was able to laugh with the rest of the Red Sox once he realized the lefty was okay.

“They’re giving him a hard time,” Cora said, “but he pitched well.”

Alex Verdugo removed from Boston Red Sox game with hamstring tightness, unlikely to play Saturday

Chris Cotillo

PHILADELPHIA -- Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo was removed in the sixth inning of Boston’s 11-3 win over the Phillies on Friday night with left hamstring tightness. He’s unlikely to play Saturday, manager Alex Cora said.

Verdugo was 3-for-3 with three singles against Phillies starter Aaron Nola before being lifted in the sixth. Kiké Hernández took over for him in center field for the last 3 ½ innings.

“He’s doing okay. We had to take him out. At the end, it was more like he feels it was nothing. He just got scared,” Cora said. “We’ll check him out tomorrow and see how he feels. Not sure if I’m going to play him tomorrow. We’ll stay away from him, most likely, and give him some rest. We’ll check on Sunday again.”

Verdugo appeared to be limping around the bases early in Thursday’s win over the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla., but played the whole game, going 1-for-5 with an RBI. He scored twice Friday night.

The Red Sox have won three in a row and will look to extend their winning streak to four against rookie righty Spencer Howard on Saturday night. Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi is scheduled to start for Boston.

Boston Red Sox lineup: Danny Santana leading off in club debut; Kiké Hernández, Bobby Dalbec both sitting vs. Phillies

Chris Cotillo

PHILADELPHIA -- Danny Santana is leading off and playing first base in his Red Sox debut as Boston opens a three-game series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Friday night.

Santana, who signed a minor-league deal with Boston in March, had the start of his season delayed due a foot infection he suffered at the end of camp and has spent the year rehabbing with High-A Greenville and Triple-A Worcester. He was activated before Friday’s game; reliever Austin Brice was designated for assignment to make room for him on the 40-man roster.

Kiké Hernández and Bobby Dalbec are both out of the lineup against Phillies star righty Aaron Nola. Marwin Gonzalez will start at second base while J.D. Martinez (left field), Alex Verdugo (center) and Hunter Renfroe (right) start in the outfield. Martín Pérez is on the mound for the Red Sox.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.

Boston Red Sox (27-18) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (22-22) · Citizens Bank Park · Philadelphia, PA FIRST PITCH: 7:05 p.m. ET

TV CHANNEL: NESN+

LIVE STREAM: NESN+ | fuboTV - If you have cable and live in the New England TV market, you can use your login credentials to watch via NESN on mobile and WiFi-enabled devices. If you don’t have cable, you can watch the game via fuboTV, in New England | MLB.tv (subscription required)

RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM

PITCHING PROBABLES: LHP Martín Pérez (1-2, 3.40 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (3-3, 3.64 ERA)

RED SOX LINEUP:

1. 1B Danny Santana

2. CF Alex Verdugo

3. LF J.D. Martinez

4. SS Xander Bogaerts

5. 3B Rafael Devers

6. C Christian Vázquez

7. RF Hunter Renfroe

8. 2B Marwin Gonzalez

9. P Martín Pérez

PHILLIES LINEUP:

1. LF Andrew McCutchen

2. 2B Jean Segura

3. RF Bryce Harper

4. 1B Rhys Hoskins

5. 3B Alec Bohm

6. CF Odubel Herrera

7. C Andrew Knapp

8. SS Ronald Torreyes

9. P Aaron Nola

Red Sox vs. Phillies: Live stream, start time, how to watch Wednesday’s game (May 21)

Chris Cotillo

Game 4 of the Bruins-Capitals playoff series will air on NESN on Friday night, so fans looking for the first game of the Red Sox-Phillies series will have to find the game elsewhere. That game will air on NESN+.

Here’s how to watch Friday’s game between the interleague rivals:

Boston Red Sox vs. Philadelphia Phillies · Citizens Bank Park · Philadelphia, PA FIRST PITCH: 7:05 p.m. ET

TV CHANNEL: NESN+ (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV, Sling)

LIVE STREAM: NESN+ | fuboTV - If you have cable and live in the New England TV market, you can use your login credentials to watch via NESN on mobile and WiFi-enabled devices. If you don’t have cable, you can watch the game via fuboTV, in New England | MLB.tv (subscription required)

RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM

PITCHING PROBABLES: LHP Martín Pérez (1-2, 3.40 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (3-3, 3.64 ERA)

Boston Red Sox designate Austin Brice for assignment; Danny Santana activated for Friday’s game

Chris Cotillo

PHILADELPHIA -- The Red Sox made a roster move before Friday’s series opener against the Phillies, activating infielder/outfielder Danny Santana and designating reliever Austin Brice for assignment.

Santana, who will lead off and start at first base against Philadelphia, was selected from Triple-A Worcester and added to the 40-man roster. Boston needed to open spots on both the active roster and 40- man roster for Santana and cut Brice to clear both spots.

Santana, 30, signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox in March and had the start of his season delayed due a foot infection he suffered at the end of camp. He spent the early part of the year rehabbing with High- A Greenville and Triple-A Worcester before being called up to the majors Friday afternoon.

Brice, who was originally acquired in a trade with the Marlins in Jan. 2020, posted a 6.94 ERA and recorded 34 strikeouts in 33 appearances with the Red Sox over the last two years. The tall righty struggled to find consistent success this year (6.94 ERA in 11 ⅔ innings) and was primarily being used in low leverage situations.

The Red Sox have carried 14 pitchers and 12 position players since Opening Day, but the Santana-for-Brice move will mean the roster is split evenly for the first time this season. The move gives Boston four versatile position players in Santana, Kiké Hernández, Marwin Gonzalez and Michael Chavis; Chavis is a candidate to be sent back to the minors when Christian Arroyo is activated from the injured list next week.

The club has seven days to trade, release or waive Brice, who is out of options and therefore can’t be sent to Triple-A without being offered to other clubs first.

Danny Santana brings stolen base ability to Boston Red Sox lineup that doesn’t have natural speedster: ‘We’ll add something to the equation,’ Alex Cora says

Chris Cotillo

PHILADELPHIA -- Danny Santana may appear to be a complementary addition to the Red Sox, but Alex Cora believes the veteran utility man can change the club’s entire offense.

Santana, who will lead off and play first base in his Sox debut against the Phillies on Friday night, gives the Red Sox something they lack: speed. In his last full season in 2019, the 30-year-old stole 21 bases; only one other member of the Red Sox (Xander Bogaerts in 2017) has ever stolen 15 or more bases in a season.

“We run the bases well, we pick and choose where we want to go and we’ve been pretty effective, but he can run,” Cora said. “I think that’s a dimension that, we’ll add something to the equation. I think, offensively, we should be better. It creates more balance, it gives us more alternatives and we’re very happy he’s with us.”

Santana, a switch-hitter who has previously played for the Twins, Rangers and Braves, had a career year for Texas in 2019, hitting .283 with 28 homers and 81 RBIs in 130 games. He appeared in only 15 games last season before injuring his elbow and requiring a modified Tommy John surgery; he signed a minor- league deal with the Red Sox in March but had the start of his season delayed by a foot infection he suffered late in camp.

Santana hit .450 (9-for-20) with two homers and two doubles in five rehab games for Triple-A Worcester before being called up. His activation Friday night represents the culmination of a long rehab process that dates back to early September, when he had his elbow operation.

“To this point, it was a lot of work. Sometimes, I sat at home and felt frustrated because I can’t play,” Santana said. “I watched my teammates and old teammates playing and I was just sitting at home watching TV and seeing them play. It made me feel bad. Now, I’m really happy I’ve got a new opportunity and I’m going to enjoy it.”

Cora envisions Santana seeing time at first base, second base and center field, though he could also play some left field as well. Santana has appeared at every position except pitcher and catcher during his seven- year big-league career, so he’ll give Cora a third versatile option to go along with Kiké Hernández and Marwin Gonzalez.

“We’re going to move him around, just like Marwin and Enrique,” Cora said.

The Red Sox believe Santana has the ability to impact all facets of the game, but his speed on the bases is what really sticks out. Entering Friday’s game, Boston is tied for 16th in the majors with 19 stolen bases on the year. Having someone like Santana could vault them up those rankings quickly.

“If we can steal at a good percentage, if we’re efficient with it, we’re going to keep running,” Cora said. “Hopefully, it’s something different we can bring to the equation and we can put pressure on the opposition.”

Boston Red Sox second baseman Christian Arroyo will rehab with WooSox this weekend, could be activated Tuesday

Chris Cotillo

PHILADELPHIA -- Red Sox second baseman Christian Arroyo will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Worcester on Friday night. Arroyo, who has been sidelined since May 6 with a left hand contusion, is expected to be with the WooSox for the entire weekend against Buffalo, manager Alex Cora said.

Arroyo is the designated hitter and is batting second for Worcester on Friday.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but probably, he’ll play the whole weekend there — the three games — and then we’ll make a decision,” Cora said. “Let’s see how he comes out tonight. If he feels great, that’s awesome. I think a few games to get at-bats is always useful. The fact he’s playing tells you where he’s at right now.”

Arroyo was hit in the same hand by pitches twice within two weeks, causing him to be placed on the injured list on May 9. X-rays were negative.

Arroyo will likely start at both second base and shortstop over the weekend, Cora said. The Red Sox are off Monday, so Arroyo could return to the active roster before the club starts a two-game series against the Braves on Tuesday night at Fenway Park.

“I do believe getting your legs under you, moving around — playing second, playing short and DHing — is going to help him,” Cora said. “We’ll see where we’re at after the game tonight.”

Dave Dombrowski looking forward to facing Boston Red Sox, Alex Cora this weekend for first time since departing | Chris Cotillo (MLB Notebook)

Chris Cotillo

PHILADELPHIA -- Even after nearly 45 years in baseball, Dave Dombrowski doesn’t view this weekend’s matchup between the Red Sox and Phillies as any other series. Less than two years after being fired by Boston, Dombrowski -- now Philadelphia’s president of baseball operations -- has had the three-game set at Citizens Bank Park on his radar for a while.

“I do think it’s different,” Dombrowski said earlier this week. “I was there for four years. We had a lot of great memories together. It didn’t end well for me but I have a lot great memories. I have a lot of friends still there that I still stay in contact with and I still know the players -- a lot of them -- and think very highly of them. It’s different than it normally would be, especially the first time.”

Because Major League Baseball still has stringent COVID-19 protocols in place, Dombrowski won’t get the chance to mingle with Red Sox players, coaches and staffers like he normally would, but he still expects to be able to catch up with some familiar faces.

“I can’t wait to see some of them, actually,” he said.

One familiar face, in particular, belongs to manager Alex Cora, who forged a strong relationship with Dombrowski during the two years they shared together in Boston. Despite a large age difference between the two men (Dombrowski is more than 20 years older), they have become close friends, staying in touch even after both leaving the Red Sox organization in a five-month span before the 2020 season. While Cora was serving his one-year suspension for his role in the Astros’ cheating scandal last summer, he spoke to Dombrowski -- who was also out of the game and working as a consultant for a group attempting to bring an expansion team to Nashville -- quite frequently.

“We worked together well,” Cora said. “It didn’t end up the way we wanted it to or the way we planned it to, but things happen for a reason. He was one of my biggest supporters, personally, last year. Once a week, he’d make sure to text me or give me a call. I appreciated that.”

After the 2020 season, both Cora (who was re-hired as Boston’s manager in November) and Dombrowski (who joined the Phillies a month later) got their chances to re-enter baseball. Dombrowski had previously vouched for Cora to manage again after serving his suspension, but Dombrowski’s decision to join the Phillies surprised Cora. Dombrowski originally rebuffed the Phillies’ interest in him but reversed course after a candid discussion with league executives revealed that any potential project in Nashville was a few years down the road.

“He caught me off guard,” Cora said. “I was surprised he accepted that job because he was very settled in Nashville. He loved what he was doing. He is where he needs to be, impacting a baseball organization.”

Over the winter, Dombrowski played point as the Phils made a few notable moves, including re-signing All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto to a five-year, $115.5 million contract while also coming to terms with Didi Gregorius, Matt Moore, Archie Bradley and a few other depth pieces. Philadelphia has gotten off to an uneven start, but as of Friday is just 1 ½ games out of first place in the National League East with a 22-22 record.

Now at the helm of his fifth team, Dombrowski is settling in to his new situation.

“Personally, I’ve enjoyed it a great deal,” he said. “People have treated me well and I like the organization and the people with whom I work. I’m happy here in the city and I have a nice place to live.

“I think, with our club, we’ve got our work ahead of us,” he continued. “We have continued to battle. We have a lot of good key components of the team. We’re still, by all means, in there. We’re a game out of first place, as we talk, without really playing well. But we also have some things we can get better at and those are the things we’ll work on from here on out, every single day.”

As part of Dombrowski’s daily routine, he reads every box score from around the league. Since departing the Sox in Sept. 2019, he has -- at least in part purposely -- kept a close eye on how his old team is faring.

“I probably bear down a little bit more, only in the sense that, when you know people, you have a way of just following them because there are a lot of individuals on that team who -- I won’t be pulling, necessarily, for them to win this weekend, but I pull for them to do well because I know them,” he said. “We shared tremendous moments together.”

The 20 months since Dombrowski’s departure have been tumultuous for the Red Sox, who have hired new chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, dealt with the fallout of the Cora scandal, traded franchise icon Mookie Betts to the Dodgers, endured one of the worst seasons in franchise history last year and have now bounced back with a hot start that has them arriving in Philadelphia with the second-best record in the American League. From afar, Dombrowski has been impressed with Bloom’s tenure to this point.

“It’s not up to me to really evaluate other people’s clubs. I don’t think I would do that, there or anywhere else,” Dombrowski said. “But they’re having a very good year this year, they’ve done a lot of nice things and made some nice acquisitions this winter. I can see they have done a lot of good things and Chaim’s in charge in that regard, so I tip my hat to him.”

A big part of the Sox’ success, the executive believes, is due to the return of Cora. Though Dombrowski knows the ins and outs of Cora’s game preparation and managerial style perhaps better than anyone else in baseball, he doesn’t think he will be able to provide the Phillies with any useful opposition research this weekend.

“Even if I could add it, Alex would be able to outsmart me and do something different,” Dombrowski quipped.

Cora is particularly excited to see one of his mentors in person for the first time in more than a year.

“He gave me a chance to be a big-league manager, he trusted me and he trusted me with a team that had a lot of expectations,” Cora said. “People don’t understand how much pressure we had in ‘18 going into that season.”

“He won,” Cora said. “He did it his way, too.”

***

10 observations from the last week in baseball

1. Alex Cora is really excited about the impending addition of Danny Santana, but where will he play? The move is not good news for Franchy Cordero, to say the least.

2. Thursday night’s dramatic win over the Blue Jays will probably go down as one of the best of the season for the Red Sox.

3. I know it’s not the cool thing to say, but most big-league managers would privately admit they weren’t in favor of Yermín Mercedes swinging on that 3-0 pitch against the Twins.

4. TD Ballpark is not a normal place to play, and the Red Sox learned that this week. I misjudged just about every ball off the bat watching from home.

5. Red Sox roster predictions? Michael Chavis is sent down to make room for Santana and someone else (Brandon Brennan designated or Hudson Potts moved to the 60-day IL) is taken off the 40-man. I’ll also guess Cordero gets optioned to Worcester when Christian Arroyo returns.

6. It’s still pretty incredible how few roster moves the Red Sox have had to make this year. Through 45 games, they have only used 30 players -- and 16 pitchers.

7. The Jacob Nottingham saga is quite the tale. The catcher is starting to rival Joel Payamps for Yo-Yo DFA guy of the year.

8. Has there been any word about when the next World Baseball Classic will be? Don’t think so. But that, theoretically, will come in 2022.

9. Interesting look here by Chris Smith at some of the Sox’ early prep for the draft. If you haven’t heard, they have the fourth pick.

10. May 29 -- when Fenway Park will be filled once again -- will be one of the most memorable days in Red Sox history.

Boston Red Sox vs. Philadelphia Phillies preview: TV schedule, pitching probables, key stories (May 21-23)

Chris Cotillo

After taking two of three from the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla., the Red Sox will fly north and conclude their road trip with a three-game interleague series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Here’s a preview of this weekend’s set:

Boston Red Sox (27-18) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (22-22) · Citizens Bank Park · Philadelphia, PA SERIES SCHEDULE (and TV information):

Fri. May 21, 7:05 p.m. ET -- NESN+

Sat. May 22, 7:15 p.m. ET -- FOX

Sun. May 23, 1:05 p.m. ET -- NESN / MLB Network (out of market)

HOW TO WATCH:

Fri. May 21, 7:05 p.m. ET -- NESN+ (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV and Sling) · Live stream: fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)

Sat. May 22, 7:15 p.m. ET -- FOX (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV and Sling) · Live stream: FOX Sports, fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)

Sun. May 23, 1:05 p.m. ET -- NESN / MLB Network (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV and Sling) · Live stream: fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT:

The Phillies missed the playoffs with a 28-32 record in 2020 and made a change at the top during the winter, replacing general manager Matt Klentak with former Red Sox boss Dave Dombrowski, their president of baseball operations, and new GM Sam Fuld. Their big move of the winter was re-signing All- Star catcher J.T. Realmuto to a five-year, $115.5 million deal, but they also re-signed shortstop Didi Gregorius and revamped their bullpen by adding Archie Bradley, Jose Alvarado, Brandon Kintzler and Matt Moore.

Philadelphia enters the series with a .500 record at 22-22 but is just 1 ½ games behind the Mets in the National League East. They are 9-9 in May after dropping two of three to the Marlins at home.

The Phillies rank 12th in the majors in average (.238) and 20th in the majors in OPS (.693) and homers (45). On the pitching side, they rank 10th in strikeouts (403), 16th in ERA (4.15) and 20th in opponent average (.247).

PITCHING PROBABLES:

Friday, 7:05 p.m. -- LHP Martín Pérez (1-2, 3.40 ERA) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (3-3, 3.64 ERA)

Saturday, 7:15 p.m. -- RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 4.20ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Howard (0-0, 8.31 ERA)

Sunday, 1:05 p.m. -- LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (5-2, 4.70 ERA) vs. RHP Zack Wheeler (3-2, 2.52 ERA)

THREE SOX TO WATCH:

Danny Santana

Santana, who signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox during spring training, is expected to be activated before Friday’s game. The veteran utility man, who hit 28 homers as a member of the Rangers in 2019, will likely make his Sox debut against the Phils.

Bobby Dalbec

Somewhat quietly, Dalbec has had a solid 11-game stretch, hitting .316 with four homers and a 1.103 OPS. He homered in each of the two games he played at Citizens Bank Park a year ago.

Eduardo Rodriguez

Rodriguez has struggled in May, posting a 6.00 ERA in four starts so far this month, and now has the highest ERA (4.70) of any Red Sox starter this season. He’ll try to bounce back in a tough matchup Sunday as he faces off against righty Zack Wheeler.

SERIES NOTES:

The Red Sox have won five of their last seven games, including each of their last two. At 27-18 (.600), the Sox rank second in the American League and fourth in the majors in winning percentage.

The Red Sox are 265-180 (.596) all time against the National League, marking the highest interleague winning percentage in the majors.

Sox pitchers are hitless in their last 24 plate appearances (0-for-22, 2 SH). The only two homers by Sox pitchers in interleague play were hit by Josh Beckett in Philadelphia (5/20/06 & 6/14/09).

In 2020, the Red Sox and Phillies split their four games. They’ll face off again at Fenway Park from July 9- 11.

This is the fifth consecutive season in which the Sox and Phillies are meeting in interleague play (2017-21).

The Sox and Phillies have gone 2-2 against each other in each of the last 3 seasons.

The Red Sox are 22-12 at Citizens Bank Park, having gone 8-1-4 in 13 series there.

UP NEXT:

The Red Sox are off Monday before beginning a five-game, six-day interleague homestand against the Braves and Marlins. During that homestand -- starting on May 29 -- Fenway Park will be at full capacity for the first time since Sept. 29, 2019.

Mon. 5/24: OFF DAY

Tue. 5/25 - Wed. 5/26: vs. Braves (2)

Thu. 5/27: OFF DAY

Fri. 5/28 - Sun. 5/30: vs. Marlins (3)

* The Worcester Telegram

Utility means valuable versatility with Worcester Red Sox infielder Jack Lopez

Bill Ballou

WORCESTER — There was a time in baseball when, if you asked a certain kind of player what his position was, he would sort of lower his voice, turn his head sideways and mumble “utility man,” hoping you wouldn’t hear.

Those days have been gone for, maybe10 years or so, maybe a generation.

The word “utility’ has been replaced in the game’s vocabulary by “versatility” and guys like Worcester veteran Jack Lopez have become valuable commodities.

Lopez, 28, began the season at Double-A Portland then was promoted to the WooSox just in time for the opening of Polar Park. He and the team both began auspiciously, Lopez starting off with a six-game hitting streak. In his first eight starts in a Worcester uniform the WooSox were 7-1.

Like many players who have prospered through versatility, Lopez grew up as a shortstop.

“Shortstop is home,” he said, “but the last few years, I’ve played all over the place. So shortstop is my favorite, but wherever they put me, I’ll do the job.” Heading into Friday night’s game here, Lopez had started two games at second base, two at third and four at shortstop.”

Lopez’s baseball roots run deep and he loves to play. This is his ninth season in an affiliated league and he has the last four offseasons playing winter ball. It adds up to 1,050 games worth of professional baseball.

His dad, Juan, caught in the minor leagues from 1983 to 1989, then was the Reds’ bullpen coach from 2007 to 2013. Lopez’ uncle, Onix Concepcion, played six seasons of major league ball, most of it with the Royals. His career ended in 2007.

Lopez was born in Puerto Rico, but his family settled in Deltona, Florida, and that’s where he graduated from high school. The Royals drafted him in 2011, and he made his professional debut the next year. Since then, Lopez has played at five minor league levels for eight teams, including Worcester and Portland this season.

It has been an interesting progression. Lopez’s career started slowly, but he has gotten better each time he moves up a level. He was a .222 hitter in Class A, batted .228 in Advanced A, .247 in Double A and is a career .254 hitter at the Triple-A level.

“I think I’ve become a baseball player the last four years,” he said. “My first couple years, I had a lot of hits and RBIs, but number-wise, average-wise, it wasn’t what I wanted it to be. The last few years, I think I’ve come into my own as a baseball player and sort of figured myself out.”

His best season to date was 2019, when he played for the Braves’ Triple-A team in Gwinnett County, just up the road from Atlanta’s new ballpark.

“This reminds me a lot of that,” Lopez said, comparing the distances between the big-league parks and their Triple-A partners. “It’s a 30-, 40-minute drive both places, a really nice setup.”

The minor leagues shut down last season, which was equally unfortunate for everyone. For a player like Lopez, who had been making steady steps up the ladder, it must have been even tougher. He hit .273 with career highs in home runs (12) and RBIs (57) for Gwinnett.

“I guess you could say it was,” he said, “because I think 2019 was the best overall year I’ve had, beginning to end, so it was upsetting not being able to play last year. But that being said there was a bunch of other players in the same shoes, so I’ve stayed confident, stayed positive and here I am today.”

Lopez started pro ball as a teenager, so his minor league career has been a long one but has taken a decidedly upward angle in recent seasons. He is not discouraged.

“It’s still a dream of mine, to play in the big leagues,” he said. “That’s my goal, to get up there and stay up there. Obviously, I know the older I get, the more limited my chances get, but I still have faith, and I’m going to keep working toward it until that dream finally comes true.”

It helps that he can play several positions well, and utility in baseball has evolved into versatility.

* RedSox.com

Sox keep good vibes going in win vs. Phils

Ian Browne

Letdown for the Red Sox after a wild comeback win the previous day followed by a late night of travel? Nope. Not even close.

Instead, Friday represented another feel-good night in a feel-good season for manager Alex Cora’s team, which rolled into town with their No. 5 starter Martín Pérez on the mound against Phillies ace Aaron Nola, and won handily by a score of 11-3 at Citizens Bank Park.

With the offense showing some early fight against Nola, Boston’s hitters were in such a good mood that they fought off fits of laughter when Pérez took a hideous swing at a Nola curveball that wound up hitting him on the foot as he struck out to end the top of the second.

“I just got to the box, and you're trying to hit the fastball, and he threw me a breaking ball and it hit my foot. But you know, that happens when you don’t hit and you play in [the] American League,” said Pérez. “But it was fun, and I was enjoying that moment and just trying to stay focused on my game.”

Fortunately for the Red Sox, they pay Pérez to pitch and not hit. And he’s been doing that really well of late. Over his last five starts, Pérez has a 2.22 ERA. For the season, he is 2-2 with a 3.55 ERA.

In this one, the lefty outdueled Nola by allowing five hits and three runs while walking one and striking out seven over six innings.

“For him to go six, it put us in a good spot and we were able to stay away from certain guys and just another good one [by Pérez],” said Cora. “He’s been doing that the whole time. I think overall in every outing he’s given us a chance and that’s what we wanted.”

The timing of Pérez’s current surge has been perfect, given that it has come at a time when ace Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi have been in a bit of a rut. Nick Pivetta and Garrett Richards have also stepped up, giving the Red Sox production that a lot of people outside of Boston didn’t expect from their rotation.

“Yeah, our job is to try to cover when one of the starters doesn’t have a great game,” said Pérez. “You know, our goal is to go out the next day and be the guy who can go more than five and win. [Rodriguez and Eovaldi] have been working hard in the bullpen and I feel that they're gonna get their timing back. That happens in the game, you’re not perfect, and we still have a lot of games.”

The one thing the Red Sox have established through the first 46 games is that their offense is mostly relentless, no matter who the opposing pitcher is.

Already this season, Boston has come out on the winning end against Lucas Giolito, Jacob deGrom and now Nola.

“I think we want to face the best. You can prove yourself when you face the best and we did it today. We did it with deGrom,” said Christian Vázquez, who put this one away late with a bases-clearing double. “And with Nola, we scored a lot of runs on him. It’s fun to face those guys because you know they have great stuff and you prove yourself there.”

The Red Sox were pests against Nola, as the talented righty allowed seven hits and five runs (four earned) over five innings.

Perhaps the Sox also received some energy from the new guy. Danny Santana, making his Boston debut, belted a solo homer from the leadoff spot and made some impressive stretches at first base.

“He said he was a little bit nervous before his first at-bat, during his first at-bat,” said Cora. “And I said, ‘Well you’re only human. That’s part of what we do and if you don’t feel nervous at this level there’s something wrong with you. We all feel that way on a daily basis.’ He put a good swing on [the homer]. That’s what he brings. He can hit the ball out of the ballpark, we’re very excited that he’s with us and I know he’s going to help us.”

The good vibes continue to roll for Boston. With the win, their third in a row, the Red Sox are 10 games above .500 for the first time this season at 28-18.

Verdugo might rest hamstring The only negative from the night was that Alex Verdugo had to exit at the start of the seventh with left hamstring tightness after belting three hits against Nola.

“He’s doing OK,” said Cora. “We had to take him out at the end. He feels like it was nothing but just got scared. We’ll check him out tomorrow and see how he feels, and [I’m] not sure if I’m going to play him tomorrow. We’ll stay away from him most likely and give him some rest and check on Sunday.”

The way this season has gone so far for the Red Sox, someone will likely step in for Verdugo and come up with a big hit or two.

Finally healthy, Santana brings speed to Sox

Ian Browne

Danny Santana was back in the Major Leagues on Friday night, and manager Alex Cora put him right into the middle of the action, assigning the veteran utility infielder/outfielder to the leadoff spot while starting him at first base for the opener of a three-game series in Philadelphia.

The switch-hitter could be an impact rover for the Red Sox, given his combination of power and speed. And the latter trait, Cora added, is one Boston doesn’t possess much of as a team.

“I think the thing that he brings that we don’t have is speed,” said Cora. “We run the bases well, we pick and choose where we want to go and we’ve been pretty effective, but he can run. I think that’s a dimension that will add something to the equation. Offensively, we should be better. It creates more balance, it gives us more alternatives and we’re very happy he’s with us.”

A 30-year-old from the Dominican Republic, Santana had a breakout year for the Rangers in 2019, slashing .283/.324/.534 with 28 homers and 81 RBIs in 511 at-bats.

Last year, he hit .145 in 15 games before being shut down so he could have an extensive surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow. The recovery time for the surgery done in September was expected to be seven to eight months.

To make room for Santana on the roster, the Red Sox designated righty reliever Austin Brice for assignment. In 12 games this season, Brice had a 6.94 ERA.

The move now allows Cora to go with a more traditional allotment of 13 position players and 13 pitchers.

Boston signed Santana to a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training on March 7. He was progressing well until suffering a severe right foot infection that required hospitalization less than 10 days after that.

Santana was ready for action once the Minor League season started. He played three games for High-A Greenville and five for Triple-A Worcester, going 9-for-20 with two doubles, two homers and four RBIs for the WooSox.

“I feel really good right now. So, I know I can run a little bit. I can do a lot of things when I am healthy,” said Santana.

After the frustration of last year and the monotonous rehab that followed, Santana is thrilled to be back in the Major Leagues -- and with a first-place team.

“It was a lot of work,” Santana said. “Sometimes I was sitting home frustrated because I couldn’t play. I watched my teammates and the whole team was playing and I am just sitting at home, watching TV and seeing them play. It made me feel bad. Now I’m really happy. I got a new opportunity and I’m going to enjoy it.”

Though Santana can play all over the diamond, Cora said he will be used mostly at first base, second base and center field.

Arroyo could re-join club soon

While the Red Sox added Santana on Friday, they could have another reinforcement by early next week.

Christian Arroyo, who was exceptional on defense at second base before going on the injured list on May 9 with a left wrist contusion, is starting a rehab assignment with Worcester this weekend.

“I don't want to get ahead of myself, but probably he'll play the whole weekend there -- you know, the three games -- and then we'll make a decision,” said Cora. “Let's see how he comes out tonight. You know even if he feels great, that's awesome, but I think a few games to get at-bats is always useful. The fact that he's playing, he tells you where he's at right now.”

Will Thursday’s comeback be a ‘circle game’?

Thanks to J.D. Martinez, the flight from Dunedin, Fla., to Philadelphia went by a lot faster. The star slugger improved the spirits of his team by belting a go-ahead, two-run homer to right-center when the Red Sox were one out from defeat on Thursday.

Perhaps there will be a carry-over effect.

“Like my friend Tim Kurkjian says on ESPN, those are circle games,” said Cora. “Let's see what happens after that so hopefully we can keep playing good baseball and in a month-and-a-half, we look back at that game and say, you know what, that was a game-changer. One thing that I also like about the group is that today, they're not caught up on what happened yesterday. They're getting ready for the Phillies, which is a mark of a good team. You’ve got to turn the page.”

* WEEI.com

It’s time to call Red Sox’ starting rotation a strength

Ryan Hannable

Going into the season, there were major questions with the Red Sox' starting rotation.

Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi have been with the organization for quite some time, but Garrett Richards, Nick Pivetta and Martín Pérez were all new and no one really knew what to expect.

Even after a few weeks it could have been fool’s gold, but now almost two months into the season, the starting rotation has turned into a major strength of the team.

It was on full display Friday night when Pérez out-dueled Aaron Nola, the Phillies’ best pitcher, in the Red Sox’ 11-3 win.

They have now won three straight and six of their last eight games.

Their starting pitching is a major reason why.

Pérez was excellent once again Friday night, allowing three runs on five hits over six innings. He struck out seven and walked one to improve to 2-2 on the year.

“Solid again,” manager Alex Cora said to reporters afterwards. “That’s a tough lineup to maneuver with all those righties and he did a good job of elevating his pitches, using his changeup, his stuff was crisp. For him to go six [innings], it put us in a good spot and we were able to stay away from certain guys and just another good one. He’s been doing that the whole time. … So I think overall in every outing he’s given us a chance and that’s what we wanted.”

One of the biggest keys for the Red Sox’ rotation, especially of late, is pitching deep into games. Sox starters have now gone at least five innings in 14 straight, the longest active streak in the majors. It’s their longest streak since 2018.

“Every start I go out there and throw more than five innings, we can rest the bullpen,” Pérez said to reporters. “They’ve been throwing a lot too. Our job is to go out there and go more than five and, you know, throw a lot of strikes and a the same time, just have fun, man. It’s a game I know it’s our job too but the way that I see it is just go out there and have fun and enjoy it. That’s our job, just go out there and throw more than five innings every time we have the ball in our hands.”

Red Sox starters have an ERA of 4.04 this season, which ranks 14th in baseball. Not many people would have thought that when spring training concluded.

It could get even better as Eovaldi and Rodriguez are the only two starters with ERAs over 4.00 and that will likely improve as the year goes on.

In what has been a surprising start to the season for the team as whole, the performance of the starting rotation is certainly included in that, too.

Alex Verdugo leaves game with hamstring tightness, unlikely to play Saturday

Ryan Hannable

Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo was having a terrific Friday night, 3-for-3 with three singles, before leaving the game against the Phillies in the sixth inning.

The team said it was due to hamstring tightness.

"He’s doing OK," manager Alex Cora said after the game to reporters. "We had to take him out at the end. It was more like he feels like it was nothing just got scared, but we’ll check him out tomorrow and see how he feels. And not sure if i’m going to play him tomorrow. We’ll stay away from him most likely and give him some rest and check on Sunday."

Verdugo did seem to be limping a bit the previous game against the Blue Jays Thursday, so this could be a lingering thing.

In 43 games this season, he's hitting .299.

Filling his spot in the lineup shouldn't be an issue as the Red Sox got a reinforcement onto the roster Friday in utility man Danny Santana, who led off against the Phillies.

The two teams will meet again Saturday night.

* NBC Sports Boston

Martin Perez makes good case for universal DH with ugly swing

Justin Leger

The universal designated hitter is a polarizing topic in baseball, but Martin Perez gave those favor of implementing the DH in both leagues a solid case on Friday.

The Boston Red Sox southpaw stepped up to the plate in the second inning of Friday night's game in Philadelphia, and it wasn't pretty. Phillies starter Aaron Nola fooled Perez with a breaking ball and forced one of the ugliest swings you'll see at the major league level.

Yikes.

In fairness to Perez, he at least went down swinging. That's more than what many pitchers in the majors can say. It isn't uncommon to see pitchers take strikes one, two, and three and walk back to the dugout.

Sure, some MLB pitchers like Jacob deGrom, Zack Greinke, and Madison Bumgarner are anomalies. Then there's Shohei Ohtani, who's one of the game's best at the plate and on the mound. But other than a few exceptions, MLB pitchers mostly end up looking like Perez when they swing the bat.

It makes for a funny clip, but it isn't good for the game. The universal DH couldn't come any sooner.

* BostonSportsJournal.com

Final: Red Sox 11, Phillies 3

Sean McAdam

Fresh off some late-inning drama the night before, the Red Sox made this one a laugher with no ninth- inning heroics necessary, thumping the Philadelphia Phillies, 11-3, for their third straight win. The victory moved them to 10 games over .500 for the first time this season.

The Sox got homers from newcomer Danny Santana and Rafael Devers, along with a three-run double by Christian Vazquez. Every position player in the starting lineup except Marwin Gonzalez had at least one hit for the Sox.

Martin Perez picked up his second win with six innings, during which he allowed three runs on five hits.

WHO: Red Sox (27-18) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (22-22) WHEN: 7:05 p.m. WHERE: Citizens Bank Ballpark STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Martin Perez (1-2, 3.40) vs. RHP Aaron Nola (3-3, 3.64) TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI 93.7 FM

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Santana 1B Verdugo CF Martinez LF Bogaerts SS Devers 3B Vazquez C Renfroe RF Gonzalez 2b Perez P

PHILLIES

McCutchen LF Segura 2B Harper RF Hoskins 1B Bohm 3B Herrera CF Knapp C Torreyes SS Nola P

IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:

T9: Christian Vazquez credited with a bases-clearing double, though Bryce Harper helped by badly misplaying a catchable ball in the RF corner. Sox lead is now eight runs.

T7: Using only his wrists and quick hands, Devers lines a bullet into the seats in RF, tying Martinez for the team's home run lead with 12.

B6: Fourth time in the last five starts that Perez has pitched into the sixth inning.

T6: Run-scoring single to left from Hunter Renfroe, who knocks in his 12th run of the month, then takes second as McCutchen bobbles the ball.

T6: Christian Vazquez, who hit his first homer in six weeks earlier this week, almost gets another one, but like Devers a few innings ago, falls a few inches shy in left field.

T5: Phillies kick it around and help the Sox. Run-scoring single from Bogaerts, but a wild throw by Alec Bohm, off the glove of Jean Segura. scoring Martinez and allowing Bogaerts to take third.

T5: Quite a debut for Danny Santana, who lines a shot into right field in his first game with the Sox, putting his new team up by a run.

B3: Perez knew it right away -- he never turned around to track the flight of the ball hit by Jean Segura. No need. Deep into the CF bleachers on a low changeup, with Andrew McCutchen aboard. It's 2-2.

T3: Verdugo is locked in at the plate and quick to the ball. Both times, he's gone right back up the middle for base hits and that one nearly drilled Nola.

B2: Bogaerts, shifted over on a lefty hitter, makes a diving stop and new first baseman Danny Santana does a nice stretch to nab the throw.

B1: Strong first inning by Martin Perez, who mixes his changeup, cutter and two-seamer to retire the Phils in order on just 14 pitches -- with two strikeouts.

T1: Rafael Devers goes down for a curveball on the outer half and swats it off the top of the left field fence, scoring J.D. Martinez. Two runs quickly off a tough starter, Aaron Nola.

T1: Not very hard hit by Xander Bogaerts, but his Baltimore chop to the right side is enough to score Alex Verdugo from third base.

WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox have won five of their last seven games, including their last two...At 27-18 (.600), the Red Sox rank second in the AL and fourth in the majors in winning percentage. The Sox are nine games above .500, matching their season high...The Sox have a plus-42 run differential....The Sox have the major's’ best record on the road at 14-6, .700)...In road series, they're 5-1-0 , with their only lost road series coming at Texas...Thursday's win against Toronto was the third game won by the Red Sox in which they trailed after eight innings -- the most for any MLB team...The Sox lead the majors in come- from-behind wins with 17...The Sox are 12-12 when they don’t score first....: All eight runs by the Red Sox Thursday came with two outs.. They've scored 90 runs with two outs, third-most in the majors behind the Dodgers (94) and White Sox (93).....The Sox have hit 25 HR with two strikes, tied with Atlanta and Cleveland for most in the majors...They also lead MLB with 18 homers on counts of 0-2 and 1-2....: J.D. Martinez hit his 250th career homer Thursday night, making him one of just nine active players with 250 HR and and an .875 OPS....Marwin Gonzalez appeared in his 1,000 game Thursday night when he entered the game in the bottom of the ninth as a defensive replacement at second base. He's the 45th native of Venezuela to reach that milestone...The Sox lead the majors in doubles (100), extra-base hits (162), slugging percentage (.450), and OPS (.776) and are second in runs (232) and batting average (.266)....The Sox are also tied for the lead league in homers, with 32 homers in their last 19 games ...When scoring four or more runs this season, the Sox are 24-3 (.889)....The Red Sox are sixth in the AL and 13th in the majors in ERA (3.90)...The Sox have allowed four ER or fewer in nine of the last 11 games ....The Red Sox are 265-180 (.596) all time against teams from the National League, the best Interleague winning percentage in the majors. Sox pitchers are hitless in their last 24 plate appearances...This is the fifth straight season in which the Sox and Phillies have me in Interleague play....The Sox and Phillies have gone 2-2 against each other in each of the last 3 seasons...Since Citizens Bank Ballpark opened, the Sox are 22-12 there and are 8- 1-4 in 13 series there....Andrew McCutchen is 5-for-12 in his career against Martin Perez while Alec Bohm is 2-for-2...Hunter Renfroe is 5-for-9 against Aaron Nola and Kike Hernandez is 3-for-6....Hernandez has a seven-game hitting streak going while Alex Verdugo has a four-game streak, including two homers.

NOTES:

* Danny Santana, as expected, joined the team and was activated for the game. The Sox wasted no time getting him into the lineup -- hitting leadoff and playing first base. Alex Cora said Santana could be used all over the infield and in the outfield and said, like Kike Hernandez and Marwin Gonzalez, Santana would be moved around a lot.

* To make room for Santana on the major league roster and the 40-man roster, the Sox designated RHP Austin Brice for assignment. Brice had appeared in 12 games with no record and a 12.94 ERA. He had pitched just twice in the last nine days. The move gives the Red Sox 13 position players on the roster for the first time this season, to go along with 13 pitchers.

* Cora said he was proud of his team's comeback win Thursday in Dunedin. "We've been saying all along, 'From the first pitch to the last one, keep doing what you have to do and let's see what the result is going to be,' '' said Cora. "It didn't look pretty. We made three errors. It was a struggle. But in the end, they kept playing. Wins like that -- they matter. Those are 'circle' games; let's see what happens after that. Hopefully, we get hot and a month and a half from now, we keep playing good baseball and we can look back and say. 'That was a game-changer.'

* Added Cora: "One thing I like about this group is, they're not caught up with what happened yesterday. They're getting ready for the Phillies, which is the mark of a good team. You have to turn the page, whether it's a tough loss or a 'W' like yesterday, you have to be ready for the next day because, 162, that's what it is. It's not 60 games anymore.''

* Christian Arroyo, recovering from a left hand contusion, was in the lineup as the DH at Worcester. Cora said he expects Arroyo spend the weekend at Worcester before the team re-evaluates for the start of the homestand Tuesday. "A few games to get at-bats is always useful,'' Cora said.

* MLB announced that nearly half of its teams -- 14 of 30 -- have qualified for the 85 percent vaccination rate which allows for some relaxed protocols for those in the traveling party. Cora said the Sox aren't yet one. but added: "We're getting closer,'' said Cora. "We're closer than 15 days ago. We're almost there, but we're not there.''

BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 11, Phillies 3 -- Sox pull away in middle innings

Sean McAdam

All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' win over the Phillies, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:

HEADLINES

Santana makes his presence felt: Added to the roster earlier in the day from Triple-A Worcester, Danny Santana immediately contributed to his new team. Hitting leadoff and playing first base, Santana made a few nice stretches at first to help out on some close plays and also caught a wicked line drive to double-up Rhys Hoskins in the fourth inning. But his biggest impact came in the fifth inning when he led off with a long home run to right field in his third at-bat of the night. Santana, like Marwin Gonzalez and Kike Hernandez, is a versatile player, capable of playing almost anywhere in the infield and outfield. And like Gonzalez, he's a switch-hitter, presenting some potentially favorable matchups off the bench for Alex Cora. But he also offers but power (he hit 28 homers in 2019 for Texas) and speed on the bases. He can hit leadoff, as he did in his debut, and also somewhat lower in the order, where his ability to hit from either side of the plate provides some left-right balance.

Sox beat up another quality starter: Right from the beginning of the season, the Red Sox seemed to get geared up when facing an opponents' ace. They've already won games started by Tampa Bay's Tyler Glasnow, the White Sox' Lucas Giolito and the Mets' Jacob deGrom. So it wasn't particularly surprising that they also fared well against the Phillies' top starter, Aaron Nola. The Sox scored five runs on seven hits over five innings from Nola. To jump on a front-of-the-rotation starter in the opener of a series has to be deflating for an opponent and the Sox have already done that to set the tone for the series. "You want to face the best,'' said Christian Vazquez. "You can prove yourself when you face the best. It's fun to face those guys because you know that they have great stuff.''

TURNING POINT

On Thursday against the Blue Jays, the Sox were sloppy in the middle innings and handed the Jays three unearned runs. On Friday, it was the Phillies' turn to be gift-givers to the Red Sox. In the fifth inning, with the Sox leading 3-2 and two runners on base, Xander Bogaerts hit a sharp single to left. Alex Verdugo scored easily from second as Andrew McCutchen threw toward home. Third baseman Alec Bohm cut the throw off and appeared to have J.D. Martinez caught rounding second. But Bohm's throw to second baseman Jean Segura's glove and rolled into center field as Segura, strangely, remained on the ground. Instead of being thrown out at second, Martinez reversed field and scored while Bogaerts -- leapfrogging over Segura in the middle of the basepath between second and third -- went all the way to third on what was ruled a single. The Sox led 5-2 and never looked back.

TWO UP

Christian Vazquez: The catcher is getting hot at the plate. After belting his first homer in six weeks on Wednesday, he contributed two doubles Friday, including one that cleared the bases in the ninth inning.

Rafael Devers: He had a run-scoring double to help get things going in the first inning and later added a rocket to right for a two-run homer as he reclaimed the team RBI lead with 37.

ONE DOWN

Marwin Gonzalez: Gonzalez has fallen into a major slump at the plate. He came into the game hitless in 11 at-bats and proceeded to go 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He's now 4-for-36.

QUOTE OF NOTE:

"Solid again. That's a tough lineup to maneuver through with all those righties. For him to go six put us in a good spot.'' Alex Cora on Martin Perez.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

* The Red Sox struck out a season-high 17 times and still scored 11 runs.

* Xander Bogaerts picked his 250th career double.

* The Red Sox improved to 23-12 at Citizens Bank Park.

* Darwinzon Hernandez has not allowed a run in 8.2 innings over nine appearances on the road this season.

* After scoring all eight runs with two outs Thursday night, nine of the 11 were scored with two outs Friday.

UP NEXT

The two teams meet again Saturday at 7:15 p.m. with RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 4.50) vs. RHP Spencer Howard (0-0, 8.31)

Martin Perez provides consistency for back end of rotation

Sean McAdam

When the season began, it was expected that Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi would front the Red Sox rotation and were regarded as co-leaders of the staff. Together, Rodriguez and Eovaldi had the most experience and past success of the team's starters.

The duo started the year well enough, but have faltered of late. Eovaldi has a 5.79 ERA in his last six starts while Rodriguez continues to show diminished velocity with his fastball while compiling a 6.00 ERA in the month of May.

That the Red Sox haven't experienced any real drop-off despite the struggles of their top two starters is a reflection of the team's top-ranked offense, and not incidentally, the work of the rest of the rotation.

Garrett Richards righted himself after two poor starts in his first four. Despite stumbling some Thursday, Nick Pivetta has emerged as the team's most dependable starting pitcher. And Martin Perez, the winning pitcher Friday night as the Red Sox clubbed the Phillies, 11-3, has seemingly gotten better with every outing.

Perez gave the Sox six solid innings, allowing three runs along the way to earn his second straight win. Perez's stuff isn't flashy, and his stats don't strike fear into opposing teams. But as the team's nominal No. 5 starter, he's become as consistent as anyone in the rotation.

Friday's outing was the first one in six starts that he allowed more than two runs (three). But if three runs allowed over six innings represents an off night, the Red Sox are in plenty good shape.

"Solid again, solid again,'' remarked Alex Cora of his lefty. "That's a tough lineup to maneuver with all those righties and he did a good job elevating his pitches, using his changeup. His stuff was crisp. For him to go six, it put us in a good spot. We were able to stay away from certain (relievers). Another good one. He's been doing that the whole time. Overall, in every outing, he's given us a chance and that's what we want.''

Perez's fastball isn't as explosive as Eovaldi's. His changeup is no match for the one thrown by Rodriguez. And his breaking pitches lack the crispness regularly exhibited by either Pivetta or Richards. But Perez has no designs on becoming the alpha dog in the Boston rotation. He's here to keep the Red Sox in games, regularly get them to the sixth inning, and, as Cora noted, keep them in games.

He's done that on a consistent basis, too. In nine starts to date, he's allowed more than three runs just once. In fact, in six of the nine, he's allowed two runs or fewer. The fact that the Sox are only 5-4 in his nine starts is far more a reflection of the uneven run support he's been given. While Eovaldi, Pivetta and Richards have all averaged better than six runs per start while they're in the game and Rodriguez isn't far behind (5.93), Perez has often been the victim of his own teammates' inability to score when it's his turn.

Still, the Sox recognize his value and Perez can justifiably take pride in his performance to date.

"I'm just trying to stay focused on my game,'' he said, "just go out and pitch and give my a team a chance to win. I'm just trying to do my job.''

The affection his teammates have for him was evident when Perez went to hit against Aaron Nola in the bottom of the second. Perez carried a career .043 batting average (1-for-23 with 19 strikeouts) to the plate and it was soon evident that those numbers, small sample size or not, were reflective of his "ability" as a hitter. With two strikes on him, Perez awkwardly swung and missed --- on a pitch that struck him on the foot.

His teammates howled with good humor in the dugout and razzed him when he returned.

"That was fun,'' shrugged Perez, showing little embarrassment at his ineptitude.

Perez got two more plate appearances, both of which ended similarly, if without the comic relief of the first. But of course, Perez wasn't there to hit. He was there to make sure the Phillies didn't, a task he performed far better -- minus a two-run homer by Jean Segura, the only real damage done to him in his six innings.

A year ago, injuries to Rodriguez and Chris Sale took them out of commission before the season even began and elevated Perez to the spot of No. 2 starter. It was a lot to ask, especially when surrounded by a small army of career journeymen, many of whom failed to meet the minimum talent requirements for the role of major league pitcher.

This season, Perez is more appropriately slotted in as the Sox' No. 5 starter. It's to his credit that he not only has pitched far better than his assigned role, but also, on some nights, better than some of his more celebrated rotation-mates, too.

* The Athletic

Danny Santana debuts with Red Sox and adds a key weapon the offense has lacked

Jen McCaffrey

The trade deadline isn’t for another two months, but the Red Sox have an early reinforcement.

Utilityman Danny Santana, who signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox in spring training, finally joined the team on Friday after a rehab stint to start the season.

The 30-year-old switch hitter was limited to 15 games last season with an elbow injury that resulted in a modified Tommy John surgery. His arrival with the Red Sox in March was delayed by a foot infection that required hospitalization. But once Santana returned to action, he wasted little time rehabbing in the minors. In eight games between High-A Greenville and Triple-A Worcester, Santana went 13-for-30 (.433) with three homers, three doubles and three walks.

“I feel really good right now,” Santana said. “I know I can run a little bit. I can do a lot of things when I am healthy.”

In 2019 with the Texas Rangers, Santana hit .283 with an .857 OPS, 23 doubles, 28 homers and 21 stolen bases in 130 games.

On Friday, in his Red Sox debut in Philadelphia, he hit a solo homer in the fifth to give the Red Sox a 3-2 lead in an eventual 11-3 trouncing of the Phillies.

“We’re very excited that he’s with us, and I know he’s going to help us,” manager Alex Cora said.

But while Santana possesses some power, his presence adds another weapon to the Red Sox offense that they’ve been lacking: speed.

Santana’s 21 steals in 2019 were the 19th-most in the majors and 10th-most in the American League that season. While he’s no Rickey Henderson, in today’s game where teams are running less, the threat of one player who can and will take off adds a competitive advantage.

“We like action, we like pressure, and I do believe having somebody like that is going to benefit the hitter and whoever is coming behind,” Cora said. “We’ve done a good job with the running part of it, stealing bases and putting pressure on guys, but I think when you have somebody that can actually run, not just a sneak runner or just an average runner, he’s done it before. He did it with Texas in 2019 and it was really good. So having him do that, I think it brings something else to this offense.”

Santana hit from the leadoff spot on Friday, though Cora said that won’t necessarily be his new home. While his speed atop the lineup would be beneficial, his ability to switch hit might help lower in the order, too.

“We’ll see, we’ll mix it up,” Cora said. “I do believe speed is good up there, but at the same time balance helps, and a switch hitter down in the lineup might help too, hitting behind Christian (Vazquez) right around there. So we’ll keep playing with the lineup. We’ve been doing it the whole season so why change now?”

Santana offers the Red Sox yet another utility player alongside Marwin Gonzalez and Kiké Hernandez who can play every position except pitcher and catcher, creating more flexibility for an already pliable roster. Cora will use Santana primarily at first base, second base and center field, where he has his most career starts (132).

Like Hernandez and Gonzalez, Santana provides above-average defense at several positions. In the fourth inning on Friday, Santana snagged a hard liner headed toward right field and then doubled off the runner on first.

In order to make room for Santana on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox designated right-hander Austin Brice for assignment. Since the start of the season, the Red Sox had kept an extra arm in their bullpen, but the move on Friday brings the bullpen to eight pitchers and gives them a more traditional four-man bench. With two off days coming up next week and their starters pitching a bit deeper into games, the Red Sox felt comfortable moving back to 13 pitchers. Brice had given up nine runs in 11 2/3 innings for the Red Sox.

As for Santana, his addition seemingly fortifies the Red Sox ahead of a tough stretch of games in June against the Astros and Yankees.

“It’s a really good opportunity for me,” Santana said. “The team is doing good. I want to do the best I can do to keep doing that and try to help the team win. I’m very happy to be here.”

* Associated Press

Devers, Santana go deep, Red Sox beat Phillies 11-3

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — When the Boston Red Sox made contact, they did some damage.

Rafael Devers and Danny Santana hit homers to back Martin Perez, and the Red Sox beat the Philadelphia Phillies 11-3 Friday night.

Perez (2-2) allowed three runs and five hits, striking out seven in six innings.

The AL East-leading Red Sox have won three in a row. The Phillies lost for the sixth time in eight games to fall one game under .500.

Boston batters struck out 17 times against four pitchers, but still scored 11 runs.

“I didn’t notice the strikeouts because we kept putting up good at-bats,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We’ve been striking out a lot, but we’re scoring runs. The quality of the at-bats are different. We can live with the strikeouts as long we’re scoring.”

Phillies starter Aaron Nola (3-4) gave up five runs — four earned — and seven hits, striking out nine in five innings.

Nola fanned the first two batters in the fifth before running into trouble. Santana blasted a 1-2 pitch out to right to give Boston a 3-2 lead. After Alex Verdugo singled and J.D. Martinez walked, Xander Bogaerts lined a single to left. Third baseman Alec Bohm cut off left fielder Andrew McCutchen’s throw to the plate, even though it appeared there would be a play at home. Bohm’s throw to second base sailed into the outfield, allowing Martinez to score for a 5-2 lead.

Phillies manager Joe Girardi said he thought Bohm should’ve let the ball go through on the throw to the plate and plans to address it.

Bohm had two of Philadelphia’s three errors.

“It’s really frustrating because I believe we’re better than we’re playing,” Girardi said of the team’s shoddy defense.

Hunter Renfroe’s RBI single off Connor Brogdon in the sixth expanded Boston’s lead to 6-2.

Devers hit a two-run shot off Brogdon in the seventh for his 12th homer of the season.

Philadelphia’s Jean Segura crushed a two-run homer out to left-center, tying it at 2-2 in the third.

Boston jumped ahead 2-0 in the first on a RBI groundout by Bogaerts and RBI double by Devers.

Nola pitched at least seven innings and allowed two runs or fewer on four hits or fewer in his first three starts against the Red Sox before this one.

“I thought his stuff was pretty good. I thought it was better than it’s been,” Girardi said.

Perez has thrown at least five innings in five straight starts.

“We’ve been playing good and if every start I go out there and throw more than five innings, we can rest the bullpen,” Perez said.

BOSOX DEBUT

In his first game with the Red Sox and first since having right elbow surgery last September, Santana batted leadoff and played first base. Cora said he plans to use Santana at first, second and center field.

“He had quality at-bats, he controls the strike zone,” Cora said. “That’s what he brings. He can hit the ball out of the ballpark. We’re excited to have him with us.”

ROSTER MOVES

Red Sox: Santana was called up from Triple-A Worcester before the game. RHP Austin Brice was designated for assignment. Brice had a 6.94 ERA in 12 games.

Phillies: C J.T. Realmuto (left wrist bone bruise) was placed on the 10-day injury list, retroactive to May 18. OF Matt Joyce was activated from the injury list.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: Verdugo left the game in the sixth because of left hamstring tightness. ... INF Christian Arroyo (left wrist contusion) is starting a rehab assignment this weekend.

Phillies: Realmuto could return when he’s eligible in seven days. .... RHP Vince Velasquez had three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings in relief after being scratched from Thursday night’s start because of a finger issue. He’s expected to make his next start.

UP NEXT

RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 4.50 ERA) takes the mound for the Red Sox and RHP Spencer Howard (0-0, 8.31) will make his first start of the season for the Phillies on Saturday night. Howard will be limited to 60 pitches.