Direct links to applications (please see job details below):

Applied Baseball Scientist
Computer Vision Analyst
Performance Analyst
Principal Developer
Senior Baseball Sciences Developer

Applied Baseball Scientist

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW:
The Baseball Sciences department leverages cutting-edge research, data, and technology to enhance player performance, development, and overall team success. By integrating principles from biomechanics, sports science, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, the department plays a critical role in driving innovation on and off the field. The team works closely with coaches, medical staff, strength & conditioning experts, and front-office personnel to develop and implement evidence-based strategies that maximize athletic potential, improve player health, and optimize in-game performance. The Baseball Sciences department is committed to pushing the boundaries of sports science in baseball, putting the Red Sox at the forefront of technological and analytical advancements in the sport.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Boston Red Sox are seeking an Applied Baseball Scientist to help translate biomechanical insights into actionable coaching interventions across the organization. This role focuses on the application and evaluation of biomechanics and performance science data to inform skill-specific development, assess the effectiveness of training strategies, and refine program design. This role will work closely with coaches, coordinators, and performance staff to ensure that biomechanical insights directly support player development and on-field performance.

This is an opportunity to use your biomechanics expertise in a highly applied, coach-facing capacity, contributing to the measurement, iteration, and education of coaching practices throughout the organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Partner with coaches and coordinators to interpret results, provide ad-hoc analyses for high-leverage cases, and generate clear, actionable feedback for players. 
• Analyze and refine program design and training approaches, creating tools and frameworks that support consistent, evidence-based application across development settings. 
• Integrate biomechanics, force plates, wearable sensors, and performance testing data into decision-making processes to inform individualized player plans. 
• Contribute to educational initiatives that promote effective use of Baseball Sciences tools and ensure staff are equipped to apply biomechanical insights in their daily work. 
• Contribute to the broader innovation roadmap of the Baseball Sciences department through research, prototyping, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education:
• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in biomechanics, kinesiology, exercise science, engineering, statistics, data science, or a related quantitative field is preferred. 
• Applied Biomechanics: 
• Demonstrated experience analyzing biomechanical and performance science data, such as motion capture, force plates, wearable sensors, or computer vision. 
• Previous experience working directly with coaches and athletes, with the ability to communicate complex concepts in clear, practical terms. 
• Interest in and/or past experience with coaching, demonstrating an applied understanding of how to design training environments to target identified deficiencies. 
• Quantitative Analysis:
• Proficiency with data analysis tools (e.g., R, Python, SQL) and the ability to create intuitive visualizations and reports for non-technical audiences. 
• Strong applied research skills, with an ability to design studies, evaluate outcomes, and iterate on interventions. 
• Experience leveraging AI-assisted analysis tools for identifying and implementing solutions. 
• Soft Skills:
• A passion for leveraging biomechanics and performance science to improve player development and performance outcomes. 
• Spanish language proficiency is a plus. 
• Prior baseball playing experience is a plus. 

In addition to the above requirements, all roles within Baseball Operations are expected to effectively demonstrate our universal competencies related to problem solving, teamwork, clarity of communication, and time management, along with embodying our culture of honesty, humility, relentlessness, and commitment to DEIB.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.

Computer Vision Analyst

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW:
The Baseball Sciences department leverages cutting-edge research, data, and technology to enhance player performance, development, and overall team success. By integrating principles from biomechanics, sports science, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, the department plays a critical role in driving innovation on and off the field. The team works closely with coaches, medical staff, strength & conditioning experts, and front-office personnel to develop and implement evidence-based strategies that maximize athletic potential, improve player health, and optimize in-game performance. The Baseball Sciences department is committed to pushing the boundaries of sports science in baseball, putting the Red Sox at the forefront of technological and analytical advancements in the sport.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Boston Red Sox are seeking a Computer Vision Analyst to join our Baseball Sciences group. This role will focus on developing and deploying computer vision methods that transform raw video into actionable data at scale, driving improvements in player evaluation, training environments, and performance analysis. Working within a collaborative research and development team, the Computer Vision Analyst will help advance our ability to extract meaningful signals from the wealth of video available across baseball operations.

This is an opportunity to apply advanced quantitative skills to a broad range of problems in baseball sciences, supporting scouting, player development, and sports performance initiatives.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and refine computer vision models to extract meaningful features from video, generating new datasets that enhance player analysis and performance research. 
• Collaborate with developers, analysts, and stakeholders to ensure computer vision outputs integrate effectively into organizational tools, systems, and workflows. 
• Build pipelines for video processing, feature extraction, and event detection at scale. 
• Partner with Baseball Sciences, Player Development, and other stakeholders to identify opportunities where video-derived data can enhance evaluation and training. 
• Contribute to the broader innovation roadmap of the Baseball Sciences department identifying novel opportunities for computer vision and machine learning applications.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education:
• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Computer Science, Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative field is preferred. 
• Computer Vision Expertise:
• Demonstrated experience developing and deploying computer vision models and algorithms using frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras, OpenCV, or similar. 
• Proficiency in Python or R, with experience handling large-scale video and image datasets. 
• Experience applying computer vision methods to sports, biomechanics, or human movement data is a plus. 
• Deployment:
• Familiarity with database technologies (SQL) and data pipeline development. 
• Background in machine learning model deployment, cloud computing environments, or scalable infrastructure. 
• Experience leveraging AI-assisted analysis tools for identifying and implementing solutions.
• Soft Skills:
• Knowledge of public baseball analytics research or prior experience working with sports performance data is a plus. 
• Strong critical thinking skills, intellectual curiosity, and ability to communicate findings clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

In addition to the above requirements, all roles within Baseball Operations are expected to effectively demonstrate our universal competencies related to problem solving, teamwork, clarity of communication, and time management, along with embodying our culture of honesty, humility, relentlessness, and commitment to DEIB.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.

Performance Analyst

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW:
The Baseball Sciences department leverages cutting-edge research, data, and technology to enhance player performance, development, and overall team success. By integrating principles from biomechanics, sports science, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, the department plays a critical role in driving innovation on and off the field. The team works closely with coaches, medical staff, strength & conditioning experts, and front-office personnel to develop and implement evidence-based strategies that maximize athletic potential, improve player health, and optimize in-game performance. The Baseball Sciences department is committed to pushing the boundaries of sports science in baseball, putting the Red Sox at the forefront of technological and analytical advancements in the sport.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Boston Red Sox are seeking a Performance Analyst to join our Baseball Sciences department. This role will leverage quantitative methods to assess athlete health, readiness, and performance across strength & conditioning, sports medicine, nutrition, and mental performance.

The Performance Analyst will work with diverse data streams—including force plates, weight room testing, wearable devices, and cognitive assessments—to provide actionable insights that support player availability, injury risk mitigation, and development. This position offers the opportunity to apply advanced analytical skills in a collaborative environment, directly influencing training practices and performance outcomes.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Analyze performance data from physical testing (e.g., force plates, weight room measures), wearables, and cognitive/vision assessments. 
• Build and maintain statistical models to evaluate player readiness, injury risk, and training effectiveness. 
• Develop objective frameworks to monitor athlete progression and workload management. 
• Translate findings into recommendations for staff across strength & conditioning, medical, and player development. 
• Create clear, data-driven reports and visualizations to support decision-making for coaches, staff, and front office stakeholders. 
• Communicate complex quantitative findings in a concise, actionable manner. 
• Partner with developers to integrate performance science metrics into organizational tools and applications. 
• Contribute to the broader innovation roadmap of the Baseball Sciences department through research, prototyping, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education:
• Bachelor’s degree or advanced degree in a quantitative field (statistics, data science, applied mathematics, engineering) or a relevant performance science field (exercise science, biomechanics, kinesiology) is preferred. 
• Performance and Sports Science Expertise:
• Demonstrated experience analyzing athlete performance data such as force plates, wearable technology, and weight room testing. 
• Knowledge of sports science, physiology, and strength & conditioning principles in elite performance environments. 
• Quantitative Analysis:
• Proficiency in statistical programming languages (Python, R, or similar) and ability to work with relational databases (SQL). 
• Strong background in data visualization and reporting, with the ability to tailor outputs to both technical and non-technical audiences. 
• Familiarity with statistical modeling, predictive analytics, and experimental design in applied settings. 
• Experience leveraging AI-assisted analysis tools for identifying and implementing solutions. 
• Soft Skills:
• Passion for baseball performance and player development is strongly preferred. 
• Spanish language proficiency is a plus. 
• Prior experience playing or working in baseball is a plus. 

In addition to the above requirements, all roles within Baseball Operations are expected to effectively demonstrate our universal competencies related to problem solving, teamwork, clarity of communication, and time management, along with embodying our culture of honesty, humility, relentlessness, and commitment to DEIB.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.

Principal Developer

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW:
Members of the Baseball Systems team at the Boston Red Sox are focused on designing, building, and refining the software and data pipelines used within Baseball Operations. These tools and applications are an integral part of the decision-making process, are directly integrated in the workflows of all departments within Baseball Operations, and provide an efficient, consistent, and accessible experience when interacting with our internal data sources and applications.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Principal Developer, Baseball Systems position will be a member of the baseball operations software development team, and is responsible for the design, development, and support, of all baseball systems. This individual will work closely with members of baseball operations to understand business requirements that drive the analysis, design, and development of quality baseball systems and solutions. This position is responsible for designing and building highly complex front end applications and will collaborate closely with colleagues on the software development team and baseball operations personnel from all departments.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as critical resource and subject matter expert in the design and delivery of data-intensive, highly interactive interfaces that serve a broad collection of front office stakeholders.
• Contribute to the advancement of the overall architecture by partnering with domain leads, and establishing best practices and patterns through delivery.
• Participate in key phases of the software development process of critical baseball applications, including requirements gathering, analysis, effort estimation, technical investigation, software design and implementation, testing, bug fixing, and quality assurance.
• Responsible for the design and development of complex web-based user interfaces, web services, back-end logic, and other aspects of web applications.
• Actively participate with other software developers in design reviews, code reviews, and other best practices.
• Work closely at times with baseball analysts to design and implement solutions to their data needs.
• Respond to and resolve technical problems and issues in a timely manner.
• Identify and implement creative solutions for technical challenges.

COMPETENCIES

• Aptitude and ability to apply academic or applied experience in software development or data engineering related field.
• An understanding of frontend and backend development and proficiency with modern databases and programming languages.
• Ability to pick up quickly and think both creatively and critically to solve problems.
• A solid understanding of contemporary baseball and/or sports analysis and development practices.
• A team-player that collaborates effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of deep experience building web applications in Angular, and experience developing with Typescript, CSS/Tailwind, GraphQL, and other modern development approaches.
• Experience with relational database design and development in SQL Server, Snowflake, MySQL, PostgreSQL, or similar technologies, is required.
• Experience building front-end visualizations using Three.js, D3, chart.js, or similar, is a plus.
• Experience developing with cloud technologies from Azure, GCP, or AWS are a plus.
• Experience integrating systems and data using third-party APIs and services are a plus.
• Ability to work autonomously and as a team in a fast paced environment.
• High level of attention to detail with the ability to multi-task effectively.
• Comfortable working remotely when required and using Zoom, Teams, Slack, Trello, and other tools to communicate with all team members.
• High degree of professionalism and ability to maintain confidential information.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.

In addition to the above requirements, all roles within Baseball Operations are expected to effectively demonstrate our universal competencies related to problem solving, teamwork, clarity of communication, and time management, along with embodying our culture of honesty, humility, relentlessness, and commitment to DEIB.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.

Principal Developer

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW:
Members of the Baseball Systems team at the Boston Red Sox are focused on designing, building, and refining the software and data pipelines used within Baseball Operations. These tools and applications are an integral part of the decision-making process, are directly integrated in the workflows of all departments within Baseball Operations, and provide an efficient, consistent, and accessible experience when interacting with our internal data sources and applications.

The Baseball Sciences department leverages cutting-edge research, data, and technology to enhance player performance, development, and overall team success. By integrating principles from biomechanics, sports science, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, the department plays a critical role in driving innovation on and off the field. The team works closely with coaches, medical staff, strength & conditioning experts, and front-office personnel to develop and implement evidence-based strategies that maximize athletic potential, improve player health, and optimize in-game performance. The Baseball Sciences department is committed to pushing the boundaries of sports science in baseball, putting the Red Sox at the forefront of technological and analytical advancements in the sport.

POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Boston Red Sox are seeking a Senior Developer, Baseball Sciences to join our Baseball Systems department. This role will lead the design and development of specialized software tools that support biomechanics, sports science, and performance initiatives.

As a dedicated developer for the Baseball Sciences group, you will create intuitive applications, data visualizations, and reporting tools that directly impact player health, performance, and decision-making. This is an opportunity to bring advanced development skills to a cutting-edge area of baseball operations, working alongside developers, sports scientists, analysts, and coaches.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design and build applications that integrate biomechanics and sports science data into performance workflows.
• Develop custom visualization tools and reporting platforms to support decision-making across Strength & Conditioning, Sports Medicine, Player Development and Scouting.
• Create flexible tools for workload monitoring and athlete performance tracking.
• Operate thoroughly and effectively through all phases of the software development lifecycle, from requirements gathering to deployment and maintenance.
• Collaborate closely with staff across performance and player development to ensure tools align with applied workflows.
• Provide mentorship and establish best practices within the Baseball Sciences domain.
• Contribute to the broader innovation roadmap of the Baseball Sciences department through research, prototyping, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

COMPETENCIES

• Aptitude and ability to apply academic or applied experience in software development, data engineering, or a related field.
• An understanding of frontend and backend development and proficiency with modern databases and programming languages.
• Ability to pick up quickly and think both creatively and critically to solve problems.
• A solid understanding of contemporary baseball and/or sports analysis and development practices.
• A team-player that collaborates effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders. 

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of professional software development experience, ideally with exposure to sports science or biomechanics data streams such as motion capture, force plates, and wearable technology.
• Proficiency in TypeScript and JavaScript, with experience in Angular (preferred) or React.
• Strong background in building complex web-based user interfaces and APIs.
• Experience with data visualization libraries (e.g., D3.js, Three.js) to represent biomechanics and workload data effectively.
• Exposure to GraphQL and using GraphQL engines such as Hasura
• Experience leveraging AI-assisted development tools for efficiency, debugging, and scaling solutions
• Interest in sports science, biomechanics, and athlete performance data, with the ability to translate domain needs into technical solutions.
• Database design and development experience (Snowflake and SQL Server preferred).
• Knowledge of modern baseball analytics and player development methods is a plus.

In addition to the above requirements, all roles within Baseball Operations are expected to effectively demonstrate our universal competencies related to problem solving, teamwork, clarity of communication, and time management, along with embodying our culture of honesty, humility, relentlessness, and commitment to DEIB.

To Apply
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Boston Red Sox.

Willie MacIver has caught a lot of power arms since entering pro ball in 2018. Some were in Sacramento this season — the 28-year-old University of Washington product spent a chunk of the summer with the Athletics, backing up Shea Langeliers — but none of those hurlers stand out as having the best raw stuff he’s been behind the dish for. That distinction belongs to a former Colorado Rockies farmhand whose brief major-league ledger includes a 22.09 ERA and a 22.7% walk rate over five appearances comprising three-and-a-third innings.

“I caught a guy named Riley Pint,” said MacIver, citing the right-handed flamethrower whom the Rockies drafted fourth overall in 2016 out of an Overland, Kansas high school. “To this day, he has the best stuff I’ve ever seen. I caught him from Low-A all the way through Triple-A, so I was on the ride with him the whole time.”

That ride isn’t necessarily over. Pint is just 27 years old, and while he missed the 2025 season with an injury, the arm is indeed special. MacIver caught him as recently as 2024, and it’s being Pint, and not recent teammate Mason Miller, who he cited speaks volumes.

“When we were in Low-A, it was 102 [mph] all over the place,” MacIver told me. “Then he started throwing a sinker. We were at Driveline together and he was throwing sinkers that were registering as left-handed curveballs on the TrackMan. He could make the ball move like nothing else. His sinker would be like negative-eight, and then he would throw a true sweeper that was Morales-like with the horizontal, but at 87 [mph]. Read the rest of this entry »

He doesn’t garner much press — at least not outside of Tigers territory — but Will Vest has developed into one of baseball’s better relievers. The 30-year-old right-hander has appeared in 181 games for Detroit over the past three seasons and logged a 2.93 ERA and a 2.71 ERA over 187-and-a-third innings. Moreover, he is currently the team’s closer. Vest’s 2025 ledger includes 23 saves to go with a 3.01 ERA and a 2.71 FIP, and he recorded the final out in both of the club’s Wild Card wins over Cleveland. If the Tigers go on to beat the Mariners in the ALDS, Vest will likely have played a key role.

He could easily be pitching for Seattle. As related by Dan Hubbs in a piece that ran here at FanGraphs two weeks ago, the Mariners took Vest in December 2020’s Rule-5 draft, only to return him to the Tigers the following July. Hubbs had departed as Detroit’s director of pitching development by the time Vest was reacquired, but he was, and remains to this day, bullish on the righty’s raw ability.

Vest was one of three pitchers (Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal were the others) whose development process the now-Athletics’ bullpen coach looked back on in the September 23 article. Spin rates that were “off the charts” was an attribute Hubbs saw in the then-under-the-radar prospect, as were “good movement profiles on everything he threw.” For the young hurler, success at baseball’s highest level “was just a matter of him getting comfortable competing in the strike zone.“

What are Vest’s memories of working with Hubbs, and in which ways has he continued to develop in the years that have followed? Read the rest of this entry »

NEW YORK — In just the second winner-take-all postseason matchup started by two rookies — in one of the sport’s most storied rivalries, no less — 24-year-old Yankees righty Cam Schlittler utterly dominated the Red Sox lineup on Thursday, striking out 12 without a walk while scattering just five hits over eight scoreless innings. His opposite number, 23-year-old lefty Connelly Early, matched Schlittler zero for zero through the first three frames, making up with deception what he lacked in velocity, at least relative to the New York starter. Alas, a mistake by the Red Sox defense opened the door to trouble in the fourth inning, as five of the first six Yankees reached base en route to a 4-0 lead. Boston manager Alex Cora, who pulled starter Brayan Bello after 28 pitches in Game 2, left Early to throw 33 pitches in the fourth inning alone. That outburst was more than enough, as the Yankees eliminated the Red Sox from the postseason for the first time since 2003, when current manager Aaron Boone hit a walk-off home run off Tim Wakefield.

This was the sixth time the two AL East rivals squared off in the postseason, with the Red Sox riding a series winning streak that included the 2004 American League Championship Series, the 2018 AL Division Series, and the 2021 AL Wild Card Game. The only other time two rookie starters met in a winner-take-all game was in Game 7 of the 2020 NLCS, when the Dodgers’ Dustin May and the Braves’ Ian Anderson went head to head, though May pitched just one inning and Anderson three, and neither figured in the decision.

The two starters in this one began the season in Double-A, and didn’t figure to contribute substantially this season. Schlittler joined a banged-up Yankees rotation on July 9 and pitched brilliantly during the second half, overpowering batters with a four-seam fastball that averaged 98.0 mph as well as an effective cutter. He posted a 2.96 ERA and 3.74 FIP with a 27.6% strikeout rate in 14 starts, and was an easy choice for Boone to start Game 3 following Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. By contrast, Early only debuted on September 9, and pitched brilliantly (2.33 ERA, 0.91 FIP) but might not have made the postseason roster — or at least would not have started — had Lucas Giolito not been sidelined by elbow trouble. While Garrett Crochet’s 7 2/3 innings in Game 1 required Cora to use only closer Aroldis Chapman in relief, the manager didn’t like what he saw from Bello in Game 2 and pulled him with one out in the third, leaving him to call upon six relievers, one of whom (Garrett Whitlock) threw a season-high 47 pitches and gave up the winning run. Read the rest of this entry »

NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm Jr. was not a happy camper on Tuesday night. Despite a 31-homer, 31-steal season that included a solid showing against left-handed pitching, he spent the first seven innings of the Wild Card Series opener against the Red Sox on the bench instead of facing lefty Garrett Crochet. After the Yankees’ 3-1 loss, he was left muttering almost inaudibly at his locker with his back to reporters — a surreal scene. Back in the lineup on Wednesday night against righty Brayan Bello, Chisholm went 0-for-3 but made huge contributions on both sides of the ball, with two standout defensive plays and an eighth-inning walk that turned into the decisive run when he motored home from first base on Austin Wells’ long go-ahead single. The Yankees’ 4-3 win kept their season alive, pushing the series to Game 3.

Despite hitting a respectable .248/.322/.411 (106 wRC+) against lefties this year (compared to .240/.336/.508, 134 wRC+ against righties), Chisholm sat on Tuesday night in favor of righty Amed Rosario — who played just one game at second base after being acquired from the Nationals on July 26 — apparently on the basis of Rosario’s owning a 6-for-9 career line with two extra-base hits against Crochet entering play Tuesday. Rosario went hitless in three plate appearances against the Boston ace before yielding to Chisholm in the eighth inning; Chisholm flied out with the bases loaded in the ninth against Aroldis Chapman.

Manager Aaron Boone wasn’t worried that Chisholm’s disappointment at being left out of the lineup would carry over into Game 2. “I don’t need him to put a happy face on,” Boone said Wednesday afternoon. “I need him to go out and play his butt off for us tonight. That’s what I expect to happen.” Read the rest of this entry »

Dansby Swanson brought home back-to-back Gold Gloves in 2022 with the Braves and ’23 with the Cubs while leading the majors in Statcast’s Fielding Run Value in both seasons. Although he hasn’t added any hardware to his collection since then, and while his defensive metrics have slipped, he still grades out as comfortably above average in both FRV and Defensive Runs Saved. His defensive acumen was on display in Tuesday’s Wild Card Series opener between the Cubs and Padres, as he made a couple of pivotal, run-saving plays in Chicago’s 3-1 victory.

The Padres had taken the lead in the second inning, when Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts opened the frame with back-to-back doubles off Matthew Boyd; Bogaerts took third when center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong’s relay spurted away from Nico Hoerner at second base. Ryan O’Hearn then hit a sizzling 101-mph groundball, and Swanson, who was shaded up the middle, dove to his right to stop it. He looked Bogaerts back to third base, then threw to first for the out. The play loomed large as Bogaerts ended up stranded.

The Padres threatened again in the fourth, when Manny Machado drew a leadoff walk and took second on Merrill’s sacrifice bunt. Bogaerts legged out a chopper into the no-man’s land to the right of the mound for an infield single, and San Diego appeared poised to capitalize when O’Hearn hit a flare into shallow center field. Swanson had other ideas, making a great over-the-shoulder snag of the ball, then in one motion turning to fire home to keep Machado honest.

Read the rest of this entry »

NEW YORK – One day before taking the mound at Yankee Stadium for the most important game of his life, Garrett Crochet sat in the visitor’s dugout with Alex Cora. A few members of the front office were out in the bullpen, and Cora told his ace that it’d be fun to give them a call.

“Tomorrow you are going to make one call to the bullpen,” Crochet said. “Maybe two,” the manager responded.

But the 26-year-old lefty was adamant. One pitching change, with Aroldis Chapman closing things out, was all it would take for the Red Sox to beat the Yankees in Game 1 of the best-of-three AL Wild Card Series.

So, naturally, that’s exactly what happened. Crochet dominated the best offense in baseball across 7 2/3 innings. He allowed one run, four hits, no walks, and struck out 11 before he was finally pulled after 117 pitches, the most he’d ever thrown in the majors. Cora called on Chapman, who secured a four-out save and a 3-1 Boston win. Read the rest of this entry »

For the third time in the past eight seasons, and the sixth time since 1999, one of the game’s most storied rivalries has spilled over into the playoffs. In the matchup of the top two AL Wild Card seeds, the Yankees (94-68) host the Red Sox (89-73) for a best-of-three series at Yankee Stadium. Though they won 11 of their last 12 to erase a five-game lead in the AL East by the Blue Jays, the Yankees lost their season series tiebreaker to Toronto, 8-5, bumping them into the Wild Card round, making their road to return to the World Series that much harder.

The Red Sox have taken the past three postseason matchups between the two clubs, most recently beating the Yankees in the 2021 AL Wild Card Game at Fenway Park and before that the 2018 Division Series. You have to dial back to 2003 for the last time the Yankees defeated the Red Sox in October — with current manager Aaron Boone hitting a walk-off homer off Tim Wakefield to send New York to the World Series.

In terms of more recent and somewhat more relevant history, the Red Sox did win the season series, 9-4, and took seven out of nine at Yankee Stadium. That said, the Yankees won three of the final four games between the two teams. Read the rest of this entry »

Carlos Narváez has far exceeded expectations this season. Acquired by the Red Sox from the Yankees last winter in exchange for 22-year-old pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, Narváez went into spring training hoping to earn a job as Boston’s backup catcher. He did much more than that. The 26-year-old backstop went on to claim the starting job, and he heads into the final day of the regular season with 15 home runs and a 97 wRC+ over 446 plate appearances. A plus defender, Narváez has 12 defensive runs saved and 2.7 WAR.

Back in spring training, Alex Cora said something about the still-unproven — just six games of MLB experience — native of Maracay, Venezuela that caught my attention.

“He had a great offseason, playing in winter ball,” the Red Sox manager told a group of reporters, including yours truly. “Learned a lot about the offensive side of it. Very Gleyber-like as far as his swing. He can stay inside the ball and drive it.”

I stored away those quotes, thinking they might be worth revisiting if Narváez were to not only make the team, but also end up contributing with the bat. Six months later, I did just that. Reminding him of what he’d said in Fort Myers, I asked Cora if Narváez still has a Gleyber Torres-like swing. Read the rest of this entry »

Kyle Harrison is morphing into a different pitcher than the one the Red Sox acquired from the Giants as part of June’s jaw-dropping Rafael Devers deal. That was the plan when Boston brought him on board, as evidenced by the 24-year-old southpaw’s having spent close to three months in Triple-A following the swap. With 182 2/3 big league innings under his belt, the former top-rated prospect in the San Francisco system was sent to Worcester to have his repertoire reconfigured.

His primary weapons remain largely the same. Harrison still attacks hitters with a one-two combo that Eric Longenhagen called “an uphill fastball” and “a big bending breaking ball.” The former is an 94.8-mph heater, while the latter is an 84.2-mph offering that is categorized as a slurve.

And then there are the new additions.

“First and foremost, there is the cutter,” said Harrison, who has made two appearances and allowed one run over nine innings since making his Red Sox debut on September 10. “There is also a sinker that I can mix in to lefties. I have a new changeup grip, as well. Everything else is the same. The four-seam is kind of how I’ve always been identified — and I still have the slurve — so now it’s been about adding the other secondary stuff to protect it.”

Harrison mentioned adding a cutter when I spoke to him early last season, but the pitch never really took hold. Per Baseball Savant, he threw only six of them in 2024. As for the changeup, there have been multiple iterations. After tweaking his original grip last year, he is now a member of the kick change generation. Read the rest of this entry »