Some uninspiring offense from some notable names balance out with some gutsy performances on the mound.
I missed everyone all winter! Doing these is always like getting back on a bike. The WooSox bats would probably say the same, as you may notice a trend in the scorecard.
But before I dig into the Saturday game, let’s look at roster composition in Worcester and who may spend some time up in Boston this year. The two remaining members of the Big Three are probably a no-brainer, but it’s also intriguing that Trayce Thompson, an outfielder, is seeing some time batting cleanup and spent a lot of time playing with the regulars during Spring Training. I’d look at the 34-year-old as a name to watch should (knock on wood) something happen injury-wise and Roman Anthony is not prepared yet.
Also, the team could be doing some gymnastics at the backup catcher between Carlos Narvaez and Worcester’s starter Blake Sabol. You all know how I feel about Nick Sogard, who was the team’s 27th man last year. And the pitching staff, besides an obvious intriguing prospect in Hunter Dobbins, has some noteworthy guys who could bounce back and forth and still have remaining options, like Josh Winckowski, Isaiah Campbell and Jovani Moran, two of whom pitched in Friday’s Opening Day. So let’s get into it. (Man, I missed saying that!)
Let’s just first dig inside the box score and break down the top and bottom of the order:
Top of lineup: 0-15, 7 Ks
Bottom of lineup: 6-18
Now, I know it’s Opening Day,and Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer are still figuring out AAA pitching, so let’s give them a pass here. It also doesn’t help that they faced Blake Tidwell, a tantalizing pitching prospect and a second-round-draft pick from 2022. But in terms of this game, if you can blame one thing loss, I’d point here. Roman Anthony did show some gumption to gather two walks, though, but when guys behind him can’t get on base, it’s all for naught. Overall, the team was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded 8. The first WooSox home run of the season? Abraham Toro. Probably not the betting favorite for that, but I’ll take it!
On the mound, Robert Stock starting opening day was definitely… a decision. But he proved to be the right one, as he couldn’t quite muster the 5 innings needed to get a decision, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. He did strike out six Mets along the way, before Josh Winckowski pitched three innings and got himself into a bit of trouble in his final frame giving up a home run to Jackson Reetz, tying the game before Isaiah Campbell allowed a couple runs in his inning of work. Nick Burdi finished out the night, but in a low-leverage ninth inning, and the bats couldn’t recover. It is interesting, by the way, how the team continues to stretch ou Josh Winckowski’s appearances no matter where he falls in the organization. To me, he’s a swiss army knife: you can really use him wherever you’re short. Which, knock on wood, the Red Sox won’t be short anywhere that necessitates a Winckowski three-or-four-inning outing in 2025.
