August 23, 2018 at 1:00 PM
Minor Notes: Darwinzon Hernandez promoted; Rodriguez succeeds in rehab stint
Here are Thursday's Minor Notes:
- SoxProspects.com's own Ian Cundall released a Scouting Scratch on Mike Shawaryn on Monday. Cundall saw Shawaryn's debut at Triple-A Pawtucket on August 3 and provided a detailed scouting report on the 2016 fifth-rounder.
- Darwinzon Hernandez (pictured) reached Portland for the first time on Wednesday as he and Jared Oliver swapped places on the Sea Dogs' and Salem's rosters. He made his first relief appearance since 2015 in the DSL, allowing an unearned run in one inning of work. He walked one batter and struck out one more but also drilled two New Hampshire Fisher Cats. You can read all about his exploits as well as what the rest of the farm was up to on Thursday's Cup of Coffee.
- The day prior, Pawtucket completed a suspended game from July 5 and both Josh Ockimey and Travis Lakins appeared in the game, meaning they each made their Triple-A debut weeks before they were promoted. Ockimey hit a home run and Cundall made it up to Portland in Wednesday's Cup of Coffee.
- Eduardo Rodriguez may be close to returning to the big club after spraining his ankle on July 14 as he pitched four innings for Portland on Tuesday. He struck out an impressive eight batters in his outing, detailed in the Cup of Coffee.
- In Rodriguez' rehab start, he opposed Aaron Sanchez, who was also ramping back up for the Blue Jays. The Portland Press Herald's Kevin Thomas had the story.
- Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy discussed the possibility that Curt Schilling's failed 38 Studios could have killed the PawSox on Wednesday. Last week, the team announced they were moving from Pawtucket to Worcester, in part because Rhode Island's offer for taxpayer assistance was not as good as what was promised in Massachusetts.
- Jim Gillis wrote a column for the Providence Journal about the move for the Triple-A franchise, condemning those who allowed it to happen.
- MassLive.com's Matt Vautour discussed how the new franchise in Worcester can make itself truly a fabric of the city, giving ideas from replicating the postcards citizens of Worcester sent to ownership to having the ballpark host games between some of the local colleges.
- Old friend Michael Kopech, traded to the White Sox in the Chris Sale deal, made his major league debut on Tuesday.