Cup of Coffee: White homers twice; The Password stays hot

5/31 Cup of Coffee: While we normally avoid using nicknames on the News page, Jhostynxon Garcia being a Jeopardy! clue will help this moniker stick. In Greenville, Hudson White (pictured) and Michael Sansone led the Drive to a sweep of its doubleheader. 

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 3, Worcester Red Sox 1

The game was scoreless through seven, but the RailRiders prevailed in the battle of the bullpens. Cooper Criswell fired five shutout innings with six strikeouts, and Luis Guerrero and Zack Kelly also kept things scoreless in their innings. All the damage come off of Alex Hoppe in the eighth. Worcester left 11 men on base as it could not capitalize on its 10 hits. Yasmani Grandal went 3 for 4 with an RBI, while Jhostynxon Garcia stayed hot as he went 2 for 5 with a double. Tyler McDonough went 1 for 4 with a double, and Roman Anthony went 1 for 5 with a strikeout. 

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Portland Sea Dogs @ Altoona Curve (PIT), Suspended

Friday's game was suspended in the fifth inning as Portland held a 3-1 lead. It will be completed on Saturday. 

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Cup of Coffee: Sandlin spins gem for Portland; Arias stays hot with 4 hits in Greenville

5/30 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 5-1 on Thursday. Brian Van Belle and Jhostynxon Garcia propelled Worcester to a tight win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. David Sandlin (pictured), Caden Rose, and Blaze Jordan were among the standout performers in Portland's doubleheader sweep of Altoona. Franklin Arias tallied four hits while Nelly Taylor and Andy Lugo both homered in Greenville's victory over Jersey Shore. Eybersson Polanco struck out the side in a scoreless relief appearance for Salem. Gerardo Rodriguez delivered in the clutch for the FCL Red Sox. 

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Worcester Red Sox 3, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 2

Brian Van Belle put together another strong start for Worcester. The 28-year-old right-hander scattered seven hits and walked only one while striking out five over seven scoreless innings. He threw 86 pitches (65 strikes) and generated 13 swings and misses. Fellow righty Bryan Mata took over for Van Belle in the eighth inning and then surrendered two runs on four hits in the ninth, but held on to notch the first save of his professional career.

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Cup of Coffee: Rodriguez drives in five; Murphy pitches for first time since 2023

5/29 Cup of Coffee: It was an eventful night in Greenville, as Chris Murphy (pictured) made his return to the mound, Eduardo Rivera struck out eight, and Yophery Rodriguez led a 10-run attack with five RBI. Salem split a doubleheader, allowing just one run in the two games combined. Roman Anthony crushed another extra-base hit in Worcester's win. 

 

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Worcester Red Sox 5, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 4

Roman Anthony got the Sox going in the fourth inning with a leadoff double off the wall in left center field. The two-bagger went 106.8 mph off Anthony's bat and came off of a left-handed pitcher. He would come around to score on an RBI triple from Nate Eaton. Eaton added a double as well and scored two runs. Seby Zavala belted a solo home run in the ninth inning, his first long ball of the year. Trayce Thompson reached base three times with two singles and a walk, and Ryan Noda singled and drove in two runs. Zach Penrod made his second appearance of the year, tossing a perfect first inning on 13 pitches. Robert Stock followed him by throwing four solid innings, allowing just one unearned run. He struck out three and walked three. Austin Adams struggled, surrendering three runs in just 2/3 of an inning. Isaiah Campbell threw 1 1/3 scoreless frames that included three strikeouts. Luis Guerrero and Alex Hoppe closed it out with shutout innings in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively.

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Cup of Coffee: Anthony homers in WooSox loss; Wehunt strikes out nine

5/28 Cup of Coffee: Tuesday was a tough night for the Red Sox affiliates as the teams were 0-4 on the night while Greenville and Salem were rained out. Roman Anthony, Nate Eaton, and Nathan Hickey homered for the WooSox but the pitching staff was hit hard in a bullpen game. Blake Wehunt (pictured) struck out nine batters in a strong start for the Sea Dogs but the lineup was unable to provide him with any run support outside of a two-run homer by Blaze Jordan. The FCL Red Sox picked up just four hits total across both games of a doubleheader against the Rays, losing both contests. 

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Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) 11, Worcester Red Sox 6

All eyes are on Roman Anthony with the Red Sox' recent struggles and Marcelo Mayer's promotion to the big league team over the weekend. The 21-year old slugger has been on a tear and continued his hot streak with a 115.5 mph home run leading off Tuesday night's game. Nate Eaton followed Anthony with a two-run homer to give the WooSox a 3-0 lead in the first. The WooSox added runs in the fourth and fifth on a Ryan Noda sacrifice fly and an RBI forceout by Anthony. However, the offense stalled in the later innings and Worcester was unable to hang onto the lead. Nathan Hickey hit a solo home run in the eighth inning as part of an impressive performance in which he went 2 for 3 with two runs and a walk. 

The WooSox trotted out Wyatt Mills to start a bullpen game. Mills threw the first two innings, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out three. The RailRiders strung together rallies against Brendan Cellucci in both the third and fifth innings, as the southpaw allowed five runs on nine hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings. Jose Adames was also knocked around, as he allowed four runs on four hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. Wyatt Olds finished the game with two shutout innings, striking out three and allowing one hit. 

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Minor Notes: Mayer makes MLB debut, gets first career hit

It has been a rough go of late for the big league club, but one of the most anticipated debuts we have seen in a while has happened, as the third-ranked prospect in the system made it to the show. 

Mayer makes MLB debut

Marcelo Mayer (pictured, left), who is currently ranked third at SoxProspects.com and ranked in the top 10 nationally, has made his MLB debut. His first game came on Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader with the Orioles. The WooSox also had a doubleheader that day, and Mayer was driven to Boston after Worcester's first game. He picked up his first career hit on Sunday with a solid line drive to left field. Later in the game, he roped his first extra-base hit, a double to the gap in right center field. He is 3 for 12 so far and has played third base in all three games, as it appears Boston will be without Alex Bregman for a good chunk of time. 

New podcast episode

In the 364th edition of the SoxProspects.com podcast, Chris and Ian dive into several minor league topics. They discuss recent promotions, including Jhostynxon Garcia, as well as some players beginning rehab assignments. They also talk about Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony, as well as Noah Song, who is back pitching again. 

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Cup of Coffee: Garcia homers for first time in 2025; Gartrell continues rehab in FCL

5/27 Cup of Coffee: The FCL Red Sox were the only one of Boston's affiliates in action on Monday. Behind a two-run homer from Johanfran Garcia (pictured) and solid pitching from three righties, they defeated the FCL Braves, 5-1, at JetBlue Park to improve to 6-10 on the season.

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FCL Red Sox 5, FCL Braves 1

Joey Gartrell continued his rehab assignment and made his first start for the FCL Red Sox. The 21-year-old righty scattered two hits and one walk while striking out a pair over two scoreless innings. Fellow rehabber Calvin Bickerstaff took over in the third and allowed one earned run on one hit, one walk, and one strikeout across two innings to pick up the first win of his professional career. Jesus Travieso then spun three shutout frames to end it and lock down his first pro save.

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Cup of Coffee: Anthony drives in two; Mullins returns to the mound

5/26 Cup of Coffee: Worcester is hoping for good news after Jhostynxon Garcia was pulled from the game with an injury. In Portland, Hayden Mullins returned from injury, while Zach Ehrhard (pictured) had his best game since being promoted. Franklin Arias and Brooks Brannon were the lone bright spots for Greenville, and Freili Encarnacion had another strong game for Salem.

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Worcester Red Sox 3, Durham Bulls (TB) 1

An injury scare for Jhostynxon Garcia overshadowed a series-clinching win for the WooSox. Garcia appeared to injure his side and was replaced by Corey Rosier in the sixth inning. There is no word yet on the severity of the injury. Roman Anthony provided all the offense Worcester would need, driving in two runs as part of a 2-for-4 day. Nathan Hickey went 2 for 3, and Ryan Noda went 2 for 4. Cooper Criswell, Brian Van Belle, and Alex Hoppe each threw two scoreless innings, and Nick Burdi converted his fourth save with a clean ninth. 

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Cup of Coffee: With Mayer in Boston, Garcia grabs Worcester spotlight

5/25 Cup of Coffee: There was plenty of action down on the farm beyond Marcelo Mayer searching in vain for his car keys. While the 2021 first-round pick made his way to Boston, every affiliate in action picked up a win, with the only loss coming in the nightcap of Worcester's doubleheader. Jhostynxon Garcia (pictured) had five hits across the twinbill for the WooSox. Connelly Early and Brandon Clarke continued their outstanding seasons with strong outings to lead Portland and Greenville. Noah Song joined Salem to continue his rehab, while Zach Penrod began an assignment in the FCL.

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Worcester Red Sox 2, Durham Bulls (TB) 1 (Game 1)

The post-Marcelo Mayer era kicked off in Worcester with a doubleheader. The opener was a thriller, with both teams matching zeroes for the first six innings. Durham plated a run in the top of the seventh, but the WooSox walked off on a Nate Eaton base hit that scored Tyler McDonough and Jhostynxon Garcia. Garcia led the offense, going 3 for 4. Eaton, McDonough, and Vaughn Grissom each had two hits, with McDonough also swiping a bag. Roman Anthony, the last of the Big Three left in Triple-A, was held hitless but did draw a walk. Tyler Uberstine was excellent in his start, scattering five hits across five scoreless frames, striking out seven without issuing a walk. Austin Adams struck out all three batters he faced, while Isaiah Campbell was the beneficiary of the comeback, getting credit for the win. 

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Cup of Coffee: Greenville falls despite efforts of Tolle, Brannon

5/24 Cup of Coffee: All five affiliates were able to get at least one contest in on Friday as teams in the northeast continue to navigate the ongoing wet weather. Worcester was scheduled for a doubleheader but played only the opener, with usual suspects Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Jhostynxon Garcia leading the way. In a shutout victory, Portland received outstanding pitching from David Sandlin and a returning Isaac Coffey. A four-hit night by Brooks Brannon (pictured) and a nine-strikeout effort by Payton Tolle went for naught in Greenville's loss. Yhoiker Fajardo continued to impress as the FCL Sox fell, while Salem dropped its contest in extra innings. 

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Worcester Red Sox 5, Durham Bulls (TB) 4 (Game 1)

Worcester's three top prospects combined to go 6 for 11 with all five of the team's runs in what was scheduled to be the opener of a doubleheader. Roman Anthony set the table out of the leadoff spot, going 2 for 3 with a walk, scoring twice. Marcelo Mayer and Jhostynxon Garcia both homered as part of matching 2-for-4 efforts. Garcia blasted a solo shot in the first, while Mayer's two-run homer came in the third. In his return to the Worcester lineup, Vaughn Grissom plated Mayer with a bases-loaded walk-off base hit. Grissom had missed Worcester's three previous games with a lower back strain. Starter Robert Stock allowed four runs (three earned) in four innings, walking and striking out four. Zack Kelly struck out four batters in two hitless innings, and Nick Burdi pitched a perfect seventh to get credit for the win.

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Podcast Ep #364: Singing a New Song

Plenty of news on the farm for the guys to discuss: The Password leads a set of promotions while his brother is among a set of players starting rehab assignments, there's evidence that the promotions of Roman Anthony and/or Marcelo Mayer may be approaching, and oh yeah... Noah Song is back again. Your emails led the conversation as well. Listen in!

Love the show? Want to help us out while also getting exclusive goodies? Support the podcast by contributing to us on Patreon! Go to SoxProspects on Patreon for the details.

A special thank you to The Ludlow Thieves for our intro/outro song, All the Money. Check them out on YouTube and Spotify.

Got something to say? We love talking about what you want to hear about. Make sure to email us at podcast@soxprospects.com.

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Cup of Coffee: Fitts rehabs in Portland; Arias, Yuten among top offensive performers

5/23 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went a perfect 4-0 on Thursday. Like the big club, Worcester was rained out. Up the road in Portland, Richard Fitts tossed three scoreless innings in a rehab start while Blaze Jordan, Caden Rose, and Marvin Alcantara combined for six hits. Behind four hits from Franklin Arias and solid pitching from Noah Dean, Michael Sansone, and Isaac Stebens, Greenville held on for a one-run win over Bowling Green. In Salem, Griffin Kilander impressed out of the bullpen while Natanael Yuten (pictured) homered as part of a three-hit effort. And in the FCL, Yohander Linarez crushed a grand slam while Yan Cruz clobbered his first professional home run.

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Durham Bulls (TB) @ Worcester Red Sox (PPD)

Thursday morning's contest between Durham and Worcester at Polar Park was postponed due to inclement weather. It will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader beginning at 4:05 p.m. ET on Friday afternoon.

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Cup of Coffee: Rivera punches out nine; Arias collects four hits

5/22 Cup of Coffee: Eduardo Rivera (pictured) was fantastic in his start for Greenville, leading them to a win with 4 2/3 no-hit innings in game one of their doubleheader. That ended up being the only win of the night in the system, as Portland was swept in a doubleheader by Reading. Franklin Arias had four hits and three RBI combined in Greenville's two games.

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Durham Bulls (TB) 7, Worcester Red Sox 4 (10 innings)

Trayce Thompson hit a huge home run in the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie, but the Sox bullpen couldn't hold it. He also walked and swiped his sixth base of the year. In his second game with the WooSox, Jhostynxon Garcia picked up two hits in five trips to the plate, including a double. Tyler McDonough picked up a couple of doubles as well. Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer were each held hitless, but they combined to draw five walks, with Mayer taking three free passes. It was a bullpen game for Worcester, as Wyatt Mills, Alex Hoppe, and Brendan Cellucci each threw two innings to begin the game. Mills and Cellucci did not give up any runs, and Hoppe struck out four while allowing two runs. Bryan Mata tossed a shutout inning with one strikeout as well. Luis Guerrero allowed the game-tying home run in the ninth inning to old friend Jamie Westbrook. 

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Cup of Coffee: Garcia homers in Triple-A debut; Monegro strikes out ten

5/21 Cup of Coffee: The Red Sox affiliates went 3-1 on a night full of impressive debuts in the system. Fresh off a promotion to Triple-A, Jhostynxon Garcia hit a three-run homer in a WooSox win. The Sea Dogs emerged victorious in a close pitching duel against Reading, with Yordanny Monegro (pictured) striking out 10 in a phenomenal performance. In the FCL, Noah Song threw two excellent innings and Johanfran Garcia drove in a pair of runs in their first appearances of the season. 

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Worcester Red Sox 8, Durham Bulls (TB) 2

The Triple-A debut of 13th-ranked prospect Jhostynxon Garcia headlined Worcester's series opener against the Bulls. Garcia batted third and played center field and he turned in a strong first game for the WooSox, blasting a three-run homer in the eighth and drawing a walk in a 1-for-4 night. Garcia has been slashing .256/.355/.393 in 33 games with Portland prior to his promotion. Worcester's top two prospects also got in on the action as Roman Anthony drilled a solo home run in the sixth inning and was 1 for 3 with two walks, while Marcelo Mayer was 1 for 5 with an RBI single in the eighth. 

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Minor Notes: Pair of prospects earn promotion, others highlighted

Another week of Minor League Baseball is in the books and with it came a noteworthy promotions, and a pair of firsts for former Red Sox prospects. 

New Podcast Episode

With the Red Sox continuing to play mediocre baseball, Ian and Chris break down the big league club as well as the latest rankings and Ian's reports from his time spent with the Sea Dogs in Portland in the newest episode of the podcast.

Garcia, Ehrhard earn promotions

Following Portland's 4-1 win over Somerset to conclude its series, it was announced that outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia was promoted to AAA Worcester. Garcia, the 13th-ranked prospect in the system, has started the season strong producing a .256/.355/.393 statline across 138 plate appearances. While the power has been slow to start, Garcia has increased his walk rate to 13.4%. 

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Cup of Coffee: Travieso, Rodriguez combine for 13 Ks in FCL

5/20 Cup of Coffee: The FCL Red Sox were the only affiliate in action on Monday, and they fell to the FCL Orioles by a final score of 6-2 to drop to 2-9 on the season. 

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FCL Orioles 6, FCL Red Sox 2

Jesus Travieso took the loss in his third start for the Red Sox. The 18-year-old right-hander allowed two earned runs on four hits (including a solo homer), no walks, and a career-high eight strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings. Fellow righty Wuilliams Rodriguez (pictured) took over out of the bullpen and yielded one unearned run on four hits, no walks, and a season-high five strikeouts across 3 1/3 innings. Nicolas De La Cruz surrendered three additional runs in the top of the ninth.

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Cup of Coffee: Early strikes out eight; Garcia says farewell to Portland

5/19 Cup of Coffee: Roman Anthony's two extra-base hits were not enough in a tough loss for Worcester. Jhostynxon Garcia's promotion overshadowed another strong start from Connelly Early in Portland, while Kelvin Diaz (pictured) launched two home runs for Salem. 

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 8, Worcester Red Sox 4

Buffalo earned a series split by doubling up the WooSox on Sunday. It was a bullpen game for Worcester with Wyatt Mills allowing one run over the first two innings. Bryan Mata allowed three runs (two earned) over the next two innings, and Austin Adams took the loss after giving up a two-run home run in the fifth. Roman Anthony reached base three times, going 2 for 4 with two doubles and a walk, and Trayce Thompson went 2 for 4 with his fourth home run. Karson Simas and Corey Rosier offered solid production at the bottom of the order, with Simas going 1 for 3 with a double and a walk, and Rosier going 1 for 4 with a double and two RBI. 

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Cup of Coffee: Salem mounts late comeback, Ehrhard continues to star

Cup of Coffee 5/18: It was a tough Saturday across Boston's affiliates, managing a single win across five games. In Salem, it took a late-inning rally to snap a long losing streak thanks to Yoeilin Cespedes, Zach Ehrhard (pictured) reached base three times in Greenville, and the duo of Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony had strong outings in Worcester. 

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Buffalo Bison (TOR) 6, Worcester Red Sox 5

In a back-and-forth game, Worcester fought back from 3-1 and 4-3 deficits to eventually take a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth before a go-ahead home run off of Isaiah Campbell put the WooSox behind for good. Tyler Uberstine got the start and tossed five innings of three-run ball with four walks and five strikeouts. Zach Kelly and Jose Adames succeeded Uberstine in relief before Campbell, who was tagged for the loss.

After starting yesterday's contest at second base, Marcelo Mayer returned to shortstop and went 2 for 5 with a stolen base and game-tying single in the eighth inning to knot the score at 4-4, while Roman Anthony added a pair of hits as well with a walk.

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Cup of Coffee: Sikes homers twice, Anthony reaches five times in WooSox romp

5/17 Cup of Coffee: Anyone who needed to flip away from the Celtics game would have found respite in Worcester's effort. Phillip Sikes (pictured) and top prospect Roman Anthony had big evenings in support of starter Robert Stock. The FCL Sox picked up the system's other win on the day, their second straight. Dalton Rogers was effective in his Portland debut, but the Sea Dogs fell in extra innings. Justin Gonzales had a big night in Salem's slugfest, while a Nelly Taylor-led Greenville comeback fell short. 

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Worcester Red Sox 10, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 3

The WooSox took advantage of the big inning in Buffalo, scoring four in the third and three apiece in the fourth and sixth. Phillip Sikes kicked off the scoring with his first home run of the season, a two-run blast. He followed that an inning later with a solo shot. The TCU product scored another run in the sixth after a walk. Roman Anthony was a catalyst out of the leadoff spot, reaching base five times on two singles and three walks, scoring three times. Marcelo Mayer was held hitless but walked twice and scored a run. Yasmani Grandal led off the fourth with a solo homer, his second of the year.

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Cup of Coffee: Zanetello walks it off in Greenville; FCL Red Sox throw no-hitter

5/16 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 3-3 on Thursday. Nathan Hickey homered for the third straight night in Worcester's blowout loss to Buffalo. Blake Wehunt and Yordanny Monegro combined for 12 strikeouts in their respective starts as Portland split its doubleheader with Somerset. Zach Ehrhard stayed hot while Nazzan Zanetello (pictured) played hero in Greenville's walk-off win over Hub City. Fraymi De Leon had three hits, and Yoeilin Cespedes drove in one run in Salem's loss to Charleston. In the FCL, three Red Sox pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter against the Pirates. 

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Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 12, Worcester Red Sox 1

Jose De Leon struggled in his start for Worcester, surrendering five earned runs on five hits (including a three-run homer), four walks, and no strikeouts over just two innings. Alex Hoppe (making his Triple-A debut), Luis Guerrero, and Austin Adams combined to yield seven additional runs out of the bullpen. At the plate, the WooSox' lone run came by way of a 422-foot solo shot off the bat of Nathan Hickey in the fifth inning. Hickey has now homered in three straight games to bring his season total up to seven. Roman Anthony tripled and Vaughn Grissom doubled for their only hits of the night.

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Podcast Ep #363: Very Mid May

The Red Sox are mid again. Why? Ian and Chris examine what's up with the MLB club, then dive into our latest rankings update, spiced up with some reports from Ian's week in Portland, where yes, they did play SOME of their scheduled games. Listen in!

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Cup of Coffee: Ehrhard's five hits power Greenville to win

5/15 Cup of Coffee: Zach Ehrhard (pictured) went off with eight total bases in Greenville's win over Hub City. Worcester also had a big offensive game, as Nathan Hickey went deep and Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony combined to reach base seven times. Yoeilin Cespedes picked up three knocks for Salem as well. 

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Worcester Red Sox 8, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 4

The Sox used a five-run fifth inning to take the lead for good. Marcelo Mayer had an RBI single in the frame before Trayce Thompson knocked in two runs with a double. Yasmani Grandal capped off the inning with a two-run single. Mayer ended 2 for 4 with a walk. Roman Anthony reached base four times from the top spot in the order with two singles and two walks. Nathan Hickey had a big game as well, going 2 for 4 with a two-run home run and a walk. Brian Van Belle started for Worcester and delivered a quality start, allowing three earned runs over six innings of work. He only punched out one, but did not walk anybody. Bryan Mata came on after Van Belle and surrendered one run on one hit in two frames. He walked three, but struck out four. Isaiah Campbell fired a clean inning of his own to close it out in the ninth.

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Cup of Coffee: Mayer, Hickey hit three-run homers in WooSox comeback

5/14 Cup of Coffee: The Red Sox affiliates were 2-2 on Tuesday night, as Portland was rained out yet again. The WooSox headlined the night with a thrilling comeback win in Buffalo, as three-run homers by Marcelo Mayer and Nathan Hickey (pictured) led the charge. Eduardo Rivera delivered a dominant start, tossing five no-hit innings in a win for the Drive. Blake Aita turned in a strong start for Salem but the Red Sox bats were shut out and the FCL Red Sox dropped to 0-7 in a blowout loss.  

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Worcester Red Sox 10, Buffalo Bisons (TOR) 7

The WooSox pulled off an incredible comeback in their series opener against the Bisons. Down 7-1 entering the eighth inning, Worcester brought the game within reach on back-to-back homers, including a three-run blast off the bat of Nathan Hickey and a solo shot by Trayce Thompson. The WooSox completed their comeback in the ninth, taking the lead on a three-run homer by Marcelo Mayer and tacking on an insurance run with an RBI single for Nathan Hickey. Mayer and Hickey were the offensive stars for Worcester, as they each went 2 for 4 with a home run and a walk. Thompson and Alex Binelas were both 2 for 5 with a solo home run. 

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Minor Notes: New rankings as Tolle, Clarke, others rise up

It was a big week for rankings, as three fresh lists are ready to go, including SoxProspects' Top 60 list. First base has also been a huge topic of late, and we have a new podcast out laying everything out.

New podcast episode 

With the Red Sox' first base situation being a sizzling topic in the last week, Chris and Ian took some time to lay out their thoughts on the 362nd edition of the SoxProspects.com podcast. In addition to digging into the team's options at first, they also talk about recent promotions, the FCL, and answer some questions. 

Updated rankings 

The latest update of the SoxProspects.com rankings has been released, with a trio of left-handed pitchers rising up the ranks, while others make their debut on the list. Payton Tolle, the Sox second round draft pick last summer, jumps into the top 10 at number eight. He has been terrific for the Drive this year, with 34 strikeouts and just six walks in 19 2/3 frames. Another lefty drafted in 2024, Brandon Clarke (pictured, left), moves up to the 12th spot after a hot start to the season. He has a 1.62 ERA with 30 strikeouts and three walks with Salem and Greenville this year. Shane Drohan also makes a sizable leap, going from 45th to 29th. John Holobetz, a right-handed pitcher just acquired from Milwaukee to complete the Quinn Priester trade, debuts at 54th. Another trade acquisition from January of this year, Matt McShane, gets onto the list at 59th. He is a right-handed pitcher who was drafted by Pittsburgh in the 13th round last year and was dealt to Boston for Chase Shugart. Check out the rest of the rankings on the SoxProspects.com homepage. 

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Cup of Coffee: Florida Complex League Red Sox rained out

5/13 Cup of Coffee: Jesus Travieso (pictured) was in line to start for the FCL Red Sox on Monday before all seven games in the Florida Complex League were rained out.

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FCL Red Sox @ FCL Rays (PPD)

The 0-6 FCL Red Sox will have to wait at least one more day to secure their first win of the season, as Monday's contest against the FCL Rays in Port Charlotte was postponed due to rain. It is tentatively scheduled to be made up as part of a doubleheader on May 27.

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Cup of Coffee: Another walk-off hit for Garcia; Sandlin and Early rack up the strikeouts

5/12 Cup of Coffee: The Red Sox pitching depth may have taken another hit, as Josh Winckowski left his start early on Sunday. In Portland, Jhostynxon Garcia (pictured), David Sandlin, and Connelly Early were all big factors in an extra-innings victory. Brandon Clarke had an up-and-down start for the Drive, while Yosander Asencio launched a home run for Salem. 

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Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 6, Worcester Red Sox 0

Roman Anthony and Vaughn Grissom combined to reach base five times, but the rest of the lineup was quiet in a shutout loss. Anthony finished 2 for 3 with a walk, and Grissom went 2 for 4 with his ninth double. The other seven starters went 1 for 24. Josh Winckowski was excellent over the first 3 1/3 innings, striking out four while allowing just a bloop single. He was removed from the game after a visit from the trainers. The team has not announced an official injury designation, but he appeared to favor his right elbow. The IronPigs did most of their damage off of José De León, but Luis Guerrero kept them off the board with two scoreless frames. 

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Cup of Coffee: Garcia walks it off for Portland, Tolle takes the mound for Greenville

Cup of Coffee 5/11: It was a mixed bag of results across the Boston affiliates on Saturday. Jhostynxon Garcia (pictured) helped cap a comeback with a walk-off home run in Portland, Jeremy Wu-Yelland made his Doublet-A debut, and Payton Tolle toed the mound following his impressive 12-strikeout outing last week. 

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Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (PHI) 5, Worcester Red Sox 2

A relatively slow night for the WooSox offense led to the team's third straight loss, scattering five hits and a lone extra base hit across the contest. Blake Sabol led the way for Worcester with a pair of hits as well as driving in both runs.

On the mound Robert Stock took the loss after allowing four runs and six hits across 5 2/3 innings while adding six strikeouts. Zack Kelly took over for Stock in the sixth inning and continued to struggle with his command, walking four and allowing a run. Kelly has now walked 12 hitters across seven innings of work since being sent to Triple-A.

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Cup of Coffee: Cespedes, Nunez power Salem romp

5/10 Cup of Coffee: While Portland continues to get little cooperation from the weather, the rest of the affiliates split in Friday action. A pair of ranked pitchers got the call to make their organizational debuts. John Holobetz, formerly of the Brewers, got plenty of support in a winning effort in Greenville. Yhoiker Fajardo, ex-White Sox arm, was solid but got little help in the FCL. Yoeilin Cespedes (pictured) and Starlyn Nunez led a Salem win, while Worcester dropped a walk-off despite a Nathan Hickey grand slam and a good night from Marcelo Mayer.

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Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 5, Worcester Red Sox 4

A 1-for-13 effort with runners in scoring position doomed the WooSox to a walk-off loss in Allentown. That hit provided all of the Worcester scoring, as Nathan Hickey blasted a sixth-inning grand slam, his fourth homer of the season. Marcelo Mayer had the only multiple-hit evening in the lineup, going 2 for 4 with a walk and a run scored. Corey Rosier singled, walked twice, and stole three bases, and Roman Anthony added a single. Starter Brian Van Belle surrendered two runs on three hits in four innings. Wyatt Mills took the loss in relief as his ninth-inning throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt allowed the winning IronPig to score.

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Cup of Coffee: Encarnacion, Salazar power Salem to victory in extras

5/9 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 1-4 on a Thursday that included one rain-shortened contest and two games that went into extra innings. Cooper Criswell struck out seven, and Nate Eaton homered as Worcester's comeback bid against Lehigh Valley fell short due to inclement weather. Mikey Romero and Blaze Jordan each had two hits, while Max Ferguson went deep in Portland's 10-inning loss to Chesapeake. Noah Dean fanned nine and Franklin Arias doubled as part of a two-hit night in Greenville's loss to Rome. Freili Encarnacion (pictured) and Kleyver Salazar combined for two homers and eight RBIs in Salem's action-packed victory over Fayetteville.

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Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 3, Worcester Red Sox 1 (7 innings)

This game was called in the top of the seventh inning due to rain. Cooper Criswell took the loss on the mound after surrendering three earned runs on four hits, three walks, one hit by pitch, and seven strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. Zack Kelly recorded the final out of the sixth inning. The offense drew a tough test, as Phillies top prospect Andrew Painter made his Triple-A debut, holding the WooSox scoreless in his three innings of work. Nate Eaton provided the only offense for Worcester by going 1 for 2 with a fourth-inning solo homer for his fourth big fly of the year. Marcelo Mayer also went 1 for 2 with a walk, while Roman Anthony drew two free passes out of the leadoff spot.

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Cup of Coffee: Taylor, Valera lead Greenville to win; Mayer doubles and triples

5/8 Cup of Coffee: Worcester had a nice comeback win against Lehigh Valley, led once again by top prospects Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer. Portland battled through some rain once again, but was able to get both games of a doubleheader in. Yordanny Monegro pitched really well in game one, while Jack Anderson turned in a nice outing in game two. Nelly Taylor (pictured) had a huge game with three extra-base hits in Greenville's win. Juan Valera was tremendous on the mound for the Drive as well. 

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Worcester Red Sox 6, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 4

Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony started a four-run rally in the eighth inning that led to a comeback win for the WooSox. After Anthony walked to lead off the frame, Mayer belted a double off the wall in right center field. Nick Sogard had an RBI single before Vaughn Grissom tied it with a sacrifice fly. Yasmani Grandal had the game-winning knock, a two-run double to right center. In the first inning, Mayer ripped an RBI triple down the right field line to score Anthony, who singled to center to lead off the game. Mayer ended up going 2 for 5 and Anthony was 2 for 4 with a pair of singles and a walk. 

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Podcast Ep. #362: First Base First

Triston Casas's season-ending injury is on everyone's mind, and Ian and Chris are here to break down the team's options. Is it as simple a situation as it seems like it should be? Meanwhile, we've got another set of promotions to discuss, the Florida Complex League season has begun, and of course, your emails round out this episode

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Cup of Coffee: Sabol's extra-inning heroics power WooSox win

5/7 Cup of Coffee: An extra-inning victory by the WooSox was the Red Sox affiliates' only win on Tuesday night. The Worcester win was highlighted by a two-homer game by Blake Sabol and six excellent innings from Josh Winckowski. Greenville and Salem received strong starts by Eduardo Rivera and Luis Cohen, respectively, but dropped close contests. The Sea Dogs were rained out and will play a doubleheader on Wednesday.

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Worcester Red Sox 6, Lehigh Valley IronPigs (PHI) 4 (10 innings)

The WooSox got the week off to a good start, earning a thrilling win with a four-run rally in the tenth inning. After two quick outs to start the inning, the WooSox loaded the bases and then promptly unloaded them on a go-ahead grand slam by Blake Sabol. Sabol had previously hit a solo home run to give the WooSox their first run of the game in the seventh inning as part of a 2-for-5 game. Center fielder Nate Eaton delivered a strong performance, going 3 for 5 with a double. 

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Minor Notes: Dobbins promoted to Boston, FCL season begins

It was an eventful week full of roster shuffling and debuts at new levels of the Red Sox system. Injuries on the major league team forced the Red Sox to turn over a few spots on the roster, headlined by Hunter Dobbins' (pictured) promotion to the big league rotation. Left-handed pitchers Brandon Clarke and Hayden Mullins made impressive debuts at new levels of the Sox system following promotions to Greenville and Portland, respectively. The FCL Red Sox opened their season on Saturday, and Conrad Cason burst onto the scene with a dominant debut in the Red Sox system.

Dobbins joins Red Sox rotation

The Red Sox placed Walker Buehler on the 15-day injured list with bursitis in his right shoulder on Friday and recalled Hunter Dobbins from Worcester. Dobbins, the 12th-ranked prospect in the system, performed well in a pair of spot starts with Boston earlier this season and will now receive a more extended look in the Red Sox rotation. Dobbins started against the Twins on Saturday and took his first major league loss, allowing four runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. Dobbins now holds a 3.78 ERA with 13 strikeouts and 4 walks in 16 2/3 major league innings. Per Chris Cotillo of MassLive, Buehler is expected to resume playing catch this week and is hopeful to miss only two or three turns through the rotation.

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Cup of Coffee: Pinto stays hot, Cason racks up more milestones in FCL

5/6 Cup of Coffee: It's the first Complex Cup of the season, as the FCL Red Sox were the only Boston affiliate in action on Monday. Avinson Pinto (pictured) built off his strong 2025 debut by collecting two more hits and stealing two bases. Conrad Cason, meanwhile, notched his first professional hit at the plate after making his first start on the mound two days prior. 

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FCL Braves 6, FCL Red Sox 2

The Red Sox fell to 0-2 on the young Florida Complex League season. Despite the loss, Avinson Pinto recorded his second straight multi-hit game out of the gate by going 2 for 3 with one double, one run scored, his first two stolen bases of the year, and one walk. Enddy Azocar and the rehabbing Seby Zavala each went 1 for 3 with a double and a walk. Tavano Baker tripled and scored a run while Conrad Cason (single) and D'Angelo Ortiz (sacrifice fly) collected the first RBIs of their professional careers.

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April Players of the Month: Roman Anthony and Brandon Clarke

The first full month of the minor league season is in the books. As such, it is time to present the SoxProspects.com Players of the Month for April in outfielder Roman Anthony (pictured, left) and left-hander Brandon Clarke (pictured, bottom right). Both prospects are currently ranked within the organization's top 20, and each has shown why they are worthy of such high marks to begin the 2025 campaign.

Anthony entered the season with lofty expectations after establishing himself as one of baseball's premier prospects in 2024. The left-handed hitting 20-year-old took part in his first major league spring training and broke camp with Worcester in late March. From March 28 through the end of April, he batted a stout .292/.423/.539 with five doubles, one triple, five home runs, 14 RBIs, 21 runs scored, two stolen bases, 21 walks, and 23 strikeouts over 25 games (111 plate appearances). Following Sunday's series finale against Toledo, he is now slashing .305/.419/.514 through 29 games (129 plate appearances) in 2025. He currently leads the WooSox in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS (.933), and walk rate (17.1 percent). 

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Cup of Coffee: Tolle strikes out 12; Jordan and Romero go deep for Portland

5/5 Cup of Coffee: After fellow 2024 draftees Brandon Clarke, Blake Aita, and Conrad Cason had strong outings earlier in the week, Payton Tolle (pictured) one-upped them with a dominant outing for Greenville. Tolle did not need any run support, but Franklin Arias provided some with a home run. Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer were a highlight again for Worcester, while Mikey Romero was great in both ends of a doubleheader for the Sea Dogs. In Salem, Andruw Musett belted two home runs in a win over Fredericksburg. 

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Toledo Mud Hens (DET) 7, Worcester Red Sox 3

Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer combined for five hits, but it was not enough to get past the Mud Hens. Starter Robert Stock allowed only two hits and struck out nine over five innings, but both of the hits were solo home runs. Zack Kelly followed with two innings of one-run ball, striking out three. Jose Adames came on in the eighth with the score tied 3-3, but he was chased after allowing three runs while only recording one out. Anthony went 3 for 5 with a steal while also being picked off, and Mayer went 2 for 5. 

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Cup of Coffee: Thompson homers in return, Gonzales and Cason make season debut

Cup of Coffee 5/4: While there was plenty of action across the Boston affiliates on Saturday, there wasn't much success as the organization went winless while having a pair or games postponed due to rain on the east coast. In Worcester, Trayce Thompson homered in his first game back after missing time and Justin Gonzales and Conrad Cason (pictured) made their anticipated season debuts in the Complex League. 

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Toledo Mud Hens (DET) 7, Worcester Red Sox 2

In a game that was split up by a nearly two-hour rain delay, Worcester took an early lead in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a two-run home run by Trayce Thompson, who was playing his first game since the middle of April. The swing by Thompson would be the only two runs Worcester would be able to muster as the pitching staff surrendered the lead in the fourth inning and could never recover. Outside of Thompson's big fly, Worcester scattered a handful of singles across the game. 

Brian Van Belle took the loss for the Red Sox as the right-hander was responsible for six hits, four runs and three home runs in 3 2/3 innings. Jose De Leon and Brendan Cellucci followed Van Belle and each were charged for an earned run.

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Cup of Coffee: Arias, Bleis deliver as Greenville drops slugfest

5/3 Cup of Coffee: Boston's four full-season affiliates earned a split on the eve of the opening of the Florida Complex League. Cooper Criswell was excellent in leading Worcester, as Marcelo Mayer returned after an injury scare. Salem staged a thrilling comeback, tying the game in the bottom of the ninth before walking off in the 10th. It was a wild South Atlantic League slugfest, with Franklin Arias (pictured) and Miguel Bleis picking up three hits apiece in a losing effort. Portland suffered just its second defeat in nine contests, falling in Manchester.

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Worcester Red Sox 5, Toledo Mud Hens (DET) 2

Cooper Criswell turned in another strong outing to lead the WooSox. The veteran righty allowed one run in six innings on an Akil Baddoo solo homer. He struck out eight while walking one as his WooSox ERA rose a touch to 1.06. Wyatt Mills allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings of relief before turning over to Nick Burdi, who struck out three of the five batters he faced to pick up the save. Corey Rosier delivered a solo homer in the fourth as part of a 2-for-3 effort. He scored twice, drove in two, and stole a base. Marcelo Mayer returned to the lineup after being scratched from Thursday's game with a back issue. He was 0 for 3 with a walk. Roman Anthony was 1 for 3, driving in a run on a sacrifice fly as part of Worcester's four-run second inning. 

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Podcast Ep. #361: April Live Looks

Ian and Chris have been out to the fields and have reports from Worcester, Portland, and Salem. Plus, the guys break down the season's first promotions of Franklin Arias, Brandon Clarke, and Hayden Mullins. 

(Note: This episode was recorded before Triston Casas' knee injury on Friday night. We'll discuss that next episode.)

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Cup of Coffee: Aita flirts with perfection, Anderson stays hot with homer in Salem

5/2 Cup of Coffee: Boston's affiliates went 4-1 on Thursday to kick off the month of May. Shane Drohan struck out seven while the rehabbing Connor Wong homered in Worcester's win over Toledo. Hayden Mullins impressed in his first Double-A start while Mikey Romero drove in a pair of runs in Portland's extra-innings win over New Hampshire. Yophery Rodriguez and Andy Lugo both homered while Juan Valera and Cooper Adams missed plenty of bats as Greenville split its doubleheader against Asheville. Finally, Antonio Anderson (pictured) and Blake Aita lifted Salem to a close win over Fredericksburg.

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Worcester Red Sox 7, Toledo Mud Hens (DET) 4

Shane Drohan picked up the win in his fifth start of the season for Worcester. The 26-year-old lefty allowed three earned runs on five hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts over five innings. All three of those runs came on a three-run homer off the bat of Jahmai Jones in the top of the fourth. He otherwise finished with 83 pitches (51 strikes) and generated 16 swings and misses. Bryan Mata surrendered an additional run in the sixth inning while Jose Adames and Isaiah Campbell combined for two scoreless frames of relief.

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Cup of Coffee: Clarke shines in Greenville debut; Romero goes deep

5/1 Cup of Coffee: Brandon Clarke (pictured) made his High-A debut and did not disappoint, dominating over 4 2/3 innings. Mikey Romero also had a nice day for Portland in their doubleheader split. Fraymi De Leon came through in the clutch for Salem in their win over Fredericksburg. 

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Toledo Mud Hens (DET) 2, Worcester Red Sox 1

The Sox dropped this one despite a solid effort from Josh Winckowski in his first start of the season at any level. The right-hander tossed five innings and allowed just two runs, both on solo home runs. He only struck out one, but also only walked one. Zack Kelly bounced back from the worst outing of his season, firing a pair of shutout innings without allowing a hit. He punched out three and walked two. Austin Adams and Nick Burdi each threw a scoreless frame with two strikeouts. The Worcester offense scattered eight hits, but only pushed one run across on an RBI groundout from Nick Sogard, who also singled and drew two walks. Corey Rosier and Nathan Hickey each went 2 for 4, while Marcelo Mayer went 1 for 3 with a single and a walk. 

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