September 15, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Minor Notes: Houck, Contreras rehab as Portland season ends
The minor league season is in its home stretch. Portland finished up its schedule a day early with Saturday's annual Field of Dreams game (pictured), while Worcester heads into the final week of its 2026 campaign.
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Houck, Contreras rehab; Oviedo to join Worcester
A pair of veterans were in action for the final week of festivities at Hadlock Field. Tanner Houck made a big step in his comeback from 2025 Tommy John surgery, making a pair of appearances for the Sea Dogs. The 2024 American League All-Star returned to the mound in the fifth inning of Tuesday's contest. He faced four batters, retiring two, walking two, and allowing one run. He was more effective on Friday, allowing one run on one hit in three innings of relief, striking out four, walking one, and facing just one batter over the minimum. He will pitch for Worcester this week, aiming to return to the major league bullpen for end of the regular season. Willson Contreras, out since August 30th with a hamstring strain, had a tidy two-game visit to Portland. He went 2 for 7 in two contests, as the designated hitter on Friday and then at first base on Saturday. He was activated for Sunday's major league game, going 2 for 3 with a walk in Boston's 4-1 win over Kansas City.
Joining Houck in Worcester will be fellow right-hander Johan Oviedo. Oviedo pitched just once this season for Boston before going on the IL with an elbow strain.
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Transactions
The transaction carousel has slowed down as the minor league levels reach their end, but there were still a number of notable moves last week.
- Portland activated Yordanny Monegro from the injured list. The 23-year-old righty made two rehab appearances with Greenville on the comeback trail from 2025 Tommy John Surgery. He was officially activated by the Sea Dogs to start on Friday, going three innings, allowing a run on three hits. Currently ranked 24th in the system, Monegro would be a minor league free agent following the season if he is not added to the 40-man roster.
- Following the end of the Greenville season, three players were promoted to Portland for its final week:
- Outfielder Isaiah Jackson, acquired in the deal that sent Vaughn Grissom to the Angels, was promoted after hitting .243/.340/.465 with 21 homers in 102 games with the Drive. Jackson had been particularly effective down the stretch, hitting .283/.373/.532 in his last 47 Greenville conests. The Arizona State Universityh product went 3 for 13 with Portland, and is ranked 29th in the system.
- Griffin Kilander rejoined Portland, having seen two appearances with the Sea Dogs during a mid-August stint. The 2024 16th-round pick posted a 5.42 ERA in 37 appearances across three levels.
- Aaron Nixon, who appeared in six games with the Drive after being cut by the Yankees organization, also joined the Sea Dogs. Originally signed by New York as an undrafted free agent, he had missed all of 2025 following Tommy John Surgery
- It was tough timing for outfielder Kristian Campbell, who was placed on the injured list with a left foot contusion, putting the end of his season in jeopardy. The 2024 SoxProspects.com Player of the Year had a resurgent second half with the WooSox, hitting .320/.440/.524 since the start of July.
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Minor League Playoff Picture
Portland did what it could, winning four out of five in its final series against Binghamton and seven of its last nine overall. However, they needed more help than they got, as Reading won four of six from Erie to finish four games ahead of Portland and 3 1/2 up on Somerset.
Worcester has a serious uphill battle to prevent a full shutout from the playoffs for the minor league system in 2026. The WooSox enter the final week three games back from first place Rochester with six games to play, while also looking up the standings at Indianapolis (1 game out of first), Scranton (2 GB), and Syracuse (2.5 GB). None of the teams ahead of them are playing head-to-head, so a comeback is possible if improbable. The WooSox will host the Durham Bulls at Polar Park, and will welcome aforementioned major leaguers Tanner Houck and Johan Oviedo.
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Podcast
This week's edition of the pod had Chris and Ian exchanging their notes from the field from their live looks at Greenville and Portland, respectively. Check it out wherever you get your podcasts.
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Players of the Week, September 7-13::
Ronald Rosario, C, Portland Sea Dogs
4 G, 5-12, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 K, .417/.533/1.250
Rosario had a power burst in the second half of the season that continued to the finish line, as he blasted three home runs in the season's final week. The most dramatic was a two-run pinch-hit blast in Tuesday's win that snapped a 6-6 tie. Since the start of July, Rosario hit .283/.339/.612 with 13 homers in 41 games.
1 GS, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
McSweeney, the journeyman right-hander who began the 2026 season in the Chinese Professional Baseball League, turned in a throwback effort in Saturday's Field of Dreams game at Hadlock. McSweeney scattered four hits across seven shutout innings, striking out five, walking one, and needing only 84 pitches in the win over Binghamton. A Hudson, Mass. native who attended Worcester Academy, McSweeney was a 17th-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in 2019 out of Wake Forest. He pitched in the Baltimore system until 2024, when he bounced from the independent Atlantic League, the Marlins organization, and China before joining the Sea Dogs in August.
Photo Credit: 2026 Portland Sea Dogs Field of Dreams Day, Morgan McSweeney both by Kelly O'Connor