Red Sox minor lines: Blake Swihart returns to Pawtucket

Pawtucket W 7-4

Deven Marrero: 3-4, 2B, 2 BB, K
Rusney Castillo: 2-4, BB, SB
Blake Swihart: 1-5, 2B, 2 K
Sam Travis: 2-4
Sean Coyle: 1-4, 2 K

Roenis Elias: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
Anthony Varvaro: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR

A busy start to a busy day in the minors.

Deven Marrero seems to have been leapfrogged by Marco Hernandez after a slow start to the season. But he's 7-for-19 in his last four games, so he seems to have taken notice.

Rusney Castillo, for all that the Sox seem to be determined to show they've got not confidence in him, is doing what he can to earn it back in Pawtucket, hitting to a .822 OPS thus far.

Blake Swihart returns to action, and does so behind the plate, which is where he absolutely needs to be. If they're not going to play him in the majors, the goal right now has to be to keep other teams convinced he's a catcher. Do not undermine his value, Red Sox. Just...do not.

And Roenis Elias bounces back some, though there's an awful lot of baserunners bouncing around. So far none of Boston's three depth arms are off to perfect starts.

Portland L 1-8

Wendell Rijo: 1-4, 2 K

Aaron Wilkerson: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

So uh...three games into the season, Wilkerson has allowed a lone home run, has struck out 22 batters, and allowed nine baserunners. The Daniel Nava of the mound? We shall see...

Salem W 3-1

Yoan Moncada: 2-4, 2B, BB, 2 K, 3 SB
Andrew Benintendi: 1-5, 3B
Nick Longhi: 0-4, BB, 2 K

It's a bit too easy to credit Yoan Moncada with a great running game while ignoring the fact that he's been running at just about every opportunity, leaving him with a few outs to his name as well. But...the guy has 10 steals halfway through April! And among major league teams now only the Diamondbacks can match Andrew Benintendi's five triples. Salem is gonna run all over you.

Greenville W 11-5

Michael Chavis: 3-5, 2B, HR
Josh Ockimey: 4-5, 2B, HR
Austin Rei: 2-5, K
Kyri Washington: 2-4, BB, K, POCS

Marc Brakeman: 4 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
Austin Glorius: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Damn, that's quite the game. Michael Chavis might actually be a real player!  He's hitting .350/.395/.500 in the early stages of what figures to be close to a make-or-break season for the first-round draft pick. And he's currently cut his strikeout rate down by about 40% compared to last season. Small sample sizes abound, of course, but there's reason to be encouraged given the high expectations for the young Chavis' bat after the draft.