Red Sox minor lines: Jason Groome challenged

Pawtucket L 0-1 (In 10)

Rusney Castillo: 1-4

Roenis Elias: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K

There's no denying that Roenis Elias' reputation has taken a very real hit this season due to his early-season struggles and a couple real disaster outings in the majors. He seems to have gotten back on tract in the second half, however, pitching to a 2.38 ERA with solid peripherals. He's still a guy with pretty reasonable career numbers in the majors, and in an ideal world would still be pretty good rotation depth for the Sox in 2017. However, after having been a part-time player in 2014, 2015, and 2016, he'll be out of options, leaving the Red Sox to find a roster spot for him, or a taker on the trade market, where he wouldn't fetch all that much after this unfortunate season.

Portland L 4-7

Mauricio Dubon: 2-4, SB

Dubon seems like one of the few guys who might be classified as a second-tier prospect in Boston's system headed into 2017 along with the likes of Sam Travis and probably Bobby Dalbec depending on how much or little credit you give him for this performance in Lowell. Basically the guys around the edges of top-100 consideration who could make pretty big jumps up the list with strong performances in much the way Michael Kopech has this season (it's hard not to push him up into the same territory as Devers and Groome after what he's done). Those guys, however, don't have the best chance to end up in Boston--they often make for pretty good trade fodder when looking for anyone outside of big stars.

Salem W 2-0

Joseph Monge: 1-5, 3 K
Luis Alexander Basabe: 2-3, 3B, BB
Rafael Devers: 0-4, 2 K
Nick Longhi: 1-4, K

This is...Luis Alexander Basabe's second game in Salem. Which I somehow didn't notice. Basabe probably hasn't quite managed to get into that same territory Dubon has, but he always seems to do just enough to maintain his status as a strong breakout candidate, but not quite enough to actually be considered to have broken out. Will next year be the year he breaks one way or another? We'll see...

Greenville W 8-4

Kyri Washington: 1-5, HR, 3 K
Austin Rei: 0-4, BB, 2 K

Marc Brakeman: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Lowell Game 1 W 5-3 (In 7)

C.J. Chatham: 1-4, K
Tyler Hill: 0-4, K
Bobby Dalbec: 3-3, SB
Yoan Aybar: 0-3, K

Jason Groome: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K

Lowell Game 2 W 3-1 (In

Matt McLean: 0-3, BB, K
Yoan Aybar: 0-3, K

Michael Shawaryn: 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Jason Groome with a very different experience in Lowell than in the GCL. This, however, is low-key one of the biggest jumps the minor leagues has to offer. It just doesn't come up that much because plenty of players don't even see both, and when they do, it's often not in the same season. The GCL is enerally where the high-school draftees go, and Lowell is where the college draftees go. Groome basically just got thrown in against a college All-Star team with after a few weeks of coaching. Turns out they don't swing at the same pitches. He'll learn.