Red Sox Minor Lines: A lot of returns from injury

Salem W 9-4

Brett Netzer, 2B: 1-5, 1 RBI, 1 K

Roldani Baldwin, C: 2-5, 1 2B, 2 R, 1 K

Bobby Dalbec, 3B: 2-4, 2 2B, 1 BB, 2 R, 1 RBI

Jerry Downs, 1B: 3-4, 1 2B, 1 R, 2 RBI

Tyler Hill, RF: 1-4, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 R, 1 SB

Kyri Washington, LF: 2-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 K

Bryan Mata: 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K (70 pitches)

Daniel Gonzalez: 3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 1 K (50 pitches)

Joan Martinez: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 2 K (29 pitches)

This was a really interesting game, and I’m not really sure where to start. Mata was certainly the biggest name to appear, and he continues to have a weird season with some mild control issues but a tremendous ability to limit hits. For an 18-year-old (he turns 19 in about a week) at High-A, that’ll be fine for now. Gonzalez had his first not-great outing of the year, and Martinez continues to be massively disappointing after some mild hype this winter. Perhaps the most exciting part of this game, though, was getting Baldwin back from injury for his first game of 2018. He’s not a super highly rated prospect but he has a good hit and can play behind the plate, so he’s at least an interesting name to watch. It was a good start to his year. Salem also got some good performances at the plate from Dalbec, Downs and Washington. This’ll do, is what I’m saying.

Greenville L 7-8

Lorenzo Cedrola, LF: 2-5, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 SB

Cole Brannen, CF: 1-4, 1 BB, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 K

C.J. Chatham, DH: 1-5, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 K

Pedro Castellanos, 1B: 0-4, 1 BB, 1 RBI

Victor Acosta, RF: 3-5, 1 RBI

Kervin Suarez, 2B: 2-5, 2 2B, 1 R, 2 K

Emmanuel De Jesus: 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K (66 pitches)

Baldwin just returned from injury for Salem, and Greenville got a couple returnees as well. It didn’t help them get back into the win column — they’ve lost 14 (!) in a row and are 3-18 overall — but they were at least competitive. Cedrola had a nice game back and I’m curious how long he’ll be in Greenville since he and Brannen should both be getting reps in center field. De Jesus is also a returnee, and he was phenomenal as a piggy back starter. Maybe things are starting to turn up for Greenville. It can’t get any worse, at least.

Player of the Day: It seems weird that the player of the day would come from the team who lost, but Emmanuel De Jesus was outstanding in this game. Eight strikeouts with just one walk over only four innings of work is going to stand out every time. De Jesus is a 21-year-old lefty who has had a few cracks at Greenville before but never really consistently succeeded. If the early returns are any indication, the third time could be the charm.