Red Sox Minor Lines: Tanner Houck and Mike Shawaryn keep dealing

Pawtucket G1 L 1-4

Tzu-Wei Lin, SS: 1-3, 1 BB

Tony Renda, LF: 1-4, 1 K

Rusney Castillo, CF: 0-4, 2 K

Brandon Phillips, 2B: 1-3, 1 R, 1 K

Sam Travis, DH: 3-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Josh Ockimey, 1B: 0-3, 1 K

Chandler Shepherd: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 7 K (94 pitches)

Marcus Walden: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (19 pitches)

Pawtucket G2 W 4-0

Tony Renda, 2B: 1-3, 1 BB, 1 R

Rusney Castillo, CF: 2-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Brandon Phillips, DH: 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI

Sam Travis, LF: 2-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Josh Ockimey, 1B: 0-1, 2 BB, 1 SB

Mike Shawaryn: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K (84 pitches)

I think we all know what the story of this day for Pawtucket was: Josh Ockimey stole a base! This was somehow the eighth stolen base of Ockimey’s professional career, which is about seven more than I expected. So congrats on that! Obviously, the real story is Shawaryn as he continues a breakout season that isn’t getting enough attention. The righty has now made three starts at Triple-A, pitching to a 2.95 ERA while averaging six innings per start with more than a strikeout per inning. His strikeout stuff hasn’t carried over to the higher levels this year (his Double-A strikeout rate was way down from his 2017 rate) but he’s shown he can succeed despite that.

Portland W 5-2 (F/10)

Jeremy Rivera, SS: 3-5, 1 R

Michael Chavis, 1B: 1-5, 1 2B, 1 R

Bobby Dalbec, 3B: 1-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 4 K

Tate Matheny, CF: 2-5, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI

Luke Tendler, PH/DH: 1-2, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI

Austin Rei, C: 2-4, 1 2B

Danny Mars, RF: 3-4, 1 K

Kyle Hart: 7 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K (104 pitches)

Yours truly was in attendance for this game, and I got to see a bunch of whiffs for Dalbec, which was neat. I want to talk about Hart, though, because this was the second time I’ve seen him this year and I think I’m impressed? Granted, I’m not really convinced his stuff plays in the majors, but he has really good command of all of his pitches and is willing to mix them in just about every combination. I’m at least more intrigued than his prospect status would suggest, even if I’m not getting my hopes up for him taking the next step with ease.

Salem W 7-2

Brett Netzer, 2B: 0-3, 1 R, 2 BB

C.J. Chatham, SS: 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI

Tanner Houck: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K (72 pitches)

The level to which Houck has improved, never mind how quickly he did it, since the Red Sox let him go back to his college style has been remarkable. It’s clear that the 2017 first rounder has been much better like this, and Tuesday’s start may have been his best. The efficiency was something we really haven’t seen from him, well, ever, and it was just the second start in which he didn’t allow a walk. Over his last six starts he has a 2.06 ERA over 35 innings of work with 41 strikeouts and just six walks. This has been a huge way to end the year for Houck.

GCL L 2-4

Juan Carlos Abreu, LF: 2-4, 1 BB, 1 RBI, 1 CS/PO

Esteban Quiroz, DH: 0-1, 2 BB, 1 K

Nicholas Northcut, 3B: 0-3, 1 BB, 1 R, 2 K, 2 E

Yoan Aybar: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K

Quiroz has had a solid run to start his rehab assignment down on the complex, albeit in only three games. He didn’t even play this entire game, but he now has a .333/.500/.667 line as he tries to make his way back into the depth conversation for 2019.

DSL 1 L 0-3 (F/7)

Leonel Jimenez, 2B: 1-2, 1 BB

DSL 2 W 4-3 (F/7)

Nelfy Abreu, CF: 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 CS

Oscar Rangel, C: 2-2, 2 2B

Ronadlo Pulgar, 3B: 3-3, 1 R, 1 CS

Brayan Bello: 6 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 11 K

Bello is probably ready for a test beyond the DSL at this point. The 19-year-old has been the best DSL pitcher by a mile, and now has a 1.68 ERA over his first 13 starts with 64 ¹⁄₃ innings under his belt. Even better, he has 68 strikeouts and only ten walks. Get him at least to the GCL, if not Lowell.

Player of the Day: Just about every pitcher deserves a mention here, but Houck was the best of the best today. Hopefully, that’s something we can keep saying as we move forward.