Red Sox Minor Lines: We love Walter

Worcester G1 W 4-2

Jarren Duran, CF: 1-3, 1 R

Jeter Downs, SS: 2-2, 1 HR, 1 BB, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 CS, 1 E

Triston Casas, 1B: 0-3

Franchy Cordero, LF: 0-1, 1 BB, 1 RBI

Christin Stewart, RF: 1-3, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 CS

Ryan Fitzgerald, DH: 2-2

Connor Seabold (SP; W): 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 K (92 pitches)

Zack Kelly (SV): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (7 pitches)

Worcester G2 L 5-7

Jarren Duran, CF: 0-4, 1 K

Jeter Downs, SS: 1-3, 1 BB, 1 R, 2 K

Triston Casas, DH: 0-3, 1 BB, 3 K

Franchy Cordero, 1B: 1-4, 1 K

Ryan Fitzgerald, RF: 1-2, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 R, 3 RBI

Connor Wong, C: 0-2, 1 BB

Darwinzon Hernandez (SP): 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K (47 pitches)

Josh Taylor: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (15 pitches)

Kaleb Ort: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (18 pitches)

There was a lot of good and bad in these games, which I suppose makes sense for a split doubleheader. On the positive side, Seabold starts his solid start to the season. The results have been outstanding with a 1.74 ERA through four starts, and while his strikeout stuff has been lackluster this year he had six in six innings this time around. His stock has taken a hit over the last calendar year, but he’s still very much in the rotation depth conversation and we’ll see him in Boston at some point this summer. Also positive, Fitzgerald and Downs going deep, as well as Taylor having a nice rehab outing. He shouldn’t be too far off from returning to the team at this point. More negatively, it was a rough one for Casas amid calls for his promotion, going 0-6 on the day. Hernandez also was shaky, adding two hit batters to the walk and trio of hits above.

Portland W 2-1

David Hamilton, SS: 1-4, 2 K, 1 E

Izzy Wilson, CF: 2-4, 1 HR, 2 R, 1 RBI

Christian Koss, 3B: 1-4, 2 K, 1 E

Brandon Walter (SP): 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K (73 pitches)

Joan Martinez: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K (12 pitches)

Jacob Wallace (W): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K (15 pitches)

Andrew Politi (SV): 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (12 pitches)

I mean, what else is there to say about Walter at this point? The man is on a mission right now to prove that last season was not a flash in the pan, and he’s certainly hard to argue with at this point. The lefty has still not allowed a walk this season, striking out 29 over 23 innings while pitching to a 1.17 ERA. He’s not there yet, but the best pitcher in the system title could be him by midseason. Also pitching extremely well is Politi. The righty, who is repeating this level after struggling in a split role last season, has not allowed a run over 6 ²⁄₃ innings, striking out 12 without issuing a walk. This pitching staff is so much fun.

Greenville L 0-11

Nick Yorke, 2B: 0-4

Tyler McDonough, LF: 2-4, 1 E

Ceddanne Rafaela, CF: 0-4, 3 K

Alex Binelas, DH: 1-4, 1 K

Matthew Lugo, SS: 0-4

Gilberto Jimenez, RF: 1-4

Jaxx Groshans, C: 2-2, 1 BB

Shane Drohan (SP; L): 5 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 1 BB, 2 K (81 pitches)

Ah, yikes. Rough one for Greenville, who is seeing some guys getting into slumps, most notably Rafaela and Lugo. The former is just 1-16 in his last four games, while Lugo is 4-21 in his last five games. Similarly, Drohan was coming off one of the best starts of his pro career, and this was not the follow up he was hoping for.

Salem G1 L 3-4

Eddinson Paulino, SS: 1-4, 1 R, 3 K

Brainer Bonaci, 2B: 2-3, 1 3B, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 E

Blaze Jordan, 3B: 0-3, 2 K

Nathan Hickey, C: 1-1, 2 BB

Tyler Uberstine (SP): 4 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K (70 pitches)

Salem G2 W 8-0

Brainer Bonaci, 2B: 2-5, 1 RBI

Eddinson Paulino, SS: 0-4, 1 K

Miguel Ugueto, DH: 3-4, 1 3B, 2 R, 1 SB

Blaze Jordan, 1B: 2-4, 1 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 K

Tyler Miller, 3B: 1-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 3 K

Phillip Sikes, CF: 2-4, 1 R, 2 K

Joey Stock (SP): 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (47 pitches)

This was a nice day for Bonaci, who was absent for 10 day’s worth of games this month but is off to a quietly good start. After a pair of multi-hit efforts he’s got a .978 OPS on the young season, and he’s got a hit in all but one of his games so far this season. An interesting prospect, Bonaci doesn’t have the biggest ceiling but he’s got the tools to be a sum-of-the-parts type utility man off the bench.

Player of the Day: Brandon Walter

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