❚ Team notes,
Baltimore Orioles
LHP John Means rebounded from the worst start of his career to defeat the Boston Red Sox on July 19. He allowed two runs in six innings after giving up a career-high six runs in a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on July 13.
After allowing a two-run homer in the second inning to Boston’s Sam Travis, Means, Baltimore’s lone All-Star this season, retired nine straight batters. The win improved Means’ record to 8-5, including five wins against the AL East, tied for second most in the majors at that time.
“To go six innings and give up two runs to the Boston Red Sox … he did what John Means has done all year,” manager Brandon Hyde said.
❚ In the July 19 game, the Orioles beat Red Sox LHP David Price for the first time in his 13 career starts at Baltimore and got to him for six runs, the most they’ve ever scored off him.
Boston Red Sox
RHP Nathan Eovaldi was activated from the injured list July 20 after being sidelined since April 17 following surgery to remove a loose body in his right elbow.
At that point, 152 of Eovaldi’s 160 career appearances were as a starter. But the plan is for him to work out of Boston’s beleaguered bullpen, bolstering the relief corps. Boston entered the week tied for the league lead in blown saves and already had used 20 relievers this season, including a position player.
“That’s the most important thing, that you don’t have to go to the same guys when you have a lead,” manager Alex Cora said of using Eovaldi to close. “You have one more option.”
❚ LHP Chris Sale’s home victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on July 18 was his first win at Fenway Park since July 11, 2018.
New York Yankees
The Yankees’ powerful lineup has been on display all season. They entered the week among the league leaders in most offensive categories.
But in an 11-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies on July 20, they did something they’ve done just once before in the last nine seasons: They scored at least 11 runs without benefit of a home run.
“We can do it without a homer,” Austin Romine told MLB.com. “Everybody likes to think we’re the Bombers, but this team’s been doing it here and there without home runs. And it just shows you that we can keep the line moving, get base hits when we need to, move guys when we need to, and we’re just playing baseball.”
❚ RHP Masahiro Tanaka is the third pitcher in Yankees history to make at least 20 starts in each of his first six seasons, joining Fritz Peterson (eight seasons, 1966-73) and Andy Pettitte (first nine, 1995-2003).
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are known for their unconventional moves, and manager Kevin Cash is not afraid to put together an unorthodox lineup, as he did July 20 against the Chicago White Sox.
Amid a losing streak, Cash had Ji-Man Choi in the leadoff spot for the first time in Choi’s career, a move that surprised him. Avisail Garcia was the starting center fielder, a position he had not played since 2013 while with the White Sox.
“We’re trying to get something to spark us,” Cash said.
It didn’t work as the Rays’ losing streak reached a seasonhigh five games. They won the next day to break the streak – with Choi again leading off and Garcia again in center field.
❚ In 14 games July 3-19, the Rays allowed eight or more runs in five games. In their first 86 games this season, they did so in seven games.
Toronto Blue Jays
Manager Charlie Montoyo and RHP Wilmer Font, who were together last year with the Tampa Bay Rays, were reunited when Toronto acquired the pitcher from the New York Mets.
Font could be used as Toronto’s opener, a role he filled with the Rays last year before a season-ending lat injury in June. In five starts last season, Font was 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA.
“He’s done it before and he’s done a good job with it,” Montoyo said.
❚ After going hitless in his first three at-bats July 19 against the Tigers at Detroit, C Danny
Jansen shaved off his mustache in the dugout before his next plate appearance and hit a tworun single.