Alex Speier

If Italy scores a fourth run, doesn’t that functionally clinch a quarterfinal spot for the US?

Tomorrow's scenarios for a 9-inning game:

If ITALY wins: Italy and USA advance

If MEXICO wins and scores 6+ runs: Mexico and USA advance

If MEXICO wins and scores <5 runs: Mexico and Italy advance

If MEXICO wins and scores exactly 5 runs: Mexico advances, last spot comes down to other things

Garrett Whitlock had one save last year - a five-out effort against the Yankees last June 15 in a 2-0 win. He didn’t seem terribly perturbed by getting his first traditional ninth-inning save opportunity since August 2022.

Marcelo Mayer is working on swing decisions and ready for the challenge of earning his spot on the Red Sox - The Boston Globe Mayer hit .228 with a 30 percent strikeout rate in his 44 games in the majors last year, but he knows he can do better this season.

Marcelo Mayer had an offseason of agitation- not due to Marte trade rumors (seen as a compliment), but instead because of what he failed to show in the big leagues. “I don’t want to just be a regular MLB player. I know I’m more than capable of that.” On his quest: www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/09/s...

Why more top pitchers, like Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes, are welcoming World Baseball Classic participation - The Boston Globe Red Sox manager Alex Cora said it doesn't matter where a pitcher is training, and that he is "a big believer you can get hurt [anywhere]."

Daisuke Matzuzaka was the first WBC star in 2006 - and then, even when winning the WBC MVP Award again in 2009, became one of its first cautionary tales. For years, pitchers and teams looked at the WBC as a danger best avoided. That’s clearly shifted in 2026. Why? www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/06/s...

Finally the Red Sox infield appears competent, and it soon could become the team’s identity - The Boston Globe There’s solid evidence an end to years of horrific infield defense may be within reach for Alex Cora's club.

A novel element has been evident in early Red Sox spring training games: Strong infield defense, for a team that has been far and away the worst in baseball for years. www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/05/s...

Also in the notebook: “You can tell a lot about yourself when you take the time to look yourself in the mirror.” Why one Red Sox pitcher is taking that notion literally: www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/04/s...

Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle wasn’t holding anything back (100.4 miles per hour) in his outing against the Yankees - The Boston Globe He entered in the sixth inning of the 4-0 loss and over three scoreless innings faced 10 batters and struck out seven, including a stretch of five straight punchouts.

Sources confirm: Payton Tolle secured a T-shirt today by throwing 100 mph - while giving the Sox hope that he can help them win more than a carnival prize. www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/04/s...

Tolle asked a coach if he would get a new "Fuego" T-shirt after hitting 100 mph today. The exchange, per Tolle:

Tolle: “Are we doing T-shirts this year?”

Coach: “You keep doing that, you get a lot of outs, you get a trophy at the end of the year.”

Tolle: “A T-shirt would be nice along the way.”

Tolle said he flipped a switch, going from a hyper-focus on trying to “be a pitcher” in his last outing to airing out his stuff today. He was obviously pleased with the 7Ks in 3 IP, especially the ability to land his curveball for strikes.

Payton Tolle gets another Fuego shirt. He finished his second inning of work with a 100.4 mph fastball.

I think Payton Tolle flexed (both arms!) as he walked off the mound following an inning-ending strikeout on a curveball.

Marcelo Mayer has had a pair of good swings against Luis Gil today, lining a slider towards the Triangle (for an out) and lining a single up the middle of a 95 mph full-count fastball.

Crochet, who got pulled with two outs in the third, is back out for the start of the fourth inning to continue to build his volume of in-game up-and-down work.

After the leadoff homer to Lombard in the first, Crochet retired the next 8 batters before Lombard lined a two out single off the glove of Trevor Story in the third inning. That ends the day for Crochet.

Garrett Crochet finished a 23-pitch first inning with a 95 mph front-door sinker on the inside corner against Paul DeJong for a strikeout.

George Lombard Jr. -- son of former Red Sox minor league coach/coordinator and current Tigers coach George Lombard -- just crushed a 1-2 96 mph fastball for a homer off Garrett Crochet to lead off the first at JetBlue Park.

Red Sox’ Franklin Arias is a top defensive prospect, but can he get the pop that takes him to the majors? - The Boston Globe There's no doubt Arias can provide MLB-caliber defense, but has limited power at the plate. The Sox staff intends to summon him from minor-league camp in the coming days.

Red Sox SS Franklin Arias has one of the higher floors of any minor league position players. But now, he and the Red Sox are trying to push to raise his ceiling with additional power. A closer look at the top Red Sox positional prospect: www.bostonglobe.com/2026/03/04/s...

Marcelo Mayer is playing 2B with Caleb Durbin at 3B for the second straight day. But Sox are still working through their alignment. Cora said Mayer - who he described as having “a chance to make the team” - likely will still get a game at 3B in the coming days.

Based on tonight at JetBlue, going out on a limb and guessing the atmosphere at Hiram Bithorn for the WBC will be amazing.

Marcelo Mayer just made an excellent play at 2B, ranging to the shortstop side of the bag on a chopper up the middle and making a cross-body shovel flip to Trevor Story for a force play. To repeat: He's the best defensive infielder to emerge from the Sox system in more than a decade.

It is a party at JetBlue, with the Red Sox playing Team Puerto Rico in their first tuneup before the start of the WBC. We've got trumpets, flags, and music blaring -- fantastic energy. We also have a scoreboard registering every Jake Bennett pitch in the top of the 1st inning as a 99 mph sweeper.

Justin Gonzales is an Aaron Judge-sized prospect for the Red Sox looking to tap into his potential - The Boston Globe The 19-year-old corner outfielder could be in line for a big leap forward if he can hit the ball in the air more frequently.

... and Hanley - have hit balls 117+ mph. As the inclusion of Cordero on that list suggests, hitting a ball hard is no guarantee of success. But, Gonzales's ability to hit rockets, limit strikeouts, and be staggeringly large is enormously fascinating. More: www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/22/s...

Justin Gonzales hit a ball in today's spring training game at 117.3 mph for a single. It is the second-hardest hit ball by anyone in a spring training game this year (Jac Caglianone hit a 120 mph bolt in Royals camp). Since Statcast came about in 2015, just three Red Sox - Franchy (2x), Duran ...

Unexpected sight of the morning: Triston Casas taking grounders at 3B. (He’s doing so to help give reps to Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who is working at first base on receiving throws.)

Fantastic story by Tim Healey on a newly hired member of the Red Sox’ pitching brain trust, Quinn Cleary - the grandson of hockey legend Bill Cleary (with whom Tim spoke for the article!)

Willson Contreras on his way out of JetBlue to join Team Venezuela for the World Baseball Classic: “See you guys on the 18th.” (The WBC championship game is on the 17th.)

Why Willson Contreras may be the power threat the Red Sox need - The Boston Globe While Contreras's career high for home runs is 24, Red Sox hitting coach Pete Fatse says, "I don't see why he can't hit 30."

But the Sox (and, for that matter, Contreras's ex-team, the Cardinals) have seen things from Contreras to think he could offer some significant juice to their lineup: www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/25/s...

Willson Contreras has pulled the ball in the air today -- a double off the top of the Wall down the LF line, and a homer that cleared the Faux Monster at JetBlue. These are spring training games that mean nothing, of course.