The Boston Red Sox turned to Josh Winckowski in the seventh inning of a 6-2 game that got away from them.
The Seattle Mariners' bats got to him for two more runs in a grueling 47-pitch seventh frame. He denied them another for the rest of the game, though, saving the bullpen in the process. Winckowski threw 80 pitches, essentially a start, in his longest relief outing of the year.
The Red Sox optioned Winckowski to Worcester to get a fresh arm in the bullpen before their getaway game against the Mariners. They summoned top relief pitching prospect Luis Guerrero to take his place.
Guerrero made his MLB debut last season and didn't allow a run over 10 innings of work. He clocked nine strikeouts and flashed his ability to miss bats, but didn't have the same level of success in spring training games. He posted a 9.53 ERA in 5.2 innings in the Grapefruit League, and he was one of the first cuts from camp.
Red Sox call up top relief pitching prospect Luis Guerrero, option Josh Winckowski to Triple-A
The #RedSox today made the following roster moves pic.twitter.com/NcJq9KXpYN
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 24, 2025
Guerrero has posted a 5.23 ERA with seven strikeouts and five walks over 10.1 innings with Triple-A Worcester so far. He's shown elite stuff in the major leagues before, so hopefully he can fall back into last season's groove in his return to Fenway Park.
Red Sox catcher Connor Wong slated to begin rehab assignment this weekend
Connor Wong could also return to Fenway sooner rather than later. The catcher was hit in the hand by George Springer's backswing behind the plate on April 7. He was placed on the 10-day injured list with a fracture around his pinky finger, which Alex Cora later categorized as the "best case scenario," suggesting he shouldn't be sidelined for too long.
Wong began catching drills last week and he's been catching Kutter Crawford's bullpen sessions as he recovers from knee issues. The 28-year-old has also taken batting practice, and Cora expects him to begin a rehab assignment on Sunday, April 27.
Upon Wong's return, the Red Sox will be able to give Carlos Narváez (.203/.266/.322) a rest and option Blake Sabol back to Triple-A. Boston also signed veteran backstop Yasmani Grandal after Wong's injury, so it will have to decide where to place him. He has an opt-out in his contract on May 1.
The Red Sox hope for better offense out of Wong after his breakout season at the plate last year. He batted well into the .300s for much of last season, and finished with a career-best .280/.333/.425 slash line over 126 games. He's batting just .087/.192/.087 through nine games in 2025, but he showed some defensive improvements before his move to the IL.