Johan Oviedo’s next outing will probably be on Saturday in the Red Sox’s third regular season game against Cincinnati, but the right-hander didn’t finish his spring on a high note.
Oviedo was charged with six runs over 3 1/3 innings in Monday’s 9-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins, allowing six hits with two walks, a hit by pitch and a home run off the bat of Trevor Larnach. Oviedo struck out three and recorded 11 whiffs, but he only threw 48 of his 84 pitches for strikes.
The bulk of the damage came in the top of the fourth, when Minnesota rallied for five runs. Larnach led off the inning with a solo shot and the Twins followed with a walk, a lineout, a single, a hit by pitch, an RBI single and a two-run single.
At that point Alex Cora replaced Oviedo with minor leaguer Michael Sansone for the remainder of the inning, but things didn’t go any better when he returned to start the top of the fifth and promptly walked James Outman. That got him the hook for good, wrapping up what was otherwise a highly successful spring for the 6-foot-6 righty.
Abreu, Rafaela homers
Wilyer Abreu hit his first home run in Grapefruit League play Monday, crushing a first-pitch fastball 399-feet for a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth. Abreu also drew a walk and finished 1 for 3, and Ceddanne Rafaela (3 for 4) hit a solo shot of his own in the seventh to tie the game at 6-6.
Trevor Story reached base four times by going 3 for 4 with a walk and a double, and Caleb Durbin (1 for 3) and Connor Wong (2 for 4) recorded two RBI each.
Coulombe returns
After being sent home early on Saturday due to illness, Danny Coulombe was back on the mound Monday and threw a scoreless sixth inning. The veteran left-hander allowed two hits but recorded two strikeouts and finished the inning by stopping a comebacker and completing the play to first for the final out.
Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten each posted scoreless innings in their final spring appearances, but closer Aroldis Chapman gave up a two-run home run in his final outing.
One more
The Red Sox will wrap up their Grapefruit League schedule on Tuesday, facing the Minnesota Twins for the eighth and final time. The club has already clinched its first Chairman’s Cup title since 2022, and Ranger Suarez will take the mound for his final spring tune-up. He is scheduled to be followed out of the bullpen by Jovani Moran, Tyler Samaniego and Tommy Kahnle.