Right-hander Francellis Montas struck out eight in five innings on Tuesday. (Darrell Snow/Greenville Drive)

What to make of the hardest throwing pitcher in the Red Sox system, at a time when he’s beginning to string together some dominant starts?

Francellis Montas has long had a reputation that preceded him. Even before he pitched in the States, word started to circulate about the teenager who could reach triple-digits with his fastball. Still, in his first couple seasons in pro ball, he struggled to harness his power, as evidenced by the fact that he walked 30 (the same number that he struck out) in 34 1/3 innings in the Dominican Summer League in 2010 and 2011.

Last year, however, he took a considerable step forward while spending most of the year in the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League. He struck out 41 and walked just 12 in 40 2/3 innings.

This year, despite a 1-4 record and 5.08 ERA, he’s been even better than that while facing more age-appropriate competition in the Single-A South Atlantic League. The 20-year-old Montas continued what has been a string of eye-opening starts by tossing five innings in which he permitted just one run on one hit (a solo homer), walked one and struck out eight.

On the year, Montas now has 49 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 39 innings. His 11.3 strikeouts per nine rank 18th in all of minor league baseball. Of the 17 players who are ahead of him on the list, only one (19-year-old Tyler Glasnow) is younger. Of the 58 players with 10.0 strikeouts per nine innings (or more) this year, his rate of 4.9 strikeouts per walk ranks sixth. So, he’s in a somewhat elite class when it comes to having power stuff (a fastball that, as a starter, sits in the mid- to high-90s, along with a slider that has made considerable progress to become a wipeout pitch) while having the willingness to attack the strike zone with it.

And Tuesday continued what has been an increasingly impressive stretch for the right-hander. In his last five starts, he’s punched out 31 and walked just four in 23 innings (12.1 strikeouts and 1.6 walks per nine) with a 3.13 ERA. Read the rest of this entry »

Jacoby Ellsbury

CHICAGO — It was undoubtedly a step in the right direction, and might keep Jacoby Ellsbury from moving out of the Red Sox’ lineup’s top spot for the time being.

Three of Ellsbury’s four at-bats during the Red Sox’ 3-1 loss to the White Sox Tuesday night were solid showings, with the outfielder lining sharply out to left-center, singling up the middle and drawing an eight-pitch walk. After he grounded out to second four straight times the night before, surfacing even more talk of a move out of the leadoff spot, it was a welcome performance for the player and the team.

“You’ve seen. You see what happens when I get going,” Ellsbury told WEEI.com after the game when asked about his desire to remain in the lineup’s top spot.

Before the game, Red Sox manager John Farrell confirmed that he had thought about moving Ellsbury out of the leadoff spot but was prioritizing giving the center fielder a vote of confidence.

“Have considered it, yes,” said Farrell, who also revealed that the health of Shane Victorino weighed into making a move. “And we’re sticking with him to hopefully give him the opportunity to come out of the situation he’s in right now. But I can say this: Whether he’s hitting first or whether he’s hitting somewhere else in the lineup, there are still things we have to address and he has to address. Those are ongoing.”

Judging by Ellsbury’s performance Tuesday, it appears the commitment to stay put might pay off.

The hit off Chicago reliever Matt Thornton marked the third straight game Ellsbury has managed to claim a hit off a lefty, and it gave him four hits in 27 at-bats (with four walks) on the current road trip.

“I’ve been putting some good ABs together. So I’m just going to just stick with the plan,” Ellsbury said. “I’m not worried. I just have to stick with the approach, the plan. All of that is going to fall into place.

“I’m nice and loose. You can’t press. You have to stay nice and loose, just in your plan and trust in your approach. One good game this early brings you back. … My swing is pretty simple. It’s easy to maintain. A hit here or there makes it look a lot better. I’ve had some good swings, so I just have to stick with the plan.”

Felix Doubront allowed two runs over six innings Tuesday night. (AP)

CHICAGO — Jose Quintana certainly has made his mark on the Red Sox.

After shutting out Boston for eight innings last July 19 at Fenway Park, the White Sox lefty held John Farrell‘s team hitless through 6 1/3 innings Tuesday night on the way to a 3-1 win for the hosts at U.S. Cellular Field.

Quintana carried his no-hitter into the seventh inning, when, with one out, David Ortiz reached out and hit a broken-bat single to left-center on the White Sox starter’s 95th pitch.

The Red Sox ultimately drove Quintana from the game later in the seventh after two more singles, from Mike Napoli and Daniel Nava, loaded the bases with one out. But reliever Jesse Crain came on to strike out both Will Middlebrooks and Stephen Drew to end the visitors’ threat.

The 24-year-old Quintana is no stranger to dominance, having used 2012 to become the  first rookie to throw eight scoreless innings or more three times in a season since Justin Verlander‘s 2006 campaign.

The Sox had another threat in the eighth, when they closed the gap to a run when Dustin Pedroia‘s hard grounder bounced up on Alexei Ramirez just enough to skip past the shortstop, allowing Jarrod Saltalamacchia to score from third. But with runners on first and third and one out, Ortiz grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to snuff out the opportunity.

“It was obviously a situation you plan on producing, but it happens,” Ortiz said. “We’ll come back tomorrow and try to win.”

On most other nights, the effort turned in by Red Sox starter Felix Doubront would have been good enough. The lefty came out after 85 pitches, allowing two runs on five hits, striking out three and walking two.

“It was consistent with his last outing down in Tampa and I think he’s on to something with the adjustments he’s made,” Farrell said. “I thought today was another positive step for him here tonight.”

The reason for the exit after a relatively light pitch count?

“[Pitching coach] Juan [Nieves] came to talk to me, said they want to build the trust, the confidence back,” Doubront said. “The next one’s going to be better, I’m going to throw more.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Jacoby Ellsbury

CHICAGO – According to a major league source, the Red Sox and Jacoby Ellsbury’s agent, Scott Boras, have not engaged in talks regarding a possible extension for the outfielder. Ellsbury will be eligible to become a free agent at the conclusion of this season.

Prior to the Red Sox’ game with the White Sox Tuesday night, manager John Farrell didn’t suggest anxiety regarding the uncertain contract status was the cause of the outfielder’s struggles, but he said it could be somewhat of a factor.

“To say that’s the sole reason, no,” said Farrell of Ellsbury, who entered Tuesday hitting .241 with one home run and a .303 on-base percentage. “I wouldn’t say that’s the issue of what he’s dealing with right now. Also, know that he’s human and he understands where he’s at in his career and what’s ahead of him.

“The point that we continually try to make is that the routine of today is the most important point, and that’s the focal point, so what’s going to take place throughout the remainder of the season and into the offseason — time will indicate that and that will be addressed at the appropriate time. I can’t say that pending free agency has caused him to have the inconsistencies at the plate.”

Ellsbury signed a one-year, $9 million contract in the offseason in what was his last year of arbitration-eligibility. He is one of five Red Sox players — joining Joel Hanrahan, Stephen Drew, Jarrod Saltalmacchia and Mike Napoli — who will be eligible for free agency at the end of the ’13 season.

Appearing on WEEI in July 2011, then-Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said the team had previously approached Boras about a possible extension.

“It is not a secret that we have sat down and tried in the past and tried to lock Jacoby up in the past, and we will sit down in the future and try and do it again at the appropriate time,” Epstein said at the time. “He is somebody that we have believed in as a core, young member in the organization that we look to keep around. We have certain organizational standards that have to be met, and we have worked hard to keep those standards with [Dustin] Pedroia and [Kevin] Youkilis and [Jon] Lester. … So we’d love to one day announce that Jacoby will be with this organization for a long time and this

Last season, Boras told WEEI.com that he hadn’t participated in any talks with the Red Sox regarding a long-term deal for Ellsbury.

“We’ve only had the traditional discussions of one-year contracts,” Boras during a July 20 interview. “Ben [Cherington] and I will certainly begin contract discussions at year’s end because we have to. We have at minimum a one-year contract to discuss. We’re going to play through the season. Ben’s operating his team and I’m signing draft picks, operating my team.”

Farrell also said prior to Tuesday night’s game that he had contemplated moving Ellsbury down in the batting order but was choosing to offer the lefty hitter a vote of confidence for the time being.

“Have considered it, yes,” said Farrell, who also revealed that the health of Shane Victorino weighed into making a move. “And we’re sticking with him to hopefully give him the opportunity to come out of the situation he’s in right now. But I can say this: Whether he’s hitting first or whether he’s hitting somewhere else in the lineup, there are still things we have to address and he has to address. Those are ongoing.”

Shane Victorino

CHICAGO — Shane Victorino isn’t in the Red Sox lineup for the second game of their three-game series against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. The right fielder left Monday night’s game in the sixth inning after aggravating his left hamstring.

Starting in Victorino’s place in right will be Daniel Nava, with Jonny Gomes taking over at left.

Here is the Red Sox’ lineup against White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana:

Jacoby Ellsbury CF

Jonny Gomes LF

Dustin Pedroia 2B

David Ortiz DH

Mike Napoli 1B

Daniel Nava RF

Will Middlebrooks 3B

Stephen Drew SS

Jarrod Saltalamacchia C

Felix Doubront P

For all the matchups, click here.

Jose Iglesias is making his first career appearance at third base on Tuesday. (AP)

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — It’s been well over a month since Jose Iglesias was optioned back to Triple-A Pawtucket after his tremendous start to 2013 as a fill-in for Stephen Drew. Things have not been going as well for Iglesias in Pawtucket, however, and he’s seeking ways to improve his chances of making it back to the big leagues.

Iglesias, who is renowned as a slick fielding shortstop, is getting the start at third base on Tuesday afternoon against the Indianapolis Indians, the first appearance of his professional career at a position other than shortstop.

“Iggy’s been taking ground balls down there for about two weeks, a little bit at second base, a little bit at third base, just to expose him to the positions,” PawSox manager Gary DiSarcina said before Tuesday’s game.

In doing so, the Sox hope to put him in position to find more pathways to contribute in the big leagues. DiSarcina, a former major league shortstop, has experience adjusting to both third base and second base, and has been helping Iglesias with the transition. Read the rest of this entry »

Right-hander Rubby De La Rosa was scratched from his scheduled Tuesday start. (AP)

PAWTUCKET — Red Sox right-hander Rubby De La Rosa was scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday in Triple-A Pawtucket due to what manager Gary DiSarcina characterized as a left intercostal injury incurred while playing catch on Monday. DiSarcina suggested that the injury did not appear to be serious, but noted that the precise duration for which the hard-throwing prospect will be sidelined remains unknown. Yeah, he came up yesterday, with…he played catch and on the last throw he kind of tweaked his side muscles, so he’ll be down today, Hernandez will fill in.

“He’s feeling better today, to what level or degree, I don’t know. It just happened yesterday, I think he said it happened on his last throw. Any time a pitcher feels something in his intercostal area, you don’t want to send him out there. I think it was on his left side, actually, so his pull side,” said DiSarcina. “It’s no biggie, just sit him down for this start, reevaluate him … It won’t set back Rubby too much.”

Left-hander Chris Hernandez will make the spot start in place of De La Rosa. De La Rosa, 24, is amidst a stretch of 18 innings without permitting an earned run, a stretch during which he has 22 strikeouts and eight walks. On the year, he has a 3.65 ERA with opponents hitting just .180 against him in eight starts.