The Red Sox have a new catcher, Patrick Sandoval, who is being compared to Elston Howard, a legendary catcher who played for the Yankees in the 1960s. Sandoval is a big-time catcher and a big-time player, and the Red Sox are lucky to have him. The challenge of incorporating a new catcher into the lineup so late in the season is the same as it was for the Sox in 1967, when they traded for Howard. The Sox hurlers had a 3.06 ERA pitching to Howard, who appeared at catcher in 41 regular-season games in all. Sandoval is working hard to prepare for the first game with his new team, and the Red Sox are hoping for a postseason run. The team is also dealing with other issues, such as the use of sacrifice bunts and the need for a pitcher to join the roster. The Red Sox have an AL-best four players with at least 15 home runs and 60 RBI, and they are the fastest team in MLB history to go from 14 games under .500 to 13 games over. The team is also dealing with the retirement of Matt Barnes, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 429 games for the Sox from 2014-23. The Red Sox are also making a donation to the Midwest Augustinian Province, the Catholic order to which Pope Leo XIV belonged while he was a priest in Chicago. The team is also celebrating the 42nd anniversary of Luis Aparicio being inducted into the Hall of Fame, and they are hosting a game to benefit The Boston Home, a non-profit residence for adults with neurological disorders.
