The Boston Red Sox completed a four-game series with the Chicago White Sox on Marathon Monday, winning three out of four and clinching the season series. The Red Sox needed this, especially after the team’s abysmal trip in Chicago earlier this month. Outside of the games themselves, this series also featured many intriguing storylines and game notes. With that said, here are the most significant developments out of the Chicago series.
Game One: Hunter Dobbins, Trevor Story shine
The Red Sox started their weekend off with a bang on Friday night, hanging up 10 runs in a dominant pitching performance by rookie hurler Hunter Dobbins. Dobbins, who made his debut against the St. Louis Cardinals, got his second turn in the rotation on Friday night, and he put on a show. In six innings of work, Dobbins gave up just three hits and allowed only one earned run to go along with six punchouts in a dominant performance. Pitching displays like these should earn Dobbins a roster spot, and with starters Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito set to return soon, it would make sense to see Dobbins used as a long reliever moving forward.
On the offensive side, Trevor Story was the star of the night. The two-time All-Star went 3 for 4 with one home run and six RBI, bringing his season total to five home runs and 14 RBI. After an injury-shortened 2024, Story has opened 2025 on a torrid hot streak, easily being the team’s top offensive performer. Boston will continue to hope that the shortstop will be able to continue his performances, as an in-form Story makes this Red Sox lineup even more potent.
Game Two: Crochet continues his dominance, and the Red Sox walk it off after a bullpen blunder
The Red Sox won the second fixture of the series by a score of four to three in a game where Rafael Devers hit his second home run of the season. On the pitching side, Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet was brilliant again, striking out seven and limiting the White Sox lineup to only three hits and zero runs in six innings.
Despite the three-run lead, Boston reliever Greg Weissert made it a brand new ball game by giving up a three-run blast in the seventh, marking a rough start to the reliever’s 2025 campaign. After a great 2024 that saw Weissert pitch to a 3.13 ERA and 137 ERA+ in 63.1 innings, the righty has gotten off to a slow start in 2025, currently holding a 4.66 ERA. Luckily for Weissert, all was forgiven, as the Red Sox were able to walk things off in the 10th, courtesy of an RBI single by Triston Casas.
Game Three: Houck bounces back, by bullpen falls again
Despite a two-run first, Tanner Houck bounced back to have a nice start against Chicago. In six innings of work, the 2024 All-Star struck out seven and gave up just two runs and three hits to the White Sox offense. This was a promising start for Houck, who the Red Sox desperately need to get going. Before this start, Houck had a 9.16 ERA in four outings.
Unfortunately for the Red Sox, despite the efforts of Houck and a three-run homer by Wilyer Abreu, Boston’s bullpen fumbled the game away after another poor appearance from Zack Kelly, who hit two batters and was charged with three earned runs. Liam Hendriks, who was making his first MLB appearance since 2023, spelled the end of the game, giving up a two-run homer to Chicago first basemen Andrew Vaughn.
Game 4: Buehler sharp, Campbell continues his strong campaign in Marathon Monday W
The Red Sox closed out their series with a win on Marathon Monday behind a strong performance from Walker Buehler, who, along with nine strikeouts, allowed just one run and hit in seven innings. Similar to Houck, Buehler is another pitcher who needs to get going for Boston, and with starts like this, fans hope that he’ll soon find his stride in the rotation.
Offensively, the Red Sox had a quiet day, but a two-RBI single from Kristian Campbell marked the rookie reaching safely in 21 of his first 22 Major League games, reflective of Campbell’s hot start to his major league career. With how things are going, it is likely that by season’s end, Campbell will win the Rookie of the Year, marking him as Boston’s most exciting young player since Mookie Betts.
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