BY DAN GLICKMAN
The Rochester Red Wings will host the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders this week, playing six games against the New York Yankees’ top affiliate.
The Red Wings (36-57, 9-12 in the second half) come into the series after winning two of their first three games after the All-Star break during a three-game set at Lehigh Valley. After a dismal first half that resulted in a 27-45 record, the worst in the International League, the Wings have improved in the second half, including winning six of their last 10 games. The Wings’ rotation has gotten a boost ever since the arrival of 30-year-old right-hander Bryce Conley, who holds a 2.57 ERA in four starts for the Wings. Offensively, third baseman Trey Lipscomb has homered in each of his last two games. Despite the recent success, however, the Wings remain under .500 and 8.5 games back in the second-half race.
The biggest team they are chasing, though, is this week’s opponent: the RailRiders. With a 17-3 record in the second half (55-37 overall), Scranton comes to Rochester as one of the hottest teams in all of baseball, having won 11 straight. For the Red Wings to make up ground and have any shot at making noise in the second-half playoff race, they likely will need to win this series, perhaps decisively.
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It won’t be easy. The RailRiders are second in the league in batting average (.267), tied for second in the league in runs scored (522), and third in RBI (488), on-base percentage (.353), slugging (.438), and OPS (.791); and tied for fifth in home runs (114). On the mound, Scranton is fifth in ERA (4.20) and opponent batting average (.241), and sixth in WHIP (1.37, just barely behind No. 5 Gwinnett). Scranton has a +110 run differential on the season, the best in the league. In comparison, the Red Wings have a -135 run differential, the worst in the league. Even when just looking at the second half, the RailRiders far outstrip the Wings in the run differential department, +65 to -9.
Six of the Yankees’ top 30 prospects according to MLB.com Pipeline are on the Scranton roster, but the most noteworthy is outfielder Spencer Jones, the Yankees’ No. 2 overall prospect (the No. 1 prospect, George Lombard Jr., is in AA). A first-round pick out of Vanderbilt in 2022, the 24-year-old left-hander has hit 26 total home runs across AA and AAA this season, including 10 AAA home runs in 16 games. In those 16 AAA games, the Californian has slashed (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) .426/.481/.941 with a remarkable 1.422 OPS while also stealing six bases. With the trade deadline approaching, some have speculated he may be a key trade piece should New York make any major moves, but if not, some project he’ll be in the Bronx by the end of the season.
The next-highest rated prospect on Scranton is another outfielder, Everson Pereira. The 24-year-old from Venezuela, who had a brief stint with the big club in 2023, isn’t as highly regarded as Jones, sitting at No. 12 on MLB.com’s prospect list for the Yankees. However, he’s been one of the International League’s top power hitters this season, and sits tied for sixth with 18 home runs. Like Jones, MLB.com Pipeline projects that he’ll be MLB-ready this season. Other Yankees top-30 prospects on Scranton include catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores (No. 15), right-handed relievers Clayton Beeter (No. 20) and Eric Reyzelman (No. 21); and catcher/third baseman Jesus Rodriguez (No. 30). Rodriguez is eighth in the league in batting average, hitting .313.
Beyond the top prospects, the RailRiders also have seen good production from first baseman Jose Rojas, who spent parts of two seasons with the Angels earlier this decade. The left-handed hitter is fourth in the league in RBI with 64 and tied for ninth in the league in home runs, with 17. One of those ahead of him on the RBI leader board is first baseman T.J. Rumfield, who is third with 65 RBI. On the hill, Scranton is hurt by the fact that Allan Winans, who is tied for the IL lead in wins with nine, was recently called up, as well as the fact that Sean Boyle (among the league leaders in wins and WHIP) is injured. However, they still possess one of the league’s top strikeout pitchers in Erick Leal (90 strikeouts, tied for eighth), as well as a big-league veteran in Carlos Carrasco.
On the “familiar faces” front: Gil Velazquez, who played parts of three seasons for the Red Wings as an infielder in the 2000s, is the RailRiders’ bench coach. Infielder Jeimer Candelario never played for the Red Wings, but Washington’s 2023 trade of him brought DJ Herz to Rochester, where he pitched in 10 games in 2024.
Off the field, the Red Wings have several promotions scheduled this week. Tuesday will see the Red Wings wear their “Cocos Locos” alternate persona, and the first 1,500 fans will receive magnets of former Red Wing Luis Garcia Jr. Wednesday will salute the 1990s, including a giveaway of 1990s-style jerseys to the first thousand fans. Friday will have several promotions, including the ZOOperstars, post-game fireworks, and a rally towel giveaway. The beloved Bruce the Bat Dog will fetch bats on Saturday during Christmas in July Night, which will also feature fireworks and an ornament giveaway. The series concludes on Sunday with a t-shirt giveaway and a kids’ run-the-bases event.
Rochester begins its series on Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. Chase Solesky (4-5, 4.93) is expected to start for the Wings.
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