Nick Sogard Powers WooSox in Extended Homestand

On Sunday afternoon, the Worcester Red Sox wrapped up a 12-game homestand that featured matchups with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders and Jackson Holliday’s Norfolk Tides.

The WooSox dropped the series finale with the Tides on Sunday, 9-8, finishing the homestand with a 5-7 record. The club now sits nine games back of the International League East leading RailRiders a third of the way into the Minor League Baseball season.

Despite the losing record, there were plenty of positives to take away from the club's extended time at Polar Park. For example, a key fixture of the lineup has begun to heat up heading into the summer months.

Nick Sogard, who is in his fourth season with the Boston Red Sox organization, has had an excellent month of May. Acquired via trade with the Tampa Bay Rays prior to the start of the 2021 season, Sogard is known for his defensive versatility––something that may earn the 26-year-old his first call up to the big leagues.

During the homestand, though, it was his bat that attracted attention.

Over the 12 games, the Los Angeles native hit an astounding .385/.500/.795 with five home runs, 11 RBIs, and more walks (nine) than strikeouts (eight). During the month of May, Sogard leads the team in several major offensive categories, including OBP (.434), SLG (.582), and OPS (1.016) while sharing a tie for the team lead in home runs (6) and walks (16).

As part of his four-hit effort on Thursday, May 16, the switch-hitter launched the WooSox first walk-off home run of the season in a 13-12 win over Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It was his second long ball of the game––hitting one from each side of the plate.

Sogard is the first WooSox player to accomplish the feat since Drew Sutton in 2011, back when the team was in Pawtucket.

Throughout his career, Sogard has continued to progress as a hitter, elevating his OPS in each of his three seasons in Worcester. With excellent bat-to-ball skills, his offensive development is a welcoming sign for a Red Sox organization that has been riddled with injuries at the major league level during the first two months of the season.

In the midst of his hot streak, though, Sogard took some time away from getting on base to spend time with local Worcester public school students. On Friday, May 24, he spoke with 1,800 students to explain the importance of friendship and sticking together.

On and off the field, Sogard is making his mark on Worcester.

With the help of their utility man’s scorching hot bat, the first half of the homestand for the WooSox was a resounding success. The team took four of six from the RailRiders, becoming the first team this season to win at least four games in a series against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The series against the Tides, though, was less fortunate for the club. After a titanic 20-4 win in game one, the WooSox proceeded to drop the next five, with Norfolk scoring the go-ahead run in the ninth inning on four separate occasions.

Though the series was a disappointing end to the homestand, Eddy Alvarez was a bright spot for the WooSox. In five games, the 34-year-old belted four home runs and drove in 10 runs while collecting nine hits in 18 at-bats.

After a day off on Memorial Day, the WooSox will travel to North Carolina for a six-game set against the Charlotte Knights beginning on Tuesday. It will be the clubs’ only meeting this year and first since 2022––a series where the WooSox won five of six.

Following the series, the WooSox will be back at Polar Park for a matchup against the Rochester Red Wings. The team hopes to get back on track before their return to Worcester.