Red Sox: Henry Owens to Make Major League Baseball Debut Against Yankees

The stretches of lights-out pitching he put together for high-Single A Salem in 2013 seemed routine. Though he didn’t allow a home run his last time out, he’s given up 15 in 14 starts this season – matching his total in 20 starts last year – and 11 in the past seven outings.

Another former Portland Sea Dogs pitcher will join the Red Sox rotation when the team begins its series with the Yankees in New York on Tuesday. “The 6’6” lefthander has a 3.16 ERA with 103 strikeouts and 56 walks in 122 1/3 innings. Owens has an extremely effective changeup, which has helped him post a 3.30 ERA in 96 minor league outings, including 95 starts. The right-hander struggled in a four-run, six-inning performance in a 5-2 loss to Texas on Wednesday.

“A lot more strikes, repeating his delivery”, Farrell said of Owens’ recent success with Pawtucket. “Coming out of spring training, there was some work needed with just commanding his body as well as the baseball. And in a nutshell, it’s more quality strikes throughout the entire time he’s on the mound”.

The Yankees now lead the AL East by six games over the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles.

Owens, who was selected with the 36th overall pick (Complement A) in the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft by Boston, immediately started rising through the system thanks to a 12-5 record and 130 strikeouts in 101 2/3 innings during his first professional campaign with Greenville (Single-A). But it will be significant for Owens and the Sox as they look toward the future. One of the adjustments he made during the season, he said, was to stop overthinking.