John Denton

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Veteran Cardinals/MLB reporter

John Denton has been a reporter for more than three decades while covering MLB, NBA and the NFL. He's covered four Super Bowls, four NBA Finals and four MLB seasons. Following the bouncing ball has allowed John to cover pro sports in Australia, China, Brazil, England, Mexico and all over the U.S.

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What Kind of Reaction will Rafeal Devers get in Return to Fenway Park

Rafael Devers, a three-time All-Star and a player who finished in the top 18 in the voting for the American League Most Valuable Player award five times in a Boston uniform, will make his first return to Fenway Park this weekend when the Giants face the Red Sox. Will the player who hit .279 with 215 homers and 696 RBI over 8 1/2 seasons with the Red Sox before he was shockingly traded to the Giants be cheered or booed by Red Sox fans? Devers, now 29, was a part of the Sox organization for 13 years after being signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2013. He was dealt to the Giants on June 15 for Jose Bello, James Tibbs III, Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks. Despite rumors of the Red Sox being unhappy with Devers' attitude and work ethic near the end of his time in Boston, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow said he and the club only have fond memories of the corner infielder. “Raffi is one of the most talented players to put on a Red Sox uniform,” Breslow told the San Francisco Chronicle, via a text message. “I understand what he’s meant to this organization, the role that he played in winning the World Series. “Also at the time I spoke about needing to make a very difficult decision that I felt improved our longer-term outlook here, and so we did that. I think Red Sox fans in San Francisco fans have both appreciated what Raffi brings when he sets foot in the box, the intimidation that he can have on an opposing pitcher.” So, what do you think -- does Devers get cheers or boos at Fenway Park on Friday night?Aug 21, 2026

RedSoxRoundtable

Thursday's Off Day Coming at a Good Time for Battered Sox

After wrapping up a stretch of 16 games in 16 days in the dog days of August, the Red Sox will assuredly savor a much-needed off day on Thursday.  Wednesday's 7-6 loss to the Dbacks in 10 innings left Boston at 8-8 over the two-plus week stretch with no days off. Thanks to their eye-popping 27-3 stretch from July 3-Aug. 7, the Red Sox still sit comfortably in the American League's No Wild Card with a 5 1/2 game lead. Just 35 games remain before the playoffs begin and Boston wants to try and heal up some of its nagging injuries to prep for the postseason. Willson Contreras, arguably the team's MVP this season, has been battling left hamstring tightness for the past couple of weeks. Shockingly, Fenway Park fans booed Contreras in Wednesday's 10th inning when he didn't hustle down the first base line on a routine ground ball. Also, the Sox have been without middle relievers Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock of late and it has taken a toll on an overworked bullpen. Boston is hopeful of getting both relievers back from their elbow injuries before the end of the season to make its bullpen whole again before the playoffs.   Aug 20, 2026

RedSoxRoundtable

Once Derided as Difference-Makers, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras Have Flourished in Boston

When the Red Sox pulled off trades with the Cardinals for 36-year-old right-hander Sonny Gray and 34-year-old first baseman Willson Contreras, more than a few fans liked the direction the team was going. Instead of spending their money to keep Alex Bregman or signing Pete Alonso in free agency, the Red Sox instead opted for a couple of proven veterans who played previously in the National League with the Cardinals. Quite frankly, where would the Red Sox be now without a revived Gray leading the pitching staff and Contreras playing an All-Star level first base and leading the offense? Likely not still riding the feel-good vibes of a 15-game winning streak. Contreras, who made the AL All-Star team and reached the semifinals of the Home Run Derby with several 450-plus homers, leads the Red Sox in batting average (.293), on-base percentage (.389), slugging (.559), OPS (.948), homers (22) and RBI (66) in 94 games. He's also brought some much-needed fire and bravado to a Red Sox team that started the season slowly before using the 15-game winning streak to sling-shot themselves back into the playoff race. As for Gray, he leads the Red Sox pitching staff in wins (12), starter ERA (2.48), innings pitched (101 2/3) and starts (18). Gray has struck out 90 hitters, while walking just 28. So Red Sox fans, what do you think of Contreras and Gray now after watching them perform over the first 100 games of the season?  Jul 23, 2026

RedSoxRoundtable

An appreciation post for Willson Contreras' power-packed HR Derby performance

No, Willson Contreras didn't win the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday night, but he still put on an awesome display of raw power with the monster shots he hit early in the event. Chosen to go first overall in the event, Contreras set the tone for the night by crushing 13 homers in the first round -- tied with eventual winner Jordan Walker's first-round total. At one point, Contreras hit homers on five straight swings. Conteras' longest shot of the night travelled a stagging 490 feet. That was the longest of the night until Rays star Junior Caminero topped him in the second round with a 491-foot blast. Contreras put on another strong power display in the second round, but he was edged 9-8 by hometown hero Kyle Schwarber. Contreras' total was the second most of the second round, but he didn't advance to the finals because the format shifted to a head-to-head format in the second round. Walker edged Caminero 6-5 in his side of the bracket. Walker, Contreras' teammate in St. Louis since 2023, won the contest by homering in his final six swings to beat Schwarber.  Jul 15, 2026

RedSoxRoundtable

Willson Contreras Appears to be Close to a Return for Sox

Good to see Willson Contreras back in the Red Sox dugout on Sunday and taking some swings in the batting cage on Monday after getting hit in the right hand by Rays pitcher Nick Martinez. Imaging on Contreras' right hand came back negative on Sunday, and the club's hope is that he will be able to return to the starting lineup as soon as the pain is manageable and he can swing the bat. Contreras has been hit by pitches eight times this season, tying for the top spot in MLB. With the way he crowds the plate and dives into pitches, Contreras is no stranger to getting. He ranked third in MLB in hit by pitches with 23 in 2025 and he was hit by a career-high 24 pitche3s in 2022. He even led all of baseball in being hit by pitches in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, getting plunked 14 times. May 12, 2026

RedSoxRoundtable

What Unenviable Statistic is Willson Contreras Now Leading MLB In?

As Red Sox fans have likely already learned, Willson Contreras is one of MLB's most dangerous hitters any time he digs into the batter's box. However, the slugging first baseman also often puts himself in danger when hitting with the way he crowds the plate and aggressively dives into pitches. Contreras, the Red Sox team leader in home runs this season with eight, was hit for an MLB-most eighth time on Sunday. He was knocked out of Sunday's game against the Rays in the first inning when he was hit in the right hand by Tampa Bay starter Nick Martinez. Contreras tried to stay in the game, but the pain was too much, and he ultimately departed the game after playing just a half-inning in the field.  The Red Sox initially dubbed the injury a hand contusion, but further testing could change the severity of the injury. Andrew Monasterio replaced Contreras at first base on Sunday. Having been hit so often his career, Contreras wears a batting glove with padding to protect the back of his left hand. However, Martinez's tailing 94 mph sinker came in under the left hand and hit on the outer portion of the right hand as Contreras prepared to swing.  Contreras, who was acquired by the Red Sox in a trade with the Cardinals in December, is tied with former St. Louis teammate Ivan Herrera (eight) and Cardinals former top prospect JJ Wetherholt (eight) for the most times being hit by pitches. This issue is nothing new for Contreras, who has hit .259 with 23 RBI to go along with his eight homers this season. Contreras was third in MLB in hit by pitches in 2025, getting plunked 23 times. He was hit by just 12 pitches in 2024, but he had to miss two different stints with hand injuries after being drilled by pitches. Contreras led all of MLB in hit by pitches during the COVID-shortened season of 2020 and he was plunked a career-most 24 times in 2022.May 10, 2026

RedSoxRoundtable

Pedro Martinez Speaks Out on Behalf of Struggling Red Sox with Message for Fans

Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez has long been a source of inspiration for the Red Sox and their die-hard fans for years, so it is only fitting that the 2004 World Series champion is speaking out with the franchise off to a floundering start in 2026. With their game against the Rays rained out on Saturday, the Red Sox will remain at a disappointing 17-22 for another day. They went into Saturday tied for last in the AL East with the equally disappointing Orioles. Boston fans wanted the Red Sox to go after a big bat like Pete Alonso this past winter to potentially pair with Alex Bregman, but instead the franchise settled for a trade of Willson Contreras, and they let the All-Star third baseman walk away in free agency to the streaking Chicago Cubs. Thus far, Alonso hasn't had much of an impact in Baltimore. He's hit eight homers and driven in 22 runs, but his batting average (.223) and OPS (.777) are lagging, and he has struck out (42) twice as often as he has walked (21). Back to Martinez, he had some impassioned words for Red Sox fans on Thursday night as they continue to deal with the firing of manager Alex Cora and many members of his staff and the Red Sox inconsistent play thus far. Listen to the way Martinez pleads for support from Red Sox fans and you can't help but be inspired:   "We waited 86 years and we got our hearts broken in '03, and what did we do the next year?" asked Martinez, who was back in Boston for the club's Hall of Fame inductions of Johnny Damon, Jon Lester and Mike Timlin. "We came back, we fought and we got (a World Series crown). The City of Boston is known to be strong and to come back with a vengeance. This team, this city and this organization is going to overcome everything that we're going through right now. I am extremely positive about it."      May 9, 2026

RedSoxRoundtable

July 24, 2004: Jason Varitek vs. A-Rod or Bill Mueller vs. Mariano Rivera?

So many moments from the curse-busting season off 2004 are still vividly familiar to Red Sox fans who will forever cherish the franchise's band of "idiots" that won the World Series that year. Just curious: How do Red Sox fans remember July 24,2004? Hard-core fans will undoubtedly remember that as the day when catcher Jason Varitek had it out with hated Yankees star Alex Rodriguez and shoved his catcher's matt into the chin of the slugger to start a fracas. Tempers bubbled over when Bronson Arroyo drilled Rodriguez with a pitch. As Rodriguez was yelling out to Arroyo, Varitek inflamed the tensions by informing the Yankees star that no one hits batters with .260 averages on purpose. While that was certainly a memorable moment in the long and stories rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox, other fans remember that day for a much more celebratory reason. Bill Mueller, an often-overlooked piece of that championship team, ended the game by doing the unthinkable: He drilled a walk-off, game-winning home run off Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera. Mueller hit an elevated cutter from Rivera on a 3-1 pitch into the Red Sox bullpen for the home run to cause Fenway to throb with raw emotion. "Any time that you can help your team -- because I'm such a team guy -- to step up in that moment, in that type of atmosphere, against that type of pitcher is a special feeling," said Mueller, whose big moment was honored by the Red Sox on Thursday night as the club was inducting Johnny Damon, Mike Timlin and Jon Lester into their Hall of Fame. "I'm just happy that it worked out where it ended the game against an opponent of that caliber. It was a special day." Mueller couldn't help but smile and laugh when asked which moment Red Sox remember more from that day: His long ball against Rivera or Varitek's glove hitting Rodriguez's chin to set off a brawl. "I think they enjoyed the fight a lot more, which is great," Mueller told reporters in Boston. "(The fans) are always like, 'Hey! Where were you during that fight?' Of course, I was like, 'I was right behind Big Poppi (David Ortiz)!' It was perfect because he was the biggest guy. "The fight's at the forefront and then you get to sprinkle in the home run, which is all right with me."     May 9, 2026

RedSoxRoundtable

Sporting Long Hair, Beard Again, Johnny Damon Reminds Red Sox Fans of 2004

Back at Fenway Park with a shaggy beard and his signature long hair thrown up in a tidy manbun, Johnny Damon had Red Sox fans feeling like it was 2004 all over again on Thursday night. Damon, now 52, was back in Boston for his induction into the Red Sox Hall of Fame and was joined by fellow inductees Jon Lester and Mike Timlin Those three Boston legends represent three World Series-winning squads: Lester spearheaded the 2007 and ‘13 teams with his gritty pitching, Timlin got his second ring with Boston in 2007 and Damon was one of the leaders among the "idiots" and their storybook run to a title in 2004. Keeping things light and loose, Damon said he drew energy from the Fenway faithful and admitted to being flattered by the induction to the Sox Hall. “I feel like I’m back, like He-Man,” said Damon, referring to his nickname from 22 years earlier. “I know a big movie is coming out, one of my favorite superheroes of all time, Masters of the Universe. I'm thrilled my hair is back. It's my identity now. I may get a trim or so. The fans of Boston love the look, and it's here for as long as it will stay.” Those same fans were galled by Damon not only signing a four-year, $52 million free-agent deal with the Yankees following the 2005 season, but also when he returned to Fenway with a clean-shaven face and short hair, per Pinstripe rules. His exit from Boston was unexpected and ugly, but Damon felt it was a choice he had to make when the Red Sox kept their offer at $40 million and refused to match the deal extended by the Yankees. Ultimately, he would another World Series in 2009 with the hated Yankees. “Yeah, it was a tough departure,” Damon said to reporters. “The sports world, the business side of it, is absolutely horrible. We understand everything that happened. But everyone knew how much I loved playing for Boston, and how much I still love coming back here.” The cheers that Damon received on Thursday spoke to how much Red Sox fans have forgiven him for signing with the arch-enemy Yankees. With his bear and long hair back, Damon is often recognized by Red Sox fans who prefer talking about his Boston brilliance than his New York defection. “I sure hope so, because it’s been 21 years,” Damon said of the forgiveness extended to him by Red Sox fans. “Let’s definitely let bygones be bygones. But everyone knew what I brought to the table, and how I became the fan favorite. And you know, when the fan favorite isn't brought back and you go elsewhere, it's a tough one. ... Hopefully I'm still their favorite (player) now.”    May 8, 2026

RedSoxRoundtable

Red Sox Show Support for Willson Contreras by Donning 'Bowser' T-shirts

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Apr 11, 2026

RedSoxRoundtable