WORCESTER - A quarter does not buy what it used to but has value beyond dollar signs.
Businesses report quarterly earnings. Report cards come four times each academic year. Football and basketball are still played in quarters.
The WooSox are done with the first quarter of their sixth season in town, although the math is a bit inexact in the minor leagues. It has been a good one, their second-best ever, at 21-16. Their best first quarter was their first. In 2021 when they were 24-13 after 37 games in a season that started late.
That is, to date, Worcester’s best season overall. The WooSox were 18-19 last year, 17-20 in 2024, 19-18 in 2023 and 16-21 in 2022.
This was an especially eventful first quarter. Chad Tracy was promoted to interim manager in Boston, Iggy Suarez taking over here. Tsu-Che Cheng hit for the cycle, the first WooSox player to do that.
There were seven MLB graduations for former Worcester players. That list included Tyler Uberstine, Tyler Samaniego, Jack Anderson, Jake Bennett and Alec Gamboa to Boston as well as Shane Drohan to the Brewers and Alex Hoppe to the Mariners.
Most significant is that as of Sunday, May 10, the WooSox had spent nine straight games in first place, either tied or all alone. That is the longest such streak in team history no matter what the schedule format.
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TRIPLE-A TRIVIA
1. Who holds the WooSox record for most stolen bases in a season in a season without being caught stealing?
2. Who holds the Worcester record for most caught stealing in a season without recording a stolen base?
Answers below.
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The WooSox are at Buffalo this week. The teams had played each other 113 times heading into the series with Worcester having a 63-50 edge. The WooSox are 25-22 at Sahlen Field through the years. Buffalo has two former WooSox on the roster, both pitchers. Lefty Brendan Cellucci was here for parts of 2024 and 2025. Josh Winckowski is on the roster, but injured.
Bisons batter Riley Tirotta hit four home runs off WooSox pitching last season including a grand slam and a three-run blast.
Something that should happen when the gates open in Buffalo on Tuesday — the WooSox will draw their 2 millionth fan on the road. They are at 1,999,695 going into the series.
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CATCHING UP WITH….
Two former WooSox batters have helped the Tijuana Toros of the Mexican League get off to an 11-6 start.
Popular slugger Franchy Cordero hit .333 with six home runs and 13 RBIs in his first 14 games. Outfielder Greg Allen was not as productive but has been an everyday player. In 13 games, Allen batted .229 with a homer and four RBIs.
Pitcher Phillips Valdez is also in the Mexican League with Bravos de Leon. He was in Worcester in 2021 and 2022 and was 2-0 in 31 appearances. Valdez is off to a slow start in 2026 with an 0-1 record and 9.42 ERA in four games.
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Assuming that Chad Tracy does not return here, and the Boston Red Sox should end any suspense about that sooner rather than later, his final WooSox record is 324-296. He is eighth on the list of Boston Triple-A managers with 620 games and ninth in victories with 324, two behind Mike Higgins.
Tracy is only the ninth manager to have that job both for a Boston Triple-A team and the major league club. The others are Joe Morgan, Higgins, Darrell Johnson, Eddie Kasko, Johnny Pesky, Dick Williams and Eddie Popowski for two brief interim stints.
Chad and dad Jim Tracy have managed a combined 1,749 major league games. That is fourth all-time on the major league father-son list. Felipe Alou and Luis Rojas are first with 2,276 games. Bob and Aaron Boone are second with 2,050, Buddy and David Bell third with 2,108.
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Nathan Hickey did something notable last Thursday night when Worcester played, and won, its longest game ever, that 10-8 triumph over SWB. Hickey is the first position player to earn a win as a pitcher for a Boston Triple-A team since 2012 when both Andy LaRoche and Jonathan Hee did it for the Pawtucket Red Sox. Hickey also joined that duo as players who hit home runs, although not as pitchers, and earned a win in the same season. … Cade Feeney is only the second native North Dakotan to wear a WooSox uniform. The first was pitcher Matt Strahm, who was here briefly in 2022. North Dakota now leads South Dakota on that particular WooSox list, 2-0. … Allan Castro’s walkoff home run in that Thursday game was just the sixth in WooSox history. Four have beaten SWB. Castro has hit five home runs this season, all with at least one runner on base. … Oh, and in the walkoff category, Worcester now has one hit by a Duran (Jarren) and off one, Castro off Edinson. … Heading into the Buffalo series Worcester was 9-3 when Devin Sweet pitched in a game, 8-3 when Tayron Guerrero did. The WooSox were 18-8 with Vinny Capra in the starting lineup, 13-6 with Jason Delay. … Mikey Romero has not hit a home run since the second game of the season and has one in his first 33 games in 2026. He had six homers in his first 33 games after being promoted last year.
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TRIVIA ANSWERS
1. Greg Allen was a remarkable 23 for 23 in stolen base attempts for the 2023 WooSox.
2. Ronaldo Hernandez was out three times, safe no times, trying to steal in 2022.