At Triple-A, he has pitched at least six-innings in each of his last nine starts, restricting the opposition to no more than two runs in seven of those starts.

With the Boston Red Sox placing struggling starter Rick Porcello on the 15-day disabled list, the team has decided to promote pitching prospect Henry Owens and give him his first Major League Baseball start against the rival New York Yankees tonight.

“It’s going to be probably the biggest stage that he’s going to make his debut on that the schedule has it”, Farrell said of the decision to call up Owens for Tuesday’s start in the Bronx.

Just like his Double-A debut, Boston’s fifth prospect was tremendous in his first performance as a Paw Sox and hurled six and 2/3 shutout frames with nine strikeouts against Francisco Lindor’s Columbus Clippers. The right-hander struggled in a four-run, six-inning performance in a 5-2 loss to Texas on Wednesday.

But after Owens reached Triple A Pawtucket late last season, success became less of a formality for the pitching prodigy. “The 6’6″ lefthander has a 3.16 ERA with 103 strikeouts and 56 walks in 122 1/3 innings.

“A lot more strikes, repeating his delivery”, Farrell said of Owens’ recent success with Pawtucket. The New York Yankees have won four straight home games.

“Coming out of spring training there was some work needed commanding his body as well as the baseball”.

“In a nutshell, it’s more quality strikes throughout the entire time he’s on the mound”.

With the first-place Yankees holding a 13-game lead on the Sox in the AL East, the game’s significance in the standings is minimal.

The Yanks have owned the Red Sox this season, and you guys know how I feel about pitchers making their first career start.

So why not look toward the future? The bright lights of Yankee Stadium only add to the intrigue.