|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 1, 2022 15:57:38 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 5m 8 walks for Sox pitchers in 5 2/3 innings. Matches the season-high for one game.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 1, 2022 15:58:33 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 1m Bullpen meeting tomorrow
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 1, 2022 16:13:14 GMT -5
Sawamura strolls up the hill to pitch the 7th lead off 2B another member of the Gas Can Gang
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 1, 2022 16:38:16 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 17m 10 walks for Sox pitchers. Most in a nine-inning game since April 24, 2014 when they issued 12 vs. the Yankees.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 1, 2022 16:50:00 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 2m Here's David Robertson to pitch the 9th for the Cubs.
Maybe he can be on the flight back to Boston.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 1, 2022 16:53:30 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 1m #Cubs 6, #RedSox 5, final.
Sox boot a 4-0 lead and lose for the third time in four games.
Cubs bullpen: 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 1, 2022 16:55:48 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox blow 4-run lead, lose to Cubs, 6-5; Hansel Robles gives up 3 runs in brutal 6th inning Published: Jul. 01, 2022, 5:51 p.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
CHICAGO -- Early on, Friday’s matinee looked like it had the makings of a Red Sox blowout. Then the Cubs stormed back.
Boston led 4-0 before the fourth-place Cubs put together back-to-back three-run innings en route to a 6-5 victory in the opener of a three-game series at Wrigley Field. In the sixth, Christopher Morel tied the game with a two-run homer off Hansel Robles and Willson Contreras scored the game-winning run on a Jake Diekman wild pitch. Boston dropped to 43-34 and has lost three of its last four games.
The series opener started off just about as well as it could have for Boston. Jarren Duran, who returned after three days on the restricted list, sent Adrian Sampson’s first pitch of the game over the center-field wall. The Sox then opened things up in the second when Jackie Bradley Jr. -- who entered the day hitless in his last 26 at-bats -- cleared the bases with a three-run double.
Starter Rich Hill cruised early before running into trouble (and an injury) in the fifth. Nelson Velazquez put Chicago on the board with an RBI triple, then Morel cut the score to 4-2 with an RBI groundout. After Hill departed, Tyler Danish walked in a run to make it a one-run game. Hill was visited by trainers in the fifth; the Red Sox announced he suffered a left knee sprain.
A Duran RBI single in the sixth put the Sox back up two runs. But Robles ran into two-out trouble in the bottom of the inning, walking Andrelton Simmons before Morel tied the game with his eighth homer of the season. Two walks and a double later, Diekman came in and bounced a slider that got away from Christian Vázquez and allowed Contreras to score.
Boston had just one baserunner in the final three innings. In total, the Red Sox had 11 hits and left six on base. Duran and Franchy Cordero each had two hits in the loss.
Hill suffers knee injury
Hill was visited by trainers in the fifth inning but stayed in the game. After he was replaced with Danish, the Red Sox announced that he had suffered a left knee sprain. It’s unclear if the injury is serious.
Robles’ struggles continue
Robles allowed three earned runs on two hits while walking three batters and recording just two outs. His ERA is up to 5.70. The righty has allowed 10 earned runs in his last seven appearances.
Winckowski gets start Saturday night
Rookie righty Josh Winckowski (3-1, 3.60 ERA) will get the ball for the Red Sox on Saturday night in the middle game of the series. The Cubs will counter with lefty Alec Mills (0-1, 9.87 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET. The game will air exclusively on FOX.
|
|
|
Post by scrappyunderdog on Jul 1, 2022 21:43:40 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 17m 10 walks for Sox pitchers. Most in a nine-inning game since April 24, 2014 when they issued 12 vs. the Yankees. Terrible.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 2, 2022 3:14:08 GMT -5
Red Sox
Rich Hill injury: Boston Red Sox lefty felt ‘pop’ in left knee but hoping for the best after suffering sprain Published: Jul. 01, 2022, 7:04 p.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
CHICAGO -- Rich Hill was cruising along through 4+ innings against the Cubs on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Then, he felt a pop in his left knee on the first pitch he threw to Willson Contreras.
Hill stayed in and pitched, but eventually left the game three batters later after issuing a walk, allowing a single and hitting a batter with a pitch. The Red Sox announced that Hill had been diagnosed with a left knee sprain. Hill said he’s hoping the injury is not a serious one.
“I just felt like a pop in my knee,” Hill said. “But I’ve had some MCL issues before, in 2019. I thought it might just be something breaking up or some scar tissue or something like that. In the heat of the moment, being out there and competing, it was something I thought I could pitch through.
“It’s never something where you come out of a game, where it’s a good thing,” Hill added. “I’m just hoping for the best.”
Hill pitched four scoreless innings before running into trouble in the fifth. His final line was uglier than his performance suggested, as he was tagged with three earned runs on three hits in four walks in 4 ⅔ innings. Boston blew a 4-0 lead and fell, 6-5, in the opener of a three-game series.
In hindsight, Hill wished he came out of the game when he first injured himself. Manager Alex Cora and team trainers visited the veteran lefty on the mound but he convinced them to stay in. That decision backfired. After the game, Hill said he was “sick to his stomach” that trying to push through his injury contributed to Boston’s bad loss. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
“I feel stupid for staying in, to be honest with you,” Hill said. “Stubborn. Put us in a really bad position and unfortunately, that falls on me. Stubbornness staying in and wanting to compete and not coming out. I thought it was just going to be a little tweak or whatever and pitch through it. But we’ll find out what the extent of what’s going on in the next couple days.”
Hill has pitched admirably for the Red Sox so far in his 18th major league season. The 42-year-old is 4-4 with a 4.20 ERA in 14 starts. Boston is 8-6 when he pitches. Hill said his knee continues to be sore but was walking normally in the clubhouse after the game. Further testing will reveal whether or not he needs to be placed on the injured list.
“Either way, I’ve been through a lot in this game and I know I can recover from whatever it is and be back at some point,” Hill said.
If Hill does go on the IL, he’d join rotation-mates Garrett Whitlock and Nate Eovaldi, who are both on the comeback trail and will throw bullpen sessions Saturday. The Red Sox are well-positioned to manage rotation injuries with depth options Josh Winckowski, Kutter Crawford and Connor Seabold all showing flashes in the majors and Chris Sale nearing his return to the mound. Top pitching prospect Brayan Bello, who is slated to pitch Friday night at Triple-A Worcester, could be a candidate to replace Hill in the rotation. First though, the Red Sox are awaiting word on Hill’s situation.
“We’ll know a little bit more tomorrow,” Cora said. “If something happens, we’ve got to be ready.”
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 2, 2022 3:15:31 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox’s middle relief issues -- including Hansel Robles’ struggles -- rear ugly head in bad loss to Cubs | Chris Cotillo Updated: Jul. 01, 2022, 7:45 p.m. | Published: Jul. 01, 2022, 7:45 p.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
CHICAGO -- In Matt Strahm, John Schreiber and Tanner Houck, Alex Cora has found his much-desired structure at the back end of the Red Sox’ bullpen. The middle innings, however? It still feels like the Red Sox are an arm or two short.
Friday was a perfect example of why. The Red Sox jumped out to an early 4-0 lead against a bad Cubs team and by the time Cora turned to his bullpen with two outs in the fifth inning, were still leading, 4-2. Then Tyler Danish walked in a run, and an inning later, with Boston back up by two, Hansel Robles allowed a game-tying homer to Christopher Morel and issued three walks. Jake Diekman’s wild pitch gave the Cubs a lead they wouldn’t give back. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
Outside of the three-headed monster at the back end of the bullpen, the Red Sox don’t have many trustworthy options. Lefty Austin Davis has been good and Jake Diekman OK, but Danish, Ryan Brasier, Hirokazu Sawamura and (especially) Robles have been hard to count on. Those issues reared their ugly head at Wrigley Field on Friday.
“With 13 pitchers, people have to step up,” Cora said. “You can’t only rely on certain guys. That was a game we had the lead, but it was the middle of the game, and we have to get people out in the middle of the game.”
Robles has consistently fallen down the depth chart and it’s no secret why. After a great first couple of weeks of the season, he owns a 9.20 ERA since April 28. He’s 2-for-8 in save situations on the year. And he has allowed 10 earned runs in his last seven appearances.
Robles, who declined multiple requests to speak to reporters after the game, is one of Boston’s highest-paid relievers and was expected to be a high-leverage option all season. But that hasn’t been the case. Cora pointed to a lack of feel for Robles’ secondary pitches -- including a slider that is playing like a short cutter -- as a major reason for his struggles.
“Right now, as far as the pitches’ characteristics, the fastball is good,” Cora said. You saw the (velocity) today, it was actually really good. But the slider’s not there. The changeup has been harder. We’ve got to keep working to get the secondary pitches a little bit better and hopefully that can help.”
The trade deadline, which is a month from Saturday, offers a perfect opportunity for the Red Sox to supplement their bullpen and take pressure off Strahm, Schreiber and Houck. Chicago’s David Robertson, who got the save Friday, is a logical fit. So is old friend Daniel Bard, who has pitched well for the Rockies this year.
Then there are the internal reinforcements. Garrett Whitlock seems ticketed for an important role when he returns from the injured list. When Chris Sale and Nate Eovaldi come back, the Sox could choose to put Josh Winckowski or Connor Seabold in the bullpen. They could convert a minor league starter like Brayan Bello or Bryan Mata into a short-term relief option. There are some intriguing bullpen arms in Worcester, too, like Zack Kelly and Kaleb Ort. And Josh Taylor is due to be back from the IL soon.
No matter how the Sox choose to address their problem, it’s clear they need to do it soon. It’s unrealistic to expect starters to go long enough on a nightly basis to bridge to Strahm, Schreiber and Houck. Those three pitchers can’t pitch every day, either. It’s clear the Sox are short on capable arms.
“Today was a bad day for the pitching department,” Cora said. “We walked a lot of people today. You keep giving them at-bats and at-bats with men on, that’s going to happen. We didn’t throw enough strikes.”
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 2, 2022 3:44:50 GMT -5
Hill's sprain, Hansel's struggles mar Wrigley return July 1st, 2022 Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
CHICAGO -- For a few fleeting innings, it felt like the Red Sox were going to have a sparkling return to Wrigley Field in their first trip to the friendly confines in a decade.
But as Friday afternoon wore on, the mood of the Red Sox resembled the clouds they played under all day.
Not only did leads of 4-0 and 5-3 disappear in a 6-5 loss, but another starting pitcher (Rich Hill) suffered an injury that could require a stint on the injured list, and reliever Hansel Robles had the latest in a recent stream of tough outings.
Hill: "I feel stupid for staying in" Facing the team he made his first 57 career starts for, Hill’s return to Wrigley was grand for the first four innings. In fact, the 42-year-old took a one-hit shutout into the fifth.
But it was in the fifth when Boston’s Friday started to turn dark.
The 42-year-old wound up spraining his left knee on the first pitch of his at-bat against Willson Contreras with one out in the fifth. Catcher Christian Vázquez could see something was amiss. So after Contreras walked, Vázquez signaled for manager Alex Cora and the training staff.
Hill tried to tough it out, but gave up a single to Ian Happ and hit Patrick Wisdom. At that point, Cora took him out.
“I just felt a pop in my knee. I feel stupid for staying in, to be honest with you,” said Hill. “Stubborn. I put us in a really bad position. Unfortunately that falls on me. The stubbornness of staying in and wanting to compete and not coming out. I thought it was going to be just kind of a little tweak or whatever and pitch through it. But we’ll find out what the extent of what’s going on in the next couple of days.”
In 2019, Hill suffered a left knee sprain that kept him off the Dodgers’ roster for a month.
“I’ve had some MCL issues before, in 2019,” said Hill. “But I thought this might be something breaking up or some scar tissue or something like that. In the heat of the moment, being out there and competing, it was something that I thought I could pitch through.”
A few batters too late, it became apparent that wasn’t the case. Of late, Boston’s depth in the rotation has been tested. Garrett Whitlock and Nathan Eovaldi have been on the injured list since the second week of June. While they are both on the mend, it’s uncertain when they will return. Ace Chris Sale, who hasn’t pitched this season, might need just one more rehab start before returning to action.
The Red Sox should have a better idea of Hill’s timetable by Saturday.
“We’ll have to diagnose it and find out exactly what the extent of it is. Hopefully it’s not too serious,” said Hill. “It’s never something where you come out of a game where it’s a good thing. Just hoping for the best. Either way, I’ve been through a lot in this game, and I know I can recover from whatever it is and be back at some point.”
Robles in a rut In his first eight appearances of the season, Robles didn’t allow a run. The veteran righty has fallen precipitously since then, posting a 9.20 ERA in 17 outings since April 29.
On Friday, entrusted with a 5-3 lead in the sixth inning, he suffered his sixth blown save in eight opportunities this season. The righty gave up two hits, three walks and three runs, taking the loss.
Robles declined comment after the tough outing.
“The slider is not good,” said Cora. “It’s kind of like a short cutter. There’s no sweeping action.”
While the Red Sox have Tanner Houck and John Schreiber as a dominant righty duo in the late innings, Cora is lacking dependable righties in the middle of the game.
“People have to step up,” Cora said.
When he is right, Robles has the arsenal to be one of those people. He’s just not executing.
“I mean, we’re talking to him. Right now, as far as the pitches and characteristics, the fastball is good, you see the velo today. It was actually really, really good, but the slider is not there,” said Cora. “The changeup is harder. We’ve got to keep working and get the secondary pitches a little bit better, and hopefully that can help.”
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 2, 2022 3:46:29 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Hill exits with sprained left knee July 1st, 2022
Keep track of the Red Sox’s recent transactions and injury updates throughout the season. LATEST NEWS
July 1: LHP Rich Hill exits start with sprained left knee The Red Sox added another injury to the starting rotation on Friday, when the lefty Hill sprained his left knee against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. When Hill walked Willson Contreras in the fifth, Red Sox catcher Christian Vázquez motioned for manager Alex Cora and the training staff to check on him. Hill stayed in the game for two more batters, but then came out. Garrett Whitlock and Nathan Eovaldi have been on the injured list for the last three weeks, and there's no timetable yet for either of them to return. The 42-year-old Hill has made 15 starts this season, going 4-4 with a 4.20 ERA. -- Ian Browne
July 1: LHP Chris Sale to make next rehab start for Triple-A Worcester Sale is closing in on his return to the Red Sox. The lefty struck out seven over four innings in a start for Double-A Portland on June 30. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that Sale's next turn will come Wednesday for a home game at Triple-A Worcester. Sale went four innings for Portland, and should bump up to five for the WooSox. There's a chance that will be his last rehab start, which could put him on track to pitch for Boston as early as July 11.
"We’ll see how it goes. He’s getting close, very close," said Cora. "We’ll talk about it and we’ll go from there. Everything we heard, the way he feels and you can sense it the way he’s talking, he’s in a great place.” -- Ian Browne
OF Kiké Hernández (right hip flexor strain) Expected return: July Hernández is finally making progress from an injury that has taken longer to recover than originally expected. He took 15 swings at Fenway Park on June 30 and has also been doing other baseball activities in recent days.
“He feels good moving, he was running," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "He actually caught a flat ground too. That’s good that he’s doing baseball activities. It’s good for him to take 15 swings, that’s a big step. But we have to be patient." -- Ian Browne (Last updated: July 1)
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 2, 2022 3:57:54 GMT -5
Jon Couture @joncouture · 11h Luckily for the #RedSox, the Cubs are terrible.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 2, 2022 4:00:01 GMT -5
Julian McWilliams @byjulianmack · 10h Robles declined to speak with the media following today’s game.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 2, 2022 4:02:04 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne · 9h Robles didn't give up a run in his first eight appearances of the season. He has a 9.20 ERA in 17 appearances since then.
|
|