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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 2:58:02 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
Red Sox work on performance away from the field
By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated September 7, 2022, 12:11 a.m.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Red Sox did things a bit differently Tuesday for their pregame preparation. Instead of hitting on the field, a handful of Sox players did their pregame work at Summers Method Performance Center, a training facility in Bradenton, Fla. Tommy Pham, who played with the Rays for parts of two seasons, used to train at the facility and told manager Alex Cora about it.
Cora and his staff jumped at the possibility of his team trying something new.
“You can kind of relax,” Cora said before the Red Sox’ 8-4 loss to the Rays. “You can work on your mechanics, no rush. It’s something we’ve been intrigued with since 2019. We talked about it and on this trip we had a facility close to the hotel.”
Sox position players went through batting practice, front toss. Much like the NBA has shootaround, as Cora noted, this was the baseball version of that — or at least the team’s attempt.
Cora saw the benefits. Instead of getting to the field at 1 p.m., players arrived later, around 3:45.
“I was able to take a nap before I got here,” Cora said.
Hernández deal done
The Red Sox made it official, signing Kiké Hernández to a one-year, $10 million extension.
Hernández, who was hurt for a large chunk of the season, came into the day hitting just .219. So, the Sox’ vote of confidence wasn’t something the center fielder took lightly.
“It meant a lot obviously,” the 31-year-old Hernández said. “Beginning the season, I was looking forward to hitting free agency again, and obviously things didn’t go my way. So it was a change of plans. This is a place where I want to be . . .
“You experience [free agency] once and it’s kind of not that much fun anymore. So yeah, I’m excited to stay.”
When Hernández signed with the Red Sox prior to the 2021 season, he came in as a utility guy. Nevertheless, the Sox needed a center fielder and that’s where he’s settled in. While he’s more comfortable playing second base, center field will be Hernández’s primary position in 2023.
“Obviously I would love it if they moved Trevor [Story] to center and I played second, but obviously that’s not gonna go like that,” Hernández joked. “I still say that my favorite position is in the lineup one way or another. If I can find my way in the lineup, I don’t really care that much.
“I like playing every day. The only difference for me playing in one spot is that it puts me in a position where if I do well, I can potentially win a Gold Glove. After experiencing last year, to me winning is the most important thing and I want to win in Boston.”
Cordero to be off his feet for a while
The likelihood of Cordero returning this season sounds doubtful.
“The goal is for him to hopefully be healthy right and finish [the season] but we have to be realistic, too,” Cora said. “I don’t want to close the door and I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but obviously, we have to make sure he’s healthy.”
Surgery for Houck
Tanner Houck (back) underwent successful lumbar discectomy surgery for a disk issue . Dr. Christopher Bono performed the surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Houck is expected to be ready for spring training . . . Hernández said he will play for Team Puerto Rico in this year’s World Baseball Classic. Hernández played for the team back in 2017 . . . J.D. Martinez (back) was a late scratch from Tuesday’s loss. Christian Arroyo hit in the designated hitter’s spot instead. Cora said that Martinez should be good to go Wednesday . . . Xander Bogaerts left Tuesday’s game with back spasms. Bogaerts won’t play Wednesday . . . The Rays placed starter Drew Rasmussen on the paternity list and reinstated Yonny Chirinos (Tommy John surgery).
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 2:59:05 GMT -5
Ian Browne
@ianmbrowne
·
5h
"This one hurts a lot. I think a responsibility falls a lot of the season on me that I haven’t been able to go deep into games and that’s just one thing that doesn’t sit well for me. Get ready for the next one tomorrow.” -- Rich Hill.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 3:01:03 GMT -5
Pete Abraham
@peteabe
·
7h
Rays announce a crowd of 8,069.
5th smallest home crowd of the season for the Rays.
Crowd of 8,069 at the Trop tonight is the smallest the Red Sox have played before since June 8, 1999 when a Sox-Expos game drew 7,233.
That excludes games where crowds were restricted by Covid protocols and the LL Classic.
* Sox are 4-11 vs. the Rays and have lost 9 of 11.
* Sox are 1-8 at the Trop.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 3:07:54 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Rays
Wednesday, 7th September
630pm @ Trop
Pivetta 9-10/ 4.37
Springs 7-4/2.62
Rays look for more success vs. Red Sox in series finale
FLM
Rays look for more success vs. Red Sox in series finale
With a month left in the season, the Tampa Bay Rays' bats are starting to heat up at the expense of the Boston Red Sox.
Tampa Bay (76-58) will look to complete a sweep of its visiting American League East rival when the two clubs finish their three-game set on Wednesday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Reigning AL Rookie of the Year Randy Arozarena demonstrated Tuesday night just what kind of superstar talent he possesses.
He went 3-for-4, cracked a three-run homer, doubled twice and scored three times as his team won 8-4.
Arozarena is also approaching a single-season milestone, as he needs just one more long ball and three stolen bases to join the 20-30 club.
"It's a mark I'm trying to achieve," said Arozarena, who was a 20-20 performer in 2021. "I'll be very happy if I'm able to accomplish that."
Four other batters of the nine in the Rays' lineup produced multi-hit showings on Tuesday as the club posted 13 hits.
Tampa has scored 12 runs in the two victories over the Red Sox and is 11-4 overall this season against them.
The Rays managed to put together a complete game on a day that started with good news but left the team in a slight bind.
Scheduled starter Drew Rasmussen was placed on the paternity list and left the club to join his wife for the birth of their child.
Manager Kevin Cash considered all of his options and decided on a bullpen game. Opener JT Chargois and five relievers combined to allow four runs and just six hits to go along with 10 strikeouts and two walks.
With six relievers being used, Rays starter Jeffrey Springs (7-4, 2.62 ERA) could be forced to go deeper into the game on Wednesday to help save what's left of the bullpen.
He will make his 11th appearance (third start) against the Red Sox in the finale; he is 0-1 with a 4.58 ERA against them.
Boston (67-70) went down 3-0 just seven pitches into Tuesday's game as leadoff hitter Yandy Diaz and Manuel Margot lined hits before No. 3 hitter Arozarena belted a three-run shot to center.
His 19th homer decimated a security camera above the center-field wall and spoiled Rich Hill's third start this season against his 2021 team.
Hill, who specializes in slow and slower curves, gave up the three hits on fastballs as the Rays refused to let him settle into a groove.
"They hit the fastball early on," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "The third inning was soft contact. (Margot's) bunt and (Arozarena's) off the end of the bat double. It was a weird outing. He finished strong and gave us four (innings)."
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts left the game in the sixth inning (back spasms) and will miss Wednesday's finale. He will be re-evaluated before Friday's game in Baltimore.
Nick Pivetta (9-10, 4.37) will start against Tampa Bay for the seventh time on Wednesday. The right-hander is 1-4 with a 5.34 ERA, and the Rays have slashed 27 hits against him in 32 innings.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 10:15:20 GMT -5
Triston Casas’ first home run ball the subject of lengthy negotiation, but Red Sox secure memento: ‘Hopefully it’s the first of many’
Published: Sep. 07, 2022, 6:10 a.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
Triston Casas’ first major league home run was always going to be memorable. Throw in the Ryan Brasier lookalike and incognito White Sox fan who only caught it because he dropped his phone in the middle of a battle with a basket of chicken wings, then had to negotiate with a series of officials as well as DJ Kitty, the Rays’ bizarre cat mascot, and ended up getting a series of autographs, including from Casas, who he had never heard of, and Rafael Devers, who he was unable to identify, in exchange for the ball, and you have quite the story.
Sure, read that first paragraph again if you missed something. It’s not a MadLib. It’s the story of Jordan Blatner, the 23-year-old Orlando native who was in the right place at the right time when Casas’ first big league dinger landed in the right field seats at Tropicana Field on Tuesday night.
NESN cameras showed Blatner, decked out in a blue Rays jersey with a White Sox shirt underneath, talking with security officials, police offers, Red Sox clubhouse manager Tommy McLaughlin and even DJ Kitty in the wake of Casas’ first homer. There was thought to be a prolonged -- and intense -- negotiation. But Blatner says that once he learned it was Casas’ first home run, he knew the ball should end up in the first baseman’s hands. Part of the confusion was caused by
“I was notified that it was his first home run so I was told to walk it over to the dugout,” Blatner told Jahmai Webster on the NESN broadcast. “As I’m walking, police and security come up to me, ‘Where you going?’ ‘To the dugout. I’m giving him his ball back.’ They’re like, ‘No, they’ll come up to you. So I just waited and they came up.”
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Blatner scored a bat and ball signed by Casas as well as baseballs signed by Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts (who was seen signing one in the dugout during the game). Talk about right place, right time.
“I’m going to be viral in Boston -- I was eating my chicken wings and my phone fell,” Blatner told Webster. “So I walked over to go down to get my phone and I look up because everybody’s yelling, and the ball literally comes right at me.”
Blatner didn’t catch it on the fly. He said it deflected off his arm after bouncing. That’s probably a good thing because it left Casas’ bat with an exit velocity of 96 mph. The 371-foot shot, which came on a 3-2 fastball from Rays opener J.T. Chargois, was Casas’ second career hit in the majors. He didn’t think he got all of it.
“I still can’t believe it happened, that way, that pitch in that park,” Casas said (via NESN’s postgame show). “I’ve never hit a home run at a 96 mph exit (velocity) so I didn’t think it was going to go. But it felt awesome just to get us back in the game.”
Once Casas retrieved the ball, he made sure to give it to his father, Jose, who was at the ballpark after traveling from the Miami area. It was a happy ending after all.
“I did hear that there was a little miscommunication with getting the ball back but I was able to give him a bat, give him a ball and thankfully, I got it back,” Casas said.
“It was a really special moment. Something we have been thinking about for a really long time,” Casas continued. “Growing up, I obviously wanted to be a major league baseball player. Hitting your first major league home run, I shared that moment with him, gave him a hug. He got pretty emotional after I gave it to him. Hopefully this is the first of many.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 13:18:23 GMT -5
Game 138: Red Sox at Rays lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated September 7, 2022, 10:43 a.m. The Red Sox’ woes against Tampa Bay continued Tuesday as the Rays jumped out to an early lead en route to an 8-4 win. The Red Sox are now 4-11 against Tampa Bay, and have lost eight in a row at Tropicana Field. Nick Pivetta will be on the mound for Wednesday’s finale as the Sox look to avoid a sweep. They will be without shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who left Tuesday’s game with back spasms and will get the day off. Lineups RED SOX (67-70):
1. Enrique Hernandez (R) SS 2. Tommy Pham (R) LF 3. Alex Verdugo (L) RF 4. Trevor Story (R) 2B 5. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 6. Christian Arroyo (R) 3B 7. Rob Refsnyder (R) CF 8. Triston Casas (L) 1B 9. Connor Wong (R) C Pitching: RHP Nick Pivetta (9-10, 4.37 ERA) RAYS (76-58): 1. Yandy Diaz (R) 3B 2. Brandon Lowe (L) 2B 3. Harold Ramirez (R) DH 4. Randy Arozarena (R) RF 5. David Peralta (L) LF 6. Manuel Margot (R) CF 7. Francisco Mejia (S) C 8. Ji-Man Choi (L) 1B 9. Taylor Walls (S) SS Pitching: LHP Jeffrey Springs (7-4, 2.62 ERA) Time: 6:40 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Springs: Christian Arroyo 1-2, Xander Bogaerts 2-8, Franchy Cordero 0-2, Rafael Devers 3-9, Kiké Hernández 3-5, J.D. Martinez 2-6, Reese McGuire 0-3, Tommy Pham 2-4, Kevin Plawecki 0-2, Rob Refsnyder 0-3, Trevor Story 2-5, Alex Verdugo 2-5 Rays vs. Pivetta: Randy Arozarena 3-9, Christian Bethancourt 0-5, Ji-Man Choi 0-4, Yandy Díaz 4-12, Manuel Margot 3-15, Francisco Mejía 0-3, Isaac Paredes 3-5, David Peralta 4-7, Harold Ramírez 4-8, Jose Siri 0-2, Taylor Walls 0-5 Stat of the day: The Red Sox have gone 88 consecutive games without being shut out, the longest active streak in MLB and the team’s longest since a 92-game stretch in 1999. Notes: Pivetta is 1-4 with a 5.34 ERA in seven appearances against the Rays, allowing 27 hits in 32 innings. He exited his last start with a left calf contusion but was deemed ready to go after a bullpen session Monday. … Springs is facing the Red Sox for the 11th time (three starts), going 0-1 with a 4.58 ERA.
Song of the Day: Ramones - Rock N' Roll High School www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz7KYUkdlvE
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 16:43:32 GMT -5
That line up is just awful
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 16:43:53 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox roster moves: Abraham Almonte (440 major league games) to be promoted (report)
Updated: Sep. 07, 2022, 4:40 p.m.|Published: Sep. 07, 2022, 4:34 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
The Boston Red Sox will promote outfielder Abraham Almonte from Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday, according to reports (including from MLB.com’s Ian Browne).
The Red Sox need to open a 40-man roster spot for Almonte. Franchy Cordero likely will be placed on the 60-day IL to make room for him.
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Almonte, a 33-year-old switch-hitter from the Dominican Republic, has appeared in 440 major league games since 2013. He has played for the Mariners, Padres, Guardians, Royals, Diamondbacks and Braves.
He’s a career .234 hitter with a .302 on-base percentage, .374 slugging percentage, .676 OPS, 23 homers, 70 doubles and 13 triples in 1,326 major league plate appearances.
The Brewers traded Almonte to the Red Sox on July 25 for cash. He batted .291 with a .469 on-base percentage, .536 slugging percentage, 1.005 OPS, seven homers, four doubles, one triple, 30 runs and 24 RBIs in 32 games for the WooSox. He had more walks (36) than strikeouts (29).
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 16:49:52 GMT -5
Pete Abraham
@peteabe
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50m
No Bogaerts or Devers today. No Story on Friday. The Red Sox aren't officially eliminated yet but they're essentially operating that way.
Abraham Almonte has hit .293/.417/.534 in AAA this season split between Nashville and Worcester.
He hasn't played in the majors this season. Had a .216/.331/.399 line in 64 games for the Braves last season.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 16:52:17 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo
@chriscotillo
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3h
Red Sox list Brayan Bello (Friday), Michael Wacha (Saturday) and Rich Hill (Sunday) as their three starters in Baltimore. Off day tomorrow. And Monday. And next Thursday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 16:55:50 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats
@redsoxstats
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50m
On WEEI this afternoon, Cora said the Sox are still working on pitcher-catcher relationships, but Wong is catching tonight, Friday and Sunday. "Little by little he's going to keep getting more at-bats."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 17:38:46 GMT -5
Pete Abraham
@peteabe
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7m
As the anthem is sung Sox announce Cordero is on the 60-day IL.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 7, 2022 17:41:08 GMT -5
Think I will watch more of the Jays and Orioles tonight
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Sept 7, 2022 19:58:10 GMT -5
Bill Koch
@billkoch25
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6h
Haven't seen #RedSox defense at first base like that since Mitch Moreland was traded to the Padres in 2020.
It's about time. Alleluia! Dalbec was painful, but tolerable when he hit. Cordero would have to hit 60 HRs to be worth it. |
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Sept 7, 2022 20:19:20 GMT -5
JD had a good few years with us, but this is getting frustrating. 2nd & 3rd and he's swinging like this is outfield fungo practice. A .570 OPS since 6/17.
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