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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 15, 2022 13:28:39 GMT -5
Royals @ Red Sox Friday, 16th September 2022 7pm @ Fenway
Heasley 3-8/5.51 vs
Wacha 11-1/2.69
Kansas City Royals vs. Boston Red Sox Friday, September 16, 2022 at 7:10pm EDT Written by Mason Folz
This Friday the (57-86) Kansas City Royals and the (69-74) Boston Red Sox will play the first game of this three-game series. The first pitch will be thrown out at 7:10 PM EST inside Fenway Park. The last time that these two teams matched up, the Royals ended up taking three of four games and winning the series.
The Kansas City Royals will be coming into this one after losing their previous series to the Minnesota Twins. The Royals couldn't get their bats going, as they only scored three combined runs in the first two games.
The Boston Red Sox will enter this one after a tough two-game series with the New York Yankees. The Red Sox lost both games, as they continued to struggle on the mound. They gave up 12 runs in two games, as Boston will have to be better on the mound if they want to challenge the Royals at home.
This game was written/published before last night's results.
Can the Royals Bounce Back? The Kansas City Royals are currently in fourth place in the AL Central, as they still trail the Cleveland Guardians by 20.0 games. The Royals are also 4-6 in their last 10, as their poor play has allowed them to continue sliding in the wrong direction. They are 22.5 games back from the third and final AL Wild Card spot, as they will need to get hot if they want to make a run at the postseason. At the plate, the Royals are scoring 4.00 runs per game and they are hitting .242 as a team. This is the 24th least amount of runs scored per game and the 16th highest overall team batting average. They have struggled to consistently make contact with the ball, which has made it much more difficult to score. They have also realized that they don't have a ton of power inside of their lineup. They are only averaging .86 home runs per game, which is the third lowest average in the MLB. They will have to string together multiple base hits in order to create a big inning. I also expect Kanas City to stay aggressive once they have reached base safely. They have already stolen 92 bases this season, which is the fifth most.
According to MLB.com, the Royals will start Jonathan Heasley on the mound. He is currently 3-8 with a 5.51 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. In his last start, he pitched for 4.0 innings and gave up seven hits and seven earned runs, as the Tigers got to him early. Heasley has also struggled on the road this season, as he is 1-2 with a 4.54 ERA. The Kansas City bullpen has been up and down this season, as they currently have the third-highest bullpen ERA in the league. As a team, the Royals are allowing 5.17 runs per game, which is the fourth most in the MLB.
Can the Red Sox Defend Fenway Park? The Boston Red Sox are 4-6 in their last 10, as they are still 10.5 games back from the final AL Wild Card spot. They are also still in last place in the AL East, as they trail the first-place New York Yankees by 18.0 games. At the plate, the Red Sox are scoring 4.62 runs per game and they are hitting .259 as a team. This is the eighth most runs scored per game and the fourth-highest overall team batting average, as the Red Sox have been consistently reaching base safely over the past few weeks. They have also realized that they don't have a ton of power hidden inside of their lineup. They are only hitting .98 home runs per game, which is the 20th lowest average in the league. I would watch for Rafael Devers at the plate, as he leads the team with 26 home runs this season. I also expect the Red Sox to stay conservative once they have reached base safely. They have only stolen 51 bases this season, which is the 25th most in the league. They have allowed their bats to move their base runners into scoring position.
According to MLB.com, the Red Sox will be starting Michael Wacha on the mound. He is currently 11-1 with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. The last time he was on the mound he pitched for 6.0 innings and he only gave up six hits and three earned runs to the Orioles. Wacha is also 5-1 at home this season with a 1.79 ERA. He has been very difficult to take down inside Fenway Park. Unfortunately, the Red Sox bullpen hasn't been as great. They are allowing 4.48 runs per game, which is the sixth most runs surrendered per game. As a team, Boston is allowing 4.87 runs per game, which is the 25th most.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 15, 2022 13:30:46 GMT -5
Weekend Probables
Saturday, 4pm, Singer 8-4/3.21 vs Hill 7-6/4.56
Sunday, 1:30pm Bubic 2-12/5.55 vs Pivetta 9-11/4.31
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2022 2:34:49 GMT -5
Red Sox look for payback against Royals FLM
The Boston Red Sox were left searching for answers after visiting Kansas City last month.
When the teams open three-game series on Friday night in Boston, the Red Sox (69-74) could have payback on their mind. The Royals (57-87) won three of the four games from Aug. 4-7.
The Red Sox were slogging through an 11-25 stretch after taking a 13-5 loss in the series finale in Missouri, leaving manager Alex Cora to say, "We've got to get better."
Instead, they are still seeking solutions.
Aside from a four-game sweep of the Texas Rangers to begin September, Boston has won as many as three games in a row only one other time since over the past six weeks. The Red Sox are coming off back-to-back losses to the rival New York Yankees as part of a current 2-6 run.
In Boston's 5-3 loss to New York on Wednesday, Red Sox starter Brayan Bello allowed three runs, all unearned thanks to two errors in the fifth inning. A "Little League home run" allowed Gleyber Torres to drive in one run and then come around and score another thanks to an error.
Later in the game, Boston's J.D. Martinez appeared to beat out an eighth-inning double-play ball that would have brought in a run, but a review spurred by a Yankees challenge deemed that he never touched first base on his way up the line.
"That seems like that sums up our season," Cora said. "We are where we are because we're short in certain areas, and we haven't been able to finish games."
Fortunately for the Red Sox, Michael Wacha (11-1, 2.69 ERA) is lined up to start on Friday.
Wacha is 8-0 over his last 11 starts, matching the longest unbeaten streak of his 10-year major league career. He continued that run with six innings of three-run ball on Saturday at Baltimore.
Boston put up a season-high 17 runs to win Wacha's 200th career start.
"It makes our job a lot easier (when the offense comes through in big spots)," Wacha said. "We're going to get ahead and stay in attack mode and let the defense play behind us."
His .917 winning percentage is the highest ever in a pitcher's first 19 starts with Boston.
Wacha is 3-2 with a 3.81 ERA in nine career outings against Kansas City, a team that he hasn't faced since April 2021 when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Kansas City is in a similar position to the Red Sox, having failed to put together more than two consecutive wins since the last series between the two teams.
The Royals were eliminated for American League Central and wild-card playoff contention with a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, their third straight setback and seventh in a nine-game span.
A Salvador Perez homer ensured that the Royals wouldn't be shut out for a 17th time this season, but a pair of early homers off Daniel Lynch -- who stuck out eight in five innings -- helped the Twins finish a three-game sweep.
"He looked good and got better as he went," Royals manager Mike Matheny said of Lynch. "He gave us a chance."
Looking to do the same, Jonathan Heasley (3-8, 5.51 ERA) had won back-to-back starts against San Diego and Detroit before being rocked for seven runs over four-plus innings in a rain-soaked Saturday rematch with the Tigers.
"It's just one of those you kind of want to almost flush, and it makes you want to get ready for the next one almost," Heasley said. "Just get back out there and kind of reset. But it is what it is. We'll just move on from it and just get better from it."
Heasley has never faced the Red Sox in his young career.
--Field Level Media
Royals at Red Sox Friday, at 7:10 PM EST Clear According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 67° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 5 MPH wind blowing left to right in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2022 2:42:16 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK In year defined by bad pitching, clutch hitting has done in Red Sox as well By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated September 15, 2022, 8:20 p.m.
The Red Sox have taken some mighty blows this season. Rarely have they delivered them. As the year winds down and a last-place finish in the American League East seems inevitable, it was clear the Sox never had much firepower.
When J.D. Martinez missed first base in the eighth inning against the Yankees on Wednesday, ultimately leading to a double play instead of a run when the Sox trailed by two, manager Alex Cora said that play reflected their season.
“Just short,” he said. “We are where we are because we’re short in certain areas, and we haven’t been able to finish games.”
The Sox have lacked depth and production in the starting rotation and, primarily, in the bullpen all season. Injuries, and flat-out underperformance on the offensive side, have played a role, too.
But another key piece that was missing for the Sox all season? Rafael Devers and Martinez’s inability to drive in runs when the team needed them most.
From 2019-2021, Devers was a .316 hitter with runners in scoring position, belting 24 homers with a .981 OPS. Last season, Devers collected 84 RBIs with runners in scoring position.
This year, Devers is down to .235. His OPS is still .813 in those situations, but he’s tallied just 46 RBIs in them. For context, during the 60-game 2020 season, Devers had 32 RBIs with runners in scoring position.
Martinez represents an even larger decline. The designated hitter registered a .339 batting average with a mind-boggling 1.022 OPS with runners in scoring position his first four seasons with the Red Sox, driving in 90 in those moments in 2018 and 75 in 2021.
This season, Martinez has driven in 42 off a .227 average and .672 OPS with runners in scoring position. The latter is his lowest since 2013 (.581), his final season with the Astros before the team released him.
The 2022 Sox have scored 653 runs, which ranked eighth in the majors heading into Thursday, but they’ve lost 24 one-run games. Imagine the possible difference if Martinez and Devers produced in high leverage moments like they have in the past. Xander Bogaerts making more history
Xander Bogaerts is chasing an AL batting title, second to the Twins’ Luis Arraez (.320) with a .317 average entering Thursday. He is also just one hit away from 1,400 for his career, which will make him just the fourth Red Sox to reach 1,400 regular-season hits before turning 30. The others are in the Hall of Fame: Carl Yastrzemski, Bobby Doerr, and Jim Rice . . . The Red Sox will begin a three-game set with the Royals on Friday. The rotation is as follows: Michael Wacha vs. Jonathan Heasley, Brady Singer vs. Rich Hill, and Kris Bubic vs. Nick Pivetta.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2022 9:50:01 GMT -5
The Look Ahead: This Is All Probably Completely Meaningless. . . Unless It Might Not Be
The Sox take on the Royals this weekend in a series a lot of people won’t care about. But there are still plenty of reasons to watch. By Dean_Roussel Sep 16, 2022, 10:45am EDT 0 Comments
This time of year, in a season like this, many Red Sox fans have checked out. And who’s to blame them? Between seemingly endless contract negotiations (or lack thereof) with our big stars, a floundering bullpen that’s being questionably managed, and just overall poor gameplay, this year’s Red Sox are simply not fun to watch. That is, of course, outside of some early glimmers of promise: Triston Casas is playing up to lofty expectations; Brayan Bello is improving with each appearance; and Kiké Hernandez’s contract extension plugs a hole for us, even if we’re not sure what position he’ll be playing yet. (Please be center field! Please be center field!) These are all things that, if you’re on this site, I probably do not have to tell you, but in the interest of you all knowing that I have my finger on the pulse of the team in my first article, please take that summary, as indulgent as it may be, and revel in the fact that our beloved Red Sox are just not performing that well.
It’s tempting to turn the television off or do literally anything else, because it is September, and there is another sport capturing the hearts and minds of the average sports fan, and our local team is contending! Oh… wait… it’s not 2017 anymore? And we’re not contending in football either? And that new stud in the AFC is now an established stud with a shiny new contract? And money from that new contract is being used for that quarterback to become a minority owner of a baseball team? And that baseball team is facing the Red Sox this year? And that baseball team is the Kansas City Royals, and the Royals are in a similar boat as the Red Sox this year? So you’re saying this is a winnable series? Well… maybe.
Looking at the Red Sox opponent for the penultimate series not against an AL East foe this season, the numbers speak boldly for this Kansas City Royals team. This is not a very good team. And I’m only talking about the surface level stats. They traded away their leader in batting average to the Yankees. (A player who, for my money, would be a welcome addition to the Red Sox. Where do we get guys like him, anyway?) Their second-best player in that all-important stat (Edward Olivares) has been rehabbing a quad injury since July, but stands a chance of returning to major league action just in time for the series at Fenway. Beyond that, no full-time member of the roster has even hit .270. The team has a few power threats in shortstop Bobby Witt and catcher Salvador Perez, the latter of whom is their longest tenured player, but beyond some offensive flashes, the team still manages fewer than four runs a game (3.92) while allowing 4.71 runs, good for dead last in the AL. Oh, and the second-highest paid player on their paltry $92 million payroll is Zack Grienke, who is showing every bit of his 38 years of age. All of this is to say, with some acknowledgment of that minuscule payroll, that the Royals kind of suck. But they also probably know they suck.
By trading away Benintendi and longtime utility player Whit Merrifield to more dignified contenders, Kansas City conceded that this team is going nowhere this season, a waving of the white flag that some (okay, possibly most) Red Sox fans now retroactively wish our management had done. Pitchers like reliever Scott Barlow have looked pretty solid this year, and in the rotation, Kris Bubic has looked far better than his abysmal record would suggest. The Royals have very much embraced looking to the future. Though, much like the Red Sox, with every decision Kansas City makes, it seems as though more questions rise to the surface — for both ownership and fans. Acknowledging that, here are some questions I, a devoted Red Sox fan, have going into this three game weekend series against the blue and white:
Can Triston Casas, who’s been playing pretty well for a rookie, continue to establish himself as our first baseman of the future? With a fraction of the season left, can Xander Boegarts and Rafael Devers use this inconsistent/rough pitching to leverage shiny new deals? Is Michael Wacha (Friday’s probable starter and our ace this season) worth double his 2022 salary? Can he possibly continue to prove it in this series? Will John Henry pay it? So, what’s the deal with Yu Chang? And how does his recent claim and subsequent call up play a part in what the team is thinking for 2023? And, Chaim, come on man, we make a lot of jokes about Boston turning into Tampa North, but do you unironically think that we do need to carry a certain number of Ex-Rays? Speaking of X-rays (and injuries), is Kutter Crawford going to make an appearance this weekend and make his case for a roster spot next year? Is Josh Winckowski going to be called up for an appearance against his former team? Will seeing how solid Salvador Perez has constantly been for the Royals be a factor in our search for a catcher this offseason? And if so, where do we get one of those guys anyway? And is it anything like how we get a nice, leadoff left fielder? Is watching Vinnie Pasquantino, Kansas City’s rookie first baseman, going to make Red Sox fans do that thing where they compare him to Casas, or, even worse, Franchy Cordero, who isn’t even an actual first baseman? Okay, but for real: why on earth is that city not actually in Kansas? And why does Kansas have a Kansas City right next to Kansas City, Missouri?
As much as I may pontificate on all this and things that seem, if possible, far more trivial, I don’t have all the answers. And, for as much as Chaim Bloom is paid by this organization, and for how much stock we all are guilty of putting in his decisions, the season is still progressing at rapid pace. And although the Red Sox are destined to be golfing in October, these outcomes will play out how they will in direct response to how a team like the Red Sox plays against a team like the Royals. So, as easy as it may be to turn off your MLB app this weekend so you don’t have to witness Boston lose in two different sports, at least give garbage time baseball a chance, because a certain other team has a part-owner playing a football game on Thursday this week and won’t have the choice of opting out. Enjoy! Or at least try to, before you’re forced to see that certain Royals owner make another playoff appearance and have no baseball to turn to.
Friday, 7:10 PM: Jonathan Heasley vs. Michael Wacha
Saturday, 4:10 PM: Brady Singer vs. Rich Hill
Sunday, 1:35 PM: Kris Bubic vs. Nick Pivetta
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2022 11:29:15 GMT -5
Game 144: Royals at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated September 16, 2022, 2 hours ago After a day off, the Red Sox will resume their homestand when Kansas City comes to Fenway Park for a three-game series. The Red Sox are coming off a two-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees. A series against the Royals, who are 30 games below .500, would seem like an opportunity to turn things around, but the Red sox dropped three of four in Kansas City last month. Michael Wacha will be on the mound for Friday night’s opener. Lineups ROYALS (57-87):
1. MJ Melendez (L) DH 2. Bobby Witt Jr. (R) SS 3. Salvador Perez (R) C 4. Vinnie Pasquantino (L) 1B 5. Michael A. Taylor (R) CF 6. Michael Massey (L) 2B 7. Nate Eaton (R) LF 8. Drew Waters (S) RF 9. Nicky Lopez (L) 3B Pitching: RHP Jonathan Heasley (3-8, 5.51 ERA) RED SOX (69-74): 1. Tommy Pham (R) LF 2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 3. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 4. Alex Verdugo (L) RF 5. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 6. Triston Casas (L) 1B 7. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B 8. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF 9. Kevin Plawecki (R) C Pitching: RHP Michael Wacha (11-1, 2.69 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Royals vs. Wacha: Hunter Dozier 1-2, Kyle Isbel 0-2, Nicky Lopez 1-4, Ryan O’Hearn 1-4, Salvador Perez 4-13, Michael A. Taylor 2-9 Red Sox vs. Heasley: Reese McGuire 1-2 Stat of the day: Wacha’s .917 winning percentage is the highest ever in a pitcher’s first 19 starts with Boston. Notes: Wacha is 8-0 over his last 11 starts, matching the longest unbeaten streak of his 10-year major league career. He is 3-2 with a 3.81 ERA in nine career outings against Kansas City. … Connor Wong has three extra-base hits and four RBIs in nine games since being recalled on Sept. 1. … Heasley won back-to-back starts against San Diego and Detroit before allowing seven runs over four-plus innings in his start last Saturday against the Tigers. This is his first time facing the Red Sox. Song of the Day: Blur - Song 2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSbBvKaM6sk
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2022 13:27:57 GMT -5
Stadium Custom Kicks @stadiumck · 39m In honor of Roberto Clemente & to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Kiké Hernández (@kikehndez) will be rocking these custom cleats tonight.
The design features Clemente’s career accolades, the Puerto Rican flag 🇵🇷, @santurcelbprc and the Flor de Maga 🌸.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2022 16:37:22 GMT -5
Christopher Smith @smittyonmlb · 1h Red Sox prospect Ceddanne Rafaela will play for Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League. Alex Cora said he’s looking forward to getting to know him better
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 16, 2022 16:40:24 GMT -5
hahahahhahahhaa
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 1h JD Martinez, who has yet to play on the outfield this year, taking grounders at first base (?)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2022 1:39:33 GMT -5
Martinez has RBI single in 8th, Red Sox beat Royals 2-1 AP
BOSTON (AP) J.D. Martinez had an RBI single in the eighth inning and the Boston Red Sox rallied late to beat the Kansas City Royals 2-1 on Friday night.
Martinez's single to left was just the third hit for Boston, which had just tied it up when reliever Scott Barlow walked Jason Verdugo with the bases loaded after Dylan Coleman (4-2) issued two walks to start the inning.
''We didn't get too many hits but we had a lot of traffic. For him to get that hit was big,'' manager Alex Cora said.
Garrett Whitlock (4-2) gave up a hit in the eighth and Matt Strahm got the last three outs for his fourth save.
Boston had lost six of eight, including a two-game sweep by the Yankees at home this week and nearly fell to the struggling Royals.
Kansas City, which has lost four straight and eight of 10, led 1-0 after MJ Melendez opened the sixth with a triple and easily scored on a single by Salvador Perez.
The Royals finished with eight hits - all coming from different players. Only Nicky Lopez, who batted eighth, failed to get a hit. But Kansas City also issued eight walks, half of them in the eighth when both Devers and Verdugo walked on only four pitches.
''Couple big spots, we could've used some pitches that were really good pitches but they didn't get called. You've got to fight your way through it,'' Royals manager Mike Matheny said. ''The free bases hurt you in games like that.''
Jonathan Heasley started and pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings for the Royals, allowing two hits and striking out five.
Michael Wacha went seven innings for Boston, giving up one run and seven hits while striking out four.
Melendez led off the sixth with a drive deep to center, where Kike Hernandez leaped high at the base of the wall but couldn't quite reach the ball. Melendez was already well around second before Tommy Pham ran over from left and got the ball back to the infield.
Coleman started the eighth for Kansas City and issued back-to-back walks. Barlow loaded the bases by walking Rafael Devers, struck out Xander Bogaerts, but walked Verdugo on four pitches with Hernandez trotting home for the tying run.
Martinez was next and lined a single to left that easily scored Abraham Almonte, who pinch-hit for Kevin Plawecki and drew the second walk of the inning. After seeing Verdugo walk on four pitches, Martinez said he went to the plate fully intent on taking the first pitch - until he saw it.
''He just kind of left it over the middle and I was like `all right, we're swinging.''' Martinez said.
Boston squandered an opportunity in the fifth after a pair of walks and a single by Arroyo loaded the bases with one out for Hernandez, who grounded into a double play.
NEW KIDS
Despite the loss, the Royals showed they have some talented young players and reason to be optimistic. Melendez, Bobby Witt Jr. and Heasley are all rookies who helped the Royals nearly pull off a win in Boston.
Witt robbed Bogaerts of a hit with a diving stop in the fourth, Melendez set up the go-ahead run with his 35th extra-base hit of the season and Heasley looked strong and undaunted in his first appearance at Fenway Park.
''Best start we've seen from him in the big leagues without a doubt. He was attacking with everything,'' Matheny said. ''Everything was right how he wanted it to be. You couldn't ask him to do any more than what he did.''
HOLD UP
Some baserunning mistakes caught both clubs early in the game. Devers singled for Boston with one out in the first, but strayed way too far when Bogaerts hit a soft fly that Witt caught and easily made the throw to double-up Devers.
In the third, Dozier led off with a liner off the Green Monster for the Royals' first hit, but attempted to stretch it into a double and was easily caught by Pham's throw from left.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: Witt fouled a ball off the top of his left foot in the sixth and needed a few minutes before stepping back into the batter's box. Matheny and a member of the Royals' training staff came out of the dugout to make sure the star rookie SS was OK.
Red Sox: 2B Trevor Story was out of the lineup for the third straight game since injuring his left heel on a base Sunday at Baltimore. Cora said Story is improving and could return to the lineup this weekend.
UP NEXT
Royals RHP Brady Singer (8-4, 3.21 ERA) faces veteran LHP Rich Hill (7-6, 4.56) for Boston on Saturday in the second of the three-game series.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2022 2:04:29 GMT -5
Red Sox’s Alex Cora says Rafael Devers’ smile ‘was huge’ when he told him at concert he was batting second
Updated: Sep. 16, 2022, 10:30 p.m.|Published: Sep. 16, 2022, 6:12 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — Manager Alex Cora, Rafael Devers and other Red Sox players attended Spanish singer Rosalía’s concert at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway on Thursday evening.
That’s where Cora told Devers he planned to bat him second in the Red Sox order vs. the Royals on Friday.
“That smile, it was huge,” Cora said. “I was like, ‘OK, you should have just told me.’”
Devers has batted cleanup in 21 of his past 22 games. But the No. 2 spot always has suited him well. He’s batting .298 with a .358 on-base percentage, .582 slugging percentage, .939 OPS, 23 homers, 28 doubles, one triple, 60 runs and 55 RBIs there this season.
So why hasn’t Devers been batting second? Devers spent 10 days early in the second half on the IL with right hamstring inflammation. He hasn’t felt 100% but has played anyway.
“It was more about him physically, where he was,” Cora said. “Hitting him second didn’t make sense, running around in front of the guys. So he’s healthy. He feels good. And hopefully, this is what gets him going.”
Devers has struggled offensively in the second half and it likely has to do with playing through some aches and pains. He has a .203/.273/.351/.624 slash line in 38 games.
Cora, meanwhile, said he enjoyed his first show at Fenway’s new music hall.
“Great venue,” Cora said. “That thing is unreal. Unreal. I have a pretty good idea of what we’re going to do (there) if we win a World Series. It should be fun.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2022 2:05:29 GMT -5
J.D. Martinez’s two-out single in eighth leads Red Sox to comeback win over Royals
Updated: Sep. 16, 2022, 10:55 p.m.|Published: Sep. 16, 2022, 9:49 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — The Red Sox recorded just two hits in the first seven innings vs. Kansas City on Friday.
But they used a patient approach in the eighth to tie the game and take the lead.
Royals relievers Dylan Coleman and Scott Barlow gave up four walks, including a bases-loaded game-tying walk to Alex Verdugo with two outs.
J.D. Martinez then ripped an RBI single, the Red Sox’s third hit of the game. Boston won 2-1 over the Royals here at Fenway Park.
Coleman and Barlow combined for 34 pitches, just 13 strikes (38.2% strikes) in the eighth.
Wacha allows just 1 run in 7 innings
Red Sox starter Michael Wacha allowed just one run, seven hits and no walks while striking out four in 7 innings.
But Royals righty Jonathan Heasley, who entered with a 5.51 ERA and 6.00 FIP in 17 starts, out-pitched Wacha. Heasley tossed 6 ⅔ scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and three walks while striking out five.
The Red Sox’s best chance against Heasley came in the fifth inning when Alex Verdugo and Triston Casas walked and Christian Arroyo singled to load the bases. But Kiké Hernández grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Arroyo and Rafael Devers stroked the only two hits against the 25-year-old.
Wacha’s ERA dropped to 2.61 in 20 starts.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2022 2:06:27 GMT -5
J.D. Martinez’s approach before his Red Sox game-winning hit? ‘Don’t swing’
Updated: Sep. 16, 2022, 11:06 p.m.|Published: Sep. 16, 2022, 11:05 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — What was J.D. Martinez’s approach in the eighth inning with the bases loaded, two outs and the game tied 1-1?
“Don’t swing, if I’m being honest,” Martinez said. “That was literally what I told myself. He didn’t throw Bogey (Xander Bogaerts) a strike. He didn’t throw Dugie (Alex Verdugo) a strike. I was telling myself, I’m like, ‘You’re not swinging. Just watch a pitch.’”
Martinez’s plan changed when Royals closer Scott Barlow threw a first-pitch slider.
“He kind of just left it over the middle and I was like, ‘All right. We’re swinging,’” Martinez said.
Martinez ripped an RBI single into left field and the Red Sox won 2-1 over Kansas City here at Fenway Park on Friday.
Royals relievers Dylan Coleman and Barlow combined to throw 34 pitches, just 13 strikes (38.2% strikes) in the eighth.
Coleman walked Kiké Hernández and Abraham Almonte to lead off the eighth, then got Tommy Pham to pop out.
Barlow replaced Coleman and walked Rafael Devers to load the bases. The closer struck out Bogaerts for the second out but he then walked Verdugo on four pitches to force in the tying run.
“It’s one of those things where he’s not throwing strikes,” Martinez said. “You’ve got to just sit there and take. He (Verdugo) stood there and did a good job.”
What was Verdugo’s approach in that situation?
“I’ve played with Barlow (in the Dodgers system). We’ve played against each other now for a while, too,” Verdugo said. “He’s just one of those guys that, he spins it and he’s got a good one. The slider, the curveball, he’s got a good feel for it, knows what he wants to do. So after seeing the Bogey at-bat, he threw some good pitches that — you know, it’s hard to lay off. You look at where they are and you’re like, ‘How do you swing at that?’ But when you’re in the box, it’s deceptive and he’s got some good stuff. So for me, just going up there, I knew I had to be disciplined, see one out, over. And my goal was to not try to get too big, not try to pull something, not try to hit a homer. It was just, ‘Hey, let’s get one, let’s just shoot the hole, stay on top of it, stay through it.’ I was able just to see the ball better and found myself in a good count and he was nibbling and I just didn’t bite.”
Red Sox starter Michael Wacha allowed just one run, seven hits and no walks while striking out four in 7 innings.
“Wacha pitched a great game and it would be tough to lose that game,” Martinez said. “It’s good for us to come through there.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2022 2:10:34 GMT -5
Martinez wins it after Sox work 4 walks to rally back 12:35 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- After watching his teammates take a walk around the park to tie Friday night’s game against the Royals, J.D. Martinez had just one request of himself as he got ready to see the first pitch from righty Scott Barlow with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.
“Don’t swing, if I'm being honest,” said Martinez. “That was clearly what I told myself. He didn’t throw [Xander Bogaerts] a strike. He didn’t throw [Alex Verdugo] a strike. I was going up there like, ‘You’re not swinging. Just watch a pitch.’”
Fortunately, instincts took over, giving Martinez one of his most rewarding moments of a frustrating last three months.
Boston’s veteran DH ripped away at the first pitch from Barlow and laced a go-ahead RBI single to lead the Red Sox to a hard-fought, 2-1 victory over the Royals at Fenway Park.
Martinez’s hit was the third and final one of the night for Boston. But it proved to be enough, thanks to an unusually patient approach that led to eight walks, including four in that game-turning eighth.
“A walk is as good as a hit. That’s what they used to tell us in Little League,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “We did a good job today. We won a lot of counts that mattered. That’s the fun part of it. When you do that as an offense, you feel like something good is going to happen. Tonight, it did.”
With the bases loaded and one out, it was surprising to see Bogaerts get out of his element and strike out swinging on five pitches despite Barlow not throwing a single strike during the at-bat.
Verdugo was determined not to let that happen to him, and he tied the game by walking on four pitches.
“Very [determined],” Verdugo said. “I played with Barlow, we’ve played against each other for a while now too. He’s one of those guys, he spins it. He’s got a good one. The slider, the curveball, he’s got a good feel for it and knows what he wants to do. After seeing the Bogey at-bat, he threw some good pitches, it’s hard to lay off.
“You look at where they are and you’re like, ‘How do you swing at that but when you’re in the box, it’s deceptive and he’s got some good stuff.’ For me, I knew I just had to be disciplined, see one out over [the plate]. I found myself in a good count and he was nibbling and I just didn’t bite.”
What made Martinez change his mind and swing away on the first pitch?
“He just kind of left it over the middle and I was like, ‘All right, we’re swinging.’ It’s just instincts, reaction and doing it a lot,” Martinez said.
For Martinez, the RBI was just his 53rd of the season and his fifth since Aug. 28.
“It’s good to see the big guy get a hit there,” said Cora.
It has been strange to see Martinez -- an RBI machine for most of his career -- struggle so much to drive in runs this season. This made Friday night’s hit one to appreciate for his teammates.
“Yeah, it was huge,” said Verdugo. “Obviously with the walk, we tied the game. That was the inning we wanted to get ahead and he said he was taking the first pitch but he saw it really good and put a really good swing on the ball and came through for us. We’re all very fortunate and happy to have him here. And for him to come through, I know it felt good.”
There’s a chance Martinez’s days are numbered in Boston, as he is a free agent at the end of the season. Though he has expressed his love for playing with the Red Sox numerous times, the club might go in a different direction given the down season by the 35-year-old Martinez.
For now, the fans roared with approval when he came through on Friday.
“Yeah, the fans are great here,” Martinez said. “They’ve always been. They let you know if you’re doing well. They let you know when you’re doing bad. That’s something I've always respected. There’s no place like Fenway.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2022 2:11:28 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Story aiming for weekend return September 16th, 2022
Keep track of the Red Sox’s recent transactions and injury updates throughout the season. LATEST NEWS
Sept. 16: 2B Trevor Story targeting weekend return Story, who left Sunday's game in Baltimore with left heel pain, was out of the lineup for the third straight game on Friday at Fenway Park. Manager Alex Cora hopes the second baseman will be back in the lineup at some point during the weekend series with the Royals. Since coming off the injured list on Aug. 27, Story has a line of .340/.389/.500 with a homer and eight RBIs.
“He’s doing a little better," Cora said. "We’re going to push him tomorrow to do more baseball activities. Hopefully he can post tomorrow or Sunday.”
Sept. 16: RHP Kutter Crawford 'running out of time' for return When Crawford was placed on the injured list on Sept. 4 (retroactive to Sept. 1) with a right shoulder impingement, the Red Sox thought he might return as soon as eligible. However, things haven't progressed nearly as well as expected and it sounds as if Crawford's season could be over.
The 26-year-old has had his ups and downs in his rookie campaign, going 3-6 with a 5.47 ERA in 21 games, 12 of them starts.
“He’s still not progressing the way we wanted," said manager Alex Cora. "We’re kind of running out of time now.”
• All Red Sox transactions INJURY UPDATES 10-day and 15-day IL
RHP Nathan Eovaldi (right shoulder inflammation) Expected return: Late September Eovaldi is set for another three-inning simulated game at Fenway Park on Sept. 18. After that, he is expected to make at least one Minor League rehab start with the hope of starting one or two games for the Red Sox before the season ends.
Eovaldi, who has been out with right shoulder inflammation, last pitched for Boston on Aug. 12. He has made 18 starts this season over 99 2/3 innings, going 5-3 with a 4.15 ERA. (Last updated: Sept. 16)
RHP Kutter Crawford (right shoulder impingement) Expected return: 2023 When Crawford was placed on the injured list on Sept. 4 (retroactive to Sept. 1) with a right shoulder impingement, the Red Sox thought he might return as soon as eligible. However, things haven't progressed nearly as well as expected and it sounds as if Crawford's season might be over. The 26-year-old has had his ups and downs in his rookie season, going 3-6 with a 5.47 ERA in 21 games, 12 of them starts.
“He’s still not progressing the way we wanted," said Alex Cora. "We’re kind of running out of time now.” (Last updated: Sept. 16)
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