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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 29, 2022 8:20:14 GMT -5
Game 156: Orioles at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated September 29, 2022, 10 minutes ago We’ve got day baseball! The Red Sox will conclude their four-game series with the Orioles with a 1:35 p.m. start on Thursday. After winning two in a row, the Red Sox actually have a chance to win the season series. What does that mean? Well, nothing, really. But considering how much they have struggled against the American League East this season, it could be .... something. After the series concludes, the Red Sox will head to to Toronto for a three-game series with the Blue Jays before returning to Fenway Park to close out the season with a three-game series with the Rays. Come on everybody. We’re almost there. We can get through this. Nate Eovaldi, out since Aug. 12 with right shoulder inflammation, will be back on the mound for the Sox. ORIOLES (80-75): Pitching: RHP Mike Baumann (1-3, 4.32 ERA) RED SOX (74-81):Pitching: RHP Nate Eovaldi (5-3, 4.15 ERA) Time: 1:35 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Orioles vs. Eovaldi: Jesús Aguilar 0-5, Robinson Chirinos 1-5, Austin Hays 8-23, Ryan McKenna 0-2, Ryan Mountcastle 6-16, Cedric Mullins 8-27, Tyler Nevin 0-3, Rougned Odor 2-21, Anthony Santander 4-19 Red Sox vs. Baumann: Xander Bogaerts 2-2, Bobby Dalbec 0-1, Rafael Devers 2-2, Kiké Hernández 1-1, J.D. Martinez 0-1 Batting title chase: Bogaerts was hitless in three plate appearances and saw his average dip to .309. Aaron Judge and Minnesota’s Luis Arraez are at .313. The Yankees and Twins are both off Thursday. Stat of the day: Alex Verdugo has an eight-game hitting streak. He is 8-for-20 with four runs scored, five extra-base hits (three home runs, two doubles) and seven RBI in his last five games. Notes: Eovaldi has missed at least 30 games during each of his injury stints this season. Low-back inflammation kept him out for 33 games in June and July. He is 8-2 with a 3.29 ERA in 17 career starts against the Orioles. … The Red Sox are 8-2 this season when wearing their Nike MLB City Connect uniforms, and 14-4 since unveiling them in 2021. Song of the Day: Garth Brooks Calling - Baton Rougewww.youtube.com/watch?v=J-G2Gv3kdh0
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 29, 2022 9:14:01 GMT -5
Game 156: Orioles at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated September 29, 2022, 10 minutes ago We’ve got day baseball! The Red Sox will conclude their four-game series with the Orioles with a 1:35 p.m. start on Thursday. After winning two in a row, the Red Sox actually have a chance to win the season series. What does that mean? Well, nothing, really. But considering how much they have struggled against the American League East this season, it could be .... something. After the series concludes, the Red Sox will head to to Toronto for a three-game series with the Blue Jays before returning to Fenway Park to close out the season with a three-game series with the Rays. Come on everybody. We’re almost there. We can get through this. Nate Eovaldi, out since Aug. 12 with right shoulder inflammation, will be back on the mound for the Sox. ORIOLES (80-75): Pitching: RHP Mike Baumann (1-3, 4.32 ERA) RED SOX (74-81):Pham lf Devers 3b X ss Dugo rf JDM dh Casas 1b Arroyo 2b Kiki cf Wong c Pitching: RHP Nate Eovaldi (5-3, 4.15 ERA) Time: 1:35 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Orioles vs. Eovaldi: Jesús Aguilar 0-5, Robinson Chirinos 1-5, Austin Hays 8-23, Ryan McKenna 0-2, Ryan Mountcastle 6-16, Cedric Mullins 8-27, Tyler Nevin 0-3, Rougned Odor 2-21, Anthony Santander 4-19 Red Sox vs. Baumann: Xander Bogaerts 2-2, Bobby Dalbec 0-1, Rafael Devers 2-2, Kiké Hernández 1-1, J.D. Martinez 0-1 Batting title chase: Bogaerts was hitless in three plate appearances and saw his average dip to .309. Aaron Judge and Minnesota’s Luis Arraez are at .313. The Yankees and Twins are both off Thursday. Stat of the day: Alex Verdugo has an eight-game hitting streak. He is 8-for-20 with four runs scored, five extra-base hits (three home runs, two doubles) and seven RBI in his last five games. Notes: Eovaldi has missed at least 30 games during each of his injury stints this season. Low-back inflammation kept him out for 33 games in June and July. He is 8-2 with a 3.29 ERA in 17 career starts against the Orioles. … The Red Sox are 8-2 this season when wearing their Nike MLB City Connect uniforms, and 14-4 since unveiling them in 2021. Song of the Day: Garth Brooks Calling - Baton Rougewww.youtube.com/watch?v=J-G2Gv3kdh0
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 29, 2022 14:40:27 GMT -5
Red Sox Activate Nathan Eovaldi; Trevor Story Unlikely To Return This Season By Steve Adams | September 29, 2022 at 12:28pm CDT
The Red Sox announced Thursday that righty Nathan Eovaldi has been reinstated from the 15-day injured list. Right-hander Connor Seabold has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester in his place. Additionally, it now appears unlikely that Trevor Story will return to the Sox in 2022. Story, currently shelved with a heel injury, had been hoping to return for the final series of the season but has fallen ill (on top of that injury) and is now “very unlikely” to get back to the active roster in 2022, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com tweets.
Eovaldi’s return is an important one not necessarily for the Red Sox, who’ve long since been eliminated from postseason contention, but for the pitcher himself. The 32-year-old Eovaldi is wrapping up the final season of a four-year, $68MM contract and is slated to become a free agent at season’s end. He’s been out more than a month due to a shoulder injury, so returning today gives him the opportunity to demonstrate his health over two more starts before the end of the year. That’ll also give the Sox a bit more information as they weigh a potential qualifying offer for Eovaldi.
It’s been something of an up-and-down year for Eovaldi, who was terrific through mid-June before landing on the injured list due to a back injury. That issue also cost Eovaldi a month, and he briefly experienced a velocity dip and poor results upon his activation. He got back on track for three starts, beginning Aug. 1, but then hit the shelf with this most recent shoulder ailment.
Even with the slight dip in performance in July, Eovaldi’s overall numbers are sound. He’s logged a 4.15 ERA with a 22.7% strikeout rate and an outstanding 4.3% walk rate in 99 2/3 innings this season — a continuation of the strong results he enjoyed with Boston from 2020-21. Dating back to Opening Day 2020, Eovaldi carries a collective 3.87 ERA in 330 1/3 frames. He’s fanned nearly one quarter of his opponents in that time and his 4.3% walk rate trails only Clayton Kershaw for the MLB lead in that span (min. 200 innings pitched).
A healthy Eovaldi is an easy call to receive a qualifying offer, so it’ll be worth keeping a close eye on his performance over the next two outings. Cotillo noted that he’ll be capped around 65 pitches today, so it’s unlikely he’ll go deep into the game, but there will still be plenty to be gleaned from even a four- or five-inning outing. It also stands to reason that Eovaldi could push a bit further in what would be his final start of the season next week.
As for Story, this latest injury and illness will apparently close the book on what was a discouraging first season in Boston. Signed over the winter to a six-year, $140MM contract, Story stumbled out of the gates, and while he had a pair of torrid hot streaks (from mid-May into early June and from August into September), those were surrounded by prolonged cold spells at the plate. In the end, his 2022 campaign will end with a .238/.304/.434 slash, 16 home runs and 13 stolen bases in 396 plate appearances.
Defensively Story posted impressive marks in Defensive Runs Saved (six) and Outs Above Average (ten) despite appearing in only 813 innings on the field. The move to second base suited him quite well, but his future position remains to be determined. Xander Bogaerts will opt out of his contract at season’s end and reject a qualifying offer, but the Sox will surely have interest in re-signing him. If Bogaerts heads elsewhere, Story is certainly capable of sliding back over to shortstop — a position at which he starred in Colorado for the first six seasons of his career. Alternatively, the Sox could seek shortstop alternatives and keep Story at second base, where he’s played Gold Glove-caliber defense in 2022.
Story is still owed $120MM over the next five years, although his contract allows him to opt out after the 2025 season. The team can negate that opt-out by instead preemptively exercising a $25MM club option on the 2028 season for Story, which would push his total contract to seven years and $160MM.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 29, 2022 14:44:23 GMT -5
Jen McCaffrey @jcmccaffrey1h Eovaldi, in his first start since Aug. 12, is averaging 93.9 mph on his fastball through three innings, so far maxed out at 94.9. Still down from his normal high 90s
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 29, 2022 14:50:04 GMT -5
Eovaldi's line was 4.2ip/5/2/1/0bb/3k/72-51
He has one more start this season, or ever for the Sox next week
Sox were up 3-2 in the 7th Strahm rolled in and served a meatball tied at 3 Orioles lose today and the Jays clinch a spot into the dance.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 29, 2022 15:41:14 GMT -5
JDM with a 2 run ding dong in the 8th wins it for the Red Sox Jays have a spot in the post season
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 29, 2022 15:44:39 GMT -5
J.D. Martinez hits game-winning homer as Red Sox beat Orioles in Nate Eovaldi’s return Updated: Sep. 29, 2022, 4:37 p.m.|Published: Sep. 29, 2022, 4:36 p.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com BOSTON -- In what might be one of their final games as Red Sox at Fenway Park, Nathan Eovaldi and J.D. Martinez created a couple more memories.
Eovaldi pitched well in his return from the injured list and Martinez hit a game-winning two-run homer as the Red Sox beat the Orioles, 5-3, for their third straight victory. Eovaldi allowed two runs (one earned) over 4⅔ innings while striking out three batters; Martinez broke a 3-3 tie by demolishing a Dillon Tate slider over the Green Monster. Boston took three of four from the Orioles after dropping the series opener.
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The win improved Boston’s record to 75-81 and kept alive the chance that the Red Sox will finish at .500. They’d have to win their final six games to finish 81-81.
Baltimore strung together a rally to get on the board in the third. Kyle Stowers and Jorge Mateo led off with back-to-back singles, then Stowers raced home and slid past Connor Wong’s tag to make it 1-0 on an Adley Rutschman groundout. Triston Casas booted a ball at first base and Mateo scored on the error to double the lead.
Boston evened things with two runs in the fourth. J.D. Martinez and Casas hit back-to-back doubles to make it 2-1, then Kiké Hernández tied the game with an RBI single. Orioles starter Mike Baumann went four innings, working around six hits and striking out two batters.
The Red Sox took the lead in the sixth when Alex Verdugo singled, advanced on a wild pitch and a Casas single, then raced home when Christian Arroyo grounded out to third base. But Baltimore again tied things a half-inning later when Stowers took launch off Matt Strahm for his third homer of the season.
In the bottom of the eighth, Xander Bogaerts walked before Martinez got all of a first-pitch slider and hit it 392 feet.
Martinez’s blast was his 14th of the season. He was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Casas reached base three times, walking in addition to his two hits. Kaleb Ort recorded his first career major league save.
Final road trip awaits
The Red Sox will travel to Toronto on Thursday night before beginning a their final road series of 2022 at Rogers Centre on Friday. Here’s the schedule:
Friday, 7:07 p.m. ET -- RHP Nick Pivetta (10-11, 4.48 ERA) vs. RHP Alek Manoah (15-7, 2.31 ERA)
Saturday, 3:07 p.m. ET -- RHP Brayan Bello (2-7, 4.39 ERA) vs. RHP Ross Stripling (9-4, 3.16 ERA)
Sunday, 1:37 p.m. ET -- TBD vs. RHP Kevin Gausman (12-10, 3.30 ERA)
The Red Sox are a dismal 3-13 against the Jays this season.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 30, 2022 3:24:10 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Story's season likely over September 29th, 2022
Keep track of the Red Sox’s recent transactions and injury updates throughout the season. LATEST NEWS
Sept. 29: 2B Trevor Story is ill, ending hopes he'll play again in 2022 Story has been recovering from a left heel contusion he suffered on Sept. 11 in Baltimore. The plan was for him to play in the final series of the season against the Rays, but that no longer appears realistic. Story now has an illness and won't be able to travel with the Red Sox to Toronto. Manager Alex Cora thinks that Story's '22 season is over. In his first season of a six-year, $140 million contract, Story had trouble with offensive consistency and staying healthy. He played in 94 games, slashing .238/.303/.434 with 16 homers and 66 RBIs. The positive is that he played outstanding defense in his transition from shortstop to second base.
"I think obviously, this is it for him," said Cora. "There’s not much he’s going to do over the weekend. He’s a good player. He is. You see the record when he played and when he didn’t play. Just the impact, driving in runs or playing good defense, he’s legit. He’s gonna help us to win a lot of games in the upcoming years.”
Sept. 29: RHP Nathan Eovaldi reinstated from injured list; RHP Connor Seabold optioned to Triple-A Worcester Eovaldi, on the IL since Aug. 19 with right shoulder inflammation, returned to start against the Orioles on Thursday. He tossed three innings for Triple-A Worcester in his lone rehab start on Sept. 23. Eovaldi is 5-3 with a 4.15 ERA over 18 starts for Boston this season.
Seabold started on Monday against Baltimore, allowing five runs (four earned) over two innings. The right-hander has gone 0-4 with an 11.29 ERA across four stints with Boston this season, and 8-2 with a 3.32 ERA in 19 starts for Worcester.
Sept. 29: 1B Eric Hosmer targeting return in final series Hosmer, who because of lower back inflammation has played only 12 games for the Red Sox since being acquired in a trade on Aug. 2, is targeting the final series of the season against the Rays from Oct. 3-5 for a return to action. The left-handed hitter took live batting practice against Kutter Crawford on Wednesday at Fenway Park.
"He’s doing good. Moving well," manager Alex Cora said Thursday. "He’ll stay here over the weekend. We’ve got some technology down there that you can actually face live pitching. It’s pretty cool. Pretty expensive too. The goal is for him at some point in the Rays [series to] be ready to play. Everything is good so far.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 30, 2022 3:29:16 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Red Sox second baseman Trevor Story officially shut down for the rest of the season By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated September 29, 2022, 6:14 p.m.
Trevor Story will miss the remainder of the season. The Sox hoped they could get Story (heel contusion) back for the final series of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays next week. But Story is now under the weather. The Red Sox did not disclose his illness.
In his first season with the club, Story played in just 94 games, a career low for the second baseman. He hit .238/.303/.434 with 16 homers, all career lows over the span of a standard 162-game season.
Undoubtedly, Story had his moments. But overall, this season was a struggle, marred by injuries — Story missed 37 games this summer with a right wrist fracture — which made it hard for Story to find a groove.
“It’s disappointing in a sense and he feels that way,” manager Alex Cora said before the Sox’ 5-3 win against the Orioles Thursday. ‘‘He wasn’t able to post like he usually does. But when he played he contributed. I know he was a little bit inconsistent early on. Offensively, you know, it took him a while to get going but I think it was a short spring training and being sick [during spring training], I think that put him in a bad spot. But then when he came back from the hand injury you could see the offensive upside was there, hitting the ball the other way, and obviously the athlete running the bases playing good defense.”
Story likely would have ran away with a Gold Glove in the American League. Despite playing just 813 ⅔ innings at second, Story racked up six defensive runs saved which ranked eighth in the majors before Thursday.
Story failed to homer during his first 25 games as a Red Sox. But over his next 14 games, Story hit nine homers, racking up a meaty 25 RBI. His OPS in that 14-game span went from a pedestrian .557 to .776.
As Cora noted, when Story returned from his wrist fracture in August, he implemented a toe-tap which helped him be on time more with his swing.
Story, who is naturally a streaky hitter, appeared to have found something that would cut down on such high-highs and low-lows.
In that 13-game span, Story hit .340. Then, the heel injury occurred in Baltimore on Sept. 11, halting Story’s season again. His latest illness ended his season.
Now, the Sox and Story must move forward, eyeing next season, hoping for a different outcome with winning at the forefront of their collective goals. Story has already said publicly that he would like for the Red Sox to re-sign Xander Bogaerts.
Story will be making his pitch for some other free agents as well.
“He’s gonna be a big part of the recruiting process,” said Cora. “He’s all in with us. He’s a good player.” Park spared brunt of storm
Hurricane Ian caused cosmetic damage at JetBlue Park, the Red Sox’ Fort Myers spring training home, on Wednesday.
The wall pads along the Green Monster in left field were ripped off by high winds, which also knocked down some trees, fencing and signage on the property, according to a team spokesperson.
All full-time employees in the area are accounted for.
“The reports coming out of Lee County in the wake of Hurricane Ian are devastating and our hearts go out to those impacted,” said the ballclub. “The Red Sox organization will work with our partners in Lee County to provide resources and support for recovery efforts.”
The stadium complex is located about 13 miles inland from Fort Myers Beach, which bore the brunt of the storm, and about nine miles from the Caloosahatchee River, where storm surge caused severe flooding. Toronto blues
The Blue Jays have dominated the Red Sox this year. Heading into Friday’s series opener at the Rogers Centre, the Sox are just 3-13 against Toronto, with a .188 winning percentage, their lowest against any opponent this season. They have not won a series over the Blue Jays this year and are 2-5 against them at the Rogers Centre. Nick Pivetta will take the mound for the Sox Friday followed by Brayan Bello Saturday. Sunday is still to be determined with Michael Wacha as a possibility. Related: In Red Sox minor league system this year, lots of steady progress and a few breakouts
Red Sox hitters will face some tough starting pitching, beginning with Alek Manoah Friday, Ross Stripling Saturday, and Kevin Gausman for the series finale Sunday … Eric Hosmer (back) will stay in Boston during that series. He could be activated for the team’s final series of the season against Tampa Bay, which begins Monday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 30, 2022 3:34:20 GMT -5
Aiming for top wild card, Blue Jays battle Red Sox FLM
The Toronto Blue Jays will open a three-game home series with the Boston Red Sox on Friday night knowing that they have clinched a playoff spot.
The Blue Jays, who had Thursday off, wrapped up an American League wild-card berth when the Red Sox defeated the visiting Baltimore Orioles 5-3 on Thursday afternoon. J.D. Martinez hit a two-run home run in the eighth to propel the Red Sox to their third consecutive win.
The Blue Jays (87-69) are still trying to clinch the No. 1 wild-card spot that would give them home-field advantage for all games in the best-of-three opening playoff round.
Toronto, which is coming off two straight losses to the New York Yankees, holds a 1 1/2-game lead on the Seattle Mariners (85-70) and a two-game edge on the Tampa Bay Rays (85-71) in the wild-card chase.
Following his game-ending single Monday night against the visiting Yankees, Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. proclaimed: "This is my house. My house."
The Yankees answered on the field, winning the final two games of the three-game series and delaying the Blue Jays' playoff-clinching moment until Thursday.
With a 5-2 at Toronto on Tuesday, the Yankees clinched first place in the American League East.
Guerrero helped the Yankees' cause with a baserunning mistake, running too slowly to first as he admired his drive to left that hit the wall. He picked up his tempo too late to avoid being thrown out trying for a double, squelching a promising rally. The play drew criticism from interim Blue Jays manager John Schneider.
The Yankees won 8-3 on Wednesday in a game that featured Aaron Judge's 61st home run of the season, tying the American League record.
During the Yankees series, the Blue Jays continued to make mistakes that have cropped up in what some think has been an underachieving season. They opened with high expectations based on their 91 wins in 2021.
"If we take care of little things that we can control, we usually are in a good spot to win," Schneider said. "We're very talented, and when we play clean and take care of things that should be taken care of, physical errors aside, we're just as good as anybody in the league."
The Blue Jays will start right-hander Alek Manoah (15-7, 2.31 ERA) on Friday. In five career starts against Boston, he is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA. He is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in two outings vs. the Red Sox this year.
Boston will start right-hander Nick Pivetta (10-11, 4.48 ERA). He is 1-3 with a 5.70 ERA in 10 career starts against Toronto, 0-1 with a 5.52 ERA in three starts vs. the Blue Jays this season.
The Red Sox (75-81) had planned to bring back second baseman Trevor Story, likely in their final series of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays that begins Monday. Story sustained a left heel contusion on Sept. 11 in Baltimore.
However, Story has an illness and won't be able to travel with the Red Sox to Toronto. Red Sox manager Alex Cora feels that Story's season is over.
"I think obviously this is it for him," Cora said. "There's not much he's going to do over the weekend. He's a good player. He is. You see the record when he played and when he didn't play. Just the impact, driving in runs or playing good defense, he's legit. He's gonna help us to win a lot of games in the upcoming years."
In 94 games this season, Story has a .238 average with 16 homers and 66 RBIs.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 30, 2022 8:30:47 GMT -5
Buster Olney @buster_ESPN 18m RT @dshulman_ESPN: .@alek_Manoah6 has allowed a total of 6 earned runs in his last 7 starts. He is in the top 5 in the AL in wins, ERA, IP, BA, WHIP and OPS. Manoah on the mound vs the Red Sox tonight as the #bluejays try to take another step toward home field advantage in the Wild Card round.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 30, 2022 13:38:40 GMT -5
The Look Ahead: An Ode to Pivetta And The Merciful Final Weekend
As the Red Sox look to play spoiler against a division rival, one thing that won’t be spoiled is the appreciation of three pitchers in three different places in their careers, and their quest for 2023 stability. By Dean Roussel Sep 30, 2022, 1:14pm EDT 2 Comments / 2 New Share this story
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At this point, when the remainder of the season is a formality, there’s some excitement in the fact that both of the team’s last opponents are, not only division rivals, but division rivals with viable playoff bids. Although, in all likelihood, the more intriguing question is in what wild card slot the three teams in contention will place, rather than who makes the postseason. But it’s still fun to imagine a world where the Red Sox performance against the Rays (who’ve already clinched) and the Blue Jays have some impact on either team, or even the Yankees’, demise. It’s like tripping into a busy intersection and having the Monopoly guy hit you.
In addition to being able to alter history in some small way, and perhaps build some sort of arduous path for the Yankees to get through (awaiting the “rent free!” comments), the Red Sox will also surely be penciling in slots in their 2023 roster planner. In anticipation for the next three games in Toronto, this week gives the Red Sox starters perhaps one last chance at impressing their current team in hopes of a more prominent role, or perhaps a nice paycheck. Interestingly enough, all three of these projected starters in this Blue Jays series all have some question marks surrounding 2023 and beyond. In this article, I’ll forego my usual pontificating on our likelihood of beating the other team because whether we do or we don’t, two facts remain: we’re not likely to win this series, and the much more important matter at hand is our front office correctly evaluating the futures of the three pitchers slated to start this weekend, and, of course, so many others. This time of year, every article imaginable, including my other ones, give takes on what we should do with Rafael Devers, J.D. Matinez, Xander Bogaerts, and Nathan Eovaldi. So let’s just focus on the pitchers we’ll see in Toronto right now, shall we?
To some, it may be an easy argument to make that Brayan Bello will be a lock for the rotation, as, after a very shaky start, the 23-year-old rookie has come into his own.It seems as though Bello will finish the season close to his current 4.39 ERA, which considering how hard he got hit in his first few Major League starts, is a testament to his resilience. He simply has too much potential upside in his quick pitch selection, his ground ball percentage, and subsequently, his extremely low fly ball to home run ratio when balls do leave the infield. While the team may opt to use him as a bullpen arm, he’s proven he can go very late into games without losing the things the Red Sox love him for. He’s got the stamina, so why not use it to our advantage?
Michael Wacha is a peculiar case, as his $7 million salary this season (thought by yours truly at first to be an unfathomable number given his mediocrity since being a St. Louis Cardinals starter) seems to be an absolute steal. He may just make double that amount if the front office will actually show a few players some cash this offseason. For an 11-1 starter having a spectacular season that boasts a 3.06 ERA, just 2.19 walks per 9 innings, and a WAR of 1.8 (his highest total since 2016), it’s hard to argue against it, especially when pitted against some other members of this opening day pitching staff (we’re looking at you, Robles, Diekman, and Sawamura, even if you are relievers…) Either way, it’s hard to imagine the 31-year-old not making an impact on a team next year. He’s truly playing his best baseball of his career, and the fact that he’s doing so for us a year after being almost a liability for the Rays just tastes that much sweeter, even if I must admit Chaim Bloom’s infatuation for ex-Tampa players actually did work out in this specific case. Watching this pitcher we routinely shelled last season get signed to a deal many saw as exorbitant even for a rotation arm, become such a reliable starter for us, even immediately after coming back from nursing himself back from inflammation in his right shoulder, has got to feel like opening a box of Skittles and discovering none of them are red. And, no, I will not be taking arguments on candy flavoring at this time.
But perhaps the biggest question mark of the three is a guy who’s been as dependable as anyone on the roster. Nick Pivetta, since he’s joined the Red Sox in 2020 in a trade with the Phillies (in perhaps the most clear trade win we’ve had in the Bloom era), is like the person in middle school you always knew carried a fresh pack of gum on them, and even if the flavor wasn’t always on the same level as the kind your parents would get for you, when you could blow a bubble with it, it had the potential to be the type of bubble that’d pick you up, carry you clean out the window, and onto some deserted island miles away from your school. Following his regular usage as a starter in 2021, it was clear he had started to find his groove. While his ERA, which always has hovered around that mediocre 4.50 mark, and his ticked-down WHIP of roughly 1.30, won’t win him any Cy Youngs, his tenacity and pure emotion (or stoicism when it’s sorely needed) on the mound won him the adoration of Boston faithful, even if we did wish those numbers were a tad better. But what’s allowing another home run in a game Nick has already pitched us out of if he has two starts in which he goes into the sixth without allowing a runner in scoring position against a division rival? At times, it’s seemed as though Pivetta exists on our roster to cause the Rays and Jays headaches, which would be reason enough for me and many others to keep him around as long as his contract lets him (set through 2025 right now.) And who can forget his performance in the 2021 playoffs, especially against the Rays? His ability to perform as a starter and a reliever to that aforementioned level of dependability in such high-leverage games has shades of 2004 Bronson Arroyo or 2018 Nathan Eovaldi. In Arroyo’s case, he parlayed that curse-breaking postseason into a career that spanned more than a decade, albeit most of it being with Cincinnati. In Eovaldi’s case, he used that electricity in that World Series campaign for a five-year contract. Pivetta will likely fall somewhere between those two figures, which is certainly not a bad place to be.
The burning question with Pivetta is, next season, with an affordable contract that lasts three more years, will Pivetta’s place be in our rotation, in our bullpen that clearly lacks the prowess to secure saves this season, or will he be serving up some of that sweet, reliable, mediocre magic we’ve come to love for someone else? They say “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t”, and while, first of all, I’d like seeing Pivetta over anyone of his pitching level for unquestionably more money in our rotation, I also acknowledge that the carousel of “who’s staying, who’s going, and who do we truly need” may be tough to keep up with, especially in an era where we’re cognizant and melancholy at how little our management seems to be willing to spend to solidify us as a contender for more than a year at a time. This team lacks direction more often than not, despite the fight in all three guys pitching this weekend. On a team with nothing to fight for in 2022, these three pitchers making potentially their last start of the season fighting for their right to keep playing with each other in this same capacity in 2023 in hopes of better results is something to both watch and admire.
Friday @ 7:07 PM: Nick Pivetta vs. Alek Manoah
Saturday @ 3:07 PM: Brayan Bello vs. Ross Stripling
Sunday @ 1:37 PM: Michael Wacha vs. Kevin Gausman
Have a good weekend! And P.S., I don’t know who needs to hear this, but there’s eleven other months out of the year in which to take your Salem trip from every corner of the earth! Signed, a Connecticut resident happy to see his Bruins on the ice in some preseason action this weekend, but not stoked about the Boston traffic on the first of the spookiest month of the year.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 30, 2022 13:53:33 GMT -5
Game 157: Red Sox at Blue Jays lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated September 30, 2022, 10:15 a.m. The Red Sox have been out of the playoff picture for a while now, but they can shape the postseason picture for the American League. Thursday’s win over the Orioles allowed the idle Blue Jays to clinch a wild-card spot. Next up for the Sox is a three-game series at Toronto, followed by a three-game series at Fenway with Tampa Bay. The Blue Jays are still trying to grab the top wild-card spot that would give them home-field advantage for all games in the best-of-three opening playoff round. They hold a 1½-game lead on the Seattle Mariners and a two-game edge on the Rays. Here are the standings. Nick Pivetta will be on the mound for Friday’s opener at Toronto. Lineups RED SOX (75-81): 1. Jarren Duran (L) CF 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. Abraham Almonte (S) LF 8. Reese McGuire (L) C 9. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B Pitching: RHP Nick Pivetta (10-11, 4.48 ERA) BLUE JAYS (87-69): 1. George Springer (R) CF 2. Bo Bichette (R) SS 3. Vladimir Guerrero (R) 1B 4. Alejandro Kirk (R) C 5. Matt Chapman (R) 3B 6. Teoscar Hernandez (R) RF 7. Raimel Tapia (L) LF 8. Danny Jansen (R) DH 9. Whit Merrifield (R) 2B Pitching: RHP Alek Manoah (15-7, 2.31 ERA) Time: 7:07 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Manoah: Christian Arroyo 1-5, Xander Bogaerts 2-9, Bobby Dalbec 2-8, Rafael Devers 1-9, Kiké Hernández 2-9, J.D. Martinez 0-9, Reese McGuire 1-3, Tommy Pham 0-3, Rob Refsnyder 0-3, Alex Verdugo 7-14 Blue Jays vs. Pivetta: Bo Bichette 9-22, Cavan Biggio 5-14, Jackie Bradley Jr. 1-3, Matt Chapman 3-11, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 4-19, Teoscar Hernández 1-15, Danny Jansen 2-5, Alejandro Kirk 1-4, Whit Merrifield 2-5, George Springer 7-15, Raimel Tapia 2-7, Bradley Zimmer 0-1 Batting title chase: Luis Arraez is tops in the American League after had a pair of hits Thursday to improve to .315 on the season. Aaron Judge is still at .313 after the Yankees were off. Bogaerts had a hit and a walk Thursday to remain at .309. The Yankees host the Orioles Friday, while the Twins are at Detroit. Stat of the day: Martinez and Bichette are tied for the most doubles in the American League with 43. Notes: Pivetta is 1-3 with a 5.70 ERA in 10 career starts against Toronto, including 0-1 with a 5.52 ERA in three starts this season. … In five career starts against the Red Sox, Manoah is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA. He is 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in two outings vs. the Red Sox this year. … Triston Casas is batting .435 with a .618 OBP and 1.488 OPS in his last eight games. Song of the Day: Neil Young - Unknown Legendwww.youtube.com/watch?v=PJNYjaZ_29k
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 30, 2022 14:44:09 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 7m #RedSox moves:
* RHP Kaleb Ort on the restricted list.
* OF Jarren Duran recalled.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 30, 2022 14:45:01 GMT -5
Ben Nicholson-Smith @bnicholsonsmith · 42m As expected, #BlueJays’ probables vs. Red Sox are Manoah, Stripling & Gausman
Jays expecting big crowds all weekend
#BlueJays intend to celebrate tonight after playing Red Sox
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