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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 3:59:50 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Twins Monday, 19th June 2023 7:30pm @ Target Field
Paxton 2-1/ 3.09
Lopez 3-3/ 4.27
Monday, June 19, 2023 at 7:40pm EDT Written by Chris King
A pair of American League teams kick off an early week series on the diamond up in the Twin Cities. The Boston Red Sox are on the road as they play the first game of a four-game series with the Minnesota Twins Monday night. Boston was rained out Saturday, forcing them into a day-night doubleheader with the Yankees Sunday to close their three-game series. The Red Sox hammered their way to a 15-5 win in the opening game of the set Friday night. Minnesota closed a four-game series at home with Detroit Sunday hoping for a split. The Twins earned a 2-0 win in the third game of the series Saturday afternoon. In the first series between the teams this season, Boston took two of three at home April 18-20.
Boston Red Sox Looking to Prevail on the Road Boston was rained out Saturday and there was rain in the forecast Sunday as well, potentially putting their doubleheader with the Yankees in jeopardy. The Red Sox entered Sunday 35-35 on the season and stood in the basement of the AL East, 14 games behind the Rays for the top spot in the division. In Friday’s series opener, Boston got four hits from Masataka Yoshida (run, three RBI) and three from Justin Turner (three runs, six RBI) to lead a 17-hit attack. Turner (his ninth and 10th of the season) homered twice to lead the way for the Red Sox in the game. Tanner Houck didn’t factor in the decision as he threw four innings, allowing one run on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts before leaving after taking a line drive off the face, which led to a facial fracture and requiring stitches. Joe Jacques (1-0) earned the win in relief as he allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits with no walks and two strikeouts in two innings of work.
James Paxton is on the mound for the Red Sox as he logs his seventh start of the season in this contest. He comes in 2-1 with a 3.09 ERA, a 1.156 WHIP, 10 walks and 44 strikeouts over 32 innings of work this season. Paxton didn’t factor in the decision in his last start, which came against the Rockies at home last Monday night. He threw six innings, allowing one run (none earned) on four hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in a game the Red Sox eventually lost 4-3 in 10 innings. In his last three starts, Paxton is 1-1 with a 4.80 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, six walks and 22 strikeouts over 15 innings of work. Paxton makes his seventh career start against the Twins in this contest. He comes in 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA, a 1.074 WHIP, 10 walks and 39 strikeouts over 31.2 innings of work against them. Paxton is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA, a 0.833 WHIP, one walk and 16 strikeouts over 12 innings in two career starts at Target Field.
Minnesota Twins Trying to Hang On to AL Central Lead Minnesota had dropped the first two games of the series with the Tigers at home before winning a low-scoring affair Saturday afternoon. The Twins entered Sunday 36-35 on the year and held a 3.5-game lead over the Guardians for the top spot in the AL Central. On Saturday, Minnesota finished with only three hits but made the most of them as Alex Kiriloff and Ryan Jeffers each drove in runs in the fifth inning. Jose De Leon got the start on the mound on a bullpen day and didn’t factor in the decision as he threw two scoreless frames, allowing no hits or walks while striking out two. Brent Headrick (1-0) earned the win as he threw 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit with one walk and two strikeouts. Jhoan Duran worked the ninth, allowing no runs on one hit with no walk and one strikeout, for his ninth save of the year.
Pablo Lopez is slated to take the mound for the Twins in this contest as he makes his 15th start of the season. He comes in 3-3 with a 4.27 ERA, a 1.115 WHIP, 23 walks and 101 strikeouts over 84.1 innings of work on the year. Lopez didn’t factor in the decision in his last start, which came Tuesday at home against the Brewers. He threw six innings, allowing three runs on four hits with one walk and nine strikeouts in a game the Twins rallied to win 7-5. In his last three starts, Lopez has no record with a 4.82 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, three walks and 20 strikeouts over 18.2 innings of work. Lopez, in his 109th career major league start, pitches against the Red Sox for the first time here. This marks his eighth career start at Target Field. Lopez is 2-1 with a 5.88 ERA, a 1.234 WHIP, 13 walks and 51 strikeouts over 41.1 innings of work in those outings.
Red Sox at Twins Monday, at 7:40 PM EST Clear It's expected to be 89° F with a 1% chance of precipitation and 10 MPH wind blowing right to left in Minneapolis at 7:40 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 4:02:50 GMT -5
Rest of Series Match Ups
Tuesday, 7:30pm, Crawford 1-3/ 4.20 vs Ober 4-3/2.65
Wednesday, 7:30pm, Whitlock 4-2/ 4.38 vs Gray 4-1/ 2.37
Thursday, TBA ( Kluber) vs Ryan 7-4/ 3.30
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 4:35:53 GMT -5
Chris Murphy comes alive in his new relief role for the Red Sox By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated June 18, 2023, 10:10 p.m.
Chris Murphy averaged 95.8 miles per hour on the first five fastballs he threw against the Yankees on Sunday, hitting 96.7 on a pitch to Giancarlo Stanton.
When he took a glance at the scoreboard during the first game of the doubleheader, the 25-year-old lefthander was surprised. Where did that come from?
With the Sox down two runs, Murphy pitched 2⅔ scoreless innings, striking out three and allowing one hit to keep the game under control. The Sox rallied for a 6-2 victory.
The rush of adrenaline from facing the Yankees at Fenway Park had something to do with Murphy’s better velocity. But pitching in relief has been the biggest driver.
Murphy has five appearances out of the bullpen — two in the majors — since June 1. He allowed two unearned runs on nine hits over 13 innings in those games with two walks and 17 strikeouts.
“Murph has been really good in that role since we started doing it in Triple A,” Sox manager Alex Cora said. “More efficient, throwing a lot of strikes, repeating his delivery. His fastball is a good one. It plays.”
Murphy was 1-3 with an 8.35 ERA in nine starts for Triple A Worcester, so the switch didn’t come as a shock.
“I’ve known from the start my opportunity was probably in the bullpen,” said Murphy, a sixth-round draft pick out of the University of San Diego in 2019. “I’ve had a walk issue in the past, I’m aware of that. I had a feeling this could happen at some point.”
Murphy retired the first seven Yankees he faced Sunday. He, Nick Pivetta, and Chris Martin combined on 6⅔ scoreless innings with seven strikeouts after opener Kaleb Ort gave up a two-run homer to Gleyber Torres in the first inning.
The Yankees are a much less potent lineup with Aaron Judge on the injured list. But it was still impressive.
For Murphy, making his Fenway debut was exciting. He was a fan of the Derek Jeter-era Yankees growing up in California because his parents are from Long Island.
Now he was pitching against his childhood team.
“My father loved Mickey Mantle,” Murphy said. “But I never rooted against the Sox. I liked watching Manny [Ramirez], David [Ortiz], and Pedro [Martinez]. To pitch with the crowd so loud and into the game was great.”
Murphy made his major league debut in Cleveland on June 7 and pitched 3⅓ scoreless innings, striking out five.
After the series ended, Cora asked Guardians first base coach Sandy Alomar Jr. for his opinion. The feedback was all positive. The Cleveland hitters thought his fastball was lively and he finished that pitch.
“He has a cutter, he has a slider, he has a curveball,” Cora said. “He’s been under control twice here with us. That’s something that we’ve been working with him, throwing more strikes.”
Murphy felt he was on the verge of improvement, regardless of his role. But the shorter stints have played to his strengths.
“Not changing much,” he said. “Just knowing that I’m not going super long. I don’t need to go six innings. Throwing as hard as I can, being on full-go from pitch one.”
That’s what has created the liveliness to his fastball.
“I wouldn’t say it’s easier; it’s still pitching at the end of the day,” Murphy said. “Just trusting my stuff. That’s been the message to me, knowing that I can do it at this level.”
Murphy has the confidence to use his breaking pitches behind in the count and challenge hitters with high fastballs.
“More conviction [and] better mechanics,” Cora said.
Now the bad news.
Murphy was eligible to play Sunday because he was appointed the extra player for the doubleheader, but he had to be returned to Worcester after the game.
Murphy was optioned back to the WooSox after his debut June 7 and must spend 15 days in the minors before being recalled. Barring another doubleheader, he’s not eligible to rejoin the team until Friday.
Whether it’s Friday or soon after, Murphy will get more opportunities. A lefthander with good velocity who can work multiple innings is a valuable piece, especially with the Sox averaging the sixth-fewest innings from their rotation in the majors.
“Whatever they need,” Murphy said. “That was fun.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 4:37:54 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Red Sox place Tanner Houck on 15-day injured list with facial fracture, recall Kaleb Ort from Worcester By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 18, 2023, 11:52 p.m.
The Red Sox announced a handful of roster moves Sunday morning, most notably placing righthander Tanner Houck on the 15-day injured list with a facial fracture.
Houck found himself on the wrong end of a Kyle Higashioka comebacker Friday night, leaving the field bloodied — but under his own power — after a scary sight at Fenway Park.
The 26-year-old righthander was diagnosed with a facial fracture after evaluation at Massachusetts General Hospital. Manager Alex Cora said prior to the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader that he’s uncertain if Houck will need surgery.
“He finally got some rest yesterday,” Cora said. “He’s a tough kid. We knew that. Like I said before. We were lucky. He was lucky. The fact that he’s going to be OK, means a lot.”
To fill Houck’s roster spot, the Sox recalled righthander Kaleb Ort from Triple A Worcester. Ort was thrown straight into the fire, making his first career start in Game 1. In what amounted to a bullpen game, Ort tossed the first 2⅓ innings, gave up two runs, and struck out four in the Sox’ 6-2 win.
Afforded the 27th man for the doubleheader, the Sox recalled Chris Murphy from Triple A Worcester. The lefthander followed Ort and racked up 2⅔ scoreless frames, allowing just a hit while striking out three. In his only previous big league appearance, Murphy threw 3⅓ scoreless innings at Cleveland June 7.
Pivetta stellar in relief
Nick Pivetta followed Murphy, tossed three perfect frames, and got the win. Pivetta struck out four with his manager calling the relief appearance a dominant one.
In 10 relief appearances (16⅓ innings) Pivetta has a 2.20 ERA, striking out 17 in that span.
“I think he’s a different pitcher as a reliever than as a starter,” Cora said after the first game. “His stuff is getting better. And the cutter, slider mix is a good one. He’s not a two-pitch pitcher now, and he’s moving his fastball all over the place. He’s not only up in the zone. There’s a little bit more conviction, better tempo.”
When asked about his recent success, Pivetta had this to offer: “Just go out and just be my regular self,” he said. “I’ve worked really hard with my dry work and catch-play to just be more consistent and just have the confidence myself to go out there and throw strikes.”
The injury to Houck has left the Sox rotation with just four starters. The team’s starter for Thursday afternoon in Minnesota is to be determined, and Pivetta could fill that void. Cora talks Father’s Day
Cora lost his father, José Cora, when he was just 13 years old, so Father’s Day was always tough for the Red Sox manager.
“Early on, when I was a kid, I hated this day after I lost my dad. I hated it,” Cora said. “It was just like, ‘Why us? Why’s he not with us?’ ”
Yet as Cora has grown older, experienced life’s joy and challenges and has had kids of his own, Father’s Day is now one that he appreciates.
“You grow up, you learn and you understand what it is, and we were blessed. We were blessed to have our father for 13 years.”
Cora admitted that he often wonders what his dad would be thinking if he were still alive.
“There are certain days that I wonder if he’s proud of what I’m doing here, or what I’ve done throughout the years,” Cora said. “And I’ll bet he would be honest with me. At certain points very disappointed, but at certain points very proud of what I have accomplished.”
First stop: Minnesota
The Red Sox hit the road for a two-city trip beginning Monday for a four-game set against the Twins. Despite the Twins’ .500 record (36-36) the club is in first place in the AL Central. Minnesota is 21-17 at home, compared with 15-19 on the road. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games, losing three of four to the lowly Tigers.
Here are the pitching matchups for the series. Monday: James Paxton (3.09 ERA) vs. Pablo Lopez (4.27 ERA); Tuesday: Kutter Crawford (4.20 ERA) vs. Bailey Ober (2.65 ERA); Wednesday: Garrett Whitlock (4.38 ERA) vs. Sonny Gray (2.37 ERA); and Thursday, the Sox starter is to be determined, while the Twins will start Joe Ryan (3.30 ERA).
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Post by Kimmi on Jun 19, 2023 7:02:43 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Twins Monday, 19th June 2023 7:30pm @ Target Field
Paxton 2-1/ 3.09
Lopez 3-3/ 4.27 Paxton has been pitching well. Hopefully, the offense doesn't go cold. Let's keep the good times rolling.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 7:45:44 GMT -5
Was the Red Sox’ doubleheader sweep more about their impending turnaround or the toothless Yankees? By Dan Shaughnessy Globe Staff,Updated June 19, 2023, 1 hour ago
Is this it?
Have the Red Sox finally returned to the days when “good times never seemed so good?’’
There were positive vibes all over the ballyard when the Sox pantsed the Yankees, 15-5, at Fenway Friday. After Saturday’s rainout, I suspended my chronic skepticism and returned to Fenway for Sunday’s day-night doubleheader with the once-vaunted Bronx Bombers.
And the Red Sox won both, taking the day game, 6-2, then winning at night, 4-1 — both after falling behind in the first inning. These last-place Red Sox have come-from-behind in 23 of their 37 victories.
They have four straight wins and have have beaten the Yankees five out of six times. They are suddenly within a game and a half of vaulting out of their American League East basement apartment. If George Steinbrenner were still alive, he’d have fired Aaron Boone for what the Sox did to the Yanks over the last two weekends.
Your last-place Sox at this hour are the daddies of the the 2023 Yankees. They have exposed them on national television. Sunday’s twin kill marked Boston’s first doubleheader sweep of the Yankees at Fenway since July 31, 1976. That’s back in the days when Don Zimmer was managing, Bob Montgomery was backup catching, and Jim Rice was a second-year slugger.
I asked weary Boston manager Alex Cora if he had any sense that his team was finally turning things around.
“We played well against them last weekend and we’ve played well against them this year,’’ stated Cora. “We’ve played well against the division [13-11] except for one team [1-7 vs. Tampa Bay]. We haven’t done well against the National League [11-15], which is weird. Now we go on the road and we’ll see how it goes.’’
Playing the Yankees without Aaron Judge (broken toe) certainly changed things. New York’s lineup is powerless without the reigning MVP. The Yankees rank 14th in the majors in runs and hit only .205 in their first batch of games without Judge. Giancarlo Stanton (did he really hit 59 homers in a single season?) strikes out more than Jaylen Brown turns the ball over, DJ LeMahieu looks to be in steep decline, Anthony Rizzo is in a deep slump, and former MVP Josh Donaldson is done.
The Yankee outfield for Sunday’s ESPN special was Jake Bauers (.235), Billy McKinney (.286), and Oswaldo Cabrera (.190). That’s not exactly Maris in right, Mantle in canter, and Berra in left.
Speaking of the Worldwide Leader, it was strange to hear Cora complain about back-to-back national television games against the Yankees. Related: Abraham: Chris Murphy comes alive in his new relief role for the Red Sox
“I think it’s too much sometimes,’’ Cora said Friday at Fenway. “Back-to-back Sunday night games? With all due respect to ESPN, come on. There’s other teams out there and people want to watch them.’’
Yeesh. Since when did Cora become Adrian Gonzalez? Are the Sox really in a position to be pushing national networks away from Fenway?
The national exposure came at a good time for the heretofore struggling Sox. Folks watching ESPN saw Boston with good pitching, two-out hitting, and more than adequate defense. They must be thinking: Why is the Boston market so critical of this team? They look pretty darned good against these no-name Yankees.
A word about Sox righty Brayan Bello. He is pretty clearly the best pitcher developed by the Red Sox since Clay Buchholz. Or Jon Lester, if you want to declare Bello better than Buchholz. Bello just turned 24 and there is every indication he is going to be a top-end rotation guy. He stuffed the Yanks on one run Sunday, fanning eight and lasting an unthinkable (in 2023) seven innings. He’s 4-4 with a 3.49 ERA and gives Sox fans hope for a future without more Corey Kluber signings.
In his last nine starts, Bello is 4-3 with a 2.60 ERA and the Sox have won six of the nine games. Bello has pitched seven full innings in three of his last five starts.
Please remind your Bloominati friends that Bello was signed as an international free agent by the Dave Dombrowski administration. Hard-luck Chaim gets no credit for Bello.
That said, it should be noted that Bloom and his young son joined Red Sox ballpark staff in the expedited, exhaustive Fenway cleanup between games of the doubleheader. ESPN ran video of Boston’s front office work detail during its “Sunday Night Baseball” presentation. It was beautiful teaching moment on Father’s Day at Fenway.
And the baseball gods seem to have rewarded the gesture, finally showering some hope on the 2023 Red Sox.
Done with the reeling Yankees until mid-August, the Sox start a seven-game road trip to Minnesota and Chicago Monday night.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 9:00:40 GMT -5
The Red Sox have reentered a different conversation
By Rob Bradford WEEI 93.7
Remember that feeling after the Red Sox lost a second straight game to the Rockies? Yup. Between the standings sink-hole they had seemingly stepped in and the uneasiness around the Matt Dermody drama, this was setting up for a long summer.
Monday Alex Cora and his team woke up in a different lot in life, one they seemingly hadn't been afforded since winning four straight in late May to go six games over .500.
After taking both games of a doubleheader against the Yankees at Fenway Park for the first time since 1976 - sweeping the teams' three-game series - the Sox now find themselves just two games out of the final Wild Card spot, And, more importantly, look the like the superior team to at least one of the clubs (the Aaron Judge-less Yankees) they are chasing.
The postgame notes laundry list of optimism after the nightcap's 4-1 victory should have highlight script-flipping:
- Have won each of their last four games, their longest winning streak since 5/16-20 (also 4 games)...Are 6-3 in their last 9 games and 9-8 since the start of June.
- Have outscored opponents 31-11 over their last 4 games, batting .338 (46-for-136) with 21 XBH and posting a 2.25 ERA (9 ER/36.0 IP) in that span.
- Relievers did not allow a run in 8.2 innings during today's doubleheader...They have allowed seven earned runs in 33.1 IP (1.89 ERA) over the Sox' last nine games.
- Starters have a 3.47 ERA in their 29 starts since 5/17 (56 ER/145.1 IP)...They have allowed two ER or fewer in 21 of those 29 games.
"They have a good team. They'll be there in the hunt and we want to be where they were last year,” Cora said. “Just the whole environment last weekend was good over there, and tonight, this doubleheader was great. So I think the kids are doing an amazing job the last two weekends. Now, we’ve just got to turn the page and be ready for tomorrow."
It's impossible to completely buy-in considering this roller coaster the Red Sox have been on since that early-May eight-game win streak. But it certainly does feel a bit different considering the recent evolution of some of their most important players.
Starter Brayan Bello, for instance, is emerging into the kind of pitcher Pedro Martinez told us was around the corner. He now has a 2.60 ERA in his last nine starts after going seven innings against the Yankees and surrendering just one run. There hasn't been one of those contests where Bello has allowed more than six hits or three runs. (It also doesn't help perception in these parts that the young righty boasts a 1.44 ERA in four career starts against the Yankees.)
But it's not just Bello.
Jarren Duran. Triston Casas. Justin Turner. Masa Yoshida. And even the shortstop we have been at least somewhat underrating, Pablo Reyes. They all played the part that the Red Sox desperately needed them to play over the weekend, both with the bats and the gloves.
This could take a turn. It certainly has before. That last time the Red Sox won four in a row they proceeded to drop four straight and weren't able to take more than two in a row until this current stretch.
And then there is the starting rotation conundrum, with the Sox seemingly without Tanner Houck for a good period due to his face fracture after being hit by a line-drive Friday night. That leaves Bello, James Paxton, Garrett Whitlock, and the unknown, with few viable options sitting down in Triple-A.
But the good news for the Red Sox is that they have legitimately re-entered the kind of conversation teams are starving for this time of year. They are, as we sit here, contenders.
Was it because the Yankees were so bad, or the Red Sox had suddenly found their way. This week in Minnesota and Chicago will go a long way to defining that reality. But it sure does feel different than about five days ago.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 9:18:59 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 51m Devers has 12 walks in his last 17 games / 76 plate appearances, one of the best stretches in his career. Still a lot of work to do to fix his terrible OBP start, but this stretch (.368 OBP) has it up 24 points.
The pitch modeling metric Stuff+ grades out Bello's changeup as an 81 this year, with 100 being average. Last night, it graded out as a 62.
Bello's changeup this year .211 BA, .246 SLG .185 xBA, .234 xSLG 43% Whiff%
I would love to understand the disconnect.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 9:39:48 GMT -5
Sweeping the Yankees speaks well of Red Sox future, but what of their present? The Red Sox head to Minnesota with those most volatile of compounds: Momentum and hope.
By Jon Couture June 19, 2023 | 10:12 AM
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COMMENTARY
The plot thickens.
In this space on Friday morning, I wrote, “Even if they were to sweep New York this weekend, the standings and numbers wouldn’t look much better [for the Red Sox]. But they’d sure feel a lot better.”
Here we are.
Friday night’s 15-5 rout came with the frightening line drive off Tanner Houck’s cheek, the joy of an offensive breakout against their rivals gone in an instant. The news is good, but only relatively: The ball didn’t hit the young starter in the eye, but did break something, landing him on the injured list.
A significant issue given his place in the starters’ surge, but take your moment to enjoy Sunday first — 6-2 in the Saturday makeup, 4-1 in the nightcap. In back-to-back weekends, the Red Sox have won five of six from the Yankees, Boston’s measuring stick for generations regardless of the standings.
Brayan Bello didn’t just match his seven innings at Yankee Stadium last Sunday, he bettered them, fanning eight and getting 16 swings and misses with stuff showing more bite across the board. With runners in scoring position against him, New York went 0 for 10. That included half his eight strikeouts, and the only ball New York got out of the infield was Anthony Rizzo’s 403-foot fly that Jarren Duran basket caught by the bullpen, part of one of the team’s better defensive performances of the year.
“I know what is at stake [against the Yankees] and I know what the fans expect from us,” Bello told reporters. “For me to be able to pitch on that stage is huge.”
The schedule rarely allows a pitcher to face the Yankees in back-to-back starts, but it can be noted that the last Red Sox to submit such a run against New York was one already well associated with Bello: Pedro Martínez, who struck out 25 across two eight-inning starts in May 2001. Let your mind run wild with that.
It is the signature eight days of a young career, if not that of a baseball operations department who hasn’t developed a high-end starter in 15 years. Of course, the depth of New York’s slump is such that they were 0 for 14 against Nick Pivetta. Chris Martin closed them out twice. They had four hits in a bullpen game started by Kaleb Ort, for goodness sakes.
As Aaron Boone noted from a gloomy Yankees clubhouse, the story of their struggles without Aaron Judge — they’re 4-8 since he busted his toe at Dodger Stadium — is somewhat overblown. They’re a $280 million monster which still has Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu, Rizzo, and Josh Donaldson in its lineup.
In order, they’re in slumps of 5 for 41, 15 for 90, 4 for 48, and 4 for 33. That’s a combined .132 from the majority of their two through five hitters. Like it couldn’t last in a more frugally built Red Sox lineup, it won’t last there, but that’s somebody else’s problem given Boston doesn’t see New York again until mid-August. (When they’ll probably again play on Sunday Night Baseball.)
The Red Sox instead head to Minnesota with those most volatile of compounds: Momentum and hope. Lest we forget we’re only 11 days removed from a listless, fightless team starting a “the Bible says homosexuality is a sin” journeyman in the middle of Pride month. Or, for that matter, that between these two Yankees series the Red Sox couldn’t solve Colorado, which spent this weekend getting clobbered in suburban Atlanta.
The Sox went lose three, win three, lose four, win three back in April. They won eight in a row and lost six of seven in May. Win four, lose four on the west coast. Eight losses in 11 before these four in a row. And now Houck, one of the starting pitchers who helped nose this rotation to among the league’s better ones since the middle of May — “if you pitch, you’re going to have a chance,” manager Alex Cora told reporters last week — is in a holding pattern pending possible surgery.
What was a 5.5-game gap behind the Yankees before these six games is now two. They picked up three games on the Blue Jays and Astros. No series sweep is ever nothing, no matter the competition.
But we can’t lose that in and of itself, the sweeps that came before it didn’t keep these Red Sox from where they are. Baltimore has also won six of nine. The Angels, seven of 10. They’ve got another hole in their rotation, and they’re still just No. 6 in a three-get-in American League wild card race.
Say what you will about playoff odds, but Fangraphs gives 10 other teams a better chance at October given the relative strength of the AL East, and Boston’s relative strength within it.
Having a good series isn’t the problem for the mediocre team, even one whose future looks a little bit brighter and solidified this morning. Having another one is.
It’s only taken 72 games of the 2023 season to make that a story we know all too well.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 10:56:38 GMT -5
Game 73: Red Sox at Twins lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated June 19, 2023, 10 minutes ago The Red Sox closed out their homestand in style, winning their last four, including a three-game sweep of the Yankees, punctuated by taking both games of Sunday’s doubleheader. It marked the first time the Sox swept a doubleheader against the Yankees at Fenway Park since July 31, 1976, and it was their third series sweep of the season. They will now hit the road for seven games in seven days, beginning with a four-game series with the Twins. The teams met earlier this season, with the Sox taking two of three at Fenway Park April 18-20. James Paxton will take the mound for the series opener. The lefthander put up some impressive numbers in his last three starts, beginning May 31 when he held the Reds to one run in five innings. He followed that up by allowing just two runs over six inning to the Guardians on June 6, and one unearned run in six innings against the Rockies on June 12. Lineups RED SOX (37-35): 1. Jarren Duran (L) LF 2. Alex Verdugo (L) RF 3. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 4. Adam Duvall (R) CF 5. Masataka Yoshida (L) DH 6. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B 7. Triston Casas (L) 1B 8. Connor Wong (R) C 9. Pablo Reyes (R) SS Advertisement Pitching: LHP James Paxton (2-1, 3.09 ERA) TWINS (36-36): 1. Donovan Solano (R) 1B 2. Edouard Julien (L) 2B 3. Byron Buxton (R) DH 4. Carlos Correa (R) SS 5. Alex Kirilloff (L) RF 6. Willi Castro (S) CF 7. Kyle Farmer (R) 3B 8. Joey Gallo (L) LF 9. Christian Vazquez (R) C Pitching: RHP Pablo López (3-3, 4.27 ERA) Time: 7:40 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. López: Adam Duvall 3-4, Reese McGuire 0-2, Justin Turner 1-7 Twins vs. Paxton: Byron Buxton 3-8, Carlos Correa 9-22, Joey Gallo 2-7, Max Kepler 2-8, Michael A. Taylor 0-0, Christian Vázquez 2-13 Stat of the day: Red Sox relievers have allowed seven earned runs in 33⅓ innings (1.89 ERA) in the the last nine games. Notes: Paxton has made six starts against the Twins in his career and is 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA. … In 29 starts since May 17, Red Sox starters have a 3.47 ERA, allowing two earned runs or fewer in 21 of those games. … The Sox have outscored opponents 31-11 over their last four games, batting .338 (46-for-136) with 21 extra-base hits. … Kiké Hernández has 13 RBI over his last 21 games. … Alex Verdugo is batting .384 with five doubles, three RBI, and three walks over the course of his season-long nine-game hitting streak. … Lopez has pitched well in his last two starts. He held the Rays to one run and five hits over seven innings on June 7, and limited the Brewers to three runs and four hits in six-plus innings on June 13. Song of the Day: Alice Cooper "Schools Out" www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Oo8QzDHimQ
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 15:30:26 GMT -5
Turner has been red hot. Why in the hell is he sitting?
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 15:32:13 GMT -5
oh I see, analytic team still making out the line up
Pete Abraham @peteabe ·
Sox have never faced Pablo López, who is scheduled to pitched for the Twins tonight.
Only Turner (1-7), Duvall (3-4) and McGuire (0-2) have faced him before.
James Paxton seeing the Twins for the first time since 2019
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 18:30:42 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 1h Red Sox doing infield and outfield drill at Target Field.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 18:32:05 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne · 1h The Red Sox should have more info on Tanner Houck on Tuesday, when he sees the doctor.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 19, 2023 20:06:48 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 3m Christian Vazquez's first HR as a Twin naturally ties the game against the Red Sox.
Vazquez had one HR in his previous 91 games and 282 ABs before tonight
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