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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 4, 2023 13:19:31 GMT -5
dear jesus Duran 2b, and the thing had a vapor trail
halfway to the cycle......again, he should be playing every day
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 4, 2023 13:59:34 GMT -5
Rain coming down in the 6th Murphy still on 2 out 2 on Cora coming out to change pitchers Rangers up 4-1
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 4, 2023 14:20:30 GMT -5
Garza back on the mound for the 7th walks first 2 Rangers Young steps up and cranks a 2B 5-1 and up strolls Garcia is is swinging away
and he popped out.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 4, 2023 14:24:46 GMT -5
and then Garza walks in a run
6-1 Rangers
always nice to hear the boos at Fenway too.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 4, 2023 15:01:51 GMT -5
well shit bottom 8 2 out rain delay
the rain is very steady now.....
Rangers up 6-2......would be shocked if this continues.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 4, 2023 16:12:08 GMT -5
holy shit game back on at 5 45pm eastern
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 4, 2023 16:47:44 GMT -5
game on Duvall K's
onto the 9th
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 4, 2023 17:05:36 GMT -5
Red Sox lose 6-2 a big shout out to the few faithful there left to boo them at the end
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 5, 2023 4:35:52 GMT -5
Rotation issues highlighted in bullpen game loss to Rangers Down multiple starters, Red Sox turn to openers to fill void in rotation July 4th, 2023 Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- Chris Sale was the first to go down, on June 1, with a stress reaction in his left shoulder. Then it was Tanner Houck, who was struck by a batted ball against the Yankees on June 16, leaving him with a facial fracture and a subsequent surgery in which a metal plate was inserted.
And in the most recent act of attrition for the starting rotation, Garrett Whitlock was limited to just one inning in his Sunday start in Toronto due to right elbow inflammation, and was placed on the 15-day injured list prior to Tuesday’s game.
The Red Sox are down to three healthy starting pitchers in Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and James Paxton, the American League Pitcher of the Month for June.
As the Sox (43-43) experienced first-hand in Tuesday’s 6-2 defeat to Texas at Fenway, it is going to be hard to piece it together at times, particularly against a top-hitting team like the Rangers.
But that’s exactly what Boston has to do until some reinforcements come back.
“No, I don’t think we’re threading the needle by any means,” said Red Sox catcher Connor Wong. “We trust our guys. They all have good stuff. So I think they're all fully capable of getting the job done.”
In a perfect world, the Sox could call up a Triple-A starter or two on the cusp of being ready to pitch in a Major League rotation.
But the world is imperfect and quality starting depth is the current weakness of Boston’s farm system.
Of late, the Sox have been going with openers rather than starters to fill the void in the rotation. Brennan Bernardino got the nod on Tuesday and did reasonably well, retiring four of the five batters he faced.
The problem is that there were still 23 outs to go and Kaleb Ort allowed a three-run homer on just the second batter he faced in relief of Bernardino.
“It’s hard for everybody,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “If you lose [multiple] starters at this level, it’s hard to do, but I think we’ve done an outstanding job piecing it together. It’s not easy, but this is where we’re at right now. With the guys that we have, we should be able to do it.”
These games are easier for the Sox to get through when Nick Pivetta is available. But it was Pivetta who made Sunday’s 5-4 win in Toronto possible when he fired four tremendous innings (two hits, one run) on the day Whitlock was injured. Pivetta likely won’t be in play until Thursday at the earliest.
One solution would be to move Pivetta back to the rotation. But Cora has been steadfast in his belief that Pivetta is too important to the bullpen at this point, while also noting it’s tough to stretch a pitcher out on the fly.
There are also these splits: In eight starts this season, Pivetta has a 6.30 ERA and an opponents’ OPS of .885. In 13 outings since moving to the bullpen, Pivetta has a 2.63 ERA while holding opponents to a .478 OPS.
On days the Sox have a tough time scoring -- such as Tuesday -- the high-wire act with the pitching staff is even more difficult for Cora.
There is good news on the immediate horizon. The Sox have their three healthy starters set to go the next three days in Bello, Crawford and Paxton. But there is no clarity on how the club will patch the staff together for the final two games heading into the All-Star break against Oakland on Saturday and Sunday.
What does the path back to normalcy in the rotation look like for the Red Sox?
Whitlock’s injury could be short-term, and he’s eligible to come off the injured list on July 18, which is the fifth game coming out of the All-Star break. There’s no guarantee the righty will be back that soon, but there’s at least a chance. Your browser does not support HTML5 video tag.
Houck’s status is less certain, but the team should have a better gauge on his recovery time at some point this week.
As for Sale, he is on the 60-day injured list and isn’t eligible to pitch for the Red Sox again until Aug. 1. The good news is that Sale was cleared to resume throwing last week and there’s reason to believe he might not be out as long as originally feared.
“You don't want to ever lose anyone, especially those guys,” said Wong. “But I think we have a good next man up mentality and we're gonna keep grinding it out.”
There’s also the chance that chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom could upgrade the rotation via trade, with the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline looming.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 5, 2023 4:38:00 GMT -5
Bullpen games remain a losing proposition for Red Sox | McAdam
Published: Jul. 04, 2023, 6:44 p.m.
By
Sean McAdam | sean.mcadam@masslive.com
BOSTON - First, it was Chris Sale. Then, Tanner Houck. Next, it was Corey Kluber. Over the weekend, Garrett Whitlock joined the list.
It’s a suddenly not-so-exclusive club: Injured Red Sox starting pitchers. As the membership grows, the options remaining for the Red Sox dwindle.
Lately, they’ve attempted to deal with the vacancies by cobbling together games with an assortment of relievers for “bullpen games.” It hasn’t gone well.
On Tuesday, a collection of mostly journeyman relievers were no match for the team ranked first in runs scored in MLB. The Texas Rangers banged out 10 hits and cruised to a stress-free 6-2 victory.
The game marked the fourth time the Sox have deployed this strategy this season. They’re 1-3 in such games.
Tuesday’s loss saw the Red Sox run out six different pitchers. Four of them - Brennan Bernardino, Kaleb Ort Justin Garza and Taylor Scott - have been with multiple organizations. Bernardino and Garza were acquired this season, both on waivers. Together, they’ve pitched for seven different organizations. Ort, meanwhile was a minor league Rule 5 draft pick in 2021 from the Yankees. He didn’t make his major league debut until he was 29.
Scott, making his first appearance with the Sox, was acquired last month for cash considerations from the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is his fourth organization.
None of which is meant to denigrate any of these pitchers (though it might be reasonably asked why Ort is still on the major leaguer roster with a 6.26 ERA this season and seven hits and four runs allowed in his last 4.1 innings.) Reaching the major leagues is an accomplishment that most professionals never realize.
But these pitchers - whether you label them journeymen or 4A types - are meant to fill out major league rosters. They’re low-leverage options who are expected to pitch when their teams are up by five or six runs, or conversely, down by a half-dozen or so.
When they combine to pitch multiple innings in a game that the Sox hope to win, it’s not a good sign.
“You try to keep it under control,” said Alex Cora. “It’s not easy, but this is where we’re at right now.”
There’s little margin for error. If one has a misstep - as Ort did Tuesday, surrendering a three-run homer to Mitch Garver in the second inning - it can prove fatal for a team. Chances are, one (or more) of these caliber of pitchers is going to make a misstep along the way.
So it was for the Sox in the opener of their six-game homestand.
It’s one thing for do this every great once in a while, when doubleheaders pile up and off-days on the schedule disappear. But the run of injuries means the Red Sox have had two such games in the last six. And, there are plans for at least one, if not two more, this weekend as the team wraps up the first half of the schedule.
They’re not about to disappear when the season resumes after the All-Star break, either. Sale is probably more than a month away from returning. Houck isn’t expected to rejoin the rotation until the calendar flips to August. And Whitlock, who was officially placed on the IL Tuesday with elbow inflammation, is expected to be held out of action for a few weeks.
The team’s internal options have already been exhausted. Kutter Crawford, who was supposed to be held in reserve at Worcester or contribute out of the big league bullpen, has already been pressed into service for eight starts.
Beyond him, the cupboard is bare. Bryan Mata hasn’t pitched in months and isn’t close to beginning a rehab assignment. Two other Triple A prospects - Chris Murphy and Brandon Walter - have removed themselves from consideration with poor results in Worcester and have been transitioned to relief roles.
Clearly, there’s plenty of blame to go round with the alarming lack of internal starting pitching. While injuries can’t be predicted, they have to - at minimum - be accounted for. The organization erred in believing that Walter and Murphy could serve as sufficient depth options in 2023. That, clearly, was a miscalculation.
Dinelson Lamet, signed off the scrap heap two weeks ago, is working on the side at Worcester, hoping to regain some fastball movement and slider sweep. But he needs additional time, of which the Sox don’t have little.
Until then, it’ll be more of the same. You can probably expect the same outcomes, too.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 5, 2023 5:01:58 GMT -5
With the Red Sox’ patchwork pitching staff admirably scraping by, the bats have let them down instead By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated July 4, 2023, 8:11 p.m.
At a time when little more than duct tape is holding the Red Sox pitching staff together, the team’s ability to keep pace in the chase for a postseason spot depends heavily on the offense’s ability to deliver fireworks. That fact made the team’s Fourth of July Fenway fizzle a disconcerting continuation of a recent trend.
On Tuesday, with the Sox entrusting their game to six pitchers who’d spent some or all of the year in Triple A Worcester — including three who’d opened the season in other organizations — the team endured a lackluster 6-2 home loss to the Rangers.
While the team’s threadbare pitching staff was an easy scapegoat in the defeat, the team’s offensive listlessness was just as glaring — particularly given that offensive struggles have been a primary culprit in the team’s inability to escape last place in the AL East.
The loss to the Rangers marked the fourth consecutive home loss by the Sox. Over those four defeats, they’ve totaled five runs (tied for the fewest over any four-game Fenway stretch for the team in the last 49 years) and failed to score more than two in any of those games.
“Like the great Buck Showalter said, you cannot win too many games scoring one run or two runs,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora, citing his Mets counterpart. “It’s something that we’ve been talking about, and we have to grind at-bats.”
Cora took a glass-half-full view of the team’s limited offensive output on Tuesday, noting the Sox collected 10 hits with some hard-hit balls finding fielders. Even so, the Sox struck out looking five times (tied for their second-most this year) while going 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position.
There are few circumstances when such a performance would be adequate, and the degree of difficulty in winning low-scoring games is only amplified by the injuries that have swept the staff. With Chris Sale, Tanner Houck, Garrett Whitlock, and Corey Kluber all on the injured list, the Sox would be thrilled if their staff can merely avoid disaster while awaiting reinforcements.
Impressively, the team’s pitchers have done just that — and even improved. Anchored by the excellence of Brayan Bello and James Paxton and bolstered by bullpen contributions from the likes of Josh Winckowski, Brennan Bernardino, Nick Pivetta (who has excelled in relief, but now is once again being stretched out), and Chris Murphy, the team has navigated matchups in a fashion that has yielded steady improvement as the season has progressed.
The staff has by no means performed at an elite level as a whole, but since the beginning of June, it’s delivered a middle-of-the-pack performance, allowing 4.2 runs per game — 13th in the big leagues in that time. Had such an effort been complemented by a top-tier offense, the Sox likely would have been able to mount a sustained run.
After all, the Sox are a robust 35-6 (.854) when scoring at least five runs, the sixth best mark in the big leagues in such contests. They’ve won eight straight games dating to June 14 when plating at least five.
But as the pitching staff has steadily improved, a steady leak in the offense has ensured ongoing mediocrity for a team that is 15-16 since the beginning of June and 43-43 for the year. After the Sox lineup proved steadily explosive at the start of the season, a steady fade has followed.
The Sox are averaging 4.3 runs per game since the start of June — scoring four runs or fewer in 19 of 31 games (61 percent) in that time. That’s not a formula that typically works for them. The Sox are just 8-37 (.178) when scoring fewer than five runs this year, the fifth-worst winning percentage in the big leagues in such contests.
What’s happened? A few factors are in play.
The team’s lack of home run power has put pressure on the offense to be immensely productive with runners on base, stringing together several quality at-bats at a time. The opposite has occurred, with the Sox hitting .240 and slugging .371 with runners in scoring position since June 1. (They’d been at .293 and .460 prior)
Part of the problem? The team hasn’t seen a meaningful uptick in its chase rate, but is getting beaten in the strike zone, entering yesterday hitting just .247 with a .419 slugging mark on pitches in the strike zone since the start of June, down from .331 and .532. Cora noted that both Rafael Devers and Triston Casas swung through changeups from Rangers starter Dane Dunning that were in the heart of the strike zone on Tuesday.
Such laments have become increasingly frequent over the last five weeks, contributing to the team’s inability to close the gap (currently five games) separating the Red Sox from the third and final wild card spot.
It remains possible to squint and imagine improvement on the horizon as injured players start returning. But time is growing shorter for the team to prove that it’s worth keeping together while awaiting reinforcements, and for the offense to lead the team through to the other side of its longstanding malaise.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 5, 2023 5:04:48 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Nate Eovaldi returns to Fenway as a member of the Rangers By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated July 4, 2023, 7:36 p.m.
Nate Eovaldi returned to Fenway Park on Tuesday, but in a Texas Rangers uniform.
Heading into last offseason, Eovaldi didn’t think that would be the case.
“I was positive that I’d be able to come back again,” Eovaldi said prior to the Rangers’ 6-2 win in the series opener. “I stayed in contact with everybody during the negotiation process. We let them know other deals that we were getting, just kind of trying to make sure that we kept that door open as long as possible, but it just got to that point where you know, it’s time to move on.”
Eovaldi, who spent parts of five seasons with the Red Sox, is having a career season for the Rangers. The righthander has a 2.64 ERA in 17 starts, compiling a 10-3 record. He’s tossed two complete games, the most in baseball, including one shutout. Eovaldi was named to his second All-Star team, the first coming in 2021.
Considering Eovaldi’s numbers, there’s a possibility that he could be named the starter for the American League next Tuesday night.
“It’s about being able to repeat my mechanics,” said Eovaldi. “It’s just going out there and attacking and making sure I use all five of my pitches.”
Eovaldi was traded to the Red Sox at the deadline in 2018 and became a key contributor to their title run, best known for his six-inning relief outing in the 18-inning Game 3 against the Dodgers. Though the Red Sox lost that game, Eovaldi’s heroics set up the Red Sox for back-to-back wins to seal the title.
As Eovaldi, 33, looked back on his time in Boston, he had nothing but great memories.
“I think it’s the fan base, you know what I mean?” he said. “The way that they come out and support us. I just feel like the whole city and how they are with sports in general. They live and breathe baseball. Just that special connection. And, obviously, the matchups we enjoyed with the Yankees and the entire AL East division, as well.”
Eovaldi, who will pitch Thursday’s series finale, received a standing ovation and a video tribute prior to Tuesday’s matinee.
“It was unfortunate that it wasn’t able to work out,” Eovaldi said. “But I’m happy with where I am now and everything that’s been able to happen.” Whitlock placed on IL
The Red Sox placed righthander Garrett Whitlock on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Monday) with a bone bruise in his pitching elbow, manager Alex Cora said.
“We’ll reassess the situation next week,” Cora said. “Obviously, no timetable, but I mean, for how bad it looked, or whatever people were thinking, you know, ligament-wise and all that stuff, this is the closest thing to good news.”
Whitlock left Sunday’s game in Toronto after just one inning. This is Whitlock’s second trip to the injured list this season, the first in April as a result of ulnar neuritis in the same elbow. Whitlock missed more than a month before returning in late May. Whitlock (4-3) has a 5.23 ERA in 10 starts this season.
Trevor Story (elbow) took batting practice before Tuesday’s game from reliever John Schreiber (right teres major strain). Schreiber will go on a rehab assignment this weekend with the hope that he can get two outings under his belt prior to the All-Star break. Cora said that Schreiber is progressing quickly. Story is also improving but isn’t quite ready for a rehab assignment. “We’re not there yet,” said Cora. “But he’s feeling good. He’s thrown the ball well. Obviously, working with [infield/third base coach] Carlos [Febles] last weekend. I talked to Carlos about it and [Story is] making some tough throws from the hole and all that. It’s looking good, but I don’t want to get too excited.” … Joely Rodriguez (shoulder) is with the club in Boston. He will throw a bullpen session Wednesday. Richard Bleier (shoulder) came out of Sunday’s rehab appearance without incident. The hope is that he will pitch in another rehab game this week. Yu Chang (hamate bone) could rejoin the parent club this week … James Paxton was placed on the paternity list. He will pitch in Friday’s series opener against the Athletics … Lefthander Brandon Walter and righthander Tayler Scott were recalled from Triple A Worcester. Walter pitched a scoreless eighth inning, and Scott a scoreless ninth . . . Longtime Red Sox bullpen catcher Mani Martinez, who became a US citizen this year, threw out the first pitch on the Fourth of July. Eovaldi caught it.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 5, 2023 5:10:17 GMT -5
Rangers @ Red Sox Wednesday, 5th July 2023 7pm @ Fenway
Gray 6-4/ 3.21
Bello 5-5/ 3.08
Brayan Bello looks to keep shining as Red Sox host Rangers FLM
The Boston Red Sox will send their best pitcher to the mound on Wednesday night, when they try to win the second game of a three-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers.
Right-hander Brayan Bello, 24, has established himself as one of the top young pitchers in the major leagues and has become the ace of a pitching staff that has been thinned by injuries to Chris Sale (shoulder), Tanner Houck (facial bone fracture) and Garrett Whitlock (elbow inflammation).
Bello (5-5, 3.08 ERA) missed the first three weeks of the season with a forearm strain suffered during spring training. He has been strong in 13 starts since joining the rotation, and his numbers would be much better if it weren't for a lackluster season debut in which he allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Since that outing, Bello has an ERA of 2.56, and he hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in any appearance since then.
Bello carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning of his last start, a 2-0 loss to Miami on Thursday. He went seven-plus innings and surrendered a run on two hits, walked one and struck out five.
"He has so many weapons and he's still learning how to use them," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Bello. "He's just evolving, keeps getting better. His next (start) is going to be a challenge. It's the Rangers, so he'll be ready for that one and we'll see what we got."
Bello didn't allow a run in six innings to earn the win back on Sept. 3, 2022, during his only career appearance against Texas. He gave up three hits and struck out five.
The latest blow to the Red Sox rotation came Sunday, when Whitlock left his start against Toronto after one inning. He was placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday.
"It's just about getting treatment and all that stuff and reassessing the situation next week," Cora said. "Obviously no timetable, but for how bad it looked or whatever people were thinking ligament-wise and all that stuff, this is the closest thing to good news."
Right-hander Jon Gray (6-4, 3.21) is scheduled to oppose Bello. Gray has a 1-0 record and a 2.45 ERA in his career against Boston (one start). He went 7 1/3 innings in that appearance and allowed two runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked three.
Texas ended Boston's three-game winning streak by earning a 6-2 victory on Tuesday.
There was some speculation that Texas might replace closer Will Smith with newly acquired reliever Aroldis Chapman after Smith allowed two runs in the top of the ninth of Monday's 12-11 loss to Houston, but Smith was called upon to retire the final batter in Tuesday's victory. The Rangers traded for Chapman on Friday.
"I'm not going to go there now because Smitty has been doing such a great job," Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. "That's not what we're even thinking about right now. ... Those are important innings -- seventh, eighth and ninth. We need to put zeroes up there, too. I'll leave it at that."
--Field Level Media
Rangers at Red Sox Wednesday, at 7:10 PM EST Partly Cloudy It's expected to be 79° F with a 8% chance of precipitation and 6 MPH wind blowing right to left in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com
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Post by Kimmi on Jul 5, 2023 7:20:15 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 5m Bernardino (opener), Bello and Crawford will start against Texas, per Cora.
Hope is for Paxton to come off paternity list for Friday night. After that, bullpen games Sat and Sun with Pivetta pitching a lot of innings in relief one day. It's a good thing the All Star break is coming up. Hopefully, something can be figured out for the rotation by then. One bullpen game in a rotation might be doable. Two, not so much.
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Post by Kimmi on Jul 5, 2023 7:22:29 GMT -5
Red Sox go up 1-0 in the first Duran opened the game with a stand up triple.
Ort comes into the game and shits all over the place, punctuated by a big bomb by Garver.
3-1 Rangers
and nice tribute to Eovaldi there.....got a great hand by the fans and he politely tipped his cap. Eovaldi is a class act. And a great team player. I hope the Sox can beat him, but I'm happy to see he's having such a fine season.
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