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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 14, 2023 19:40:51 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne19m Say hello to non All-Star Rafael Devers, who opens the symbolic second half of the season with homer No. 21 and RBI 71.
Duvall hits a towering shot down the line in left. Now 2-0, Boston.
Devers went 417 feet; Duvall's was 425. They were both 30-for-30's. Homers in all 30 MLB parks.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:25:14 GMT -5
Devers fulfills promise to teammate with 825 feet of homers Red Sox hit a season-high six home runs in win over Cubs to open second half 2:05 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
CHICAGO -- Somewhere between the Dominican Republic and Chicago on Thursday, and many thousand feet above the ground, Rafael Devers told Brayan Bello he would hit two homers in his return from the All-Star break.
In support of his countryman and teammate, Devers made good on his prediction Friday night, walloping two of his team’s season-high six home runs in an 8-3 win for the Red Sox over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
It was Bello who told the media about the prediction made by his teammate. Devers confirmed it after it came to fruition.
Devers took the field feeling refreshed on Friday. Unlike the past two seasons, the star slugger had an All-Star break.
“Obviously, the All-Star Game is something that everybody wants to go to. It's a big honor,” said Devers. “But with those three, four days off, I was able to rest, recharge. But still, the All-Star Game is something that I would like to go to every year.”
What made Devers so confident he would produce the 16th multihomer game of his career and fourth this season?
“Yesterday, we're traveling together and I had a lot of days off,” said Devers. “And we're just on the plane and having fun laughing, and I kind of jokingly said that I would hit two homers today. It ended up happening.”
It was an auspicious reboot for a Boston team that has won six in a row and nine out of 10.
The left-handed-hitting Devers hammered homers in his first two at-bats as part of his 3-for-5 night. Backed by the power surge, Devers upped his homer total to 22, while pushing his RBI count to 72. Your browser does not support HTML5 video tag.
If Devers considered himself an All-Star snub, he wasn’t saying.
“My mindset ever since the beginning has always been that everything happens for a reason,” Devers said. “If I didn't get picked, I knew it was for a reason. And if I would have gotten picked, then I would have obviously been happy and honored to go. But I turned the page. I don’t think too much about it.”
The page was turned swiftly in the direction of Cubs righty Kyle Hendricks, who gave up both of the long balls to Devers.
On a humid night when the wind was whipping out, the Friendly Confines played even friendlier than normal.
Adam Duvall, Triston Casas, Yu Chang and Justin Turner joined in the home run fun for Boston, while the Cubs got two from Cody Bellinger.
But the most noteworthy swings came from Devers, who signaled on Friday that he’s ready to take off down the stretch. This has been building for a bit. In his past 28 games, Devers has a line of .295/.393/.600 with nine homers and 22 RBIs.
“That last week heading into the break, I definitely felt like I was in a good place,” said Devers. “And I'm just going to keep making the adjustments that I've been making, game by game. Just keep with that same rhythm.”
When Devers is in rhythm, the Red Sox are tough to stop.
And speaking of rhythm, Bello continued his, holding the Cubs to three runs on eight hits over six innings while walking none and striking out five. The emerging ace has gone six innings or more in his past seven starts, and he has a 2.22 ERA over his past six outings.
“He was good,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Bello. “In these conditions, in that ballpark, it’s tough. Anything that they hit in the air, it seemed like it was going out. He gave up the homers, but he gave us six. It’s a tough game. It's a tough game for starters coming out of the break and he set the tempo.”
Then there was Devers, who didn’t need much help from the elements or the ballpark dimensions. Per Statcast, his first long ball -- which easily cleared the fence in center -- left his bat at 104.9 mph and traveled a projected distance of 417 feet. The second soared toward the scoreboard in right at 104.2 mph and a projected distance of 408 feet. Both rockets by Devers would have been a homer in all 30 MLB parks.
“He’s hitting the ball hard and staying with his approach,” said Cora. “It’s just a matter of time. He’s a guy that, he's done it before. Obviously the last month, he's been walking a lot and he's been controlling the zone. And those were two really good swings tonight.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:27:46 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Sale, Kluber getting closer July 14th, 2023 LATEST NEWS
July 14: LHP Chris Sale to throw bullpen session Tuesday In what would be Sale's biggest step since he was placed on the injured list six weeks ago, the lefty is set to throw off the mound in a bullpen session at Fenway Park on Tuesday. Sale has been sidelined with a stress reaction in his left shoulder sustained on June 1 against the Reds.
“It’s always great," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "But we've been down this road, so we’ve just got to be patient. He's feeling great."
RHP Corey Kluber (right shoulder inflammation) Expected return: August Kluber is expected to start a Minor League rehab assignment on July 21, and the Red Sox are keeping their options open on using him as a starter or reliever when he is ready to return. The veteran threw a 30-pitch bullpen session at Fenway Park on July 9 and an up-and-down session on July 13. It has been a rough season for the 37-year-old Kluber, who complained of discomfort in his shoulder after getting hit hard in a relief appearance on June 20. (Last updated: July 14)
INF Pablo Reyes (abdominal strain) Expected return: Mid-July Reyes continued his Minor League rehab assignment on July 14, and was expected to play nine innings in center field for Double-A Portland. Manager Alex Cora said Reyes will DH on July 15, then the club will evaluate his situation after that. The team has a logjam on the bench. Reyes homered for Triple-A Worcester on July 4 and 5 for the start of his Minor League rehab assignment. He went 2-for-4 on July 8 and then worked out at Fenway the final couple of days before the All-Star break. (Last updated: July 14)
RHP Tanner Houck (facial fracture) Expected return: August at the earliest Houck is in the early stages of a throwing program he started on July 11. The plan is for Houck to try to throw off a mound around July 25. The Red Sox are pleased with his progress.
"He feels good," said manager Alex Cora. "He’s been able to do his workouts, keeping his arm moving, which is the most important thing. And that’s the reason he’s been able to play catch." (Last updated: July 14)
C Reese McGuire (right oblique strain) Expected return: August McGuire was initially slow to recover from the injury he suffered taking a swing on June 21 against the Twins, but he resumed baseball activities on July 6. Oblique injuries generally take a minimum of two to three weeks to heal.
“He’s swinging the bat at 50 percent," said manager Alex Cora. "He’s catching bullpens and all that. He stayed back. Nothing yet as far as rehab assignment." (Last updated: July 14)
LHP Richard Bleier (left shoulder inflammation) Expected return: Late July Bleier is continuing his Minor League rehab assignment coming out of the All-Star break, pitching for Triple-A Worcester on July 14 and 16. The lefty turned in a scoreless Minor League rehab outing for Double-A Portland on July 2 and another for Worcester on July 5. (Last updated: July 14)
SS Trevor Story (right UCL surgery) Expected return: August Story, who hasn't played this season due to the internal bracing procedure he had on his right elbow in January, is getting close to going on a Minor League rehab assignment.
"As far as his rehab assignment, yeah, it’s going to be soon," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "We don’t have an exact date, but things are moving fast and he’s pushing hard, which is the most important thing. But the thing with all this stuff is he hasn’t had an obstacle, everything has been perfect, so you never know what can happen. But so far, so good. It’s been really good." (Last updated: July 14)
RHP John Schreiber (right teres major strain) Expected return: July 21-23 Schreiber, one of Boston's top setup men, could return for the start of the first homestand after the All-Star break, which begins on July 21 against the Mets. Schreiber is scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Worcester on July 14 and 15. The righty started a Minor League rehab assignment on July 7 with Worcester, recording two outs while allowing one walk and no runs. (Last updated: July 14)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:31:25 GMT -5
Matt McCarthy @mattmccarthy985 · 6h That's now 8 quality starts in his last 9 outings for Brayan Bello.
The Red Sox are 10-5 when Bello pitches, but they feel pretty much unbeatable with him on the mound. That's the sign of an ace.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:34:53 GMT -5
Red Sox win: Rafael Devers belts two of Boston’s six homers against Cubs
Published: Jul. 14, 2023, 10:53 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
CHICAGO — Rafael Devers crushed two of the Red Sox’s six home runs in an 8-3 victory over the Cubs on Friday.
Devers, who stroked three hits, belted a 417-foot blast to center field to open the second inning, giving Boston a 1-0 lead. His 408-foot homer to right field in the third inning put the Red Sox ahead 4-0.
Adam Duvall, Triston Casas, Justin Turner and Yu Chang also went deep. Boston won its sixth straight game to improve to 49-43.
Bello earns win
Brayan Bello threw a bullpen session during the All-Star break at the Red Sox Dominican Academy in El Toro. The 24-year-old righty met with the prospects while there.
“He actually talked to the kids over there, which is very important for us,” manager Alex Cora said.
Bello then began the second half with a victory. He pitched 6 innings and allowed three runs (two on Cody Bellinger solo homers). He allowed eight hits and no walks while striking out five.
Duran turns routine single into a double
Jarren Duran manufactured a run with his speed in the third inning, turning a routine single to left field into a double.
The speedster led off the inning with an opposite-field hit that left his bat at 96.4 mph. Left fielder Ian Happ was forced to rush his throw when he saw Duran round first base. He made a bad throw to second base.
Duran moved to third base on Masataka Yoshida’s liner to left field, then scored on Justin Turner’s 309-foot sacrifice fly to right field.
Manager Alex Cora recently estimated that Duran has created 10 doubles with his speed. Add another to that total.
Duran leads the Red Sox with 28 doubles.
Casas belts his 10th homer
Triston Casas recently said his only stat he knows is his home run total because it’s unavoidable.
“Because they happen so infrequently that I can keep track of those,” Casas said, smiling.
Casas belted his 10th of the season to lead off the fourth inning. His 395 blast to center field just kept carrying.
Home run derby
Adam Duvall’s 425-foot, 109.3-mph home run to left field in the second inning, putting Boston ahead 2-0.
Turner’s 398-foot blast to center field in the seventh inning was a big one. It gave the Red Sox some breathing room, extending the lead from 5-3 to 7-3.
Turner also made his first start this season at second base.
Yu Chang’s 418-foot blast to left-center field in the ninth made it 8-3.
Masataka Yoshida records eighth straight multi-hit game
Masataka Yoshida went 2-for-5, his eighth straight multi-hit game. It’s the longest streak by a Red Sox left-handed hitter since Ted Williams, per Sox Notes.
Williams went 18-for-34 (.529) with eight extra-base hits during his eight consecutive multi-hit games from April 28-May 6, 1940.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:37:00 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 8h Per @soxnotes , the 8 straight multi-hit games for Yoshida represents the longest such streak by a lefthanded Red Sox hitter since ... Ted Williams in 1940.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:38:07 GMT -5
J.P. Long @soxnotes · 7h That was Alex Cora’s 411th win as manager, tied with Don Zimmer for 8th most in Red Sox history.
Joe Cronin 1,071 Terry Francona 744 Mike Higgins 560 Bill Carrigan 489 Jimmy Collins 455 John Farrell 432 Jimy Williams 414 Don Zimmer 411 Alex Cora 411
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:38:36 GMT -5
J.P. Long @soxnotes · 7h The Red Sox:
- Have won their last 6 games - Have MLB’s best record since June 30 (9-1) - Are an AL-best 16-8 since June 14 - Have hit 10 HR in their last 3 games - Are batting .321 in July (103-for-321) - Own a 3.09 ERA in their last 11 games (99.0 IP, 34 ER)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:40:53 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 8h In 5 of Brayan Bello's last 7 starts, he's held the opponent to a sub-.200 expected batting average, including .173 xBA by the Cubs tonight.
7 quality starts in a row.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:41:50 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 7h AL Beast
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:45:42 GMT -5
No second guessing Red Sox in the decision to play Justin Turner at second base By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated July 14, 2023, 8:42 p.m.
CHICAGO — Justin Turner, second baseman?
So many elements made the notion seem a bit outlandish on the surface. Before Friday, Turner hadn’t started a game at the position since 2015, when he shared the infield with recent 21-year-old big league callup Corey Seager (playing third!), shortstop Jimmy Rollins, and first baseman Adrián González. Only five Red Sox had ever started a game at second at the age of 38 or older, and none since defensive whiz John McDonald did so at the end of the 2013 season.
Yet there was Turner, etched into the lineup behind righthander Brayan Bello at Wrigley Field as the Red Sox resumed play following the All-Star break.
“Groundball pitcher, why not? Throw him out there,” chuckled Sox manager Alex Cora, a nod to Bello’s status as the starter with the fourth-highest groundball rate in MLB entering Friday. “He’ll play [second] once a week. I think that’s the way I see it. We need this guy to hit and we cannot push him to do stuff he’s not used to, but like I told him Sunday [before the break], you’ve got four days off, you can play second on Friday.”
Play it he did. In seven innings at second before sliding over to first in the eighth inning, Turner handled all three groundballs hit in his vicinity while continuing to add juice to the lineup, going 1-for-4 with a two-run homer and sac fly in the Red Sox’ 8-3 victory at Wrigley Field.
His only wobble came on a pop-up to shallow right, when Turner and Alex Verdugo miscommunicated, resulting in a Tucker Barnhart flare dropping to the turf. But Barnhart misread the mis-read, and got thrown out while trying to jog into second. The deployment of Turner at second paid off.
“Power-hitting second baseman!” beamed Cora.
The assignment highlighted both the essential role that Turner is fulfilling with the Sox as well as the background that made such an audacious defensive alignment possible. While Turner has played third base for most of his big league career, he grew up in Southern California as a baseball rat who loved to run around all over the field. And for much of 2006-14, he was a middle infielder in pro ball, spending more time playing second than any other position.
“I love being at the field all the time,” said Turner. “When I was in high school, I had keys to my high school field, would go up there all the time, take groundballs all over the place, and just have fun.” Are the Red Sox legitimate playoff contenders?
Even though he’s been primarily a DH with forays as a first baseman this season, Turner has happily bounced around the infield, taking grounders at first, second, and third throughout the season. That approach is motivated both by a desire to help his team and the simple joy of his profession.
“I just do it to go out, have fun, and enjoy the game, and not put too much pressure on myself playing first base,” said Turner. “It’s not really a strategic thing where I’m trying to be a super utility infielder. I just do it because I enjoy taking groundballs and bouncing all over the place.”
With the Red Sox trying to squeeze Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida, and Adam Duvall (alongside everyday rightfielder Alex Verdugo) into the lineup as much as possible, playing Turner at second permits the Sox to shift Yoshida to designated hitter (thus significantly upgrading their outfield defense) while keeping Turner’s bat in the lineup.
Sitting Turner, unless he absolutely needs a day of rest, is not an option.
“Obviously, offensively, he’s been unbelievable. He’s been amazing. It’s quality at-bats every time up,” said bench coach Ramón Vázquez. “Defensively, groundballs right at him, he’s going to make the routine plays, be where he needs to be. It’s a sure-handed play every time. His offense has put him in this situation right now [where the Sox will use him in a number of defensive roles]. It’s a good feeling.”
Turner is now hitting .288/.360/.469. Yet those surface numbers are only the start of his offensive value to the team. Turner averages 4.3 pitches per plate appearance, eighth-highest among qualifying hitters, and has a relentless offensive approach that elevates the pitch counts of opponents.
And he adapts his approach situationally in a fashion that is rare, as suggested by his .348/.410/.528 line with runners in scoring position.
“It’s a simple swing,” said Cora. “His hands go straight to the baseball, very efficient and he has different clubs. Men at third, less than two outs and infielders in, he’ll hit the ball in the air. But man at second, no outs, he’ll hit a line drive to right field. He’ll fight the at-bat, there’s not too many swings and misses, and I think in the second part of the season, especially [in August], it should be hot, it should be fun and he’s going to hit the ball in the air and hit for power.”
At the All-Star Game in Seattle, multiple players who weren’t on the Red Sox identified Turner as a player who was performing at an All-Star level. That he is doing so as a 38-year-old – and one capable of playing second when needed – makes him an outlier in a year where no All-Star was older than 35.
“At his age, it’s amazing,” said Vázquez. “I wasn’t even playing at that age. I was already coaching.”
For Turner, there is a future as a coach or manager when he wants it. But that time doesn’t appear to be close at hand.
“He can play until he wants to,” said Cora. “As long as he’s healthy, he can play a lot of years.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:48:55 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK With limited options to bolster starting rotation, Red Sox to rely on Big Three for now By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated July 15, 2023, 12:37 a.m.
CHICAGO — The Red Sox are sticking with a three-man rotation for now. Not that they have much choice with Tanner Houck, Chris Sale, and Garrett Whitlock on the injured list and Triple A Worcester tapped as far as better options.
That puts pressure on Brayan Bello, James Paxton, and Kutter Crawford to work deep into games.
With the days off on the schedule, the Sox came out of the All-Star break lined up to use their Big Three in nine of the first 12 games.
“We should be OK,” manager Alex Cora said Friday before Bello beat the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. “After that we have to make decisions as far as how we’re going to do it as the schedule gets heavy. For now we’re good.”
Houck, who hasn’t pitched since being hit in the face by a line drive June 16, has started playing catch. He will need approximately two weeks before throwing off a mound.
“He’s doing well,” Cora said.
Sale is scheduled for a bullpen session Tuesday in Boston. That would be a significant step in his return from a stress fracture in his shoulder. He is on the 60-day injured list and cannot return until Aug. 1.
“We’ve been down this road. We’ve just got to be patient,” Cora said. “He’s feeling great, he is.” Are the Red Sox legitimate playoff contenders?
Whitlock, who left his start July 2 with a bone bruise in his elbow, has not yet started playing catch. He is still dealing with the same symptoms.
On Saturday, Paxton is scheduled to face Marcus Stroman and Crawford goes Sunday against Justin Steele. The Sox will have bullpen games Monday and Tuesday in Oakland before Bello returns Wednesday against the A’s.
John Schreiber, one of the team’s most valuable relievers the last two seasons, is scheduled to make at least one more appearance with Triple A Worcester this weekend then be re-evaluated. He threw a scoreless inning at Jacksonville on Friday, striking out two.
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The righthander has been on the injured list since mid-May with a muscle strain in his shoulder.
Trevor Story is not yet ready to start minor league games as the infielder recovers from elbow surgery. But that should be soon.
“We don’t have an exact date. But things are moving fast and he’s pushing hard, which is the most important thing.” Cora said.
Infielder Pablo Reyes (abdominal strain) was in the lineup Friday as the center fielder for Double A Portland as he continued a rehab assignment. He was 2 for 3 with a home run, a walk, and two RBIs.
Reyes is scheduled to be the Sea Dogs’ designated hitter Saturday.
That the Sox used Reyes in the outfielder suggests they’re preparing him as an option for the utility role now held by Kiké Hernández.
“Versatility is one of the things we really like about [Reyes],” Cora said.
Corey Kluber, out since June 21 with shoulder inflammation, will start a rehab assignment next Friday and is scheduled to pitch two innings. Kluber’s shoulder pain coincided with his earned run average ballooning to 7.04.
Cora said Kluber could be considered for a return to the rotation.
Darren Fenster, who has been with the Red Sox since 2012, left the organization to become an assistant coach at the University of Miami.
Fenster had a variety of posts with the Sox: minor league manager, minor league infield coordinator, and outfield/base-running coordinator. He also has filled in on the major league staff from time to time.
“Excellent,” said Cora, a Miami alum. “Obviously, we’re going to miss him here. He’s a hard worker. Darren’s a guy I really respect.”
Miami also named former Red Sox staffer Laz Gutierrez as pitching coach. Gutierrez joined the Hurricanes as assistant pitching coach and mental skills coach last year after four years as head coach at Nova Southeastern.
Looking forward to D.R. visit
Cora welcomed the news that the Red Sox would play two games against Tampa Bay in the Dominican Republic next spring training. The games are scheduled for March 9-10 in Santo Domingo. “It’s going to be loud; it’s going to be fun,” Cora said … Former Sox reliever Matt Barnes is scheduled for season-ending surgery on his left hip. Barnes had a 5.48 ERA in 24 appearances for the Marlins. The Sox traded Barnes to the Marlins for lefthander Richard Bleier, who has a 5.85 ERA in 19 games and has been on the injured list since May 22 with shoulder inflammation. Bleier, who started a rehab assignment July 2 with Worcester, pitched a scoreless inning at Jacksonville. His return does not seem imminent . . . The six home runs for the Sox were their most since June 19, 2021, when they hit six against Toronto at Buffalo.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 5:52:14 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Cubs Saturday 15th July 2023 2:20pm @ Wrigley Field
Paxton 5-1/2.73
Stroman 9-6/2.96
Red Sox shoot for 7th straight win in encore vs. Cubs FLM
When the Boston Red Sox signed left fielder Masataka Yoshida to a five-year, $90 million deal this offseason, few expected him to put his name on a list with Ted Williams.
But he did just that.
Yoshida is Boston's first left-handed hitter to string together eight straight multi-hit games since Williams accomplished the feat in 1940. He will try to keep the hits coming on Saturday when the Red Sox play the second game of a three-game set against the host Chicago Cubs.
During his impressive run, Yoshida has gone 17-for-34 (.500) with two homers, five RBIs and eight runs. He went 2-for-5 on Friday, helping the Red Sox pick up an 8-3 victory over Chicago in the series opener.
It wasn't just Yoshida powering Boston to its sixth straight win, though, as the Red Sox clubbed a season-high six homers. Rafael Devers hit a pair of solo shots, while Adam Duvall, Triston Casas, Justin Turner and Yu Chang also went deep.
"We're gonna hit, we know that. It's just a matter of staying with an approach," Boston manager Alex Cora said. "We're playing good baseball right now. It's a good brand of baseball, it's fun, and hopefully we can continue (Saturday)."
Left-hander James Paxton (5-1, 2.73 ERA) will hope the lineup can produce similar results on Saturday when he makes his 11th start of the season.
Paxton has been stellar over his past seven outings, going 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA.
In his most recent start, Paxton allowed two runs on six hits in six innings during a victory against the Oakland Athletics on July 8. He walked one and struck out three.
Paxton has never faced the Cubs.
Right-hander Marcus Stroman (9-6, 2.96 ERA) will get the nod for Chicago as he attempts to get back on track.
Through his first 16 starts this season, Stroman went 9-4 with a 2.28 ERA. In three outings since then, he is 0-2 with a 7.71 ERA, most recently surrendering four runs on four hits in five innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 6.
Due to his recent struggles, Stroman opted to sit out of Tuesday's All-Star Game and focus on getting ready for the second half of the season.
"It's been a huge process," Stroman said. "I'm very thankful for everybody who's helped me get to this point. I'm definitely looking forward to having a little bit of a break -- kind of just reset my energy, clear my mind and have a good second half."
Stroman will be presented with a good opportunity to find his early-season form on Saturday, as the right-hander is 6-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 career starts against the Red Sox.
Although the Cubs have alternated wins and losses over their past six games, center fielder Cody Bellinger has been a beacon of consistency. He has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games, going 26-for-59 (.441) with four homers, nine RBIs and 15 runs during that span.
Bellinger accounted for most of Chicago's offense during the loss on Friday, smacking two solo home runs.
--Field Level Media
Red Sox at Cubs Saturday, at 2:20 PM EST Partly Cloudy It's expected to be 81° F with a 33% chance of rain and 7 MPH wind blowing out in Chicago at 2:20 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 7:39:22 GMT -5
The Red Sox do a pretty good job of setting the Trade Deadline tone
By Rob Bradford WEEI 93.7 9 minutes ago
Desperation is never a good look coming out of an All-Star break.
So many times, you have a team trying desperately to use the few days off to convince itself that if just a little goes right here, and a little goes right there, the path to contention will open up. The Red Sox have lived that life.
One that jumps to mind is 2015 when the Sox kicked off their post-All-Star Game schedule with series in Anaheim and then Houston, having finished the first half at 42-47. First came the 1-0 loss to the Angels. Six straight defeats later, Boston was returning home without a shred of optimism. ADVERTISING
Or how about last season, when the Red Sox' response to J.D. Martinez said if he was a betting man he would be betting on his club? First game back ... a 28-5 walloping at the hands of the Blue Jays, who would also take the next two at Fenway.
There are plenty of teams in Major League Baseball right now which are grasping at such hope, including the one that lost to the Red Sox, 8-3, Friday night at Wrigley Field, the Cubs. Before the series opener, Chicago President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer met the media and attempted to offer how his club might be approaching the MLB Trade Deadline at the end of the month. There were no easy answers. Seven games back. Five games under .500. (Make that six games under.) Jed Hoyer explains Cubs' approach to Deadline
So, you're saying there is a chance ...
The Mets. The Padres. The Mariners. The Angels. The Tigers. They all are hanging off the cliff, desperately hoping for a surge coming out of the break to help lift them up.
The Red Sox? Well, after winning their sixth in a row, putting them two games out of the final Wild Card spot, six games over .500 and tied with the Yankees, their footing seems as solid as it has perhaps all season.
Players who they were hoping used the rest to revitalize themselves seemed to do just that, with Rafael Devers coming out of the game with two home runs, and Adam Duvall and Triston Casas showing the best versions of themselves with a blast apiece.
“Obviously, the All-Star Game is something that everybody wants to go to. It's a big honor,” Devers said “But with those three, four days off, I was able to rest, recharge. But still, the All-Star Game is something that I would like to go to every year.”
And then there was starter Brayan Bello, the young ace who Devers promised he would deliver two home runs to prior to the game.
The line in his seventh straight quality start might not have been as spectacular as some - giving up three runs on eight hits over six innings - but it was somewhat understandable considering the conditions. The two homers to left-center field he surrendered to Cody Bellinger would have have been out of just one park in the big leagues - Wrigley.
All in all, the Red Sox righty out-dueled a pretty good starter in the Cubs' Kyle Hendricks, who came in with an identical ERA (3.06) to Bello. And that's what aces do.
Jarren Duran also kept doing his thing, as did Masa Yoshida (with each notching a pair of hits). And even Yu Chang, the shortstop who has come back to solidify defense at shortstop, popped out a late-game homer into the gusty Chicago night.
Chris Sale is throwing a bullpen Tuesday. Trevor Story is on the verge of starting his rehab assignments. John Schreiber is inching close to a a return. And the Red Sox actually won their first game out of the break, which is a whole lot better than losing by 23 runs. Been there, done that.
That momentum they garnered last week at Fenway? It turns out it made the trip to Wrigley.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 15, 2023 11:19:41 GMT -5
Game 93: Red Sox at Cubs lineups and notes By Amin Touri Globe Staff,Updated July 15, 2023, 15 minutes ago
The Red Sox picked up right where they left off returning from the All-Star break, claiming their sixth straight win (and improving to 9-1 in their last 10) against the Cubs Friday.
James Paxton can keep the good times rolling as he takes the ball for a Saturday matinee at Wrigley Field. The lefty, who has been excellent in a Sox uniform, will face the Cubs for the first time.
Marcus Stroman has been similarly strong in his second season on the North Side but limped into the break, with a 7.71 ERA over his last three starts, all Cubs defeats.
Lineups
RED SOX (49-43):
1. Jarren Duran (L) CF 2. Masataka Yoshida (L) LF 3. Justin Turner (R) DH 4. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 5. Alex Verdugo (L) RF 6. Triston Casas (L) 1B 7. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B 8. Connor Wong (R) C 9. Enrique Hernandez (R) SS
Pitching: LHP James Paxton (5-1, 2.73 ERA)
CUBS (42-48):
1. Nico Hoerner (R) SS 2. Seiya Suzuki (R) RF 3. Ian Happ (S) LF 4. Cody Bellinger (L) CF 5. Yan Gomes (R) C 6. Trey Mancini (R) 1B 7. Christopher Morel (R) 2B 8. Miguel Amaya (R) DH 9. Patrick Wisdom (R) 3B
Pitching: RHP Marcus Stroman (9-4, 2.28 ERA)
Time: 2:20 p.m.
TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
Red Sox vs. Stroman: Rafael Devers 1-8, Adam Duvall 3-7, Kiké Hernández 1-2, Rob Refsnyder 0-2, Justin Turner 2-6, Alex Verdugo 0-3
Cubs vs. Paxton: Cody Bellinger 0-3, Yan Gomes 2-8, Trey Mancini 3-14
Stat of the day: Masataka Yoshida is the Sox’ first lefthanded hitter to string together eight straight multi-hit games since Ted Williams in 1940.
Notes: Over the last eight games, Yoshida has gone 17 for 34 (.500) with two homers, five RBIs, and eight runs. He went 2 for 5 on Friday, helping the Red Sox pick up an 8-3 victory over Chicago in the series opener ... Paxton has been stellar over his past seven outings, going 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA ... Through his first 16 starts this season, Stroman went 9-4 with a 2.28 ERA. The righthander is 6-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 career starts against the Red Sox ... Cody Bellinger has been has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 games, going 26 for 59 (.441) with four homers, nine RBIs, and 15 runs during that span.
Song of the Day : Santana "Winning"
Santana - Winning
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