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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 18, 2023 3:20:47 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Rangers Monday, 18th September 2023 8pm @ Globe Life Field
Crawford 6-7/ 4.26 vs
Montgomery 2-1/ 3.60
Monday, September 18, 2023 at 8:05pm EDT Written by Michael Briggs
The Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers will play on Monday at Globe Life Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT.
Boston (74-76 SU and 74-76 RL) is starting righty Kutter Crawford. The 27-year-old is 6-7 with a 4.26 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 28 outings (20 starts).
Texas (82-67 SU and 79-70 RL) is countering with lefty Jordan Montgomery. The 30-year-old is 9-11 with a 3.47 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in his 29 starts this year.
Key Injuries:
Boston: RP Kenley Jansen is out (illness) and 1B Triston Casas is on the IL.
Texas: RF Adolis Garcia and 3B Josh Jung are on the IL.
What will Boston look like post-Chaim Bloom? Boston wrapped up a four-game series with Toronto on Sunday. It isn't going to make the playoffs this season and is in a transition stage after firing Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom. What will the future look like in Beantown?
The Red Sox average 4.93 runs (8th) and hit .261 (3rd) with a .760 OPS (7th). They've hit 175 dingers (15th) and stolen 100 bases (17th) in the 2023 season. The Boston pitching staff has compiled a 4.55 ERA (21st) and a 1.35 WHIP (20th) with 41 quality starts (26th).
Crawford will start for the visitors on Monday. He pitched 4.2 innings in his last start, holding the Yankees to one run and three hits with seven strikeouts. In August, he was 1-2 with a 4.73 ERA and 1.28 WHIP (six starts). Crawford faced the Rangers on July 6, holding them to three runs on seven hits in four frames.
Will Texas finish 2023 on a high note? Texas has its sights set on an AL West title in 2023, but can it hold off Houston and Seattle? This shaping up to be one of the best division championship races in a long time!
The Rangers score 5.51 runs per game (3rd) and hit .266 (2nd) with a .793 OPS (3rd). They've hit 209 homers (6th) and stolen 77 bases (27th) this year. The Texas pitching staff has posted a 4.29 ERA (17th) and a 1.27 WHIP (13th) with 61 quality starts (10th).
Montgomery will take the hill for the home team on Monday evening. The veteran southpaw is 6-5 with a 4.10 ERA in 15 home starts this year with St. Louis and Texas. In his last outing, Montgomery held Toronto to four hits and no runs in seven innings. It was an encouraging bounce-back performance from the left-hander, who surrendered 11 runs and 15 hits combined in his first two starts of the month.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 18, 2023 3:24:00 GMT -5
Unless the bats wake up, and as off as the Rangers have been, I still expect the Rangers to sweep the Sox anyway the rest of the roto match ups
Tuesday, 8pm, Houck 5-9/ 4.94 vs Nasty Nate 11-4/ 2.96
Wednesday, 2pm, Bello 12-9/ 3.71 vs Gray 8-8/ 4.08
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 18, 2023 3:35:24 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Kenley to rejoin Sox in Texas September 17th, 2023
Sept. 17: RHP Kenley Jansen expected to be activated in Texas Jansen, who was placed on the COVID-19 IL on Sept. 13, will fly to Texas in the upcoming days, according to Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who said the big righty is feeling better. Jansen is eligible to be activated on Wednesday, which is the third game of the four-game series against the Rangers. In his first season with the Red Sox, Jansen has converted 29 of his 33 save opportunities and has a 3.63 ERA.
LHP Joely Rodríguez (right hip) Expected return: 2024 Rodríguez, who has had a lost season with three separate stints on the injured list, will start a Minor League rehab assignment on Sept. 19. Rodríguez had finally gotten into a nice groove before suffering a hip injury that led to the club placing him on the injured list on July 31. (Last updated: Sept. 17)
RHP Kaleb Ort (right elbow inflammation) Expected return: Late September or next season Ort will start a Minor League rehab assignment on Sept. 19. The big righty last pitched for the Red Sox on July 4. Ort was originally placed on the 15-day injured list on July 7 (retroactive to July 5). However, he was transferred to the 60-day IL on July 26 to clear room for trade acquisition Mauricio Llovera. (Last updated: Sept. 17)
RHP Zack Kelly (right elbow surgery) Expected return: Possibly mid-to-late September Kelly was set to pitch the second of back-to-back appearances on Sept. 17 for Triple-A Worcester. If Kelly can pitch in a game for the Red Sox before the season ends, it would be a feel-good story considering the searing pain he felt in his right elbow when he was injured at Tropicana Field on April 12. Kelly has a 3.68 ERA in six appearances with Boston in 2023. (Last updated: Sept. 17)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 18, 2023 3:46:40 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK It’s too late for this season, but Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers is coming alive at the plate By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated September 17, 2023, 8:07 p.m.
TORONTO — It’s far too late to help the Red Sox, but what was a substandard season for Rafael Devers has turned around.
He reached base five times in Sunday’s 3-2 loss against the Blue Jays, part of a stretch that has seen the third baseman hit .350 with a 1.108 OPS this month.
“I’ve been trying to make the adjustment all year and right now I feel locked in,’ Devers said.
He was 2 for 2 with a game-tying home run in the ninth inning along with two walks and a hit by pitch. For the season, Devers is up to .276 with an .876 OPS.
He is among the American League leaders in home runs (33), RBIs (98), extra-base hits (67), and OPS.
Devers said the adjustment was largely being more patient.
“I’ve been able to see a lot of pitches. I’m not being as aggressive as I’ve been in the past,” he said via a translator.
Alex Cora noted that Devers also has changed his swing to give himself more room to take the ball up the middle and the other way.
“He’s in a great place right now,” the manager said. “It’s fun to watch him.”
Devers has 172 homers, tying Jim Rice for the most by a Red Sox player before turning 27. He also has the second most for any Dominican player before that age. Albert Pujols had 250.
The home run was Devers’s 400th career extra-base hit. The last three players to do that before turning 27 were Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, and Mike Trout. Jansen on the way
Kenley Jansen, who went on the COVID-19 injured list last week, played catch on Saturday in Boston and will rejoin the team in Texas.
The plan is for Jansen to be activated Wednesday. The closer has not recorded a save since Aug. 20 and appeared in only six games since, giving up five earned runs on five hits over 3⅓ innings.
Zack Kelly worked back-to-back days for Triple A Worcester, pitching a scoreless inning in an 11-5 win over Syracuse on Sunday at Polar Park.
The righthander, who had surgery on May 2 to reposition the ulnar nerve in his elbow, will be reassessed by a doctor on Monday and could rejoin the Sox this week. Kelly has appeared in six minor league games since Sept. 1.
“The fact he’s back, you’ve got to tip your hat to him,” Cora said. “It didn’t seem that way when it happened and now he’s in the mix.”
Two other rehabbers, righthander Kaleb Ort and lefthander Joely Rodriguez, are scheduled to pitch for Worcester on Tuesday at Lehigh Valley. Mata returns to mound
Bryan Mata, who’s prospect status has taken a tumble in recent years, faced five hitters for Worcester in his first game since May 9. He allowed a run on two hits and a walk and struck out one.
The 24-year-old righthander has missed most of the season with a muscle strain in his shoulder.
“He was one of those guys that we were counting on, probably for the middle of the season or by September,” Cora said. “It didn’t work out physically but still we think highly of him.
“He’s a guy that stuff-wise, he’s up there with the best of the best. Obviously, it’s a big offseason for all of us and it’s a big offseason for him. We’ll see what the future holds.”
Dalbec in the mix
With Triston Casas on the injured list, Bobby Dalbec started at first base and was 1 for 3 before being pinch hit for in the eighth inning. It was his first major league game since June 25. Cora said he hopes to get Dalbec into a game in right field before the season ends to get a better gauge of his defensive versatility. Dalbec, 28, had a .938 OPS with 33 home runs over 114 games for Worcester. With Casas blocking him, an offseason trade may be the best thing for both Dalbec and the Sox … The Sox finished the season 7-6 against the Blue Jays. The teams won’t play again until June 17 … The Jays drew 119,832 for the three-game series … The Sox will keep their rotation in order for the series against Texas. Kutter Crawford starts Monday with Tanner Houck and Brayan Bello to follow Tuesday and Wednesday. Texas has Jordan Montgomery, Nate Eovaldi, and Jon Gray lined up. The Sox took two of three from the Rangers when the teams met in July at Fenway Park … High A Greenville won Game 1 of the best-of-three South Atlantic League championship series with a 2-0 victory against Hudson Valley. Luis Perales allowed one hit over six innings for the win. Game 2 is at Greenville on Tuesday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 18, 2023 9:16:41 GMT -5
Rangers look to rebound from lost weekend in opener vs. Red Sox FLM
The Texas Rangers will look to strengthen their position in the American League playoff picture when the Boston Red Sox visit Arlington for the start of a three-game series on Monday night.
Texas (82-67) lost the momentum it gained from a four-game sweep against the host Toronto Blue Jays, dropping three consecutive contests at Cleveland. A 9-2 Sunday loss to the Guardians capped the Rangers' lost weekend.
The Rangers reside 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the AL West. Texas, however, holds a one-game lead over the Seattle Mariners for the league's third and final wild-card spot.
"That's baseball," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "It's humbling at times because we couldn't have played better baseball there in Toronto, and we came down here (Cleveland) and just overall didn't pitch well."
Texas was outscored 23-6 over the weekend against Cleveland. The Guardians sent 14 batters to the plate in a nine-run fourth inning on Sunday that produced all of their offense.
None of the Rangers' top four batters -- Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Nathaniel Lowe and Mitch Garver -- had more than two hits in the series against the Guardians.
"They were tough on us (with their) pitching," Bochy said of Cleveland. "We're a team that needs to put some runs on the board, and we had a tough time doing that this series."
Left-hander Jordan Montgomery (9-11, 3.47 ERA) will look to pitch Texas back into the win column while making his ninth start since being acquired in a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals.
Montgomery shut out Toronto over seven innings of four-hit ball on Wednesday, the same day that ace Max Scherzer was lost to a regular-season-ending shoulder injury. Montgomery had allowed 11 runs on 15 hits -- including three homers -- over his previous two starts.
"I was definitely bummed about Max, but I was furious about the way I've been throwing lately," Montgomery said. "I just kind of just took it all out there and let it out."
Montgomery is 1-2 with a 3.95 ERA in 14 career starts against Boston.
The Red Sox (74-76) followed the Rangers into Toronto and promptly lost three straight contests to extend their overall skid to four games. Sunday's 3-2 setback was their second in a row in walk-off fashion and dropped them to 2-10 in their last 12 games.
Saturday's 4-3 loss in 13 innings dropped Boston below .500 for the first time since June 30.
A resurgent Rafael Devers has homered in three of his last four games, including tying Sunday's contest in the top of the ninth inning. He has 33 homers for the season, the second-highest total of his career (38 in 2021).
"He's locked in right now -- taking his walks, working the count, getting pitches he can drive," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of his star third baseman. "He's in a great place right now."
A recent thorn in Boston's side has been a lack of production with runners in scoring position, as the team went 1-for-14 Sunday and is hitting a league-worst .151 in those situations since Sept. 6.
Devers points to that as a team-wide issue that will need to be corrected down the stretch.
"We need to make an adjustment," Devers said. "Sometimes we're hitting the ball right at people. Sometimes it's just bad luck. That's baseball, and we need to keep grinding and keep giving our best to bring the guys in."
Righty Kutter Crawford (6-7, 4.26 ERA) will draw the start Monday for Boston, which will be the second of his season and career against Texas. He recorded a no-decision after allowing three runs on seven hits in four innings on July 6.
In the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the New York Yankees, Crawford pitched four scoreless frames before allowing a run. He wound up striking out seven in 4 2/3 innings of a no-decision.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 18, 2023 13:19:51 GMT -5
Game 151: Red Sox at Rangers lineups and notesBy Amin Touri Globe Staff,Updated September 18, 2023, 8:53 a.m. The Red Sox’ late-season downturn continued with a sweep at the hands of the Blue Jays over the weekend, and things don’t get much easier with a three-game set in Texas starting Monday night. Kutter Crawford has the ball as the Sox look to claw their way out of the AL East basement, having fallen two games behind the Yankees at the bottom of the division. The righthander has struggled to go deep into games over his last few starts, tossing just 11 innings across his last three outings — an average of 3⅔ innings per start — with a 9.82 ERA. Deadline pickup Jordan Montgomery has pitched well for Texas, with a 3-2 record and a 3.59 ERA in eight starts; the lefty and former Yankee has plenty of experience against the Sox with 14 career starts. Lineups RED SOX (74-76): Ceddanne Rafaela (R) CF Rafael Devers (L) 3B Rob Refsnyder (R) LF Adam Duvall (R) RF Pablo Reyes (R) SS Trevor Story (R) DH Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B Luis Urias (R) 2B Connor Wong (R) C Pitching: RHP Kutter Crawford (6-7, 4.26 ERA) RANGERS (82-67): Marcus Semien (R) 2B Corey Seager (L) SS Nathaniel Lowe (L) 1B Mitch Garver (R) DH Josh Jung (R) 3B Robbie Grossman (S) RF Jonah Heim (S) C Leody Taveras (S) CF Evan Carter (L) LF Pitching: LHP Jordan Montgomery (9-11, 3.47 ERA) Time: 8:05 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Montgomery: Bobby Dalbec 4-14, Rafael Devers 7-25, Adam Duvall 1-6, Reese McGuire 0-1, Rob Refsnyder 4-11, Trevor Story 0-2, Luis Urías 1-4, Alex Verdugo 5-25, Connor Wong 1-3 Rangers vs. Crawford: Ezequiel Duran 2-2, Robbie Grossman 0-0, Austin Hedges 0-1, Jonah Heim 1-3, Nathaniel Lowe 0-2, Corey Seager 1-2, Marcus Semien 0-4, Leody Taveras 1-2 Stat of the day: The Red Sox are hitting a league-worst .151 with runners in scoring position since Sept. 6; in that span, they are 2-9. Notes: Crawford will make his second start of the season and his career against Texas. He recorded a no-decision after allowing three runs on seven hits in four innings July 6 ... Saturday’s loss to the Blue Jays dropped the Sox under .500 for the first time since June 30 ... The Sox have lost four straight games, their last five road games, and they are 2-10 in their last 12 ... Rafael Devers has homered in three of his last four games, including a game-tying shot in the ninth inning Sunday, to bring his season total to 33 ... The Rangers are looking to bounce back after being swept in Cleveland over the weekend. Texas trails Houston by 1½ games in the AL West, but holds a one-game lead over the Mariners for the final wild-card spot ... Montgomery is 1-2 with a 3.95 ERA in 14 career starts against Boston. Song of the Day: Edie Brickell & New Bohemians - What I Am www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDl3bdE3YQA
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Post by Kimmi on Sept 18, 2023 16:55:43 GMT -5
Rangers look to rebound from lost weekend in opener vs. Red SoxFLM Texas (82-67) lost the momentum it gained from a four-game sweep against the host Toronto Blue Jays, dropping three consecutive contests at Cleveland. A 9-2 Sunday loss to the Guardians capped the Rangers' lost weekend. It's so odd how that happens. Teams get swept, then look forward to playing the Red Sox.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 18, 2023 18:42:09 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 1h Rafael Devers is your AL Player of the Week.
Red Sox have decided to shut Triston Casas down. Still waiting to get results of the MRI but he’s shut down regardless.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 19, 2023 3:53:59 GMT -5
Red Sox rally to end 4-game skid with 4-2 win over Rangers, who get 2 All-Stars back in lineup AP
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Texas manager Bruce Bochy felt the Rangers had everything set up nicely to go to Will Smith with a one-run lead in the eighth inning.
Things went sideways in a hurry, especially after Smith promptly walked Boston’s No. 8 hitter and gave up a double to the ninth-place batter who didn’t have a hit in his previous 17 at-bats.
Rob Refsnyder had a two-run single right after hot-hitting Rafael Devers was intentionally walked with one out, and Adam Duvall followed with a sacrifice fly. The Red Sox snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the playoff-chasing Rangers, who lost their fourth in a row even after getting two All-Star players back in their lineup Monday night.
“Our offense right now is sputtering a little bit and we’re living on a real fine line there,” Bochy said. “Smitty made a couple of mistakes. Looked like he had a chance to get out of it, had two strikes, and they got the big base hit. We just couldn’t separate the score earlier.”
Smith (2-7), the veteran lefty, walked Luis Urias on eight pitches before the double by Connor Wong. Devers, the left-hander already with two hits in the game off lefty starter Jordan Montgomery and 10 hits his previous 23 at-bats, was put on to load the bases ahead of Refsnyder.
“I don’t blame them. I mean it’s our best player by far. ... One of the only guys who hit Montgomery, who threw the ball so well,” Refsnyder said. “My at-bats were awful before that.”
All-Star second baseman Marcus Semien, the only Rangers player to start all 150 of their games, hit another leadoff homer and had an RBI single in the sixth for a 2-1 lead.
Texas (82-68), already guaranteed its first winning record since 2016, began the day one game ahead of Seattle for the American League’s third and final wild-card spot. But the Mariners, the division foe the Rangers play seven times in the season’s last 10 days, pulled even with a 5-0 win at Oakland later Monday night.
Texas and Seattle are both only 1 1/2 games behind AL West-leading Houston, which lost at home to AL East leader Baltimore.
The Rangers are 10-20 since Aug. 16, and their four-game losing streak came since sweeping a four-game series in Toronto to briefly pass the Blue Jays in the wild-card race. Bochy, a three-time World Series champion manager, has been at a loss to explain what has happened in recent weeks.
“As far as what I do, I stay behind them, and keep writing out the lineup. We’ve got to keep pushing here,” Bochy said. “Believe me, they’re trying. Trust me, it’s a great group here. And this was a tough one again.”
While not yet eliminated from the playoffs, the Red Sox (75-76) were at the bottom of the AL East standings and 7 1/2 games behind the final wild-card spot with only 11 games to play. Urias had an RBI single in the fifth for their other run.
Josh Winckowski (4-2) struck out three and walked two in a scoreless seventh for Boston after starter Kutter Crawford had seven strikeouts without a walk and allowed two runs over six innings. Chris Martin struck out two in the ninth, his 19th consecutive scoreless appearance and only second save.
Rangers rookie third baseman Josh Jung and slugging right fielder Adolis Garcia were both activated from the injured list.
Jung, who was 1 for 4 with a single in the ninth inning, had been out six weeks with a fractured left thumb. Garcia went 0 for 3 with a walk and two strikeouts after missing 10 games with a patellar tendon strain in his right knee.
It was the first time since July 21, the night shortstop Corey Seager exited with a sprained right thumb and missed nine games, that the Rangers had in their lineup all five of their position players who started for the American League in the All-Star Game on July 11. Switch-hitting catcher Jonah Heim also had an IL stint since then.
SEMIEN’S QUICK HITS
Semien’s 25th homer of the season came on the first pitch thrown by Crawford. His AL-best ninth leadoff homer in a first inning for Semien extended his single-season franchise record. It was the third time this month he hit a leadoff homer on the first pitch.
SOLID START
Trade deadline acquisition Montgomery struck out eight without any walks while allowing one run over seven innings in his ninth start for the Rangers.
UP NEXT
Rangers All-Star right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who was with the Red Sox the past five seasons, pitches against them Tuesday night in the middle game of the series. It is only the fourth start for Eovaldi (11-4, 2.96 ERA) since he came off the IL after missing seven weeks with a right forearm strain. Right-hander Tanner Houck (5-9, 4.94) goes for the Red Sox.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 19, 2023 4:26:39 GMT -5
Refsnyder gives Red Sox late spark to snap four-game skid Crawford strikes out seven, gives up two runs over six innings in opener vs. Texas 2:34 AM ADT Jalyn Smoot
ARLINGTON -- After losing in walk-off fashion on Sunday, the Red Sox used some late-inning magic of their own to defeat the Rangers, 4-2, and snap a four-game skid on Monday night at Globe Life Field.
Boston’s offense got off to a sluggish start, but used a three-run rally in the top of the eighth inning to turn the tide and sink the Rangers in the series opener.
After losing a trio of one-run games this past week, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said it feels good to be on the winning side of a comeback victory.
“It was a good one,” said Cora. “We’ve been playing good baseball and we’ve played some pretty tough games. We’re gonna keep playing hard and we’re not going to quit. We want to win as many games as possible.”
Boston’s never-say-die attitude was on full display during that pivotal eighth inning. Luis Urías drew a walk to begin the inning before Connor Wong advanced him to third base with a double to left field. Then, after Ceddanne Rafaela was retired on strikes, Rafael Devers -- who was named AL Player of the Week before the game -- was intentionally walked to load the bases.
With the bases juiced, Rob Refsnyder delivered a go-ahead two-run single off Rangers lefty Will Smith to give the Red Sox their first lead of the game.
Refsnyder noted that he didn’t take exception to Devers being intentionally walked to load the bases prior to his at-bat, and he was instead focused on making a play for his team.
“I mean, I get it,” Refsnyder said. “[Devers] is our best player by far. He was one of the only guys to hit [Rangers starter Jordan] Montgomery today. My at-bats were awful before [the go-ahead single], so I was just fortunate to come through. It felt really good, honestly.”
Refsnyder’s timely two-run hit continued his torrid performance against left-handers this year. So far this season, Refsnyder is slashing .310/.429/.397 against southpaws. Additionally, 21 of his 28 RBIs this season have come against lefties.
In that same inning -- just one batter after Refsnyder gave Boston the lead -- Adam Duvall chipped in with a sacrifice fly to extend Boston’s lead to two runs.
The gutsy late-game rally backed an impressive outing by right-handed starter Kutter Crawford, who fanned seven batters and yielded just two runs on four hits over six innings.
The 27-year-old Crawford has struggled to pitch deep into games, but he was able to make it through six innings for just the fourth time in 21 starts this season.
Crawford allowed a leadoff home run to Marcus Semien on the first pitch of the game, but he settled in nicely after that, including a stretch in which he retired 14 consecutive batters.
“It felt really good,” Crawford said. “After grinding through the last few starts, I made an adjustment yesterday and it showed out there today. I was able to command the baseball and attack the zone better.”
Crawford noted that he didn’t make a dramatic change to his mechanics, but tweaked his preparation in hopes of building endurance.
“It’s just a little activation thing with getting my body right and activating my glute to be able to stay anchored in the ground,” Crawford said. “It allowed my lower half to move a lot better, and it showed with how I was able to command the baseball.”
Crawford’s impressive outing comes as no surprise to his teammates, who noted that his supreme work ethic was bound to pay off.
“He works his tail off,” Refsnyder said. “He’s one of the hardest workers in the clubhouse. He gave up the home run to [Semien] who is a really, really good hitter, but he slowed down and pitched extremely well after.
“The Rangers have a really potent offense. You see how many RBIs and home runs they have and just know it’s an explosive offense. So for [Crawford] to do that in their home ballpark … it’s impressive. Just a gutsy performance and I couldn’t be happier for him.” Did you like this story?
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 19, 2023 4:27:41 GMT -5
Red Sox shut down Triston Casas (shoulder), ending excellent rookie season
Updated: Sep. 18, 2023, 9:52 p.m.|Published: Sep. 18, 2023, 9:41 p.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
ARLINGTON, Texas — Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas almost certainly won’t play again this season, manager Alex Cora acknowledged Monday. Casas was placed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation Saturday (retroactive to Friday) and the team is awaiting results of an MRI.
Casas would have been eligible to rejoin the team for the final five games of the season but with Boston out of the playoff hunt, it would make little sense to rush Casas back even if the injury is minor.
“The doctors are looking at the MRI,” Cora said Monday. “We’ll know more, probably, tonight or tomorrow. Most likely, he won’t play this season. We know that he’s on the IL, so to ramp up again, it doesn’t make any sense.”
With Casas out for the rest of the year, the Red Sox will likely use Bobby Dalbec and Justin Turner as their top two options at first base. Others, like Pablo Reyes and Connor Wong, could play there on an emergency basis. Before being sidelined, Casas started 115 of Boston’s first 147 games at the position. His strong rookie season will end with him having hit .263 with 24 homers, 65 RBIs and an .856 OPS in 502 plate appearances.
Casas started out slow but had a torrid second half, hitting .317 with 15 homers, seven doubles and a 1.034 OPS after the All-Star break. In the second half, he ranked in the top 15 in baseball in average, slugging percentage, OPS and wRC+. Among qualified AL rookies at the time of his injury, Casas ranked first in OPS (.857) and walks (70), second in homers (24) and extra-base hits (47, tied), third in on-base percentage (.367), and fourth in slugging (.490) and RBIs (65). Casas emerged as a middle-of-the-order threat for the Red Sox and will enter 2024 with a stranglehold on first base.
“Overall, a good season,” Cora said. “He improved throughout the season. He opened up a little bit more with the coaches as far as the defensive part of it and adjustments he made offensively. He’s very stubborn, in a good way, with his process, but I think he understood there were a few changes he needed to make to be successful at this level and he did.”
Other injury updates:
* Outfielder Wilyer Abreu is day-to-day after slamming his left hand into the outfield wall at Rogers Centre on Sunday. He was out of Monday’s lineup but could return Tuesday, according to Cora.
Cora said Abreu feels OK.
“Day-to-day,” Cora said. “He’s not starting today, of course. If we have to stay away from him, we’ll stay away from him. Hopefully, he’ll be back tomorrow.”
* Cora said injured relievers Kaleb Ort (right elbow inflammation) and Joely Rodríguez (right hip inflammation) will make rehab appearances for Triple-A Worcester in Lehigh Valley on Tuesday.
Righty Zack Kelly (right elbow surgery) will likely need one more appearance with the WooSox and could be activated when the Red Sox return home for their final homestand, which starts Friday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 19, 2023 4:35:20 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 6h Chris Martin 1-Save Club Member June 11, 2023 - September 18, 2023 We salute you.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 19, 2023 4:44:53 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas’s rookie season likely over because of shoulder injury By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated September 18, 2023, 8:40 p.m.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Triston Casas, whose second half of the season represents one of the best stretches in franchise history by a rookie, likely won’t play again this year.
As of Monday afternoon, doctors were reviewing an MRI on Casas’ injured right shoulder, which resulted in his placement on the 10-day injured list last weekend in Toronto. While results of that review were not yet available, however, manager Alex Cora said the first baseman wouldn’t be rushed through a rehab process in order to play the final few games.
“To ramp up again, it doesn’t make any sense,” Cora said before the Sox’ 4-2 win over the Rangers.
Assuming his season is done, the 23-year-old Casas will wrap up the year with a .263 average, .367 OBP, .490 slugging mark, and 24 homers (tied for seventh most by a Red Sox rookie). His .856 OPS is the highest by a Sox rookie with 500 plate appearances since Nomar Garciaparra (.875) in 1997.
Casas’s performance after the All-Star break suggested a player with a chance to be a middle-of-the-order force for years to come. He hit .317/.417/.617 with 15 homers in 54 games after the break, good for a 1.034 OPS that is the second-highest in Red Sox history by a rookie, trailing only Ted Williams (1.090 in 1939).
“Overall, a good season. He improved throughout the season,” Cora said. “He opened up a little bit more with the coaches as far as the defensive part of it, adjustments that he made offensively.
“He’s very stubborn in a good way in his process, but I think he understood that there were a few changes that he needed to make to be successful at this level. And he did.” Robertson impresses in second stint
Shortly after reliever Nick Robertson was acquired from the Dodgers in the Kiké Hernández trade in late July, the righthander made a brief, forgettable debut with the Red Sox, allowing four runs in four innings over two games and promptly getting sent to Triple A Worcester. But with the WooSox, Robertson made some adjustments that have made him look like a very different pitcher during his September callup.
Robertson has made five scoreless appearances this month, striking out seven batters in five innings. The 25-year-old cited better location as the chief reason for his improvement. But his pitch mix — which was chiefly his mid-90s four-seamer and changeup in his debut — has been altered, with heavy usage of his slider since returning.
For that, Robertson credited WooSox pitching coach Paul Abbott, who suggested he move from the first- to the third-base side of the pitching rubber. From that starting point, Robertson has found it far easier to throw a slider that looks like it’s inside to righties and then breaks over the plate, or to start it on the plate and then run off of it for a chase.
“We were talking about it, trying to figure out my starting point from the first-base side. It was just a little hard having to go so far [toward the third-base side from the first-base side]. So he said, ‘Why not start on the third base side and go straight?’ ” Robertson said. “I could execute it and like have that option to rely on a little more than what I was doing.”
The results have caught the attention of the Sox as they try to imagine bullpen contributors moving forward.
“Robo [has been] really good,” Cora said. “The slider is a lot better. The strike-throwing ability is a lot better than a few weeks ago. Credit to the people in Worcester. Abby did an outstanding job with him.” Devers wins weekly American League honor
Rafael Devers was named American League Player of the Week. Devers was 8 for 20 with four homers and a .400/.586/1.000 line Sept. 11-17. The third baseman entered the series opener against the Rangers with a 1.085 OPS in September, the third-highest mark for any month of his career in which he batted at least 25 times … Outfielder Wilyer Abreu was out of the lineup after injuring his left arm while crashing into the Rogers Centre fence Sunday. The Sox are hopeful he’ll be able to play Tuesday … Righthander Zack Kelly, who underwent elbow surgery in May, looks increasingly likely to return to the big leagues this season. Righty Kaleb Ort (elbow) and lefty Joely Rodriguez (hip) are expected to pitch Tuesday for Triple A Worcester … The High A Greenville Drive will play the Yankees’ South Atlantic League affiliate, the Hudson Valley Renegades, Tuesday with a chance to clinch the South Atlantic League title. The Drive won the first game of the best-of-three championship series Sunday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 19, 2023 4:49:21 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Rangers Tuesday, 19th September 8pm @ Globe Life Ballpark
Houck 5-9/ 4.94 vs
Nasty Nate 11-4/ 2.96
Rangers' Nathan Eovald gets nod vs. former Red Sox teammates FLM
The Boston Red Sox will face an old friend as their three-game series against the Texas Rangers continues on Tuesday night in Arlington, Texas.
A free agent last winter, Texas right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (11-4, 2.96 ERA) is set to take on the Red Sox for the second time this season. He spent the previous 4 1/2 years with Boston, earning three straight Opening Day starts and winning a World Series ring in 2018.
The 33-year-old's July 6 return to Boston -- in which he allowed four runs on five hits across 5 1/3 innings -- was his second-to-last start before a seven-week absence caused by a right forearm strain.
"The moment I went (to Boston), it's like everything changed, the focus changed," Eovaldi said. "We knew we had the team and talent (to win). I see a lot of what we're trying to do (in Texas), and it reminds me of that team."
Eovaldi pitched 3 1/3 innings of two-run ball on Thursday as the Rangers completed a four-game sweep in Toronto. It was his third start since returning from the injury.
The Rangers (82-68) went on to Cleveland and got outscored 23-6 while getting swept in a three-game set over the weekend. After taking a 4-2, series-opening loss to Boston, Texas and the Seattle Mariners (82-68) are tied for second in the American League West, 1 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros (84-67). The Rangers and Mariners share the third and final AL wild-card spot.
Also a former New York Yankee, Eovaldi is 3-0 with a 4.78 ERA in eight career games (seven starts) against the Red Sox.
While Eovaldi returned earlier this month, the Rangers' struggling lineup received a boost when third baseman Josh Jung (left thumb fracture) and right fielder Adolis Garcia (right patellar tendon strain) were activated on Monday.
"(Jung) is a big part of what was missing with us," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. "I don't want him to think like (he has to carry the team) because he's missed a lot of time. We didn't put him on rehab, so obviously there is some sense of urgency with how many games we have left."
Jung's ninth-inning single was one of the team's five hits on Monday.
Red Sox starters have struggled to provide length in the later stages of the season, but Tanner Houck (5-9, 4.94 ERA) will look to do just that for a second straight start on Tuesday.
After allowing a total of nine runs over his previous two starts, Houck completed six shutout innings in the opener of a Thursday doubleheader against the Yankees. He struck out seven and allowed just four hits and three walk, finishing the final frame after a mound visit from manager Alex Cora with two on and one out.
"I wanted to be out there and have been working day in, day out trying to get better, trying to push myself to be able to get through the sixth inning," Houck said.
Houck is 2-1 in his past three starts after going 0-8 in his previous 11.
An even more encouraging sign for the Red Sox (75-76) was coming through with runners in scoring position after entering Monday's game hitting .190 this month in those situations.
Rob Refsnyder's two-run single in the eighth inning erased a 2-1 deficit, preceding an Adam Duvall sacrifice fly. Luis Urias had a game-tying hit in the fifth.
"It was a good one," Cora said after his club snapped a four-game losing streak. "We're gonna keep playing. We're not going to quit, you know? We have to win as many games as possible the rest of the way, and (Monday) was a good night."
Boston first baseman Bobby Dalbec contributed his first multi-hit game since being recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Saturday.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 19, 2023 13:06:22 GMT -5
Red Sox giving two trade deadline additions chance to audition for bullpen
Updated: Sep. 19, 2023, 12:02 p.m.|Published: Sep. 19, 2023, 11:51 a.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
ARLINGTON, Texas — It’s inarguable that the Red Sox had an extremely quiet trade deadline. Instead of adding to a contending team or blowing things up with an eye of 2024, former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom decided instead to largely stand pat, making one medium-sized sell move (Kiké Hernández to the Dodgers) and adding two other pieces (Mauricio Llovera and Luis Urías) in minor deals.
The inactivity may have sealed the fate of Bloom, who was fired Thursday after nearly four years running the Red Sox. But there’s a chance his final deadline in charge may not have been a complete dud.
Both Llovera and righty Nick Robertson, who was acquired along with righty Justin Hagenman in the July 25 deal that sent Hernández back to the Dodgers, have shown signs of life for the Red Sox in recent weeks. With the team out of contention with two weeks to go, both are getting a chance to audition for relief roles next season. Middle relievers are inherently volatile and interchangeable, so it’s not anyone’s expectation that either Llovera or Robertson will emerge as an All-Star. There’s a chance, though, that one or both of them can emerge as a solid contributor in 2024.
Llovera, who turns 28 in April, was obtained from the Giants in a late-night deal on July 26 that sent minor league righty Marques Johnson to the Giants, who had designated Llovera for assignment. At the time, the lefty-heavy Red Sox viewed Llovera as a low-cost, low-risk alternative to some of the more costly right-handed relief arms available on the trade market. His under-the-hood numbers encouraged Bloom to make a move. At the beginning, the results weren’t good.
Llovera pitched three times in six days to start his Red Sox tenure and was rocked for seven earned runs in four innings in those three outings. Then, in an 11-game stretch from Aug. 12 to Sept. 6, he posted a 1.17 ERA, allowing just two earned runs (and four unearned) in 15 ⅓ innings. He held opponents to a .161 average, struck out 14 and earned Alex Cora’s trust in the process. September has been rockier, as a three-run inning on Sept. 9 once again inflated his ERA.
It’s no small thing that Llovera, who is out of minor league options, has survived multiple Red Sox roster crunches. The Sox want to see him different situations down the stretch and plan to send him into the offseason with a plan to augment his two-pitch mix.
“The sinker is good. It’s a good one,” Cora said Monday. “Velocity’s up. It just happened that when we got him, we needed him to pitch a lot. We didn’t see the real Llovy. The other day, he threw nothing but sinkers to the Jays. That’s when Whit (Merrifield) got that ground ball hit.
“It starts off the plate and finishes on the plate and it’s a good one. The slider is good. We tried to throw a cutter against lefties. It has been on and off. One thing for sure, he’s not gonna face too many lefties when he comes into games. Just trying to wait to get lefties with what he has, then in the offseason, work on the cutter.”
Robertson, who debuted earlier this year for the Dodgers before coming over to the Red Sox, seems to have the higher ceiling of the two. The 25-year-old James Madison product gave up four earned runs in four innings in his first big league stint with Boston in early August but has made a strong impression since rejoining the big league club in mid-September. Armed with a heavily used sweeper that has made hitters look silly in recent weeks, Robertson has pitched shutout innings in all five of his appearances since Sept. 10. He has struck out seven while giving up three hits. Robertson has needed 15 or fewer pitches to retire the side in four of his five outings.
“He’s throwing strikes,” Cora said. “The slider’s a lot better. The strike-throwing ability is a lot better than a few weeks ago. Credit to the people in Worcester, (pitching coach Paul Abbott), they did an outstanding job with him. We saw him (Sunday). Good fastball, good changeup, good slider. He has a good arm.” Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
As The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier wrote Monday, Robertson’s success has come after a couple adjustments with the WooSox. In addition to throwing his slider/sweeper more frequently, the righty is now setting up on the first base side of the rubber. The results have been encouraging.
The Red Sox enter the winter with Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin, Josh Winckowski, John Schreiber and likely Garrett Whitlock locked into their 2024 bullpen as high-leverage right-handed options and Brennan Bernardino returning from the left side. Barring roster shuffling between now and spring training, they’ll enter camp with guys like Robertson, Llovera, Zack Kelly, Joe Jacques, Chris Murphy, Brandon Walter, Joe Jacques, Ryan Fernandez and Luis Guerrero competing for spots. In many ways, that competition has already started.
“It’s important to have these guys here, know a little bit about them and work with our guys,” Cora said. “Obviously, impress us. It’s more about them having ability and us, with where we’re at right now, giving them the chance to perform.”
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