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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 5:19:56 GMT -5
Red Sox, Cubs primed for pitchers' duel in opener FLM
Two of the hottest starting pitchers in the majors face off Friday night when the Boston Red Sox host the Chicago Cubs to begin a three-game series.
Boston's Kutter Crawford (1-0, 0.66 ERA) carries the top qualifying ERA in all of baseball into the weekend-opening start against Chicago rookie left-hander Shota Imanaga (3-0, 0.84).
Crawford is coming off his first win and second quality start of the season on Saturday at Pittsburgh, where he worked around seven hits and three walks to allow just one run over six innings.
"I take pride in competing and trying to work out of situations like that," Crawford said, reflecting on that outing.
As a result, Crawford's ERA is also now the best by a Red Sox starter since Roger Clemens had a 0.66 mark through his first five starts in 1991. He has not allowed a home run across his last 43 2/3 innings.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora has seen considerable growth from Crawford, 28, since the right-hander arrived in the major leagues in 2021.
"We made him a reliever. We made him a two-pitch pitcher. That was wrong from our end," Cora said. "This guy is a starter at the big-league level."
Crawford also showed that starter's ability during his only career appearance against the Cubs last July 16, striking out nine across six innings of scoreless, one-hit ball to get the victory.
After sweeping three games at Pittsburgh last weekend, the Red Sox dropped two of three in Cleveland and now return home -- where they are just 3-7 this season -- following a 6-4 loss on Thursday.
"We've got six games (at home), but we've just got to play well. That's what we want," Cora said. "We've got a tough (matchup against Imanaga). He's really good at what he does. But we've got to be ready. Friday night at Fenway. Make it fun."
Boston's Rafael Devers went 6-for-13 as the designated hitter in the Cleveland series, collecting three hits in each of the last two games. He could return to third base by the end of the Chicago series as he recovers from a knee injury.
Meanwhile, the Cubs completed their second sweep of 2024 with a 3-1 win over Houston on Thursday to cap a three-game set. Chicago has won nine of its past 12 games.
In his first start since he was called up from Triple-A Iowa after Cody Bellinger (fractured ribs) was placed on the 10-day injured list, rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a go-ahead, two-run home run on Thursday to snap a 0-for-16 streak to open his career.
Crow-Armstrong had struck out against Justin Verlander in his first two at-bats in the game before going deep against Bryan Abreu in the sixth inning.
"Pete's here because of injuries, right?" Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of the highly touted, 22-year-old prospect. "And so, from that perspective, we're maybe taking a timeout (on development in the minors). But I still think big-league at-bats, big-league competition, that's development, too."
Imanaga is set to face the Red Sox for the first time. He produced his second quality start in four outings in the finale of a doubleheader against the Miami Marlins on Saturday, when he gave up three runs (two earned) in six innings. He struck out five and without issuing a walk.
"Pitches I thought weren't good definitely got hit, and ones I thought were good were fouled off or taken," Imanaga said.
A two-time Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star in his native Japan, Imanaga pitched the first 18 1/3 innings of his U.S. career without allowing an earned run until the fourth inning of his Saturday start.
"I've been freed from that spell (of allowing an earned run), so I can pitch more relaxed next game," he said.
--Field Level Media
Cubs at Red Sox Friday, at 7:10 PM EST Clear It's expected to be 50° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 8 MPH wind blowing right to left in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 5:22:31 GMT -5
Cubs @ Red Sox Match Ups
Imanga 3-0/ 0.84 vs Crawford 1-0/ 0.66
Saturday/4pm TBD vs Winckowski 1-1/ 4.20
Sunday/ 7pm Wicks 1-2/ 4.70 vs Houck 3-2/ 1.65
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 5:42:59 GMT -5
Why Friday's Red Sox return to Fenway Park is worth paying attention to By Rob Bradford WEEI 93.7 an hour ago
CLEVELAND - The Red Sox' 6-4 loss to the Guardians wasn't a great way for Alex Cora's crew to end its six-game road swing. Some of the sloppiness that had been avoided for the first five contests reappeared, with the day feeling more like survival than legitimate steps forward.
Friday back at Fenway Park, there will be no such innocuous nature.
"I know it’s a tough one, but it doesn’t feel that way," Cora said after the defeat, which was highlighted for the hosts by Jose Ramirez's second-inning grand slam. "Get ready, hop on the plane and be ready for tomorrow."
The manager then added, "We’ve got to go. We’ve got to go. It’s very important."
So, why should Friday night stand out?
For starters, it's the starters.
Understand that why so many believed the Red Sox were making Yoshinobu Yamamoto their top priority, the reality was that they had their more realistic sights set on another Japanese pitcher, Shota Imanaga. Sure, they would have loved to have Yamamoto, but considering the price and competition, the organization understood what a longshot that would be.
Imanaga was a different story.
He was five years older than Yamamoto, and didn't possess the same shock-and-awe success in Japan. But Imanaga had caught Craig Breslow's eye well before the executive became the Red Sox' chief baseball officer. So much so, in fact, that when Breslow did come to Boston he brought with him a level of enthusiasm for the lefty pitcher the Sox front office simply didn't previously possess.
A Zoom call was had with Breslow, Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey and Sox manager Alex Cora, one which appeared to put the Sox in a good position when it came to reeling in Imanaga. But ultimately the Cubs' presentation - which was somewhat built on the work of the current Sox CBO - and a four-year, $53 million deal got Imanaga to Chicago.
Friday night, the Red Sox will get a chance to witness their former target first-hand. Imanaga is slated to make his fifth start of the season, having already made a powerful first impression, giving up just two earned runs in 21 1/3 innings, striking out 21 and walking just two.
"We’ve got a tough one tomorrow (against Imanaga)," Cora said after Thursday's losss. "He’s really good at what he does. But we’ve got to be ready. Friday night at Fenway. Make it fun."
Another part of the equation that should be factored in when finding a reason to prioritize Friday night is who Imanaga is going up against. That would be one of the few starters with an actual ERA better than the Cubs' rookie, Kutter Crawford.
As amazing as Imanaga has been, Crawford's five-start run has been nothing short of incredible. The righty hasn't allowed more than a run in any of his appearances, going at least five frames in each of them.
It is the kind of rare pitching showdown that should sell tickets simply on its own.
And then there is the need to give a reason for baseball fans in and around Boston to care about going to Fenway Park beyond the starters, opponents and touristy experience.
Since the beginning of 2022, the Red Sox are just 85-87 at Fenway, having going 3-7 on their initial homestand of the 2024 season. Last year the record was 39-42. In other words, homefield advantage hasn't really been a thing of late.
If the Red Sox are to find an avenue in staying in contention, there has to be some semblance of juice when it comes to playing in front of the home crowd. And that reset can start against a team in the Cubs that will bring people out just due to the novelty of the North-Siders' presence.
The hope is that Rafael Devers' knee allows him to ultimately start anchor third base once again (although a return to the field most likely won't come until Saturday), the commitment to Ceddanne Rafaela as the team's everyday shortstop, and Tyler O'Neill finding his pre-concussion form will allow for the desired optimism. And, ultimately, as the days progress, closing in on returns from the likes of Nick Pivetta, Brayan Bello and Vaughn Grissom (who is likely to debut during next week's Giants series) will supply an additional boost.
Thursday was easy for the Red Sox to put in the rearview mirror. Now Friday will help define what the road ahead might look like.
It's worth taking a peek.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 5:45:33 GMT -5
Red Sox hope to turn their Fenway fortune on next homestand April 25th, 2024 Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
0:10
1:16
CLEVELAND -- For the Red Sox, a road trip that started with a sweep in Pittsburgh ended with a hard-fought 6-4 loss to the Guardians on Thursday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game series.
All in all, a 4-2 trip represents a success, considering the barrage of injuries that took place over the past week.
“It sucks we lost the series, but we played well,” manager Alex Cora said. “It was a good road trip at 4-2. So now we’ve just got to go home and figure that out.”
Here are three storylines to follow as the Sox head home for a pair of three-game sets against National League foes in the Cubs and Giants.
Some Fenway redemption As Cora said, the Red Sox have to “figure that out,” meaning how to play better at home. They didn’t play well at Fenway in ‘22 (43-38) or ‘23 (39-42), and the first homestand of this season didn’t go well in any way for the Red Sox. They played shoddy defense while dealing with several -- you guessed it -- injuries.
A 3-7 record in the first taste of Fenway Park made the home crowd a little restless.
For the Red Sox to be a contender this season, they need to start owning Fenway again, opening with this next homestand. They will get a challenge right out of the gate, with Japanese rookie lefty Shota Imanaga (3-0, 0.84 ERA). Boston has early-season ace Kutter Crawford and his MLB-leading 0.66 ERA on the mound.
“It’s important,” Cora said of playing well at home. “We’ve got six games. But we’ve just got to play well. That’s what we want. We’ve got Kutter on the mound. He’s been throwing the ball great. Hopefully everybody is available and we can have our A-lineup out there. We’ve got a tough one tomorrow [against Imanaga]. He’s really good at what he does. But we’ve got to be ready. Friday night at Fenway. Make it fun.”
“We want to perform in front of our home fans,” said outfielder Tyler O’Neill. “Our best baseball is ahead of us. I’m looking forward to those crazy offensive games at home. It will be fun to see.”
Raffy getting hot The first homestand wasn’t good for the top hitter in Boston’s lineup, third baseman Rafael Devers. The star slugger went 2-for-16 and only played five of the 10 games due to a left shoulder ailment and then a left knee injury.
If the last two days in Cleveland are any indication, Devers is not only feeling healthier, but he’s gotten back in a groove at the plate, going 6-for-9.
“He’s an anchor in our lineup,” said O’Neill. “We build everything around him. It’s been fun to see him barrel some balls up.”
While the knee injury isn’t something anyone wanted to happen, it might have been beneficial in giving his shoulder the ability to fully heal.
“I know we talked about the knee but I think the shoulder is where it’s supposed to be,” Cora said. “You’ve got to be patient with those guys. You have to be. Because at the end, when they’re healthy or close to 100 percent, that’s what they do.”
Rafaela stabilizes infield The original plan was for Ceddanne Rafaela to try to win a Gold Glove in center field in his rookie season. But things have changed now that shortstop Trevor Story is lost for the season after left shoulder surgery.
Initially, the Sox tried having David Hamilton fill in at short, but that didn’t go well.
Cora made Rafaela the starting shortstop for all six games of the just-completed road trip, and things are going to stay that way for a while.
The entire infield has stabilized since Rafaela took over at short.
“It’s nothing strange or anything that surprises,” Rafaela said. “I’m just here to do my job and do whatever they say and whatever they feel is good for the team. I love both [positions]. I love playing defense. I enjoy playing shortstop too. I take pride when I go on the field and play defense.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 5:52:40 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Ceddanne Rafaela’s defensive prowess makes him the choice to be the Red Sox’ starting shortstop By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated April 25, 2024, 5:53 p.m.
CLEVELAND — Ceddanne Rafaela started at shortstop every day during the Red Sox’ six-game road trip.
Moving forward, you can expect that to stay the case.
When Trevor Story went down with a season-ending shoulder injury, the Red Sox infield was a wreck. Story had impressed not only with his glove work but also his knack for making those around him better. He was the stabilizer.
Though Rafaela doesn’t have the same capabilities, he is still a quality shortstop. And, much like Story, that has a trickle-down effect.
“We’ve been able to slow down the game [with Rafaela at short],” manager Alex Cora said prior to the Sox’ 6-4 loss to the Guardians. “You look at the homestand and there were, like, three bad innings, you know, and we made a big deal out of it. But I think [his] range is real and the arm is different.”
Rafaela, who started 16 games in center field, enhanced the outfield, too. But the Sox were in dire need of his skill set in the dirt. Jarren Duran has improved as a center fielder and is capable of commanding the position.
Plus, the move for Rafaela isn’t a daunting one since he initially signed as an infielder.
“It’s nothing strange. I’ve been doing it for my career,” said Rafaela, who went 0 for 4 with an RBI Thursday. ”I’m just here to do my job, to do whatever they say.”
The bat is still a work in progress. Rafaela is hitting just .163 in 93 plate appearances. He often overswings, gearing up too much for a fastball that is already by him. He also still chases, coming into Thursday with a 44.1 percent chase rate.
But the defense is exceptional. Too exceptional to sit — especially since he’s the best option.
“I love playing defense,” said Rafaela. “I love playing shortstop, too.” Iron man Duran
Duran has played in all 26 games this year.
He entered Thursday leading the American League in plate appearances (117). He’s ahead of the Yankees’ Juan Soto and the Rangers’ Marcus Semien, known as players who hate taking days off.
If you ask Cora, that’s by design.
“I challenged him the other day,” said Cora. “I told him ‘You will play. You tell me [when you need a breather.]’ I think, physically, he can handle it. And he makes us better. We’re pro taking care of players. But if you look around the league, the big boys, the good teams, the teams that are in the playoffs every [year], those dudes, they play. You look at Atlanta, they play.”
Though Duran has struggled at the plate of late, speed never slumps. That ability alone, matched with run-saving defense in the outfield, amplifies the Sox’ athleticism. With Story out for the season, Duran’s tool set, as well as Rafaela’s, becomes even more important.
“It will be good to challenge him, kind of like a change of culture,” said Cora. “I’m all about taking care of players, but there’s something about posting every day that helps you. That’s why they’re everyday players and I think that that’s a good challenge.” Kelly turning heads
Zack Kelly caught Cora’s attention in Wednesday night’s win when he went two innings and struck out three to close out the Guardians. Kelly’s four-seam fastball sat at 96 m.p.h.
“It’s a real 96,” Cora said. “And we don’t have that four-seamer in the bullpen until yesterday.”
If Kelly continues to throw strikes, it will give Cora more wiggle room to mix and match against the opposition depending on their bat paths. The Sox’ bullpen features a lot of pitchers who have a horizontal approach, moving pitches from side to side. But Kelly’s vertical attack is less predictable.
“A lot of guys are east and west and he can go north,” said Cora. “Everything that [everyone] has been talking about with our pitching staff, saying that we don’t throw four-seamers, well, it’s not that we don’t throw them, it’s just the quality of the pitch, and his is a good one.” Injury wire
Nick Pivetta (elbow) will throw a live batting practice Saturday. Garrett Whitlock (oblique strain) is still playing catch. The team will meet Friday to figure out what the next steps might be … Romy González (left wrist sprain) is not progressing as well as the Sox had hoped, and is still experiencing soreness … Vaughn Grissom (groin strain) is progressing well. The Red Sox won’t reinstate him for their upcoming series with the Cubs, but he is getting close. Similar to Whitlock, the organization will meet to discuss the upcoming plan for the second baseman … The Sox begin a three-game set against the Cubs Friday. Here are the pitching matchups: Kutter Crawford vs. Shota Imanaga; Josh Winckowksi vs. TBD; Tanner Houck vs. Jordan Wicks. Imanaga has dominated his opponents. In four starts, he has an 0.84 ERA. Crawford, however, has been better, with an 0.66 ERA in five starts, the best mark in the majors entering Thursday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 5:54:39 GMT -5
Red Sox must leave mental lapses behind and focus on positives as they return home By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated April 25, 2024, 6:08 p.m.
CLEVELAND — Red Sox starter Chase Anderson had just completed his warmup pitches before the bottom of the first inning Thursday and was ready to go.
That’s when Wilyer Abreu and Rob Refsnyder realized they were in the wrong positions.
Abreu jogged from left field to right field, passing Refsnyder along the way. Center fielder Jarren Duran stood watching like a school crossing guard.
That’s not something you see very often. Or, for most of us, ever before.
The pitch timer expired and umpire Scott Barry called an automatic ball on Anderson, an innocent bystander. He retired Stephen Kwan on a popup, so no harm done.
When the players received the lineup Wednesday night, it had Refsnyder in right and Abreu in left. The lineup changed before the game, and that didn’t get communicated.
“I felt terrible,” Refsnyder said. “We didn’t know. I know it didn’t look good.”
Anderson was understandably confused.
“I didn’t know what had happened,” he said. “I threw my first pitch and they said it was ball two.”
In the third inning, Bobby Dalbec took a low fastball from Triston McKenzie and trotted to first base. Only it was ball three, not ball four.
Dalbec returned to the plate and reached on an infield hit. So that worked out well, too.
The Sox had another mental breakdown in the seventh inning. With José Ramírez at third, Chris Martin threw a pitch that catcher Reese McGuire missed for a passed ball.
Ramirez scored. Martin was slow covering the plate. McGuire’s throw back to him went awry and allowed Josh Naylor to advance from second to third.
Naylor tried to score on a fly ball to right field and was thrown out at the plate by Abreu to end the inning.
Good thing he had moved to right field.
You can’t pin a 6-4 loss on any of the aforementioned mistakes. Cleveland got a grand slam from Ramírez in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead and held on. That’s what decided the game.
The Sox had their chance in the sixth inning, cutting the lead to 5-4 with a runner on first and Rafael Devers coming up. He was retired on a fly ball to right field before Refsnyder grounded out.
They were the first of 11 consecutive outs to end the game as Cleveland’s bullpen slammed the door. Emmanuel Clase needed only 12 pitches for the save.
The Sox were 4-2 on their road trip and now play six games at Fenway Park against the Cubs and Giants.
A young roster has been resilient despite a series of injuries. But for the 14-12 Sox to remain interesting, they must play better at home.
They are 3-7 at Fenway this season, 42-49 the last two years.
“We’ve got to go,” manager Alex Cora said. “It’s important. It’s very important. We’ve got six games. Play well, that’s what we want.”
Kutter Crawford, who has allowed two earned runs over 27⅓ innings in five games, is the scheduled starter Friday, followed by Josh Winckowski and Tanner Houck.
Devers is 6 of 9 since returning to the lineup Wednesday after missing five games with a bone bruise in his left knee. Devers, Refsnyder, and Abreu are now the hitters who must carry the team.
A 4-2 homestand after a 4-2 road trip would go far in creating some momentum.
“We’re a lot better than some people think,” Connor Wong said. “We come to the park expecting to win. The starting pitching has been good and the defense is getting better. We’re finding ways.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 13:16:37 GMT -5
Cubs come to Boston to show Red Sox what a real rebuild looks like Jed Hoyer and the Cubs have a plan, which is more than the Red Sox can say. By John Tomase, Red Sox Insider • Published 4 hours ago • Updated 4 hours ago
John Tomase reacts to Tyler O’Neill being placed in ‘concussion protocol’ after colliding with Rafael Devers during Monday’s loss to the Guardians, and why it’s part of a larger issue with the defense stemming from the loss of Trevor Story to injury for the season.
There are two ways to rebuild in the modern big leagues: the meandering Red Sox way, and the let's-make-this-quick Cubs way.
The differing approaches will be on display this weekend when Chicago visits Fenway Park for a three-game set. The similarities are obvious. Both are big-market teams that play in historic ballparks. Both overcame decades of historic failure only relatively recently. Both could commission statues of Theo Epstein.
But that's where the similarities end. Each started rebuilding in 2019 after 84-win seasons. The Red Sox fired Dave Dombrowski and replaced him with the unproven Chaim Bloom to undertake a complete teardown that still feels amorphous under replacement Craig Breslow. The Cubs promoted longtime lieutenant Jed Hoyer after Epstein stepped down, and they prioritized a hybrid rebuild to minimize the pain of too many losing seasons, recognizing that they couldn't tank their way back to contention like the previous title winner did over five long years.
The result? The Cubs were already on the upswing by last summer thanks to a shrewd allocation of resources, and remained in the playoff hunt until the final weekend. They own a 16-9 record today that's among the best in the National League, just a half game behind the Brewers in the division.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, don't seem to know what they are. Ownership famously promised a full-throttle offseason and then delivered the hum of an electric lawnmower on a dying charge. They refused to spend in free agency, stubbornly content to await the promising youngsters currently tearing up Double-A. Maybe Marcelo Mayer and Co. are the next great things, but in the meantime, the big-league product languishes.
They're currently an overachieving 14-12 that feels distinctly temporary, thanks to an avalanche of injuries to the starting rotation. A July 31 sell-off remains a distinct possibility. It didn't have to be this way. Just ask the Cubs.
They knew five years ago that the 2016 championship core had basically expired. They did something about it at the 2021 trade deadline with a breathtakingly bold 24 hours that saw them deal franchise stalwarts Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javier Baez. No running out the clock with Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Nathan Eovaldi, and J.D. Martinez before losing them all for virtually nothing. The Cubs acted.
They received young talent in return, including top prospects Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kevin Alcántara, as well as prized infielder Nick Madrigal. While they've yet to feel much of an impact at the big-league level, those deals were only a part of the rebuild.
The Cubs immediately spent in free agency, signing shortstop Dansby Swanson from the Braves for seven years and $177 million. They identified Swanson as the surest glove in his class, and he rewarded them with his second Gold Glove last year, as well as an All-Star berth. He's already a team leader.
They paired him in the middle with former top prospect Nico Hoerner, who finally broke through in his fifth season at age 26 to win his first Gold Glove while stealing 43 bases. Hoerner is now a linchpin, but it didn't happen overnight. The Red Sox would be wise to consider that learning curve when their own top prospects finally arrive.
The Cubs saw needs and filled them. In addition to Swanson, they bet big on former MVP Cody Bellinger. He overcame three injury-marred seasons with the Dodgers to regain his All-Star form last year, and when agent Scott Boras badly misread the market this winter, the Cubs happily signed him for one year and $30 million. He's still only 28 years old, but he just went on the injured list after breaking two ribs while crashing into the fence.
Then there's Seiya Suzuki. The Cubs bet big on the Japanese outfielder in 2022, signing him to a five-year, $85 million deal, beating out the Red Sox in the process. After an up-and-down debut while getting acclimated to the big leagues, he broke out last year with 20 homers and an .842 OPS. He was off to an even better start this April before landing on the injured list with an oblique strain that's expected to sideline him for a month.
The Red Sox responded to missing out on Suzuki by badly overpaying for Masataka Yoshida, a DH who hasn't even been able to crack the everyday lineup with multiple regulars injured. His $90 million contract has Rusney Castillo potential.
The Cubs never stopped developing their own players, with no success story more pronounced than left-hander Justin Steele. Drafted out of high school in 2014, he spent seven years in the minors, underwent Tommy John surgery, and finally debuted in 2021. He went 16-5 last year and is currently rehabbing a hamstring strain.
Nowhere is the difference between the two clubs more apparent than in Friday night's marquee pitching matchup between the two biggest surprises in baseball.
The Red Sox will hand the ball to Kutter Crawford, a homegrown talent drafted by Dombrowski and developed by Bloom who leads baseball with a 0.66 ERA. The Red Sox needed starters this winter, but declined to engage with anyone of note once they got blown out of the Yoshinobu Yamamoto sweepstakes. They rather weakly pivoted to how great they felt about their internal options, who have all exceeded expectations to varying degrees, but none more than Crawford.
The Cubs counter with Shōta Imanaga, who's exactly the kind of pitcher the Red Sox could've targeted this winter with just a little more belief in the current roster. Chicago landed the left-hander for a paltry two years and $22.5 million, plus two team options. All he has done is go 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA.
There's one final difference between the clubs, and that's how they've approached their managers. The Cubs liked David Ross, but when the opportunity came to steal Craig Counsell from the rival Brewers, they didn't hesitate, giving him $40 million over five years and making him the richest manager in history.
The Red Sox have not shown that kind of love to Alex Cora, allowing him to enter a lame-duck season with the possibility that he becomes the hottest name on the market this winter. One club acted decisively, while the other dithered.
And that sums up the difference between the two organizations overall. The Cubs have a plan, and it involves developing young players while giving the big-league club the resources to compete. At some point, maybe the Red Sox will belatedly reach the same conclusion.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 13:28:22 GMT -5
Game 27: Cubs at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Matt Pepin Globe Staff,Updated April 26, 2024, 8:54 a.m. The Red Sox begin a six-game homestand Friday when they welcome the Cubs to Fenway Park, and on paper the opener looks like a pitching duel. Boston righthander Kutter Crawford has somehow avoided the injury bug that has struck the starting rotation and leads the majors in ERA at 0.66 through five starts. Crawford will be opposed by Chicago lefthander Shota Imanaga, who is 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA through four starts. Imanaga is 30 years old and in his first season in MLB after playing pro ball in Japan from 2016-2023. He has allowed one home run and just four runs in 21 innings. The Red Sox will also look to sustain the momentum of a 4-2 road trip. After sweeping Pittsburgh, the Red Sox dropped two of three in Cleveland, including Thursday’s series finale. Here’s a preview of Friday’s game. Lineups CUBS (16-9): Nico Hoerner (R) 2B Mike Tauchman (L) RF Ian Happ (S) LF Christopher Morel (R) 3B Michael Busch (L) 1B Dansby Swanson (R) SS Matt Mervis (L) DH Miguel Amaya (R) C Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF Pitching: LHP Shota Imanaga (3-0, 0.84 ERA) RED SOX (14-12): Jarren Duran (L) CF Tyler O'Neill (R) RF Rob Refsnyder (R) LF Rafael Devers (L) DH Connor Wong (R) C Pablo Reyes (R) 3B Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B Enmanuel Valdez (L) 2B Ceddanne Rafaela (R) SS Pitching: RHP Kutter Crawford (1-0, 0.66 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Cubs vs. Crawford: Michael Busch 0-2, Yan Gomes 0-2, Ian Happ 0-3, Nico Hoerner 0-2, Christopher Morel 0-3, Mike Tauchman 1-1 Red Sox vs. Imanaga: Has not faced any Boston batters Stat of the day: Crawford’s ERA is the best by a Red Sox starter since Roger Clemens had a 0.66 mark through his first five starts in 1991. Notes: In Crawford’s only career career appearance against the Cubs last July, he struck out nine across six innings of scoreless, one-hit ball to get the victory ... The Red Sox are 3-7 at home this season, but aim to improve that during this homestand. “We’ve got six games [at home], but we’ve just got to play well. That’s what we want,” manager Alex Cora said. “We’ve got a tough [matchup against Imanaga]. He’s really good at what he does. But we’ve got to be ready. Friday night at Fenway. Make it fun.” ... Rafael Devers went 6 for 13 as the designated hitter in the Cleveland series, collecting three hits in each of the last two games. He could return to third base by the end of the Chicago series as he recovers from a knee injury. ... The Cubs completed their second sweep of 2024 with a 3-1 win over Houston Thursday to cap a three-game set. Chicago has won nine of its last 12 games ... Chicago rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a go-ahead, two-run home run Thursday to snap a 0-for-16 streak to open his career ... Imanaga delivered his second quality start in four outings in the finale of a doubleheader against the Marlins Saturday, when he gave up three runs (two earned) in six innings. He struck out five and did not give up a walk. Song of the Day: U2 - Even Better Than The Real Thing www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTxrgXWToZA&list=RDvTxrgXWToZA&start_radio=1
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 14:21:37 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo They're not going to play Yoshida in the outfield. They're facing a lefty tonight and don't want Devers to play 3B. So that's that.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 15:21:29 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier Vaughn Grissom will play 9 innings on Saturday and Sunday in Triple-A, with possible activation on Tuesday.
Pivetta could have a rehab start next week.
Yoshida, Cora said, could be back in the lineup tomorrow, with a good chance Devers is able to play 3B. 5:09 PM · Apr 26, 2024 · 3,238 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 16:57:48 GMT -5
The Analytic team is awesome
Red Sox lineup: Masataka Yoshida and Boston’s hottest hitter not starting
Updated: Apr. 26, 2024, 3:09 p.m.|Published: Apr. 26, 2024, 3:07 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — Left-handed batter Wilyer Abreu, one of Boston’s hottest hitters, is not in the starting lineup against Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga here Friday.
The Red Sox and Cubs will play at 7:10 p.m. at Fenway Park. Boston is returning from a 4-2 road trip. It swept a three-game series at Pittsburgh, then lost two of three games at Cleveland.
Abreu is batting .307 with a .389 on-base percentage, .516 slugging percentage and .905 OPS in 72 plate appearances. He went 12-for-24 with two homers and four doubles on the six-game road trip but he mainly starts against right-handers. He has taken only 10 at-bats against left-handed pitchers this year.
Jarren Duran will play center field and lead off. Rob Refsnyder is in left field and Tyler O’Neill will play right field.
DH Masataka Yoshida again is not in the lineup with Rafael Devers again DH’ing. Devers (knee) is expected to need until at least Saturday before playing third base.
Imanaga, who the Red Sox were rumored to be interested in this past offseason, will start for the Cubs. He has allowed just two earned runs in 21 ⅓ innings (0.84 ERA). Opponents are batting .175 against him.
Imanaga signed with the Cubs out of Japan for four years, $53 million.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 17:07:03 GMT -5
Christopher Smith @smittyonmlb Nick Pivetta will throw a live BP on Saturday (50 pitches).
Alex Cora said Red Sox 2B Vaughn Grissom is scheduled to play nine innings both Saturday and Sunday for Worcester. Cora called it "the last hurdle probably." "As far as like the time, we're almost there," Cora said.
Red Sox reliever Isaiah Campbell "is feeling better" and has played catch up to 90 feet, Alex Cora said
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 18:06:06 GMT -5
Another Dress Like a Seat Night.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 18:20:43 GMT -5
Got a buddy of mine a Jays fan who is in Toronto for the Jays/ Dodgers Ohtani boo'd all pregame just unloaded a massive dinger to start the game......hahahaha
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 26, 2024 18:40:07 GMT -5
Crawford command in the 2nd is shit single, 2B, HBP and another single plates a run down 2-0 in the 2nd and nice to hear some boos early.
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