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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 5:40:53 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Strong possibility Red Sox righthander Garrett Whitlock is headed for elbow surgery By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated May 20, 2024, 10:24 p.m.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Garrett Whitlock has damage to his elbow ligament and there is a strong possibility he will need surgery.
Whitlock is scheduled to see Dr. Jeffrey Dugas at the Andrews Sports Medicine Orthopaedic Center in Alabama this week. It’s uncertain whether the 27-year-old Red Sox righthander will need a second Tommy John surgery or a revision of the procedure he had in 2019.
“We’ve been through this path before. I know it sounds harsh but we’ve got to turn the page,” manager Alex Cora said Monday night. “It sucks for the kid. He’s been through a lot.”
Whitlock was placed on the injured list April 17 with an oblique strain. He pitched 4⅔ shutout innings in a rehabilitation start for Triple A Worcester last week and felt forearm pain afterward.
Whitlock was taken in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft by the Sox and is 18-11 since with a 3.39 ERA and nine saves.
The Sox signed Whitlock to a four-year $18.75 million extension before the 2022 season.
“He’s a strong individual and I know that he’ll get through it,” said Sox starter Tanner Houck, who is one of Whitlock’s closest friends. “He’ll be back and better than ever.”
Whitlock had a 1.96 ERA through four starts and looked to be fulfilling what has long been regarded as vast potential. Now he is facing what will likely be another long layoff. Not throwing away his shot
The Sox are taking another look at David Hamilton. And this time they like what they see.
The 26-year-old middle infielder was in the lineup for the fourth time in six games for a 5-0 win over the Rays. He played second base, and was 1 for 4 with a stolen base and a run scored.
Hamilton is 6 of his last 15 with four extra-base hits, three runs scored and three RBIs.
“It feels good to get a chance like this,” he said.
Hamilton was called up April 6 and started only 10 games over 27 days, getting 42 plate appearances and hitting .211. He has since started six games and come off the bench three times, hitting .311 with four extra-base hits.
Hamilton will likely play shortstop either Tuesday or Wednesday.
“He’s here. We cannot forget about him,” Cora said. “He got here, he wasn’t playing good defense [and] there were a lot of off days. Then the roster changed and we’ve got to get these guys at-bats.
“We’re going to find ways to use him. If not, he’s not going to be here.”
Hamilton said his biggest adjustment in recent weeks has been mental. He’s learned how to move on from poor games and re-set before the next day.
“I’ve had to get better at that,” he said. “You can’t let one bad at-bat linger into the next one. One of the biggest things is just feeling comfortable being part of the team.”
Hamilton has excellent range because of his speed. The coaches have worked with him on catching the ball cleanly once he tracks it down.
“He’s more comfortable; he’s made some good plays,” Cora said. “He’s been able to slow it down.” Mata on to Portland
Righthander Bryan Mata will have his rehab assignment shifted to Double A Portland for a three-inning stint Thursday morning against Hartford.
The 25-year-old has been on the injured list since spring training with a right hamstring strain.
“We’re going to stretch him out,” Cora said.
Mata is out of minor league options and his 30-day rehabilitation assignment will end June 11. The Sox would have to add Mata to the major league roster or take him off the 40-man roster at that point.
Mata, who was signed out of Venezuela in 2016, has yet to appear in a major league game. Once a valued prospect, he has a 6.39 ERA over 11 games and 31 innings the last two seasons.
Cora said the intent is not to use Mata as a starter but in a multi-inning role. Maddox arrest
Former Red Sox righthander Austin Maddox was arrested in Florida as part of an underage sex sting, authorities announced Monday.
Maddox, 33, was one of 27 people arrested as part of a multi-agency operation late last month. They are accused of soliciting sex over the internet from people who they believed were children, the Associated Press reported.
Defense attorney James Hill said Maddox intends to fight the allegations and will enter a plea of not guilty should formal charges be filed. Maddox was charged with four felony counts and is being held on a $300,000 bond.
Maddox was a 2012 draft pick who appeared in 13 games in 2017 and was released in 2019. Rematch on top
Cooper Criswell will face Zack Littell Tuesday in a rematch from last Thursday’s game at Fenway Park won by the Rays, 7-5. Criswell is a former Tampa Bay righthander the Sox signed as a free agent and have made into a serviceable option. Littell appeared in two games for the Sox last season and allowed three runs in three innings before being designated for assignment. The Rays claimed the righthander off waivers and he 5-8 with a 3.75 earned run average in 35 games since … The Rays plan to bring Ryan Pepiot off the injured list to start Wednesday. He has been out since May 6 after being hit on left leg by a line drive. He is 3-2 with a 3.68 ERA in seven starts … The Sox are wearing a green ribbon on their jerseys during the series to join the Rays in recognizing Mental Health Awareness Month.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 5:44:52 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs.Tampa Bay Rays
Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 6:50pm EDT Written by Paul Biagioli
Two AL East teams continue their rivalry on Tuesday when the Boston Red Sox (23-24, 4th AL East) take on the Tampa Bay Rays (25-23, 3rd AL East). This will be the second of a three-game series, as the first game was played on Monday night (Note: This article was published before Monday's results). These teams just met for a four-game series last week, with the Rays winning three of the games in Boston. The Red Sox will start Cooper Criswell (2.76 ERA) while the Rays are sending out Zack Littell (3.44 ERA). First pitch will be at 6:50 EST from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Sox Fall Under .500 The Boston Red Sox have lost four of their last five games coming into this matchup with Tampa Bay, and have fallen under .500 with a 23-24 record. They have surprisingly been better on the road, where they have a 13-11 record. They lost the first two games of their most recent series against the Cardinals, but were able to grab a win in the final game in St. Louis. In that game, Tyler O'Neill set the tone with a first inning home run, and the Red Sox never looked back as they won 11-3.
O'Neill leads the team in home runs with 11 on the season, and has been batting third as the DH in recent lineups. He has 17 RBIs and is batting .263 at the plate, and can play right or left field when necessary. O'Neill is leading the team in home runs, but he might not for long is Rafael Devers keeps up his current streak. Coming into this series with Tampa, Devers has hit a home run in each of his last five games, bringing his total up to nine for the season. The third baseman has been batting in the cleanup spot with a team-high .285 batting average while adding 21 RBIs. The team leader in RBIs is Ceddanne Rafaela with 23, he also has four home runs but is only batting .192. Rafaela can play multiple positions in the field, just last game he was at shortstop, third base, and center field in different innings. Jarren Duran is their leadoff hitter, the outfielder leads the team in hits with 52, with two home runs and 19 RBIs.
Cooper Criswell will make his seventh start of the season, the 27-year old right-hander has a 2-1 record, and the team has gone 4-1 in his last five starts. He has a 2.76 ERA and has 28 strikeouts to seven walks, and has allowed five home runs on the year. His last start came against this Tampa Bay squad, he gave up three earned runs and a home run to Rafael Devers in the 7-5 loss.
Tampa Looks to Build Lead on Boston The Tampa Bay Rays recently jumped the Red Sox in the AL East standings, and hope to keep Boston below them. They did so by beating Boston in three out of four games in their recent series, the Tampa won their subsequent series against the Blue Jays, while the Sox lost theirs to the Cardinals. The Tampa Bay offense enjoys playing Boston, in their four game series, Tampa scored at least four runs in every game. In their most recent game, Isaac Parades had a two-run home run in the ninth inning, but they still lost 5-2 to the Blue Jays.
Parades leads the Tampa offense in five statistical categories. He leads in home runs (9), RBIs (26), hits (50), batting average (.309) and OBP (.389). Parades plays third base, and has been batting fifth in recent lineups. Randy Arozarena has been their other power hitter, he has eight home runs on the year, but is only batting .158 at the plate. He has 18 RBIs and has been batting third and playing left field. Jose Caballero is their shortstop, he leads the team in steals with 17, while adding two home runs and 14 RBIs from the bottom spot in the order. Their leadoff hitter is first baseman Yandy Diaz, he has three home runs and 23 RBIs to go with a .259 batting average.
Zack Littell is a 28-year old right-hander making his tenth start of the season. He has a 2-2 record, and the team has gone 3-2 in his last five starts. He has 48 strikeouts to just eight walks, and has allowed four home runs on the season. His last start was the same as Criswell's last start for Boston, Littell pitched 5.0 innings in that game and gave up four earned runs, including a home run to Josh Lowe.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 6:44:55 GMT -5
Red Sox star Rafael Devers looks to stay hot in rematch vs. Rays FLM
The Boston Red Sox will look to extend their winning streak to three games on Tuesday night when they continue their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.
In Boston's 5-0 series-opening win on Monday, Rafael Devers set a franchise record by homering for the sixth straight game, smashing the record set by six others, including Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx.
"He's understanding who he is in the lineup," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Devers, who has 10 homers for the season. "You look up and the numbers are impressive. ... Shoot, I can't remember how many games in a row I got hits."
The Red Sox won for just the fifth time in the past 18 games on Florida's Gulf Coast.
In reaching .500 through 48 games, Boston moved to just 2-6 in American League East matchups.
Before being shut out for the second time this season, the Rays received the news that they would be without staff ace Zach Eflin (lower back inflammation) after he was placed on the 15-day injured list.
"No doubt, it's unfortunate," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. "His back flared up at the end of his outing in Toronto (Saturday). I think this is similar to something he felt last year. If it is, it's a good sign for us because he bounced right back.
"He (won't) throw for a week or so and see how that goes. (His return is) anywhere in two to four weeks, I'm guessing, but it'll all be symptom-driven."
After earning a no-decision Thursday in Boston, Tampa Bay's Zack Littell on Tuesday will face the Red Sox in a rematch with Red Sox starter Cooper Criswell. Both are right-handers.
Littell (2-2, 3.44 ERA) pitched in relief on two occasions for Boston in 2023 before being designated for assignment. He then was purchased by the Texas Rangers on May 5, 2023 before being selected off waivers by the Rays one week later.
In one start and one relief outing against his former club, Littell is 1-0 with a 5.14 ERA. He surrendered a solo homer to Devers in Thursday's 7-5 win.
Criswell will look to rebound from his worst start but may have a little more incentive in coming back to pitch against Tampa Bay.
Criswell (2-1, 2.76 ERA) pitched the previous two seasons for the Rays, logging a 1-1 mark and a 5.45 ERA while making 10 of his 11 appearances for Cash's club out of the bullpen.
However, Criswell has found his role in the Boston rotation despite allowing five runs (three earned) in 3 2/3 innings in Thursday's defeat in his first career outing against the Rays. One of the four hits surrendered was a two-run homer to Josh Lowe.
Across 29 1/3 innings over seven appearances (six starts) overall this season, Criswell has found success primarily by limiting baserunners. That has resulted in a 1.09 WHIP, with the opposition batting just .225.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 12:50:21 GMT -5
With Garrett Whitlock out, his COVID dog park throwing partner gets a chance
Published: May. 21, 2024, 12:10 p.m.
By
Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The gutting news that Garrett Whitlock has damage in his elbow ligament and will likely require surgery is a crushing blow for both the Red Sox and a well-liked player who has battled more than his fair share of injury and tragedy in recent years. The season isn’t about to stop, however. There are still games to be played and for the Red Sox, a rotation spot that needs to be filled.
That spot, for the foreseeable future, will go to righty Cooper Criswell, who will get a prolonged opportunity to be part of the starting five with Whitlock unlikely to pitch again this year. In a twist of fate, Criswell will be replacing a good friend and offseason throwing partner who he first met in a chance encounter in a neighborhood dog park in Birmingham, Alabama in 2020.
While the minor leagues were shut down due to COVID-19, Whitlock and his wife, Jordan, were walking their dog at a local park at the same time Criswell and his then-fiancé, Alex, were there. Professional intuition took over for Whitlock, who, having played baseball his whole life, was suspicious of the 6-foot-6, athletic looking stranger he had encountered.
“He stopped me. You know how it is,” Criswell said late Monday at Tropicana Field. “He was like, ‘Isn’t that a team-issued spring training shirt? Do you play ball?’ I told him I had just gotten drafted in ‘18 and just gotten sent home for the COVID stuff. He was coming off Tommy John, actually. We met then and exchanged numbers and started throwing probably that next week.”
Whitlock had undergone Tommy John surgery in July 2019 while at Double-A at the Yankees’ system and was ramping up his throwing program back home while Criswell, a former 13th-round pick out of the University of North Carolina, had only gotten to High-A as a 22-year-old in the Angels system in 2019. They threw together at the park for a period of time before Whitlock successfully recruited Criswell to join him at Tinsley Performance, a training facility in Pelham, Alabama. Both have trained there during the offseason for the last few years along with other pros, including Sox pitching prospect Richard Fitts.
When Fitts found out he had been traded from the Yankees to the Red Sox for outfielder Alex Verdugo during a facility Christmas dinner in December, all eyes turned to Criswell, who was deep in negotiations with the Red Sox after being designated for assignment by Tampa Bay. The hope among the group was that Criswell would be the next member of the “Tinsley Red Sox,” with Whitlock knowing there was a possibility they’d be on the same staff in 2024.
“We were working out and I was going through the process,” Criswell said. “I told him the Red Sox were a team very interested.”
Criswell agreed to sign with the Sox in mid-December and spent the rest of the winter throwing at Tinsley, along with Whitlock and Fitts, until spring training started in mid-February. Despite a strong camp, Criswell started the year at Triple-A Worcester before being called up on April 13 once Nick Pivetta hit the injured list with a flexor strain. For more than a month, Criswell has been part of a Sox rotation that has missed not just Pivetta and Whitlock but also Brayan Bello, who was briefly sidelined with right lat tightness. The results have exceeded expectations with the righty posting a 2.67 ERA in 27 innings over six starts; the Sox have gone 5-1 in those games. Criswell starts Tuesday night at Tropicana Field opposite righty Zack Littell.
Boston was expected to have a decision to make on Criswell with Whitlock expected to rejoin the rotation Monday before experiencing elbow tightness following a rehab start in Worcester last week. That decision, in an unfortunate way, has taken care of itself. It’ll be Criswell who fills the fifth spot in the rotation behind Bello, Pivetta, Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck permanently. That the opportunity came at the expense of a friend’s health makes the situation a bittersweet one.
“First and foremost, you feel for Whit,” Criswell said. “He’s a good dude, great friend, a great teammate and a hard-ass worker. When I talked to him, I told him, ‘It sucks, man.’ I feel like all the bad injuries happen to guys who work the hardest. I just tried to tell him that if there’s one positive, with a son on the way, obviously he’s not born yet, but try to enjoy that time because it’s time he’ll never get back.
“Obviously, all of us are going to be there for him. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s gonna be there for all of us, cheering us on.”
While Houck and Crawford have gotten headlines for their transformations into staff horses under new pitching coach Andrew Bailey, there was a sense during spring training that Whitlock, armed with new pitches and a new perspective on his career, could be the Red Sox pitcher to take the biggest leap forward in 2024.
“It was unreal,” Criswell said. “Even the start of the season he had was unreal. He was in a great place, throwing everything for strikes. His velo was creeping back up, too. Even the rehab start, they had it playing on replay. He looked nasty.”
For now, though, Criswell will get an extended chance to show the Red Sox what he can do.
“Obviously, it’s a nice opportunity. Hopefully, I can continue the momentum,” he said. “I have no doubt that Whit will be one of the loudest guys in there cheering me on.
“Small world, man. I’m gonna be there for him in any way I can and try to pick his spirits up.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 12:57:37 GMT -5
Game 49: Red Sox at Rays lineups and notes. Will Rafael Devers go deep again?By Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated May 21, 2024, 9:57 a.m. The Red Sox find themselves on a two-game winning streak after one of their more impressive outings, coming away with a 5-0 win over the Rays Monday night. Rafael Devers continued his home run streak, extending it to a franchise-record six games, the most in MLB since Mike Trout homered in seven straight games in September of 2022. Tanner Houck allowed just two hits in seven innings for the win. The series continues Tuesday with another rematch on the mound. Cooper Criswell gets the start after having his worst outing with the Red Sox in Thursday’s 7-5 loss at Fenway. He threw a career-high 100 pitches in just 3 ⅔ innings while allowing five runs, three of which were earned. He appeared to be on his way to the bullpen, but with Garrett Whitlock possibly headed for surgery on his elbow, he will remain in the rotation. Zach Littell, who did not get a decision in Thursday’s win, will get the nod for the Rays. Lineups RED SOX (24-24): Jarren Duran (L) LF Wilyer Abreu (L) RF Tyler O'Neill (R) DH Rafael Devers (L) 3B Dominic Smith (L) 1B David Hamilton (L) SS Reese McGuire (L) C Vaughn Grissom (R) 2B Ceddanne Rafaela (R) CF Pitching: RHP Cooper Criswell (2-1, 2.76 ERA) RAYS (25-24): Josh Lowe (L) DH Randy Arozarena (R) LF Brandon Lowe (L) 2B Isaac Paredes (R) 3B Jonathan Aranda (L) 1B Amed Rosario (R) SS Richie Palacios (L) RF Jose Siri (R) CF Alex Jackson (R) C Pitching: RHP Zack Littell (2-2, 3.44 ERA) Time: 6:50 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Littell: Wilyer Abreu 0-3, Garrett Cooper 2-3, Rafael Devers 1-3, Jarren Duran 2-3, Vaughn Grissom 1-2, Reese McGuire 0-3, Tyler O’Neill 2-8, Ceddanne Rafaela 0-2, Rob Refsnyder 1-3, Dominic Smith 2-5 Rays vs. Criswell: Jonathan Aranda 0-1, Randy Arozarena 1-2, José Caballero 0-2, Yandy Díaz 0-3, Josh Lowe 1-2, Richie Palacios 0-2, Isaac Paredes 1-2, Ben Rortvedt 1-2, Jose Siri 0-0 Stat of the day: The Red Sox have homered in a season-high eight consecutive games and nine of their last 10, compared to three of the previous 13. Notes: Criswell pitched the previous two seasons for the Rays, logging a 1-1 mark and a 5.45 ERA while making 10 of his 11 appearances out of the bullpen. He has allowed two or fewer earned runs in six of his seven outings this season. … Littell made two relief appearances for the Red Sox in 2023 before being designated for assignment. In one start and one relief outing against his former club, Littell is 1-0 with a 5.14 ERA. … Prior to Monday’s win, the Red Sox had dropped 15 of their previous 16 games at Tropicana Field. Song of the Day: The Eagles " In the City" www.youtube.com/watch?v=J39LK_wDzKw
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Post by Kimmi on May 21, 2024 14:41:40 GMT -5
Time to change that Red Sox. How about winning Game 1 and taking a series? Thank you in advance. Off to a good start. Let's keep it rolling.
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Post by Kimmi on May 21, 2024 14:43:47 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe Sox break up a perfect game with 8 strikeouts with a triple and a double off Taj Bradey.
Rafael Devers with an artistic bat flip as he homers for the 6th consecutive game. 3-0 Sox.I tell you what, those first three innings the Red Sox batters looked as hapless as I've ever seen a line up look. I don't know what happened in the 4th inning, but I'll take it. A lot of success going the other way. We need to stop trying to pull the ball and go with the pitch.
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Post by Kimmi on May 21, 2024 14:46:04 GMT -5
.”Why Rafael Devers’ record-setting HR wasn’t his favorite part of Red Sox win
Published: May. 21, 2024, 12:27 a.m. By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Believe it or not, Rafael Devers’ record-setting home run in the fourth inning of Monday’s win wasn’t the highlight of his night. In Devers’ mind, the home run — his sixth in as many games, setting a franchise record — was a cool accomplishment. But it wasn’t as meaningful as a rare 6-5-3 double play the Red Sox turned in the seventh inning of a 5-0 victory. That was an awesome play. Awesome. Houck's performance should be highlighted as well.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 16:43:17 GMT -5
Mac Cerullo @maccerullo For fans who enjoyed having Sunday's game on a streaming service, I have good news.
Friday night's tilt between the Red Sox and Brewers will be exclusively available on AppleTV+. 3:13 PM · May 21, 2024 · 2,282 Views
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 17:58:38 GMT -5
This Rays broadcast is as clunky and bad as NESN
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 18:04:29 GMT -5
Criswell looking like Charlie Brown in the 1rst 2-0 Rays quickly 2 still on base 1 out.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 18:35:31 GMT -5
Criswell showing some onions here and gets past the next 2 innings 2-1 Rays in the 3rd
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 19:02:18 GMT -5
Littel tried to sneak a cutter past Duran and Jarren smoked that tater over the wall 7 game hitting streak for him
Tied at 2 in the 6th
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 19:09:20 GMT -5
Criswell takes the bump n the 6th he after the 1rst retired 11 straight Rays at one point. Like how he fought back. started this inning at 67 pitches.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 21, 2024 19:13:33 GMT -5
shit, I jinxed him Parades singles, and out comes Cora with the hook. Booser on the Bump 1 out Man on 1B
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