|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 23, 2024 20:09:09 GMT -5
Red Sox to test small-ball style against Brewers FLM
Jarren Duran and the Boston Red Sox will look to remain hot Friday when they open a three-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers.
The Red Sox are coming off six-game road trip that ended with four straight wins, including a three-game sweep against Tampa Bay. The Red Sox had lost three of four to the Rays from May 13-16 before going on the road.
"We played well against them (the Rays) last week, we just didn't win the games," Boston manager Alex Cora said. "... We did a lot of good things throughout the road trip. We put the ball in play and it started in St. Louis. Infield hit, infield hit and we score a bunch.
"In this business, everybody wants to hit the ball out of the ballpark. In certain moments, you have to put the ball in play. ... We're going to keep preaching that."
Duran went 1-for-5 in Wednesday's 8-5 victory over Tampa Bay to extend his hitting streak to eight games. He has two home runs and two triples during that stretch. Duran leads the team in base hits with 55 this season.
Boston had four stolen bases in a 5-2 victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday and collected five singles in a five-run fifth inning during Wednesday's 8-5 win.
"They changed the rules for this type of baseball," Cora said. "It's not that we're gonna run crazy out there, but you need athletic guys to win it and to be competitive at this level. Why? Because not all the time you're going to hit. You're not going to hit the ball out of the ballpark all the time, but you can do the other stuff. You can play defense every day. And speed is not going to slump."
Milwaukee has lost three of four and was held to four hits in Wednesday's 1-0 loss to Miami. Marlins starter Jesus Luzardo limited Milwaukee to three hits in eight innings.
"You give up one run in eight innings of pitching, you plan on winning the game," Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. "(Luzardo) was great. We didn't get on him at all. He was all over us all night ahead in the count. Pitched great.
"We couldn't come up with the big hit at the big time, but again, credit their guy. ... Every team in Major League Baseball can beat every team in Major League Baseball. We've learned that over time."
Friday's pitching matchup features a pair of right-handers in Milwaukee's Bryse Wilson (2-1, 2.79 ERA) and Boston's Kutter Crawford (2-2, 2.17).
Wilson has no record in three career appearances (one start) against Boston. He has allowed five runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings against the Red Sox.
Crawford allowed one hit and struck out two in two innings of relief during his only career appearance against the Brewers on April 22, 2023. He did not factor in the decision.
Boston will play 15 of its next 22 games at home.
--Field Level Media
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 23, 2024 20:12:47 GMT -5
SP Probables
Friday, 7pm Wilson 2-1/ 2.79 vs Crawford 2-2/ 2.17 ( Being Aired on Apple TV)
Saturday, 4pm, Rea 3-2/ 4.07 vs Pivetta 2-2/ 3.04
Sunday, 1:30pm, TBD vs Houck 4-5/ 1.94
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 24, 2024 5:03:13 GMT -5
What’s up with that unorthodox Kutter Crawford pitching motion? By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated May 23, 2024, 5:13 p.m.
While pitching deliveries typically offer something akin to a unique fingerprint, Kutter Crawford’s throwing motion deserves its own designation. What to call it?
“I call it this little chicken wing kind of thing,” Crawford said sheepishly.
Not good enough.
After all, the way that Crawford fires the ball generates both a confounding look for hitters and seemingly considerable power to his pitches. When he winds, he raises his bare hand in his glove to his face, then draws his right hand back just a few inches behind his ear before unleashing a mix of cutters, four-seamers, sweepers, and splitters from his compact motion.
“It’s kind of like how Little League coaches teach catchers how to throw — just cock it back and fire it,” said Rays manager Kevin Cash. “You don’t see that. You’re not going to teach a guy to do it, I don’t think. But maybe in five years, we’ll say, ‘Hey, maybe we should start telling guys to do that.’ ”
Crawford looks like a boxer cocking his arm for a punch, an archer drawing the string of his bow. Thought of another way, the short arm action with the way his hand clamps the ball in some ways resembles the compact, clawing arms of a Jurassic World-style raptor.
“That hits the nail on the head,” said Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito, also a practitioner of the short-armed claw.
Descriptions aside, how did Crawford end up with such a motion, and how has it contributed to his emergence as one of the most effective pitchers in the big leagues to this point in 2024?
Since the start of his professional career, Crawford has had a relatively compact motion, but it looked very different at the start of his minor league career following his selection out of Florida Gulf Coast University in the 16th round of the 2017 draft.
At that time, he would pull the ball from his glove below the letters, then draw his right hand back behind his hip before a full arm swing.
Crawford emerged as a pitcher with some promise while posting a 26 percent strikeout rate, but his walk rate was a bit high and his stuff a bit light to project as more than a depth starter by the middle of 2019, when a torn ulnar collateral ligament ended his season and ultimately required Tommy John surgery.
With the interruption to his career, Crawford and the Sox didn’t seek to simply have him pick up where he’d left off. They wanted to improve his direction to the plate and tighten his delivery to improve both his control and the power behind his stuff. While other pitchers such as Giolito and Jalen Beeks also employed a ball-to-ear throwing motion, Crawford didn’t pursue such a delivery by design.
“It just happened,” said Crawford. “Through [rehab], my goal was to shorten up, and I think in ‘21, pre-TJ to post-TJ in ‘21, I was definitely shorter, but I wasn’t this short. I didn’t have any intentions of trying to make it even shorter, straight to my ear.
“There’s times where I do think it gets too short. There’s times where I feel my hand hit my neck. It’s insane. But it’s just something that kind of happened. I had no intention of making my arm path that short.
“I see myself throwing now and I’m like, ‘I don’t know how that happened.’ It’s kind of weird. But it’s working.”
As Crawford returned from Tommy John surgery while pitching in Double A Portland and Triple A Worcester in 2021, he saw steady across-the-board improvements: strike-throwing, velocity, movement.
Moreover, with the more compact delivery, Crawford found that his body, especially his shoulder, rebounded more easily from starts. Given all of that progress, the Sox weren’t going to question what was happening with his delivery.
“Honestly, ever since I’ve gone shorter, I haven’t really had a whole lot of issues with [the shoulder] — knock on wood,” said Crawford. “I don’t know if it’s a little bit more efficient for the timing and sequencing of my body and everything. Maybe my body’s a little bit more receptive of that and more efficient.
“But it’s just something that’s kind of happened and nobody said, ‘Hey, let’s try to lengthen you back out.’ ”
And why would they? After all, Crawford has developed a diverse mix of pitches that he uses to carve different areas of the strike zone in a way that is often an unsolved riddle for hitters.
Giolito can relate — to a point. He struggled early in his career, overhauled his mechanics after the 2018 season, and emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball from 2019-21.
“It changed my career,” said Giolito. “The feedback from hitters is they’re not really seeing the ball until it’s coming out. It gets on you. He’s doing the same exact thing.
“I’m envious of him because he’s able to cut the ball, which I’m not able to do. He’s got the sweeper and the cutter and then he’s got his split-change. The stuff is magnificent. And then just adding that little hitch in there to hide the ball, it’s super-effective.”
“Whatever he does with his arm stroke, it creates as late of action with pitches coming into the zone as any of our hitters see,” agreed Cash.
The combination of a unique delivery and terrific pitch shapes has led to spectacular results. Entering his start against the Brewers Friday, Crawford has a 2.17 ERA — eighth-best in the big leagues — while limiting hard contact.
Just 32 percent of the balls in play against him have been hit with an exit velocity of 95 m.p.h. or greater, the 10th-best mark among starters. And he’s allowed just 0.5 homers per nine innings, the seventh-lowest mark.
Given that success, Crawford isn’t about to retreat from what he does. But he’ll have to start accepting that his motion deserves a more formidable title than “this little chicken wing kind of thing.”
“ ‘The Raptor’ is definitely [more impressive] than that,” he acknowledged.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 24, 2024 5:05:34 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick, a star at BC, returns home for his first pro appearance at Fenway Park By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated May 23, 2024, 6:16 p.m.
Once an American League East foe of the Red Sox, the Milwaukee Brewers were moved to the National League in 1998 and have been back to Fenway Park only four times since.
They return for a three-game interleague series starting Friday night in what will be a homecoming for outfielder Sal Frelick.
The 24-year-old was a first-round pick out of Boston College in 2021. Frelick made his major league debut in 2023 and has started 41 of Milwaukee’s 49 games this season.
“That kid, he’s got the ‘it’ factor,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “We’ve thrown a lot at him since he’s been here. I’m really happy for him. You remember how young he is and trying to play in the big leagues.
“He’s not just physically gifted. We’ve thrown a lot at him and we trust him. He’s kind of settling in.”
Meeting expectations is nothing new for Frelick. He was a star quarterback at Lexington High who also excelled at baseball and hockey. He signed with the Eagles intending to play football and baseball before deciding to focus on baseball.
It was a wise choice. Frelick was the 15th pick of the draft and this season has hit .250 with a .679 OPS, nine extra-base hits, and six stolen bases while playing above-average defense.
Friday would be Frelick’s first major league game at Fenway and his first time facing the Red Sox. He told reporters he expects 30 friends and family at the series.
“Obviously it’ll be a little different,” he said.
The 28-21 Brewers have been one of the surprise teams in baseball.
Manager Craig Counsell finished out his contract last year and left the team after nine seasons. He accepted a five-year, $40 million contract with the Cubs.
The Brewers also traded ace righthander Corbin Burnes to the Orioles and lost lefthander Wade Miley to Tommy John surgery after two starts. All-Star closer Devin Williams hasn’t pitched because of a stress fracture in his back.
Murphy, who was Counsell’s bench coach, took over as manager. The Brewers are averaging just under five runs per game and despite the injuries and losses to the pitching staff are below the league average in ERA.
Murphy coached 25 seasons in college, primarily at Notre Dame and Arizona State. He coached Dustin Pedroia with the Sun Devils from 2002-04.
Crawford leads off
Kutter Crawford, fourth in the American League with a 2.17 ERA, will face Bryce Wilson, who is 0-1 with a 2.20 ERA in six starts since being elevated out of the bullpen. Crawford faced the Brewers in relief last season and pitched two scoreless innings … Friday’s game will be on Apple TV+ only … Ceddanne Rafaela leads the Red Sox with 26 RBIs despite a .198 batting average. He also leads all rookies in RBIs … Triston Casas was in Lynn Thursday to present students from The Washington S.T.E.M Elementary School with 500 Sox tickets. The school was celebrating the five-year anniversary of the Wolves Den food pantry at the school, which is sponsored by Stop & Shop.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 24, 2024 6:01:58 GMT -5
Red Sox next two Friday games to be streamed exclusively on Apple TV+
By Mac Cerullo | mcerullo@bostonherald.com May 24, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.
For the second time in under a week, a Red Sox game will be available exclusively on a streaming provider.
Following Sunday’s game on Roku, the Red Sox will play the first of two consecutive Friday games carried exclusively by Apple TV+ tonight when they host the Milwaukee Brewers for the opener of this weekend’s three-game set.
Then, next Friday, Boston’s game against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park will also be carried by Apple TV+.
The games are part of a larger national broadcast agreement between MLB and Apple, which will stream a “Friday Night Baseball” doubleheader weekly throughout the season. The games will feature a combination of Wayne Randazzo and Alex Faust on play-by-play, Dontrelle Willis and Ryan Spilborghs as analysts and Heidi Watney (formerly of NESN) and Tricia Whitaker as sideline reporters. Former umpires Ted Barrett, Brian Gorman and Dale Scott will also be featured as rules analysts.
Fans will also have the option to listen to the home and away teams’ local radio broadcasts.
To watch “Friday Night Baseball,” Apple TV+ subscribers can stream the games on the Apple TV app, which comes preinstalled on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac and Apple Vision Pro, as well as online at tv.apple.com. The Apple TV app is also available on certain smart TVs, including Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sony, TCL, Vizio and others, along with on Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles, Chromecast with Google TV, and set-top boxes, including Comcast Xfinity.
For those who aren’t subscribers, Apple TV+ is available for $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial.
Boston will have at least three games carried by AppleTV+, the most notable being the June 28 game against the San Diego Padres. That game could mark Xander Bogaerts’ first appearance back in Boston since signing with the Padres after the 2022 season, though his availability is now in doubt after suffering a fractured shoulder earlier this week that is expected to sideline him for a significant period of time.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 24, 2024 6:04:18 GMT -5
Red Sox looking for consistency after roller coaster start
By Mac Cerullo | mcerullo@bostonherald.com May 24, 2024 at 6:15 a.m.
Following the Red Sox this season has been like riding a roller coaster, with the club hurdling over rapid climbs and plunging down unnerving drops with seemingly nothing in between.
The club opened the season with a 7-3 road trip on the west coast, only to then go 3-7 on the ensuing homestand. Then they went 8-3 over their next 11 games, reaching a season-high five games above .500 at 18-13 on May 1. Then the bats went silent and the Red Sox went 4-11 over their following 15 games, erasing all that progress and putting them a season-worst two games under .500 (22-24) and 9.5 games back in the AL East.
Now they’ve won four straight to get back over .500, but face a couple of tough tests against the Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles to close out the month.
How they handle the coming weeks will tell us a lot about this team and its ultimate potential.
This sort of see-saw spring is nothing new, and the Red Sox endured similar highs and lows early in each of their last two seasons. In 2022 the Red Sox started 10-19, eventually rose to 42-31 and steadily faded down the stretch throughout the second half. In 2023 the trend was more like this year, with the club oscillating between big winning streaks and big losing streaks before, once again, fading in the second half.
One thing this year’s group has going for it is its superior pitching and defense. The Red Sox starting rotation has ranked among the best in baseball through the first two months, the bullpen is solid, and the team has cleaned up much of the sloppiness that cost it so many games in past years. There is still progress to be made and mistakes still happen, but the foundation is much stronger than it used to be.
More importantly, the Red Sox have become a much more athletic and dynamic club, one that’s capable of producing offense in a variety of ways.
“You’re not going to hit the ball out of the ballpark all the time, but you can do the other stuff,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said following Wednesday’s win. “You can play defense every day. Speed isn’t going to slump, you get to first you can steal second, you can score from second with a bloop single. We’ve got a bunch of athletes, and I’m happy with that.”
The Red Sox current winning streak isn’t going to last forever, but the key for Boston now is to stack up wins and limit damage whenever the inevitable downturns come. That means winning as many series as possible, and when series losses do happen, avoiding sweeps and making sure not to drop multiple in a row.
This year’s team is better equipped to achieve that level of consistency. Now the question is whether they can get off the roller coaster and instead start moving on a steady, upwards trajectory.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 24, 2024 9:01:22 GMT -5
Game 51: Brewers at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated May 24, 2024, 45 minutes ago After finally getting a day off following a run of 13 games in 13 days, the Red Sox are back in action when they open a three-game series with the Brewers on Friday at Fenway Park. It will mark the beginning of a stretch of 10 games in 10 days. Milwaukee is in first place in the National League Central, two games in front of the Cubs. The series will be a homecoming for outfielder Sal Frelick, the Lexington native who was a first-round pick out of Boston College in 2021. Kutter Crawford will be on the mound for the Sox. The righthander has gone at least five innings in 9 of his 10 starts this season. Here is a preview. Lineups BREWERS (28-21): Brice Turang (L) 2B William Contreras (R) C Christian Yelich (L) DH Willy Adames (R) SS Jake Bauers (L) 1B Joey Ortiz (R) 3B Sal Frelick (L) RF Jackson Chourio (R) LF Blake Perkins (S) CF Pitching: RHP Bryse Wilson (2-1, 2.79 ERA) RED SOX (26-24): Jarren Duran (L) LF Wilyer Abreu (L) RF Connor Wong (R) C Rafael Devers (L) 3B Tyler O'Neill (R) DH Dominic Smith (L) 1B Vaughn Grissom (R) 2B David Hamilton (L) SS Ceddanne Rafaela (R) CF Pitching: RHP Kutter Crawford (2-2, 2.17 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: Apple TV+, WEEI-FM 93.7 Brewers vs. Crawford: Willy Adames 1-1, Jake Bauers 1-2, William Contreras 0-1, Owen Miller 1-1, Blake Perkins 0-1, Gary Sánchez 0-2, Christian Yelich 0-1 Red Sox vs. Wilson: Garrett Cooper 1-6, Rafael Devers 1-3, Jarren Duran 0-1, Reese McGuire 1-2, Tyler O’Neill 2-5, Dominic Smith 0-1, Connor Wong 0-1 Stat of the day: Jarren Duran is on an eight-game hitting streak, with two home runs, two triples, and four doubles in that stretch. Notes: The Red Sox will play 15 of their next 22 games at home. … Crawford allowed one hit and struck out two in two innings of relief during his only career appearance against the Brewers on April 22, 2023. He did not factor in the decision. In his last 13 starts, he has recorded a 2.25 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and .205 opponent batting average (80 innings pitched, 20 earned runs, 60 hits, three home runs, 24 walks, and 85 strikeouts). … Wilson has no record in three career appearances (one start) against the Red Sox. … The Sox have homered in a season-high 10 straight games and 11 of their last 12 compared to three of the previous 13. Song of the Day: T'ill Tuesday- Voices Carry www.youtube.com/watch?v=uejh-bHa4To
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 24, 2024 14:36:18 GMT -5
Tyler Milliken ⚾️ @tylermilliken_ Another David Hamilton start. He’s now started 6 of the last 9 games for the Red Sox.
4 starts at shortstop. 2 at second base. Also entered 2 games as a shortstop.
He’s slashing .300/.333/.650/.988 with a HR, 2 2B, and 1 3B over the last 7 games. Not riding the bench anymore.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 24, 2024 16:46:44 GMT -5
Red Sox vs. Brewers on Friday Night Baseball: Stream for free on AppleTV+
Updated: May. 24, 2024, 5:06 p.m.|Published: May. 24, 2024, 5:00 p.m.
By
Khadrice Rollins | KRollins@masslive.com
The Boston Red Sox welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to Fenway Park on Friday, May 24. Boston comes into this game riding a four-game winning streak while Milwaukee has lost three of its last four.
The Sox game is scheduled to start at 7:10 p.m. EST and will be broadcast exclusively on Apple TV+. Fans looking to watch this MLB game can do so with an Apple TV+ subscription. Apple TV+ offers a 7-day free trial for new users and is $9.99 a month afterward.
The game is not available on your local cable provider or MLB.TV. Instead, Red Sox vs. Brewers will be streamed exclusively on Apple TV+ as part of a Friday Night Baseball doubleheader.
Unlike last season, a subscription is required to watch games on Apple TV+ this year.
How to watch the Red Sox vs. Brewers game: Here’s the direct link you need to watch the game
The only way to watch Friday’s game will be via the Apple TV+ app, which you can watch on phones, streaming devices, smart TVs and computers.
Apple TV+ joined the sports streaming world last season with a major broadcasting deal with Major League Baseball that includes a weekly Friday Night Baseball broadcast exclusively on the app’s platform. The deal was promoted as a step forward for MLB to try and reach a younger audience.
Fans can find more info on how to watch MLB games on Apple TV+ here.
WATCH THE SOX HERE
Who: Red Sox vs. Brewers
When: Friday, May 24 at 7:10 p.m. EST
Where: Fenway Park in Boston
Stream: Stream with an Apple TV+ subscription. Apple TV+ offers a 7-day free trial for new users and is $9.99 a month afterward.
Tickets: StubHub and *VividSeats
*New customers who purchase tickets through VividSeats can get $20 off a $200+ ticket order by using the promo code MassLive20 at checkout.*
Brewers visit the Red Sox to begin 3-game series
By The Associated Press
Milwaukee Brewers (28-21, first in the NL Central) vs. Boston Red Sox (26-24, third in the AL East)
Boston; Friday, 7:10 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Brewers: Bryse Wilson (2-1, 2.79 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 31 strikeouts); Red Sox: Kutter Crawford (2-2, 2.17 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 57 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Red Sox -135, Brewers +114; over/under is 9 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Red Sox open a three-game series at home against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.
Boston is 26-24 overall and 10-13 in home games. The Red Sox have a 12-3 record in games when they hit at least two home runs.
Milwaukee is 28-21 overall and 16-12 in road games. Brewers hitters have a collective .331 on-base percentage, the fourth-best percentage in MLB play.
Friday’s game is the first time these teams meet this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Rafael Devers leads the Red Sox with a .277 batting average, and has 10 doubles, 10 home runs, 22 walks and 23 RBI. Connor Wong is 13-for-40 with four RBI over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Red Sox: 5-5, .244 batting average, 3.96 ERA, outscored opponents by six runs
Brewers: 4-6, .249 batting average, 4.13 ERA, outscored opponents by two runs
INJURIES: Red Sox: Garrett Cooper: day-to-day (shoulder), Masataka Yoshida: 10-Day IL (thumb), Triston Casas: 60-Day IL (rib), Trevor Story: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Garrett Whitlock: 15-Day IL (oblique), Isaiah Campbell: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Bryan Mata: 15-Day IL (hamstring), Liam Hendriks: 60-Day IL (elbow), Chris Murphy: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lucas Giolito: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Brewers: Joe Ross: 15-Day IL (back), Rhys Hoskins: 10-Day IL (hamstring), J.B. Bukauskas: 60-Day IL (lat), Jakob Junis: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Wade Miley: 60-Day IL (elbow), D.L. Hall: 15-Day IL (knee), Garrett Mitchell: 60-Day IL (finger), Devin Williams: 60-Day IL (back), Taylor Clarke: 15-Day IL (meniscus), Brandon Woodruff: 60-Day IL (elbow)
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 24, 2024 16:48:36 GMT -5
Red Sox righty feels soreness in his shoulder/lat area during rehab outing
Updated: May. 24, 2024, 5:44 p.m.|Published: May. 24, 2024, 5:33 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — Red Sox pitcher Bryan Mata felt soreness in the right shoulder and lat area during his rehab outing for Double-A Portland on Thursday.
“He’ll be here tomorrow just to see our trainers and see where we’re at,” manager Alex Cora said Friday at Fenway Park.
Mata “most likely” will be pulled off his rehab assignment, Cora said. The righty pitched 3 innings for Portland against Hartford on Thursday, allowing three runs and five hits while striking out two. It was his third rehab outing.
Mata was the highest-ranked pitching prospect in Boston’s system entering spring training 2023. The 25-year-old hard-thrower has been on Boston’s 40-man roster since Nov. 20, 2020. But he has yet to pitch in the majors because injuries, including Tommy John surgery in April 2021, have limited him to 117 innings in the minors since the start of 2021. He’s also out of minor league options.
The Red Sox’ plan was to stretch Mata out during his rehab assignment.
Other Red Sox injuries
~ Triston Casas (fractured cartilage which connects his ribcage to his sternum) took ground balls Friday.
“I talked to him today for a while,” Cora said. “He’s excited where he’s at understanding that he needs to be patient. Obviously no swings yet but moving around.”
~ Right-handed reliever Isaiah Campbell (right shoulder impingement) threw a scoreless inning in a rehab outing for Triple-A Worcester against Norfolk on Wednesday. He’ll pitch in another rehab outing Saturday.
“Velo was good. Shape of the pitches were good. So we’re very pleased with the outing.”
~ Masataka Yoshida (left thumb strain) is “feeling better but not swinging the bat yet.”
~ Garrett Cooper, who was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup because of right shoulder discomfort, is available off the bench Friday..
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 25, 2024 5:23:05 GMT -5
William Contreras hits 2-run homer and Brewers beat Red Sox 7-2 AP
BOSTON (AP) William Contreras hit a two-run home run, Christian Yelich had three hits and Bryse Wilson tossed 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Boston Red Sox 7-2 on Friday night.
Blake Perkins had two hits and two stolen bases for the NL Central-leading Brewers. Wilson (3-1) came in with two down in the first inning and matched his career high with seven strikeouts. Willy Adames and Yelich also drove in runs for Milwaukee, which played the seventh game of a nine-game road trip.
Boston had runners on first and second in the first when Wilson was summoned. He struck out Tyler O’Neill for the final out of the first inning and was rarely tested during his outing.
“There’s still room for better execution. Overall, it was a good outing from start to finish,” Wilson said.
Jarren Duran and David Hamilton each had three hits for Boston, which had a four-game winning streak snapped. Dominic Smith homered for the second time since signing with the Red Sox on May 1.
Contreras jumped on a 1-0 pitch from Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford (2-3) and sent it into the second row of Green Monster seats for his eighth homer of the season in the third inning. The two-run shot came one batter after Brice Turang lifted a sacrifice fly that delivered the game’s first run.
The home run by Contreras took out a fan’s popcorn bucket after bouncing off the area behind where the fan was sitting.
“It seemed that it got out of the park in a hurry,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said.
The Brewers chased Crawford in the fifth inning, as Yelich doubled in a run that made it 4-1 and Adames connected for a two-run double.
“Everyone has to respect William, but he has (Yelich) hitting behind him. When he’s hitting, that’s helping everyone,” Murphy said. “There was some good hard contact tonight and we stayed relentless by getting on base.”
Crawford’s ERA jumped from 2.17 to 2.89 after he allowed six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
“He had a tough time putting people away. They extended at-bats and credit to them. They’re a good ballclub,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said.
Boston’s first run came in the fourth when Hamilton squeaked one inside the third base bag for an RBI double. Smith’s home run came in the fourth.
Duran led off the bottom of the first with a single that extended his hitting streak to nine games.
---
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Enoli Paredes was selected from Triple-A Nashville while Milwaukee optioned RHP Bradley Blalock to Double-A Biloxi. Between 2020-22, Paredes appeared in 37 games with the Houston Astros.
Red Sox: RHP Isaiah Campbell (right shoulder impingement) is slated to make a second rehab appearance for Triple-A Worcester on Saturday. On the injured list since April 12, Campbell struck out the side in one inning for the WooSox earlier this week. … 1B Triston Casas (left rib strain) took ground balls before Friday’s game. He’s currently on the 60-day IL and has yet to swing a bat since getting injured. “Moving around, that’s a huge step. Hopefully he’s a quick healer,” manager Alex Cora said. … RHP Bryan Mata will be examined in Boston on Saturday after feeling soreness in his shoulder and lat. He pitched three innings on Thursday in a rehab start for Double-A Portland. Mata is on Boston’s 40-man roster and out of options. … 1B Garrett Cooper was a last-second scratch from Wednesday’s game due to right shoulder soreness. Cooper wasn’t in Friday’s starting lineup but Cora said he was available. Cooper was summoned as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning.
UP NEXT:
Milwaukee lists RHP Colin Rea (3-2, 3.97) as Saturday's probable starter. RHP Nick Pivetta (2-2, 3.04) will start for Boston.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 25, 2024 5:32:01 GMT -5
Crawford hit hard in his shortest start of season Hamilton has career-high three hits against team that drafted him 1:36 AM ADT Ian Browne
BOSTON -- Kutter Crawford’s first five starts this season -- during which he notched a 0.66 ERA and didn’t allow a home run -- perhaps set the bar a little too high.
Those numbers would be hard for anyone to sustain.
The dropoff after that sizzling stretch had been subtle in the five ensuing starts, in which Crawford pitched to a 3.52 ERA.
His 11th start Friday was something Crawford hadn’t experienced all season. The Brewers tagged him for six runs on seven hits and two walks for his shortest outing (4 1/3 innings) of 2024, a 7-2 loss to Milwaukee at Fenway Park.
So what happened?
“Pretty terrible, to be honest,” Crawford said. “I wasn't able to make quality pitches in certain counts, and they put some good swings on the ball. But overall, just not a good outing by me.”
The best of those swings was provided by William Contreras, who scorched a flat sweeper to the tune of an exit velocity of 111.8 mph that sent some souvenir popcorn flying all over the place in the Monster Seats.
“The sweeper shape was not good,” Crawford said. “Obviously, I left the one hanging to Contreras there. and he put a good swing on it. But yeah, overall, with the sweeper tonight, I didn't have a great feel for it. I was able to get ahead 0-2, 1-2, but then I didn’t make competitive pitches in those counts and worked in deep counts. Just not a very good job by me.”
Crawford came into Friday using his sweeper 23 percent of the time this season. That shrunk to 11 percent on Friday, as Crawford had to rely more heavily on his cutter and four-seamer.
Against the Brewers’ offense -- which is top five in a few key categories -- that wasn’t enough.
“He’s been having a good year,” Contreras said. “But I think I had to take the mindset away from him and the success he’s having this year. The focus was on the plan and staying in the moment.”
On a micro level, Friday was just a bad night at the office for Crawford.
On a macro level, it represented a sign to the 28-year-old that this is his time to start making counter-adjustments to teams that are well aware of his strong start.
“Sure,” Crawford said. “Just go back and kind of look at pitch mixes, seeing what the righties are doing. The righties are hurting me right now. Just got to change my sequences up with them.”
Hamilton gaining prominence When Trevor Story suffered a season-ending left shoulder injury in the eighth game of the season, David Hamilton was swiftly thrust into the limelight.
At first, the rookie didn’t respond well on offense or defense. And that led to him spending more time on the bench than in the lineup as Ceddanne Rafaela moved from center field to shortstop.
Of late, however, Hamilton has earned more playing time to the degree that manager Alex Cora is looking for ways to get him into the lineup.
That paid off again on Friday, as Hamilton had a career-high three hits against the Brewers, the organization that traded him to the Red Sox prior to the ‘22 season.
“Hammy’s playing well,” Cora said. “He’s swinging the bat, and with him in the lineup, we're more athletic. He’s hitting the ball hard. Obviously, the running part of it is real, and defensively, he's been making plays.”
In his last 10 games, Hamilton is 9-for-27 with three doubles, a triple and a homer.
“I’ve been working a lot in the cage recently with the time off that I had,” Hamilton said. “I was doing little tweaks on the swing, and it's been working, so keep trying to do it.”
Once Hamilton settled down on defense, it allowed him to relax at the plate.
“I mean, hitting is going to come and go, but you’ve got to try and always play good defense,” Hamilton said. “That’s going to really help the team.”
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 25, 2024 5:33:21 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: Casas, Mata, Cooper updates May 24th, 2024
MLB.com LATEST NEWS
May 24: 1B Triston Casas (torn cartilage in left rib cage) takes grounders Though Casas is still about a month from being eligible to come off the 60-day injured list, he took another step in his recovery on Friday when he took grounders at first base. Casas did some throwing on the last homestand and has also been running, throwing and lifting. The key will be when he gets cleared to swing the bat. No date has been set for that yet.
May 24: RHP Bryan Mata (right shoulder, lat) to get checked out Mata, Boston's No. 27 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, continues to have health issues. Making the third appearance of his Minor League rehab assignment on Thursday, Mata experienced soreness in his right shoulder and lat area. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Mata will be examined at Fenway Park by the club's medical staff on Saturday. Mata, who has yet to appear in the Major Leagues, is out of options. His 30-day rehab clock started on May 13. Assuming he has to be shut down for any type of extended period, the club will likely stop his rehab so the clock can re-start when he resumes pitching.
May 24: 1B Garrett Cooper 'good to go' after missing game with right shoulder discomfort Cooper was scratched from the lineup roughly 90 minutes prior to Wednesday's game against the Rays due to right shoulder soreness. Though he was not in the starting lineup on Friday, manager Alex Cora said he is "a go if we need him." In 14 games and 42 at-bats with the Red Sox after he was acquired from the Cubs on April 27, Cooper has a batting line of .214/.283/.310 with no homers and four RBIs.
• All Red Sox transactions 10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
RHP Isaiah Campbell (right shoulder impingement) Expected return: June The reliever started a Minor League rehab assignment for Triple-A Worcester on May 22 and struck out three of the four batters he faced, throwing 20 pitches. Campbell will throw another inning for the WooSox on May 25. Campbell has been on the injured list since April 12, so he will need at least a few outings before he is activated. (Last updated: May 24)
RHP Bryan Mata (right hamstring strain) Expected return: TBD Mata made the third appearance of his Minor League rehab on May 23, moving up to Double-A Portland. But during his three-inning stint, he felt soreness in his right shoulder and lat and will be examined by Boston's medical staff on May 25. Mata, Boston's No. 27 prospect, is out of options, meaning he needs to be placed on the Major League roster once he is healthy to avoid being designated for assignment. Mata's rehab assignment started on May 13 and can be no longer than 30 days. However, now that he is hurt, the clock will likely be stopped and will re-start once he can resume pitching. (Last updated: May 24)
DH Masataka Yoshida (left thumb strain) Expected return: Some point in June at earliest Yoshida is feeling better, but still hasn't resumed baseball activities. The left-handed hitter has been on the injured list since April 29. (Last updated: May 24)
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 25, 2024 5:35:33 GMT -5
Red Sox lose: Dominic Smith hits first homer but Kutter Crawford struggles
Updated: May. 24, 2024, 11:01 p.m.|Published: May. 24, 2024, 9:51 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — Kutter Crawford failed to pitch at least 5 innings for just the second time in 11 starts this season.
The Boston righty gave up six runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out four in 4 ⅓ innings, his shortest outing of the season. The Red Sox lost 7-2 here at Fenway Park.
Crawford’s ERA jumped from 2.17 to 2.89. It was just his second time allowing more than three earned runs in a start this year. He pitched at least 5 ⅔ innings in eight of his first 10 starts.
William Contreras crushed a 397-foot, 111.8 mph two-run homer off Crawford as part of a three-run third inning that put the Brewers ahead 3-0.
The Red Sox cut it to 3-1 on David Hamilton’s RBI double in the fourth.
But Milwaukee extended its lead to 6-1 with a three-run fifth inning. Christian Yelich stroked an RBI double to make it 4-1, then Willy Adames followed with a two-run double that knocked Crawford out of the game.
Smith hits first homer
Dominic Smith blasted his first homer of the season. His 410-foot solo blast to center field left his bat at 103.3 mph.
It was Smith’s second multi-hit game since signing with Boston on May 1.
Rafaela makes Superman catch
Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela sprinted to his right and fully extended to make a diving catch right in front of the warning track in left-center field on Joey Ortiz’s liner in the second inning.
Ortiz hit it 335 feet with a 91.3 mph exit velocity and 22 degree launch angle.
It had a 35% catch probability.
Hamilton with first three-hit game in majors
Hamilton’s RBI double in the fourth inning wasn’t hit hard. He slapped it 63.9 mph down the third base line, just fair. But he continues to do the job.
He recorded his first three-hit game of his major league career. He’s 10-for-31 (.323) this month.
Saturday’s game
The Red Sox and Brewers will play again at 4:10 p.m. Saturday here at Fenway Park.
Righty Colin Rea, who has a 3-2 record with a 4.07 ERA in nine starts, will start for the Brewers. Right-hander Nick Pivetta (2-2, 3.04 ERA) will start for Boston.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 25, 2024 5:37:54 GMT -5
.”Red Sox’ Jarren Duran told himself: ‘I’m just going to get out of his way’
Updated: May. 24, 2024, 11:08 p.m.|Published: May. 24, 2024, 11:03 p.m.
By
Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela’s diving catch to rob Milwaukee’s Joey Ortiz in the second inning Friday resembled Coco Crisp’s grab to rob David Wright in 2006.
Rafaela sprinted to his right and fully extended to make the catch on Ortiz’s 335-foot, 91.3 mph liner in front of the warning track in left-center field.
“I was running after it like I was possibly going to have a chance and I saw his eyes and I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m just going to get out of his way and let him make the play,’” left fielder Jarren Duran said.
Rafaela’s catch had a 35% catch probability. It was one of the few Red Sox highlights in a 7-2 loss to the Brewers here at Fenway Park. Kutter Crawford struggled, lasting just 4 ⅓ innings and giving up six runs.
“Dude, any ball that’s hit, I’m just like, ‘Oh, he’s gonna get that,’” Duran said. “I instantly think he’s going to get to it because he’s that good of an athlete.”
Rafaela has struggled offensively this season. He’s hitting just .193 with a .221 on-base percentage, .351 slugging percentage and .572 OPS in 50 games (183 plate appearances). He needs to do a better job of controlling the strike zone. His chase percentage of 41.8% ranks in the third percentile among major league hitters, per Baseball Savant. He has drawn just six walks while striking out 46 times.
But Rafaela has helped this team with his defense both in center field and at shortstop.
“For him, that’s not hard to get to,” Duran said. “That guy is a fricken amazing outfielder. We’ve all seen it day in and day out. For him to go to short to the outfield and just run stuff down, it’s amazing to watch.”
Hamilton records first three-hit game
David Hamilton recorded his first career three-hit game. And it came against his former team. Boston acquired Hamilton from the Brewers in the Hunter Renfroe trade Dec. 21, 2021.
“Just another team, really,” Hamilton said about playing against Milwaukee.
Hamilton has gone 10-for-31 (.323 batting average) with a homer, three doubles and one triple in May.
He said not playing every day has given him time to work on his swing.
“I’ve kind of just been working a lot in the cage recently with the time off that I had,” Hamilton said. “I was just doing little tweaks on the swing and it’s been working. So I’m going to keep trying to do it.”
|
|