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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 2:52:18 GMT -5
Signs of life: Red Sox batter Tampa Bay for first win of 2021 By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated April 5, 2021, 10:36 p.m.
The Red Sox bats came out stinging against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday evening. After an opening weekend defined by cold offense, sloppy defense, and pitching that failed on the final day of an eventual three-game sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles, the Sox had a bit of redemption, at least for one night
Boston snapped an eight-game losing streak to the Rays at Fenway Park, 11-2, also earning their first win of 2021. The Sox piled up 16 hits, led by a 4-for-5 from Xander Bogaerts and multi-hit night from five others.
“A lot of guys got their hits,” Bogaerts said. “A lot of guys performed the way they wanted to.”
The Red Sox applied the pressure early. Christian Vázquez got things going in the second inning with a single to right field off Rays starter Michael Wacha. Following a Marwin Gonzalez groundout which advanced Vázquez, Franchy Cordero doubled off the Green Monster, plating the first run of the contest.
Yet the offense wasn’t only illustrated through hits. There was a situational element to it, too. Just the day before, manager Alex Cora said that his players appeared as if they were pressing too much at the plate. Too eager to deliver. The results were non-competitive at-bats and just five runs in 27 innings.
Cora intimated that he wanted his players to keep it simple: Hit the single, go the other way. Perhaps that would keep the line moving.
In the fourth, Sox fans saw a glimpse of that. Both Vázquez and Gonzalez singled, with a wild pitch advancing the pair into scoring position. Hunter Renfroe then stepped to the plate, roping what likely would have been a double had right fielder Randy Arozarena not robbed him. Nonetheless, it plated a run, and it was 3-0 when Cordero grounded out to first.
“Making contact is important against that team,” Cora said. “There’s value in putting the ball in play against anybody, but especially those guys. I think there’s certain staffs that you have to put your ‘A’ swing away and just battle and stay on top of the ball and stop hitting fly balls.
“We did a good job today.”
Nick Pivetta, meanwhile, gave the Red Sox a solid outing. Even though command was erratic — he threw 92 pitches in just five innings and walked four batters — he made timely pitches and kept Tampa off the scoreboard.
“My slider was working really well today,” Pivetta said. “And so Vázquez really stuck with that. I didn’t have a ton of fastball command today. So when you got a second pitch that can really come around for you, that’s really, really big.”
In the fifth, Pivetta ran into a bit of trouble, yielding a leadoff double to Willy Adames and a walk to Mike Zunino. A passed ball on a cross-up between Pivetta and Vázquez put runners at second and third, yet Pivetta wiggled out of it with a Yoshi Tsutsugo strikeout and an Austin Meadows flyout — both on sliders.
The Sox pushed the lead to 7-0 with pairs of runs in the fifth, Bogaerts doubling in a pair, and sixth, highlighted by a Kiké Hernández double. Tampa got on the board in the eighth, three singles off Matt Andriese followed by back-to-back walks from Darwinzon Hernandez to make it 7-2. After Hernandez fanned Adames with the bases still loaded for the second out, Adam Ottavino won a 7-pitch battle with Mike Brosseau, freezing him with a full-count slider to end the threat.
Boston tacked on four in the eighth, J.D. Martinez clanging the Pesky Pole with two out for a three-run homer. Martinez, who had a forgettable season last year, is off to a hot start: .533 (8 for 15) in his first 17 plate appearances, with two homers in his first four games.
“I told you guys last year,” Bogaerts said. “Last year, who you guys saw, man, it’s definitely not who he is. This is the guy that comes to work and he prepares so much.”
The Red Sox came prepared Monday evening, carving out a solid win against a formidable opponent.
“Now we’re in a position to win the series,” Cora said. “We got two shots, and hopefully we can come tomorrow and do the same.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 2:54:08 GMT -5
Outfielders Hunter Renfroe, Franchy Cordero, and Alex Verdugo led Red Sox offensive outburst By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated April 5, 2021, 11:48 p.m. 6
Red Sox outfielders were hitless in 32 at-bats over the first three games of the season, a not-so-gentle reminder that Andrew Benintendi, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. aren’t walking through that door.
The Sox are hoping Alex Verdugo and a mishmash of inexpensive platoon hitters and utility players can provide enough offense to make this season an interesting one.
Through four games, the Sox have used four different outfield alignments and five different outfielders. Get used to it, this is where they are as a team.
It leads to lineups with the right fielder hitting eighth and the left fielder ninth, as was the case against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.
It worked just fine in an 11-2 victory as the Sox ended a seven-game losing streak against the Rays at Fenway that went back to 2019.
Left fielder Franchy Cordero was 2 for 4 and drove in two runs, the first with a double off the wall in the second inning that got the Sox going.
Right fielder Hunter Renfroe was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Verdugo snapped an 0-for-28 streak dating back to last season when he doubled leading off the fourth. He finished 2 for 4 and drove in two runs.
“He’s a good player,” manager Alex Cora said. “A very emotional guy. There’s something about bringing energy that’s not about going 4 for 4 or 0 for 4. You can bring energy regardless.”
Renfroe, Cordero and Verdugo had singles in the eighth inning as the Sox scored four runs to put the game away.
In all, the outfielders had a hand in eight of the runs as the Sox came to life after a discouraging three-game sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles.
With Tyler Glasnow the scheduled starter for the Rays on Tuesday, the Sox needed it.
Cordero had a particularly interesting night. With two outs and Christian Vazquez at third, Cordero got a high fastball from Michael Wacha and went the other way with it off the wall with a loud thunk. Related: Signs of life: Red Sox batter Tampa Bay for first win of 2021
“He got jammed on that ball,” Cora said. “That’s probably a good sign for him, good feedback. He doesn’t have to pull everything. He can stay inside the ball and good things will happen.”
When Cordero came up again in the fourth inning, it was with a runner on third and one out. With the Rays playing the infield in, he fouled off three two-strike pitches before hitting the ball hard enough to the right side that first baseman Yoshi Tsutsugo went to his knees to stop it.
Tsutsugo took the out at first as Marwin Gonzalez scored. Cordero returned to the dugout for a round of high fives.
“That’s something that we feel he can do,” Cora said. “Obviously it’s not that easy at this level. He tried to make contact.”
The 26-year-old Cordero looks like a football player, as Cora has mentioned a few times already this season. Scouts swoon about his athletic ability.
But the Sox are Cordero’s third team in three years and he’s spent more time on the injured list than on the field since 2019. When he has played, Cordero has struck out in 39 percent of his at-bats.
When Chaim Bloom sent Benintendi to the Royals in February, it was for Cordero and four prospects, three who are players to be named later.
You get the impression that the Sox were determined to get the prospects in that deal and are taking a flyer on Cordero to see if he can unlock his talent.
“We had those amazing three guys that we had on our teams in the past,” shortstop Xander Bogaerts said. “All were great in their own way and we miss them, especially me because I played with them so long.
“But you’ve got to move on in life and we have our new guys and they’re adjusting to playing multiple positions. Hopefully they get comfortable and just continue helping us out because we definitely need them.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:00:33 GMT -5
Eduardo Rodriguez draws one step closer to Red Sox return Bill Koch The Providence Journal Eduardo Rodriguez continues to take steps toward his first start since 2019.
BOSTON --- Eduardo Rodriguez threw a pregame bullpen session at Fenway Park on Monday.
The left-hander was hard at work about three hours before first pitch between the Red Sox and Rays. Rodriguez continues to make his way back from the dead arm he experienced late in spring training – he’s officially on the injured list due to left elbow inflammation.
“The fact that he’s throwing a bullpen means things are trending the right way and he should be okay,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “This is the last hurdle if you want to call it that. We’ll see how he feels about this one and how we feel, and we’ll make a decision.”
Rodriguez threw a simulated game Friday at Triple-A Worcester, which is functioning as the alternate site for other members of the Boston player pool until its season opener. He was scratched from what was supposed to be an Opening Day start, ceding the honor to Nathan Eovaldi for the second straight year.
Rodriguez would be eligible to come off the injured list for Boston’s first road game of the season. The Red Sox face the Orioles on Thursday, as Baltimore will open Camden Yards for 2021 with a special afternoon start. Martin Perez and Nathan Eovaldi are scheduled to pitch the final two games of this series with Tampa Bay.
“They’ve got a good team, but we’ve got a good team, too,” Perez said. “We’ve just got to go out there and do our jobs. Play as a team.”
Activating Rodriguez would likely result in optioning Tanner Houck off the 26-man roster. The right-hander suffered a 4-2 defeat against Baltimore on Saturday despite allowing only two earned runs and striking out eight. Houck won all three of his starts after making his debut in September, and each of those victories came against eventual postseason clubs.
“People might see it as, ‘Wow, he should be in the big leagues,’” Cora said. “At the same time, we’ve got more now compared to last year.
“Those are tough decisions, but he’s business as usual. He's getting ready for his next one. That’s a testament to who he is. We’ve got some good guys like that.”
Rodriguez, Nick Pivetta and Garrett Richards all represent additions from last season’s unprecedented Opening Day rotation in July. Rodriguez didn’t pitch after testing positive for COVID-19 and was eventually diagnosed with myocarditis. Pivetta was acquired in an August trade with the Phillies while Richards was signed to a one-year deal in free agency with a club option for 2022.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @billkoch25
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:01:20 GMT -5
Red Sox' Martinez back in the swing of things Bill Koch The Providence Journal Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez hits a home run during Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Martinez has been Boston's best hitter so far this season.
BOSTON — J.D. Martinez and his Red Sox teammates have performed something of a role reversal to this point in 2021.
Three doubles and a solo home run in the three-game series against the Orioles have Martinez making the sort of impact expected out of a bat in the middle of the lineup. He carried six of Boston’s 15 hits into Monday night’s series opener against the Rays at Fenway Park.
Martinez staggered through what was ultimately a lost 2020, stripped of his routine by COVID-19 protocols and unable to lock in his typically powerful swing. He collected just 16 doubles and seven home runs in 54 games, and his OPS cratered to .680.
“I feel a lot better,” Martinez said. “I feel a lot more confident with myself and with the work that I’ve put in. Last year was one of those things that kind of sprung up.
“Are we going to play? Are we not? OK, you’ve got to get ready — you've got three weeks.
"This year you’re mentally more prepared.”
Martinez admitted to taking roughly two months off after spring training was shut down in March. Summer Camp meant lessened access to batting cages and Major League Baseball rule changes prohibited in-game video study. That’s been a staple of Martinez’s resurgence since he was released in spring training by the Astros prior to the 2014 season.
“It’s basically cooled my anxiety,” Martinez said. “Being able to try something out and going in there and seeing, ‘OK, yeah, that’s better.’ Being able to make those adjustments at-bat to at-bat.”
Martinez is hoping his teammates might seek him out in the coming days to take a look at their own approach. Several Boston regulars have endured a brutal start against Baltimore, with Christian Vazquez and Marwin Gonzalez the only other position players notching multiple hits. Alex Verdugo, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, Hunter Renfroe and Franchy Cordero entered Monday a combined 0-for-39 with just two walks and 14 strikeouts. Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) congratulates designated hitter J.D. Martinez after hitting a home run Sunday.
“The last two days we didn’t control the strike zone, and that’s something that we should do,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “As you guys know, I’m a big believer in walks. Walks will get you to a spot where you’re going to get locked in. We haven’t walked too much.”
The Red Sox are last in the American League in walks through three games, continuing a trend that began in 2020. Boston finished just ninth in bases on balls after consecutive finishes of second, fourth, second and second beginning in 2016. Orioles left-hander Bruce Zimmermann threw just 19 of his 73 pitches for balls in Sunday’s 11-3 victory, either challenging the Red Sox without fear in the strike zone or forcing them to chase outside of it.
“The important thing is not hitting the panic button on these guys and being like, ‘Oh my gosh, I haven’t hit in the first three days,’ ” Martinez said. “Relax. It’s fine. There’s still a long way to go.”
Martinez had a lot of self-soothing to do during what could have been a very different offseason. He never entertained opting out of the final two years of his contract and putting his services back up for bid on the open market. There were outside rumblings about whether or not the 33-year-old's best days at the plate were already behind him.
“I look at myself and I look at my body — I can still get into positions,” Martinez said. “I can still generate power. It’s just lining up all those things again. I know it’s always in there.”
Dalbec spent the final month of 2019 working out in Boston and paid close attention to how Martinez went about his business. The first baseman clubbed eight home runs in just 92 plate appearances after being called up in 2020 and bashed seven more in 53 plate appearances in the Grapefruit League last month. Dalbec is among those who have already reached out to Martinez — it was a common occurrence while the Red Sox steamed to their most recent World Series crown in 2018.
“The strides he made from last year to this year, just in spring when I saw him — I was like, ‘This kid can hit. This is real,’ ” Martinez said. “He’s a great kid. He’s a nice kid. He’s hungry. He’s composed.
“To me, he has the makeup to be an impact player in this league.”
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @billkoch25
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:01:56 GMT -5
Red Sox 11, Rays 2: A very good night for Chaim Bloom and Boston Bill Koch The Providence Journal Xander Bogaerts crosses the plate during Monday night's Red Sox spanking of the Rays.
BOSTON --- Monday was a great night for Chaim Bloom.
The Red Sox put his vision on display at chilly Fenway Park, and the result was a victory over the chief baseball officer’s old organization.
Boston was relentless on offense and flashed a touch of pitching depth while outclassing the Rays from the early innings, with its bats staging a breakout and its starter turning in an effective five innings. The Red Sox raced away to an 11-2 triumph that was played in front of a season-high crowd of 4,577.
No less than a handful of players acquired by Bloom since his October 2019 hiring played key roles in snapping an eight-game home losing streak against Tampa Bay. Boston was just 7-19 in the last 26 meetings, a record that feels like it should be reversed given the history and payroll situations of each club.
“Now we’re in a position to win the series,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We have two shots. Hopefully we can come tomorrow and do the same thing.”
Nick Pivetta has to be the headliner simply because Boston’s staff was so beleaguered in 2020. His scoreless outing wasn’t the prettiest you’ll ever see, but Tampa Bay couldn’t do much in terms of making hard contact. Pivetta managed to avoid one of the game’s three true outcomes – home runs – while walking four and striking out four.
“You’ve just got to keep it level the entire time,” Pivetta said. “You can’t be worried about what happened the day before. It’s 162 games. We still have 158 to go.”
Franchy Cordero’s first hit in a Red Sox uniform would only have been an RBI double at this ballpark. He sent a towering fly to left that banged off the Green Monster in the bottom of the second, giving Boston its first lead in 29 innings this season. Cordero added a run-scoring infield out in the fourth, making it a 3-0 game.
“He had a really good game if you ask me,” Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts said. “Us as an offense, we really weren’t doing much those first couple games. He gave us that first RBI, and that was one we definitely needed.”
Alex Verdugo was in an 0-for-27 skid dating to the end of last season after his opening strikeout. He collected a double, single, sacrifice fly and two RBI over his next four at-bats. Verdugo went the other way for a two-base hit in the third and grounded one through the right side in a four-run eighth.
“The people around him see him as a great player,” Cora said. “It was good to see him run the bases and play good defense and have a good day today.”
Adam Ottavino faced just one batter, but it was in a key spot. The tying run was on deck in the top of the eighth when Ottavino entered in a 7-2 game. Mike Brosseau was left looking at a slider on 3-and-2, and J.D. Martinez put the game away from good by knocking a three-run homer off the Pesky Pole.
“It wasn’t perfect pitching-wise,” Cora said. “We can be better in certain spots. But we did enough today to win the ballgame.”
Martinez wasn't good enough last season to opt out of the remaining two years of his $110-million contract. That version of the designated hitter would have been a considerable drag on the Competitive Balance Tax. This rejuvenated slugger who piled up two hits, two walks and three RBI looks like the 2018 vintage.
"I told you guys last year," Bogaerts said. "I told you guys. Last year, what you guys saw, that’s definitely not who he is."
There was one pitcher Bloom brought in and dealt away who also made a late cameo. Chris Mazza was summoned to eat some innings in a 5-0 game in the sixth and performed like a prominent piece of the Red Sox group that posted a franchise-worst 5.58 ERA a year ago. Mazza was tagged for seven hits and six earned runs in 2 2/3 frames – Boston gladly took catching prospect Rolando Hernandez as organizational depth in exchange for Mazza and left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who finished the eighth.
“You want five hits in one at-bat,” Bogaerts said. “You may get five hits in one day, but not in one at-bat. Sometimes you want to make up for those losses. You’ve just got to take it one day at a time.”
It’s going to take a lot more nights like this one for most of the patrons to be convinced. The Red Sox opened last season with a 13-2 blowout of the Orioles, after all – we all know what happened from there. But seeing is indeed believing, and these nine innings certainly offered some encouragement.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @billkoch25
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:04:54 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 7h Nick Pivetta likely done after 5 innings with (at least) a 3-0 lead. He was all over the map on 92 pitches -- I think effectively wild is the non-technical term. #RedSox Nick Pivetta -- 5IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K, 92-52 10 swing/miss.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:07:23 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Cora said Eduardo Rodriguez 'will be with us sooner rather than later.'
Possibly 'during the week.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'Pressure? To be honest with you, there's no pressure. We're playing baseball in the middle of a pandemic.'
'We're blessed.' #RedSox
Alex Cora -- 'Overall, that was a good one.'
'Now we're in a position to win the series. We've got two shots.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:08:35 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Replying to @billkoch25 Cora -- 'Nick (Pivetta) did an outstanding job mixing up his pitches. He got his slider involved. He kept them off balance.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'I don't know what the percentages are, but usually whoever gets the lead probably wins more than 55% of the games at this level.'
'It wasn't perfect pitching-wise. In certain spots we can be better. But we did enough today to win the ballgame.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'I don't want to say it was a different vibe.'
'A night game, it felt normal.'
'It felt like today, the routine was normal -- whatever that means. It just felt good.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:09:37 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Nick Pivetta -- 'The guys did a tremendous job today putting runners on base and driving in runs.'
'It was awesome to see.' #RedSox
Pivetta on his slider -- 'I just have a lot of really good command with it.'
'It's just important when you're facing a lineup like that to get ahead of guys and put guys away.'
'It's always been there. The usage has been up with these guys.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:10:48 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 4h Replying to @billkoch25 Bogaerts on J.D. Martinez -- 'We've got to really take advantage the way he's swinging the bat right now, man -- him and Vazquez. They're really carrying the team.' #RedSox
Bogaerts feels like he's seeing the ball really well. Made a couple tweaks to his swing after noticing a couple things on video Sunday. #RedSox
Xander Bogaerts -- 'We had a great game. A lot of guys got their hits. A lot of guys performed the way they want to.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:13:23 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 7h That's at least the third time in 4 games Devers and Bogaerts closed on the same ball and the play wasn't made.
Darwinzon Hernandez walks in a run with a 7-0 lead. Not what you want.
Darwinzon Hernandez walks in another run with a 7-1 lead. Really not what you want.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:18:21 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 5h Most runs scored by the Red Sox against the Rays since 9/15/17.
Xander Bogaerts on JD Martinez’s start: ‘I told you guys last year!’ Says he was ‘100 percent’ certain that Martinez would rebound with access to video restored.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:22:13 GMT -5
Franchy Cordero a catalyst for Boston Red Sox in blowout win over Rays: ‘He had a really good game,’ Xander Bogaerts says Updated 12:58 AM; Today 12:54 AM
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
Xander Bogaerts’ four hits and J.D. Martinez’s three-run homer grabbed headlines for the Red Sox on Monday night, but Franchy Cordero quietly served as a catalyst for Boston in an 11-3 blowout win over the Rays.
Cordero, who was acquired in the trade that sent Andrew Benintendi to Kansas City in February, was 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the lopsided victory. After starting the season 0-for-5, the left fielder looked more comfortable at the plate Monday, hitting an opposite-field RBI double off the Green Monster that put the Red Sox up 1-0 in the second inning and gave the club its first lead of the season.
“He had a really good game, if you ask me,” said shortstop Xander Bogaerts. “Us as an offense, we weren’t doing as much in those couple games. I think him giving that first RBI... I think that was one we definitely needed, to score first. I really believe that RBI that he got us was key for us, just to get that momentum going on our side and just getting everything going in a positive direction.”
That Cordero -- a left-handed pull hitter -- was able to drive a pitch off the left-field wall was a good sign for the Red Sox. He later added another RBI on a groundout in the fourth and played solid defense in the outfield.
“It was good,” said manager Alex Cora. “That’s something we feel he can do. Obviously, it’s not that easy at this level. He tried to make contact. I think he got jammed on that ball he hit off the wall. That’s probably a good sign for him. Good feedback. He doesn’t have to pull everything. He can stay inside the ball and good things can happen.”
Cordero, a 26-year-old former Padres top prospect who has been limited to just 95 games over four major-league seasons due to injuries and inconsistency, arrived late to spring training due to COVID-19 protocols. Despite the Red Sox originally assuming he wouldn’t be ready for Opening Day, the athletic outfielder progressed quickly enough in Fort Myers to be activated before the start of the season.
Cordero doesn’t have to be a superstar for the Red Sox, but his power potential in the bottom of the club’s lineup makes him an intriguing option against right-handed starters. After a slow start, there were some promising signs Monday night.
“He had a good overall game,” Cora said. “That ball down the line, that was a nice play. It was good to see him run around the bases and put in a good game for us.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:23:29 GMT -5
J.D. Martinez continues torrid start for Boston Red Sox with second homer in as many days: ‘Man, this guy is really locked in’ Updated 1:17 AM; Today 1:16 AM
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez sure looks like he’s on a mission through the first four games of the regular season.
Martinez, who posted a career-worst .213 average with a .680 OPS in 54 games last season, was 2-for-3 with a homer and two walks in Monday’s 11-3 win, hitting the ball out of the ballpark for the second consecutive day. Through four games, the 33-year-old leads the Red Sox in every offensive category, going 8-for-15 (.533) with two homers, three doubles, six RBIs and a 1.722 OPS in 17 plate appearances.
The torrid start is not a surprise to Martinez’s teammate Xander Bogaerts, who predicted the slugger would bounce back “in a big way” at the beginning of spring training. Bogaerts believes the reintroduction of in-game video -- a tool Martinez has frequently cited as a key to his success -- has made a huge difference.
“I told you guys, bro,” Bogaerts told reporters after the game. “Last year, what you guys saw is definitely not who he is. This is a guy who comes to work and prepares too much. He relies on his videos heavily. That’s what it takes for him. That’s what changed his career. I was 100% that was the issue. This year, having that in-game access, for him just being able to take notice of his mistakes and get better during the game at-bat by at-bat. It’s pretty huge, especially him carrying the team for now until all the other guys start doing the job also.”
Before Monday, Martinez was carrying almost the entire offensive load for the Red Sox, as Bogaerts, Kiké Hernández, Alex Verdugo, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers and others got off to slow starts against the Orioles over the weekend. That changed Monday, when six different Red Sox had multiple hits and the club finished with 16 on the night.
Bogaerts said the Red Sox need to take advantage of the way Martinez has been swinging the bat.
“If you can get guys on base for him, especially now, that’ll be huge,” the shortstop said. “The way he’s swinging, the way he’s swinging it, it has been pretty close to when he’s at his best. I’ve seen some walks he has taken, 3-2 counts tonight. I was like, ‘Man, this guy is really locked in.’”
Like he always does, Martinez spent much of spring training tinkering with his swing while not worrying at all about results. He only had five extra-base hits -- one homer and four doubles -- in 19 spring games but entered the season comfortable with how his swing was feeling.
“For him to compete and work on his swing while he was competing at that level, it’s impressive,” said manager Alex Cora. “He’s in a great spot. You can tell. When you see him before games and the way he’s talking and talking to players and where he’s at right now, he’s in a good place.”
Throughout spring training, Cora consistently said he wasn’t at all worried about Martinez bouncing back, frequently citing the wonkiness of the shortened 60-game season as the reason for the slugger’s struggles in 2020. After a normal winter of preparations, it seems Martinez is out to prove that reports of his demise were greatly exaggerated.
“You can tell the quality of the at-bats,” Cora said. “I think he walked twice today. He did a good job staying on pitches. That last at-bat, he got beat with a fastball and then he just took what they gave him and got rewarded with a home run. He’s in a good spot.”
Bogaerts, who himself had four hits in the blowout win, is launching an early Martinez-for-MVP campaign.
“I told you guys last year, my pick would be J.D,” Bogaerts said. “Hopefully, once we get all these things going with the video and being able to get that in-game access again, he’d be pretty much the same J.D.
“Like I said, last year was definitely not the type of player that he is,” Bogaerts added. “It was just one of those odd things that happened. He couldn’t work the way he normally works, being able to use the stuff he normally uses.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 6, 2021 3:25:09 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 7h Pitchers to throw 5.0+ innings and allow 1 or 0 runs in each of their first 3 games with the Red Sox:
Nick Pivetta (2020-21) Tanner Houck (2020) Eduardo Rodriguez (2015) Pedro Martinez (1998) Tim Wakefield (1995) Bullet Joe Bush (1918)
Rafael Devers:
2019 first 32 games – 0 HR, 10 RBI 2019 last 124 games – 32 HR, 105 RBI
2020 first 21 games - .183 AVG, 2 HR, 5 RBI 2020 last 36 games - .307 AVG, 9 HR, 38 RBI
From 2019-20, Devers led the majors in doubles, XBH, and total bases.
Long way to go.
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