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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 2:57:43 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Orioles Thursday 8th April 2021 3pm @ OPACY
E-rod (Season Debut)
Making his first start of the season after missing all of last season due to myocarditis. Went 19-6 with 213 K;s in 2019. He is 5-2/ 2.60 in 9 career road starts vs the Orioles.
Matt Harvey 0-0/ 3.80
Went just over 4 IP in his debut striking out 4.
Winners of 3 straight, Red Sox visit for Orioles' home opener
The Baltimore Orioles will celebrate their 2021 home opener Thursday when they host the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park.
The two AL East rivals have already played once this season, with Baltimore sweeping the three-game series in Boston and outscoring the Red Sox 18-5.
The Red Sox have not lost since, coming into this series with a sweep of Tampa Bay.
Baltimore went to New York and dropped the first two games before beating the Yankees 4-3 in 11 innings on Wednesday night.
Boston will welcome back lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, who missed all of the 2020 season after contracting COVID-19, which resulted in myocarditis.
Rodriguez, who turned 28 on Wednesday, started the season on the 10-day injured list after dealing with elbow inflammation (otherwise known as "dead arm") at the end of spring training.
Boston manager Alex Cora said Rodriguez really wanted to pitch against Tampa Bay on his birthday, but that wasn't possible.
"Good for him," Cora said, "but no."
Rodriguez made four starts in spring training and went 3-0 with a 2.63 ERA, striking out 15 in 13 2/3 innings.
Boston has won each of Rodriguez's last seven starts against the Orioles.
Since the start of 2018, he is 6-0 with a 1.66 ERA in nine games (seven starts) against Baltimore.
Despite coming off the IR, Rodriguez will not be on a pitch count Thursday.
"We'll take care of him, but there's not a hard number we have," Cora said. "We do believe he's ready to go deep into the game. So that's the most important thing."
Baltimore will counter with right-hander Matt Harvey, who has already faced the Red Sox.
On April 3, Harvey made the start against Boston and went 4 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on six hits with four strikeouts.
He did not factor into the decision.
Oddly enough, Harvey had never faced the Red Sox in his career -- he grew up 90 minutes from Fenway in New London, Conn. -- before last week; now he faces them twice in six days.
This is also Harvey's first start at Camden Yards as a member of the Orioles and only his second career start there. The first came as a member of the Angels in 2019.
"I think every game you kind of get butterflies to some degree," Harvey said on Wednesday. "It's exciting. It's a big-league game. It's a big-league ballpark, and that never gets old. It only intensifies when it's the home opener. It's exciting and I am honored to get the ball."
The Orioles announced that pregame festivities for the home opener will begin at 2:30 p.m. EDT with a 'Welcome Back Video' as fans are allowed back at Camden Yards for the first time since 2019.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott and United States Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh will throw a joint ceremonial first pitch.
Zadia, a musician born and raised in west Baltimore, will perform "The Star-Spangled Banner."
To make room for Rodriguez on the roster, the Red Sox sent right-hander Tanner Houck to the alternate training site.
Houck, 24, made his first Opening Day roster and started Boston's second game of the season April 3 against Baltimore. He allowed three runs (two earned) over five innings in a 4-2 loss.
He also pitched an inning of relief Tuesday against Tampa Bay, striking out two and allowing an unearned run in the 11th.
Drafted in the first round by Boston in 2017, Houck is 3-1 with a 1.17 ERA (3 ER/23.0 IP) in five career major league appearances with four starts.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 3:08:16 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Orioles Probables
Thursday....Erod vs Harvey
Friday....OFF
Saturday....7pm....Richards 0-1/ 27.00 vs Zimmermann 0-0/000
Sunday....1pm....Pivetta 1-0/ 000 vs Lopez 0-0/ 7.71
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 3:13:52 GMT -5
E-Rod's birthday gift; Devers finds groove Devers heating up; May tickets to go on sale FridayApril 7th, 2021 Ian Browne Ian Browne @ianmbrowne BOSTON -- Eduardo Rodriguez turned 28 years old on Wednesday. However, he will get his best gift a day late when he takes the ball for the Red Sox on Thursday in Baltimore for what will be his first regular-season start in 587 days. It has been a long time coming for the lefty, who had COVID-19 just before Summer Camp last year, and then myocarditis that prevented him from pitching for the Red Sox in 2020. And when he was ready to pitch Opening Day this season, an untimely case of “dead arm” forced him into one more annoyance -- starting the season on the injured list. But now he finally gets to go back out there and claim his place atop the Red Sox’s pitching rotation. “I would say it will mean a lot because of everything that I went through last year,” said Rodriguez. “I’m just happy to have the opportunity to be back in baseball and be back to starting [on Thursday]. That’s what it means to me. It’s been a year and since I’ve been on the mound in a real game, so I’m going to really appreciate being on the mound.”
When the Red Sox made the decision to place Rodriguez on the IL to open the season and backdated it to March 29 -- the furthest they were allowed to per the rules -- it ruled out the chance of a birthday start.
This will be the third time in Rodriguez’s career he has started on the day after his birthday.
“He really wanted to pitch today because it’s his birthday, which, good for him,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “But for now, he’ll be OK for tomorrow. He will be good to go.”
The Red Sox have already created a roster spot for Rodriguez by optioning No. 7 prospect Tanner Houck to the alternate training site. Boston will play with a 25-man roster on Wednesday and add Rodriguez on Thursday.
In 2019, Rodriguez was a force for the Sox, going 19-6 with 213 strikeouts and making all of his starts -- 34 of them -- for the first time in his career.
“The only thing that I’m trying to improve this year is trying to throw more strikes -- trying to get deeper in the game and throw more strikes like I was doing in Spring Training,” Rodriguez said. “I did it in Spring Training. I know how to do it, so that’s something that I really want to do, and keep doing.”
Devers finds groove After starting the season with three hitless games, third baseman Rafael Devers was an underrated contributor in Tuesday’s 6-5 comeback win with two hard singles -- the second of which drove in the game-tying run in the bottom of the 11th.
And what Cora liked about that equalizer is that Devers went to the opposite field.
“I think the lefty-lefty base hit told me more about where he’s at. To be able to track the ball and shoot it the other way, that’s a good sign,” Cora said. “He stayed on the breaking ball, he hit it hard to right field and the other one was a good one so hopefully he can start with [Ryan] Yarbrough today and hit a few balls to the left-center gap and take off from there.”
May tickets available The Red Sox announced that single-game tickets for May will go on sale to the to the general public beginning on Friday at 10 a.m. ET on redsox.com/tickets.
Similar to the sale of April games, ticket prices will fluctuate based on demand and variables such as the date, number of tickets available, opponent and weather conditions. The dynamic pricing model is consistent with current practices implemented by the majority of Major League Baseball teams and throughout other leagues and allows the club to accommodate potential changes to capacity more easily throughout the season.
Tickets will be sold online in pods of two and four with a limit of one pod per game for each fan. Mastercard is the preferred payment of the Boston Red Sox.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 3:37:05 GMT -5
Red Sox catcher Christian Vázquez a force at the plate as well as behind it By Julian Benbow Globe Staff,Updated April 7, 2021, 6:08 p.m.
Red Sox catcher Christian Vázquez is playing with confidence that’s been building over the past three years and has turned him into one of the top players in the league at his position in the eyes of manager Alex Cora.
Vázquez’s two-run homer in the fourth inning of the Sox’ 9-2 win over the Rays on Wednesday afternoon was the shot that broke open the onslaught, and it’s becoming the norm.
It was Vázquez’s second home run of the season, including his tying shot Tuesday night in the ninth inning of the 12-inning comeback win. He’s hit 42 homers in his seven-year career, and 22 have tied the game or put the Sox ahead.
When Rays starter Ryan Yarbrough left a 2-and-1 cutter up and over the middle of the plate, Vázquez’s eyes lit up.
“I feel sexy at the plate,” Vázquez said. “It feels good to be helping the team win. It feels good to fight the Rays. We’re playing better, playing aggressive, we’re pitching better. It feels good to win.”
‘I feel sexy at the plate.’
After catching all 12 innings Tuesday, Vázquez was prepared to be back in the lineup as the designated hitter on Wednesday with a lefthander on the mound. He went 2 for 4 with two runs and three RBIs.
“Can’t miss that lefty,” said Vázquez, who has 18 career homers against lefthanders.
From the push he gave the Sox on their way to the World Series title in 2018 to his breakthrough in the pandemic-shortened season a year ago, Cora said Vázquez has taken leaps as a player and a leader in the clubhouse.
“I do believe with him, what he did in ’18 in the playoffs put him at another level,” Cora said. “We needed him to step up defensively in the playoffs because we needed his bat.
“I still remember everybody was worried about him catching Rick [Porcello] against the Yankees, right, because Sandy [Leon] was the catcher, but he did a good job with Rick and he got a big hit against [Luis] Severino, he had the big home run against [Zack] Britton, and it just took off ... I think that gave him confidence. He knows he’s one of the leaders of the team. He’s been here a long time and he wants to lead this staff to do something big.”
Pegged as a defensive catcher when he reached the majors in 2014, Vázquez has become an impact at the plate and behind it over the past two seasons. Since the start of 2019, Vázquez is third among catchers with at least 500 plate appearances in Wins Above Replacement (5.2), behind only J.T. Realmuto (7.6) and Yasmani Grandal (7.2).
“When I see how people rank catchers, right — outside of our world — he’s the closest thing to a complete package, right?” Cora said. “He’s swinging the bat the last two years, defensively we know what he can do, but nobody gives him recognition. It’s not that he needs it, but I do believe he’s one of the top catchers in the league.
“I’m very proud of him because he puts in work in the offseason. Talk about his weight, he’s a lot lighter now. He worked on his swing the last three years. He just wants to be one of the best and it’s not about recognition, it’s about putting in work. I’m very happy that he’s off to a great start.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 3:39:12 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Birthday boy Eduardo Rodriguez set to make season debut on Thursday after recovering from dead arm By Julian Benbow Globe Staff,Updated April 7, 2021, 3:06 p.m.
If Eduardo Rodriguez had his way, he would have been on the mound Wednesday. Opening Day was off the table once he was placed on the injured list to start the season to give him time to recover from a bout of dead arm that hit him at the end of spring training.
But he had his eyes on April 7, because it was his 28th birthday and returning to the mound seemed like a reasonable way to celebrate.
“After they told me that you’re not going to throw on Day 1, I just said, ‘Bro, let me go on the 7th, let me go on the 7th. I want to go on that day, I want to go on that day.’ ”
The Sox, who erased an 0-3 start by completing a three-game sweep of the Rays in Wednesday’s 9-2 victory, had a plan mapped out for Rodriguez, and Thursday was the earliest he could return after putting him on the IL retroactive to March 29. The timeline didn’t match his birthday wishes, but it lined up close enough.
Rodriguez will make his regular-season debut Thursday on the road against the Baltimore Orioles. To make room for Rodriguez on the active roster, the Sox optioned Tanner Houck to the alternate training site. Related: In a sport desperate for more action, the extra-innings runner rule is just what MLB needed
“The way we planned it, it’s going to be tomorrow,” Rodriguez said. “So at least it’s one day after and not like 20 days after.”
Manager Alex Cora said Rodriguez looked good after throwing a bullpen session Friday and will have no limitations.
“Obviously, we have to be careful,” Cora said before Wednesday’s series final against the Rays. “He pitched on Friday. He threw a bullpen. He’s good to go. Looking forward to him pitching tomorrow. He really wanted to pitch today because it’s his birthday, which good for him. But for now, he’ll be OK for tomorrow. He will be good to go.”
Rodriguez opted out of the 2020 season because of complications from COVID-19. He was diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. He couldn’t put into words what it will feel like to return, but he is grateful.
“It will mean a lot because of everything that I went through last year, all that,” Rodriguez said. “I’m just happy to have the opportunity to be back in baseball and be back to start tomorrow. That’s what it means to me. It’s been a year and two months, maybe, since the last time I was on the mound in like a real game. So I think I’m going to really appreciate being on the mound tomorrow.”
Rodriguez is just two years removed from a dominant season in 2019, when he went 19-6 with a 3.81 ERA in 34 starts. He took pride in not missing a start that season and wants to pick up where he left off.
“It was hard for me because I want to really go out there the first game of the season. I don’t want to miss any starts,” he said. “That’s the way I like to be — go there every five days from the beginning all the way to the end. But I don’t want to go out there and try to do something that I might get hurt, might do something else to my body, might do something else to my shoulder. So that’s why we decided just to take one of the starts and work to the other one. So now 100 percent and I’m ready to go tomorrow.”
Rafael Devers’s tying single in the 11th inning Tuesday night was a positive sign to Cora not just because it helped the Sox pull off a 6-5 come-from-behind win, but because it was a step in the right direction after a rough start for the third baseman.
Devers was hitless (0 for 11) over his first three games before going 2 for 5 on Tuesday.
“He hit the ball hard three times, so that’s good,” Cora said. “You can tell he’s getting there. Obviously, it didn’t start well, but he got a good pitch to hit. I think the lefty-lefty base hit told me more about where he’s at. To be able to track the ball and shoot it the other way, that’s a good sign.” Related: After starting season 0-3, Red Sox complete three-game sweep of Rays
Devers is a lifetime .278 hitter, including .265 lefthanders. Coincidentally, the Sox started the season against a run of lefties.
“One thing we were talking about, obviously we don’t control who we face in spring training, but we didn’t face too many lefties in spring training so it seems like we face a righty all the time,” Cora said. “Spring training prepares you for the season and all of the sudden you go out there and face two right away, we’ve got another one today, and another one in two or three days in Baltimore.
“Sometimes you need that as a lefthanded hitter, just to stay on pitches, that angle, you track the ball better, you stay on top of it and go the other way, so hopefully that’s a good sign. He stayed on the breaking ball, he hit it hard to right field, and the other one was a good one, so hopefully he can start with [Ryan] Yarbrough today and hit a few balls to the left-center gap and take off from there.” Outfield shuffle
Center fielder Alex Verdugo got the day off Wednesday. Kiké Hernández took his place in center. J.D. Martinez got his first start of the season in left field.
Cora said he will likely sit Xander Bogaerts Thursday in Baltimore. Bogaerts made his sixth straight start at shortstop on Wednesday. The Sox have an offday Friday, which will give Bogaerts an extra day to rest. It will be the only one they get until May 3.
“We’re in a tough stretch right away,” Cora said. “You have to take care of players.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 3:41:13 GMT -5
After missing 2020, Eduardo Rodriguez eager to take the mound on Thursday Bill Koch The Providence Journal Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez warms up in the bullpen ahead of pitching a simulated game at Polar Park in Worcester on Friday.
BOSTON — Eduardo Rodriguez missed out on quite a birthday present by a single day.
The left-hander turned 28 on Wednesday and will make his first start for the Red Sox since September 2019 to open their series at Baltimore this week.
Rodriguez takes the ball for Thursday afternoon’s matchup with the Orioles at Camden Yards. He missed the 2020 campaign after developing myocarditis, an inflammation of his heart muscle that resulted from a bout with COVID-19. Rodriguez also was scratched from Opening Day last week and placed on the injured list after developing a dead arm — his official diagnosis was left elbow inflammation.
“Everything I went through last year, all of that, I was just happy to have the opportunity to be back in baseball and to start tomorrow,” Rodriguez said. “That’s what it means to me.”
It was a troubling time for Boston when Rodriguez was shut down from all physical activities last August. Here was a young man in his physical prime diagnosed with a heart condition — the unknowns concerning the virus were far more considerable 14 months ago when the pandemic took America into its grip. Rodriguez has reported no health-related setbacks aside from the normal physical toll pitching causes for the average baseball player.
“Obviously, we’ve got to be careful but he pitched on Friday,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He threw a bullpen. He’s good to go.
“Looking forward to him pitching tomorrow. He really wanted to pitch today because it’s his birthday — good for him, but no. We’re very happy.”
Rodriguez threw a simulated game at Triple-A Worcester and followed with a bullpen session at Fenway Park on Monday. He was cleared by the club’s medical staff on Tuesday to gear up for the Thursday start, and he’ll replace Tanner Houck in the rotation. The right-hander was optioned to the alternate site after working in relief late Tuesday in the 6-5, 12-inning victory over the Rays. Eduardo Rodriguez throws a pitch during a simulated game at Polar Park in Worcester on Friday. He's scheduled to make his first start of the season Thursday at Baltimore.
“I threw all my pitches and I felt really strong,” Rodriguez said. “I feel like right now I’m 100% ready to go out there tomorrow.”
Rodriguez was hoping to follow up a breakout 2019 season with another strong effort in a shortened 2020. He struck out 213 in 203⅓ innings while posting a 3.81 ERA. Rodriguez finished sixth in the American League Cy Young Award voting and the Red Sox closed 26-8 in his 34 starts.
“I just want to go out there every five days and do the same thing I did in 2019,” Rodriguez said. “Go out there, try to minimize the damage, try to throw more strikes like I was doing in spring training.”
Rodriguez was dominant at times against the Grapefruit League, seeming like he hadn’t missed a beat. Cora monitored him closely from the time pitchers and catchers reported in early February and waited to announce Rodriguez as the ace of the rotation heading into 2021. Nathan Eovaldi ultimately wound up drawing the first start against the Orioles for the second straight season.
As to whether or not he’ll be nervous after such a long period of inactivity, Rodriguez could only smile politely. The international signing from Venezuela and former Baltimore minor leaguer said he’s simply happy to be back doing what he enjoys. Drawing a spot start in Game 4 of the 2018 World Series wasn’t enough to ruffle Rodriguez’s feathers — this April outing against an A.L. East rival is also unlikely to do so.
“I’ve never been nervous in my life when I go on the mound,” Rodriguez said. “That’s what I love to do all the time — just go out there and pitch. I’m more happy than nervous all the time.”
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @billkoch25
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 3:42:45 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 3h Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott and U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, the former mayor of Boston, are scheduled to throw out first pitches at Camden Yards on Thursday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 3:51:04 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox notebook: Eduardo Rodriguez ready for season debut in Baltimore, Michael Chavis on taxi squad for road trip Updated 12:13 AM; Today 11:48 PM
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON -- Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez’s long-awaited return to the mound will happen Thursday afternoon in Baltimore.
Rodriguez, who started the season on the 10-day injured list after battling “dead arm” late in spring training, will be activated Thursday ahead of Boston’s road opener at Camden Yards. For the 28-year-old (Rodriguez’s birthday was Wednesday) the return to action was a long time coming.
“It will mean a lot because of everything I went through last year,” he said Wednesday. “I just was happy to have the opportunity to be back in baseball and be back to start tomorrow.”
Rodriguez will not have a hard pitch limit, manager Alex Cora said, but the Red Sox don’t plan to push him against the O’s. It’s likely Boston will take a conservative approach with Rodriguez, who missed the 2020 season after being diagnosed with myocarditis -- or heart inflammation -- caused by COVID-19.
“He’s good to go,” Cora said. “Looking forward to him to pitch tomorrow. He really wanted to pitch today because it’s his birthday. Good for him, but no. We’re very happy. He’ll be okay tomorrow. He’ll be ready to go.”
Since first experiencing discomfort March 22 in a spring start against the Rays, Rodriguez has worked with team trainers to strengthen his shoulder in an effort to return to the rotation as soon as possible. He was scratched from his scheduled start on Opening Day but only missed one turn through the rotation.
“It was hard for me because I wanted to really go out there for the first game of the season,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t want to miss any starts so that’s the way I like to be, to go out there every five days from the beginning all the way until the end.”
Rodriguez, who is due to be a free agent after the season, said he won’t be nervous heading into his first outing in nearly 18 months. He’s excited to once again lead the Red Sox’ rotation.
“Now I’m 100% and I’m ready to go tomorrow,” Rodriguez said.
Devers rounding into form
Third baseman Rafael Devers was 0-for-3 with a walk in Wednesday’s win and is now 2-for-19 (.105) with an RBI and five strikeouts in six games so far this season. His best game of the year came Tuesday, when he went 2-for-5.
Before then, Cora saw some encouraging signs that Devers was about to break out.
“I think, on Sunday, he hit the ball hard three times,” Cora said. “You can tell that he’s getting there. Obviously, it didn’t start well but he got a good pitch yesterday to hit. I think the lefty-lefty base hit told me more about where he’s at. To be able to track the ball and shoot it the other way, that’s a good sign.”
The Red Sox have faced three lefties in their first three games -- John Means, Bruce Zimmermann and Ryan Yarbrough. That has made things difficult for Devers, who is much better against righties in his career.
“We didn’t face too many lefties ins spring training,” Cora said. “It seemed like we faced a righty all the time. Spring training prepares you for the season and all of the sudden, you go out there and face two (lefties) right away, we get one today and we get another one in two days or three days in Baltimore.
“Sometimes you need that. As a left-handed hitter, just to stay on pitches, that angle. You track the ball better, you stay on top of it and you go the other way. Hopefully, that’s a good sign. He stayed on a breaking ball, hit it hard to right field and then the other one was a good one.
Chavis on taxi squad
Infielder Michael Chavis is on Boston’s taxi squad for the road trip to Baltimore and Minnesota, multiple sources said. The Red Sox can bring up to five additional players -- including at least one catcher -- for each road trip this season. Those players would be the first ones activated if someone on the 26-man active roster is
The Red Sox will make a roster move before Thursday’s game, activating Rodriguez for his start. Boston played with 25 players on Wednesday after optioning righty Tanner Houck to the alternate site in Worcester after Tuesday’s game.
O’s rematch starts Thursday
The Red Sox will try to enact revenge against the Orioles this weekend after being swept a week ago. Here are the pitching probables (Friday is an off day for both clubs):
Thursday, 3:05 p.m. -- LHP Eduardo Rodriguez vs. RHP Matt Harvey
Saturday, 7:05 p.m. -- RHP Garrett Richards vs. LHP Bruce Zimmermann
Sunday, 1:05 p.m. -- RHP Nick Pivetta vs. RHP Jorge Lopez
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 7:14:15 GMT -5
Harvey on hill as fans head to Camden Yards for home opener By: Roch Kubatko April 8, 2021 4:00 AM
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Opening day, in the traditional sense, isn’t happening this afternoon at Camden Yards. However, gates are opening to fans, players will be introduced and the sounds of baseball will mix with real, live crowd reactions.
The dugout chatter won’t ricochet off the empty seats.
The ballpark can be filled to 25 percent capacity, around 11,000 fans, as the Orioles play their first home series. Matt Harvey makes his second career start in Baltimore, unable to work out in his new surroundings due to the two-city road trip that proceeded his arrival.
Harvey’s other appearance came on May 11, 2019 with the Angels, when he allowed two runs and five hits with six strikeouts over four innings in a 7-2 win. Dwight Smith Jr., no longer in the organization, hit a two-run homer in the first to match Albert Pujols’ shot off Dylan Bundy in the top half.
“You have to look at it as a normal start,” Harvey said yesterday in his Zoom call. “I obviously know it’s the home opener and it’s extremely exciting, but I’ve been fortunate to pitch in a lot of ballparks, a lot of new ballparks, and it’s an honor to wear the Baltimore jersey and pitch for our home opener.
“It’s a big league game. You’ve got to go out there no matter where you are and get people out and that’s what I’m going to do.”
As the No. 2 starter breaking camp, Harvey was lined up for today’s assignment. Manager Brandon Hyde wanted a right-hander to separate John Means and rookie Bruce Zimmermann.
Harvey-Delivers-Orange-Fenway-Sidebar.jpg“I think every game you have butterflies to some degree,” Harvey said. “It’s exciting. It’s a big league game, it’s a big league ballpark and that never gets old. It only intensifies when it’s the home opener. It’s exciting and I’m honored to get the ball (today).”
The Orioles have marked their attendance as zero since September 2019 due to COVID-19. Some restrictions remain in place - outside food can’t be brought into the ballpark, for example - but there’s going to be an atmosphere. There’s going to be a level of excitement that couldn’t be attained with piped-in noise and team employees scattered in the stands.
“Obviously, it’s our home park, but I think in general being back in major league ballparks with fans, it’s extremely exciting,” Harvey said. “I got to really get a good feel of it with about 16 of my family members at the game I pitched in Boston. I have some friends coming in (today) and I have some former teammates coming in for my next start, so it’s exciting.
“It’s what Major League Baseball is all about is playing for the fans, playing at home, playing in your own city, and we’re obviously extremely excited for the support and hopefully sooner than later we can have a full crowd.
“I’ve thrown there once and I enjoyed playing there. It’s an incredible ballpark. It was a good first experience and I’m obviously looking forward to it (today) and for the next six months, however long it is.”
Said Hyde: “I think when you start the season on the road, it does feel like you haven’t been home in a long time. I’m just looking forward to Camden Yards and having fans there, having people in the seats and having our players experience fans in the stands again at home. It’s been a while and I know everyone is looking forward to that. So that’s probably the biggest thing in our clubhouse that everyone is looking forward to is opening day at home and having people there, which we haven’t seen since ‘19.”
Hyde has talked about the opening day experience, Baltimore style, with some of his younger players.
“I think that everybody is just excited to go home and to experience the home crowd,” he said. “Camden Yards is extremely special and we haven’t played in front of fans at home in a while. So for all the new, young guys that haven’t experienced a home opener before, it’s going to be a special experience for them. Yeah, I just want them to soak it in and relax and have fun and enjoy it.”
Harvey made his Orioles debut Saturday at Fenway Park and surrendered two runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. Means was a really tough act to follow with his seven scoreless innings and only one hit allowed.
“As a starting pitcher, you know what your job is,” Harvey said. “Whether you’re young, whether you’re older, whether you’re experienced or not, the goal of a starting pitcher is to get six, seven innings and not tax the bullpen. And I think you kind of learn that at a young age. You definitely learn it as more (of a) veteran.
“Those days where you can save the bullpen and really take over, it helps everybody. It helps the whole team. I haven’t in a while been a huge strikeout guy and I hope to get back to that at some point, whether it’s tomorrow or the near future. But I think what we’ve been working on since spring training is pounding the zone, throwing strikes, trying to get early outs. Obviously, I didn’t do a very good job of that in my last start, but you’re going to have some of those games.
“The biggest thing is weak contact, trying to get early outs and being in the game as long as you can. That saves your bullpen now and it really saves them later in the season.”
Outfielder DJ Stewart could return for the series, described again as making progress and nearing activation while working out at the alternate training site in Bowie. He hasn’t played since March 5.
It’s going to happen.
“I’m not sure of the exact date,” Hyde said yesterday, “but, yeah, he is getting close.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 7:44:20 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles preview: TV schedule, pitching probables, key stories (April 8-11) Updated 8:41 AM; Today 8:36 AM
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
The Red Sox scored only five runs in three losses to the Baltimore Orioles last weekend at Fenway Park to open the 2021 season. They will try for a better outcome when they play three more games against the O’s in Baltimore on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Red Sox rebounded nicely from last weekend’s disaster by sweeping the Rays at Fenway Park to start the season 3-3. It marked the first time since 1951 the Red Sox lost their first three regular season games, then won the next three games.
Eduardo Rodriguez will start for Boston on Thursday, which is the home opener for the Orioles. It marks the lefty’s first start since Sept. 29, 2019. Baltimore Orioles (4-2) vs. Boston Red Sox (3-3) · Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore
SERIES SCHEDULE (and TV information):
Thursday, April 8: Red Sox at Orioles, 3:05 p.m., NESN
Saturday, April 10: Red Sox at Orioles, 7:05 p.m., NESN
Sunday, April 11: Red Sox at Orioles, 1:05 p.m., NESN
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT: The Orioles swept the Red Sox last weekend, then lost two of three at Yankee stadium. They are in first place in the AL East but they are expected to finish last.
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Thursday: Red Sox LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2021 debut) vs. Orioles RHP Matt Harvey (0-0, 3.86)
Saturday: Red Sox RHP Garrett Richards (0-1, 27.00) vs. Orioles LHP Bruce Zimmermann (1-0, 4.50)
Sunday: Red Sox RHP Nick Pivetta (1-0, 0.00) vs. Orioles RHP Jorge López (0-1, 7.71)
THREE SOX TO WATCH:
1. Garrett Richards: The righty lasted just 2-plus innings in his Red Sox debut, giving up six earned runs and seven hits. Red Sox starters have a 3.99 ERA (29 ⅓ innings, 13 earned runs) in six games. Subtract Richards’ start, and Boston’s starter ERA drops to 2.30 (27 ⅓ innings, 7 earned runs) in five games.
2. Rafael Devers: The third baseman is 2-for-19 (.105) with no extra-base hits. But he historically is a slow starter. He has a career .265/.336/.381/.717 line (61 games) in April. He has a career .854 OPS in May, .856 OPS in June, .934 OPS in July, .835 OPS in August and .780 OPS in September.
3. Eduardo Rodriguez: The lefty will make his first start since Sept. 29, 2019. Rodriguez did not pitch in 2020 because of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), which he was diagnosed with after having COVID-19. He began this season on the IL after experiencing dead arm late in spring training.
SERIES NOTES:
Trey Mancini will play his first game in Baltimore since returning from Stage 3 colon cancer that sidelined him for the 2020 season. “He should be the Comeback Player of the Year regardless. He can hit .330 or .180. He is the Comeback Player of the Year already,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. Xander Bogaerts went 8-for-12 (.750 batting average) in Boston’s sweep over the Rays after going 1-for-12 vs. the Orioles last weekend. J.D. Martinez already has six doubles in six games after hitting just 16 doubles in 54 games last year. ·He’s is the third hitter in franchise history with one or more extra-base hit in each of the Red Sox’s first six games, joining David Ortiz (2005) and Faye Throneberry (1955). Eduardo Rodriguez is 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA, .212 BAA and 54 strikeouts in nine starts (52 innings) at Camden Yards. The Red Sox have not yet allowed a home run through six games, the first time they have done that since 1992. Orioles’ Cedric Mullins is 12-for-25 (.480) with a .519 on-base percentage, one homer and three doubles in six games. Matt Harvey and
WHAT’S AHEAD:
April 12-15, at Minnesota Twins
April 16-19, vs. White Sox at Fenway Park
April 20-21, vs. Toronto at Fenway Park
April 22-25, vs. Mariners at Fenway Park
April 27-28, at New York Mets
April 29-May 2, at Texas Rangers
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Post by Kimmi on Apr 8, 2021 8:00:23 GMT -5
Win the series.
That is all.
Also, it will be nice to see ERod back on the mound.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 9:26:59 GMT -5
Red Sox at Orioles Thursday, at 3:05 PM EST Partly Cloudy According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 68° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 11 MPH wind blowing right to left in Baltimore at 3:05 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io Thursday afternoon's AL East matchup in Baltimore will feature partly cloudy skies and comfortable temperatures. A light-to-moderate breeze will blow across the diamond from right to left. Overall, weather will not have a significant impact.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 9:39:05 GMT -5
Red Sox at Orioles Series Preview
A look at the first road series of 2021. By Matt_Collins@MattRyCollins Apr 8, 2021, 10:30am EDT
The opponent in one sentence
The Orioles, as we mentioned in this space just a week ago, have been projected by all to be among the league’s worst, but it was the Red Sox who looked that part when the two played last weekend. Record
4-2 Head-to-head record
0-3 Trend
We’re still too early for real trends, though they were obviously very much trending up after opening weekend in Fenway. They came back down to Earth a bit in their subsequent series against the Yankees, where they lost two of three. So that would suggest a bit of a trend down, but they’re still 4-2 and they did win on Wednesday. Pitching Matchups
4/8: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Matt Harvey, 3:05 PM ET
Thursday is the big one for the Red Sox in this series as they look to avenge their sweep last weekend. They get their best pitcher back on the mound on Thursday to face off against the organization where it all started for him. After dealing with some dead arm at the end of spring, Rodriguez is back and ready to go, taking the ball for this series opener. He is obviously not just coming back from dead arm, but also complications from COVID that caused him to sit out all of 2020. Due to all of the circumstances, both the short-term and long-term ailments, it’s basically impossible to know what we should expect. That said, he looked great pre-dead arm in spring, so there is reason for optimism if you’re looking for it.
On the other side, the Red Sox are looking to get another shot at Matt Harvey after the pitcher won the first matchup. To be fair, the Orioles right was not quite dominant in that start, and only made it through 4 2⁄3 innings. That said, the Red Sox also managed only a pair of runs on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts. The former Mets star leaned most heavily on control in that start, and I’d be looking for the Red Sox to be a bit more patient this time around. He has had control problems throughout his career and especially recently, so only drawing one walk is playing into his hands. He’ll lean most heavily on his fastball, which sat around 93 mph last weekend, while also mixing in a changeup, slider and curveball.
4/10: Garrett Richards vs. Bruce Zimmermann, 7:05 PM ET
For the most part, the Red Sox rotation was incredibly successful in their first run through. There was just one blemish, and that came from Garrett Richards. He’s looking to reverse that trend this time around and get his command back in order. The righty was dealing with some command issues for a lot of the spring, but it had seemed he solved the mechanical issues that were leading to the wonky command. Those issues resurfaced on Sunday in the series finale against Baltimore as his shelling led to the sweep-clinching loss. He didn’t record a single out in the third inning in that one, so we’ll take baby steps. Get through three this time, and then we’ll take it from there.
On the other side, he is once again matching up against the young Zimmermann, who looked pretty good in that first start of the year. On Sunday, the former Braves prospect made it through six strong innings, allowing just three runs on four hits and one walk with five strikeouts. Zimmermann is part of a line of prospects coming up now and over the next year or so for Baltimore. He doesn’t have the upside of others, but as we have seen first-hand he certainly has the ability to stick in a major-league rotation. The righty will not come equipped with big-time stuff, but he leans on a fastball that sat around 92 mph to go with a changeup, a curveball and a slider.
4/11: Nick Pivetta vs. Jorge López, 1:05 PM ET
The biggest wildcard in this Red Sox rotation, at least in the opinion of this writer, is Nick Pivetta. The story for him has been the same for years now: He has big stuff, but he struggles to always put it where he wants and he can get predictable at times. His season debut certainly went well against the Rays, even if some of those issues showed up again. Most notably, his fastball command was all over the place. He got away with it in that first start, and that’s a mix of reasons. Part of it is he got fortunate going up against a Rays lineup that never really had it going on at Fenway. The other part is the stuff is good enough that he can get away with those outings from time to time. If he’s yanking his fastball all over the place consistently, it will catch up with him, but we saw the benefit of good stuff: It can always be hard to hit on any given day, regardless of location.
For this series finale on Sunday the Red Sox will get their first look of the year at López. The righty has been bouncing all around baseball for pretty much his entire career at this point, having arrived in Baltimore shortly after the 2020 season began. Last summer was decidedly not good for him, as he struggled to miss bats (16 percent) and gave up a few too many homers. That’s basically the MO for López, as he is not going to miss a lot of bats. If he can keep his command in check and avoid hard contact he can get the job done, but judging by his 6.06 career ERA that has not really been the case very often. In his season debut against the Yankees, he allowed four runs over 4 2⁄3 innings on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts. He’ll throw a pair of fastballs that sit 93-94 mph, and also go to a curveball and the occasional changeup. Old Friends
None Notable Position Players
Cedric Mullins was the star of that opening weekend series at Fenway. Baltimore’s outfielder was a wildcard for that lineup heading into the season, and the early returns have been phenomenal as he’s hitting .480/.519/.720 through the first week. Against the Red Sox, he had multiple hits in all three games including a five-hit game.
Trey Mancini remains the story of baseball and will be throughout the year as he comes back from colon cancer that kept him out last season. The start to this season has been rough at the plate, though, with just four hits in his first six games.
Anthony Santander was a big breakout for Baltimore last year before an injury stopped his season in its tracks. He’s 6-22 to start this season with one homer to his name.
Ryan Mountcastle has some questions about his long-term home defensively, but the young righty can hit, although he’s off to a similar start to that of Mancini.
Maikel Franco was signed by Baltimore towards the end of camp, and while he’s struggling to get going here too much he can still hit the ball hard every time up.
Rio Ruiz made some great plays against the Red Sox in the field last weekend, and he has one homer in five games to start this season.
Freddy Galvis has had a tough time replacing José Iglesias over the first week of the season with just three hits to this point in the year.
Pedro Severino will do much of the catching for Baltimore, and he’s off to a solid start with five hits in five games, though four are singles.
Ramón Urias just entered the starting lineup due to injury, and is a light-hitting middle infielder. Bullpen Snapshot
César Valdez has quickly emerged as the top reliever in this bullpen, grabbing a pair of saves and a win early in this season. The righty had spent most of his professional career in Mexico before joining the O’s last summer, and he’s off to a hot start this year with five strikeouts and one walk in 4 1⁄3 innings.
Tanner Scott is another late-inning arm we’ll likely be seeing this week, particularly with lefties coming up. He can have some trouble hitting the zone from time to time, but when his command is even close to on his stuff can be unhittable.
Dillon Tate is the secondary set up man, but there’s a bit drop in quality here from the other two. Tate can still be plenty successful, of course, but the dominance isn’t quite there. Injuries
Austin Hays was put on the IL right after the series last weekend with some tightness in his hamstring. He won’t play this weekend, but the Orioles aren’t anticipating a long-term absence here.
Chris Davis is dealing with back problems that landed him on the 60-day injured list to start this season, and there’s a decent chance he won’t be back in this lineup at all this season.
Hunter Harvey has always dealt with injury issues throughout his professional career, and he was bit by the injury bug again in camp. Due to an oblique issue, he was put on the 60-day IL and will be out for at least another six weeks or so.
DJ Stewart is dealing with a hamstring issue of his own that caused him to miss most of camp, but there is a chance he could be back at some point in this series. If so, he’ll get some time in the corner outfield. Weather Forecast
There shouldn’t be any issues for the game on Thursday, but there are some questions for Saturday and Sunday. It’s certainly not a shoo-in for a rainout, and right now it looks more positive than negative, but for Saturday especially be prepared for the possibility of at least a delay at some point.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 9:43:02 GMT -5
Red Sox have brought back an old friend: Some much-needed grit Download the RADIO.COM app
By Jim Hackett 7 minutes ago
Wednesday’s 9-2 beat down and sweep of the 2020 American League champion Tampa Bay Rays will leave a lasting impression. It was the first time back at the ballpark for me since the mid-summer of 2019 and it was the first time in a very long time that the Red Sox had a series sweep of consequence.
While the 2021 season’s opening series versus Baltimore was defined by sluggishness, underwhelming results and a little depression, this most recent series versus a far superior Rays team, showed pure grit and it was a welcome sight to Sox fans.
Walking into the ballpark yesterday felt great on its own -- breaking through the chains of the pandemic to re-experience life for just a little while. That was nice. As soon as I crossed over the David Ortiz Bridge and drew closer to Fenway my spirits lifted. Happy but not yet satisfied as the suddenly reasonable idea of a series sweep of the once pesky and now seriously good Rays occurred to me not solely as an opportunity but as a must have.
The 2021 Alex Cora-led Sox needed this sweep of the Rays. It was within grasp, wrapped with a sense of urgency to accomplish the goal and kudos to the Sox for going out and getting it. It’s April 8, just six games in and feels somewhat shortsighted to say, but this one felt like it mattered.
After three straight losses to the ‘pathetic-until-I’m-proven-wrong’ Orioles, a series win over Tampa Bay with a loss on the backend wouldn’t have changed much in terms of the aura surrounding this team. Slamming the door on a series with an exclamation point against a real opponent however, that means something.
Grit holds that kind of power. The power to change hearts and minds and inject hope.
Tuesday night’s comeback displayed the late inning ‘want-to’ that’s been lacking since before the prolific 2018 record-breaking World Series Championship season. No, this was the stuff of the magical and upstart 2013 Red Sox World Series Championship team and it was just the right medicine for a weary, curious and increasingly skeptical local fan base. The combination of Tuesday night’s late comeback and yesterday’s no-doubter had me thinking about ‘grit and balls.’ Not of the Kevin Garnett variety, but of the 2013 Jonny Gomes flavor.
The Sox needed that Tuesday night comeback and as I strolled down a quiet but reawakening Lansdowne Street before the game, the sharp reality of the need for a sweep hit hard and credit to this Red Sox team for delivering on it. They needed it. I needed it and we of Red Sox Nation needed it. Comebacks take grit, will and focus. Coming back the following afternoon to finish the job requires a killer instinct and the Red Sox finally showed yesterday that they have some of that.
It felt good too.
As the Red Sox sit at 3-3 on the young 2021 season, we have seen the good, the bad and the ugly all on display. The last two days however we saw something else, grit. What a welcome sight. The grit that will be mandatory for this team to stay competitive finally brought its soul to the surface. Just in time to exact revenge on that Orioles team that embarrassed them on their home field last weekend. If grit’s on the menu this weekend, then thank you sir, I’ll have another.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 8, 2021 10:25:02 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 1h 557 days since we last got to watch Eddie Rodriguez pitch in a real game. In 2019 he made 34 starts and went went 19-6 with 213 strikeouts, finishing 6th in AL Cy Young voting. This spring he struck out 15 and walked 2 in 13.2 innings.
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