|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 3:00:16 GMT -5
Blue Jays @ Red Sox Tuesday, 20th April 2021 7pm @ Fenway
Ryu 1-1/ 1.89
The staff ace has posted a 1.89era/ 0.895 WHIP in 3 starts this season.
Erod 2-0/ 3.60
Will mark his first home game of the season where he is 16-8 since 2018.
Surging Red Sox begin brief set against Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays look to slow down the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday when the teams begin a brief two-game set at Fenway Park.
Boston won for the 11th time in its last 14 games on Monday with an impressive 11-4 rout of the Chicago White Sox. Leadoff hitter Kike Hernandez set the tone with a home run to begin the scoring for Boston and is hitting .327 over his last 12 games.
"I feel comfortable," Hernandez said. "There's still some things that I need to get better at. Swing at strikes, take balls. That way I not only get on base by swinging the bat. My job is just to get on base because the guys behind me are really, really good."
The injury-plagued Blue Jays dropped three of four against Kansas City over the weekend but hope to have outfielder George Springer (oblique) and reliever Jordan Romano (elbow) back by the end of the month.
Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez tested positive for COVID-19 last Tuesday but is no longer experiencing symptoms and could return Friday against Tampa Bay.
One bright spot for the Blue Jays has been the play of first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is hitting .389 with four home runs and 11 RBIs. Guerrero extended his on-base streak to 16 games to start the year in Sunday's 2-0 loss to Kansas City.
"I feel good where we are as a team with all the injuries," Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. "Guys are playing now that weren't supposed to play, and that's how it goes. Maybe some guys are putting more pressure on themselves because now the lineup's not as strong as it used to be, but that's how it goes."
The Red Sox open the series with left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.60 ERA), who pitched five innings and allowed one run on five hits in last Wednesday's 7-1 win over Minnesota. With the win, the Red Sox improved to 47-12 in his starts since the beginning of 2018 (including the postseason).
Rodriguez is 4-4 with a 4.64 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) against Toronto.
Blue Jays starter Hyun Jin Ryu (1-1, 1.89 ERA) takes the mound after giving up one unearned run on four hits with seven strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings in last Tuesday's 7-3 win over the New York Yankees.
The left-hander is 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two career starts against Boston.
Ryu will be charged with slowing down a Boston lineup that exploded for 17 hits in Monday's rout of the White Sox. J.D. Martinez went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs in the victory and leads the majors with 20 RBIs.
Center fielder Alex Verdugo added three hits and belted his third homer, while catcher Christian Vazquez raised his average to .308 with three hits.
Toronto will likely need more than just Guerrero to keep pace with the Red Sox and could use a spark from their new leadoff hitter. Marcus Semien has struggled in his first few weeks with his new club, batting .182 overall with one hit in his last four games.
--Field Level Media
Blue Jays at Red Sox Tuesday, at 7:10 PM EST Partly Cloudy According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 62° F with a 1% chance of rain and 9 MPH wind blowing out in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 3:02:35 GMT -5
SP Match Ups
Tonight....Ryu vs Erod
Wednesday....7pm...TBA (A. Kay 0-0/10.80) vs Richards 0-1/6.00
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 3:32:15 GMT -5
How Blue Jays could use upcoming schedule to maximize top of rotation
Ben Nicholson-Smith@bnicholsonsmithApril 19, 2021
TORONTO – A year ago, the Blue Jays allowed more runs than all but four MLB teams. Over the winter, run prevention was a stated focus for the team, yet the front office’s biggest additions came in the form of position players.
Within that context it’s at least a little bit surprising to see the Blue Jays leading the American League with a 3.07 ERA Monday as they prepare for a two-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Clearly, this pitching staff is doing its part to keep the Blue Jays in contention despite a long list of pitchers on the injured list.
"We're hanging in games because of the way that we've pitched," manager Charlie Montoyo said. "They've done a great job to keep us in every game so far."
Many of those injured pitchers are making strides toward a potential return and in the meantime, the schedule might play to the Blue Jays’ advantage. With four of their next 11 days off starting Monday, the Blue Jays could theoretically maximize the contributions from their top three starters without overworking Hyun-Jin Ryu, Steven Matz and Robbie Ray.
It’s possible that trio of lefties could start seven of the Blue Jays’ next nine games. Here’s how it would work:
Monday, April 19 – Off Tuesday, April 20 @ Red Sox – Ryu Wednesday, April 21 @ Red Sox – TBD Thursday, April 22 – Off Friday, April 23 @ Rays – Matz Saturday, April 24 @ Rays – Ray Sunday, April 25 @ Rays – Ryu Monday, April 26 – Off Tuesday, April 27 vs. Nationals – TBD Wednesday, April 28 vs. Nationals – Matz Thursday, April 29 – Off Friday, April 30 vs. Braves Ray Saturday, May 1 vs. Braves Ryu
So is that kind of setup something the Blue Jays would entertain?
“Certainly considering that,” pitching coach Pete Walker said. “I won't lay it all out for you here, but we have the opportunity with the off days to make sure those guys are getting regular work and still getting some rest to be honest with you, which is nice. We're going to take full advantage of that.
"Hopefully other guys settle into other spots in that rotation but right now if we can use those guys we will."
At this point in the season it’s far too early to even consider using top starting pitchers on short rest, but this approach would allow at least four days of rest for all involved. In Ryu’s case, two of his next three starts would be with at least five days of rest.
“Any time we have an opportunity to do that, we’re going to do that for sure,” Walker said. “It’s early in the season. It’s April. When you’re thinking about a long season, making 30-plus starts for us, that’s what we envision. So (we want) to be smart when we have the opportunity to do it.”
Plus, some reinforcements should be re-joining the Blue Jays by the time they’re done with this stretch of days off. Walker expects Jordan Romano (ulnar neuritis) to be activated once he’s eligible on April 25 and barring setbacks Tyler Chatwood (triceps) will return even sooner.
Support for the rotation is further off, though. Nate Pearson is slated to throw live batting practice Tuesday as he works his way back from a groin strain and if the live BP session goes well, Pearson would keep building up his pitch count with the goal of helping the big-league rotation.
Meanwhile, there’s no clear timetable Ross Stripling (forearm), Julian Merryweather (oblique) and Thomas Hatch (elbow).
With so many injures, Trent Thornton has been thrust into high-leverage relief and team decision-makers like what they see so far. While they’re not ruling out the possibility of asking Thornton to start later this year, they like him in the bullpen for now, including some high-leverage spots.
"I'm not afraid to put him there,” Montoyo said. “He's becoming that guy."
“I still think he can be a very solid major-league starter, but he looks good out of the 'pen,” Walker added. “His makeup actually fits the 'pen when you look at him. He comes at you with arms and legs. A lot of moving parts to his delivery. And in a short stint, he's got some weapons."
Somehow, the Blue Jays have been making it all work so far. And over the next week and a half there’s a chance to use the schedule to their advantage while those injured pitchers work their way back.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 3:35:10 GMT -5
Rodriguez expected to start for the Red Sox against the Blue Jays By The Associated Press Tue., April 20, 2021timer1 min. read
Toronto Blue Jays (7-9, fourth in the AL East) vs. Boston Red Sox (11-6, first in the AL East)
Boston; Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Blue Jays: Hyun Jin Ryu (1-1, 1.90 ERA, .90 WHIP, 19 strikeouts) Red Sox: Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.60 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 12 strikeouts)
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Red Sox -117, Blue Jays +100; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Toronto Blue Jays travel to take on the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday.
The Red Sox are 6-3 against opponents from the AL East. Boston has hit 21 home runs this season, eighth in the American League. J.D. Martinez leads the team with six, averaging one every 10 at-bats.
The Blue Jays are 4-2 against AL East Division opponents. Toronto has hit 19 home runs this season, eleventh in the American League. Marcus Semien leads the team with four while slugging .364.
TOP PERFORMERS: Martinez leads the Red Sox with 20 RBIs and is batting .383.
Semien leads the Blue Jays with four home runs and is batting .182.
LAST 10 GAMES: Red Sox: 7-3, .303 batting average, 3.83 ERA, outscored opponents by 20 runs
Blue Jays: 4-6, .240 batting average, 3.05 ERA, outscored opponents by eight runs
INJURIES: Red Sox: Chris Sale: (elbow), Ryan Brasier: (left calf).
Blue Jays: Kirby Yates: (tommy john surgery), Ross Stripling: (forearm), Jordan Romano: (forearm), David Phelps: (back), Nate Pearson: (adductor), Patrick Murphy: (shoulder), Julian Merryweather: (left oblique), Tom Hatch: (elbow), Tyler Chatwood: (triceps), George Springer: (left oblique), Teoscar Hernandez: (health protocols), Cavan Biggio: (hand).
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 3:38:38 GMT -5
Blue Jays need return of Springer and Hernandez to boost so-so offence Author of the article: Rob Longley
Apr 19, 2021 • 9 hours ago • 4 minute read •
It has become Charlie Montoyo’s go-to response when his power-packed offence struggles – “I know we are going to hit,” the Blue Jays manager has said double digit times this season.
It’s a belief mostly rooted in fact, but lately the always positive manager sounds like he might just be trying to convince himself that it will happen.
And certainly until George Springer makes his debut and Teoscar Hernandez his return from his COVID-19 shutdown, it may continue to be a too familiar refrain.
Days like Sunday’s two-hit effort in a 2-0 loss to the Royals (the Jays first shutout defeat of the season) aren’t likely to happen too often with this deep group. But if the Royals exposed the weaknesses in the Springer-free lineup, expect others to attempt the same.
One game sample for sure, but after getting raked by Vlad Guerrero Jr. for the first three games of the four-game set, the Royals had no interest in pitching to one of baseball’s hottest hitters in Sunday’s finale.
Very little was offered in the zone for Guerrero and starter Brady Singer instead attacked cleanup man Randal Grichuk, who struck out four times in the game.
With Hernandez and Springer in the lineup, the logic suggests that opposing pitchers won’t have such luxury. Hernandez could return right to his cleanup spot while Springer will bat first and surely provide an upgrade in production from the .182 Marcus Semien is providing at leadoff.
“We’re very close to adding Teo and George Springer to our lineup,” general manager Ross Atkins told MLB Radio on the weekend. “If you think about the difference that makes – the pitches that are thrown, the stress on a pitching staff is significant.
“What that means for Vladdy and Bo (Bichette) and Cavan (Biggio) and Marcus Semien is massive. Really excited to be adding those guys.”
The Jays offence hasn’t been entirely dormant, but any success has been mostly due to Bichette and Guerrero now that Grichuk has cooled off. Rowdy Tellez has shown some signs of life in recent days, but elsewhere there hasn’t been much as the Jays have managed just 66 runs in 16 games – including 15 in one blowout win over the Angels.
“The lineup is changing around because of a lot of guys getting hurt,” Montoyo said. “The lineup is not the lineup we were expecting but that’s how it goes. Maybe some guys are putting pressure on themselves because the lineup isn’t as strong as it’s supposed to be.
“But you’re going to see it. It’s going to feel good having Springer back.”
That isn’t expected to happen in Boston, but after a second day off this week, the Jays are hopeful the centre fielder will be ready for a weekend series at Tampa. And not a moment too soon.
RYU THE EXTRA DAY?
By pushing Hyun-Jin Ryu out of the rotation in K.C., the Jays may have cost themselves a shot at a split of the four-game series. Instead, they were looking at the long view, taking advantage of Monday’s much anticipated off day to provide even more rest.
The Korean lefty thrives on an extra day’s rest and when the opportunity arises they’ll give him the opportunity. And besides, they have him on the hill for Tuesday’s first of two against the red-hot AL East leading Boston Red Sox.
“I think any time we have an opportunity to do that, we’re going to try to for sure,” Jays pitching coach Pete Walker said of the Ryu strategy. “It’s not always going to work out that way, but I think with him, his numbers are always good on a little more rest.
“And it’s early in the season. It’s April. When you’re thinking about a long season and making 30-plus starts for us – that’s what we envision – be smart when we have the opportunity to do it.”
FUN GUY RYU
Though he’s all business on the mound – and so far has been masterful in 2021 – Ryu has a fun side.
“I hang around him a good bit,” said reliever (for now) Trent Thornton, who . “He’s got a really good sense of humour so we joke around a lot. We eat lot together. I’m starting to learn a little Korean and he’s got some pretty good English too. It’s just a good time.”
More importantly, Thornton has benefited from watching Ryu attack his craft.
“He’s very approachable, easy to talk to,” Thornton said. “He’s a phenomenal teammate and works extremely hard.
“I watch his preparation, what he does in between starts and his routine. It’s very detailed and specific, how he goes over scouting reports when he’s doing his homework on hitters … it’s very in depth.”
WHAT A RELIEF?
Thornton, by the way, has become a pleasant dilemma for the Jays staff. Some still see him as a potential starter but he’s needed in the bullpen right now and thriving with that group.
“I still think it can be a very solid major league starter,” Walker said of Thornton. “But he looks good out of the pen. In a short stint, he’s got some weapons to get you out. He has the aggressive mindset of a reliever, but I think he has stuff to start so we’re not going to move away from that at this point.”
In five relief appearances this season Thornton, who pitched in just three games in 2020 before getting hurt, Thornton has allowed two runs in 7.2 innings for a tidy ERA of 2.35.
“It’s something I’ve done throughout my career – start, early (relief), close, whatever it is,” Thornton said. “I know from experience so it’s not a very hard adjustment to make.”
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 4:01:28 GMT -5
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Boston Red Sox Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 7:10pm EDT Written by Eric P.
The Toronto Blue Jays take on the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night in the first game of their two-game series from Fenway Park in Boston. Both teams couldn’t have had their seasons start much different, with the Red Sox getting swept by the Orioles at home and the Blue Jays taking two of three from the Yankees on the road. Despite that, the two teams couldn’t be going in more opposite directions of late with the Blue Jays now under .500 and the Red Sox clinging onto the top record in the AL East. Over their last four games, the Blue Jays are 1-3 while the red sox are 2-2, and both teams will want to start off the crucial mid-week series with a win. Which team will get off to a quick start on Tuesday?
Blue Jays Relying On Young Bats Toronto made quite a few moves in the off-season, most notably signing Marcus Semien from the Oakland and perennial playoff star George Springer, from Houston. Unfortunately for Toronto though, George Springer has been unable to see any games this season and is only now starting to even swing the bat regularly. Semien leads the way with four home runs on the season but is only hitting .182 overall, so seems to be all or nothing at the plate. Vlad Guerrero Jr. looks to be matching the hype bestowed on him since the day he signed with Toronto, as he is hitting a team-high .389 with a team-high 11 RBIs. The Blue Jays have been impressed with the ability of their young bats to swing well this year, as Bo Bichette is approaching .300 and Joe Panik is at .308. Cavan Biggio is a game-time decision but once he is fully back, the Toronto lineup will only get more and more dangerous as the season progresses.
According to MLB.com, Hyun Jin Ryu is slated to get the ball on Tuesday night in what will be his fourth start of the year. He’ll be on an extra two days of rest and has had an incredible season early on, going 1-1 with a 1.89 ERA. He’s tossed 19 innings, allowing 15 hits and two walks, good for a 0.895 WHIP with 19 strikeouts. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to see him doing so well after going 1-0 in three starts during spring training with a 3.6 ERA and 11 strikeouts across ten innings of work. Jin Rhy has slowly become one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last three years, with a 1.97 ERA in 2018, a 2.32 MLB-leading ERA in 2019 as an All-Star, and a 2.69 ERA in 2020. Last year he also went 5-2 after going 15-5 in 2019 and has a K/9 consistently between 8 and 10. He’s also finished top three in Cy Young voting two years running and has a good chance at making it three years in a row this season.
Despite pitching in the AL East last year, Jin Rhy didn’t face off against Boston at all and hasn’t started against the Red Sox since 2019. In His July start at Fenway Parl, he went seven innings strong, allowing only two hits and no runs, but still ended up with a no-decision. According to ESPN, current Boston batters have 44 combined at-bats and 47 total plate appearances against Jin Rhy. Out of those 44 at-bats, they have ten hits and no home runs, good for a batting average of only .215. In addition, he has thirteen strikeouts again the current crop of Red Sox hitters and will use his momentum and command on the mound to keep the Blue Jays in the game.
Boston Shocking The League After a shockingly bad start to the regular season, many throughout the league thought that we’d be seeing the same Red Sox we’ve seen since they won the World Series. A team with gaping holes and struggling pitching now seems to be nowhere to be found as they sit in first place in the AL East. J.D. Martinez is showing signs of his early days in Boston, leading the team with six home runs and leading MLB in RBIs with 20. He’s also hitting .383 on the season, which surprisingly isn’t leading the team, as Xander Bogaerts has been off to a great start in 2021 and is hitting .386 on the year. The Sox also have Christian Vasquez playing the best baseball of his career, hitting .308 with Alex Verdugo flirting with a .300 average himself. Not to be forgotten is Rafael Devers, the youngster who already seems to be a Major League vet and is second on the team with five home runs.
According to MLB.com, Eduardo Rodriguez is expected to make his third start of the season when he faces off against the Blue Jays on Tuesday, and it’ll also be his first home start since 2019 after missing last season due to COVID issues. Rodriguez had a great spring, going 3-0 in four starts and allowing only four earned runs across 13.2 innings of work while striking out 15. In the regular season, he hasn’t missed a beat either, going 2-0 in two starts, with a 3.60 ERA and striking out 12 in ten innings of work. He hasn’t faced the most impressive teams in Baltimore and Minnesota, but two wins after a year off from baseball is still impressive, and the Red Sox are happy to have any contribution that they can get from the lefty. His last time out against the Twins went five innings but only allowed one run while striking out five.
The last time Rodriguez faced the Blue Jays was back in 2019, where he started two games against Toronto, one at home and one on the road. He combined to go 1-1 in those two starts, tossing 11.1 total innings. He also allowed eight earned runs and nine total eights, while striking out nine total. According to ESPN, the Toronto lineup has 49 at-bats and 53 plate appearances all-time against Rodriguez. In that span, they have only nine hits while striking out 15 times, good for an average of only .180. Rodriguez not only has the confidence from his success against the Blue Jays but also is enjoying his return tour to put on a show for the fans back at Fenway Park.
The top team trends according to Covers.com are: - Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 Tuesday games. - Red Sox are 4-0 in their last 4 during game 1 of a series. - Red Sox are 6-0 in their last 6 vs. American League East.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 7:20:27 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays preview: TV schedule, pitching probables, key stories (April 20-21) Updated 6:00 AM; Today 6:00 AM
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
The Red Sox are still in control of the American League East, holding sole possession of first place after splitting a four-game weekend series with the White Sox. Next, Boston will welcome the Blue Jays to Fenway Park for the first two meetings of the season between the teams.
Here’s a preview: Toronto Blue Jays (7-9) vs. Boston Red Sox (11-6) · Fenway Park · Boston, MA
SERIES SCHEDULE (and TV information):
Tue. April 20, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN
Wed. April 21, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN
HOW TO WATCH:
Tue. April 20, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV and Sling) · Live stream: fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)
Wed. April 21, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV and Sling) · Live stream: fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT:
The upstart Blue Jays reached the postseason in 2020 after going 32-28 but were swept by the Rays in the best two-of-three wild-card round. They’re expected to once again be in the mix for a wild-card spot this season.
Toronto was one of the most aggressive teams in baseball over the winter, signing free agent George Springer (6 years, $150 million) and Marcus Semien (1 year, $18 million) while also bringing back Robbie Ray and adding pitchers Steven Matz, Kirby Yates (out for year after Tommy John surgery), Tyler Chatwood and David Phelps. A few key contributors (Taijuan Walker, Jonathan Villar, Matt Shoemaker and Ken Giles) signed elsewhere as free agents.
Toronto has been bit by the injury bug at the start of the season, as Springer (oblique/quad) hasn’t appeared in a game yet and eight pitchers (including Ross Stripling, Chatwood, Julian Merryweather and Jordan Romano) are currently on the injured list.
The Jays have hovered around .500 and just dropped three of four to the Royals in Kansas City. Toronto is 4-2 against the Yankees this year.
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Monday, 7:10 p.m. -- LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (1-1, 1.89 ERA) vs. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.60 ERA)
Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. -- TBD vs. RHP Garrett Richards (0-1, 6.00)
THREE SOX TO WATCH:
Kiké Hernández
Hernández hit a lead-off homer in Monday’s win to continue his recent year. In his last 12 games, the utility man is 16-for-49 (.326) with a .927 OPS, three homers and five RBIs. He’ll look to stay hot against Toronto.
Eduardo Rodriguez
Rodriguez pitched well in his last outing against the Twins on Wednesday, allowing just one run while striking out five in five innings. He has thrown fewer than 80 pitches in his first two outings, but it stands to reason that the Red Sox might let him go a little deeper into Tuesday’s game if he’s pitching well. The lefty hasn’t pitched all that well against Toronto in his career, as he owns a 4-4 record and 4.64 ERA in 14 appearances (13 starts).
Adam Ottavino
Ottavino has gotten off to an inconsistent start in 2021 and owns a 7.71 ERA through six innings. His last outing, in which he struck out three White Sox in a row Friday night, was his best of the season. He’ll look to continue rolling against a Jays club that lit him up last summer; Toronto tagged him for seven earned runs on eight hits in 3 ⅔ innings last year (17.18 ERA).
SERIES NOTES:
The Red Sox and Blue Jays each won five of the 10 games between the clubs last year. In 2019, the Red Sox were 11-8 against Toronto. Boston will travel to Dunedin, Florida (Toronto’s temporary home) for a series from May 18-20 and face the Jays again on the road at undetermined locations from July 19-21 and Aug. 6-8. The Blue Jays will come back to Fenway from June 11-13 and July 26-29. The Red Sox are in the midst of playing 14 games in 13 days. Their current 10-game homestand is their longest of the season with the longest homestand after this lasting eight games (July 22-29 and Sept. 17-26). The Red Sox are 11-0 this season when holding a lead at any point in the game. There have been four games in which the Sox relinquished a lead, but they went on to win each of those four games (April 6 vs. TB, April 8 vs. BAL, April 10 vs. BAL, April 17 vs. CWS). No members of Boston’s 26-man roster have played for the Blue Jays. Reliever Joel Payamps is on the Jays’ active roster; he bounced back and forth between Boston and Toronto via waiver claims this spring. The Red Sox are 11-3 in their last 14 games after starting the season 0-3.
UP NEXT:
The two-game set against the Jays comes in the middle of Boston’s longest homestand of the season -- a 10-day stretch against the White Sox, Blue Jays and Mariners. The Red Sox will next welcome Seattle into town before hitting the road for six games.
Thu. 4/22 - Sun. 4/25: vs. Mariners (4)
Mon. 4/26: OFF DAY
Tue. 4/27 - Wed. 4/28: @ Mets (2)
Thu. 4/29 - Sun. 5/2: @ Rangers (4)
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 9:18:51 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 1h Christian Vazquez, Matt Barnes, Nathan Eovaldi and Hirokazu Sawamura were among #RedSox players vaccinated on Monday. A second group is expected to receive their COVID-19 shots on Wednesday.
Alex Cora and some members of his staff have also been vaccinated.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 9:26:55 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 49m Bobby Dalbec drew a 14-pitch walk in the 1st inning yesterday. That is the longest plate appearance in the majors this season.
That is also the longest plate appearance by a Red Sox player who reached base since David Ortiz’s 14-pitch single on 6/20/11 vs. San Diego (1st inn.).
Yesterday marked the 3rd time this season the Red Sox scored 10+ runs on 15+ hits. No other team in the majors has done that more than once.
The Sox have scored 11+ runs on 16+ hits 3 times. The other 29 teams have combined to do that 4 times.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 9:48:28 GMT -5
Red Sox vs. Blue Jays Series Preview
A look at a quick two-game set at Fenway. By Matt_Collins@MattRyCollins Apr 20, 2021, 10:30am EDT
SB Nation Blog
Bluebird Banter The opponent in one sentence
The Blue Jays came into the year as one of the most exciting, but still mysterious, teams in baseball with a young core of offensive players and they’ve been very up and down through the first few weeks of the year. Record
7-9 Head-to-head record
0-0 Trend
Down. Somewhat bizarrely, the Blue Jays have really padded their record against the Yankees and have suffered beyond those games. Most recently was not against New York, but rather the Royals where the Jays had a rough time. They had a four-game set against the Royals that included a doubleheader on Saturday due to rain on Friday, and they lost three of four including their last two. Pitching Matchups
4/20: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Hyun-Jin Ryu, 7:10 PM ET
The Red Sox get Rodriguez back on the mound for his third start of the season as he’s eased his way back into action. Things haven’t been perfect smooth for the lefty after his dead arm hiccup at the end of spring training put a bit of a hold up on his ultimate return to the mound, but we’re seeing the building blocks for him to get things to where he wants them to be. First and foremost we should be looking for his velocity to creep back up, though even with slightly diminished fastball velocity he’s still missing a ton of bats. That has been because he’s working mainly off his changeup and cutter so far this year. I’ll be interested in seeing what he does against a Blue Jays lineup that, even while a bit banged up, can punish pitchers who aren’t on their A-game.
This is an ace-versus-ace kind of matchup, with Ryu being perhaps the most underrated superstar pitcher in baseball. The big question with him is always going to be his health, and he doesn’t have a ton of full seasons under his belt. On the other hand, when he’s healthy there aren’t too many pitchers in the game who have done better. He’s off to a scorching start through three turns through the rotation so far this year, with a 1.89 ERA. That’s extremely low, but we should note that his highest ERA dating back to 2018 is 2.69, so low results are his thing. And the peripherals largely match, as he typically strikes out roughly a batter per inning to go with elite control. The Red Sox beat up an ace on Monday and will look to make it two days in a row here. Ryu will feature a good mix of cutters, changeups, fastballs and curveballs.
4/21: Garrett Richards vs. TBD, 7:10 PM ET
We won’t have to spend too much time on Richards here as Keaton did a bit of a deep dive into some of the issues plaguing the Red Sox righty over his first few starts this year. He’s definitely been the weak point in what has otherwise been a surprisingly production rotation early in this season, and even Richards hasn’t been quite as bad as some of the numbers would indicate. That said, I’d really like to see some control out of the righty in this start. That’s the number one thing I’m looking for here.
The Blue Jays have not yet announced a starter for the series finale on Wednesday, and they are dealing with some injury issues in the rotation that they need to work around. On the other hand, they also have two days off this week (Monday and Thursday) to make planning a bit easier. Right now, signs probably point to Anthony Kay getting the nod. A lefty and former Mets prospect, he’s pitched sparingly in the majors across the last three seasons, pitching to a 5.87 ERA over 38 1⁄3 innings. In one start this year he allowed five runs (four earned) over 3 1⁄3 innings with three strikeouts and no walks. Kay will throw a fastball in the mid 90s along with a changeup and a curveball. Old Friends
None Notable Position Players
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was the global number one prospect in the game not too long ago, but his few chances in the majors to this point have not quite gone according to play, largely due to hitting too many balls on the ground. He’s launching the ball this year, and it’s made him one of the very best hitters in the game to start this season.
Bo Bichette is a force at the top of this lineup as well that is a threat to hit the ball hard every time he comes up. His plate discipline isn’t great which pitchers can take advantage of from time to time, but he’ll also punish anything left over the plate.
Cavan Biggio is the third son of a big leaguer on this roster, and he’s a really interesting profile. He’ll strike out a bunch but he also draws a ton of walks and hits for a little bit of pop to make up for the whiffs.
Marcus Semien is a former Athletic who was an MVP finalist just a couple years ago. He’s fallen off since then and is struggling to get much going right now, striking out too much and failing to get balls to fall in for hits.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has been an underrated part of this team for a few years now, but he’s been nonexistent so far this year, failing to hit much of anything with authority.
Randal Grichuk is typically an aggressive power hitter who uses homers to offset the lack of walks for a roughly average production level, but a high BABIP has been the story early in this season.
Rowdy Tellez is a bonafide Red Sox killer. With Rodriguez starting on Tuesday Tellez may sit that one out given the lefty-lefty matchup, but his history against the Sox may cause him to get the start anyway.
Josh Palacios was just recently called up for his big-league debut thanks to injuries ahead of him on the depth chart, and he’s had some mild success mostly derived from singles falling in.
Alejandro Kirk’s defense is an open question behind the plate, but he’s an exciting young hitter who should split catching time with Danny Jansen this week. Bullpen Snapshot
Rafael Dolis has been thrust into the closer role for now due to some injuries, and while that’s not his typical role he can still be tough to hit. There are control issues that can be exploited, but he’s also very tough to square up and he misses a fair amount of bats.
David Phelps has been really successful in a setup role early this year, though it’s not quite clear just how sustainable it is given his good-not-great rates with both strikeouts and walks.
Ryan Borucki is the top lefty in the bullpen, and while he’ll give up some long balls he otherwise controls the zone really well. Injuries
George Springer was Toronto’s biggest addition of the winter, but he has yet to make his debut with the team due to oblique and quad issues he started dealing with late in camp. The hope is he’s back this week, though whether that means for this quick series or not is a bit unclear.
Teoscar Hernández test positive for COVID last week and is on the COVID list. He doesn’t currently have symptoms, so his return is also upcoming with no real specifics.
Kirby Yates was another big addition from the winter, but underwent Tommy John surgery late in spring and will miss the entire season.
Nate Pearson could be a wildcard for this rotation, but the top prospect has trouble staying healthy and is currently coming back from a groin injury and is in the process of building back up.
Ross Stripling went down with a forearm issue last week that ultimately resulted in Anthony Kay joining the rotation. Stripling’s timeline is unclear.
Jordan Romano filled in as the closer, but he should be able to return soon after this series after a minor arm issue.
Julian Merryweather is another closer candidate on this Yate-less roster, but he too is dealing with a minor injury, his being with the oblique.
Thomas Hatch is out of commission right now with an elbow issue that started bothering him in spring.
Tyler Chatwood went down with a triceps injury earlier in the month and his timeline for return is still unclear.
Patrick Murphy is down with a shoulder injury that has him on the 60-day injured list and could keep him out for the entire season. Weather Forecast
It should be a nice night at Fenway for the series opener on Tuesday with partially clear skies and weather in the low 60s to start the night. Wednesday, though, will be a little spottier with some rain in the forecast around game time.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 10:54:56 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 32m xwOBA is quality of batted ball contact (exit velocity and launch angle), strikeout rate, and walk rate wrapped into one tidy number.
Look at our fine young man.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 11:36:31 GMT -5
Baseball Reference @baseball_ref 15m J.D. Martinez has 20 RBIs, the most by a @redsox player thru the first 15 games of a season since Shea Hillenbrand in 2002 (via the @stathead Span Finder)
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 13:27:03 GMT -5
Game 18: Blue Jays at Red Sox lineups and notesUpdated April 20, 2021, 2 hours ago The Red Sox tagged White Sox ace Lucas Giolito for seven earned runs in Monday’s 11-4 win to earn a split of the four-game series. Tonight against Toronto, Eduardo Rodriguez is back on the mound at Fenway Park for the first time since Sept. 29, 2019, after missing all of 2020 with COVID-19 and subsequent myocarditis. Lineups BLUE JAYS (7-9): 1. Marcus Semien (R) 2B 2. Bo Bichette (R) SS 3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B 4. Randal Grichuk (R) CF 5. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (R) LF 6. Cavan Biggio (L) RF 7. Santiago Espinal (R) 3B 8. Alejandro Kirk (R) DH 9. Danny Jansen (R) C Pitching: LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (1-1, 1.89) RED SOX (11-6): 1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF 2. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B 3. J.D. Martinez (R) LF 4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 5. Christian Vazquez (R) C 6. Marwin Gonzalez (S) 3B 7. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 8. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B 9. Kevin Plawecki (R) DH Pitching: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.60) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Blue Jays vs. Rodriguez: Grichuk 3-15, Semien 3-15, Gurriel Jr. 4-12, Guerrero Jr. 2-6, Tellez 2-3, Davis 1-3, Biggio 0-2, Jansen 0-2. Red Sox vs. Ryu: Renfroe 3-18, Martinez 3-10, Devers 1-4, Plawecki 2-3, Vazquez 1-3, Arroyo 0-2, Bogaerts 0-2, Cordero 0-2. Stat of the Day: Rodriguez is 16-6 at Fenway Park since 2018. Notes: The Blue Jays, who have been playing home games at their spring training complex in Dunedin, Fla., because of COVID-19 travel restrictions imposed by the Canadian government, just lost three of four games in a series against the Royals. ... Ryu is one of eight pitchers in the American League with a sub-2.00 ERA through at least three starts. ... The Red Sox lead MLB in total bases (268) and batting average (.288). ... The Sox have scored at least 10 runs three times this season. ... Kiké Hernández has reached base in seven consecutive games and is 9 for 23 (.391) in that span. Song of the Day: The Tragically Hip - My Music At Work www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN9i5Z01kFI
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 14:02:24 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 9m
Boston is all right-handed against Hyun Jin Ryu.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 20, 2021 14:13:55 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 12m Red Sox are staying in line with the rotation this weekend against the Mariners. So after Rodriguez and Richards against Toronto, it'll be:
THU: Pivetta FRI: Pérez SAT: Eovaldi SUN: Rodriguez
|
|