|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 3:04:23 GMT -5
Mariners @ Red Sox Thursday, 22nd April 2021 7pm @ Fenway
Dunn 1-0/ 3.72
Was more in the K zone in his last start after throwing a career high 8 walks in his first.
Pivetta 2-0/3.68
Despite a AL high 11 walks thru 3 games, he has preserved a 2-0 record with a 3.68 era.
Mariners open road trip with four-game set at Boston
Tied in the early going for the best record in the American League, the Boston Red Sox know there is still plenty of room for improvement, which they hope can continue Thursday in the opener of a four-game home series against the Seattle Mariners.
While they are 12-7, even with the Oakland Athletics for tops in the AL, the Red Sox are just 6-6 at Fenway Park. Boston will continue a homestand that began with series against the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.
The Red Sox are just 3-3 on the homestand, and they are coming off a 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays on Wednesday.
Boston fell behind 4-0 after two innings as starter Garrett Richards struggled to find his command, finishing with six walks over 4 2/3 innings. The Red Sox rallied to within a run on a Xander Bogaerts home run in the eighth inning before losing.
Richards will be an observer against the Mariners, with right-hander Nick Pivetta (2-0, 3.68 ERA) starting for Boston in the series opener. Pivetta was added late last season in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, while Richards was signed as a free agent in February as the Red Sox retooled their rotation.
"When we have electric arms like we have now, it's easier to call games," Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez said Wednesday. "It's a plus for the team, for me, for everybody. I think that's the key. Strike one, and after that expand (the zone). I think that's the key for the success we're having right now."
Pivetta has his own issues, as his 11 walks are tied for third most in the AL. He lasted just 3 2/3 innings in an inefficient outing Saturday, throwing 83 pitches against the White Sox, walking four of the 19 batters he faced.
Despite 97 career appearances and 76 starts, mostly in the National League, Pivetta has never faced the Mariners.
At 11-7, Seattle is in the early hunt for the AL's best record as well and will enter off a competitive two-game series against the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Mariners defeated the Dodgers 4-3 on Monday but fell 1-0 on Tuesday when they managed just one hit. They gave up just two hits, though, in a game started by left-hander Marco Gonzales.
"We got the defending champs in here, and in both games, we really stepped up and played great against these guys," Gonzales said.
Seattle manager Scott Servais added, "We're playing good baseball ... We did miss a couple opportunities (against the Dodgers) there late. We just couldn't get much going offensively."
Winners in five of their past seven games, the Mariners will send right-hander Justin Dunn (1-0, 3.72 ERA) to the mound Thursday. Dunn gave up one run over five-plus innings on April 15 in a victory over the Baltimore Orioles. That was far better than his season debut on April 7, when he walked eight against the White Sox.
Dunn has never faced the Red Sox in 16 career starts.
--Field Level Media
Mariners at Red Sox Thursday, at 7:10 PM EST Partly Cloudy According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 41° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 15 MPH wind blowing out in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 3:09:31 GMT -5
Rest of series SP Match Ups
Friday....7pm...Kikuci 0-0/4.74 vs Perez 0-1/5.93
Saturday.....1pm....Flexen 1-1/3.38 vs Nasty Nate 3-1/3.04
Sunday....1pm...Margevives 0-1/5.40 vs Erod 3-0/3.38
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 3:11:12 GMT -5
Notes: Vázquez on state of Red Sox; Renfroe April 21st, 2021 Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- As the longtime starting catcher and a valued member in the Red Sox clubhouse, Christian Vázquez is more in-tuned than most to the variety of positive developments that are happening with the team these days.
Prior to Wednesday night’s game against the Blue Jays, Vázquez had several insightful comments on the areas that are leading Boston to a better level of success, at least so far than in the previous two seasons.
Here are some of the components he spoke of.
Chemistry: It is the old chicken or the egg theory when it comes to winning and chemistry. Does winning create chemistry, or is it the other way around?
It is a question that can never be answered with certainty, but Vázquez said that he noticed the improved vibe in the clubhouse and on the bench long before the wins started piling up. He started seeing encouraging signs at Spring Training in Fort Myers, Fla.
“I’m going to tell you the truth,” he said. “In Spring Training, everybody was talking about the right language. It’s the same language we talked in 2018 and we won [the World Series] that year. I’m not telling you we’re going to win this year, but we’re going to go on the same track. It’s fun to see the [guys] in the dugout and the clubhouse in Spring Training altogether talking about everything, and about getting better every day. I feel like it’s a family here. We’re together and it’s fun to see this.”
The fact the players are physically in the same spaces more is also of help. Last season, the Red Sox didn’t have a clubhouse at home. The players instead partnered up in luxury suites.
“Some days [last year] I didn’t see my teammates that day until we were in the dugout or when they’re coming in from the bullpen, so it’s tough to have fun like that,” Vázquez said. “We want to see each other every day, and we play cards and have fun together, like, in the gym and together. Obviously with the masks, but we’re together -- like a family.”
Pitching, pitching, pitching: You don’t have to tell the starting catcher how much of a difference it makes to have quality arms. Vázquez has the best view in the house. And having Eduardo Rodriguez while adding Garrett Richards and Nick Pivetta to the rotation is a big change from 2020, when the team was overly-reliant on openers that seldom worked out. Adam Ottavino and Hirokazu Sawamuara have added depth to the bullpen and Darwinzon Hernandez is rounding back into form after dealing with COVID-19 and an injury last year.
The mentality of the staff has also changed, much to the delight of Vázquez. Pitchers are now in attack mode.
“I think we’re throwing a lot of strikes,” Vázquez said. “We’re getting ahead more this year. We’ve got great arms. I think the front office made a great decision this year and got great arms to help this team be in the place we are right now.”
Vázquez and backup Kevin Plawecki did what they could with last year’s depleted stable of arms, but it was not easy. The current situation is far more workable.
“Yeah, it’s easier when you have a good arm on the mound,” Vázquez said. “It’s easier, you’re not afraid to attack the zone. When we have electric arms like we have now, it’s easier to call games. It’s a plus for the team, for me, for everybody. I think that’s the key. Strike one, and after that, [we can] expand, and I think that’s the key for the success we’re having right now.”
Best of Barnes: The first time Vázquez caught current Red Sox closer Matt Barnes was in 2012 at Class A Salem. That was four years after Vázquez was drafted by the club in the eighth round out of high school and the season after the Sox took Barnes as a first-rounder out of UConn. At that point, Barnes was a starter. For the last many years, he has been an invaluable reliever. But Vázquez has never seen Barnes as on top of his game as he is to start this season.
“Yeah, it’s electric. Electric fastball this year. I’ve seen the best Matt Barnes I’ve ever seen in all my years with him,” Vázquez said. “Before, he had the best changeup in the organization. Now he has one of the best curveballs in the organization and in the league. But, yeah, he’s got electric stuff this year.”
Renfroe’s rut
Hunter Renfroe is aiming to have a bounce-back season after being non-tendered by the Rays and quickly scooped up by the Red Sox in January. But so far, things aren’t working out. The righty slugger, who was not in the lineup on Wednesday, is slashing .171/.217/.268 with one homer in 41 at-bats. Manager Alex Cora said that Renfroe spent Wednesday’s pregame working with hitting coaches Tim Hyers and Pete Fatse to help solve some mechanical issues that are leading him to lunge at the ball.
Vaccination update
For the second time in three days, the Red Sox had COVID-19 vaccines available to their players and staff members at Fenway Park. Cora, who got his first shot at Spring Training, received his second dose on Wednesday. As of a few hours before game time, he felt no ill-effects. The Sox are hopeful they will soon get to the 85 percent vaccination rate that will allow them to relax some of their COVID restrictions.
Clubs were informed on March 31 that MLB and the MLBPA have agreed to relax certain health and safety protocols contained in the 2021 Operations Manual for fully vaccinated Tier 1 Individuals and for clubs where 85% of their Tier 1 Individuals are fully vaccinated. As part of that memo, players and staff were again strongly encouraged to receive one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines when eligible.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 4:14:59 GMT -5
Seattle Mariners vs.Boston Red Sox Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 7:10pm EDT Written by Jordy
After splitting even with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Seattle Mariners face another offensive monster in Thursday’s head-to-head clash with the Boston Red Sox. The Mariners did their part in holding the hard-hitting Dodgers to a total of four runs in two games. They’ll try to get their own offense going when staring down Boston’s starting pitcher Nick Pivetta. Seattle’s counter will be 25-year-old righty Justin Dunn.
Mariners proving they’re the real deal There’s no better way of forcing people to take you seriously than going out and competing with the best team in baseball. That’s exactly what the Mariners did in their two-game meeting with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which ultimately ended in 1-1 split.
Through their first 18 games of the season, the Mariners are sitting at 11-7 and making fans question if they’re a contender or pretender in the AL West division. Are we just going to wake up one day and the Mariners will be back to scraping the bottom of the barrel?
Perhaps the four-game weekend series with the Red Sox can provide some more clarity. The Red Sox currently lead the league in average hits (9.67) and batting average (.287). J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts in particular are both ranked top-10 in the league in batting average and top-15 in OPS.
The pressure will fall on right-handed pitcher Justin Dunn to stand his ground on the mound. He is coming off his first win of the season over the Baltimore Orioles in a game where he allowed only one earned run in five innings, while accumulating six strikeouts. He’s throwing a 3.72 ERA on the season with a 1.34 WHIP.
We’ll see if it’s enough to hold off Boston’s bats early. More importantly, we’ll see if the Mariners can get their own bats going at the plate after being shut out by the Dodgers on Tuesday. As the Blue Jays proved on Wednesday night, you have to be able to hang points on the board to beat the Red Sox. It doesn’t help matters that the Mariners could still be without third baseman Ty France (forearm) for this game.
Red Sox meet their match The Blue Jays had the bats to compete with the Red Sox on Wednesday night. It took six runs and an ugly outing by pitcher Garrett Richards for Boston to unravel. But once the bats stopped, the heartbeat stopped for the recently surging Red Sox.
Will the same be the case against the Mariners on Thursday?
Seattle is averaging the second-least hits in the league, but they’re a formidable team that’s consistently finding ways to win games. Their bats won’t matter as much if they can bring Boston’s offense to its knees like the Blue Jays in the previous series meeting.
The Red Sox have to get back to cracking at the plate. They’re clearly at their best when they’re running up the scoreboard. They’ve also been at their best whenever Nick Pivetta is the starting pitcher. The 28-year-pld righty is throwing a 3.68 ERA with 14 strikeouts on top of a 2-0 record. If Pivetta can make the Red Sox forget about Richards’ performance, they’ll be in business in this meeting.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 7:14:00 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs. Seattle Mariners preview: TV schedule, pitching probables, key stories (April 22-25) Updated 7:27 AM; Today 7:27 AM
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
The Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners will play a four-game series at Fenway Park, starting Thursday evening.
Boston and Seattle didn’t play in 2020 because of COVID regionalizing the schedule. The Red Sox won four of seven games against the Mariners in 2019 and outscored them 58-42.
Both teams are off to surprising starts. Boston (12-7) is in first place in the AL East, two games ahead of Tampa Bay entering play Thursday. Seattle (11-7) is in second place in the AL West, just a half game behind Oakland.
The Red Sox lead all American League teams with a +27 run differential. Seattle has a -3 run differential. Boston trails only the Dodgers (+38) for run differential. Boston Red Sox (12-7) vs. Seattle Mariners (11-7) · Fenway Park, Boston, Mass.
SERIES SCHEDULE (and TV information):
Thursday, April 22, 7:10 p.m. — NESN, MLB Network
Friday, April 23, 7:10 p.m. — NESN
Saturday, April 24, 1:10 p.m. — NESN, MLB Network
Sunday, April 25, 1:10 p.m. — NESN, MLB Network
HOW TO WATCH:
Thursday April 22, 7:10 p.m. — 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)
Friday, April 23, 7:10 p.m. — 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)
Saturday, April 24,, 1:10 p.m. — 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)
Sunday, April 25, 1:10 p.m. — 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:
Baseball Prospectus’ 2021 PECOTA projections had the Mariners predicted to finish fourth out of five teams in the AL West with 74.5 wins. But Seattle has started well. It enters this series with an 11-7 record.
Righty Justin Dunn (1-0, 3.72) will pitch against the Red Sox in the opener Thursday. Dunn pitched at Boston College and was the 19th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft.
The Mariners just got 2020 AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis back from the IL He slashed .262/.364/.437/.800 with 11 homers, three doubles, 28 RBIs and 37 runs in 58 games.
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Thursday, 7:10 p.m. — RHP Nick Pivetta (2-0, 3.68) vs. RHP Justin Dunn (1-0, 3.72)
Friday, 7:10 p.m. — LHP Martín Pérez (0-1, 5.93) vs. LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-0, 4.74)
Saturday, 1:10 p.m. — RHP Nathan Eovaldi (3-1, 3.04) vs. RHP Chris Flexen (1-1, 3.38)
Sunday, 1:10 p.m. — Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.60) vs. TBD
THREE SOX TO WATCH:
1. Nick Pivetta
Pivetta again struggled with his command in his last start (four walks in 3 ⅔ innings against the White Sox). He has 11 walks in 14 ⅔ innings (6.8 walks per nine innings). He’s 4-0 with a 2.92 ERA in five starts for Boston since being acquired last August. But he has 16 walks in 24 ⅔ innings.
2. Martín Pérez
Seattle’s Kyle Seager is 18-for-55 (.327) with four homers and one double against Pérez while Mitch Haniger has gone 7-for-21 (.333) with two doubles against him. Pérez needs a good start. He has allowed nine earned runs, 16 hits and five walks in 13 ⅔ innings. Seattle has struggled against lefties (.175 batting average).
3. Franchy Cordero
Cordero should receive at least two starts this series with right-handers starting pitchers going Thursday and Saturday for the Mariners. Cordero has power, but he hasn’t provided much (just two doubles) in 15 games. He also has struck out 18 times in 38 at-bats (42.9%).
SERIES NOTES:
Mitch Haniger has been Seattle’s best hitter. Haniger is batting .315 with a .333 on-base percentage, .575 slugging percentage, .909 OPS, four homers, five doubles, one triple, 13 runs and 14 RBIs in 18 games (73 at-bats). Ty France has a .306/.405/.516/.922 line with three homers, four doubles, 13 runs and 10 RBIs in 18 games (62 at-bats). Haniger and France are the only two Blue Jays hitters batting over .250. The Mariners bullpen has been one of the best in baseball. Seattle relievers have combined for a 2.69 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. They have held the opposition to a .176 batting average. Mariners hitting are slashing only .175/.279/.304/.583 in 171 at-bats against lefties. The Red Sox have two lefties, Martín Pérez and Eduardo Rodriguez, starting in this series. Chris Flexen, who starts against the Red Sox on Saturday, has a 3.38 ERA and 2.90 FIP in three starts. But the opposition is batting .333 against him. He’s allowed 22 hits in 16 innings. J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts both are 1-for-3 with a homer against Yusei Kikuchi, who starts Friday.
UP NEXT:
April 26: OFF DAY
April 27 — April 28: at New York Mets (2)
April 29 — May 2: at Texas Rangers (4)
April 3: OFF DAY
April 4 — April 6: vs. Detroit Tigers (3)
April 7 — April 10: at Baltimore (4)
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 9:45:34 GMT -5
Red Sox vs. Mariners Series Preview
A look at the four-game set at Fenway against the Mariners. By Matt_Collins@MattRyCollins Apr 22, 2021, 10:30am EDT
SB Nation Blog
Lookout Landing The opponent in one sentence
The Mariners were presumed to be one of the worst teams in the American League coming into this year as they are still in the midst of a rebuild, but they may have arrived early judging by a hot start to the season. Record
11-7 Head-to-head record
0-0 Trend
Up. The Mariners have been trending up pretty much for the entire season, but they’ve been playing even better of late against some good competition. Their last two series were against the Astros and Dodgers, two preseason division favorites, and they won two of three from Houston before splitting a two-game set against LA. Given how the latter has started this year, splitting two games with them is a bonafide achievement. Pitching Matchups
4/22: Nick Pivetta vs. Justin Dunn, 7:10 PM ET (MLB Network for out of market)
The Red Sox turn to one of their back-end starters to begin this series against the Mariners, though to his credit Pivetta has at least put up results better than many (myself included) expected. The righty has a solid 3.68 ERA on the year, and most impressive about his performance to this point has been his ability to keep the ball in the yard. That has been the biggest issue for Pivetta over his career, but he’s allowed just one long ball in his first three starts. The sample is small, though, so it’s hard to say it’s very sustainable. And he could be in trouble if those homers to start showing up, because he’s had a tough time keeping runners off the bases due to a high walk rate. I’ll be looking for how well he’s able to avoid barrels against a hot Mariners lineup.
On the other side, the Red Sox are going up against Justin Dunn, which could be a familiar name to those from the Boston area as he was a standout at BC and former first-round pick. The 25-year-old righty has not had a chance to pitch a ton in the majors, making 16 starts across three seasons in his career. It’s been a bit of a strange run, too, as his 4.06 ERA looks solid until you see the 6.37 FIP and wildly unsustainable .162 BABIP. This season he has more walks than strikeouts through two starts but still boasts a 3.72 ERA. Look for the Red Sox to take advantage of traffic on the bases and make him pay for walks in a way he really hasn’t had to over his short career. Dunn will feature a fastball in the low-to-mid 90s as well as a curveball and a slider.
4/23: Martín Pérez vs. Yusei Kikuchi, 7:10 PM ET
Pérez has struggled a bit for the Red Sox, though he’s been picked up by his offense a bit to mask some of the issues. The lefty has an ugly 5.93 ERA to start the year through three starts, which is almost two runs worse than his FIP. It’s a small sample size so these kinds of disparities are not a big surprise, though it’s a troubling trend for someone like Pérez who is supposed to go in the opposite direction. When he’s at his best, he’s never going to miss a ton of bats nor will he be a control artist. The southpaw’s best quality is his ability to induce weak contact, which in theory should produce results that are better than his FIP. He’s currently allowing a .349 batting average on balls in play, and I’ll be looking to see how hard the contact he’s allowing on Friday will be.
Kickuchi was a relatively big signing out of Japan for the Mariners a few years ago. Granted, we’re not talking Shohei Ohtani or Yu Darvish type hype, but he is a solid mid-rotation starter that the Mariners were able to bring into their own rotation. He’s struggled a bit to find his footing in the majors, though the early returns in 2021 suggest he may be on his way to figuring things out. He’s got solid strikeout stuff, but the command can be a little inconsistent and it will show up both in the form of walks as well as hard contact. It’ll be all about getting to the southpaw early and not letting him get away with mistakes before settling into a groove. The Red Sox have been ultra-aggressive at the plate this season, and that kind of approach should be helpful against this kind of starter. Kikuchi will pitch mainly off his cutter while also mixing in a mid-90s fastball and a slider.
4/24: Nathan Eovaldi vs. Chris Flexen, 1:10 PM ET (MLB Network for out of market)
Eovaldi has been the biggest positive for the Red Sox rotation this year, as he’s giving them that consistent performance teams have been waiting for out of the righty for years. The big fastball that has been his hallmark forever is still there, but it’s really about everything else right now. En route to his 3.04 ERA through four starts, he has started to throw a lot more breaking balls, with both a slider and a curveball being added to the mix. Along with that fastball, a cutter and a splitter, that’s now five pitches for a guy who used to just try and blow heat by everyone he faced. That didn’t work, but so far this is. Eovaldi is striking out over a batter per inning while walking only 1.5 per nine, showing an elite ability to control the zone.
Flexen is back in the majors this season after heading over to Korea to pitch in the KBO last year. His performance there in which he struck out over 10 batters per nine with a 3.01 ERA was enough to earn him a major-league deal in Seattle after flaming out with the Mets prior to that. Still only 26 years old, the righty has been solid to start this season with a 3.38 ERA. There’s nothing he’s been doing spectacularly well, but he misses a decent number of bats, keeps his walk rate at a manageable level, and keeps the ball on the ground enough to not get killed by the long ball. Given his lack of track record in the majors, it would seem to me that the key is to get to him early, because these kinds of jack-of-all trades pitchers generally are the type to settle into a groove if they get through a couple easy innings. Flexen will feature a low-90s fastball along with a cutter, a curveball and a changeup.
4/25: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. TBD, 1:10 PM ET (MLB Network for out of market)
More than any other start this season, Rodriguez came out in his last outing against the Blue Jays looking like his 2019 self. The southpaw did give up a couple of homers, but that’s not the end of the world when you’re not walking anyone and really not giving up any hits. They were both solo homers and the only two runs against him on the day. Beyond that, his changeup looked as good as it did all year, and the command on all of his pitches was there. Now it’s all about building on that and being consistent in that ability. He’s been good all year, but if the Red Sox are going to sustain this hot start they need a dynamic starter or two. Eovaldi is there right now, but with his health always being a question Rodriguez being able to be that 2019 version of himself on a consistent basis would be a gamechanger.
The Mariners haven’t yet announced a starter for this series finale on Sunday. Nick Margevicius would be lined up to make the start, and he’s a lefty who has served as a swing man with mostly middling results. Last time I speculated on a TBD starter, though, I was wrong, so I won’t spend too much energy guessing here.
Old Friends
None. Notable Position Players
Mitch Haniger is one of two hitters who has really served to carry this Mariners lineup so far in their hot season. Hitting right at the top, the outfielder is not going to put up the prettiest plate discipline numbers but he can hit the crap out of the ball when he sees a mistake. As a leadoff hitter, he gives Seattle a chance to jump out to early leads each and every day.
Ty France hits right behind him in that lineup and has also been off to a scorching start. He’ll draw a few more walks than Haniger, but he’s a similar kind of hitter in that he’ll strike out a bit but also will hit for big-time power and just generally smack hard contact all over the field.
Kyle Lewis is the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, but he’s yet to play this year. He’s been activated off the injured list, though, and will make his 2021 debut this weekend at Fenway.
Kyle Seager is a long-time member of this Mariners team, and while his numbers are not the same as they were in his prime, he’s still a threat to hit one out every time, particularly against right-handed pitching.
Evan White is a different kind of first baseman with a skillset built around defense and contact rather than power. He’s off to a tough start at the plate this season though.
Taylor Trammell is another top prospect in this Mariners outfield and he is about as boom or bust as it comes, possessing big power along with a strikeout rate over 40 percent.
Dylan Moore has been drawing a ton of walks, but it hasn’t been enough to pull his overall production out of the mud as he’s just not hitting for the kind of power to support a strikeout rate in the 30s.
J.P. Crawford is a former top prospect who can play good defense at shortstop but the bat has just never caught up.
Luis Torrens will play a lot behind the plate this weekend and his inability to impact the baseball has dragged down his offense so far this year. Bullpen Snapshot
Rafael Montero is one of three guys who are leading what has been a surprising bullpen. Any of the three can get saves, and Montero has the most so far with three. He hasn’t missed as many bats as his stuff may suggest so far, and the results could catch up soon if he doesn’t start to strike out more batters.
Kendall Graveman has been the best reliever on this roster. A former back-end starter for the A’s, he’s been thriving in relief with good control and more than a strikeout per inning.
Keynan Middleton is the former Angels closer who is coming back from some injury issues. He’s struggling a bit so far this year, though, failing to miss bats while also suffering from some inconsistent control. Injuries
James Paxton just can’t catch a break with his health. He’s going to have to undergo Tommy John surgery and will miss all of this season and likely a chunk of 2022 as well.
Ken Giles is recovering from Tommy John himself and signed a two-year deal with the Mariners last winter. He won’t contribute this year but could be their closer in 2022.
Shed Long Jr. hurt his shin late last season and is still dealing with those issues. His timeline to return is unclear.
Jake Fraley hurt his hamstring early in this season and has been out ever since, though his return shouldn’t be too far off at this point.
Andres Muñoz underwent Tommy John last March, but a recent setback puts into question how much he’ll be able to contribute this year. Weather Forecast
For the most part, the weather looks clear this weekend. The only question will come on Sunday where there is rain in the forecast for most of the day. They’ll have to jump through some hoops to make this game up if it’s cancelled since Seattle isn’t out this way very much — and they head to Houston on Monday so they can’t wait around here too long on Sunday — but it may be the only option. We’ll see if the forecast changes.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 11:30:59 GMT -5
Red Sox to celebrate Earth Day during April 22, 2021, pregame ceremony Front Office Volunteers to Participate in Earth Week Cleanup of Charlesgate Park in Kenmore Square on Friday 43 minutes ago
BOSTON, MA – In recognition of Earth Day, the Red Sox will participate in volunteer cleanup efforts in the Fenway neighborhood and celebrate their partnership with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sustainability Initiative by recognizing its members in a pregame ceremony before tonight’s 7:10 p.m. game against the Seattle Mariners.
The club has worked with MIT’s Sustainability Initiative since 2019 to design greening activities for waste diversion and electric energy reduction. In addition to the pregame ceremony, Red Sox players will wear specially designed Earth Day sleeve patches on their jersey’s during tonight’s game.
On Friday, April 23, members of the Red Sox front office will participate in an Earth Week cleanup of Charlesgate Park in the Kenmore Square area of the Fenway neighborhood. The effort is organized by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, a Boston-based organization dedicated to the restoration, improvement, and maintenance of the Emerald Necklace parks.
Each year, the Red Sox have marked Earth Day by focusing on ways to make Fenway Park more environmentally sustainable. Those efforts have included offsetting the ballpark’s electricity use with Green-e certified renewable energy certificates (RECs); partnering with energy suppliers on 20 different energy conservation projects, such as LED lighting installation, automated lighting controls, and efficient HVAC systems; and divert approximately 3.4 million pounds of recycling and composting from landfills with recycling partner Waste Management since 2017.
Fenway Park’s greening efforts began in 2008 with the creation of the Fenway Park Green Team, presented by Dasani. Since that time, the club has installed solar panels on its rooftop and irrigation timing controls on the field to minimize water and fertilizer use. In 2015, the club created an organic, rooftop garden, Fenway Farms, presented by Aramark, Sage Fruit, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Orsted, Pennington, Builder’s Gin, and Nellie’s. Fenway Farms provides approximately 6,000 pounds of produce seasonally with almost no emissions and much of its produce and herbs used on site at ballpark concession stands and in club restaurants.
The club’s greening efforts have been recognized with awards from the EPA, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, and MassRecycle. For more information on the greening of Fenway Park, click here.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 13:19:24 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 1h Red Sox relievers rank 5th in the majors in ERA (2.86). In their last 10 games, they have a 1.65 ERA (32.2 IP, 6 ER).
Sox bullpen ERA leaders: Whitlock 0.00 Barnes 1.00 Hernandez 1.50 Andriese 1.69 Valdez 2.00 Sawamura 2.08 TOTALS: 1.38 ERA, .163 opponent AVG
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 13:34:14 GMT -5
Game 20: Mariners at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Katie McInerney Globe Staff,Updated April 22, 2021, 1 hour ago The Red Sox open a four-game series at Fenway Park against the Seattle Mariners Thursday night. The Mariners come to Boston off a two-game split with the Dodgers. On the mound will be righthander Justin Dunn, who has never faced the Red Sox in his 16 career starts (all with Seattle). The Red Sox will be throwing Nick Pivetta, whose last outing was an inefficient 3⅔ innings in Saturday’s loss to the White Sox. Lineups MARINERS (11-7): 1. Mitch Haniger (R) RF 2. Ty France (R) DH 3. Kyle Seager (L) 3B 4. Kyle Lewis (R) CF 5. Evan White (R) 1B 6. Taylor Trammell (L) LF 7. Luis Torrens (R) C 8. Dylan Moore (R) 2B 9. J.P. Crawford (L) SS Pitching: RHP Justin Dunn (1-0, 3.72 ERA) RED SOX (12-7):1. Enrique Hernandez (R) 2B 2. Alex Verdugo (L) CF 3. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 5. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 6. Christian Vazquez (R) C 7. Marwin Gonzalez (S) 1B 8. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 9. Franchy Cordero (L) LF Pitching: RHP Nick Pivetta (2-0, 3.68 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Mariners vs. Pivetta: Ty France 1-1, Tom Murphy 1-2 Red Sox vs. Dunn: Has not faced any Boston batters. Stat of the day: J.D. Martinez doubled in the fourth inning Wednesday night. He’s now tied for the major league lead in doubles with eight (with Luis Robert of the White Sox). Notes: Pivetta is making his first appearance against Seattle. ... The Mariners have won five of their last seven, including a win over the Dodgers Monday. ... Xander Bogaerts is batting .453 over the Red Sox’ last 14 games and is tied with teammate Martinez for the second-most hits in MLB with 25. ... The temperature at game time will be 47, according to AccuWeather, and it will drop to 43 by 10 p.m. The “RealFeel” range starts at 35 and drops to 28. Friday is forecast to be considerably warmer. ... Seattle is 25th in the majors with a .215 team batting average. Song of the Day: Alice in Chains - "No Excuses"www.youtube.com/watch?v=r80HF68KM8g
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 15:05:22 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 12m Cora says he wants to have a defined structure to the bullpen. With a lead, he expects Darwinzon Hernandez, Adam Ottavino, and Matt Barnes to cover the final innings.
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 15:07:37 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 12m Cora said fastball command is key for Pivetta. They need him to find that pitch in the zone. #RedSox
Cora names Hernandez, Ottavino and Barnes as his A bullpen options at this point. You'll see them if the #RedSox have a lead in the late innings.
Cora on Seattle's quick start -- 'Pretty similar to what they did in '19. We went over there and they sent a bad taste to us.' #RedSox
Cora on Taylor -- 'We have to avoid (the Wednesday walk to Vlad Jr). He needs to get big outs. We can't go to Darwinzon in that situation down one trying to chase a win.'
'I do believe he's avoiding the strike zone.' #RedSox
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 15:11:18 GMT -5
Jason Mastrodonato @jmastrodonato · 4m Adam Ottavino with high praise for Tanner Houck. Said he's nasty and throws the same slider Ottavino does, but a better/harder one. "Right now there's no doubt he's a starter for me."
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 15:20:33 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 9m Adam Ottavino -- 'I expect dominance out of myself. I expect to pitch awesome every time I'm out there.' #RedSox
Ottavino is excited to see Justin Dunn pitch tonight. Boston College product -- bit of a Northeast fraternity among professionals. (Ottavino went to Northeastern.)
Ottavino said he made a point to seek out fellow Brooklyn native Josh Palacios during the Blue Jays series. #RedSox
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 16:59:58 GMT -5
Christopher Smith @smittyonmlb · 37m The Red Sox have allowed the second fewest homers (11) in the majors behind only the Mets (9). No other team has allowed fewer than 16. “You have guys with great stuff. Just keep being aggressive and avoid traffic," Cora said.
Alex Cora on Red Sox reliever Josh Taylor who has struggled in eight outings (10.80 ERA, 3.00 WHIP). Velocity’s there. The slider is OK. I do believe he’s avoiding the strike zone."
|
|
|
Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 22, 2021 17:00:24 GMT -5
Christopher Smith @smittyonmlb · 21m Red Sox's Darwinzon Hernandez has averaged 95.0 mph w/ fastball, per Baseball Savant. Isn’t getting as many swings-and-misses as he did in 2019 when he had about the same velo (95.5 mph). 16.9 in '19 9.0 K/9 this year, "I do believe the swings-and-misses will start coming.”
|
|