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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2021 13:15:01 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs. Texas Rangers preview: TV schedule, pitching probables, key stories (April 29-May 2) Updated 1:20 PM; Today 1:14 PM
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Red Sox will play their next four games at the country’s only ballpark allowing 100% capacity.
They will play Thursday-Sunday at Globe Life Field, which opened in 2020 and has a retractable roof. This will mark Boston’s first ever visit to this stadium.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked Wednesday if he has any concerns about playing at the only ballpark with 100% capacity.
“We haven’t talk about it (as a team) but people have remind me about this,” Cora said. “I don’t think too many things change. ... Just keep it very simple: from the room to the bus to the bus to the stadium. Just keep doing what we’re doing as far as like testing. We had a few situations, just like mine last week that were quote unquote red flags as far as like the testing. So I think we’ve been more aggressive testing-wise the last 10 days and we’re going to keep doing that.”
Cora, who has had both doses of the COVID vaccination, implied April 20 that he had registered a positive COVID-19 test that later was deemed a false or non-infectious positive. Boston Red Sox (16-9) vs. Texas Rangers (10-15) · Globe Life Field · Arlington, Texas
SERIES SCHEDULE (and TV information):
Thursday, April 29, 8:05 p.m. ET -- NESN
Friday, April 30, 8:05 p.m. ET -- NESN
Saturday, May 1, 7:05 p.m., ET, NESN, MLB Network
Sunday, May 2, 2:35 p.m. ET — NESN
HOW TO WATCH:
Thursday, April 29, 8:05 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, ESPN+, MLB.tv (out of market)
Friday, April 30, 8:05 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)
Saturday, May 1, 7:05 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)
Sunday, May 2, 2:35 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:
Baseball Prospectus’ 2021 preseason PECOTA standings projected the Rangers for 68 wins and a .420 winning percentage. Texas is playing .400 baseball (10-15) after 25 games.
Nick Solak, Texas’ best hitter, is batting .319 with a .404 on-base percentage, .582 slugging percentage, .986 OPS, seven home runs, three doubles, 18 runs and 14 RBIs in 104 plate appearances.
Solak was a Yankees’ second round draft pick in 2016. He was traded to the Rays in 2018 as part a three-team team that sent Brandon Drury from the Diamondbacks to the Yankees. The Rays traded him to the Rangers for Pete Fairbanks in 2019.
Former Red Sox fan favorite Brock Holt has played in 13 games for the Rangers this season. He has a .216/.356/.270/.626 line with two doubles.
Joey Gallo — who hit 81 homers combined in 2017-18 — has just two extra-base hits (both homers). He’s slashing .224/.422/.303/.724 in 24 games (102 plate appearances). His OBP is so high because he leads the league in walks (23). But he also leads the league in strikeouts (35).
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Thursday, April 29 — LHP Martín Pérez (0-1, 5.71) vs. RHP Kyle Gibson (2-0, 2.30)
Friday, April 30 — RHP Nathan Eovaldi (3-2, 3.77) vs. RHP Kohei Arihara (2-2, 4.03)
Saturday, May 1 — LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (4-0, 3.52) vs. RHP Jordan Lyles (1-2, 6.75)
Sunday, May 2 — RHP Garrett Richards (1-2, 4.94) vs. RHP Mike Foltynewicz (1-3, 4.61) NESN
THREE SOX TO WATCH:
Franchy Cordero
Cordero has the highest strikeout percentage (49.0%) among major leaguers with 50 or more plate appearances. He has 25 strikeouts in 47 at-bats. The Red Sox are facing four right-handed starters in Texas. It should be interesting to see how much Cordero, a left-handed-hitter, plays. He has been starting mainly against right-handers.
Marwin Gonzalez
Gonzalez is batting only .197 with a .333 on-base percentage, .288 slugging percentage and .621 OPS. But he has a .362 OPB in 58 plate appearances vs. righties.
Matt Andriese
Alex Cora used Andriese in the eighth inning of a one-run game Tuesday in New York against the Mets. He pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout. Cora also used him in the seventh inning with a two-run lead against the Blue Jays on April 20 and in the seventh inning with the game tied 2-2 against the Mariners on April 22. He didn’t allow a run or hit in the three outings. “It doesn’t matter the role. He gets it done. We love the way he’s throwing the ball right now,” Cora said.
SERIES NOTES:
The Red Sox and Rangers haven’t played each other since 2019. Boston took four of seven games and outscored them 46-42 that season. The Red Sox lead the majors in batting average (.267), slugging percentage (.443), OPS (.772) and doubles (59). J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts both rank in the top 20 in OPS. Martinez is sixth (1.095) and Bogaerts is 19th (.940). The Red Sox have won all four of Eduardo Rodriguez’s starts this year. They are 49-12 in the 61 starts he has made since the beginning of 2018. They have won 18 of his past 21 starts. The Red Sox are 16-9. Their .640 winning percentage puts them on a 103.6 win pace. It’s still April, of course. Boston is 8-1 (.889 winning percentage) with a positive-21 run differential on the road compared to 8-8 with a positive-1 run differential at Fenway Park. The Rangers are 20th in OPS (.675) and tied for 19th in runs (99). Texas is ranked 26th in reliever ERA (4.82) and 17th in starter ERA (4.29).
UP NEXT:
Mon. 5/3: OFF DAY
Tue. 5/4 - Thu. 5/6: vs. Tigers (3)
Fri. 5/7 - Mon. 5/10: @ Orioles (4)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2021 13:36:42 GMT -5
Game 26: Red Sox at Rangers lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated April 29, 2021, 1 hour ago After sweeping a two-game series against the Mets, the Red Sox continue their road trip with a four-game series in Texas against the Rangers. Martín Pérez will be on the mound as the Red Sox look to extend their three-game winning streak. Kyle Gibson gets the nod for the Rangers, who are in last place in the AL West. Lineups RED SOX (16-9)1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF 2. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 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) 2B 8. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 9. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B Pitching: LHP Martín Pérez (0-1, 5.71 ERA) RANGERS (10-15)1. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (R) SS 2. Nick Solak (R) 2B 3. Joey Gallo (L) DH 4. Adolis Garcia (R) RF 5. Nate Lowe (L) 1B 6. Jose Trevino (R) C 7. David Dahl (L) LF 8. Charlie Culberson (R) 3B 9. Eli White (R) CF Pitching: RHP Kyle Gibson (2-0, 2.30 ERA) Time: 8:05 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Gibson: Arroyo 0-2, Bogaerts 6-20, Devers 3-9, Gonzalez 0-10, Martinez 10-33, Vázquez 0-2 Rangers vs. Pérez: Calhoun 0-3, Culberson 3-3, Dahl 0-3, Holt 0-2, Lowe 0-3 Stat of the day: The Red Sox haven’t won three straight games in which they scored two runs or fewer since June 16-18, 2014. Notes: Pérez pitched for the Rangers from 2012 through 2018. He is 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA in two career starts against his former team … Gibson has allowed just three runs (two earned) in 27 innings over his last four starts. He is 2-4 with a 3.63 ERA in seven starts against the Red Sox. Song of the Day: Dwight Yoakam- "Guitars, Cadillacs"www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6F7xMRWB10
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2021 14:42:09 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 58m Most recent Red Sox teams to start 16-9 or better through 25 games:
2007 (16-9) – World Series champs 2013 (18-7) – World Series champs 2018 (19-6) – World Series champs 2021 (16-9)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2021 15:08:52 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 4m Good guy Brock Holt announced a charitable endeavor in Texas today. The proceeds will the Pediatric Oncology Unit at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth and the Jimmy Fund.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2021 15:43:21 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 47m Andriese -- 'Chaim (Bloom) has done a really good job putting a good group together. Not just on the field -- good teammates. We all click really well with each other.' #RedSox
Andriese -- 'The end goal every day is to win a ballgame. Whatever way I can help a team do that, I'm definitely available to do that.' #RedSox
Andriese -- 'I'm just feeling comfortable in all the different situations I've been pitching in. We have a good group of guys in the bullpen.' #RedSox
Andriese on Whitlock -- 'He's got really good stuff and he's got a good head on his shoulders. He's going out there and pitching with confidence.' #RedSox
Andriese consulted with Whitlock on his changeup at spring training.
'It's more about when to use it, different counts to use it.'
'Thinking more about arm speed so the hitter sees a fast arm instead of placing it through the zone.' #RedSox
Andriese said he's thrown two changeups in his career -- more of a circle change with sideways action and a split change with downward action. He was on a Tampa staff with Cobb, Odorizzi, Hellickson -- it's been an out pitch for all of them. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2021 16:35:28 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 8m Cora on Cordero -- 'They're working with him. One thing is swing decisions.'
'He needs to understand where his power is.'
'He'll play tomorrow. He'll play the next day.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2021 16:37:16 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 11m Replying to @billkoch25 Cora said Hernandez and Gonzalez do pregame work in the infield every day. It allows them to remain sharp while playing multiple positions, including the outfield. #RedSox
Cora on a first game at Globe Life Park -- 'We made a point of having batting practice and taking ground balls today.'
'It's a beautiful facility. It's huge, from the clubhouse to the field to the screens and everything.' #RedSox
Cora said Eovaldi used the extra day for some additional rest.
'We always try to give them as much rest as possible. We don't like skipping guys.' #RedSox
Cora said Cordero gets one more day to work on is swing with the hitting coaches. Also likes Hernandez in what seems like a spacious outfield. #RedSox
Cora confirms @spchrishatfield nugget from earlier this afternoon -- Danny Santana will start his rehab at Class A Greenville next week. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2021 16:38:08 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 8m Cora on Whitlock -- 'He's a cool individual.'
'The stuff is that good.' #RedSox
Cora said Whitlock has even been good at performing his rookie duties. He's been assigned to carry the beer to the team charter. #RedSox
Cora on the #Patriots and the #NFLDraft -- 'They know what they're doing. They're really good at what they do. We'll find out after the game.'
'I really don't know what they need. Just go with the best player.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2021 16:39:51 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 18m Cora described Eovaldi as the ‘spokesman in the clubhouse’ for throwing strikes.
Alex Cora praised every aspect of what Garrett Whitlock has done in his first assignment above Double-A: ‘Even carrying the beer on the plane, he’s perfect.’
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Post by Kimmi on Apr 29, 2021 16:40:54 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Rangers Thursday, 29th April 2021 8pm @ Globe Life Park
Perez 0-1/5.71
Coming off back to back outings not getting out of the 4th inning. He is 1-0/4.94 vs the Rangers in 2 starts.
Gibson 2-0/2.30
Has yet to take a loss this season and has only allowed only 2 earned runs or less over his last 4 starts holding opponents to a .235 batting average. Looks like another tough pitching match up tonight. I hope the offense can do its thing. Also, I really dislike the 8:00 start time. Outside of that, I really like what I'm reading today.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 29, 2021 18:26:39 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 21m #RedSox are 13-0 when scoring at least four runs. They're the only team in the majors still undefeated when scoring at least four runs.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Apr 29, 2021 21:03:40 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Rangers Thursday, 29th April 2021 8pm @ Globe Life Park
Perez 0-1/5.71
Coming off back to back outings not getting out of the 4th inning. He is 1-0/4.94 vs the Rangers in 2 starts.
Gibson 2-0/2.30
Has yet to take a loss this season and has only allowed only 2 earned runs or less over his last 4 starts holding opponents to a .235 batting average. Looks like another tough pitching match up tonight. I hope the offense can do its thing. Also, I really dislike the 8:00 start time. Outside of that, I really like what I'm reading today. I think the first Mets win helped the second Mets win. When you are in NY for a 2 gamer, and DeGrom is one of the two, you'd be real happy to go home 1-1. Once you win the first, you take a lot of pressure off. Same as tonight.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 30, 2021 2:19:57 GMT -5
Peréz gets everything going but fortune 1:29 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
The Red Sox finally got the Martín Pérez they’ve been waiting for on Thursday night at Globe Life Field. The left-hander spotted his fastball and rediscovered his changeup and performed well enough to win.
But he didn’t win for two reasons: There were two costly errors behind him on defense, and Boston’s offense -- so prolific for most of April -- remained in its recent rut.
Just like that, the Sox had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 4-1 defeat in their first game at the Rangers’ two-season-old home venue.
The Boston bats produced just three hits, marking the fourth straight game manager Alex Cora’s offense has had five hits or fewer. At 16-10, the Red Sox still lead the American League East by three games.
“Overall it’s been a grind the last week, to be honest with you,” said Cora. “We haven’t been able to do too much, but as you guys know, this is a good offense. Just a matter of getting back to doing the things we do best. Compete out there, hit the ball the other way -- and when we do that, we become a good, good offense.”
Of late, the starting pitching has been stellar. And in the big picture, this loss won’t sting that much if it proves to be the start of a revival for Peréz, who was far and away better in this one than his first four starts this season.
The lefty fired 5 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and two runs (one earned), walking none and striking out seven.
“Good game,” said Peréz. “I think I needed one of these games to get everything back, and I think I put everything together. … My changeup was there and was able to [create differential] between the pitches. Good outing. I was competing and doing my best to win the game.”
Of the 20 changeups Peréz threw, 16 were for strikes, including five whiffs.
“I tried to have a little long toss with my changeup a little bit [in between starts] to get back the feeling with that pitch,” said Peréz. “At 120 feet, just trying to get good extension in front of my eyes and have my pitch back and finally get it, and it made me excited.
“I feel good things are coming. When you’re a pitcher and you have a great changeup, sometimes you don’t have it and it’s hard for you to compete with only two pitches.”
While it was a big night for Peréz, his team wasn’t crisp. It could have been related to a late night of travel from New York, which had the players landing in their Texas hotel rooms at roughly 5 a.m. ET.
The first defensive miscue happened with one out in the fourth inning, when Joey Gallo ripped one into the corner in left field and Alex Verdugo bounced a throw back into the infield that bounced before third baseman Rafael Devers or shortstop Xander Bogaerts could get to it. Devers was charged with the error. It proved to be costly when Adolis García followed with a sacrifice fly.
“Alex threw the ball and it kind of took an awkward hop for Raffy,” said Cora. “He tipped it. As soon as he tipped it, Xander’s going to third base and the ball just kept rolling. It’s one of those freak plays, it’s nobody’s fault. It’s just a bad hop. He tried to make a play, and it just kept rolling. A tough one.”
The Sox temporarily offset that run when Devers belted a down-and-away 3-2 slider from Kyle Gibson and raked it for an RBI double to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning.
That momentum was short-lived. Defense haunted Boston again in the bottom of the sixth. This time, it was sure-handed veteran Bogaerts coming up with the untimely miscue on a routine grounder by García when an out would have given Peréz two outs and nobody on.
After Peréz got the second out, Cora lifted him at 82 pitches in favor of righty Hirokazu Sawamura with right-handed-hitting Jose Trevino coming up. That move quickly backfired, as Trevino smashed Sawamura’s second pitch out of the yard in left-center for a two-run homer.
“We have a righty in that situation, and we pushed Martín to go out there, and we didn’t make a play,” Cora said. “We thought that was a good matchup for us and we got burned.”
J.D. exits with migraine As if things weren’t tough enough for the Red Sox on offense on Thursday, designated hitter J.D. Martinez exited before his at-bat in the top of the eighth inning because of symptoms associated with a migraine.
Martinez isn’t expected to start on Friday.
“He felt his neck, and started getting some headaches,” Cora said. “Hopefully, it’s something that it’s nothing too serious, and he can be back on Saturday.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 30, 2021 2:21:11 GMT -5
Notes: Andriese's value; Globe Life Field April 29th, 2021 Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
The versatility that manager Alex Cora loves so much on his roster isn’t limited to position players such as Marwin Gonzalez and Kiké Hernández, who can play all over the diamond.
There is also someone who fits that profile on the Red Sox pitching staff -- veteran right-hander Matt Andriese, who has been one of the most invaluable members of the team so far.
In relief, Andriese can work effectively at any point in the game, and Cora has been taking advantage of that.
• Red Sox Minor League camp report
Entering Thursday Andriese had made nine appearances, posting a 1.42 ERA. It should also be noted that Andriese has starting in his background, though the Red Sox haven’t needed him to do that yet.
“I’m just feeling comfortable in all different situations I have been pitching in. We have a good group of guys in the bullpen. We kind of feed off of each other. We know the certain types of roles we pitch in. Just for myself, just being ready for whatever scenario Cora puts me in. Just take each day as it goes and try and go out there with confidence.”
On Tuesday night at Citi Field, Cora used Andriese in the eighth inning with a 2-1 lead, even though primary setup man Adam Ottavino was available.
“Obviously the end goal at the end of the day is to win a ballgame, so whatever way I can help the team do that, I’m definitely available to do that,” said Andriese. “Last year toward the end of the year, I pitched in a lot of bigger, high-leverage situations with the Angels. So I think I finished with a couple saves, two-inning saves. … So I kind of had a little familiarity in the back end of the bullpen type of role.”
Andriese’s motto is to never be surprised when the phone rings.
“Just be prepared even from the fifth inning on. You can kind of shape out the way the game is going to go and who is and who is not available that day,” Andriese said. “All that stuff runs through my head, so I just try to go out there with an attack mentality and whatever team needs, that’s what I do.”
When the Red Sox signed Andriese to a one-year, $2.1 million deal in the offseason, it barely created a ripple on the Hot Stove. But sometimes the subtle moves are the ones that wind up making a big impact.
“Coming here, a lot of people thought, ‘Hey, he’s going to be a long reliever, he can do everything.’ Honestly, I embrace all that,” Andriese said. “[Chief baseball officer] Chaim [Bloom] has done a really good job of putting a good group together not just on the field but also good teammates. We all click very well with each other. It’s been a fun first month. We’re looking to ride it through.”
New surroundings Thursday marked the first time the Red Sox have played at Globe Life Field. With that in mind, the club took batting practice on the field and did some fielding drills.
Typically, the Red Sox would stay indoors after the late arrival they had from New York in the wee hours of Thursday morning.
“Tomorrow, we’re not going to do that, obviously, because of the traveling. But the guys wanted to take ground balls and take BP outside,” said Cora. “It’s a beautiful facility. It’s huge. From the clubhouse to the field to the screens and everything, it’s a beautiful facility.”
Franchy sits again With no designated hitter for the two games at Citi Field, it wasn’t surprising to see the slumping Franchy Cordero out of the lineup. Even though the Red Sox faced righty Kyle Gibson to open the series in Texas, Cordero again didn’t start.
“This gives Franchy one more day of working on his swing with [hitting coaches] Timmy [Hyers] and Peter [Fatse],” Cora said. “They’re working with him. One thing is swing decisions. He needs to understand where his power is and where he should swing. He’s been chasing a lot of pitches up in the zone and that changeup low and away. We start with that.”
Cora said that Cordero will be in the lineup on Friday and Saturday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Apr 30, 2021 2:37:21 GMT -5
Jon Couture @joncouture · 5h Well, that was a trash pitch by Sawamura. #RedSox
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