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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 30, 2021 14:10:59 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Astros 31rst May 2021 4pm @ Minute Maid Park
Erod 5-3/ 5.06
All eyes will be on Erod as he tries to turn around an ugly May where he was 1-3/6.48.
Urquidy 3-2/3.22
Coming off the IL. Is 3-0/1.52 in his last 4 starts. walking just 4 batters, 4 earned runs and 15 hits during that span.
Boston Red Sox vs.Houston Astros Monday, May 31, 2021 at 4:10pm EDT Written by Eric P.
The Boston Red Sox take on the Houston Astros on Monday afternoon in the opener of their four-game series from Minute Maid Park in Houston. The two teams are yet to face off this year and didn’t see any of each other in 2020, so this will mark the first time since 2019 that these two World Series contenders will face off. The Red Sox come in off a postponed game in their series finale against the Marlins on Sunday but have won three in a row and are 7-3 in their last ten games. If it wasn’t for the Rays putting together one of the best runs in recent MLB history, the Red Sox would still be atop the division and still only are one game behind Tampa Bay and San Diego for having the best record in baseball. For Houston, they haven’t won any of their last three series outright, but are still in second place in the AL West and are only two games behind Oakland. 4-6 in their last ten games isn’t promising, but it’ll be a great opportunity to continue to test their lineup with some of the best that MLB has to offer. Which team will start off mid-week with a bang on Memorial Day?
Red Sox Offense Elite As much of baseball already know, this year’s Red Sox offense isn’t much like the one that fans have been accustomed to seeing over the last few years. As a team, Boston ranks first in baseball in runs/9 and OPS, while second in batting average and sixth in home runs per game. The depth of the lineup has been unmatched this season and Houston will have their hands full, especially at the top of the order. J.D. Martinez has made his case for MVP of the first couple of months, now leading the team with a .328 batting average, 62 hits, and a .399 OBP. He’s also led the team in home runs for much of the season (12 and 39), but a strong May by Rafael Devers has seen him take the team lead in home runs (14) and RBI (43), which is second in all of baseball. As if those two weren’t enough for opposing teams to worry about, Xander Bogaerts has added ten home runs of his own and is hitting .326 after leading the team in batting for much of the beginning of the season. One more pleasant surprise for the Red Sox has been Alex Verdugo, who they got back in a part of the Mookie Betts deal last year. Verdugo is hitting .287 on the year and has provided a spark at the top of the order for the big bats. Over the last seven days, Devers and Martinez are both hitting .333, but it’s been Hunter Renfroe who has stepped up his game, leading the team with a .467 average.
According to MLB.com, the Red Sox will use Eduardo Rodriguez on Memorial Day after pushing back his start on Sunday due to the game’s postponement. Rodriguez has had quite a bit of help from his offense in bolstering his record, which is 5-3, but his 5.06 ERA has shown that this season hasn’t been easy for the lefty. After missing last season due to health concerns, this month has been a little tougher for Rodriguez, going 1-3 with a 6.48 ERA across his last five starts. Rodriguez has also lost each of his last three starts in which he has pitched 15 innings, allowing 23 hits and 13 earned runs.
The last time Rodriguez faced Houston was back in 2019 making one start against them in a May win, going six innings strong and allowing only one run on four hits, striking out five. Rodriguez has had more prominent games against the Astros in the postseason, most notably during their 2018 World Series run. In the ALCS against Houston, Rodriguez came in out of the bullpen in two of Boston’s wins, combining to pitch one inning, allowing a single walk, and striking out two. According to ESPN, Houston hitters have 42 at-bats against Rodriguez all time, with 14 hits for a .333 batting average, and 11 strikeouts.
Houston Eyeing Top Of AL West The Astros started the season as one of the better teams in baseball and had many thinking that the Astros of old had returned yet again as one of the best teams in baseball. Injuries hampered the squad once May rolled around and they still have as many as three starts out for Monday’s game, including Yordan Alvarez, Yuli Gurriel, and Michael Brantley, plus a bullpen that has five relievers slated to continue to be out this week. It’s been some of the lesser-known names on the roster leading the team so far this season, with three different players leading in the three major offensive categories. Kyle Tucker has stepped in well in place of George Springer and leads the team with 11 home runs but only is hitting .230. Alvarez leads in batting average at .310 but might not be available, which is a similar story for Yuli Gurriel, who leads the team with 38 RBI and has added seven home runs and a .309 batting average. With some of the leaders out, it’s a great opportunity for players like Alex Bregman (.297) and Jose Altuve (.297) to make their veteran presence known.
According to MLB.com, it’ll be Jose Urquidy taking the mound for the Astros in Monday’s series opener. It’ll be an interesting opportunity for Urquidy, who will be making his first start since May 12th after just coming off the 10-Day IL with some soreness in his pitching shoulder. Prior to getting hurt though, he was locked in as one of the hottest starters in the AL West, going 3-0 with a 1.52 ERA in his four starts before hitting the IL. On the season as a whole, he’s 3-2 with a 3.22 ERA overall. In only his third year in the league, Urquidy is yet to face off against the Red Sox in his career, and what an offense he’ll be facing to start things off.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 30, 2021 14:16:33 GMT -5
Red Sox/ Astros Match SP Probables for rest of series 1 June, Tuesday.....Richards 4-3/3.88 vs Garcia 3-3/2.93...8pm 2nd June Wednesday...Pivetta 6-0/3.86 vs Valdez 0-0/2.25...8pm 3rd June Thursday, Perez 6-2/4.01 vs Odorizzi 0-2/6.76.....2pm
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 31, 2021 3:12:23 GMT -5
Red Sox Notebook Top Red Sox prospects Jarren Duran, Tristan Casas named to United States Olympic qualifying team By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated May 30, 2021, 1:55 p.m.
Top Red Sox prospects Triston Casas and Jarren Duran were officially named to the USA Baseball Olympic qualifying roster Sunday.
The 26-man roster has 14 pitchers and 12 position players.
The United States will start the Baseball Americas Qualifier on Monday against Nicaragua at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The US will play the Dominican Republic on Tuesday and Puerto Rico on Wednesday.
Following group play, the top two finishers from each group will play two games in the Super Round, and the team with the best record (including group play) will be the winner and join Israel, Japan, Korea, and Mexico in the Olympics.
The second- and third-place teams will have a final shot at qualifying for the Olympics at a last-chance tournament in Mexico in late June.
Duran started the season in Triple-A Worcester. In 82 plate appearances, the outfielder is hitting .278/.366/.625 with seven homers. Duran, who is likely to make his MLB debut this season, said he’s elated to be a part of the USA squad.
“Having USA across my chest, I don’t know if anything ever compares to that,” Duran said in a text message Sunday afternoon. “I feel honored to represent this great country, and having the Red Sox back me up on that means a lot. I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity and I will forever be grateful to the Red Sox for letting me have this opportunity.”
Casas, a first baseman, began the season in Double-A Portland. In 75 plate appearances, the first baseman is hitting .328/.400/.552 with four homers.
Duran and Casas have been with Team USA teammates at a training camp
Darren Fenster, the Red Sox’ minor league outfield and baserunning coach, will serve as Team USA’s third base coach. Former MLB manager Mike Scioscia is the manager.
Several players named to the roster are major league veterans who are not on an MLB roster, including Matt Kemp, Todd Frazier, and pitchers Edwin Jackson and David Robertson. Eduardo Rodriguez will start Monday's opener of a four-game series in Houston after his scheduled start Sunday at home against the Marlins was rained out.
The Red Sox are set for a four-game series against the Houston Astros beginning Monday. The Sox starters for that series will be Eduardo Rodriguez, Garrett Richards, Nick Pivetta, and Martín Pérez.
Rodriguez enters with a 5.06 ERA through his first nine starts of the year, the highest mark of any Sox starter. Despite the numbers, manager Alex Cora believes the lefthander is turning the corner, pointing to the third and fourth innings in Rodriguez’s last start vs. the Phillies.
“He looked really good,” Cora said. “Rhythm was better. More locked in. His mechanics, the pitches, they had better action. I’m looking forward to him continuing to build off of that.”
When Rodriguez had his breakout season in 2019, his ERA after his ninth start was close to what it is now at 4.89. His ERA spiked to 5.43 in his next start and then dropped to 5.04 in his 11th start. Based on his slow start in 2019 — a year in which he tossed 203⅓ innings and tallied a 3.89 ERA — the Red Sox, and perhaps their fans, should be confident their ace has some of his best starts ahead of him.
Rodriguez’s fastball velocity (92.7 miles per hour) is a tick down from his 2019 average (93.1). Oftentimes, Rodriguez will have his velocity in the beginning only to see it decrease over the course of his outing. Yet Cora has dismissed that on a few occasions believing that Rodriguez’s cutter — against which opponents are hitting .429 this year — has been his problem this year.
“It’s playing more like a bad slider since Texas,” Cora said. “Hopefully that pitch plays better.”
Despite losing George Springer to the Toronto Blue Jays and Justin Verlander to Tommy John surgery, the Astros (28-24) still remain a threat. They are second in the American League West behind the Oakland A’s. Their offense is still prolific, carrying a .754 OPS (third in the majors) and the best batting average (.264) in baseball. The Red Sox will miss Zack Greinke, who has a 3.67 ERA in 12 starts this year. The Astros sit in the middle of the pack in ERA (3.91), ranked 15th as of Sunday (the Sox ranked 12th).
This series will have another headline to it. It’s the first time Cora, who was a part of the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal in 2017 as the team’s bench coach, will make a trip back to Houston since he and the Red Sox parted ways after 2019.
Lefthanded reliever Josh Taylor has been impressive of late, tallying nine straight scoreless appearances totaling nine innings of work dating back to the end of last month. This comes after Taylor yielded a whopping nine runs in 9⅓ innings to start the year.
“I just just try to take it a pitch at a time, Taylor said. “The beginning of the season kind of started off a little rough. You just got to try and take the good from it and not focus too much on the bad and just try and go out there and win every pitch.”
Taylor played a significant part in the Sox’ bullpen in 2019, registering a 3.04 ERA in 47⅓ innings, striking out 62 batters. Yet in 2020, Taylor was met with some ups and downs. He contracted COVID-19 ahead of summer camp, and then never found his rhythm, compiling a 9.82 ERA in just seven innings. He eventually landed on the injured list at the end of the season.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 31, 2021 3:14:40 GMT -5
After rainout Sunday, taking stock of Red Sox heading into crucial 17-day stretch By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated May 30, 2021, 8:20 p.m.
Sunday’s Red Sox-Miami Marlins contest at Fenway Park was postponed and rescheduled for Monday, June 7. This means the Red Sox will have to relinquish an off day and instead stare down a schedule that includes 17 straight games in as many days.
If you consider the opponents, this might be the Red Sox’ biggest test of the season. In that 17-day span, the Sox will face the Astros in a four-game series beginning Monday at Houston, then the Yankees for a three-game series at New York. Boston will travel back to play the Marlins at Fenway, followed by the Astros at home for three, four home games vs. the Blue Jays, and finally, a pair against the Braves at Atlanta.
The Sox (32-20) currently stand a game back of the red-hot Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. They have taken on the underdog approach this year, oftentimes noting that no one believed in them but themselves. However true that might be — which in some cases is a bit exaggerated — the team has, indeed, thrived so far this season. Despite the daunting schedule ahead, the Sox are in a good position heading into it. Here’s how they got here.
Nick Pivetta wasn’t getting much of a chance to start with the Phillies last season. Garrett Richards has always been known for his stuff but never quite recaptured it post-Tommy John surgery. So, when Pivetta was traded to the Red Sox last summer, and Richards signed as a free agent this offseason, each was expected to be a huge part of what the Red Sox did.
So far, they have lived up to that. In 54 innings, Richards has a 3.83 ERA. Even though Richards has power stuff, he’s never been a huge strikeout guy. He’s compiled just 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings for his career and 7.8 this season. Nonetheless, Richards is figuring out ways to be successful for the Red Sox, thanks to a delivery that he’s able to repeat.
“We came up with something that would be simple for me to be able to repeat,” Richards said earlier this season. “And importantly, it gives me a chance to gather over the rubber, instead of just kind of rolling through it like I was. So just making an emphasis of getting a good gather over the rubber has really helped me.”
Keep in mind Richards’s curveball ranked at the top of the league in spin. Richards has had success with that pitch whenever he employs it, with batters hitting just .143 against it this year.
As for Pivetta, he’s found his way by pounding the strike zone and learned how to pitch up in the zone, which has played a part in his 3.86 ERA in 53⅔ innings plus 59 strikeouts. Pivetta is 6-0 this season and has gone 8-0 in his last 12 starts dating back to last season.
He’s also successful at making adjustments when hitters are on to him. For example, in his last start, the Braves were aggressive on his fastball, tagging him for two runs in the first. But after that Pivetta implemented more of his offspeed/breaking stuff in order to keep the Braves off balance.
Martín Pérez has been a key piece of the Red Sox rotation, too — if not the most important piece. He’s compiled a 3.55 ERA in 50⅔ innings in addition to 48 strikeouts.
The Red Sox still need more from Eduardo Rodriguez (5.06 ERA). Nate Eovaldi’s 4.01 ERA is consistent with what he’s been for his career. A key for Eovaldi is that he’s been healthy. As Rodriguez looks to get on track, however, the trio of Pivetta, Richards, and Pérez have been crucial to this team’s success.
The Red Sox are hoping to get Ryan Brasier back soon, and that should give them more depth at the back end of the bullpen. Matt Barnes has been lights out in the closer’s spot, striking out 15.4 batters per nine innings, registering a league-leading 12 saves to go along with a 2.63 ERA. Barnes has gotten some help from Adam Ottavino, as well as Josh Taylor as of late. Taylor has nine straight appearances under his belt (9 innings) without allowing a run. Ottavino, meanwhile, has given up just one run in his last 11⅓ innings. He has a 2.95 ERA on the year. Offense
The Sox remain one of the best offenses in baseball. Entering Sunday, they had a .768 OPS to lead the league. J.D. Martinez (second), Rafael Devers (fourth), and Xander Bogaerts (fifth) were all in the top five in the AL in OPS, all above .950. The Yankees’ Aaron Judge and Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were the others in the top five. Devers led the majors in extra-base hits with 31 and was tied with Nolan Arenado of the Cardinals for the lead in doubles (17)
Martinez led the AL in hits (62) and multi-hit games (20).
“That’s why we signed him in ’18,” Cora said Sunday of Martinez. “To be that guy in the middle of the lineup to help everybody else. Drive in runs, get on base and right now he’s driving in runs and he’s scoring a lot of runs. He’s been amazing since Day 1.”
While those three players, plus Alex Verdugo, have carried the offense for much of the season, the Red Sox have gotten some production from Hunter Renfroe. After hitting .167 with a .485 OPS in April, Renfroe has hit .307 with an .879 OPS in May, including 12 extra-base hits and 14 RBIs in 23 games.
“He’s doing a good job putting the ball and play going the other way, hitting with two strikes, staying on breaking balls.” Cora said. “He did that in spring training. Obviously wasn’t a good start for him. But he’s a good player.”
Verdugo is still nursing a hamstring injury. During this 17-game stretch in 17 days, it will be interesting to see how he responds to it and how the team uses him.
Christian Arroyo gives the team a boost in the infield, but in his last 39 plate appearances, he’s hit just .147
Kiké Hernández, while a solid outfielder, is probably not a leadoff hitter for this club. His on-base percentage dropped below .300 again (.299) and he’s hitting just .245 for the season.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 31, 2021 3:20:01 GMT -5
Red Sox Notebook: Eduardo Rodriguez looks to stop recent struggles, Alex Cora cherishes ‘perfect day’ Has lost his last three starts ) By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald PUBLISHED: May 30, 2021 at 4:18 p.m. | UPDATED: May 30, 2021 at 4:34 p.m.
When Eduardo Rodriguez tossed seven strong innings to lead the Red Sox over the Mariners on April 25, manager Alex Cora had no problem declaring how he felt about his left-hander.
“That’s what aces do,” Cora said.
It was tough to dispute then, but that feels like a long time ago now.
Rodriguez’s return this season after missing 2020 with myocarditis was never expected to go smoothly. It’s predictably been a roller coaster, which began with a dominant spring, then a dead arm that forced him to miss his Opening Day start, a sizzling first four starts, and now, a streak of struggles.
In five starts since April 25, Rodriguez is going through one of the toughest stretches of his career, with a 6.48 ERA and one win in that span. He’s lost three consecutive starts for the first time in his career, and though he’s received little run support, the lefty has certainly seen better days. He lasted just four innings last Sunday in Philadelphia — which broke a streak of 36 starts in a row of at least five innings — and his ERA this season is now 5.06, by far the worst in the Red Sox’ starting rotation.
What’s been Rodriguez’s problem? Though his fastball velocity is slower than it was in 2019, opponents are hitting worse against that pitch than they were two years ago. The root of the issue seems to be with his cutter, which is getting crushed (.429) and Cora believes has looked like a “bad slider” since his start in Texas on May 1.
Sunday’s postponement allowed Rodriguez another day of work, but he’ll face a more imposing lineup in the Astros on Monday in Houston that’ll surely make him pay for his mistakes. But Cora hasn’t lost confidence in his ace, who he thinks isn’t far off from turning a corner. The manager saw some signs at the end of his start against the Phillies and is hopeful he can carry that momentum into Monday’s start.
“The rhythm was better,” Cora said of Rodriguez’s third and fourth innings in Philly. “More locked-in on his mechanics. The pitches, they had better action. Looking forward to him just keep building off of that. He made some adjustments throughout the game. It paid off. … What I saw that day for those two innings, I’m looking forward to this one because I do believe he’s that close.”
‘Perfect day’
Saturday was a memorable day for Cora, who left Boston to go home to Puerto Rico so he could attend his daughter Camila’s high school graduation ceremony.
“It was a perfect day,” Cora said. “We had a blast as a family. It was amazing. For the organization to let me go home, it was perfect. It was perfect.”
Bench coach Will Venable took over to guide the Red Sox to a 3-1 win over the Marlins. Cora said he didn’t watch much of the game, but tuned in late and was impressed with how Venable managed the bullpen to close out the victory.
Taylor turns a corner
After a shaky start to the season in which he posted a 8.68 ERA in April, reliever Josh Taylor has been dominant. Saturday’s shutout inning marked his 12th consecutive appearance without allowing a run, a stretch in which he’s given up five hits, three walks and struck out 12 over nine innings.
Taylor said he hasn’t done much differently. His pitch mix is the same, he’s just locating them better now.
“I’m just executing now,” Taylor said. “I’m not throwing the one pitch way out of the zone that isn’t competitive, it doesn’t get a chance to get a swing. I’m just fine-tuning my pitches and making every one count.” …
Before Sunday’s postponement, J.D. Martinez was out of the lineup after he fouled a pitch off his foot on Saturday. Cora said he just wanted to give Martinez the day to get treatment, so it didn’t seem serious. …
Sunday’s game was rescheduled for June 7 with a 5:10 p.m. first pitch.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 31, 2021 5:55:56 GMT -5
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 31, 2021 6:00:50 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros preview: TV schedule, pitching probables, key stories (May 31-June 3) Today 6:00 AM
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
The Red Sox left rain-soaked Boston for Houston after Sunday’s game was postponed and arrived in Houston, where they will face the Astros for the first time this season. The trip to Minute Maid Park represents the first time Sox manager Alex Cora will return to face the Astros since being implicated as a key player in Houston’s electronic sign-stealing scandal.
Here’s a preview of the four-game series between the rivals: Boston Red Sox (32-20) vs. Houston Astros (28-24) · Minute Maid Park · Houston, TX
SERIES SCHEDULE (and TV information):
Mon. May 31, 4:10 p.m. ET -- NESN / ESPN
Tue. June 1, 8:10 p.m. ET -- NESN
Wed. June 2, 8:10 p.m. ET -- NESN / ESPN
Thu. June 3, 2:10 p.m. ET -- NESN
HOW TO WATCH:
Mon. May 31, 4:10 p.m. ET -- NESN / ESPN (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), ESPN+
Tue. June 1, 8:10 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: FOX Sports, fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)
Wed. June 2, 8:10 p.m. ET -- NESN / ESPN (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), ESPN+
Thu. June 3, 2:10 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), ESPN+
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT:
The Astros, in their second year under manager Dusty Baker, are 1 ½ games back of the Athletics in a competitive American League West and are a half-game behind the Red Sox, who currently occupy one of the two wild card spots. Houston went 29-31 last season but seemed to click in the postseason, taking the Rays to seven games in the ALCS.
Houston lost outfielder George Springer but still committed more than $75 million in free agency, bringing back outfielder Michael Brantley while adding starter Jake Odorizzi, catcher Jason Castro and relievers Pedro Baez and Ryne Stanek. Josh Reddick, Chris Devenski and Roberto Osuna also left Houston.
Offensively, the Astros -- like the Red Sox -- have one of the best offenses in the major leagues, ranking first in batting average (.264) and third in OPS (.756). On the pitching side, Houston has the 15th-best ERA in the league (3.91) while ranking tied for ninth in opponent average (.224) and 14th in strikeouts (466).
The ‘Stros, of course, are without starter Justin Verlander, who underwent Tommy John surgery last summer, and starter Lance McCullers Jr. is also on the injured list along with Castro and Brantley. Houston is looking to extend its streak of postseason appearances to five; the club has missed the playoffs just once (2016) in the last six seasons.
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Monday, 4:10 p.m. ET -- LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (5-3, 5.06 ERA) vs. RHP José Urquidy (3-2, 3.22 ERA)
Tuesday, 8:10 p.m. ET -- RHP Garrett Richards (4-3, 3.83 ERA) vs. RHP Luis Garcia (3-3, 2.93 ERA)
Wednesday, 8:10 p.m. ET -- RHP Nick Pivetta (6-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. LHP Framber Valdez (0-0, 2.25 ERA)
Thursday, 2:10 p.m. ET -- LHP Martín Pérez (3-2, 3.55 ERA) vs. RHP Jake Odorizzi (0-2, 6.75 ERA)
THREE SOX TO WATCH:
Eduardo Rodriguez
Rodriguez has had a poor May, posting a 6.48 ERA (18 earned runs in 25 innings) while allowing 38 hits. The Red Sox are 1-4 in his five starts this month and the lefty’s ERA for the season is now 5.06. Rodriguez will look to close out the month with a strong outing Monday afternoon.
Adam Ottavino
Ottavino, on the other hand, has been excellent in May, allowing just three earned runs in 12 innings (2.25 ERA). The veteran has struck out 15 hitters over 13 appearances and has not allowed a run since May 9.
Marwin Gonzalez
Gonzalez, who played for the Astros from 2012-2018, started only one of the four games during the homestand but was in the lineup as the left fielder Sunday before the game was postponed. The utility man has had a brutal May, hitting just .211 with a .559 OPS in 21 games.
SERIES NOTES:
The Red Sox have won three straight games, are 7-2 in their last nine, and 15-8 in their last 23. This is the 20th time the Red Sox have won at least 32 of their first 52 games. They reached the postseason in each of the last 4 instances (2007, 2013, 2016, 2018). 27 of the Red Sox’ 30 games from May 25 to June 27 will be against teams that made the 2020 Postseason (HOU-7, NYY-6, ATL-4, TOR-4, MIA-3, TB-3), including all 21 from May 25 to June 16. The Sox last faced the Astros in 2019, winning two of six games between the clubs. Houston won two of three at Fenway Park from May 17-19 and then took two of three at Minute Maid Park a week later. J.D. Martinez has played 399 games as a member of the Red Sox. He reached 300 RBI with the club on Friday and 200 XBH with the club Saturday. He is one of five players with 200+ extra-base hits and 300+ RBI through their first 400 games with the Red Sox. The Red Sox are the only team in MLB featuring 7 players with 20+ RBI: Rafael Devers (43), J.D. Martinez (39), Xander Bogaerts (31), Christian Vázquez (23), Alex Verdugo (23), Bobby Dalbec (22), and Hunter Renfroe (22). Boston enters its series with the Astros trailing the Rays by one game in the American League East. Tampa Bay has won 15 of their last 16 games and will start a four-game series in the Bronx on Monday.
UP NEXT:
The Red Sox will fly to New York after Thursday’s series finale before facing the Yankees for the first time this season over the weekend in the Bronx. They’ll then return home for an eight-game homestand starting with the makeup of Sunday’s postponed game against the Marlins.
Fri. June 4 - Sun. June 6 -- @ Yankees (3)
Mon. June 7 -- vs. Marlins (1 -- makeup of 5/30 postponed game)
Tue. June 8 - Thurs. June 10 -- vs. Astros (3)
Fri. June 11 - Mon. June 14 -- vs. Blue Jays (4)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 31, 2021 8:05:51 GMT -5
Red Sox vs. Astros Series Preview
A look at this week’s big four-game stretch against Houston. By Matt_Collins@MattRyCollins May 31, 2021, 9:01am EDT
SB Nation Blog
Crawfish Boxes The opponent in one sentence
The Astros are baseball’s most hated team right now, but they’re also a good one, keeping their heads above .500 to go with one of the best run differentials in the American League. Record
28-24 Head-to-head record
0-0 Trend
Down. The good news for the Red Sox is that, while they are starting a brutal stretch of their schedule here on Monday, they are at least catching the Astros at a good time. Houston is in the midst of their own tough stretch, having just drop two of three against the Padres, which came before a split of a two-game set against the Dodgers. But before that, they were swept by the Rangers, making them losers in six of their last eight. Pitching Matchups
5/31: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. José Urquidy, 4:10 PM ET (ESPN for out-of-market)
Things looked set up well for Rodriguez to bounce back after what has been a tough three-week stretch for the lefty, as he was supposed to make his next start against a pedestrian Marlins lineup. Instead, rain pushed that game off and Rodriguez has to look to get back on track against a very good lineup on the road in Houston. This is certainly not going to be a walk in the park for Rodriguez, who has put up good peripherals of late but has been giving up too much contact that has turned into hits. Some of that is bad luck, but some of that is certainly him leaving too many balls over the plate that can be hit solidly. He’ll need to figure something out here, because this is a lineup that will punish you if you make mistakes.
Urquidy is coming off a brief IL stint, having missed the last couple of weeks. By all accounts, however, he is ready to come back for this series-opener on Monday. The Red Sox are going to have their chances against the young righty, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy. Despite a high fly ball rate that leads to balls leaving the yard and a strikeout rate that won’t impress anyone in this era, he’s pitched to an impressive 3.22 ERA this year, and has been good throughout his short MLB career. He has tremendous command, so the Red Sox need to look for a few mistakes and not miss their chances, because they may not get another. Urquidy will throw a low-90s fastball to go with a slider, a changeup, and the occasional curveball.
6/1: Garrett Richards vs. Luis Garcia, 8:10 PM ET
Richards has been one of the most important players for the Red Sox over the month of May, and now he’ll look to start June off on the right foot as well in this tough matchup. The righty turned things around in a big way after a brutal start to his career in Boston, though it’s worth noting there are some cracks starting to show once again. Things are certainly better than they were in early April, but after getting his control in check for a few starts he’s issuing walks again. He’s walked four in each of his last two starts and three the one before to give him 11 total over 18 1⁄3 innings. He’s still got a 2.45 ERA over that stretch, but he might not have as much luck against the Astros if he’s putting on so many batters for free.
The Red Sox are facing another good, young starter here in the second game, although this one will be a bit different. Whereas Urqidy has his success based on control and command, Garcia is more pure stuff. He’s getting a ton of strikeouts this year, nearly 11 per nine innings, which is helping to mask some mild control issues here and there en route to a really good 2.93 ERA. Now, it should be mentioned he did spend a little time in the bullpen this year, but as a starter he still has a 3.15 ERA, so this will be a tough matchup. To make things even tougher, he’s coming off his best start of the year, allowing just a single unearned run to the Dodgers over six innings on two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. Garcia will throw a low-to-mid-90s fastball, a cutter, a slider, a changeup, and the occasional curveball.
6/2: Nick Pivetta vs. Framber Valdez, 8:10 PM ET (ESPN)
Things have been trending in the wrong direction for Pivetta his last couple of times out, as he’s started to revert a bit back to the guy we saw for all of those years in Philly. We’re not seeing the absolute worst version of that, to be fair, which was a guy who couldn’t even stick in the majors. But we are seeing a guy who, while missing a lot of bats, will give up hard contact as well. Over the righty’s last two outings, he’s struck out 18 with four walks over 11 innings, but he’s also allowed nine runs (eight earned). He needs to find a way to keep getting the strikeouts while not putting so much over the heart of the plate where it can be hit around. This will be the ultimate test for that skillset.
Valdez had spent most of this season on the injured list after fracturing his finger back in camp, but he made his season debut last weekend against the Padres. They didn’t push him too far, sending him out for only four innings, but he did a solid job in allowing just one run with four strikeouts and two walks. It will be interesting to see how much leash he gets here against the Red Sox. Last season was a good one for the southpaw, as he pitched to a 3.57 ERA with strong peripherals to match along with a high groundball rate. Valdez will lean heavily on a low-90s sinker along with a curveball and the occasional changeup.
6/3: Martín Pérez vs. Jake Odorizzi, 2:10 PM ET
There really isn’t much to be said about what Pérez is doing this year except that it’s incredibly impressive and way outside my expectations. The lefty has allowed more than three runs just once this season, and that was back in his third start of the year. Since that point he’s made eight starts while pitching to a 3.32 ERA. Most impressive has been his strikeout total, as he’s missing more bats than we’re accustomed to, which is helping him avoid some of the bad luck on balls in play he’s run into in the past. No contact is still better than weak contact. All that said, he hasn’t really faced a ton of good lineups in this stretch, so this will be the real test of who he can be in this rotation.
Odorizzi was one of the bigger free agent starting pitchers out there this year, and while there was reportedly some interest from the Red Sox he ultimately landed with Houston. He’s missed a big chunk of the season with injury, though, having just returned to make one start after sitting out for about a month. It was a solid return against the Padres, though, with Odorizzi allowing one run over 5 1⁄3 innings on three hits and one walk with four strikeouts. The righty will miss some bats and he has solid control, but he can get in trouble with the long ball. Boston needs to make sure any mistakes thrown are not wasted by the offense. Odorizzi will feature a low-90s fastball to go with a splitter, a slider, a cutter, and the occasional curveball.
Old Friends
Ryan Pressly was originally drafted by the Red Sox way back in 2007, but he never made it with the team as he was scooped up by the Twins in the Rule 5 Draft. Since then he’s established himself as one of the better relievers in the game and is in the lead spot in Houston’s bullpen these days. Notable Position Players
Alex Bregman is still the best player on this team and remains one of the best players in the entire league. The third baseman is having another good season here with a 141 wRC+, and he’s doing it while his power hasn’t even really been here. He can hurt you in a number of ways, and will be a tough out every time he steps to the plate.
José Altuve is getting to the latter portion of his career, but you wouldn’t know it by watching him. He still makes a ton of contact with a little pop here and there, getting on base at a high clip atop this Houston lineup.
Yordan Alvarez can be easy to forget in this lineup full of big names, but he has big-time power and is a threat to do real damage every time. His plate discipline can be rough, though, so there is a gameplan against him.
Carlos Correa is a bit like Xander Bogaerts in that they are both big shortstops who are bat-over-glove. I’ll take Bogaerts in terms of who the better player is, but Correa is still a terrific hitter having a very good season.
Yuli Gurriel is also having a big season in this terrifying lineup, walking more than he strikes out while also hitting for legitimate power.
Kyle Tucker is one of the up-and-comers in this lineup, and he’s another guy who is tough to strike out while possessing legitimate power of his own.
Aledmys Díaz is where the break in the lineup begins, although he’s certainly not bad and makes enough contact to keep his line around average.
Myles Straw will also put the ball into play, but his total lack of power is bringing his line down so far.
Martín Maldonado is more of a defensive-oriented catcher, which shows in his numbers at the plate. T-Shirt Collection
Take a look at the entire shirt collection from our friends over at BreakingT, including the latest one pictured above. Bullpen Snapshot
Pressly, as I said, leads this bullpen. He’s been his normal steady self in the late innings, getting a solid number of strikeouts while showing off plus command that makes him very tough to beat when the game is on the line.
Ryne Stanek has been the primary righty setup guy of late, and he will miss a ton of bats, though there are going to be some mistakes both in and out of the zone to give Boston hitters a chance.
Brooks Raley is the lefty setup guy, and while his 7.29 ERA looks brutal, his 2.88 FIP suggests things may not be so easy if he’s in the game. Injuries
Michael Brantley has been out for about a week with some hamstring issues, and while it doesn’t appear serious he should miss this whole series.
Lance McCullers Jr. started dealing with some shoulder issues last week, though it’s not clear how long it will keep him out.
Justin Verlander underwent Tommy John late last season, and there’s some chance he’ll be able to come back for the very end of this season, though it’s far from set in stone.
Jason Castro was just placed on the injured list with an ankle injury, though it doesn’t appear serious.
Pedro Báez has had some trouble getting his season going due to a positive COVID test followed by a shoulder issue, and he’s likely a couple weeks away from returning.
Bryan Abreu was just put on the shelf with a leg injury suffered while he was shagging balls. It’s not clear how long he’ll be out.
Josh James is on the 60-day injured list with a hip injury, though it doesn’t appear he’s too far from being back on the mound.
Austin Pruitt missed all of last season after undergoing elbow surgery, and it’s still not clear when he’ll be able to pitch again.
Ken Emanuel was just placed on the IL with an elbow injury this past weekend. It’s not clear how much time he’ll miss.
Blake Taylor is working his way back from an ankle injury, and his return should be imminent.
Francis Martes was suspended for 162 games after a second positive PED test last year. Weather Forecast
The bad news is there are going to be thunderstorms in the Houston area all week. The good news is they have a roof, so it shouldn’t affect any of the games.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on May 31, 2021 9:28:13 GMT -5
Red Sox Notebook: Eduardo Rodriguez looks to stop recent struggles, Alex Cora cherishes ‘perfect day’ Has lost his last three starts) By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald Taylor turns a corner After a shaky start to the season in which he posted a 8.68 ERA in April, reliever Josh Taylor has been dominant. Saturday’s shutout inning marked his 12th consecutive appearance without allowing a run, a stretch in which he’s given up five hits, three walks and struck out 12 over nine innings. Taylor said he hasn’t done much differently. His pitch mix is the same, he’s just locating them better now. “I’m just executing now,” Taylor said. “I’m not throwing the one pitch way out of the zone that isn’t competitive, it doesn’t get a chance to get a swing. I’m just fine-tuning my pitches and making every one count.”. This a big thing, imho. I liked Taylor a lot. But we got him for nothing, he didn't have a long history of success. So when he went off-track in 2020, both performance and Covid, you can't be sure if he is for real. And, I think he's been used really well by Cora to close out innings to face 1-2 lefties
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Post by scrappyunderdog on May 31, 2021 10:02:37 GMT -5
Tough, tough series. I'll be real happy to go home 2-2.
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Post by Kimmi on May 31, 2021 10:04:34 GMT -5
Tough, tough series. I'll be real happy to go home 2-2. Ditto.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 31, 2021 10:37:48 GMT -5
Game 55: Red Sox at Astros lineups and notes From staff and wire reportsUpdated May 31, 2021, 14 minutes ago The Red Sox were rained out Sunday, then traveled to Houston for Monday’s start of a seven-game road trip that includes a weekend series at Yankee Stadium. Boston lefthander Eduardo Rodriguez has lost his last three starts, and had his shortest outing of the season in his last start, a loss to the Phillies May 23 in which he pitched only four innings. He’ll be opposed Monday by Astros righty José Urquidy, who is making his first start since May 12. Lineups RED SOX (32-20):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. Danny Santana (S) 1B 7. Christian Vazquez (R) C 8. Marwin Gonzalez (S) 2B 9. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF Pitching: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (5-3, 5.06 ERA) ASTROS (28-24):1. Jose Altuve (R) 2B 2. Chas McCormick (R) LF 3. Alex Bregman (R) 3B 4. Carlos Correa (R) SS 5. Kyle Tucker (L) RF 6. Aledmys Diaz (R) 1B 7. Taylor Jones (R) DH 8. Myles Straw (R) CF 9. Martin Maldonado (R) C Pitching: RHP José Urquidy (3-2, 3.22 ERA) Time: 4:10 p.m. TV, radio: ESPN, NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Urquidy: Danny Santana 0-3 Astros vs. Rodriguez: Jose Altuve 2-7, Alex Bregman 3-7, Carlos Correa 5-7, Aledmys Díaz 2-10, Yuli Gurriel 1-6, Martín Maldonado 1-5 Stats of the day: The Astros lead the majors in hits (476) and batting average (.264). The Red Sox lead the majors in slugging percentage (.447) and on-base plus slugging (.768). Notes: Following consecutive extra-inning losses in which the bullpen blew late leads, the Astros got eight innings from starter Zack Greinke Sunday to help them to a 7-4 victory over the Padres and avoid a three-game sweep ... Urquidy was placed on the 10-day injured list with right posterior shoulder discomfort May 14. Prior to his IL stint, Urquidy had recorded four consecutive starts allowing two or fewer runs, posting a 3-0 record and 1.52 ERA with a .176 opponent batting average during that stretch. He will face Boston for the first time in his career ... Rodriguez is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA over four career starts against the Astros ... The Red Sox are riding a three-game winning streak. Song of the Day: The Breeders "Cannon Ball"www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxvkI9MTQw4
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Post by scrappyunderdog on May 31, 2021 12:39:14 GMT -5
Tough, tough series. I'll be real happy to go home 2-2. Ditto.It's a really nice rotation they put together. Javier, Urquidy, Garcia, Valdez, and McCullers are there for another 5-6 years, with only McCullers costing real money. Greinke's salary disappears after this year, and Odorizzi disappears after next year, and neither of those two is a particular burden relative to their production.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 31, 2021 13:34:11 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 1h Alex Cora joining us on Zoom. #RedSox
Cora said Josh Taylor 'is becoming so important in each series' out of the bullpen. Sees him taking the Heath Hembree role with inherited runners from 2018. #RedSox
Cora returns to Houston after a 16-month period he describes as 'obviously not my proudest moments.'
On his players -- 'They know. I put myself in the situation. I handled the situation the way I'm going to handle it.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'There's a lot of stuff that happened through the investigation that was tough to swallow. At the end, I made a mistake. I went through the process. After that, #MLB did the right thing.' #RedSox
Cora on what he expects from Houston fans -- 'That's going to be interesting -- not only here but when the Astros play (at Fenway Park).' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 31, 2021 13:35:54 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 1h Cora on discussing his suspension with his players -- 'I haven't had a 1-on-1 conversation in my office. The topic is obviously always out there.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'It's part of who I am. This is part of who I'm going to be for the rest of my life.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'For people to judge me, I understand. There's nothing I can do.' #RedSox
Cora on the 2017 Astros -- 'It's still a good baseball team. People are going to judge us for what we did, but it was still a good baseball team.'
'People are going to ask why we did it -- I don't know, man. We just did it.' #RedSox
Cora, asked about any good memories he has at Minute Maid, ticks off a host of moments from the 2018 ALCS -- the Bradley grand slam, the Benintendi catch, etc. #RedSox
Cora -- 'Out of the whole report, that Jeff (Luhnow) talked about myself, the bench coach, that really bothered me.'
Luhnow released a January 2020 statement blaming 'lower-level employees working with the bench coach' for Houston's cheating. He was fired and suspended. #RedSox
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