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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 3:35:05 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 9h Cora on Rodriguez: ‘He just hasn’t put it all together.’
Cora says he told Rodriguez that if he throws the ball the way he threw it today with one more adjustment, he’ll be in a good place. Cora sees a better fastball and cutter from Rodriguez and believes his stuff is improving.
Rodriguez: ‘I don’t think this has anything to do with missing last season. It’s missed location.’
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 3:39:05 GMT -5
Red Sox Notebook: Hunter Renfroe finishes hot May strong, but rest of Boston’s bats silenced Renfroe hit six homers in May
By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald PUBLISHED: May 31, 2021 at 9:02 p.m. | UPDATED: May 31, 2021 at 9:17 p.m.
While Eduardo Rodriguez will likely be very happy to see the calendar turn to June, Hunter Renfroe is probably hoping his May would never end.
The right fielder was the lone bright spot in the Red Sox’ 11-2 blowout loss to the Astros, as he finished his strong month with another productive performance. Renfroe was responsible for both of the Sox’ runs, hitting a leadoff double in the sixth and coming around to score before smoking a solo homer in the eighth.
Renfroe, who now has multi-hit performances in each of his last four games, came alive at the plate in May after a slow start in April. He finished the month hitting .319 with six homers and 15 RBI, a much-needed and significant boost to the bottom of the order. Though he’s still in search of consistency against right-handed pitchers — he was hitting .208 with a .610 OPS against them before his two hits on Monday — he’s been an easy inclusion into Alex Cora’s lineup card with his strong numbers at the plate paired with his defense in right field.
“He’s made some adjustments,” Cora said. “He’s actually been more disciplined, although he’s not walking that much, but he’s controlling the at-bat and this guy, he’s a gamer. We know what he brings to the equation defensively but when he’s locked in, it’s fun to watch. He crushed that ball but besides the home run, he’s controlling his at-bats and we’re very pleased where he’s at offensively right now.”
A rare quiet day
Other than Renfroe, the Red Sox didn’t generate much at the plate in Monday’s loss against Astros starter José Urquidy, who held them to just three hits over six innings. The Red Sox didn’t have a base runner until J.D. Martinez drew a two-out walk in the fourth and didn’t record a hit until Christian Vazquez’s two-out double in the fifth.
The Red Sox struck out 12 times, including nine against Urquidy, as they failed to put the ball in play and create competitive at-bats.
“Today that guy was really good,” Cora said of Urquidy. “He did a good job elevating, he did a good job expanding the zone with the off-speed stuff. We don’t like to strike out. We know when we are clicking, putting the ball in play, we didn’t have too much traffic either so it was hard to score runs, but we don’t like it. We don’t like it.
“We have to control the zone. We like to swing, we know that, but at the same time when we are able to control the strike zone that doesn’t happen. Today he did a good job of expanding us up and expanding down and I think it was a good afternoon for him.”
A unique home run
Jose Altuve looked like he might have just hit a routine fly ball when he made contact with a Rodriguez changeup in the third, but it somehow left the yard in what was something of an unlucky homer given up by the Red Sox lefty.
The ball hit the front of the Crawford Boxes — the short left-field porch at Minute Maid Park — and popped up for a homer that measured 330 feet. According to Statcast, the ball would have only gone out at two ballparks in baseball — Minute Maid Park and Tampa Bay’s Tropicana Field.
“You’re not going to see an uglier home run the rest of the season,” a bewildered Dennis Eckersley said on the NESN broadcast. “Look at this swing. If that’s not a Minute Maid home run … that’s frightening.”
Cordero starts hot
It’s a small sample size, but Franchy Cordero is hitting well since his demotion to Triple-A Worcester late last week. The outfielder is 5-for-12 (.417) with a pair of homers and five RBI in three games for the WooSox. The early results are certainly encouraging for Cordero, who’s getting much-needed consistent at-bats after missing the start of spring training and struggling over the first two months.
“Although he’s important for us in the present, he’s very important for us in the future,” Cora said last week. “He hasn’t played a lot the last few years. For him to go down there and get at-bats, consistent at-bats, keep improving his swing decisions and controlling the strike zone, it’s very important. …
“The thought process is we need him to get better. We need him to get at-bats. … He’s going to continue to play every day down there. He’ll play in left, some right, too. I think that’s going to benefit him in the long run.” …
Red Sox prospects Jarren Duran and Triston Casas were both in the lineup for Team USA in their first Baseball Americas Olympic qualifying game on Monday against Nicaragua. Duran was batting second and playing center field, while Casas was seventh in the lineup and playing first base.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 3:46:32 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox’s Eduardo Rodriguez finishes with 7.28 ERA in six May starts: ‘He hasn’t put it all together,’ Alex Cora says Updated May 31, 2021; Posted May 31, 2021
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
HOUSTON -- After missing the entire 2020 season after developing a heart condition called myocarditis, Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez looked like his old self throughout April. In four starts in the first month of the season, the lefty was 4-0 with a 3.52 ERA, posting a stellar 26:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
But in May, not much has gone right for Rodriguez. On Monday, he made his sixth and final start of the month, allowing six runs on seven hits in 4 ⅔ innings as the Astros blew out the Red Sox, 11-2. Rodriguez ended May with a 7.28 ERA in his six outings -- the worst ERA in a single month he has posted as a major leaguer.
After beginning the season as one of Boston’s feel-good stories, Rodriguez has suddenly become something of a liability on the mound. Midway through his sixth big-league season, the 28-year-old is searching for what made him successful in the past.
“It has been tough for me this whole month,” Rodriguez said. “Every time I go out there, something happens. Pitches, location, whatever, it has been tough.”
As of April 25, Boston had won 49 of Rodriguez’s last 61 starts dating back to the beginning of 2018, including 18 of his last 21. Since that date, the Sox are 1-5 in his outings and are now an even .500 (5-5) when he pitches this season.
Monday’s outing might have been Rodriguez’s worst of the season. But just like he did last Sunday in Philadelphia, manager Alex Cora saw some encouraging signs from the southpaw throughout his start.
“He hasn’t put it all together,” Cora said. “We talked about the cutter on the last one and today was his best (cutter). Stuff-wise, his fastball was up there with the best outings. He made some good pitches to a tough lineup. He wasn’t able to put some guys away. Everything came on the changeup. We’ll keep working and get him ready for the next one.”
Rodriguez missed his scheduled start on Opening Day due to arm fatigue he suffered at the end of spring training but has been healthy since, taking his turn every five days since debuting on April 8. Though building stamina for an 162-game season after missing an entire year is undoubtedly difficult, Rodriguez isn’t willing to blame rust for his struggles.
“It’s just about location right now,” Rodriguez said. “I have 10 starts already in the season. I’m not going to blame that I missed last year. It’s just something I have to go in the bullpen and work on.”
Throughout the season, Rodriguez has struggled with his command of different pitches at different times, with his cutter being a particular source of frustration in recent outings. On Monday, his fastball and cutter showed improvement but his changeup and sinker still lacked control.
Despite the poor numbers, Cora believes Rodriguez is very close to where he needs to be. The changeup, in particular, needs to improve for Rodriguez to get back to the pitcher he was in 2019, when he finished sixth in the American League Cy Young race.
“I told him that if he throws him the ball the way he threw it today with one more adjustment, we’re in a good place,” Cora said.
As the calendar turns from May to June, Rodriguez will look to turn his own figurative page as well. His next start is a big one, scheduled for Saturday night against the Yankees in the Bronx.
“It’s not comfortable when you go out there and get beat,” Cora said. “But you’ve got to take the positives and you’ve got to work on the negatives. He made some strides compared to the last one.
“He’ll get 30 starts,” Cora added. “He’s healthy. You saw the stuff. He maintained the stuff throughout the outing. It’s just to keep working, to keep getting better. He did that in ’19 when he was on top of the world and he’s doing that right now.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 4:01:53 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Astros Tuesday, June 1rst 2021 8pm from the Juice Box
Richards 4-3/ 3.83
In his past starts he is 4-1/2.65. He has battled with control in his last few games walking 4 each in those games. Is 5-5/3.02 in 16 career appearances vs the Astros.
Garcia 3-3/2.93
His ERA and WHIP(1.02) are the best in the Astro roto however the team is 3-7 in games he started. He is 3-0/1.69/0.94 WHIP in his last 3 starts.
Astros look to take down Red Sox again According to STATS
The Houston Astros entered the closing stretch of a difficult nine-game homestand on Monday and earned a runaway victory over the Boston Red Sox. They're hoping the win provides some propulsion.
The Astros remain without three lineup mainstays in Michael Brantley (hamstring), Yuli Gurriel (finger) and Yordan Alvarez (wrist), and their beleaguered bullpen played a critical role in the series loss to the San Diego Padres over the weekend. But three starting pitchers have returned to the rotation in four days, and Jose Altuve homered to spark an 11-2 victory over Boston on Monday.
Optimal health remains just out of reach, though Houston does seem to be inching closer.
"We needed a game like this," Altuve said. "It's always good to score a lot of runs and win the game. This is why we're here. I think we're playing good, but we need to play even better. I like where we're at."
Rookie right-hander Luis Garcia (3-3, 2.93 ERA) will start for the Astros on Tuesday. He is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA and .175 opponent batting average over his previous three starts, including a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, when he posted career highs in innings (six) and pitches (100). Garcia will face the Red Sox for the first time in his career.
Right-hander Garrett Richards (4-3, 3.83) has Tuesday's starting assignment for Boston.
Richards suffered his first loss after four straight wins in his previous outing after allowing three runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings against the Atlanta Braves on May 25. He was 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings in his previous five starts, with Boston winning four of those games.
Richards, who has worked at least five innings in six consecutive starts, is 5-5 with a 3.02 ERA over 16 career games (13 starts) against Houston.
Boston starters entered the series having thrown at least five innings in 29 of 31 games. One of the two outings where a Red Sox starter failed to last five innings came against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 23, when left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez lasted four innings in a 6-2 setback.
Rodriquez again failed to record at least 15 outs Monday. He allowed a season-high six runs on seven hits plus two walks while logging just 4 2/3 innings in suffering his fourth consecutive loss.
Rotation stability has helped fuel Boston through an exceptional first two months of this season. But with Rodriguez 0-4 with an 8.69 ERA over his last four starts, the Red Sox are searching for ways to get him back on track and in sync with the remainder of a rotation that is pitching well.
"I told him that if he throws the ball the way he threw it (Monday) with one more adjustment, he's in a good place," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of his conversation with Rodriguez when he replaced him in the fifth inning. "I do believe if he throws the ball the way he threw it (Monday), good things are going to happen."
Rodriguez was pleased with the results from his fastball, and Cora felt the same and was impressed by the cutter as well. But both acknowledged the changeup remains a concern.
"I've got to go out there, keep working, keep grinding and hope the next start goes good," Rodriguez said.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 10:32:35 GMT -5
Ryan Fagan @ryanfagan 42m It's June 1. Standings notes: The Red Sox are 10-5 since May 13, a stellar .667 clip. But they've lost five full games in the standings to the Rays, who are 16-1 since May 13 and jumped from from fourth (3.0 behind Boston) to first (2.0 ahead of the Red Sox)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 13:13:40 GMT -5
Yordan Alvarez (wrist) is expected to return to the Astros' lineup Tuesday against the Red Sox.
Astros manager Dusty Baker announced the news during an appearance on SportsTalk 790 on Tuesday. Yuli Gurriel is also expected to make his return. Alvarez hasn't played since tweaking his wrist on a swing last Wednesday.
Astros manager Dusty Baker said during an appearance on SportsTalk 790 that Yuli Gurriel (finger) is expected to return to the starting lineup on Tuesday.
Gurriel was forced to exit Saturday's game due to left middle finger inflammation, but he's ready to get back out there. The 36-year-old has had an excellent start to his season, though he's begun to see his batting average slide of late. Source: Chandler Rome on Twitter
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 13:16:23 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 1h The Astros entered Monday striking out just 6.90 times per game -- no other #MLB team was under 8.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 13:35:01 GMT -5
Game 54: Red Sox at Astros lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated June 1, 2021, 2 hours ago After getting pounded 11-2 in the opener, the Red Sox resume their series with the Astros Tuesday night at Houston. The Red Sox rotation entered the series having gone at least five innings in 29 of 31 games, but Eduardo Rodriguez went just 4⅔ innings in the loss. Garrett Richards will be on the mound tonight and will look to get the starters back on track. Lineups RED SOX (32-21): 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. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 7. Danny Santana (S) 1B 8. Christian Vazquez (R) C 9. Marwin Gonzalez (S) 2B Pitching: RHP Garrett Richards (4-3, 3.83 ERA) ASTROS (29-24): 1. Jose Altuve (R) 2B 2. Carlos Correa (R) SS 3. Alex Bregman (R) 3B 4. Yordan Alvarez (L) DH 5. Yuli Gurriel (R) 1B 6. Kyle Tucker (L) RF 7. Chas McCormick (R) LF 8. Myles Straw (R) CF 9. Martin Maldonado (R) C Pitching: RHP Luis Garcia (3-3, 2.93 ERA) Time: 8:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Garcia: Has not faced any Boston batters. Astros vs. Richards: Altuve 11-36, Bregman 1-7, Correa 3-9, Gurriel 2-7, Jones 0-1, Maldonado 0-1, Straw 1-1, Tucker 0-0. Stat of the day: Richards is 5-5 with a 3.02 ERA in 16 games (13 starts) against Houston. Notes: After four straight wins, Richards suffered his first loss against the Braves on May 25, allowing three runs on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts over 5 ⅔ innings. He was 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 31 ⅔ innings in his previous five starts. He has gone at least five innings in six consecutive starts … The Astros remain without three lineup mainstays in Michael Brantley (hamstring), Yuli Gurriel (finger) and Yordan Alvarez (wrist) … Garcia is facing the Red Sox for the first time in his career. He is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA and .175 opponent batting average over his previous three starts, including a 5-2 victory over the Dodgers on Wednesday, when he posted career highs in innings (six) and pitches (100). Song of the Day: U2 "Mysterious Ways"www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxcDTUMLQJI
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 14:12:49 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 12m Tonight will mark Xander Bogaerts’ 956th game at shortstop, tying Nomar Garciaparra for 3rd most in Red Sox history.
1. Everett Scott – 1,093 2. Rick Burleson – 1,004 T3. Xander Bogaerts – 956 T3. Nomar Garciaparra – 956
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 14:37:21 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 14m Rodriguez in May: .360 BA, .275 xBA .544 SLG, .421 xSLG .413 wOBA, .333 xwOBA
His .333 xwOBA was very similar to Richard and Perez this month, Eovaldi a bit better at .303, and Pivetta the best at .290.
Pivetta was basically upper middle 1/3 of SP, Rodriguez lower middle 1/3.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 16:22:45 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 8m Alex Cora described the quirks of Devers in the batter’s box as ‘Comedy Central’ - with the added fascination that he can look completely lost on one pitch then crush the next.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 16:25:19 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 21m Alex Cora joining us on Zoom. #RedSox
Cora said he sees Devers being attacked by fastballs at the moment because he's been so good against off-speed stuff so far in 2021.
Devers once homered on a 103-mph pitch from Aroldis Chapman. I don't think they're all that worried long-term about his timing. #RedSox
Cora on Hunter Renfroe in May -- 'Pretty solid. He did an outstanding job throughout the month. It started here in Texas.' #RedSox
Cora expects Ryan Brasier (left calf) to start a rehab assignment shortly. #RedSox
Cora said Bobby Dalbec will be back in the lineup on Wednesday and play the final two games of the series at Houston. #RedSox
Cora said Marwin Gonzalez 'feels like he's in between. He knows how they're going to attack him,' but he hasn't been able to get on time for fastballs. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 1, 2021 16:26:05 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 17m Cora on Brandon Workman -- 'It's his right' if he wants to opt out of his contract. He's currently away from Worcester.
#RedSox have two days to either promote him or let him walk away.
Any move for Workman would require putting him on the 40-man roster. #RedSox will also need to open another 40-man spot when they eventually activate Brasier.
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Post by Kimmi on Jun 1, 2021 16:46:49 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 32m Rodriguez ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
ERA FIP xFIP 3.52 3.37 2.82 April 6.83 3.63 3.72 May
BABIP .246 April .450 May I was looking at ERod's and the rest of our starters' stats yesterday. ERod is really pitching a lot better than that 6.83 ERA.
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Post by Kimmi on Jun 1, 2021 16:48:29 GMT -5
Brewer and walk can smell the gas can tipping Terrible start to the series. We need to pitch better, but IMO, it really wouldn't have mattered in last night's game.
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