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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 8, 2021 14:46:43 GMT -5
i put Chris stuff on the Red Sox news thread
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 57s Alex Cora will join us on Zoom shortly. He'll be followed by Chris Sale, who was throwing in the home bullpen at Fenway Park earlier this afternoon. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 8, 2021 15:02:31 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 8m Cora said Chris Sale threw on flat ground and followed with 25 pitches in the bullpen. Significant step to do so in front of medical staff (Brad Pearson) and pitching coach Dave Bush. #RedSox
Cora said Sale was only talking about mechanics during/after his bullpen session, not how he felt. Takes that as a great sign.
'He feels like a baseball player again.'
'It felt good to see him. It feels good to have him around.' #RedSox
Cora said Sale still isn't all that close to pitching in a game for Boston.
'We're not even talking about how we're going to use him.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 8, 2021 15:03:24 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 14m Replying to @billkoch25 Cora on the Astros -- 'They do a good job pitching. They have their thoughts. They execute their gameplan.'
'We have to be better than last week. It would be good if we could stay with the same approach as yesterday.' #RedSox
Cora said Christian Vazquez is resting for a second straight day. Fatigued and scuffling a bit offensively. Kevin Plawecki is swinging well and has worked with Martin Perez. No injury to report. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 8, 2021 17:56:21 GMT -5
Jen McCaffrey The tarp has been removed and the Red Sox are anticipating an on-time start.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 8, 2021 18:51:06 GMT -5
Perez tonight
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jun 8, 2021 21:09:17 GMT -5
Perez tonight He was due for one like this.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2021 2:29:16 GMT -5
Boston's roll slowed by Houston in opener 1:03 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- Not many opponents or pitchers have been able to consistently hold down the Red Sox this season. However, the Houston Astros and their lefty, Framber Valdez, have worked their way into that category.
In a repeat of last week’s festivities in Houston, the Astros took it to the Red Sox, 7-1, in Tuesday night’s opener of a three-game series at Fenway Park. The loss snapped Boston's five-game winning streak.
When Houston snagged three out of four at Minute Maid Park a week ago, the only answer the Red Sox really had was Martín Pérez, who fired 7 2/3 shutout innings in Boston’s lone victory on getaway day.
This time, Pérez struggled mightily. In fact, he didn’t make it to the third inning.
Over two innings, the lefty was pounded for six hits and six runs while walking three. It was a far cry from the way Pérez had pitched over his previous seven starts, when he had a 1.98 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.
“I didn’t have my best stuff tonight. So I think my two-seamer, I was trying to throw it inside too much,” said Pérez. “When I tried to throw good pitches, they hit it. That’s one of the nights you’ve got to go out there and compete no matter what and I couldn’t go deep in the game. I just didn’t have my best stuff tonight.”
Perhaps getting a second look at Pérez so quickly after he handcuffed them was of help to the Astros.
“Yeah, I think that’s what happens at this level,” Pérez said. “When they see something they can hit, they’re going to do it and not wait. That happened to me tonight and I’ll come early tomorrow and figure out a couple things that I think I was not doing OK. But that’s part of the game. Bad outing, bad day, but just turn the page and come back tomorrow and be ready for the next one, be ready for Sunday.”
Then there was Valdez, who had no problem facing the same team in the span of less than a week. He completely held down the Boston bats for the second straight start. After allowing one run over seven innings in Houston last week, Valdez went 7 1/3 this time, allowing the same paltry run total.
“I mean, [Valdez] was good. He was good. We hit some balls hard, too. Better at-bats than the last one,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “You've just got to be disciplined with the breaking ball with him. His breaking ball is that good. It's one of the best breaking balls in the big leagues. If you expand with it, you're in trouble.”
The one missed opportunity the Red Sox regretted most came in the bottom of the fifth inning, when they had runners at the corners with nobody out. Bobby Dalbec and Christian Arroyo both struck out and Rafael Devers grounded out.
“There were certain situations, we didn't put the ball in play. He got it both ways to righties, sinking away and burying that breaking ball to you,” said Cora. “He doesn't walk that many guys, but I believe it's not actually that he throws a lot of strikes. It's guys chasing pitches.
“Like I told you last week, we chased 38 percent of the pitches against him. If you do that, it's going to be tough to beat him. We felt the at-bats were better than last week -- Xander [Bogaerts] hit a rocket, [Hunter] Renfroe did, too, I think, but he was good overall.”
Dalbec continues to struggle in his rookie season -- showing flashes of potential, such as when he hit a mammoth homer in New York on Saturday night -- but typically reverting back into a funk. He struck out in three of his four at-bats and left four on base. The right-handed hitter has a .185 average and a .595 OPS.
“It's tough right now,” said Cora. “He can get hot. We keep talking about making adjustments, being on time, pitch recognition, discipline in the zone. But lately it's been hard, especially against lefties, too. He’s had struggles controlling the strike zone against them. It started here against Atlanta, then against the Marlins, same thing.
“It happened today. Just one of those, as a young player, he's chasing hits. We talked about it last week. You have to chase good at-bats.”
With two games left in this series, the Red Sox hope they can reverse the narrative of what has been a largely unfavorable matchup thus far in which the Astros have outscored them, 26-10.
“We haven't hit [against Houston],” said Cora. “Obviously they put seven on the board, but four out of the five games, we haven't hit. They do that to a lot of teams. I don't think it's that they're better than us or we're better than them, I just feel like we haven't hit.”
Interestingly, Cora credited Astros catcher Martín Maldonado for a lot of Houston’s success against Boston over the past week.
“He does a good job behind the plate,” Cora said. “Sometimes I believe hitters start thinking with him and you fall into his trap. At the end of the day, we've got to look for pitches in the middle of the zone. We cannot chase him around the zone, because if you do that, you play into the trap.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2021 2:46:21 GMT -5
Fenway crowd wanted to let the Astros hear it, but Houston had the last word against Red Sox By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 8, 2021, 10:41 p.m.
Carlos Correa put his hand to his ear following his first-inning homer off Martín Pérez Tuesday night at Fenway Park.
Boos rained down on the shortstop from the crowd, a response to the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. After a 2020 season with no fans, this was the Fenway crowd’s first chance to give Correa and his club an earful. The hand to his ear was Correa’s reply: He didn’t care.
The homer was the precursor to a 7-1 Red Sox loss, their fourth in five games to the Astros in a little more than a week.
The Astros pummeled Pérez. He lasted just two innings, matching the shortest outing by a Red Sox starter this season, and surrendered six runs (all earned) on six hits. This came after Pérez carved up the Astros in his previous outing (7⅔ scoreless innings).
“I didn’t have my best stuff tonight,” Pérez said. “I think my two-seamer, I threw inside too much, and when I tried to make a good pitch, they hit it. It’s one of those nights where you have to compete no matter what. I tried to do my best.”
In the second inning, Martín Maldonado’s single scored two runs. Then a double by Correa, to the chants of “You’re a cheater” from the Fenway fans, plated another. Five of Pérez’s six runs allowed came in the second.
Entering Tuesday night, the Red Sox bullpen had worked 24⅔ innings over the last eight games. The number of bullpen innings during that stretch put the Sox in the middle of the major league pack. Nonetheless, the Sox are in the midst of 17 games over 17 days. Nights like this could deplete a bullpen.
“I was a little mad because my job is to go deep into the game,” Pérez said. “But I threw too many pitches, too many foul balls. Too many base hits and [59] pitches in two innings, that was bad.”
Meanwhile, the Sox knew they would have their hands full with Astros lefthander Framber Valdez. Much like Pérez, Valdez was dominant when the teams met last week, going seven innings, striking out 10, and allowing just one run.
“He pitched deep into the game,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday afternoon. “Good two-seamer, changeup, good breaking ball. Houston does a good job pitching. They have their thoughts, they have their game plan, they execute. And that’s why they are one of the best pitching staffs in the big leagues. The fact that we’re going to face him right away, we’ll see what happens.”
Valdez was also impressive in this one, and the Sox, again, didn’t have an answer. Valdez went 7⅓ innings, struck out eight, and allowed just one run, on a Hunter Renfroe RBI ground out in the fourth. Valdez induced 18 swings and misses. Of his eight strikeouts, five were on pitches out of the strike zone.
“I believe that, it’s not actually that he throws a lot of strikes. I think guys are just chasing pitches,” Cora said after the game. “We chased 38 percent of the pitches against them last week, and if you do that, it’s going to be tough to beat them.”
In the first three games of last week’s four-game set against the Astros — all three Red Sox losses — the Sox were just 17 for 98 (.173). Boston scored just four runs and struck out 32 times.
The Sox responded in their next five games, all wins, batting .269/.328/.446 with five homers. But the cold bats returned Tuesday. The Sox tallied just six hits, struck out 12 times, and were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position. Related: Red Sox did their part in helping US qualify for the Olympics in baseball
The Red Sox seemed as if they were on the brink of a rally against Valdez in the fifth after Christian Vázquez and Kiké Hernández delivered back-to-back singles. But with runners at the corners, Bobby Dalbec struck out, his second of three against Valdez in the game. In his last 16 plate appearances against lefthanded pitchers, Dalbec is 1 for 16 with 10 strikeouts.
Valdez then fanned Christian Arroyo and got Rafael Devers to ground out to end the threat.
“I think we like to swing the bat, and sometimes we need to be more disciplined,” Cora said. “Hopefully, we can face him again.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2021 2:49:02 GMT -5
Red Sox notebook Red Sox recognize Lou Gehrig Day with ceremony prior to series opener vs. Astros By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated June 8, 2021, 8:46 p.m.
Last Wednesday marked the first Lou Gehrig Day throughout major league baseball. And because the Red Sox were on the road at the time, they held a ceremony prior to Tuesday night’s series opener against the Astros at Fenway Park, honoring those who have lost their lives to ALS.
The list included former Boston College baseball player Pete Frates, who helped spearhead the Ice Bucket Challenge at Fenway back in 2014. The challenge helped to raise millions of dollars for the fight against ALS. Frates died in 2019 at the age of 34.
During the pregame ceremony, the Sox first welcomed Becky Mourey from the ALS Association’s Massachusetts and Rhode Island chapter. Mourey is an advocate who was diagnosed last year.
The Sox then recognized Nancy Poon, a former elementary school teacher with ALS, as well as the family of David Machado, who died in 2018 after a 18-month fight with the disease. The Sox also honored Tara O’Brien, who was diagnosed last January, and Michelle Strojny, who began her fight with the disease at 46. Kevin Goeller, a former youth sports coach who was diagnosed in 2012, and Tucker Wood, an ex-nursery school teacher who was diagnosed in 2016, were also recognized.
Lastly, the Sox honored the Frates family. Pete Frates’s 7-year-old daughter, Lucy, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Christian Vázquez.
The Red Sox will also raise funds for ALS by selling limited-edition hats that read “Strike out ALS.” In the center of the hat is Frates’s No. 3, with his name above it. Proceeds from the sale of the hats will benefit the Chelsea Jewish Lifecare Center’s Leonard Florence Center. Plawecki exits early
Vázquez was scheduled to get his second offday in a row Tuesday, but once backup catcher Kevin Plawecki left the game with a jaw contusion in the fourth inning, the Sox were forced to use Vázquez behind the dish. Plawecki went to block a ball, but it hit his facemask, causing the injury.
The goal was to get Vázquez an extended breather.
“It was a tough weekend in New York behind the plate and he’ll benefit from two days,” said manager Alex Cora. “As you know, he’s been scuffling offensively. So kind of like [Kiké Hernández] last week, just to see the game from a different perspective.”
Vázquez was 3 for 12 in the sweep of the Yankees, including a 2-for-4 night on Saturday. Overall, he’s hitting .251 this year with a .292 on-base percentage. Vázquez has just three homers this year, his last coming May 19 against the Blue Jays. His OPS hasn’t been above .700 since May 10.
Plawecki at catcher presented a separate issue. Teams have been aggressive on the basepaths against the Sox. Vázquez has had a disappointing season in that category, throwing out would-be base stealers at just a 17 percent clip, the lowest mark of his career.
In 51 games, runners are 19 for 23 in stolen base attempts against Vázquez. Plawecki entered Tuesday even worse, and runners were 16 for 18 against him in just 19 games. The Marlins, for example, swiped three bags off Plawecki on Monday. Related: Astros jump on Red Sox early, cruise to win
“Yesterday [against the Marlins] they probably had something on us,” Cora said regarding Plawecki. “But overall the last three or four throws have been a lot better than early in the season. It’s not a concern, to be honest with you. In a one-run game we’ll probably use Christian, but we’ve been very pleased with the way [Plawecki has] been catching, the way he’s been calling the games, and his at-bats have been amazing.”
Vázquez went 1 for 3 in the Red Sox’ 7-1 loss to the Astros Tuesday. Plawecki was 1 for 1 with a single.
Martinez in lineup
J.D. Martinez was in the lineup, as the designated hitter, for the first time since Friday against the Yankees. Martinez jammed his left wrist while sliding into second base in that game. Martinez went 1 for 4 Tuesday … Alex Verdugo (offday) was out of the lineup Tuesday ... The Astros activated outfielder Michael Brantley (right hamstring strain) from the injured list. Brantley hit sixth in the order and played left field. The Astros placed infielder Aledmys Diaz on the injured list with a fractured left hand.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2021 2:53:08 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Matt Andriese, Brandon Workman and Phillips Valdez combine for what should be the final 21 outs in this one.
Doesn't guarantee the #RedSox won't need to make a roster move, but pretty ideal in terms of the next few days with Martin Perez only finishing two innings.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2021 2:55:42 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Alex Cora joining us on Zoom. #RedSox
Cora on the Astros -- 'We haven't hit. Obviously they put seven on the board, but in four out of the five games we haven't hit.' #RedSox
Cora said Kevin Plawecki (jaw contusion) is 'just a little bit sore.'
No concussion. #RedSox
Cora on Dalbec -- 'It's tough right now. We know he can get to it. He can get hot.'
'Lately, it's been hard -- especially against lefties, too. He has struggled controlling the strike zone against them.'
'I know he's frustrated.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2021 2:57:02 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 5h Replying to @billkoch25 Cora said the 0-2 changeup to Maldonado from Perez 'changed the complexion of the game.' From the point of that two-run single the #RedSox 'were scrambling.'
Cora on Perez -- 'It wasn't a good one. But that's going to happen throughout the season.' #RedSox
Cora on Valdez -- 'You're got to be disciplined with his breaking ball. His breaking ball is one of the best in the big leagues.'
'If you expand with it, you're in trouble.' #RedSox
Cora -- 'I think we like to swing the bats. Sometimes we expand up and we expand away.'
'We need to be more disciplined against (Valdez).' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2021 2:58:55 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 4h Martin Perez -- 'I didn't have my best stuff tonight.' #RedSox
Perez on Houston's adjustments -- 'When they see something they can hit, they're going to do it. They won't wait. That happened to me tonight.' #RedSox
Perez -- 'I was a little mad. My job in that situation is to go deep in the game no matter what.'
'Too many pitches. Too many foul balls.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2021 3:03:13 GMT -5
Mike Teague @meteague · 8h Replying to @overthemonster I have a feeling we’re going to have some roster moves to get some fresh arms in for tomorrow after this #PerezDay
OverTheMonster @overthemonster · 8h This is actually going to be really interesting to watch. The only option-able relievers on the roster are: Valdez, Taylor, Sawamura (I think), and Hernandez. And Brandon Brennan is the only healthy pitcher on the 40-man to be called up.
Is rested arms worth optioning one of those guys? Would they DFA Andriese or Workman to make it work? Feels like there's no good answer here besides making your starter eat a bad start for longer than they normally would. And that comes with its own downsides.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jun 9, 2021 3:07:17 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 7h The Red Sox took some better swings in the fourth inning, but they seem quite vexed by Framber Valdez. Through 4 innings, 22 of his 50 pitches (44%) have resulted in called strikes or swings/misses. No starter has had a called strike+swing/miss rate above 40% vs the Sox this year
In fact: Only once in the pitch-tracking era (2008-present) has a pitcher had more than 44 percent of his pitches against the Sox go for called strikes or swings/misses (strikes with no contact). In April, 2013, in relief, Cody Allen had a 44.2% CS+Swing/Miss rate.
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