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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 23, 2021 14:36:56 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 11m Cora on meeting Marcelo Mayer -- 'Good. Refreshing. He gets it. You can see it. Tall, lanky, powerful -- kind of like what we're looking for here.'
'He's 17-18. I'm in the same place -- in a few weeks my daughter starts college.' #RedSox
Cora on Mayer -- 'Nothing against the other teams that were ahead of us, but he's thrilled that he's here.' #RedSox
Cora said Mayer is 'fully bilingual -- his Spanish is perfect.'
Said it will help Mayer become a clubhouse leader. He'll be able to communicate with every #RedSox player at the #MLB or minor league levels.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 23, 2021 14:39:16 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 21m Cora on Gerrit Cole -- 'He doesn't have the hop that he had early on this season or in the past. But it's still a good fastball.'
'He's a perfectionist. He's a tough one.' #RedSox
Cora said Rodriguez 'went back to basics' in terms of his mechanics.
'He went back to his old delivery. He's started feeling better and better.' #RedSox
Cora on Verdugo -- 'I think he's started seeing the ball. That's the most important thing.'
'This is not about Dugie not producing.'
Notes the three walks Verdugo had in the opening game at Buffalo. #RedSox
Cora said Hernandez has broken out by controlling the strike zone.
He's drawn 13 walks against just 11 strikeouts in his last 20 games. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 23, 2021 14:43:13 GMT -5
Dan Roche @rochiewbz · 2m Tarp down and a shower here at Fenway
Looked like #RedSox took an early BP - so they were ready for it.
@wbz #wbz
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jul 23, 2021 15:13:33 GMT -5
The Red Sox beat the Yankees, but the real story was Tanner Houck "Outstanding," Cora said of Houck. "Just the rain delay killed us right there. We had to go to J.T. (Josh Taylor) early, but good stuff, he made some good pitches. Even when he was behind in the count, the 2-0 slider to Gardner that he swung and missed and I think the ball hit him, I guess, he made some good hitters look bad. The stuff, the fastball up, the sinker, the slider were on point. He threw a few splitters. He was good. He was good." Absolutely, the outing by Houck should not go unmentioned. It was huge, IMO.
This outing bodes well for the Sox pitching staff going down the stretch, whether Houck remains in the rotation or is used out of the pen.This was also the follow-up to his previous relief appearance against the Yankees. He helped win two games against the NYY. That's huge.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 23, 2021 15:23:05 GMT -5
I see the Yankees have that Field of Dreams game vs the Pale Hose coming up in Iowa( yes the field in the movie) and I hope they lose better yet, have another lead in the 9th and gag it up again.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 23, 2021 15:59:57 GMT -5
Dan Roche @rochiewbz · 32m Update from Fenway - tarp off, shower over and #RedSox back on the field. @wbz
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 23, 2021 17:28:59 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 3m This just in: #RedSox placed RHP Hirokazu Sawamura on the 10-day IL (retroactive to July 20) with tricep inflammation and recalled RHP Phillips Valdez from Worcester.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jul 23, 2021 19:52:43 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe A migraine for Rodriguez. So that's a relief.
Happy about that. We're too thin to lose anyone.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Jul 23, 2021 21:57:50 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 3m This just in: #RedSox placed RHP Hirokazu Sawamura on the 10-day IL (retroactive to July 20) with tricep inflammation and recalled RHP Phillips Valdez from Worcester. Amazing. Sawamura goes down, Valdez comes up, ERod goes down in the 1st, and Valdez strikes out 7 Yankees in 3 innings. Here's a guy wondering if/when he gets another shot, and then has a game like this?
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 24, 2021 3:17:02 GMT -5
Devers hits HRs No. 99, 100 to torment Yanks 1:39 AM ADT Molly Burkhardt
Molly Burkhardt @mollyburkhardt
BOSTON -- At just 24 years old, Rafael Devers has already established himself as a Major League clutch hitter.
In his five-year career, the third baseman has proved numerous times that he can come up big in important spots, and Friday night was no exception.
Recording his 99th and 100th career home runs, Devers powered Boston to a 6-2 victory over New York at Fenway Park. The comeback win marked a Major League-leading 31st for the Red Sox, whose lead over the Rays in the American League East standings remains one game.
“He’s one of the best third basemen in the big leagues and he’s only 24,” manager Alex Cora said. “And he’s still working hard to get better, not only offensively, but defensively.”
At the conclusion of the game, the AL All-Star led Major League third basemen in runs (66), home runs (26), RBIs (79), OPS (.939) and slugging percentage (.582).
With the Red Sox trailing, 1-0, going into the fifth inning, Xander Bogaerts stepped up to the plate and delivered a game-tying sacrifice fly. Devers followed, putting one over the Monster to give Boston the lead. The two-run homer -- which scored Jarren Duran in his first start at Fenway -- came on a 99.2 mph pitch from Yankees starter Gerrit Cole.
Since Statcast began tracking in 2015, Devers’ four home runs on pitches over 99 mph are the most in the Majors. The third baseman is also the first player in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008) to have at least three homers vs. 99-plus mph pitches in the same season.
Two innings later, Devers cushioned the lead with his 100th career homer, a three-run shot off Yankees reliever Nestor Cortes Jr. In doing so, Devers joined Ted Williams and Tony Conigliaro as the only players in Red Sox history to record their 100th homer before turning 25.
“I mean, it’s a true honor,” Devers said through team interpreter Bryan Almonte. “Obviously those are two legends of this organization and to be mentioned in the same sentence is really special. Obviously, it’s something I would have never thought of, but it feels really good to be in that list as well now.”
Devers ended his night 2-for-4 with five RBIs, bringing his average to .281. In his last seven games, Devers is batting .273/.448/.864 with four home runs and seven RBIs. The hot start to the second half is a welcome sign for Devers, whose numbers dipped after the All-Star break in both 2018 and ‘19.
Friday night marked the eighth multi-homer game of Devers’ career, and his second this season. Adding to his accolades, Devers became just the fourth Red Sox player to have eight or more multi-homer games before turning 25 (Jim Rice had 12, Mookie Betts 10, Williams 8).
Despite not making any noise on offense until the fifth, the Red Sox made it a difficult night for Cole, working long at-bats and running him up to 70 pitches in the first three frames. In the third inning, Duran put up a fight in a six-pitch at-bat that resulted in a walk. Bogaerts then struck out after six pitches, and Devers followed with an eight-pitch battle, eventually whiffing on a 100 mph fastball.
“Yeah, we’re out there being aggressive and giving good quality at-bats,” Devers said. “We have a lot of guys that have been taking bases on balls and also stealing bases and just getting on. Just doing everything that needs to be done, all the little things, all the fundamental things that we learn to be able to continue to have the success that we’re having.
“So that’s really what we’ve been able to do, and we’ve been a lot more patient at the plate and just trying to capitalize on every opportunity that we have against these really good pitchers that we’ve been facing lately
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 24, 2021 3:18:12 GMT -5
Valdez impresses after E-Rod's early exit Starter leaves game vs. Yankees with migraine symptoms 12:58 AM ADT Molly Burkhardt
Molly Burkhardt @mollyburkhardt
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BOSTON -- After the first inning of Friday night’s 6-2 Red Sox win over the Yankees, it appeared Eduardo Rodriguez was locked in and poised for another solid outing.
The lefty cruised through a 1-2-3 first, including a three-pitch strikeout of Giancarlo Stanton. Rodriguez then opened the second inning with a walk, a single and an RBI double, before exiting the game with migraine symptoms.
“He was having trouble concentrating,” manager Alex Cora said. “Hopefully this is something that we can contain, hopefully he doesn’t miss a start.”
After surrendering an RBI double to Brett Gardner, Rodriguez went to cover the plate, grabbing his lower back as he appeared to be in discomfort. Rodriguez motioned for Cora and the training staff as he walked back to the mound.
“I thought it was an injury,” Cora said. “Went out there and talked to him and he was telling me how he felt, what was going on, you know. ‘Just take a deep breath and we’ll take you out of the game.’ That’s what we do. You’ve got to take care of players -- I mean, that’s the most important thing. And now, we’ve just got to see how he reacts tonight, how he feels tomorrow and we go from there.”
After Rodriguez left the game, a quietness fell over the crowd of 34,922 at Fenway Park. Moments later, fans were back on their feet, celebrating as Phillips Valdez walked off the mound, pumping his fist after striking out the side to end the inning.
Valdez, who was called up from Triple-A Worcester prior to the game, pitched three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out a career-high seven batters.
“Valdy was amazing,” Cora said. “He came in throwing 95 [mph] sinkers and obviously he has a good changeup.”
The right-hander’s seven strikeouts on Friday matched his season total against the Yankees in 2020, and his three innings marked the longest outing for him since Aug. 13, 2020, against the Rays.
Friday marked the beginning of Valdez’s second stint with the big league club this season. From April to May, the 29-year-old appeared in 20 games for the Red Sox, pitching to a 4.24 ERA with 21 strikeouts.
Yacksel Ríos, Garrett Whitlock and Darwinzon Hernandez followed Valdez with five scoreless innings, and Brandon Workman recorded the final three outs, allowing one run on two hits.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 24, 2021 3:39:53 GMT -5
Rafael Devers goes deep twice to power Red Sox past Yankees By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated July 23, 2021, 10:38 p.m.
Rafael Devers stood just outside the batter’s box in the bottom of the seventh inning for a moment and watched.
After the Red Sox chased Yankees starter Gerrit Cole after five innings with three runs charged to his name. After the Sox had worked Cole’s pitch count up to a whopping 104 pitches. After relievers Phillips Valdez, Yacksel Rios, and Garrett Whitlock posted six scoreless frames, the Sox found a bit of fight. And Devers had a bit of time to admire his work when he struck his second homer of the game.
The first came off Cole in the fifth to give the Sox a 3-1 lead Friday night at Fenway Park. This one, a three-run homer, came against Nestor Cortes in a 6-2 Red Sox win. It was the Sox’ fourth straight victory since dropping their series to the Yankees last weekend.
“That’s the kind of game that we need in order to continue to win ballgames,” Devers said. “To be where we want to be from the bullpen, the pitching staff in general, the offense. It was a good team win for us today and everyone contributed.”
The contributions from Devers, though, have come on a nightly basis.
It was the 100th career homer for the 24-year-old Devers, making him the third Red Sox to achieve that feat prior to turning 25. The other two? Ted Williams and Tony Conigliaro.
“This is the organization that gave me the opportunity to be a big league ballplayer,” Devers said. “And that’s something that means a lot to me. But we have to continue to get back to work. It’s a long season, but it felt really good to be able to do it here.”
The Red Sox solved Cole by the time the bottom of the fifth rolled around. For the first four frames, the Red Sox pushed Cole to the brink, yet Cole survived. They worked Cole’s pitch count to 70 through three innings. Kiké Hernández negotiated a walk in the third inning. So did Jarren Duran. It put runners at first and second with no outs.
The Sox were in prime position to make Cole and the Yankees pay. But that’s when the Yankee ace reached back and made some tough pitches. He dotted a 101-mile-per-hour fastball on the corner to get Xander Bogaerts looking. Cole then got Devers to swing through his 100-m.p.h. heater on the eighth pitch of the at-bat to end the threat and preserve a 1-0 Yankees lead. In that fifth frame, the Sox Yankees finally sank Cole. Related: Phillips Valdez sparks Red Sox bullpen in victory over Yankees
It began with a long one-out single by Hernández off the Green Monster, just missing what would have been his 15th homer of the season and seventh this month. Then Duran shot a ground-rule double into the gap in right-center, a bit of misfortune for the Sox as Hernández would have scored from first and Duran would have easily made it to third standing up.
But they had Bogaerts and Devers behind them. Bogaerts had a jam-shot single to right off Cole in the first. They both had seen him twice already and Cole’s pitch count was approaching 100.
“We didn’t win the game early on, but we were winning innings and that’s what you got to do against guys like that,” manager Alex Cora said. “The pitch count was getting up and we put together some good swings and got him out the game.”
Bogaerts delivered a sacrifice fly with Hernández sliding under the tag of Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez. Devers gave the Sox the lead. Cole left a fastball over the heart of the plate and Devers crushed it to left-center for his 25th homer of the season.
Cole worked backwards against the Red Sox, starting each of the eight hitters he faced through his first two innings with a breaking pitch. The Red Sox hunt heaters. They like to swing on the first pitch and Cora wants his hitters to do damage on those pitches. This was Cole’s adjustment.
“This was the cat-and-mouse game,” Cora said. “He adjusts. We adjust. It seems like he had a feel for his breaking ball.”
Yet the Red Sox hung in there, fouling off 18 of Cole’s pitches, and when the time was right, they struck.
“‘We’ve been a lot more patient at the plate and just trying to capitalize on every opportunity that we have against these really good pitches that we’ve been facing lately,” Devers said
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 24, 2021 3:42:24 GMT -5
Phillips Valdez sparks Red Sox bullpen in victory over Yankees By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated July 24, 2021, 12:25 a.m.
Rafael Devers hit the home run that won the game, a two-run shot to center field off Gerrit Cole that sent Fenway Park into a frenzy in the fifth inning on Friday night.
Jarren Duran helped light the fuse with a double to the triangle in center field that would have been an RBI triple had the ball not hopped into the stands.
Devers homered again in the seventh inning, this time a three-run shot that put away the Yankees.
Devers was an All-Star this season and Duran will be someday if what the mystics and statistics say is true.
But this 6-2 victory belonged to Phillips Valdez, who arrived at Fenway Park just before batting practice and pitched three scoreless innings, pulling the Sox off a cliff.
“He was amazing,” Alex Cora said.
Valdez is a 29-year-old righthanded reliever from the Dominican Republic who has spent parts of four seasons in Triple A with three organizations.
He was in Pennsylvania with Worcester on Thursday night when the Sox told him to fly to Boston. The Sox had run through five relievers on Thursday and weren’t sure if Hirokazu Sawamura would be available because of a sore triceps.
At 6:21 p.m., the Sox announced that Sawamura was on the injured list and Valdez had been called up.
An hour later, Eduardo Rodriguez left the game in the second inning with migraine symptoms. Valdez took the mound with runners on second and third, no outs and the Sox trailing their rivals, 1-0.
“You think the worst-case scenario,” Cora said.
Instead they got the best. Valdez wormed out of the jam without allowing another run. He threw 55 pitches and struck out seven of the 11 batters he faced. The three innings were his most this season.
Not since Rich Garcés on April 30, 1996 had a Red Sox reliever pitched three innings and struck out seven while putting three or fewer men on base.
El Guapo entered that game with the Sox leading, 12-4. Valdez came into a mess.
“I went out there tonight to just compete,” Valdez said via translator Bryan Loor-Almonte. “Going in there with no outs, I knew what I had to do.”
Valdez struck out Chris Gittens, hit Ryan LaMarre, and struck out Greg Allen. With the bases loaded, he struck out DJ LeMahieu on four pitches, all sinkers.
LeMahieu thought the last pitch was high, but Alan Porter called it a strike.
Valdez paved the road for what followed as the Sox scored three runs in the fifth and three more in the seventh to extend their win streak to four games.
Before Friday, Valdez had not pitched more than two innings in a game this season or thrown more than 41 pitches. He told Cora he would throw 200 pitches if that’s what he needed.
“Mentally I was ready to give whatever it is the team needed for us to get this win,” said Valdez, who was wearing a T-shirt that said “You Have To Believe” while he spoke to reporters. “I knew how important it was.” Related: A little change in batting order did world of good for Alex Verdugo
All but three of Valdez’s pitches were sinkers and changeups. Cora thought that combination kept the Yankees off-balance.
“It seemed like it was hard for them to recognize pitches,” he said.
Valdez was claimed off waivers from Seattle during spring training last season and appeared in 24 games. The results have been mixed this year and he was in Worcester for the last six weeks.
Friday’s performance will surely get Valdez some more looks.
“That was good stuff. The velocity was up and the changeup was playing as always,” Cora said. “Some tough at-bats against some tough hitters … He showed up with a great attitude. I’m very happy for him, very proud of him.”
Another Triple A veteran, Yacksel Rios, pitched two scoreless innings following Valdez and picked up the win. In all, five relievers held the Yankees to one run on four hits over eight innings and struck out 11.
Over the course of a long season, some victories stick out. Beating a pitcher like Cole with what amounted to a bullpen game will be one of them.
“Tonight the story is about the bullpen starting with Phillips,” Cora said. “It was one of those great wins.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 24, 2021 3:44:22 GMT -5
red sox notebook A little change in batting order did world of good for Alex Verdugo By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated July 23, 2021, 8:30 p.m.
Alex Verdugo got back to looking like himself again in Thursday’s extra-inning win against the Yankees. Verdugo, who is typically the Sox’ No. 2 hitter, went 3 for 4 with two runs scored from the No. 7 spot in the order, a spot that is somewhat new for him. Verdugo batted seventh just once previously for the Red Sox.
On Friday, manager Alex Cora had him in the seven hole again. Verdugo was 1 for 4 with a double and a strikeout in the Red Sox’ 6-2 win over New York.
Part of it is matchups, another part, perhaps, is Cora challenging his player.
“He’s a very proud individual and he really loves hitting second for this team. I know that,” Cora said before Friday’s game against the Yankees.
There’s another piece to Verdugo hitting that far down in the lineup. One that has to do with him getting to see more pitches from the outside looking in.
“Sometimes it gives you time to see the game before you go out there,” Cora said. “So to hit him probably in the bottom of the lineup or in the middle of the lineup, it helps him to see where we are and get some feedback from other guys instead of him giving the feedback.”
Verdugo also hit sixth once this season year, drawing three walks against the Blue Jays earlier in the week. Cora believes Verdugo is turning the corner.
“I think he’s starting to see the ball,” Cora said. “The most important thing he did in Buffalo (against Toronto) was that he was able to track pitches and stay disciplined. We trust this guy. He’s a good hitter. He can do a lot of things and you know the last two games he has started has been really solid.” Cora impressed with Mayer
The Red Sox 2021 first-round draft pick Marcelo Mayer officially signed with the club Friday at Fenway and left an impression on Cora.
“You can see the talent the way he looks at shortstop,” Cora said. “The swing is there, now it’s just a matter of going to work.”
Mayer is bilingual which Cora believes will leave a great impact on the clubhouse.
“I think those things are very important for stuff in the clubhouse,” Cora said. “Like, now he’s going to see kids from the Dominican Republic that don’t speak the language. They don’t speak English, and he’s going to be one of those guys that’s going to help us.” Sawmura hits IL
The Red Sox placed righthander Hirokazu Sawamura on the injured list with right triceps inflammation, retroactive to July 20. Phillips Valdez was recalled. Sawamura has a 2.87 ERA, allowing 12 earned runs over 37 2/3 innings in 38 appearances this season. Cora doesn’t think Sawamura will be down for long. Yankees getting healthy
The Yankees reinstated lefthander Nestor Cortes and righthander Jonathan Loaisiga from the COVID-19 injured list.
Righthanders Brooks Kriske and Nick Nelson were optioned to Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Three other players on the COVID list are close to returning.
Infielder Gio Urshela is expected back in the lineup Sunday for the series finale. Aaron Judge and Kyle Higashioka will rejoin the team Sunday to travel to Tampa Bay and could be activated during that series.
Lefthander Wandy Peralta is working out in New York and is likely to need a minor league game before returning.
Minor league moves
The Red Sox promoted righthanded starter Kutter Crawford, righthanded reliever Durbin Feltman, and infielder Grant Williams from Double A Portland to Triple A Worcester.
Crawford, 25, had a 3.30 ERA in 10 starts for the Sea Dogs.
Feltman, hyped as the closer of the future when he was drafted in 2018, was hit hard in Double A in 2019. But the 24-year-old had a 3.29 ERA and 12.2 strikeouts per nine innings in 22 appearances this season as a set-up man.
Williams, 25, has hit .291 with a .695 OPS playing second base and shortstop.
Lefthander Matthew Kent, who appeared in two AAA games during a recent callup, was returned to Portland.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 24, 2021 3:47:44 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 7h 5 scoreless innings by Phillips Valdez and Yacksel Rios vs. the Yankees in July. Just what everybody expected.
Cora didn't seem overly concerned about Rodriguez. Hopes he can can make his next start.
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