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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 2:47:13 GMT -5
Blue Jays @ Red Sox Monday 28th July 2021 1pm @ Fenway
Hatch (Season Debut)
Pivetta 8-4/4.37
Nick Pivetta surrendered four runs and 11 hits in 6 2/3 innings Monday in a win over the Blue Jays. Pivetta had plenty of margin for error tonight after the Red Sox scored eight runs in the first and three more in the second. He went on to have one tough inning in the fourth, when he gave up both of his walks and all of his runs, but he was otherwise fine in improving to 8-4 with a 4.37 ERA.
Blue Jays look to slow surging Red Sox
Nick Pivetta aims to keep the Boston Red Sox on a roll as they open a four-game series at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night.
Both teams are coming off competitive series against New York teams. Boston broke up a Domingo German no-hit bid and scored five runs in the eighth inning to rally past the Yankees for a 5-4 home win Sunday.
The Red Sox blew a three-run lead in the eighth in a 4-3 loss to the Yankees on Saturday, but were able to return the favor a day later. Boston took three of four in the series against their rivals and improved to 10-3 against them this season.
"You tell us where and when, and we play," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "I know people get caught up on losing one game or losing series and all that, but we don't. We show up every day and we play."
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays came up short in a 5-4 road loss to the Mets on Sunday. Toronto pounded out a 10-3 win on Saturday to level the three-game series, but couldn't maintain the momentum with their fourth loss in five games.
"Every time you play in your division and the teams ahead of you, they're all big -- every game," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. "It's got to be one game at a time, that's just the fact. Every game is big for us from now on."
Pivetta (8-4, 4.37 ERA) has faced the Blue Jays more than any other opponent this year, posting a 1-1 record with a 7.56 ERA in three starts against them.
In his start last Monday, Pivetta got the win despite allowing four runs on a season-high 11 hits while walking two and striking out four over 6 2/3 innings in Boston's 13-4 rout of the Blue Jays in Buffalo.
On June 12, Pivetta surrendered a season-high six runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts over five innings in a 7-2 home loss to Toronto. He was also tagged for five runs (four earned) on seven hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in a five-inning no-decision in Boston's 8-7 win at Toronto on May 20.
For his career, Pivetta is 1-2 with a 6.67 ERA in five prior starts versus the Blue Jays.
Toronto right-hander Thomas Hatch is expected to start against the Red Sox in his season debut.
Hatch was scheduled to make his debut against the Red Sox last Tuesday, but the game -- played in Buffalo -- was postponed due to inclement weather.
The 25-year-old right-hander posted a 3-1 record with a 2.73 ERA over 17 games -- including one start -- as a rookie last season.
Hatch, who Montoyo said could work his way into the rotation as a sixth starter, has faced the Red Sox once before. He gave up a season-high two earned runs on one hit and one walk, but struck out three over 1 2/3 innings in a 5-3 loss at Boston last Aug. 9.
--Field Level Media
Blue Jays at Red Sox Monday, at 7:10 PM EST Partly Cloudy According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 81° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 7 MPH wind blowing out in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 2:50:47 GMT -5
Rest of Series SP Match Ups
Tuesday...Ray 8-5/3.12 vs Richard 6-5/4.99
Wednesday..Matz 8-5/4.34 vs Houck 0-2/2.50
Thursday...Ryu 9-5/3.32 vs E-rod 7-5/5,23
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 3:33:10 GMT -5
Red Sox notebook Martín Pérez’s solid effort was not to be overlooked in the comeback win over the Yankees By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated July 26, 2021, 1:09 a.m.
What seemed to get lost in the Red Sox’ 5-4 win over the Yankees at Fenway Park on Sunday was Martín Pérez’s solid outing.
Despite his team’s lackluster offense through the first seven innings, Pérez kept the Sox in the game, giving up just three runs in six innings of work. He also enabled the bullpen to enjoy a bit of a reprieve after it was forced to cover seven innings Friday when a migraine forced Eduardo Rodriguez to exit the game prematurely in the second inning.It was the first time Pérez completed six innings since throwing 7⅔ scoreless innings in a 5-1 win June 3 at Houston.
“Martín did a good job today,” said Sox manager Alex Cora after the game. “I know a lot of people get caught up sometimes on the usage, but he gave us a chance to win.”
Perez’s six innings were highlighted by six hits, one of which was a Rougned Odor homer in the sixth, and six strikeouts. Pérez pitched well in his first 11 starts this year, submitting a 3.09 ERA. Opponents hit just .245/.317/.341 in that span.
However, in his last eight outings leading up to Sunday, Pérez had a 6.23 ERA. Opponents hit .362/.417/.608.
But Pérez drew five swing-and-misses on his changeup, the most of any pitch, and worked in six called strikes on his sinker.
After Odor’s homer, it looked as though Pérez wouldn’t make it through the sixth, especially with Yacksel Rios warming in the bullpen. But that’s when Pérez buckled down and recorded the next three to get out of the inning.
Much like his teammates, Pérez, who was back in the clubhouse watching the game after he was taken out for the start of the seventh, was confident his team could win the game.
“We did a great job of scoring runs against [Yankees reliever Jonathan Loaisiga],” Pérez said. “New series tomorrow, and we have to stay focused.”
About that series. The Sox will begin a four-game series against the Blue Jays on Monday night at Fenway. Nick Pivetta (8-4, 3.47 ERA) will take the ball for the Sox. The Jays enter the Sox series having dropped a series to the Mets after a 5-4 setback. They have lost four of their last five games, including two to the Sox last week. Cora: Eduardo Rodriguez better
Cora said Sunday Rodriguez was doing better and was confident he will make his start Thursday vs. the Blue Jays.
“I talked to him last night and he’s doing a lot better,” Cora said. “During the week [we will] just stay on him and make sure he’s feeling great. That’s the most important thing. But the way it sounded, the way he is. It’s just one of those things that you get your work in today and see how you feel.”
According to Cora, everything is going according to plan with the rotation. After Pivetta, it will be Garrett Richards, Tanner Houck, and Rodriguez in the series finale. Ryan Brasier’s bullpen encouraging
Ryan Brasier recently threw a bullpen and is scheduled to throw another on Monday. His initial bullpen was the first time Brasier was on the mound since early June when he suffered a concussion. Brasier was hit in the head by a comebacker while working back from a calf injury.
“I feel good,” Brasier said. “I’m just trying to get ready. I feel like I am out of danger and in the clear.”
That’s good news for Brasier, who was in Boston late last month to be examined by the team’s medical staff. At that point, Brasier said he was still having some ear trouble. Brasier said he’s itching to get back out there with his teammates.
“Man, I am so ready,” he said. “I don’t know if there’s ever been a time I’ve been this anxious to get back out there.” Number crunching
The Sox’ five-run rally in the bottom of the eighth to erase a 4-0 deficit vs. the Yankees matched Boston’s largest deficit overcome to win this season. The Sox scored four runs to defeat the Blue Jays, 6-5, on June 11 and the Royals, 6-5, on June 28 . . . The Sox lead the majors with 32 come-from-behind wins this season. In 11 of those wins, the Sox trailed after 5 innings . . . The Sox have won five of their last six games, are 6-3 since the All-Star break, and improved to 10-3 against the Yankees this season . . . Patriots punter Jake Bailey threw out the ceremonial first pitchat Fenway.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 3:37:06 GMT -5
Ben Nicholson-Smith @bnicholsonsmith ·
Alek Manoah (back) will pitch a sim game in Florida Monday instead of returning to MLB level right away per manager Charlie Montoyo
Jays hope Manoah will need just one rehab start before returning. AAA off Monday, so Manoah will pitch at Jays’ player development complex instead.
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Post by Kimmi on Jul 26, 2021 7:44:39 GMT -5
Just win.
That is all.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 8:58:46 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays preview: TV schedule, pitching probables, key stories (July 26-29) Updated 8:30 AM; Today 8:29 AM
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — The Red Sox will host a four-game series against Toronto starting Monday. Boston won both games it played in Buffalo against the Blue Jays last week, outscoring them 20-8.
Boston is 7-4 against Toronto this year but it has been outscored 65-56.
The Red Sox are 6-3 since returning from the All-Star break and have won five of their past six games. Toronto is 4-4 since the break. Toronto Blue Jays (49-46) vs. Boston Red Sox (61-39)· Fenway Park · Boston, MA
SERIES SCHEDULE (and TV information):
Monday, July 26, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN / ESPN
Tuesday, July 27, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN / MLB Network (out of market)
Wednesday, July 28, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN
Thursday, July 29, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN / MLB Network (out of market)
HOW TO WATCH:
Monday, July 26, 7:10 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)
Tuesday, July 27, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN / MLB Network (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)
Wednesday,. July 28, 7:10 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)
Thursday, July 29, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN, MLB Network (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV and Sling) · Live stream: fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT:
Toronto is fourth in the AL East standings with a 49-46 record, 9 ½ games behind first-place Boston. But the Blue Jays have the fourth best run differential (+86) in the AL. They certainly can hit.
The Jays lead the majors in slugging percentage (.457) and rank second in home runs (149).
AL MVP candidate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. leads the American League in on-base percentage (.425) and OPS (1.088). He’s second in batting average (.326), slugging percentage (.663), home runs (32) and RBIs (79).
Toronto is 27-24 on the road.
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Monday, 7:10 p.m. ET -- RHP Nick Pivetta (8-4, 4.37 ERA) vs. TBD
Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. ET -- RHP Garrett Richards (6-5, 4.99 ERA) vs. LHP Robbie Ray (8-5, 3.12 ERA)
Wednesday, 7:10 p.m. ET -- RHP Tanner Houck (0-2, 2.50 ERA) vs. LHP Steven Matz (8-5, 4.34 ERA)
Thursday, 7:10 p.m. ET -- LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (7-5, 5.23 ERA) vs. LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (9-5, 3.44)
THREE SOX TO WATCH:
Eduardo Rodriguez
The lefty was removed from his start during the second inning Friday because of migraine symptoms. He will start Thursday vs. the Blue Jays. He’s 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA (11 innings, 7 earned runs) in two starts against Toronto this year.
Kiké Hernández
Hernández has a .681 slugging percentage with five homers, three doubles and one triple in 47 at-bats against Blue Jays lefty Robbie Ray, who starts Tuesday. He’s slashing .295/.406/.682/1.087 with eight homers, eight doubles, one triple, 17 runs and 19 RBIs in 23 games (106 plate appearances) since June 27.
Bobby Dalbec
The Red Sox potentially are in the market for a first baseman with the trade deadline approaching Friday at 4 p.m. Dalbec will have a chance to make at least three starts this week as Boston faces three left-handed pitchers. Dalbec has a .781 OPS vs. righties compared to a .578 OPS vs. lefties.
SERIES NOTES:
The Red Sox and Blue Jays played a four-game series here at Fenway Park June 11-14. The teams split but the Blue Jays outscored Boston 31-14. Boston scored four runs on eight hits (one homer) in 5 innings to beat Hyun Jin Ryu at Fenway Park on April 20. But Ryu beat the Red Sox on May 18, tossing 7 scoreless innings and striking out seven. Christian Vázquez is 5-for-8 with two homers in his career vs. Steven Matz who starts Wednesday. The Red Sox went with eight right-handed hitters one left-handed hitter against Robbie Ray this past Wednesday. Both Alex Verdugo and Jarren Duran sat. It should be interesting to see if Alex Cora goes with a similar lineup Tuesday. Ray has held left-handed hitters to a .174/.224/.348/.572 line this season. Rafael Devers is second in the American League in extra-base hits (53). He’s behind Shohei Ohtani (61) and just ahead of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (51). J.D. Martinez is tied for fourth with 50 extra-base hits. Devers leads the AL with 80 RBIs, one more than Guerrero Jr. Boston is 31-20 at home and 30-19 on the road.
UP NEXT:
Boston will embark on its longest road trip of the season Friday. Here’s what’s next:
Mon. 7/26 - Thu. 7/29 -- vs. Blue Jays (4)
Fri. 7/30 - Sun. 8/1 -- @ Rays (3)
Mon. 8/2 -- OFF DAY
Tue. 8/3 - Thu. 8/5 -- @ Tigers (3)
Fri. 8/6 - Sun. 8/8 -- @ Blue Jays (4)
Mon. 8/9 -- OFF DAY
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 9:03:08 GMT -5
Appreciating the importance of Alex Cora Current Time 0:40 / Duration 2:15
By Rob Bradford an hour ago
Perhaps they were just a few emotional words thrown out at an emotional time. That happens. But, nonetheless, they now have separated themselves.
When Alex Cora turned to his infielders on the Fenway Park mound while waiting for Josh Taylor to run in from the bullpen -- with the entire group staring at the bases loaded full of Yankees, just one out, and Giancarlo Stanton up with New York carrying a 4-0 lead -- it was as much of a moment as a game on July 26 can offer.
“Well, things weren’t looking great," remembered Kiké Hernandez. "When AC went up to the mound and he took Yacksel (Rios) out of the game and he brought in JT, he said to us, 'If JT gets out of this inning, we’re winning this game.' And next inning, the hitting still went the same but you trust what AC says. A lot of times he sees things before they happen and you just go with it. if he says we’re going to win this game, it’s probably going to happen. They scored one more but we said it many times, we’re not out of a game until a game is over and we proved that today.”
Sure enough, Stanton struck out and Rougned Odor flew out, paving the way for the Red Sox' 32nd comeback of the season thanks to five out-of-nowhere runs in the eighth inning.
"If he says we're going to win this game, it's probably going to happen."
Welcome to the power Cora is possessing. Make no mistake about, it is the kind of cachet that has been earned.
Here is what you should know about Alex Cora: He is managing his hindquarters off.
This is a guy who guided the 2018 Red Sox to 118 wins and a world championship. And, two years later, he has been actually better.
Yes, he has expertly bobbed and weaved his way through games, going on the kind of in-game roll we witnessed throughout the 2018 postseason. Lineup alterations. Bullpen usage. Starting pitcher's innings. You name it. Cora has found the kind of rhythm big league managers usually dream of.
But that is only part of what has separated Cora this time around.
It's simply rare that a Major League Baseball manager can make the kind of difference this version of the former utility infielder has delivered. Of all the sports, it is universally agreed that baseball skippers don't have the same consistent in-game impact as their football, basketball and hockey brethren.
The real value is managing outside those nine innings. Hence, the term "manager" and not "head coach."
The priority is finding a way to make the players you have the best versions of themselves. That comes with communication. That comes with not running away from them after downturns. That comes with instilling the kind of belief that Hernandez relayed after Sunday's game.
Things can turn. We saw that in 2019. For whatever reason, the magic offered up during the title run dissipated in that next season. But what we do know is that much like Terry Francona in 2004, John Farrell in 2013 and Cora in 2018, this is the right guy at the right time.
The personalities. The skill-sets. The willingness to stare down adversity and run away from the cliff. It has been the Perfect Storm to this point.
And now?
There will be more storms to be weathered, with miscues and mistakes sprinkled in along the way. And when those Manager of the Year conversations start percolating, the 2017 Houston Astros cheating scandal will certainly be reintroduced.
Still, as we sit here, the person who has established himself as the most valuable person for the region's most intriguing team is undeniably the manager of the Boston Red Sox.
It's a title not usually given out to someone not performing between the white lines. But if we have learned nothing this season, this season Alex Cora is turning in isn't the norm.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 10:38:43 GMT -5
Whatever the reason, wherever it leads, these Red Sox aren’t just a pleasant surprise. They’re a contender.
By Jon Couture July 26, 2021 | 11:02 AM
When trying not to hyperbolize something like that, it’s best to focus on our words.
Unique, as with “literally,” is probably misused just as much as it’s correctly applied. Uniqueness is not a spectrum. It’s a checkbox. Something is unique, one of a kind, or it isn’t.
This weekend’s four Red Sox-Yankees games were not a “most unique” set in the literally 10,000-year history of this, the greatest rivalry since social media vs. nuance. They are unique, or they aren’t.
Put me in the “are” camp.
Thursday: After Christian Vázquez struck out to open the ninth inning, the microprocessors said the Red Sox had a 4 percent chance to win. They won.
Friday: Eduardo Rodriguez lasted six batters due to migraine symptoms, with Alex Cora turning to freshly recalled Phillips Valdez in the second inning against Yankees ace Gerrit Cole. Valdez mowed through three innings, Rafael Devers obliterated two home runs, and the Red Sox won again.
Saturday: When Nate Eovaldi got the second out of the eighth inning, the Sox up three, they had a 95 percent chance to really put the Yankees season on the ropes. They lost.
Sunday: When Brett Gardner walked in the eighth inning against Brandon Workman, a run already in, the Red Sox with no hits and having struck out four times the inning before, they had a 2 percent chance to win. They won.
You have one of those games in a season, someone’s writing an oral history about it in five years. You have two back-to-back, and it’s where Tom Hanks starts his voiceover. Four? Four feel like they should come with a complimentary fainting spell. Just too much to handle without sensory overload.
To that end, I’m less sure about the “are” of this weekend than I am the “aren’t:” The Yankees. Esteemed New York Post columnist Mike Vaccaro proclaimed the visitors limped back to Gotham with “a knife sticking out the front,” his belief they’re only “awfully close to done” a testament to the watered-down playoff structure. Sure, they could leapfrog Oakland and Seattle (and hold off Toronto) to land in a road wild-card game. But who cares?
In Newsday, manager Aaron Boone “looks shaken,” New York’s “veritable smile emoji in pinstripes” unable to immediately paper over their latest Worst Loss of the Season. Score two for the old school, I guess.
On Saturday, Cora took out Eovaldi at 100 pitches, New York having made it 3-1 with the tying run coming up. On Sunday, Boone took out Domingo Germán once Alex Verdugo broke up his no-no, the peach of a guy at his highest pitch count since May. They’re defensible hooks, even if Adam Ottavino wasn’t sharp for Boston on Thursday and Jonathan Loaisiga was being asked to go a second straight day after two weeks on the COVID-19 list.
They are not, however, the same. Because these teams aren’t the same.
New York won Saturday on two bloops and a Fenway double. There’s not a pitcher in the league who wouldn’t want the remnants of Giancarlo Stanton to swing at this pitch. The Red Sox, meanwhile, really were just one hit away on Sunday.
Verdugo got it, when Greg Allen — New York’s eighth right fielder of the year, with Aaron Judge still on the COVID list — got crossed up on a catchable shot to the warning track. In came Loaisiga, and out went baseball after baseball on a line from the batter’s box.
Hunter Renfroe, one-hopper off the Monster. Vázquez, a blooper into right-center, but a clean hit almost every time. Franchy Cordero, a 106-mph, two-strike single up the middle. White-hot Kiké Hernández, a 109-mph firecracker down the left-field line.
With New York’s infield back, the Red Sox needed a ground ball, and Kevin Plawecki delivered it. With an outfield two-thirds fill-ins, they needed a fly ball to pretty much anywhere, and Xander Bogaerts delivered it.
It’s what they do, time and time again. Whether it’s Alex Cora and his “if [Josh Taylor gets out of this inning, we’re winning this game” energy, whether it’s coalescing around the myriad doubters, whether it’s kismet … it’s 100 games now.
It’s a top-15 start in franchise history. It’s the same 61-39 they were in 2007, and a game better than they were in 2013, the last time a group of solid pieces came together to so clearly be more than the sum of their parts.
That group was wonderful fun when we needed it, too, also well before we knew they were truly championship material.
“We’re not out of a game until the game’s over,” Hernández told reporters. “And we proved that today.”
There’s a tendency to try and write the fairy tales of our teams before Jack’s even considered buying the magic beans, but this final weekend before Friday’s trade deadline felt declaratory across baseball.
Tampa added Nelson Cruz and he delivered two homers in three days. Washington scratched Max Scherzer, and may as well pack his jerseys after getting swept by Baltimore. San Diego plugged another All-Star into its infield, doubling down on their double-down winter.
And in Boston, two divergent teams continued on the exact opposite paths we expected. For all their success finishing games and swiping wins, the Red Sox of late have been a little lacking. In Tampa, in Anaheim, at Yankee Stadium, against Philadelphia … four three-game series in the last month where Boston followed opening wins with back-to-back losses.
You could argue the wrong team won all four games this weekend, if that’s what you’re into. You could argue all this weekend did was set up the main event this week against the real competition: Four with Toronto at Fenway, then three more at the St. Petersburg Pinball Machine against the Rays. I’m more inclined to agree with the latter.
But I think we’re better served declaring something simpler: This team, and this season, are a blast no matter where they go from here. And Chaim Bloom, with more prospects than he can hang on to this winter, has five days to deliver them more than Jarren Duran and Chris Sale coming off Tommy John surgery.
The 2021 Red Sox might not be unique in our decorated baseball history, but this weekend made clear they’re literally too special not to treat as what they are.
Genuine October contenders.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 11:08:11 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 19m These thing are always tentative, but after the Red Sox face Thomas Hatch tonight it looks like they are oddly lined up to face six left-handed starters in a row: Robbie Ray, Steven Matz, Hyun Jin Ryu, Josh Fleming, Ryan Yarbrough, Shane McClanahan
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 13:09:18 GMT -5
Red Sox vs. Blue Jays Series Preview
A look at this week’s four-game set against the Blue Jays By Matt_Collins@MattRyCollins Jul 26, 2021, 1:30pm EDT
SB Nation Blog
Bluebird Banter The opponent in one sentence
The Blue Jays are still hanging around the wildcard race thanks to their high-powered offense, but a recent skid is threatening to put them on the periphery. Record
49-46 Head-to-head record
Red Sox 7, Blue Jays 4 Trend
Down. The Jays got off to a good start in this second half, winning all three games immediately after the break against the Rangers. But since then, it’s been tough going. They dropped both games they played against the Red Sox last week, and then over the weekend they lost two of three to the Mets, making it four losses in their last five games overall. Pitching Matchups
7/26: Nick Pivetta vs. TBD, 7:10 PM ET (ESPN for out-of-market)
As the Red Sox starters make their final turn through the rotation before the trade deadline, where there could be someone displaced by a new face (though I’m not really expecting it), Pivetta gets the first go-around against the Blue Jays. The righty’s last start also came against Toronto, and there Pivetta did give up a lot of hits, but all of the real damage came in one inning of work. He was able to make it into the seventh inning, allowing four runs total. After an extremely hot start to the year, he’s been a bit more of a rollercoaster of late, and while you’ll likely be disappointed if you’re looking for top-of-the-rotation effectiveness, the stuff has been good enough to allow him to keep the Red Sox in most games, even if the command comes and goes. The one way he’s been truly susceptible to blow up outings is with the long ball, so as long as he keeps the ball in the yard — easier said than done against this Blue Jays lineup — he should get solid results.
As of this writing early Monday afternoon, there are no official starters named for the Blue Jays, so we’ll look at projected starters from FanGraphs. The issue is they also don’t have a projected starter. Alek Manoah was scheduled to start this game, but he has since hit the injured list. My assumption is that Thomas Hatch will get the call for this one. Hatch has not pitched in the majors yet this year, making his major-league debut in 2020. Last season he mostly pitched out of the bullpen, ending the year with a 2.73 ERA over 26 1⁄3 innings, striking out 23 and walking 13. The righty has a solid three-pitch mix, and while the stuff/command combination isn’t good enough to make him truly special, he’s certainly good enough to carve out a back-end starting job at some point. Boston Red Sox v Toronto Blue Jays
7/27: Garrett Richards vs. TBD, 7:10 PM ET (MLB Network for out-of-market)
It’s possible we’ll be watching one of the last starts for Richards of the season on Tuesday, as the righty figures to be the first of the original five-man group to leave the rotation. Whether that comes with a new trade acquisition or when Chris Sale returns is a different question. Richards, to his credit, did look sharper his last time out than he has in over a month, at least in the early going. His stuff just hasn’t been intimidating, but we saw more movement on the secondaries that time around. However, even in that start he ultimately allowed three home runs to this Blue Jays lineup, and really looked like he was done after about five, though he almost got through six. At this point, Richards is still fine to keep the Red Sox in games most of the time out, but there’s not a lot of ceiling here anymore.
FanGraphs projects Robbie Ray to make this start, which would not be great news for the Red Sox. A free agent addition last winter, the southpaw has out-performed expectations and his contract by a country mile already this season, serving as the top pitcher in this rotation so far in 2021. Ray has pitched to a 3.12 ERA, showing off the same kind of elite stuff he always has but with well above-average control that has seemingly come out of nowhere. The good news, however, is that he can be undone with the long ball, and the Red Sox did just that last week. They smashed three homers off Ray in Buffalo, knocking him out after five innings with four runs on the board. It was the first time he’d allowed that many runs in a start since May 27, and only the third time all season. Ray will lean most heavily on his fastball and slider, while also throwing the occasional curveball and changeup.
7/28: Tanner Houck vs. TBD, 7:10 PM ET
Every time Tanner Houck comes up in conversation, I can’t help but lower expectations and maintain my stance that, ultimately, I think he is a reliever. Granted, I think he can be an outstanding reliever, and potentially a closer, but until I see more growth on his splitter I have trouble imagining a different path. And then I see starts like the last one where the command on his slider was so impeccable that it didn’t really matter what his splitter looked like, because he could get out hitters of any handedness with the breaking ball. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I still think he’s a reliever long-term, but I’m also more excited to watch him start than anyone else on his staff, so I’m glad he’s still starting. As for this start in particular, it will be very interesting to see how he handles such a powerful group, though the righty-heavy makeup of Toronto’s offense should help.
Here, the projection is for Steven Matz to get the ball. The lefty is a long-time Mets starter who was dealt to the Blue Jays this winter (for Josh Winckowski, who of course ended up coming to Boston in the Andrew Benintendi deal), and it’s been a solid first year in Toronto. Matz is pitching to a 4.34 ERA, which is not great, but his peripherals are a little better. It’s also worth mentioning that, like Ray, Matz’s biggest issue has been the long ball, and it’s hard not to put at least some of that on the fact that they’d been playing their home games in minor-league parks. That said, Matz has really been all over the place for most of this season, and really seems to be having a year similar in flow to that of Nick Pivetta. There’s a chance for a great outing every time, but also a chance he only makes it through two or three innings.
7/29: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. TBD, 7:10 PM ET (MLB Network for out-of-market)
For now at least, the plan is still for Rodriguez to make this start in the series finale after leaving his last outing early due to migraine symptoms. It’s really hard to pin down exactly what to expect in this situation as migraines can happen for so many reasons, and you never really know when they’ll strike again. That said, if the Red Sox send him back out on Thursday I’d certainly expect they’d have done their due diligence. The hope is that he can pick up right where he left off in his first start of the second half, when he looked like the second half version of his 2019 self. But right now, we’re mostly in wait and see mode with Rodriguez after his previous early exit.
Hyun-Jin Ryu gets the projected start for this outing, and he entered the season not only as Toronto’s best starting pitcher, but perhaps the most underrated great starting pitcher in all of baseball. He’s taken a little bit of a step back this season, but that step back has really just been from great to very good. The southpaw has pitched to a 3.44 ERA, and while his strikeout stuff has gotten worse and he’s allowing more home runs — though, again, the home parks factor in here — he still has elite control. The low point in his season came when the calendar was turning from June to July, but he’s recovered in his last three starts with a 2.20 ERA to go with 15 strikeouts and four walks over 16 1⁄3 innings. Old Friends
Ed. Note: Much of the rest of this post is copied/pasted from last week’s series preview, as not much has changed since then.
Santiago Espinal never actually made it to Boston, but he was traded as a prospect in exchange for Steve Pearce. While that trade worked out extremely well for the Red Sox and they would never want to redo it, Espinal has ascended to being a solid bench piece for this Toronto team. Notable Position Players
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would be the MVP favorite in a world without Shohei Ohtani. Instead, he’ll have to settle for being one of the very best hitters in baseball. Guerrero has mammoth power that is almost unmatched throughout baseball, and combines it with impeccable plate discipline. It’s about trying to slow him down, not stop him.
Marcus Semien has been one of the best signings from this past winter, showing big power at the top of this Blue Jays lineup with solid on-base ability as well.
Bo Bichette isn’t going to draw a whole lot of walks, and he’ll strike out around an average clip. But when he makes contact, he hits it hard almost every time, resulting in a lot of damage.
George Springer missed big chunks of time early in the year, but he’s back now and looking to find his footing. The power and patience has been there, but he’s striking out a lot.
Teoscar Hernández is getting some help from a high BABIP this year, but he’s also helping himself with hard contact and plenty of power.
Randal Grichuk will swing at just about anything, but he’s making a lot of contact this year to tap into his raw power and put up solid produciton in the bottom half of this lineup.
Cavan Biggio will draw a ton of walks, but he’s not hitting for enough power nor making enough contact to really tie the whole package together.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. got off to a terrible start but has been much better with the onset of summer, putting up a 131 wRC+ in June and a 114 mark so far in July.
Reese McGuire is in a platoon, but with the Red Sox throwing three righties this week he should see a good amount of him. He makes a good amount of contact, but that’s about it.
Jordan Romano has been tremendous late in games for Toronto this year, striking batters out and keeping the ball on the ground to work around some occasional control issues for a sub-3.00 ERA.
Tim Mayza has terrific control and an even better ground ball rate than Romano, though he doesn’t miss the same number of bats. Still, he’s a tough lefty to face late in games.
Adam Cimber is a recent acquisition from the Marlins, and he can be extremely tough on right-handed batters. Injuries
Kirby Yates never actually got to pitch for the Jays, undergoing Tommy John surgery before the season began which will keep him out all year.
Corey Dickerson came over in the same trade that brought Cimber to the Jays, but he hasn’t been able to play yet as he continues to recover from a foot injury. He’s just recently started taking BP again.
Alek Manoah was scratched his last scheduled start against the Red Sox, and now hits the injured list with a back issue.
Julian Merryweather has been out for most of this season with an oblique injury, and a recent setback will keep him out for at least a couple more weeks.
Danny Jansen hurt himself last week against Boston, and will need to spend a decent chunk of time on the injured list with a hamstring injury.
Tyler Chatwood hit the injured list with a neck strain in early July, and it’s not clear when he’ll be back.
David Phelps went down with a lat strain in early May, and ended up needing season-ending surgery.
Tommy Milone has been rehabbing for a few weeks now, but still hasn’t rejoined the big-league squad.
Carl Edwards Jr. suffered an oblique injury in June, and should be out for at least another month or so.
Anthony Castro was just put on the injured list about a week ago with an elbow injury, and he isn’t expected to miss much time.
A.J. Cole has been out since June with a neck injury of his own, and he’s looking at a post-trade deadline return. Weather Forecast
The weather looks like it should be nice this week at Fenway. As of now, Thursday appears to be the only potentially iffy day weather-wise.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 13:28:36 GMT -5
Game 101: Blue Jays at Red Sox lineups and notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated July 26, 2021, 2 hours ago The Red Sox host the Blue Jays for a four-game series after taking three out of four against the Yankees over the week. The Sox capped the series by scoring five runs in the eighth inning to rally from a 4-0 deficit for the 5-4 win. That was a role reversal from Saturday’s game, when the Sox blew a 3-0 lead in the eighth en route to a 4-3 loss. The Blue Jays dropped two out of three to the Mets over the weekend and have lost four of their last five games. Lineups BLUE JAYS (49-46): 1. George Springer (R) DH 2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B 3. Marcus Semien (R) 2B 4. Bo Bichette (R) SS 5. Teoscar Hernandez (R) RF 6. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (R) LF 7. Randal Grichuk (R) CF 8. Cavan Biggio (L) 3B 9. Reese McGuire (L) C Pitching: RHP Thomas Hatch (Season debut) RED SOX (61-39):1. Enrique Hernandez (R) SS 2. Jarren Duran (L) CF 3. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 4. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 5. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 6. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 7. Christian Vazquez (R) C 8. Franchy Cordero (L) 1B 9. Michael Chavis (R) 2B Pitching: RHP Nick Pivetta (8-4, 4.37 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: ESPN, NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Blue Jays vs. Pivetta: Bo Bichette 6-9, Cavan Biggio 4-8, Santiago Espinal 0-3, Randal Grichuk 2-8, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 3-8, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 2-6, Teoscar Hernández 1-11, Reese McGuire 1-4, Marcus Semien 3-8, George Springer 3-4 Red Sox vs. Hatch: Xander Bogaerts 0-2, Michael Chavis 0-1, Bobby Dalbec 0-1, Rafael Devers 0-1, J.D. Martinez 1-3, Kevin Plawecki 0-0, Hunter Renfroe 0-1, Alex Verdugo 0-1, Christian Vázquez 0-2 Stat of the day: The Red Sox lead the majors with 32 come-from-behind wins this season. In 11 of those wins, the Sox trailed after five innings.
Notes: Renfore has 8 RBI in 9 games since the All-Star break … Eight of Kiké Hernández’s 10 hits during his current six-game hitting streak have gone for extra bases. He leads the American League this month in extra base hits with 14 … Pivetta is 1-1 with a 7.56 ERA in three starts against the Blue Jays this season. For his career, Pivetta is 1-2 with a 6.67 ERA in five prior starts vs. the Blue Jays … Hatch was scheduled to make his 2021 debut against the Red Sox last Tuesday in Buffalo, but the game was postponed due to inclement weather. He posted a 3-1 record with a 2.73 ERA over 17 games — including one start ― as a rookie last season. One of those appearances came against the Red Sox, when he gave up a season-high two earned runs on a hit and a walk, but struck out three over 1 ⅔ innings in a 5-3 loss Aug. 9. Song of the Day: Stereo MC's - Connected www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMGdRgtblmk
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 13:59:40 GMT -5
These line ups are "out" there and I am starting to agree with the NESN boys in the booth Xander has been playing injured.....
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 14:12:34 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 7m From Fenway, Downtown Boston is partly obscured by the smoky haze from the wildfires in the West
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 14:44:59 GMT -5
Just a little FYI stuff.... coming on 8 months sober which is great and This coming week-end, due to the restrictions being eased, I will be heading home Friday to see my Mom and extended family, in the next province. During this pandemic, we lost my Dad who had been ill for a long time ( over a decade he fought). About a 4 months ago I was able to go to see my brother in New Brunswick with Abby, ( quick ride) and he was happy to hug his grand daughter again, and also to hug me and see me sober and that means to world to me. I will be bringing my laptop and will set up the next game thread, but I will be busy with family, and I am gonna take in a meeting up there as well. Thanks to to you guys as well. Love posting this stuff still, and consider you guys to be very good friends, and I appreciate you coming in here and jawing baseball.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Jul 26, 2021 14:55:52 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 29m Kiké Hernández named AL Player of the Week for this past week
Cora says just a normal day off for Bogaerts. He’s trying to manage workloads of the position players.
Cora says Sale feels ‘great’ after yesterday. ‘His fastball command is there, the velocity is there’
Cora says Sale’s start on Saturday won’t be his last rehab start
Cora says Sawamura is doing well. He’s playing catch right now and if all goes well, he’ll go on a rehab assignment tomorrow in Worcester
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