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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 10, 2021 17:43:34 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 3h Red Sox expect Verdugo to fly back to Boston on Wednesday night... says he got to LA five minutes before the baby was born.
Cora says Sawamura feels OK. He's throwing in the outfield at Fenway right now.
Cora: Kyle Schwarber is trending well. Working out at Fenway today. "Much better today than over the weekend."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 10, 2021 17:46:49 GMT -5
Red Sox Notebook: Alex Cora indicates he’ll make changes to struggling rotation Sox starters have a 5.43 ERA in the second half
By Jason Mastrodonato | jason.mastrodonato@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald PUBLISHED: August 10, 2021 at 4:57 p.m. | UPDATED: August 10, 2021 at 5:23 p.m.
The Red Sox appear to be on the verge of a massive shakeup to their struggling starting rotation.
With a 26th-ranked 5.43 ERA from their starters since the All-Star break, the Sox could use the change.
Manager Alex Cora said before Tuesday’s series-opener with the Rays that Nathan Eovaldi will start on Wednesday and Chris Sale will start on Saturday, but named no other starters for the rest of the week.
“Beyond that, we’re going to have a few conversations here in the clubhouse, being able to see everybody, we’ll talk to people and we’ll make an announcement probably after the game or (Wednesday),” Cora said.
The Rays are a team that statistically performs much worse against lefties than against righties, but the Sox chose not to bring back Sale on regular rest for Thursday’s series finale, and instead are giving him six days rest as he starts Saturday against the Orioles.
Otherwise, it would appear that Tuesday’s starter Eduardo Rodriguez would stay in the rotation with Eovaldi and Sale. Tanner Houck is also expected to rejoin the rotation soon.
If they stick to a five-man group, Nick Pivetta is the obvious choice to continue starting while Garrett Richards could join Martin Perez in the bullpen, though no announcement has been made. Pressure is on
After starting the year 4-0 against the Rays, the Sox have lost five straight to their division rivals. They’ve fallen to a season-low four games back in the American League East.
“Not surprisingly, they’re playing good baseball,” Cora said. “They’re doing a lot of good things with the pitching staff. It seems like they have a different set of relievers every 15 days. That’s what they are as an organization. You’ve got to praise that. At the same time, with everything going with us for the last 20 days or 10 days, however you want to see it, we’re still in a good position to win the division, to fight for the division or make it to the playoffs.
“Our goal is to win the division. It’s a big series. But if you think back to April 5 it was a big series too on April 5. That’s the way I see things. I try to look at something positive out of the negative and we’ll be ready to play against a tough team.” Serious injury avoided
Hirokazu Sawamura appears to have avoided a serious elbow injury.
The deceptive right-hander left Sunday’s game after throwing just three strikes and nine balls. He walked two and threw two wild pitches before exiting with elbow tightness.
“I didn’t like his body language,” Cora said. “I didn’t like the way he was throwing the ball. Usually, when you’re hurt, the first thing you lose is command. But he got treatment that night, got treatment (Monday), got treatment today, and everything that I’m hearing, especially from him, is that he’s OK.”
Christian Arroyo (hamstring) went through a full workout at Fenway Park and will take batting practice Wednesday before the Sox ramp him up for a rehab assignment sometime next week.
Danny Santana (groin) is one day behind Arroyo.
Kyle Schwarber (groin, hamstring) has recovered from the groin tightness but is still dealing with hamstring issues.
“He’s been running the bases and doing everything,” Cora said. “I’m not going to give you a day. We never do that. But he feels good and is feeling much better today than over the weekend.”
Alex Verdugo is still on paternity leave and will likely rejoin the team on Wednesday night.
“One thing for sure, he’s a happy camper,” Cora said. “We’re very proud of him. Everybody’s healthy. He got there five minutes before (his baby was born). He was able to be there, which is great.” Coaching staff shakeup
With bench coach Will Venable (positive for COVID-19) and first base coach Tom Goodwin (close contact) stuck in Canada for a 14-day quarantine period, the Sox will add minor league coordinators Andy Fox and Darren Fenster to the big league coaching staff on a temporary basis.
Fenster just returned from Tokyo where he helped coach Team USA to a silver medal.
“I don’t know if the coaches get the medal, but hopefully he did and he can bring it here and we can see it,” Cora said.
Jason Varitek and Ramon Vazquez will help in expanded roles for the time being.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 0:14:49 GMT -5
and the death roll keeps on rolling
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 0:23:22 GMT -5
Red Sox bullpen since the trade deadline has an ERA of over 5.00 gas can gang reeks of last year
but hey, the bats are quiet....
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 0:50:48 GMT -5
Sox's rut deepens: 'It has to be everybody' 56 minutes ago Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- Can it get any worse than this?
That was the first question posed to manager Alex Cora in the aftermath of an 8-4 loss to the Rays that saddled the Red Sox with 10 losses in the last 12 games and put them a season-high five games back in the American League East.
Cora spoke for all of Red Sox Nation with his answer:
“I hope not."
The Red Sox are hoping they’ve finally reached the floor after squandering a 4-1 lead on Tuesday night in the opener of a six-game homestand.
The loss would have been tough to swallow in a vacuum. But when you add it to the recent events, which include giving up a 7-2 lead in Sunday’s defeat, it made it that much more tough.
For the better part of four months, Boston exceeded the expectations of nearly everyone outside of its own walls by blending timely hitting, solid relief pitching and serviceable starting pitching to a record of 63-40 and a 2 1/2-game lead in the AL East on July 28.
Since then, hardly anything has gone right for a team that is now 65-50 and in possession of the second Wild Card spot by just two games (one in the loss column) over the Yankees (62-51).
The hope was that the home cooking of Fenway would give the Red Sox a jolt. And it seemed that was the case when Rafael Devers hammered an early solo shot in the second inning and Hunter Renfroe mashed a three-run blast in the fourth.
Eduardo Rodriguez looked dominant early, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out eight over 5 1/3 innings.
However, things started to take a downturn in the bottom of the fifth when the Sox had first and second with nobody on, and second and third with one out and couldn’t score.
“We played a good game for 'X' amount of innings," Cora said. "We had chances to put them away, we didn't do it, and after that we didn't make good decisions defensively.”
The hitting -- billed as the strength of the team -- has faltered in the clutch and failed to add on to early leads.
The bullpen hasn’t merely hit a wall, but instead run into a cement mixer, giving up 21 earned runs in the last 21 innings over the last six games -- five of them losses.
Closer Matt Barnes has pitched four times in the last four days, including both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday, giving up seven runs, four hits and three walks while recording just six outs over a combined two innings.
Barnes came in Tuesday with the game tied in the ninth, then gave up two hits, four runs and two walks to take the loss.
Cora took some blame for asking too much of the All-Star righty.
“Barnesy, right now, he's doing his best. I should probably take care of him in a sense. It's not fair, obviously,” said Cora. “He wants to do it, he's willing to do it. But it's been a grind for him lately. It was a grind for us tonight.
“For how valuable he is for us, how much we rely on him, there are certain situations that for his benefit body-wise we're better off staying away from him, giving him this entire game [off]. For us to be better, everyone has to contribute. I think it's more that than anything else. It has to be everybody.”
In a sign of how tough things are for the Red Sox these days, not even Garrett Whitlock came through on Tuesday.
Entrusted with a 4-2 lead in the seventh, the Rule 5 rookie allowed the Rays to tie it up. In 1 2/3 innings, Whitlock gave up two runs on four hits and two walks.
Whitlock entered this appearance with a 1.17 ERA, having allowed just one run in 21 2/3 innings covering his previous 13 outings.
As Xander Bogaerts informed Whitlock in the middle of his outing, the Rays ambushed him with fastballs.
“I did not learn quick enough in the outing,” Whitlock said. “I’ve got to be better about learning quicker and picking that up earlier and not just trying to force my best pitch in there. I’ve got to read hitters better and I’ve got to learn quicker in an outing, and if I’d have done that, it could have been different.”
The starting rotation, which gets Chris Sale back Saturday -- and not a minute too soon -- has been better the last four games after a brutal stretch. But it hasn’t been enough to offset everything else that has gone wrong.
“Everybody's talking about Saturday when Chris gets on the mound, but we've got games before that. We've got three more games,” Cora said. “We have a good team, but we have to keep working at what we're trying to accomplish, and get better on the field from 7 [p.m. ET] to 10:30. We've been on that roller coaster going up and down. I said it a few days ago and I'm going to keep saying it. For us to do this, we have to play a better brand of baseball.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 0:54:33 GMT -5
Jon Couture @joncouture · 3h It's almost like not having an actual first baseman is a bad thing. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 0:55:01 GMT -5
Gary M @nuggetpalooza · 5h Still no #RedSox batter not named Plawecki has gotten a hit with a runner on 3rd and less than two outs in THREE WEEKS (since July 21).
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 0:56:18 GMT -5
Jon Couture @joncouture · 3h It's been 10 years since a team in a 162-game season won at least 63 of their first 103 -- as these #RedSox did, opening 63-40 -- and missed the playoffs.
I'm gonna guess you remember which 2011 team it was.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 0:58:05 GMT -5
Jahmai Webster @websterontv · 2h Tough one to process. Matt Barnes last to leave the dugout after a lengthy conversation with J.D. Martinez. Finally heads in the clubhouse after a pat from Adam Ottavino. Sox held a 4-1 lead in this one but Tampa records its MLB leading 36th come from behind win with a 4R 9th.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 0:59:06 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 3h Cordero misjudged a foul pop by about 10 feet. No big deal, just would have been the second out with two runners on.
No error given.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 0:59:37 GMT -5
Sarah Langs @slangsonsports · 3h The Rays have now scored 63 runs in the 9th inning this season, 11 more than any other team (Astros, 52)
The Red Sox have scored 19, the 2nd-fewest in MLB, ahead of only the Rockies (17) twitter.com/MLB/status/142…
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 1:21:54 GMT -5
Lou Merloni @loumerloni · 3h Nope. Don’t need a 1B. Thanks Chaim
Sundays loss was on Taylor in the 6th. Tonight it was Whitlock in the 7th. They’ve been your best. This is a bad loss
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 1:23:20 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 3h Jonny Miller: "Can it get any worse than this, Alex?"
Alex Cora: "I hope not."
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne · 3h "We just need a good, sound game, where we can enjoy the last out, and breathe a little." -- Alex Cora.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 1:23:47 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 3h It's almost impossible to fathom how each one of these losses has been worse than the last.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 11, 2021 1:26:29 GMT -5
Matt Barnes implodes in the ninth, as Red Sox beaten again via another blown lead By Julian Benbow Globe Staff,Updated August 10, 2021, 10:42 p.m.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora is practically allergic to overreacting.
While the Sox were tumbling from the top of the AL East, dropping eight of their last 10, the Tampa Bay Rays were settling into first place, winning eight of 10. The slide since the All-Star break may have had some people’s fingers on the panic button, but Cora refused to get worked up with so much season left.
As the Rays arrived at Fenway for a three-game series, Cora didn’t see it being bigger than any other clash between the two teams.
“They’re all big, man,” Cora said. “They’re all big series. They have a good team. They’ve done an amazing job to put themselves in this situation. And we’ve done an amazing job to be in this position too.
“Coming into the season, I always said that’s the American League defending champions. And not surprisingly, they’re playing good baseball.”
They did again Tuesday, scoring the final seven runs in an 8-4 win that stretched their division lead over the Sox to a season-high five games.
The Sox have lost six straight to the Rays, four in the last two weeks. Cora was asked if it could get any worse.
“I hope not,” he said.
Having come back from 4-1 down, Tampa buried the Sox with a four-run ninth inning, most of it against closer Matt Barnes.
Called into a tie game, his fourth consecutive appearance, Randy Arozarena led off against Barnes with a double. He was able to strike out Nelson Cruz, but walked Wander Franco. Then Barnes loaded the bases by repeating the cycle — strike out Yandy Díaz, walk Austin Meadows, this time on four pitches.
Barnes put himself in a jam he couldn’t get out of. He left a 1-and-1 curveball up to Francisco Mejia, who shot it to right field for a single. It cleared the bases when right fielder Hunter Renfroe struggled to come up with the ball cleanly.
The All-Star closer is in an extended rough patch. He gave up a walk-off home run to Marcus Semien in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader in Toronto, came within inches of another to Vlad Guerrero Jr. in the second game, and gave up a game-losing three-run shot to George Springer on Sunday.
“Barney, right now, he’s doing his best,” Cora said. “Probably, I should take care of him, in a sense. It’s not fair, but he wants to do it, he’s willing to do it. But it’s been a grind for him lately and it was a grind for us tonight.”
The Rays, who added a final run off Martín Pérez after Mejia’s hit, have won five straight and 9 of 11. Boston has lost an AL-worst 11 of 14, but remained two games ahead of the Yankees for the American League’s final playoff spot when New York lost at Kansas City.
Coming home after a 10-game road trip, the Sox seemed rejuvenated when Rafael Devers delivered his 28th homer of the season in the second inning, lining a first-pitch fastball from Luis Patiño into the Rays bullpen. Lowe answered for the Rays when the inning flipped for the third, lifting Eduardo Rodriguez’s first-pitch fastball into the seats down the right-field line for his 25th.
The Sox retook the lead in the fourth. After Xander Bogaerts led off with a line-drive single to right, Devers popped foul to Díaz at third and J.D. Martinez struck out, chasing a fastball up and out of the zone.
But the Sox were able to cash in with two outs. Kevin Plawecki worked a four-pitch walk to set the table for Renfroe. Patiño left a 2-and-2 fastball over the plate and Renfroe lofted it to center field, ricocheting off the wall by the flagpole for his 19th homer and a 4-1 lead.
It wouldn’t last.
Rodriguez gave the Sox 5⅓ innings, but before he left, it was 4-2. Mike Zunino tagged him for a double to lead off the sixth, Nelson Cruz worked a one-out walk, and Wander Franco stroked an RBI single — his eighth RBI in seven career games against the Red Sox. Hirokazu Sawamura, back in the bullpen after a bout of right elbow tightness, cleaned up the inning by striking out Díaz and getting Austin Meadows to line out to left.
Rodriguez gave up two runs on four hits, with eight strikeouts and one walk. The last four games, Sox starters have been on the upswing, giving up six earned runs over 20⅓ innings for a 2.66 ERA. The bullpen, however, has given up 22 runs (21 earned) in 22 innings the past six games.
“That’s what I think is we have to get better on if we want to make it to the playoffs: Just start pitching better every time,” Rodriguez said. “Relievers, starters, I feel like we’ve got to put it together.”
Cora turned to Garrett Whitlock in the seventh, but the Rays tied it with the first runs allowed by Whitlock since July 2, ending a run of 14 scoreless innings. Manuel Margot singled with one out, and Lowe followed up with a double. Pinch-hitting for Zunino, Ji-Man Choi laced a double to center that evened it at 4.
“I did not learn quick enough in the outing,” Whitlock said. “Going into [his] second inning, gave up the first hit, and as I was walking and grabbed the ball from [Bogaerts] looked at me and told me, ‘Hey, they’re ambushing fastballs. Start mixing it up.’ ”
By then, the damage had been done, and the stage set for Tampa’s 36th come-from-behind victory of the season — two more than Boston, who led the league in that category much of the year. While the Rays keep surging, the Sox may now be at a point where they can sense the urgency.
“We’re still working hard,” Whitlock said. “We’re still grinding. It [stinks] to go through the adversity, but it’s something as a team, you go through together and you bond through it and you’re fighting for each other.
“When you let someone down, it [stinks], but at the same time you know that they have your back and you’ve got their back and you know it’s something you got to grind through together.”
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