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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 2:58:04 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Indians
Friday 27h August 2021
7pm @ Progressive Field
E-rod 9-7/5.29
Eduardo Rodriguez was hit hard in Saturday's loss to the Rangers, giving up five runs on eight hits across 3 2/3 innings. The Red Sox southpaw walked one and struck out three in the abbreviated outing. The Rangers got to him for a pair of runs in the second inning on run-scoring singles by Nick Solak and Brock Holt. They then broke it open in the fourth inning on RBI knocks from Holt, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Adolis Garcia. Rodriguez now sports a disappointing 5.19 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 148/37 K/BB ratio over 119 2/3 innings on the season.
Allen 1-5/9.13
Hot power hitters meet as Red Sox face Indians
Cleveland Indians right fielder Bradley Zimmer and Boston Red Sox first baseman Bobby Dalbec have always stood out with their physical size, but lately it's been about their impressive power.
Zimmer and Dalbec will share the same field for the first time when the Indians host the Red Sox in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night.
Zimmer, a 6-foot-5 left-handed hitter, launched a 465-foot homer into the second deck in right field on Thursday night in Cleveland's 10-6 win over the visiting Texas Rangers.
Zimmer, the 21st overall pick in the 2014 draft, drilled a 471-foot homer to straightaway center against the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 9.
"When he puts a good swing on it like he did (on Thursday), it's pretty nice to see," said Cleveland acting manager DeMarlo Hale.
Dalbec was doing his own damage on Thursday night.
The 6-4, 227-pound right-handed hitter socked two home runs and drove in a career-high seven runs in Boston's 12-2 win against the visiting Minnesota Twins.
Dalbec is hitting .347 (17-for-49) in August with five home runs and 19 RBIs, helping the Red Sox cling to the second American League wild-card spot.
"One pitch, one game at a time," Dalbec said. "I think that's the way we've got to roll the rest of the way. Not get too ahead of ourselves and not think about what's already happened."
Zimmer not only had the crowd in Cleveland buzzing with his blast into the second deck on Thursday, but his own teammates went wild.
"I just told (Zimmer), 'You've given me something that I will always remember,'" Indians designated hitter Franmil Reyes said. "I will never forget about that homer."
Hale said he turned to his coaches after the home run, some of whom have been in Cleveland longer than he has, and asked if they remember anyone hitting the ball in the second deck at Progressive Field. The only player they could recall doing so was Hall of Famer Jim Thome.
Zimmer also drove in a run with a ninth-inning single on Thursday, helping the Indians win for the fifth time in their past six games and move back over .500 for the first time since Aug. 2.
Hale was just as impressed with Zimmer's ninth-inning at-bat.
"He took what the pitcher gave him," Hale said. "I think that's a good progressive frame of mind."
Cleveland recalled Logan Allen from Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday, and the left-hander is scheduled to start the series opener against Boston.
Allen (1-5, 9.13 ERA) has made seven starts for the Indians this season, with the most recent on July 5, when he gave up five runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays. He did not get a decision in Cleveland's 9-8 loss.
Allen, an eighth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2015, made his lone appearance against Boston on Aug. 14, 2019, throwing 2 1/3 innings of shutout relief.
Eduardo Rodriguez is scheduled to start for Boston on Friday.
Rodriguez (9-7, 5.19 ERA) produced three solid starts in a row before putting up a dud in his last outing, allowing five runs and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings Saturday in a 10-1 loss to the visiting Rangers.
The left-hander is 1-0 with a 4.12 ERA in three career starts against the Indians.
--Field Level Media
Red Sox
at
Indians
Friday, at 7:10 PM EST
Partly Cloudy
According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 83° F with a 3% chance of rain and 6 MPH wind blowing right to left in Cleveland at 7:10 PM EST.
Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 3:00:15 GMT -5
Rest of series Probs
Saturday....4pm.....Eovaldi 10-8/3.72 vs Quantrill 4-2/3.04
Sunday...1pm....Houck 0-0/3.43 vs Morgan 2-6/5.98
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 3:01:15 GMT -5
Injuries & Roster Moves: Renfroe, Duran
August 26th, 2021
Keep track of the Red Sox recent transactions and injury updates throughout the season.
ROSTER MOVES
Aug. 26: OF Hunter Renfroe placed on bereavement list
Renfroe left the team Thursday ahead of the series finale vs. the Twins due to the death of a family member, manager Alex Cora said.
“Thoughts and prayers with his family of course, he’s going to be missed,” Cora said. “We don’t know yet obviously when he’s going to come back, but that’s where we’re at.”
Aug. 26: OF Jarren Duran recalled from Triple-A Worcester
The Red Sox called up Duran just two days after the outfielder was optioned to Worcester. Since making his MLB debut on July 17, Duran has two home runs and eight RBIs in 27 games for the big league club. He got the start in center field Thursday vs. Minnesota.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 3:19:06 GMT -5
Why the Red Sox have struggled to find an identity
By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated August 26, 2021, 9:17 p.m.
“Unacceptable.”
Alex Cora used the word to describe his team’s sloppy play against the Rangers after a 10-1 loss that featured five errors on Saturday. But if the manager described the Red Sox’ lapses in such absolute terms — both in addressing the team after the contest and in his postgame remarks to the media — what does it say that the mistakes continued in the following days?
The Sox remained mistake-prone in victories on Monday (against the Rangers) and Tuesday (against the Twins), then suffered an agonizing extra-inning loss to the Twins on Wednesday in which catcher Christian Vázquez failed to score from second on a two-out single because he forgot the number of outs and Alex Verdugo stood in the batter’s box to admire a ball that clanged off the Wall, then got thrown out after rounding too far from first.
“Forgetting the outs is always hard [to watch]. Not running out of the box is tough to see,” Cora said on Thursday. “We just keep pounding it, keep talking about it. For now, obviously, it’s not working 100 percent, but I do believe I’ve got a good sense, a good pulse with those situations, how to handle it.”
Cora is considered an exceptional evaluator and a great communicator. In spring training in 2018, one Red Sox official raised an eyebrow of concern about some sloppiness that had taken place at the start of camp — when the team had won just two of 10 games while committing a slew of errors — before identifying a source of reassurance.
“Alex will take care of it,” the official said.
The team won its next nine games and 14 of the next 15 to conclude spring training, then went 17-2 when games started counting to commence the winningest season in Red Sox history.
On the way to a title, there were times when Cora didn’t like how his team was playing. Sometimes, he addressed the team directly to achieve an immediate elevation of its play. More often, he could trust players to police their own conduct or to have a small group of veterans relay something that he’d communicated to them.
That comfort reflected Cora’s playing career, during which he held his teammates to a high standard in terms of their game awareness and execution. If he saw lapses in effort or attention to detail, he didn’t mind directly addressing other players.
Other Red Sox players this century — Jason Varitek, David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, Dustin Pedroia (since literally the first professional game of his career), Jonny Gomes, David Ross, and Mookie Betts — likewise helped forge championship cultures based on player accountability and personal responsibility. In their most successful times, players established or at least enforced the standards for what was and was not acceptable on the field.
During the team’s August swoon, the Sox have not been able to rely on similar internal messaging from the players. J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts organized a players-only meeting on Monday morning, at which those two and Chris Sale spoke. The theme?
“This is our group. This is who we are. We know we have got each other’s backs. We’re going to take it one day at a time and win each day,” reliever Garrett Whitlock summarized on the WEEI postgame show on Monday.
But when the team followed it just two days later with the costly misplays by Vázquez and Verdugo, there was self-recognition on the part of both about the mistakes that were made, but with little effort among the other players to reinforce the standards of acceptable play.
On one hand, that’s a bit surprising both given the recent meeting and the fact that the team prided itself at the start of the season on the quality of execution in base running, defense, and situational hitting that helped it to a spectacular start.
Through July 5, the Red Sox did a remarkable job of their execution in those finer points. One American League scout, trying to make sense of the first-place standing of a Red Sox team he saw as less talented than other AL East teams, shrugged his shoulders and arrived at what he considered an obvious conclusion to explain the team’s performance: “Cora Magic.”
Yet the performance wasn’t just “Cora Magic.” It was a reflection of a solid talent base elevated by players who had been locked in on the details and execution that make the difference in tight games.
All the same, the effort to return to that standard in the subsequent seven weeks of struggle has seemed to be primarily top-down rather than player-driven. In that regard, the Sox are not alone in how they are navigating such a period. Evaluators see in baseball a decline in player-to-player coaching, a product of a showcase era of amateur baseball where far more attention is given to developing player tools than skills.
Good teams that are together for longer periods tend to be the ones to forge player-driven cultures of accountability. But the 2021 Red Sox feature a number of players who are relatively young and others who are relatively new to the team after free agent deals, waiver claims, and trades in the last one to two years.
The chief candidates to lead aren’t in a position to establish the line. Martinez is enmeshed in his own deep struggles; his current focus is working his way out of them. Bogaerts prefers to lead by example. Sale, whose epic Game 4 World Series dugout rant altered the tone of the 2018 run to the title, is still feeling his way back and reintegrating himself.
The Red Sox are a team still rebuilding its collective competitive identity. In such a state, it’s been hard for them to create the culture to reestablish the attention to detail needed to reverse their August swoon, creating a mystifying muddle through the summer.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 3:22:04 GMT -5
Red Sox notebook
After hitting a boy in the head with a batting practice homer, the Twins’ Miguel Sanó predicted he’d go deep
By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated August 26, 2021, 8:02 p.m.
When Twins’ Miguel Sanó belted a third-inning home run off Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta on Wednesday night, it came with a special meaning.
Certainly, driving a ball 495 feet is a rare feat. In fact, it was the longest homer hit in the majors this year. But it was also something that Sanó had predicted, and it served a great purpose.
Earlier that day, Sanó slugged a home run during batting practice that hit a boy named Colton in the head. Sanó later gave Colton a bat and apologized.
“I have three kids of my own, and I don’t want to see that happen to any child,” Sanó said before Thursday night’s series finale, which the Red Sox won, 12-2. “That’s something that I check all the time.”
Sanó also promised a jersey, saying he would give Colton the jersey after he homered that night. Sure enough, Sanó belted a no-doubter. After crossing home plate, he pointed at Colton.
“What you say out your mouth is something that you keep in your head,” Sanó said. “That’s what we say in the Dominican Republic.”
The Red Sox invited the Colton and his family back for Thursday’s game, and they all took pictures with Sanó.
As for his 495-foot homer? the homer’s distance
“That was a crazy bomb,” Sanó said. “As soon as I hit it on the barrel, I said, ‘Damn, that’s a long one.’ ”
Martinez struggling
J.D. Martinez has had a forgettable second half. Since the All-Star break, the Sox slugger had hit just .242 with five home runs entering Thursday.
“He’s always been aggressive. He swings the bat,” manager Alex Cora said. “What I do believe lately is it’s been more than usual. You know, I don’t want to say he’s fighting his mechanics. But it seems like he’s chasing pitches in certain spots, and he’s not been able to drive the ball.”
Martinez still came in Thursday night’s game hitting .283, but he hasn’t been the force Sox fans are used to seeing. He’s played a lot in the outfield, too, with the team needing to get Kyle Schwarber’s bat in the lineup. Martinez had hit .250 as a left fielder this season vs. .297 as a designated hitter.
“That’s something we’ve been talking about for a while,” Cora said. “Kind of like his swing rate and chase rate is going up. Obviously, he feels like he’s such an important part of this offense that he feels the burden of, ‘Yeah, I’ve got to do my part.’ But sometimes doing your part is actually taking pitches.”
First time
Cora said Wednesday that there was a strong possibility that Schwarber would start at first base on Thursday night, but when the time came he was the designated hitter. Until the ninth inning, that is. With the game in hand, Schwarber shifted to first to get some experience … Hunter Renfroe was placed on the bereavement/family medical emergency list. The Red Sox recalled Jarren Duran from Triple A Worcester to fill the open roster spot. The Sox are uncertain when Renfroe will return. Renfroe has had a solid season, hitting .258/.316/.501 with 25 homers and an .817 OPS. He’s hit 10 homers this month to the tune of a 1.027 OPS … Danny Santana played another rehab game for the WooSox on Thursday … The 19th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon concluded Wednesday and raised more than $3.7 million for cancer treatment and research.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 3:25:03 GMT -5
Julian McWilliams
@byjulianmack
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2h
A’s lose their fifth straight game which gives the Red Sox a bit more breathing room, jumping them up to 2.5 games ahead of Oakland for the second wild card spot. Oakland’s current funk has done the Sox some good in the midst of their own struggles.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 3:37:53 GMT -5
Red Sox Notebook: Rafael Devers makes more history with 30th home run of season
Joins Ted Williams in exclusive company
By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald
PUBLISHED: August 26, 2021 at 6:32 p.m. | UPDATED: August 27, 2021 at 3:05 a.m.
If Rafael Devers and the Red Sox meet to discuss a possible contract extension this winter, the third baseman will have plenty to prove his worth. The history he made Thursday certainly won’t hurt.
With a two-run homer in the fifth inning of the Red Sox’ 12-2 win over the Twins, Devers joined more exclusive company in the budding superstar’s bright young career. It was his 30th home run of the season as he became the second player in Red Sox history to have multiple 30-homer seasons before turning 25 years old.
The other? Ted Williams, who did it three times before turning 25 (1939, ‘41, ‘42).
Devers, who hit 32 home runs in his breakout 2019 season, should easily surpass that with 33 games to go.
It’s been more than the homers that have impressed manager Alex Cora this season. Devers’ development at the plate has been on display all season long as continues to gain recognition among the other young stars of the game.
“For all his struggles the last three weeks, I see a guy that is actually maturing as a hitter, controlling the strike zone, understanding what’s going on around him on the field and the scoreboard,” Cora said. “Yeah, he’ll go through stretches where he’s very aggressive, get upset, slap helmet, but that’s the beauty of Raffy. He cares. He’s just a special player.
“Not too many people put him in the conversation of Vladdy (Guerrero Jr.), and Fernando (Tatis Jr.), and (Juan) Soto. He’s still 24, man. He led the league in extra-base hits in ’19. Now he has 30 home runs, 90-something RBIs, and he keeps getting better. It’s a pleasure watching him every night and managing him.”
Renfroe on bereavement list
Kyle Schwarber’s first start at first base had to wait at least a day, and Jarren Duran was back with the Red Sox on Thursday. But it came under unfortunate circumstances.
Hunter Renfroe had a death in his family, and will be out for an uncertain amount of time. The right fielder, who leads baseball with 10 home runs in the month of August, was placed on the bereavement/family medical emergency list. Duran, who was sent down to Worcester on Tuesday, returned to start Thursday’s series finale against the Twins.
“Thoughts and prayers with his family, of course,” Cora said. “He’s going to be missed. We don’t know yet obviously when he’s going to come back but that’s where we’re at.”
Renfroe’s absence meant Alex Verdugo was in left field with Duran in center and J.D. Martinez in left and Bobby Dalbec at first against Twins right-hander John Gant. Schwarber theoretically could have still started first, but Cora suggested the way they aligned defensively made them want to wait on putting him there.
Schwarber ultimately did make his first base debut Thursday as Cora put him there in the ninth inning of the 12-2 blowout win. Cora said Schwarber will likely start at first on Friday in Cleveland.
Schwarber has been learning first since being acquired at the trade deadline, and Cora noted Wednesday that he’s eager to make a start there.
“I’m excited, I’m ready for the challenge,” Schwarber said after Wednesday’s loss. “I feel like the work that we’ve been putting in has been pretty good. What happens happens and whenever I get in there, I’m going to give it everything I got, and I want to make the play for that guy on the mound and for the team, and just go from there and see what happens.”
Cora finding trust in Davis
Austin Davis may be flying under the radar, but the lefty reliever has quietly been very effective since being acquired by the Red Sox in the trade deadline for Michael Chavis. He threw 2 2/3 perfect innings in Wednesday’s loss to the Twins, which was critical as the Red Sox completed a comeback before ultimately falling in extras.
Davis has thrown five consecutive scoreless outings for the Red Sox, a stretch in which he’s allowed just two hits in 6 1/3 innings.
“Little by little, he has found his rhythm,” Cora said. “He has made some mechanical adjustments and I think we understand who he is and his stuff. (Wednesday) the changeup was outstanding. The fastball has been playing since Day 1 here. He did an amazing job. He’s gaining confidence. We’re gaining confidence because we have seen him more often now. We know who he is. What he did (Wednesday), it gave us a chance to win the ballgame. We’re gaining trust, little by little.”
Martinez looks for patience
Martinez slump continued Thursday as he went 0-for-5 in the win, extending his hitless streak to 20 consecutive at-bats. He’s watched his batting average drop to .280, the lowest it’s been since Opening Day.
Cora believed that Martinez needed to be less aggressive and try to work more walks. Martinez has walked just five times with 23 strikeouts in August.
“That’s something we’ve been talking about for a while,” Cora said. “His swing rate and his chase rate have been going up. Obviously he feels like he’s such an important part of this offense that he feels the burden of, ‘Yeah, I’ve got to do my part.’ But sometimes doing your part is actually taking pitches, walking and keeping the line moving. So we’ve been talking about that.”
Odds & ends
Xander Bogaerts was out of Thursday’s lineup for a regular off day and should be back Friday. Kiké Hernandez started at shortstop instead, with Christian Arroyo at second base. … Darwinzon Hernandez (oblique) is scheduled to throw another bullpen on Friday. Danny Santana (groin) started for Double-A Portland on Thursday as his rehab assignment continued. … The final fundraising total for this year’s WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon surpassed $3.7 million. Since 2002, the event has now raised more than $61 million.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 3:39:27 GMT -5
Red Sox rookie Bobby Dalbec earns a curtain call, making improvements during crunch for playing time
Recorded career-high 7 RBI in Thursday’s win
By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald
August 27, 2021 at 2:22 a.m.
Travis Shaw recently re-entered the fold and Kyle Schwarber is about to begin seeing starts at first base. One way or another, Bobby Dalbec is facing a crunch for playing time. But right now, the rookie is making it hard for Alex Cora to take him out of the lineup.
Dalbec had another career game in what’s been a torrid August stretch for him as the Red Sox beat up on the Twins with a 12-2 win on Thursday night. He blasted two home runs, recorded a career-high seven RBI and earned a curtain call, his second this season, after his second longball in the rout.
It would be natural for Dalbec to feel some urgency right now, and it would show if he was. He’s on one of the best tears of his young career, batting .347 with a 1.184 OPS, five homers and 19 RBI in 20 games this month. Coincidentally or not, it’s come after the Red Sox acquired Schwarber at the trade deadline and started having him learn how to play first base, a position he had played once before in his career.
But in the midst of an inconsistent rookie year, that’s not where Dalbec’s focus is.
“It’s not about me,” he said of his opportunities for playing time. “Whatever lineup is best suited to win the game, I’m all for it. That’s all I have to say about that.”
Cora and the Red Sox have been waiting for this version of Dalbec, who’s starting to pull the ball more. All five of his homers this month have been pulled.
“He’s been really, really good. Obviously we’re picking and choosing, we play him against lefties and certain righties. He’s doing a good job. One thing he’s doing lately, he’s pulling the ball. There were a lot of empty fly balls to right field. I know last year he was driving the ball that way, but people make adjustments and now it seems like every home run is pull side now.
“Forget the home runs. I was more happy with second and third, infield in, and the base hit up the middle, that’s what we’re looking for. Obviously the homers are great, but that was a great at-bat.”
It’s been hard for Dalbec to lay off bad pitches — he entered Thursday with a 35.9% strikeout rate — but he seems to be making significant progress at the plate this month as he continues to make adjustments to the way he’s pitched.
“Just trying to treat every pitch like it’s the best one I’m going to get in this at-bat,” Dalbec said.
If it’s not in the zone, just let it go. …
“I’m just treating every pitch like it’s the best one I’m going to get and whatever happens happens. I’m not trying to pull the ball. I’m just trying to swing at a good pitch.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 3:44:01 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox notebook: Rafael Devers’ 30th homer puts him alone on list with Ted Williams, Kyle Schwarber walks 4 times in win
Updated: 3:18 a.m. | Published: 3:18 a.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON -- Chris Sale wasn’t the only member of the Red Sox to reach rarified air Thursday night.
Rafael Devers’ two-run homer in the eighth inning of Boston’s blowout win was his 30th of the season, marking the second time he has reached the 30-home run mark in his young career. Devers became just the second Red Sox player -- joining Ted Williams -- to homer 30 times twice before turning 25. Devers hit 32 homers in 2019; Williams hit at least 30 homers in 1939, 1941 and 1942.
The feat was the latest eye-opening accomplishment for Devers, who now has 104 homers in his first 515 big-league games.
“For all his struggles the last three weeks, I see a guy that is actually maturing as a hitter,” said manager Alex Cora. “Controlling the strike zone, understanding what is going on around him, on the field and with the scoreboard. He’ll go through stretches that he’s very aggressive. He’ll get upset and slam his helmet. But that’s the beauty of Raffy. He cares. He’s just a special player. Not too many people put him in the conversation of Vladdy (Guerrero Jr.) and Fernando (Tatis Jr.) and (Juan) Soto. He’s still 24, man, and he led the league in extra-base hits in ‘19. Now he has 30 home runs, 90-something RBI and he keeps getting better.”
Devers entered Tuesday with a .222 average, just two homers and a .693 OPS in 22 August games. Cora believes he is about to end the season on a high note.
“I bet he’s about to get hot,” Cora said. “That’s a big number, obviously, and I think he’ll be able to breathe. I don’t know if he was trying to hit it but he got it out of the way and now we go to Cleveland. He likes it there.”
Schwarber walks 4 times in win
One night after hitting his first home run in a Red Sox uniform, Kyle Schwarber proved his worth in a different way. Schwarber walked four times and doubled, reaching base in all five of his plate appearances in the win.
Schwarber has now walked 12 times in 42 appearances since debuting with the Red Sox two weeks ago and owns a .571 on-base percentage in that span. He is hitting .400 with a 1.205 OPS in 10 games.
Schwarber also made his first base debut, shifting there for the ninth inning. He is expected to start at the position for the first time Friday in Cleveland.
“That was the highlight of the day, him playing first,” Cora said. “It’s just the quality of the at-bats. He’s always under control. He’s always on time so his swing decisions are quote-on-quote easy. He makes it easy on himself just getting down and seeing the ball. There were some close pitches that he doesn’t even offer.”
Cora believes putting Schwarber in the No. 2 spot in the lineup -- as well as Kiké Hernández’s penchant for reaching base in recent weeks -- has quickly improved the club’s entire lineup.
“We’re getting there,” Cora said. “One of the things that’s cool to hear is Kyle’s at-bat. Everyone’s like, ‘Wow, he’s not chasing, he’s taking his walks.’ You start seeing taking pitches, fouling off pitches and getting walks.
“It’s good to move the line, keep the line moving, get to the bullpen and put pressure on people early on,” he added. “He’s doing that. Enrique is doing the same thing. That’s a good sign. We’re getting there.”
Bogaerts rests, Schwarber’s first 1B start likely Friday
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts had the day off Thursday after feeling some cramping late in Wednesday’s game. Hernández made a rare start at shortstop in his place.
Bogaerts will likely be back in the lineup at shortstop Friday against the Indians, Cora said. Devers is slated to be the designated hitter with Schwarber making his first start at first base.
Martinez’s slump continues
Though the Red Sox plated 12 runs on nine hits Thursday night, J.D. Martinez’s struggles continued. He was 0-for-5 with two strikeouts and left seven men on base, though a run did score when he grounded into a double play in the sixth.
In his last nine games, Martinez has hit .114 (4-for-35) with one extra-base hit and two walks. He has struck out 12 times.
“With J.D., it’s always interesting because he is always being aggressive,” Cora said. “He swings the bat. But I do believe, lately, it has been more than usual. I don’t want to say he’s fighting his mechanics, but it seems like he’s facing pitches in certain spots and he’s not being able to drive the ball. Sometimes, you get out of slumps or mini-slumps, swinging. Sometimes, it should be the other way around. Recognize what they’re doing, who you are, because at the end of the day it doesn’t matter if he’s hot or not, they’re not going to go right after him. Hit a few line drives to right field, take a few walks and get locked in.
“He feels like he’s such an important part of this offense that he feels the burden of ‘Yeah, I’ve got to do my part,’” Cora continued. “Sometimes, doing your part is actually taking your pitches, walking and keeping the line moving. We’ve been talking about that.”
Davis gaining trust in pen
Lefty Austin Davis might be in for a more important role in Boston’s bullpen in the coming weeks. Since being acquired from the Pirates at the trade deadline, the southpaw owns a 3.27 ERA and 1.62 FIP while striking out 13 batters in 11 innings.
Davis’ 2 ⅔ scoreless innings Wednesday were eye-opening, Cora said.
“Little by little, he has found his rhythm,” Cora said. “He has made some mechanical adjustments and I think we understand who he is and his stuff. Yesterday, the changeup was outstanding. The fastball has been playing since Day 1 here. He did an amazing job. He’s gaining confidence and we’re gaining confidence because we see him more often now. We know who he is.”
Injury updates
* Lefty Darwinzon Hernandez (right oblique strain) threw a bullpen Wednesday and is slated to throw another one Friday, Cora said. The next step after that would be facing hitters. Hernandez last pitched July 29.
* Reliever Ryan Brasier (concussion) tossed a scoreless inning for Double-A Portland on Thursday night, allowing a hit and recording a strikeout. Brasier, who also pitched Tuesday for Portland, has now made seven rehab appearances since Aug. 10. He could be activated soon.
* Infielder/outfielder Danny Santana (left groin strain) was 1-for-3 with an RBI and two strikeouts Thursday for Portland. His timetable for a return is unknown.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 3:47:33 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats
@redsoxstats
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7h
The Red Sox bullpen is 6th best in the league at stranding inherited runners, they have done a good job helping out the starters. All the main guys have got the job done, with league average at 35% scoring.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 9:11:04 GMT -5
Kyle Schwarber's introduction to the Red Sox has been historic
By Rob Bradford
32 minutes ago
The optimists kept pointing to that 2016 postseason, when Kyle Schwarber appeared seemingly out of nowhere after what was thought to be a season-ending knee injury to pop up and hit .412 in the World Series.
He could hit the ground running during that scenario, then certainly rediscovering his groove after 1 1/2 months off due to a hamstring injury would't be a problem.
But what the Red Sox have gotten from Schwarber through his first 10 games has to be considered above and beyond most expectations. It has become historic.
"It's just the quality of the at-bats," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora of his new No. 2 hitter. "He's always under control. He's so tight and he's always on time, his swing decisions are quote-unquote easy. He makes it easy on himself just getting down and seeing the ball. There were some close pitches and he doesn't even offer."
After 42 plate appearances, he is hitting .400 with a 1.205 OPS with 12 walks and 12 hits.
To top things off, it appears Schwarber is now ready to man first base, with the veteran playing his second career inning at the position in the ninth inning Thursday night.
It's the kind of fit the Red Sox were hoping for.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 9:12:09 GMT -5
How Bobby Dalbec became part of the solution
By Rob Bradford
an hour ago
Remember when the trade deadline came and went with the Red Sox only answer to their first base conundrum coming in the form of a player, Kyle Schwarber, who had never played the position?
My, how that conversation has changed. For that, the Red Sox can in large part thank Bobby Dalbec.
If you remember, most of the screaming and yelling revolved around the swing-and-a-miss when it came to allowing Anthony Rizzo to land with the Yankees. (The first baseman's clutch performance against the Red Sox didn't help temper such anxiety.) And, make no mistake about it, Rizzo clearly represented the right guy at the right time, with New York now having gone 14-1 in games he has played.
But after watching Dalbec's two-home run, seven-RBI game Thursday night against the Twins, it seems like a reasonable time to check in on the reality of the Red Sox' first base situation.
Schwarber finally did play his second career inning at first base in the ninth in the Sox' latest win, and figures to be steadily integrated into the position throughout the coming road trip. But, fortunately for the Red Sox, there is no rush.
First off, Travis Shaw has delivered a nice left-handed-hitting first base complement, already hitting a pair of home runs in his first 12 plate appearances. But most notably there has been the new-and-improved Dalbec.
The numbers don't lie ...
- He became only the sixth major leaguer ever with two-plus HR and seven-plus RBI in a game as the No. 9 hitter, and the first for the Red Sox since Jackie Bradley Jr. did it on Aug. 15, 2015.
- Other than Schwarber, there hasn't been a better Red Sox hitter in August, with Dalbec managing a .347 batting and 1.184 OPS in the month.
- Against right-handed pitching in August, Dalbec has gone 10-for-25 with five homers and just five strikeouts. During that time his swing-and-miss rate against breaking balls from righties has dipped from 63 percent in July to 27 percent this month.
- And, to top things off, after his hot start, Rizzo is hitting just .204 with a .707 OPS with the Yankees.
"He's been really, really good," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora after the Red Sox' latest win. "Obviously, we're picking and choosing, we play him against lefties and certain righties. He's doing a good job. One thing he's doing lately, he's pulling the ball. There were a lot of empty fly balls to right field. I know last year he was driving the ball that way, but people make adjustments and now it seems like every home run is pull-side now. Forget the home runs. I was more happy with second and third, infield in, and the base hit up the middle, that's what we're looking for. Obviously, the homers are great, but that was a great at-bat. He made a nice play at first base. All around, pretty solid. It was good to see."
“Oh, it was awesome," Dalbec said of his curtain call. "Crazy feeling. Just something you dream about as a kid.”
And now the Red Sox dream of not fretting about first base is seemingly becoming a reality.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 9:31:23 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes
@soxnotes
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30m
Kyle Schwarber's .571 OBP is the highest in Red Sox history by a player over his first 10 games with the team (min. 20 PA).
His 24 times on base are tied for 2nd most through a player's first 10 games with the Sox, behind only Charlie Hemphill (27 in 1901).
h/t @eliassports
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 13:08:29 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs. Cleveland Indians preview: TV schedule, pitching probables, key stories, how to watch (Aug. 27-29)
Updated: 1:16 p.m. | Published: 12:58 p.m.
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
CLEVELAND — The Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians will meet for the first time this season when they play three games at Progressive Field starting Friday.
This is the beginning of a crucial seven-game road trip for Boston to Cleveland and Tampa Bay. The Red Sox play four games against the AL East-leading Rays beginning Monday.
Boston is 10-13 in August.
Boston Red Sox (73-56) vs. Cleveland Indians (63-62) · Progressive Field · Cleveland, Ohio
SERIES SCHEDULE (and TV information):
Friday, Aug. 27, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN
Saturday, August 28, 4:05 p.m. ET -- NESN, FS1
Sunday. August 29, 1:10 p.m. ET -- NESN
HOW TO WATCH:
Friday, Aug. 27, 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: Watch NESN Live, fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)
Saturday, Aug. 28, 4:05 p.m. ET -- NESN, FS1 (Channel finder: Comcast Xfinity, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV, Dish, AT&T U verse, fuboTV and Sling) · Live stream: Watch NESN Live, fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)
Sunday, August 29, 1:10 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: Watch NESN Live, fuboTV, MLB.tv (out of market)
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT:
The Cleveland Indians — who will change their name to the Cleveland Guardians next season — are six games over .500 (34-28) at Progressive Field. They have gone 12-12 this month.
Cleveland ranks 19th in the majors in OPS (.714) and tied for 18th in runs (556). It is ranked 24th in the big leagues in starter ERA (5.00) and sixth in reliever ERA (3.58).
All-Star third baseman Jose Ramirez is batting .258 with a .344 on-base percentage, .541 slugging percentage, .885 OPS, 29 homers, 26 doubles, four triples, 84 runs, 80 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 116 games.
Franmil Reyes, a 26-year-old DH/outfielder, is batting .256 with a .324 on-base percentage, .538 slugging percentage, .862 OPS, 23 homers, 13 doubles, two triples, 43 runs and 64 RBIs in 82 games — but he has a 31% strikeout percentage.
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Friday, 7:10 p.m. ET — LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-7, 5.19 ERA) vs. LHP Logan Allen (1-5, 9.13 ERA)
Saturday, 4:05 p.m. ET — RHP Nathan Eovaldi (10-8, 3.72 ERA) vs. RHP Cal Quantrill (4-2, 3.04 ERA)
Sunday, 1:10 p.m. ET — TBD vs. RHP Eli Morgan (2-6, 5.98 ERA)
THREE SOX TO WATCH:
1. Eduardo Rodriguez
The lefty had arguably his worst start of the season in his last outing. He lasted only 3 ⅔ innings against a Rangers lineup that entered with a .162 batting average, .222 on-base percentage, .262 slugging percentage, .484 OPS and 1.7 runs per game in its previous 17 road games.
2. Kyle Schwarber
Schwarber is expected to make his first start at first base this weekend. He is .400 (12-for-30) with a homer, four doubles, 12 walks and 1.205 OPS in 10 games for Boston.
3. Matt Barnes (and the closer situation)
Matt Barnes pitched in a low-leverage spot Thursday. He threw a scoreless ninth in Boston’s 12-2 win over the Twins but he hit a batter, walked another batter and threw a wild pitch. Who will Alex Cora use to close games out in Cleveland if there are save situations?
SERIES NOTES:
Cleveland starter Cal Quantrill has a 1.45 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in five starts during August. He tossed 7 shutout innings against the Angels last Sunday.
The Red Sox will face Indians starter Logan Allen on Friday. Boston drafted him in the eighth round in 2015 and sent him to San Diego about six months later in the Craig Kimbrel trade.
Three Red Sox have faced Quantrill. Kyle Schwarber is 1-for-5 with a homer. Alex Verdugo is 2-for-2 with a double. Kiké Hernández is 1-for-2.
Eli Morgan, who starts for Cleveland on Sunday, is a rookie. The 25-year-old was a 2017 eighth-round draft pick out of Gonzaga. He’s 2-6 with a 5.98 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 4.94 FIP in 12 starts. He’s averaging 2.1 walks and 8.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie is as lanky as Chris Sale. He’s 6-foot-5, 165 pounds. Chris Sale is 6-foot-6, 183 pounds.
Wilson Ramos is 7-for-21 (.333) with three doubles and four RBIs in his career vs. Nathan Eovaldi, who starts Saturday. Jose Ramirez and Franmil Reyes both have homered against Rodriguez, who starts Friday.
The Red Sox are 10-13 in August but they have outscored their opponents 127-114.
UP NEXT:
Mon. 8/30 - Thu. 9/2 -- @ Rays (4)
Fri. 9/3 - Sun. 9/5 -- vs. Indians (3)
Mon. 9/6 - Wed. 9/8 -- vs. Rays (3)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Aug 27, 2021 13:13:55 GMT -5
Christopher Smith @smittyonmlb
34m
Tonight and Sunday feel like need-to-get wins for the Red Sox because Saturday is going to be tough. Cleveland starter Cal Quantrill has a 1.45 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 5 starts during August. He tossed 7 shutout innings vs. the Angels last Sunday and Cleveland bullpen is good
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