Rays @ Red Sox Game Thread/ 6th-8th September 2021

E-Rod has down night in loss to Tampa Bay
1:42 AM ADT
Ian Browne



Sep 7, 2021

BOSTON -- If ever there was a night the Red Sox needed their starting pitcher to set the tone, it was Tuesday, one day after an early six-run lead melted away amid a series of defensive miscues.

Eduardo Rodriguez was not up to the task. The lefty, who proclaimed his most recent start his best of the season, followed with one of his most disappointing.

Facing the same opponent -- the ultra-tough Tampa Bay Rays -- the lefty got hammered as the Red Sox suffered a 12-7 defeat, their third in a row since starting September with four straight wins.


Lasting just 3 2/3 innings, Rodriguez (11-8, 5.15 ERA) was belted around for six runs on eight hits, including a pair of monster home runs. This, after firing six scoreless innings at Tropicana Field against the Rays six days ago.

“I feel like they just made an adjustment,” Rodriguez said. “They were aggressive in all their at-bats. I feel like they were looking for one certain pitch, they got it, and they hit it. That’s the way that it is.”

It is hard to shut down an elite team like the Rays -- who have an 88-51 record, which is far and away the best in the American League -- twice in one week.

The reality of that didn’t make Tuesday’s result any easier to stomach for Rodriguez and the Red Sox. Not at this point of the season.

“It’s kind of hard, you know? This is the time that we really need to step it up as starting pitchers, win every game, because we’re now in the chase to the postseason,” said Rodriguez. “It feels really hard to lose the game today, especially a game that I started. So that's the way I see it. You’ve got to go out there and win every game the rest of the way. It was kind of hard for me today.”

The postseason race Rodriguez mentioned seems to be getting tighter by the day.

For the third straight day, the Red Sox could have leap-frogged the struggling Yankees (78-60) for the top spot in the AL Wild Card standings, but they missed that opportunity.

Then there are the red-hot Blue Jays, who have won eight out of 10 and five in a row to bring them within two games of Boston for the second AL Wild Card spot. However, the race is even tighter than that in reality. Toronto (75-62) is tied with the 79-62 Sox in the loss column.

With 21 games to go, the Red Sox know that they can’t let this mini-slide turn into a prolonged one.

The first goal will be to salvage the finale against the Rays before heading on the road to play two contending teams in the White Sox and Mariners.

“Every game counts,” Rodriguez said. “Tomorrow, the next series -- every game counts from now on. So we're gonna go out there and [try to] win tomorrow and start winning every game, every series we play. That's the way it is the rest of the season for us.”

The Red Sox will have a better chance of reaching the postseason if E-Rod can escape a season-long pattern that has gone something like this: Up, down, up, down, up, down.

“I feel like the first half was kind of that way -- all over the place and all that,” said Rodriguez. “I feel like the second half is getting better every start. I feel like that right now. I feel like today was just one of those days that I was throwing the pitches they were looking for and they hit it. That’s the way I see it.”

There has been some incremental progress for Rodriguez. Prior to the All-Star break, he had a 5.52 ERA in 17 starts. Since the break, he has a 4.44 ERA in 10 starts. He likely has four more turns in the rotation before the regular season ends on Oct. 3.


The Red Sox have a few more days to get Rodriguez on track. His next start will come either Sunday in Chicago or Monday in Seattle.

The more immediate task for manager Alex Cora’s team is to find a way to leave Boston on a good note on Wednesday and have a happy flight to Chicago.

“Every loss matters. Every loss hurts,” said catcher Christian Vázquez. “It sucks, but we need to come tomorrow to the field and win tomorrow and get back on track, go to the road and keep playing better and better.”

Red Sox notebook
José Iglesias finds inspiration in his return to the Red Sox
By Alex Speier Globe Staff,Updated September 7, 2021, 10:26 p.m.

José Iglesias cracked a grin as he sat down in the home dugout at Fenway Park on Tuesday afternoon.

He was more than eight years and 3,000 big league at-bats from his initial big league run in Boston from 2011-13 — a stretch that came to an end when he was dealt at the 2013 trade deadline in a three-way deal that netted the championship-bound Red Sox Jake Peavy.

Yet despite the distance of time, the surroundings still felt familiar, as did the team for whom he was once again playing.

Iglesias, who was released by the Angels last week, signed with the Red Sox on Monday morning. In so doing, he rejoined the team with whom he began his professional career in 2009 after defecting from Cuba.


“It’s special,” said Iglesias, now 31. “I’m very happy to be back where I call home, the organization that got me to where I’m at today.”

Iglesias — who won’t be eligible for the postseason because he joined the Red Sox after Aug. 31 — was having an uninspiring season with the Angels. He hit .259/.295/.375 in 114 games. He was released in what he characterized as a “mutual agreement” with the Angels.

“It was time for me to go and help someone else and get at-bats,” said Iglesias. “I feel great. I’m in the best moment of my career. I feel like I can help someone else.”

That someone became the Red Sox, who are navigating a desperate middle infield shortage. Though Kiké Hernández returned from the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, he’ll chiefly play center field. Meanwhile, the team’s three primary middle infield options (Xander Bogaerts, Christian Arroyo, and Yairo Muñoz) are on the COVID-19 list, creating an opening for a player known for his defensive artistry.


That said, at least one public defensive metric — Defensive Runs Saved — pegged him as the worst defensive shortstop in baseball (21 runs below average) this year. While other defensive metrics had him as slightly below average, Iglesias suggested that he expected an overall uptick in his performance with a change of scenery and a return to a pennant race.


“I like to play for something,” said Iglesias. “The numbers are not there. Not to find excuses, but energy has a lot to do with it. For me, I’m not concerned at all [about the bad defensive numbers]. Zero concern about my defense or my stats on defense. It’s something I definitely have to improve number-wise. But I know it’s all about energy for me.”

Iglesias started at short for the second straight game Tuesday and batted eighth, going 1 for 4 in the 12-7 loss. As players return, he’ll fill in at short, second, and third.

“I told [manager Alex Cora], I’m here to help the team — catcher, first base, it doesn’t matter,” said Iglesias. “Playing for an organization like this, putting on a uniform like this, getting to play with players like I have in this organization, it’s a big responsibility for me to represent such a great organization. I don’t take it for granted.”
Center stage

Hernández, who spent 10 days in a Cleveland hotel after testing positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 27, was activated and inserted into the lineup as the leadoff hitter and center fielder.

“It felt a lot longer than 10 days. The first day and a half was pretty miserable and then after that the symptoms kind of drifted away,” said Hernández, who went 0 for 5. “I’m glad that I was vaccinated because this thing got me pretty good for a day and a half. I’ve heard from some other people not just in baseball but throughout this whole thing that have felt symptoms for way more than a day and a half.”


While Hernández might see some time at second base, Cora plans to use him primarily in center, Alex Verdugo in left, and Hunter Renfroe in right to anchor an outfield defense that has endured a rash of misplays in recent weeks.

“Kiké's going to play a lot of center field,” said Cora. “I do believe those three together are a special unit and they can help us win ballgames.”
Pivetta tests positive

Pitcher Nick Pivetta, who was scratched from his start and placed on the COVID-19 injured list Sunday, tested positive Tuesday. It is a breakthrough infection that, to date, is asymptomatic.

Cora said that the Red Sox will “make adjustments” to their rotation as necessary, though he left open the possibility that Pivetta may be able to return as soon as the weekend series against the White Sox. Some vaccinated, asymptomatic individuals have returned from the COVID-IL in fewer than 10 days.

If Pivetta can’t start, Triple A WooSox righthanders Kutter Crawford (who made his big league debut Sunday) and Connor Seabold would be options.


The Sox are hopeful Bogaerts can be activated Friday, when he’s first eligible to come off the COVID list. Arroyo, however, may miss more than 10 days given the severity of his COVID symptoms.

With Hernández and Danny Santana activated off the COVID list Tuesday, the Sox designated infielder Taylor Motter for assignment and optioned Franchy Cordero to Worcester. Motter, whom the Red Sox claimed off waivers from the Rockies last week, was 2 for 6 in three games with the Sox.
On his way back

Lefthander Darwinzon Hernandez, out since July 31 with an oblique strain, joined Triple A Worcester on a minor league rehab assignment. Cora said Hernandez (2-2, 3.44 ERA) might pitch again Wednesday in Worcester.

The absence of the power lefty has left a notable hole in the Sox bullpen. Though his command is inconsistent, Hernandez has struck out 29.9 percent of the batters he’s faced this year (second highest on the Sox), while holding hitters to a .200 average.

Eduardo Rodriguez’s roller-coaster season continues as Red Sox fall to Rays again
Sox give up five homers in 12-7 loss


By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald
PUBLISHED: September 7, 2021 at 10:17 p.m. | UPDATED: September 7, 2021 at 11:22 p.m.

It was just five days ago when Eduardo Rodriguez produced what he described as his best start of the season, spinning six shutout innings against the Rays to complete a satisfying road trip for the COVID-ravaged Red Sox.

The Red Sox were hoping for a similar pick-me-up performance from him Tuesday, a day after a dismal and gut-punching loss to the Rays. But in what’s become the story of his season, it went the other way for the left-hander.

After they blew a big lead in brutal fashion on Monday, the Red Sox didn’t respond and fell even flatter. Rodriguez’s roller-coaster season continued with an ugly performance, and the Rays took an extended batting practice on Tuesday night at Fenway Park, clobbering five home runs en route to handing the Red Sox a 12-7 loss.

“Every loss matters,” said Christian Vazquez. “Every loss hurts. It sucks but we need to come (Wednesday) to the field and win (Wednesday) and get back on track.”

The Red Sox (79-62) let another opportunity slip to move ahead of the struggling Yankees, who lost again. They remain a half-game back of the Yankees, but just two games up on the surging Blue Jays for the second wild-card spot. With 20 games left, the implications of each loss is only growing on the Red Sox, and they know it.

“This is the time that we really need to step it up as starting pitchers, win every game, because we’re now in the chase to the postseason,” said Rodriguez, who gave up two homers and six runs in 3 2/3 innings on Tuesday night. “It feels really hard to lose the game today, especially a game that I started. So that’s the way I see it. You’ve got to go out there and win every game the rest of the way. It was kind of hard for me today.”

The Rays made the necessary adjustments against Rodriguez after seeing him for the fourth time this season and second in the last week. But the Sox got off to an ugly start due to more underwhelming defense, a day after two errors in the outfield led to their demise.

With Kiké Hernández back from the COVID IL, Alex Verdugo moved to left field but his struggles continued in the second when he misjudged Jordan Luplow’s fly ball at the base of the Monster and it rolled away for a double. Manuel Margot followed with a rocket off the wall for an RBI double before the defense issues carried to right. Two batters later, with two on, Mike Zunino’s fly ball down the right field line escaped Hunter Renfroe’s glove and landed in fair territory, and Renfroe stopped before realizing it. Two runs scored on the triple.

But Rodriguez ultimately couldn’t blame his defense for this one. Trailing just 3-1, he let the game get away in the third. He surrendered a two-strike double to Randy Arozarena before losing a full-count battle to Nelson Cruz, who hammered a cutter for a mammoth 410-foot shot to the triangle.

An inning later, Mike Zunino took him deep to make it 6-1 and Rodriguez’s night was over soon enough after giving up eight hits, most of them hard contact.

“He wasn’t able to put them away,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “They cover the bottom part of the strike zone, they put some good swings on it. … Nelson has a 3-1 changeup, he swings and misses. Actually he dotted that cutter down and away and he covered it. I think that was the whole thing. Two-strike hits, two-strike damage and it happened fast, too.”

Said Rodriguez: “​I feel like they were looking for one certain pitch, they got it, and they hit it. That’s the way that it is.”

The Rays weren’t finished as they took a 12-1 lead behind three more homers, including another each from Cruz and Zunino as they became the second visiting duo ever at Fenway to hit two or more homers and produce four or more RBI in one game, joining Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in 1961.

The Red Sox hit three homers, including two by Bobby Dalbec, over the final two innings, but it only delayed the inevitable after another disappointing effort from Rodriguez.

After missing 2020 due to myocarditis, Rodriguez has made almost all of his starts this season and shown flashes of what he had in 2019, but hasn’t been consistent enough. His ERA sits at 5.15, and even though he feels like his stuff has been there, the results haven’t.

“I feel like the first half was kind of that way, all over the place and all that,” Rodriguez said. “I feel like the second half is getting better every start. I feel like that right now. I feel like today was just one of those days that I was throwing the pitches they were looking for and they hit it. That’s the way I see it.”

Rays @ Red Sox
8th September 2021
7pm @ Fenway



McClanahan 9-5/3.76

Shane McClanahan yielded four runs over five innings on Thursday in a loss to the Red Sox. McClanahan recorded eight strikeouts and only issued a pair of walks. He was tagged for eight hits, but none of them went for extra bases in this one. He induced 19 swinging strikes and finished with a 36 percent CSW (called strikes plus whiffs). The hard-throwing 24-year-old lefty has quietly allowed three earned runs or fewer in 18 of his 21 starts this season. He'll carry a respectable 3.76 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 125/33 K/BB ratio across 105 1/3 innings (21 starts) into a rematch against the Red Sox on Wednesday evening at Fenway Park.

Eovaldi 10-8/3.73

Nathan Eovaldi allowed three runs over 6 1/3 innings and struck out nine Friday against the Indians. Eovaldi had a 3-1 lead going into the seventh before giving up a two-run homer to Austin Hedges. He was then pulled after an infield single. and he ended up taking his third straight no-decision. While Eovaldi was pretty fortunate in the wins department early on, that hasn't been the case lately, he's won just one of his last 10 starts, even though he has a decent 4.27 ERA during that span.



Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at 7:10pm EDT
Written by Nathaniel Reeves

AL East rivals will finish up a three-game series on Wednesday night when the Tampa Bay Rays visit the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Tampa Bay is going for the sweep after taking the first two games of the set, including a 12-7 victory on Tuesday to cash in at -105 odds. The Rays are cruising to an AL East title at 88-51, while Boston is barely holding on to the second Wild Card with a record of 79-62.

This will close out the 2021 regular season series between these divisional foes, with Tampa Bay leading 10-7 so far.

Rays offense keeps mashing in another win
The Rays are making their case as MLB's best team with a 17-4 record over their last 21 games, and they have now piled up 23 runs in the first two games of the series in Boston after scoring early and often Tuesday. Mike Zunino put the Rays up 3-0 with a two-run triple in the top of the second before later slugging two solo shots, while Nelson Cruz also went deep twice as the Rays were in total control with a 7-0 lead through five innings.

Starter Drew Rasmussen was also effective, allowing one run on six hits and no walks across five innings while striking out two to pick up the win. Cruz finished 4-5 with four RBI and three runs scored, while Jordan Luplow had three hits including a three-run homer.

The Rays have been a fantastic team to gamble on at 79-58 against the spread while being up a huge amount on the money line. Overs are 76-57-4 for the Rays, with each of their last four games going over the betting total.

Tampa Bay has consistently been one of the best offenses in baseball throughout the season with an average of 5.39 runs per game to lead the Majors in addition to posting a 0.745 team OPS. The Rays pitching staff is just outside the top 10 with a 3.73 collective ERA backed by a 3.35 K/BB ratio as a staff, also the best in baseball.

Impressive rookie Shane McClanahan will get the ball to close out the series, looking to continue a stellar debut season that has seen him go 9-5 with a 3.76 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 105.1 innings. The hard-throwing 24-year-old struggled in this matchup against the Red Sox last Thursday, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings while racking up eight strikeouts. Brandon Lowe is having a monster season to lead the deep Rays offense with an 0.840 OPS, 33 homers and 82 RBI.

First baseman Ji-Man Choi is getting close to returning from a strained hamstring, while outfielder Brett Phillips is dealing with a sprained ankle. Ace Tyler Glasnow is the big name on the Rays injury report after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August, while Yonny Chirinos is recovering from the same procedure. A whopping 12 Rays relievers are on the IL, including some key arms like Nick Anderson (partially torn UCL), Matt Wisler (finger inflammation), Ryan Thompson (shoulder inflammation), and Jeffrey Springs (sprained knee).

Red Sox lead in AL Wild Card race continues to shrink
It's been a tough second half for the Red Sox as they've gone from AL East leaders to barely hanging on to a Wild Card spot all while currently dealing with a huge COVID outbreak, and they struggled again in a blowout loss Tuesday night. Christian Vazquez got Boston on the board in the second with an RBI groundout, but the Red Sox wouldn't score again until Bobby Dalbec and Danny Santana homered in the eighth with the game already well out of reach.

Starter Eduardo Rodriguez's hot streak came to an end, as he was tagged for six runs on eight hits while striking out three in just 3.2 innings of work. Dalbec added a second two-run homer in the ninth off the bench, while Alex Verdugo added three hits.

Boston has not been as good against the spread at 69-71, yet remains up slightly on the money line for the season despite the recent slide. Overs are 63-72-5 for the Red Sox, with each of their last three games going over the betting total.

The Red Sox have enjoyed a strong year at the plate with an average of 5.06 runs per game with a 0.774 team OPS, third-best in all of baseball. A much-improved pitching staff has been the key to Boston's turnaround this season, although it has slumped recently to drop its overall numbers to a 4.35 collective ERA including a mark of 4.55 from the starting rotation.

Nathan Eovaldi, who will get the start on Wednesday night, has been Boston's best starter overall this season with a 10-6 record, 3.71 ERA and 163 strikeouts in 156.2 innings. The 31-year-old turned in a quality start against the Cleveland Indians last Friday, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks in 6.1 innings while striking out nine. Rafael Devers is having a terrific season to lead the prolific Red Sox offense with a 0.894 OPS, 33 homers and 101 RBI.

The big story surrounding the Red Sox recently has been a COVID outbreak, and while players are slowly returning, shortstop Xander Bogaerts, infielder Christian Arroyo, outfielder Jarren Duran, starting pitcher Nick Pivetta, closer Matt Barnes, reliever Martin Perez and reliever Hirokazu Sawamura are all in protocol. Boston isn't dealing with too many injuries otherwise, although relievers Darwinzon Hernandez (strained oblique) and Eduard Bazardo (strained lat) are on the IL.

Rays
at
Red Sox
Wednesday, at 7:10 PM EST
Clear
According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 74° F with a 0% chance of precipitation and 14 MPH wind blowing out in Boston at 7:10 PM EST.
Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io