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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 10, 2021 16:24:28 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 19m Alex Cora confirms #RedSox pitcher Chris Sale has tested positive for COVID-19. He will be placed on the reserve list.
Kaleb Ort will be active for tonight at the White Sox.
Cora said Martin Perez is expected to throw a bullpen at Triple-A Worcester today. He has cleared COVID protocols. #RedSox
Cora on social distancing/COVID protocols -- 'When you're in the middle of September it should be fun.'
'Where we are right now, we have to take care of the group.'
'That's why sometimes you see the dugout so empty.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 10, 2021 16:25:04 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 13m Cora on Hunter Renfroe's comments Thursday:
'I can tell you from personal experience I feel very comfortable with the way we're doing things.'
'I feel very safe with the way we do things here.'
'We take pride not only in the competitive side, but in the personal side.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 10, 2021 16:26:11 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 12m Cora said several #RedSox players were staying at a hotel near Fenway Park last week. They were isolating from family members in case they were exposed to the team-wide COVID-19 outbreak.
Cora on frequency of #RedSox COVID testing -- 'I can tell you the way we get treated is the same way we've been treated since Feb. 9.'
Cora on Sale's positive COVID test -- 'We get tested so many times -- rapid tests and PCRs and all that -- I don't know which one it was.'
Cora said he arrived at Fenway Park at 3:30 pm on Thursday for a 4 pm bus to the airport. Sale was not there. He had been sent home. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 10, 2021 16:27:51 GMT -5
eplying to @billkoch25 Xander Bogaerts (COVID-19), Darwinzon Hernandez (oblique) activated along with Ort.
Austin Davis (paternity list), Jonathan Arauz (optioned the Triple-A Worcester) are the other roster moves today. #RedSox
Cora said the #RedSox still hope Nick Pivetta can join the team in Chicago and start Sunday's game.
Cora on starting pitching candidates for Saturday -- 'There are a few guys on the taxi squad here who can help us tomorrow.'
Connor Seabold is the lone starting pitcher who made the trip. #RedSox
Cora said Matt Barnes and Hirokazu Sawamura are throwing bullpens today. They have both cleared COVID protocols and could be activated soon.
'We've got to look out for their health. Also, we have to take care of the club.'
'They're not going to be active today.' #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 10, 2021 16:33:44 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 20m Cora on whether MLB asked Sox to stop testing: ‘I get tested whenever I feel like it. The family does the same thing. I’ll leave it at that…I live in a very comfortable environment here.’
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 10, 2021 16:42:51 GMT -5
Jason Mastrodonato @jmastrodonato · 38m Red Sox make some roster moves:
Xander Bogaerts, Darwinzon Hernandez and Kaleb Ort added to the big league roster. Austin Davis to the paternity list, Jonathan Arauz to AAA, Chris Sale to the COVID list.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Sept 10, 2021 17:32:15 GMT -5
Jason Mastrodonato @jmastrodonato · 38m Red Sox make some roster moves:
Xander Bogaerts, Darwinzon Hernandez and Kaleb Ort added to the big league roster. Austin Davis to the paternity list, Jonathan Arauz to AAA, Chris Sale to the COVID list. Arauz did a fine job for us.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 11, 2021 2:00:20 GMT -5
Red Sox Select Kaleb Ort
By Anthony Franco | September 10, 2021 at 6:34pm CDT
The Red Sox announced a series of roster moves before this evening’s game against the White Sox. As expected, shortstop Xander Bogaerts has been reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list. Hard-throwing reliever Darwinzon Hernández has been activated from the 10-day IL, while the club selected fellow bullpen arm Kaleb Ort. In corresponding moves, starter Chris Sale was placed on the COVID-19 IL after testing positive for the virus and reliever Austin Davis was placed on the paternity list. Additionally, infielder Jonathan Araúz has been placed on the COVID IL. He’s experiencing virus-like symptoms but has continued to test negative, relays Chris Cotillo of MassLive (Twitter link).
Ort is up to make his major league debut. The right-hander went undrafted out of Aquinas College in 2016. He signed with the Diamondbacks but was released not long after and then latched on with the Yankees. Ort spent the past few seasons in the New York system, but the Red Sox added him in the minor league phase of last offseason’s Rule 5 draft.
Assigned to Worcester, Ort has pitched well at the minors’ top level to earn the call. The 29-year-old has worked 43 1/3 innings of 3.12 ERA ball with the WooSox, striking out a very strong 30.4% of batters faced. Ort has had issues with his control throughout his pro career, but his 10.3% walk rate this season is only marginally above the league average for relievers.
Hernández is back after missing a little more than five weeks with a right oblique strain. The southpaw has a 3.44 ERA in 34 frames of relief despite an elevated 16.9% walk percentage. That’s largely thanks to his quality 29.9% strikeout rate, a continuation of Hernández’s lofty punch out and walk totals throughout his big league career.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 11, 2021 2:05:45 GMT -5
Rally falls short, Red Sox stay put in WC race 2:57 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
CHICAGO -- As a booming fireworks display lit up the sky at Guaranteed Rate Field late Friday night, it was a reminder of sorts that the Red Sox never could come up with that grand finale they seemed to be on the verge of throughout the late innings of an eventual 4-3 loss to the soon-to-be American League Central champion White Sox.
Down 4-0 early, the Red Sox kept chipping away and got to the point they just needed a bloop or a blast -- or, preferably, one of each.
But they couldn’t find that one game-turning hit to tie or take the lead.
“I feel like anybody at any given time on this team can get the big hit,” said Bobby Dalbec, who homered and tripled to lead the comeback that fell just short. “Just keep that next-guy-up mentality. They have a great pitching staff.”
The Red Sox were fortunate in one respect: The two teams below them in the AL Wild Card race, the Yankees and Blue Jays, both lost. Boston (80-63) remains a game ahead of the Yankees (78-63) and 1 1/2 over the Blue Jays (77-63) even as all three AL East squads are tied in the loss column.
As for the proceedings in Chicago, it started as an uphill battle for the Red Sox.
Stifled by old friend Craig Kimbrel in the eighth and closer Liam Hendriks in the ninth, the Sox suffered a hard-fought defeat on a day that started with the unwelcome news that ace Chris Sale tested positive for COVID-19, continuing a team-wide outbreak that started two weeks ago.
And on a night the Red Sox got their de facto captain Xander Bogaerts back from the COVID-19 injured list, they scratched J.D. Martinez shortly before the start of the game due to back spasms.
Still, the Red Sox were right there in the late innings after Alex Verdugo’s pinch-hit RBI single with one out in the seventh made it a one-run game.
Considering how well Dalbec has been hitting for the last six weeks, there’s nobody else the Sox would have wanted at the plate than when their power-hitting rookie stepped in against Kimbrel with Bogaerts on first and two outs in the eighth.
On a 2-2 pitch, Kimbrel threw his signature knuckle-curve, and Dalbec swung through it. It was the first time Dalbec had ever faced Kimbrel, who won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2018.
“I was just looking for something out, over [the plate],” Dalbec said. “I was just kind of anticipating that curveball a little bit after three heaters in a row. It just kind of backed up a little bit and stayed up and in. Nasty. Nasty, obviously.”
Then in the ninth, Christian Vázquez legged out an infield hit to open the inning and Danny Santana pushed him into scoring position on a fielder’s choice grounder that second baseman César Hernández made a standout play on.
With two outs, manager Alex Cora did something he seldom does and lifted leadoff man Kiké Hernández for pinch-hitter Travis Shaw, who flied out to end it.
Houck: ‘Not my best’ If rookie righty Tanner Houck could have put together a better night, the Red Sox might have been able to win despite their lack of a breakthrough hit at the plate.
But Houck pinned his team in an early hole when he got beat for a three-run homer by José Abreu on an 0-2 pitch that caught too much plate.
What was Houck trying to do on that offering?
“Bury it,” said Houck. “It was a slider down and away. I haven’t seen exactly where it was but he just put good wood on it after two pitches. Hindsight is 20-20, but if I go back and throw another four-seam fastball at the top of the zone there …”
Houck didn’t finish his thought, but he didn’t need to.
“Not my best,” Houck said of his start. “But the world is still revolving. Come back tomorrow and get back to work. Home runs are going to happen, 0-2 mistakes are going to happen, but I’m more upset with myself that I didn’t pitch to what I see as my strengths. If I pitch to my strengths and lose that way, I know I can look at myself in the mirror and say I did everything that I could.”
In 11 starts this season, Houck is 0-4 with a 3.83 ERA.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 11, 2021 2:30:16 GMT -5
No oomph in Red Sox’ game as they fall to White Sox in opener of three-game series By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated September 11, 2021, 1 hour ago
CHICAGO — In a game that was heavily lopsided in the White Sox’ favor, it suddenly turned into a contest following the seventh inning. With the Sox trailing by a run in the ninth, Christian Vázquez reached base on an infield single to begin the inning. Yet White Sox closer Liam Hendriksshut the door, recording the following three outs, resulting in a 4-3 Red Sox loss at Guaranteed Rate Field Friday night.
Friday marked the beginning of an important road trip for the Sox but with the important reminder that COVID-19 is still their foe, too. Xander Bogaerts made his way back from the COVID-related injured list Friday, but Chris Sale was then placed on it, marking the 10th Red Sox player to test positive since Aug. 27.
Perspective amid the outbreak is what manager Alex Cora tries to hold on to.
“We got the first wild-card spot. So that’s pretty cool,” Cora said before the series opener Friday.
That remained true — for Friday evening, at least — despite the team’s loss. The Red Sox remain in sole control of the first wild-card spot in the American League by a game following the Yankees’ loss to the Mets.
“We kept battling,’’ manager Alex Cora said. “That’s a good baseball game right there. Overall, it was a good fought game against a good team and we had a chance throughout the night.”
Friday marked the beginning of an important road trip for the Sox but with the important reminder that COVID-19 is still their foe, too. Xander Bogaerts made his way back from the COVID-related injured list Friday, but Chris Sale was then placed on it, marking the 10th Red Sox player to test positive since Aug. 27.
Perspective amid the outbreak is what manager Alex Cora tries to hold on to.
“We got the first wild-card spot. So that’s pretty cool,” Cora said before the series opener Friday.
That remained true — for Friday evening, at least — despite the team’s loss. The Red Sox remain in sole control of the first wild-card spot in the American League by a game following the Yankees’ loss to the Mets.
The Red Sox came out with little oomph and chilled bats in this one against Carlos Ródon. The Sox managed just three hits off Ródon in his five innings of work. Ródon carved his way to seven strikeouts in that span. In the third, the Red Sox couldn’t manufacture their first run of the game following a Vázquez single. Vázquez advanced to second on a Ródon wild pitch, then took third after the attempt to nab him at second sailed into the outfield. With no outs in the frame, Vázquez was stranded at third with Ródon recording three straight strikeouts, including Kiké Hernandez’s, to end the inning.
Red Sox starter Tanner Houck navigated his way through the first two innings without allowing a baserunner. It wasn’t until the third that Houck began to sputter. He allowed a walk to César Hernandezand then Yoán Moncada tacked on the first White Sox hit. That brought José Abreu to the plate, whose screaming liner cleared the left field wall, giving the White Sox a 3-0 lead.
“Obviously not my best,’’ Houck said. “But the world is still revolving. I’m more upset that I didn’t pitch to my strengths. It’s part of the game. We’re all human. Come back tomorrow, learn from it and do it again.”
About what he wanted to do on the pitch to Abreu, Houck said, “Bury it. Slider down and away. He just put good wood on it.”
Luis Robert’s single through the right side in the fourth stretched the Sox’ deficit, 4-0, and ultimately ended Houck’s night at 3 ⅔ innings pitched.
Bobby Dalbec gave the Sox some life, however, in the fifth after he belted his 21st homer of the season. Dalbec assisted the Red Sox in the seventh, too, when what looked like a bloop single to right field snuck under the glove of White Sox right fielder Brian Goodwin for a triple. Dalbec would score. Later on that inning, Alex Verdugo, who came into the game to pinch hit, struck an RBI single to left, making it a 4-3 game.
“I’m not chasing guys around the zone,” Dalbec said on his transformation at the plate since the start of August. “I’m not hitting the pitches the want me to swing at. I’m comfortable taking strikes in the zone knowing that’s not the pitch I want.”
Dalbec had a chance to make something happen again in the eighth, facing reliever Craig Kimbrel as the go-ahead run. Dalbec worked the count to 2-2 before striking out on a knuckle-curve.
“I’m just looking for something out over the plate,” Dalbec said. “I was kind of anticipating that curveball a little bit and it just kind of backed up a little bit.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 11, 2021 2:33:22 GMT -5
red sox notebook Red Sox’ Hunter Renfroe on COVID-19 claim: ‘I’m not taking back what I said’ By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated September 10, 2021, 7:06 p.m.
CHICAGO — Hunter Renfroe doubled down regarding what he said during a radio appearance Thursday.
“I’m not taking back what I said. I can tell you that,” Renfroe said Friday before the Red Sox’ first game of a three-game set against the White Sox. “What I said was true. I’m not going to lie about anything.”
Renfroe claimed Major League Baseball told the Red Sox to stop following the league’s COVID-19 protocols after the team’s widespread outbreak.
“MLB basically told us to stop the testing and just treat the symptoms,” Renfroe told WEEI’s “Merloni and Fauria”, “and we were like ‘No, we’re going to figure out what’s going on, and keep trying to keep this thing under control.’”
WEEI then asked Renfroe if the league told the Red Sox to stop testing.
“Yes,” Renfroe replied.
MLB said Renfroe’s claim was false.
Under league rule, if a player is vaccinated, he doesn’t need to be tested as frequently as an unvaccinated player, unless the vaccinated player feels symptoms. Renfroe acknowledged that was the case in this scenario. But the Red Sox wanted to get a better understanding of who was carrying the virus because a number of players were enduring breakthrough cases. l
The league did not object. In fact, the sides have been working closely together, according to the Sox. The Red Sox said they want to take every opportunity to be as safe as possible. Amid the outbreak in Cleveland and Tampa Bay, manager Alex Cora said that when players went home to Boston, many of them — despite testing negative — stayed in hotels to keep their families safe.
“We wanted to take care of our families and it’s something the organization is very proactive,” Cora said. “We love the fact that we feel safe although it doesn’t look that way right now with everything that is going on.”
The Red Sox aren’t at the 85 percent vaccination threshold and are still in the middle of this outbreak. Renfroe believes the outbreak could have been prevented had they not played one of the games in Cleveland.
“Everybody got kind of thrown under the bus with us having a COVID outbreak,” Renfroe said. “It could have been stopped if we could have possibly not played like one of the games in Cleveland and took a day and did the extra testing and kind of figured it out. When we played the Yankees and played Toronto they had outbreaks, we canceled the game and played a doubleheader.”
…
For the first time since Aug. 31, Xander Bogaerts was back in the lineup after testing positive for COVID-19, going 2 for 3 with a walk in the 4-3 loss. He was quarantined for eight days in a St. Petersburg, Fla., hotel. The shortstop rejoined the team Thursday night. He said he was symptom-free.
“I felt fine the whole time. Having to wait, that was rough,” Bogaerts said. “It was boring, man. I wouldn’t want that for anyone.”
Bogaerts said there wasn’t much he could do to stay active. He ate healthy, did pushups, and swung a bat. He remains surprised that he tested positive.
“I did everything the way I should,” Bogaerts said. “Just being in a clubhouse with a lot of guys, there’s a lot of people. It’s tough to not get it … who knows who has it.”
…
The Red Sox made a number of roster moves, including putting Jonathan Araúz in addition to Sale on the COVID-19 Related IL list and reinstating shortstop Bogaerts from the COVID-19 Related injured list. Araúz was put on the list because he did not feel well and not because of a positive test … They also put lefthanded pitcher Austin Davis on the paternity leave list and reinstated lefthanded pitcher Darwinzon Hernandez from the 10-Day Injured list … They selected righthanded pitcher Kaleb Ort from Triple-A Worcester. He will wear No. 85… Nick Pivetta is slated to come off the COVID-IL and the plan is for him to pitch Sunday. Saturday is still to be determined but Cora implied Connor Seabold, who is on the taxi squad for this road trip, could start … J.D. Martinez was a late scratch from Friday’s game due to back spasms. Martinez will likely sit out Saturday’s game because of the injury, Cora said.
Peter Abraham of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 11, 2021 2:34:39 GMT -5
Jahmai Webster @websterontv · 3h Alex Cora says they'll talk about tomorrow's starter later tonight which remains TBD. But says "There's a good chance it might by (Connor) Seabold"
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 11, 2021 2:36:39 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 8h Jonathan Arauz won't be going to Triple-A Worcester. He joins Chris Sale in being placed on the COVID IL.
#RedSox have now lost 13 players to the virus during this outbreak.
Back spasms for JD Martinez.
These have tended to pop up during his four years with the #RedSox either on road trips or after extended periods in the outfield
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 11, 2021 2:38:51 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 3h No injury for Hernández. Cora felt his timing has been off since coming back and he liked Shaw there.
Cora said there's a "good chance" Connor Seabold starts tomorrow. It would be his MLB debut.
Cora also suggested JD Martinez (back spasms) would get tomorrow off after missing tonight's game.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 11, 2021 2:48:15 GMT -5
Tanner Houck lasts just 3 ⅔ innings as Boston Red Sox lose to White Sox, 4-3; Bobby Dalbec homers again in loss Updated: 12:52 a.m. | Published: 12:00 a.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
CHICAGO -- The Red Sox started their crucial six-game road trip with a dud Friday night, losing 4-3, to the White Sox in the opener of a three-game set at Guaranteed Rate Field.
Chicago plated four early runs against rookie righty Tanner Houck and hung on to escape with a one-run win. Boston has now dropped four of its last five games.
Houck allowed just one baserunner through two innings but ran into trouble in the third, when José Abreu launched a line drive three-run homer that barely cleared the left-field wall. In the fourth, after Gavin Sheets led off by reaching on a José Iglesias error, Houck walked Brian Goodwin and allowed an RBI single to Luis Robert that gave the White Sox a four-run lead and ended the rookie starter’s night early, Houck allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits while walking three batters and took the loss to fall to 0-4 on the year; his ERA stands at 3.54 in 13 outings (10 starts).
White Sox lefty Carlos Rodón allowed only two baserunners through four innings before Bobby Dalbec -- continuing his torrid pace -- led off the fifth inning with a towering homer to left field. Two innings later, after Dalbec hit a leadoff triple, Christian Vázquez made it a 4-2 game by driving him in with a groundout to second. Danny Santana singled then advanced on a wild pitch; pinch-hitter Alex Verdugo then cut the deficit to one run with an RBI single of his own.
In the eighth, the White Sox loaded the bases but Josh Taylor struck Abreu out to end the inning and keep it a one-run game. In the ninth, Vázquez hit a leadoff single then advanced to second on a groundout but Verdugo (grounded out to shortstop) and pinch-hitter Travis Shaw (flied out to center) were unable to plate the tying run.
In total, the Red Sox only had six hits; they were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Five relievers (Darwinzon Hernandez, Michael Feliz, Adam Ottavino, Ryan Brasier and Taylor) combined for 4 ⅓ scoreless innings, allowing a total of two hits while recording seven strikeouts.
With the loss, the Red Sox fell to 80-63.
Could Seabold be in line for debut Saturday?
With starters Nick Pivetta and Chris Sale both on the COVID-19 injured list, the Red Sox may turn to one of their most promising pitching prospects for his big-league debut Saturday. Righty Connor Seabold, who is in Chicago as part of Boston’s taxi squad, will likely get the call opposite righty Dylan Cease (11-7, 3.87 ERA). First pitch is slated for 7:10 p.m. ET.
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