Red Sox @ Pale Hose Game Thread/ 10th-12th September 2021

Boston Red Sox notebook: Connor Seabold debuts, Josh Taylor gets first MLB save; J.D. Martinez (back) likely out again Sunday

By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com

CHICAGO -- Almost four hours before the Red Sox clinched a dramatic, extra-innings win over the White Sox on Saturday night, starter Connor Seabold threw his first-ever major-league pitch. Though Seabold didn’t factor into the decision (he allowed two runs on three hits in three innings), he still kept Boston in the game early on and was able to get his feet wet at the highest level.

All things considered, the debut was a successful one for the righty, who is ranked by SoxProspects.com as the second-best pitcher in Boston’s system.

“It was fun,” Seabold said. “I don’t think it has really sunk in, what really happened tonight. That was a fun game, top to bottom. I’m still kind of reeling from the energy and everything, and helping the team get a win.”

Seabold paid for one major mistake -- a two-run Leury García homer in the second -- but was able to get out of trouble in the third. With two runners on base and one out, he got White Sox star José Abreu to ground into an inning-ending double play and celebrated as he walked off the diamond.

“He did a good job,” said manager Alex Cora. “Obviously, that’s a tough lineup. There were a lot of big outs throughout the evening, but first and second, one out, that ground-ball double play by Abreu, that was huge.”

Seabold said he didn’t feel like he had his best stuff in his debut but Cora was impressed with the righty’s changeup. After three innings, with the Red Sox leading, 7-2, Cora lifted Seabold in favor of Garrett Richards, who went on to allow five unearned runs in the fourth.

“He gave us nine (outs), and we felt like we were suited to use our bullpen and close it,” Cora said. “You know what? At the end of the day, we did.”

Seabold said he was glad he came out of the clubhouse to watch the last couple innings of the dramatic victory.

“Obviously, I haven’t been up during a playoff push before but that’s about what I imagined,” he said.

Taylor picks up first save

With the Red Sox leading, 9-8, after Travis Shaw hit an RBI single in the top of the 10th, Cora turned to lefty Josh Taylor in the bottom of the inning. Despite running into trouble early, Taylor was able to record his first career save.

Yasmani Grandal led off the 10th with a single that advanced automatic runner Eloy Jiménez to third base, meaning Chicago suddenly had runners on the corners with no outs. But Taylor battled back, striking out García and Danny Mendick to set up a showdown with Brian Goodwin. On a 2-2 count, Goodwin slapped a slider into the second-base hole but Kiké Hernández fielded it and Bobby Dalbec picked it for the final out of the game.

“He didn’t give in,” Cora said. “We knew, and we were playing, that the most important run there is the one at first. He kept making pitches, like it doesn’t matter. Get a ground ball, turn a double play and we move on to the next inning. But he did an amazing job.”

Taylor became the ninth Red Sox pitcher to record a save this season, joining Matt Barnes (24), Adam Ottavino (11), Garrett Richards (2), Hansel Robles (2), Garrett Whitlock (2), Matt Andriese (1), Tanner Houck (1) and Phillips Valdez (1).

“It was exhilarating, to say the least,” Taylor said. “You get put in those kind of situations and you get that extra tick you didn’t think you had. I just felt like I was able to make my pitches tonight.”

Hernández, Dalbec save day with game-ending play

At first glance, Taylor thought Goodwin’s grounder would find the right-field glass and score Jiménez to tie the game. But Hernández ranged to his left and one-hopped the ball to Dalbec, who was able to stay on the bag in impressive fashion.

“I thought there was a chance it got through once it got past Bobby,” Taylor said. “Kiké made a great play on it and Bobby made a great play to pick up the throw. All around, it was a good defensive execution there in the last inning.”

Cora was impressed as well.

“Good job by Kiké, obviously by Bobby, too,” he said.” For Bobby to get up and get to first, having that presence of mind, that’s a tough one. That’s a tough one for both of them.

“When we play defense, we become a really good team,” Cora said. “The second part of the game, we played great defense.”

Martinez likely out Sunday

Designated hitter J.D. Martinez will most likely miss his third straight game Sunday due to back tightness, Cora said. Martinez was scratched from the lineup before each of the last two games.

“I know he’s trying, but I think one more day and see where he’s at in Seattle on Monday,” Cora said. “Like I told him, I said, ‘Dude, I’d rather lose you for three days than for a week.’ He understands that.”

Shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who returned from the COVID-19 injured list Friday, might also have the day off Sunday. Cora hinted that the Red Sox will likely use a few reserves in the series finale.

“It might be interesting tomorrow but we’ve had some interesting lineups the last few weeks and we’ve been able to show up and play good baseball,” he said.

Pivetta will pitch Sunday

Righty Nick Pivetta (9-7, 4.67 ERA) will come off the COVID-19 injured list to start Sunday’s rubber game opposite White Sox righty Lance Lynn (10-4, 2.59 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET.

5 years later, Travis Shaw once again plays unexpected hero

Big Foot Slow Burn

By Rob Bradford
an hour ago

The irony shouldn't been lost on Travis Shaw.

Not supposed to play. Big game. Yoan Moncada in attendance. This was Sept. 2016 all over again.

Saturday night, Shaw supplied a good portion of the heroics in the Red Sox' 9-8, 10-inning win over the White Sox in Chicago. There was the three-run homer in a seven-run third inning and then the game-winning single in the 10th.

All of this coming after Shaw only discovered he was in the lineup just about an hour before the game, filling in for J.D. Martinez, whose back hadn't quite calmed down.

“Yeah, I was taking BP," Shaw said, explaining he found out his name was in the starting lineup. "(Alex Cora) AC told me about halfway through BP that there’s a chance that I might be in there if JD’s back kept acting up and then right at the end of BP, I got the notice that I was in there. I just went about my day normally. I try to stay — even when I’m not playing, I try to stay ready just in case something like this happens. You never know when this could happen, especially late in the year. Guys are grinding a little bit on their bodies, so I stayed ready and thankfully had a good night.”
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For those who remembered Shaw's last go-round with the Red Sox, much of the scene should have rung a bell.

When August turned into September back in 2016, Shaw was kicked to the curb when it came to the starting third base spot, with the Red Sox choosing to promote Moncada.

But before the then-rookie got his first start, the Red Sox decided Shaw would start one more game, manning third for the series-opener against Oakland. That night the lefty hitter made his feelings clear via a three-hit, five RBI game.

The next two games in Oakland and the first two contests in San Diego in the Red Sox' next series, Shaw ended up getting a total of one at-bat, spending much of his time trying to learn left field. Then came the series finale against the Padres. There were two hits and another home run. And with Moncada struggling, the conversation had changed.

Most everyone had buried Shaw. He wasn't quite ready for such a dismissal.

Sound familiar?

“To be honest, this is kind of the first time I’ve been in this role," he said. "When I went back to Milwaukee the first couple months of the season, I was playing every day. Even last year in Toronto, I was playing 5-6 days a week, so this is kind of the first time I’ve been in this role and I’ve tried to ask some guys who have been in this role in the past, like how do you do it? How do you stay ready? For me, I just continue to prepare like I’m playing every day. That’s the only way I can keep my body going and try to stay up on all the pitchers and the matchups that I might face late in games with relievers. For me, it’s still new. I’m still trying to get used to it, but kind of learning on the fly here and so far it’s been turning out pretty well.”

Truth be told, Shaw has more than held his own while adjusting to his new existence.

Six of his eight hits have been of the extra-base variety, allowing for a .267 batting average and 1.000 OPS in 34 plate appearances.

Another hint that Shaw could handle the out-of-nowhere at-bats came at the end of the 2016 season. By the time he pinch-hit for Aaron Hill in Game 3 of the Red Sox American League Division Series game against the Indians, Shaw had a total of four at-bats over the course of two weeks.

But, in his last game with the Red Sox before being dealt to Milwaukee a month later, Shaw came through with a pinch-hit, eighth-inning single. He would then hit a game-ending rocket to right field in the ninth that would have won the game for the Sox if it just a little more air under it.

Different player. Different team. Eerily similar situation.

Lesson: Shaw seems like he might have a few more things to say.

“I don’t want to say surprised. Coming off my rehab assignment, when I got DFA’d, my swing felt like it was in a good spot," he said. "I felt like I was ready to go and I’ve been able to get some spot starts here and there and had some early success, which obviously helps your confidence level and everything and everything translated from the rehab assignment to the big leagues. I just feel in a good spot overall. Health-wise, swing-wise, so can’t complain.”