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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 3:16:11 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 3h The Red Sox have allowed 4 unearned runs tonight and 33 since the All-Star break, most in the A.L. and 2nd most in MLB. Setting aside errors, they've allowed a .319 BABIP since the break - 3rd worst in MLB. They compound defensive limitations w/poor execution.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 3:19:06 GMT -5
Red Sox Notebook: ‘Good chance’ Chris Sale returns this weekend against Orioles Tested positive for COVID-19 last week
By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald PUBLISHED: September 13, 2021 at 8:49 p.m. | UPDATED: September 13, 2021 at 9:52 p.m.
It’s possible the Red Sox could have Chris Sale back earlier than expected.
The Red Sox ace tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, which forced him to miss Sunday’s start against the White Sox. But manager Alex Cora said “there’s a good chance” Sale will be back to make his next start when the Red Sox return home for a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles this weekend.
“He feels great,” Cora said. “Obviously at home and trying to do whatever he can to stay in shape baseball-wise, but I talked to him today and he was like, ‘Man, whenever the days are done, I’ll be ready.’ No symptoms, no setbacks. He just tested positive and that’s why he’s not with us.”
Sale is in quarantine at his house in Boston, which means he obviously can’t continue to pitch at a field to keep his arm in shape. But Cora thinks he has the right resources at his house to stay loose.
“I do believe he has a huge patio at the house,” Cora said. “I bet he’s either throwing rocks to the trees or throwing baseballs to a net. I believe he’ll find a way to keep his arm sound and he’ll be ready whenever he has to come out.”
Cora wasn’t sure if Sale would need to throw a bullpen before he makes a start. The manager said he needed to get more clarification on exactly when Sale can come out of quarantine.
Sawamura, Davis return
Hirokazu Sawamura and Austin Davis were both activated prior to Monday’s opener in Seattle. Sawamura had tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 31 and Davis had been on paternity leave since Friday.
The returns of both pitchers will be a boost to a bullpen that’s been depleted from the COVID-19 outbreak. Matt Barnes and Martin Perez aren’t back yet.
“It helps,” Cora said. “Obviously the swing-and-miss stuff and what Davis has done against lefties, it’s very important, especially in this series (against the Mariners). With their lefties, we’re going to be able to mix and match. I think Sawamura — obviously we hate the fact that we miss him for X amount of days, but let him recharge, reset and hopefully his fastball and split combination gets some swings and misses.”
Stephen Gonsalves and Brad Peacock were both returned to Worcester in the corresponding moves.
Perez is expected back on Tuesday after pitching a rehab outing in Worcester on Sunday, which will give the Sox another lefty arm out of the bullpen. Barnes will pitch Wednesday for the Portland Sea Dogs at Hartford in a second rehab outing and likely be activated this weekend.
Christian Arroyo and Jarren Duran are both feeling better, Cora said, but it’s uncertain when either of them will return. Cora said Arroyo is close to 100 percent.
Eovaldi stays consistent
In a season that’s included many moving parts, Nathan Eovaldi has continued to be the one constant in the Red Sox’ starting rotation. The All-Star is the Red Sox’ only starter to make all of his starts thus far. He’ll make his 29th start of the season on Tuesday night in Seattle, the second-most of his career after making 33 with the Marlins in 2014.
Everything has come together for Eovaldi this season after a career littered with injuries. And there’s a certain confidence he exudes to the team every time he steps on the mound.
“He’s been so consistent,” Cora said. “I think he understands now that it doesn’t have to be 100 all the time to get people out. He can use his other weapons, and actually he’s more efficient that way. He’s been going deep into games and what they’ve done with him, not only physically but in the training room, everything so far has been amazing. It’s a guy that, every five days, you’re looking forward for him to go out there and you feel as a manager that, OK, for six or seven innings, he’s going to be on top of the game, and then we can mix and match the last two or whatever it is. Whenever he pitches, there’s a calm sense in the clubhouse that we should be OK today.” …
J.D. Martinez, after missing three consecutive games with back spasms, returned to the lineup Monday. … Tanner Houck will pitch Wednesday’s series finale.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 3:27:01 GMT -5
Red Sox Nation Stats @rsnstats · 2h #RedSox Manager Alex Cora on team's rough defense: "It's frustrating…Like I always said, you give the opposition more than 27 outs, most of the time they're going to take advantage.
#RedSox Manager Cora on Kyle Schwarber at first base: "He's moving well…he's in tune with the game. He has a pretty good idea…It's a work in progress, we know that, but he's been doing a good job."
#RedSox Manager Cora: "We've been struggling defensively the whole season. We have some good stretches, that we play good defense and when we do that, most of the time, it seems we win games…We just got to keep working with them…We know we can be better. We have to make plays."
#RedSox Manager Cora on Eduardo Rodríguez: "He did a good job. He made some adjustments…It was a grind for him, the first 2 innings, and then something clicked and he gave us 6 [innings]."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 3:27:50 GMT -5
Red Sox Nation Stats @rsnstats · 2h 5th time #RedSox have struck out 15+ times in a game this season. #Mariners have actually done it most in #MLB (9 times, also #Marlins and #Cubs). Tonight SEA batters struck out 8 times.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 3:30:43 GMT -5
Tom Caron @tomcaron 3h Red Sox lose, and are now a percentage point behind the Yankees in the Wild Card race. They are 3rd, and just 1 ahead of Seattle & Oakland in the loss column with 16 games remaining.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 3:33:28 GMT -5
Jason Mastrodonato @jmastrodonato · 3h Red Sox still have two more games vs Seattle, three vs. the Yankees. What a finish this should be.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 3:40:08 GMT -5
Red Sox @ Mariners Tuesday, 14th September 2021 11pm @ Safeco Field
Eovaldi 10-8/3.57
10-8 with a 3.57 ERA in 28 starts of 2021. 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA in 5 career starts vs SEA.
Anderson 1-1/3.83
6-9 with an 4.20 ERA in 26 starts of 2021. Will be his 1st career appearance vs BOS.
Mariners look to claw closer to Red Sox in wild-card chase According to STATS
The Seattle Mariners will look to keep gaining ground in the American League playoff race against another wild-card contender, the visiting Boston Red Sox, in the second game of a three-game set Tuesday.
Seattle (78-66) pulled within two games of the second AL wild-card spot after Mitch Haniger's tiebreaking, three-run homer in the seventh inning propelled the Mariners to a 5-4 win over Boston in the series opener Monday.
Four Seattle pitchers combined to strike out 15 batters and walk one.
Despite entering the series tied with the Toronto Blue Jays (81-63) for the top AL wild card, the Red Sox (81-65) are now on the outside looking in. They trail the New York Yankees (80-64) by a single percentage point for the final AL playoff spot.
"It's playoff baseball, and everything counts," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "It's actually fun. Good atmosphere out there, even in Seattle. They have a good team; they're playing good baseball."
Boston will send right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (10-8, 3.57 ERA) to the mound on Tuesday to oppose Seattle southpaw Tyler Anderson (6-9, 4.20).
Eovaldi will be looking to build off a solid start at Tampa Bay on Wednesday. The All-Star tossed seven scoreless, three-hit innings while walking two and striking out eight in an eventual 2-1 win for Boston.
While the Red Sox were victorious, Eovaldi is winless in his past five starts despite pitching to a 2.05 ERA, striking out 37 and walking just five batters over 30 2/3 innings. His last win came Aug. 11 in a 20-8 rout of the Rays, during which he tossed seven innings of one-run ball with 10 strikeouts.
Eovaldi has faced the Mariners once this season, on April 24. He lasted five innings, allowing five runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out three in an 8-2 defeat. Eovaldi is 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA in five career starts vs. Seattle.
Anderson hopes to bounce back from a mediocre start at Houston on Wednesday. The 31-year-old allowed four runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings in a no-decision.
The Mariners ultimately beat the Astros 8-5 after a four-run rally in the ninth inning. Seattle has won five of Anderson's past six starts after dropping the first two upon his arrival from the Pittsburgh Pirates in late July.
"I just think that this team never really gets down," Anderson said. "Just everybody, a lot of fight -- everybody in the lineup one through nine, the bench, our starters and our bullpen. There's just a lot of fight and competitiveness in there."
Anderson has won just once in his eight starts with the Mariners despite posting a respectable 3.83 ERA and racking up 34 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings over that span. His last win came Aug. 17 at Texas, when he tossed six innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts.
A National League pitcher for most of his career, Anderson has never faced the Red Sox in his six major league seasons.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 6:14:45 GMT -5
Kyle Schwarber first base experiment backfires for Red Sox at worse time Current Time 0:14 / Duration 1:25
By Rob Bradford 33 minutes ago
There was eventually going to be some sort of price to pay. That was just the reality of the Kyle Schwarber acquistion.
Heading into Monday's series opener against Seattle, the payoff of Schwarber's offensive abilities has far outweighed the positional risk he represented at a spot the catcher-turned-outfielder-turned-first baseman had never played.
And even after the Red Sox' 5-4 loss to the Mariners - marking Boston's fourth straight one-run game - Schwarber represents much more of the solution than the problem.
It's just that the Red Sox finally got that uncomfortable moment with Schwarber at first, and it just so happened to come at the worst possible time.
WIth the score deadlocked at 2-2 and two outs in the seventh inning, Jake Bauers hit a first-pitch grounder against reliever Ryan Brasier to Schwarber. He couldn't handle it. What followed was painful for Alex Cora and Co.
A single to left by J.P. Crawford was followed by Mitch Haniger's game-changing three-run homer. The volume regarding the Red Sox' subpar defense was immediately cranked up to an 11.
“It’s frustrating, but we just gotta keep working at it," said Cora of his team's defensive woes. "We have to keep putting the work and hopefully we get on a quote-unquote hot streak defensively that we play clean baseball. When we do that, we’re really good. But like I always said, you give the opposition more than 27 outs, most of the time they’re going to take advantage. And it seems like right now, whenever we open up the window for them or the door – whatever you want to call it – they take advantage and we pay the price. We just gotta keep going.”
The positives coming out of the Red Sox' latest loss weren't difficult to decipher. Eduardo Rodriguez allowed just one earned run over six innings. The meat of the order - Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers - managed to make things interesting with back-to-back homers in the eighth. And Jose Iglesias infused some life at the bottom of the order with two hits, including a home run.
But results are results, and the results this time around continued to making life uncomfortable for the Red Sox heading into their last 16 regular season games.
The Sox now sit tied with the Yankees for the second Wild Card spot, with red-hot Toronto winning again to take a one-game lead over its American League East rivals.
"We’ve been struggling defensively the whole season," Cora said. "We have some good stretches that we play good defense, and when we do that, most of the time it seems like we’re winning games. That’s the bottom line. At this level, you have to be good defensively. I know we’ve got X amount of games, and we just have to keep working with them. It’s not we hope we will get better. We know we can be better. We just have to make plays.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 7:43:52 GMT -5
Tony Massarotti @tonymassarotti 33m Bottom of the seventh, tie game at 2-2, two outs, nobody on. This happened. Then a bloop single. Then a three-run homer. Red Sox lose, 5-4. Remember: anybody can play first base.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 11:24:26 GMT -5
Red Sox postseason picture: Blue Jays, Yankees hold wild-card spots after Boston drops series opener to Mariners (standings) Updated: 10:29 a.m. | Published: 10:29 a.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
The Red Sox played yet another one-run game Monday night, losing, 5-4, to the Mariners in the opener of a three-game set in Seattle. Here’s how the loss -- and other action around the league -- affects the playoff picture.
If the season ended today: Red Sox would be out of the postseason; Blue Jays and Yankees would claim wild-card spots
Where the Red Sox stand:
1 game ahead of Yankees and Blue Jays for the first AL Wild Card spot
2 games ahead of Mariners and Athletics for the second AL Wild Card spot
9 games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East SCORES:
Mariners 5, Red Sox 4 (Red Sox drop one game to Mariners)
Blue Jays 8, Rays 1 (Red Sox drop one game to Blue Jays)
Yankees 6, Twins 5 (Red Sox drop one game to Yankees) STANDINGS:
AL WILD CARD
Blue Jays: 81-63 (1 game lead over Yankees, Red Sox)
Yankees: 80-64 (hold second wild-card over Red Sox by percentage points)
____________
Red Sox: 81-65 (trail Blue Jays by one game; trail Yankees by percentage points
Mariners: 78-66 (trail Blue Jays by 3 games; trail Yankees by 2 games)
Athletics: 77-65 (trail Blue Jays by 3 ½ games; trail Yankees by 2 ½ games)
***
AL EAST
Rays: 89-55
____________
Blue Jays: 81-63 (8 games back)
Yankees: 80-64 (9 games back)
Red Sox: 81-65 (9 games back)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 11:25:17 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox’s poor defense continues to prove costly in September: ‘There’s no excuses,’ Kyle Schwarber says after game-changing error Updated: 11:07 a.m. | Published: 11:07 a.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
SEATTLE -- Since the very beginning of spring training, Red Sox manager Alex Cora has preached the importance of improved team defense, even going so far as to revamp the club’s facility in Fort Myers to put a greater emphasis on glove work during camp. Yet as the regular season winds down, the Red Sox remain a below-average defensive team -- and it’s proving costly as they try to chase down a postseason spot.
On Monday night, two key errors led to four Mariners runs in a game Seattle won, 5-4. In the second inning, Luis Torrens advanced to second on a single after Renfroe misplayed the ball on one hop in right field and would come around to score on a Tom Murphy RBI groundout. With two outs in the seventh inning of a 2-2 game, first baseman Kyle Schwarber booted a Jake Bauers grounder to extend the inning; Mitch Haniger hit a three-run homer to give Seattle a 5-2 lead two batters later.
The four unearned runs the Red Sox allowed Monday put them at 10 in the last three games. They have given up 33 unearned runs since the All-Star break -- the most of any American League team.
“Like I always say, you give the opposition more than 27 outs, most of the time they’re going to take advantage,” said manager Alex Cora. “It seems like right now, whenever we open up the window or the door, whatever you want to call it, they take advantage and we pay the price.”
Schwarber’s misplay could not have come at a worst time for Boston. After Eduardo Rodriguez went six strong innings, Ryan Brasier took over in the seventh and needed just five pitches to retire the first two batters. Bauers, pinch-hitting for Dylan Moore, then hit a chopper right at Schwarber, but the ball deflected off his glove. J.P. Crawford then singled to put two men on for Haniger; Haniger deposited a Brasier slider over the left-field wall to put Seattle up by three.
“It was in the glove, squirted out, and that was it. I’m frustrated,” Schwarber said. “I wanted to make that play. It’s a 1-2-3 inning and it turned into a lot more.”
The Red Sox acquired Schwarber with the intention of having play a good amount of games at first base, but Bobby Dalbec’s sudden improvement on both sides of the ball has led to more playing time for the rookie at that position. Monday was just Schwarber’s fourth start at first base -- and first in six days. For at least a moment, the veteran looked like someone who was learning a new position on the fly.
“I knew the day was going to come where I was going to make an error,” he said. “It’s inevitable to happen. It’s unfortunate that it turned out to be the thing that kind of turns the tide and makes it sting a whole lot more... there’s no excuses.
“The next time that happens, I want the ball to be hit to me again,” he added. “I’m not shying away from it. I’ll let you know I messed up. It should have been a play that was made and it wasn’t.”
With 16 games to go, Cora can only hope his team can make enough plays to keep itself in games. With five teams within 3 ½ games of each other in the wild-card race, one play could be the difference between a postseason berth or an early start to the winter for the Red Sox.
“We’ve been struggling defensively the whole season,” Cora said. “We had some good stretches when we play good defense. When we do that, most of the time it seems like we win games. That’s the bottom line. At this level, you have to be good defensively.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 13:22:44 GMT -5
Game 147: Red Sox at Mariners lineups and pregame notesBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated September 14, 2021, 2 hours ago When it comes to the playoff picture, the Red Sox find themselves on the outside looking in after Monday night’s 5-4 loss in Seattle. They now trail the New York Yankees by a percentage point for the second wild-card spot. With the win, the Mariners pulled within two games of the final spot. Here are the standings. Nate Eovaldi will be on the mound on Tuesday as the Sox look to stay ahead of the Mariners and keep pace with the Yankees and Blue Jays for one of the two wild-card spots. Lineups RED SOX (81-65): 1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF 2. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 3. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 4. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 5. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 6. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B 7. Kevin Plawecki (R) C 8. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 9. Jose Iglesias (R) 2B Pitching: RHP Nate Eovaldi (10-8, 3.57 ERA) Advertisement MARINERS (78-66): 1. J.P. Crawford (L) SS 2. Mitch Haniger (R) RF 3. Kyle Seager (L) 3B 4. Ty France (R) 1B 5. Abraham Toro (S) 2B 6. Jarred Kelenic (L) CF 7. Jake Fraley (L) LF 8. Jake Bauers (L) DH 9. Cal Raleigh (S) C Pitching: LHP Tyler Anderson (6-9, 4.20 ERA) Time: 10:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Red Sox vs. Anderson: Kiké Hernández 7-29, J.D. Martinez 0-1, Hunter Renfroe 1-11, Kyle Schwarber 1-4, Travis Shaw 3-5. Mariners vs. Eovaldi: Jake Bauers 0-1, J.P. Crawford 0-2, Ty France 2-3, Mitch Haniger 1-8, José Marmolejos 0-3, Kyle Seager 5-10, Luis Torrens 0-3. Stat of the day: Eovaldi is winless in his past five starts despite posting a 2.05 ERA, striking out 37 and walking just five batters over 30 ⅔ innings. Notes: The Sox have allowed 33 unearned runs since the All-Star break, tops in the American League. … In his one start against the Mariners this season, Eovaldi took the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits while walking one in five innings of an 8-2 loss on April 24. He is 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA in five career starts vs. Seattle. … The Mariners have won five of Anderson’s past six starts after dropping the first two upon his arrival from a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates in late July. He has one win since arriving in Seattle, posting a 3.83 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 44 ⅔ innings in eight starts. Song of the Day: Pearl Jam - Just Breathewww.youtube.com/watch?v=XTb9GNIxpMk
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 17:32:37 GMT -5
Tony Massarotti @tonymassarotti 52m Last night was the 19th game this season in which the Red Sox have allowed multiple unearned runs - most in the majors.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 17:34:00 GMT -5
Merloni & Fauria @merlonifauria · 2h Alex Cora is not concerned about Chris Sale staying ready while away from the team:
"He will be able to throw to a net or whatever. He's on top of his game. He's on top of his craft. We have no reservations about him pitching this weekend."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 14, 2021 17:43:30 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 3m Your daily Red Sox roster move: Martín Pérez activated from COVID -19 IL and Kaleb Ort sent down, per source.
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