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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 2:40:55 GMT -5
Orioles @ Red Sox Friday, 17th September 2021 7pm @ Fenway Park
Akin 2-9/6.88
Keegan Akin posted a quality start in Saturday's loss to the Blue Jays, giving up three runs on just three hits over six-plus innings of work. Akin issued two free passes and struck out three on the night. He shut out the Blue Jays through the first six innings, then came back out for the seventh looking to complete the shutout when everything fell apart. He allowed a leadoff single to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., a two-run homer to Bo Bichette and a single to Teoscar Hernandez before giving way to the bullpen. The O's bullpen allowed the inherited runner -- and eight additional runs -- to score before the inning was through. He'll tote a cringe-inducing 6.83 ERA and 1.58 WHIP into a tough matchup against the Red Sox in Boston on Friday.
Sale 3-0/2.52
Sale went on the COVID-19 injured list last week following a positive test for the virus, but he's remained asymptomatic throughout the process and has been able to do some throwing workouts on his own. The 32-year-old left-hander holds a sharp 2.52 ERA and 30/6 K/BB ratio in 25 innings (five starts) since returning from Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery in mid-August.
Red Sox welcome O's to start final homestand
The Boston Red Sox look to pad their American League wild card spot when they host the Baltimore Orioles to kick off their final homestand of the regular season Friday.
The Red Sox (83-65) enter the three-game series in a virtual tie with the Toronto Blue Jays for the wild card. Just a half-game back are the New York Yankees, leaving no margin for error. The team to clinch the first wild card will host the second-place club in a one-game playoff, while third place will sit out the postseason.
After Baltimore, Boston will face the New York Mets in two before a pivotal three-game set against the Yankees that could conclude with the final contest at Fenway Park this year should the Red Sox fall short of the playoffs.
"Not too many people thought that the last homestand of the season was going to mean something," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "Now, it means a lot."
The club will look to take advantage of the Orioles (47-99), who are on the way to a third 100-loss season in four years (the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign being the lone exception). That said, Baltimore stunned the Yankees 3-2 in 10 innings Thursday, much to the joy of idle Boston.
The Red Sox enter Friday hoping left-hander Chris Sale (3-0, 2.52 ERA) will return from the COVID-19 injured list to take the mound. He has not yet been confirmed as the team's starter. The Orioles plan to counter with lefty Keegan Akin (2-9, 6.83).
Along with Sale could come a slew of reinforcements for Boston as reliever Matt Barnes, outfielder Jarren Duran and infielder Christian Arroyo were all acknowledged by Cora as nearing return from the COVID-19 list. Barnes allowed two runs in one inning with Double-A Portland on Wednesday, while Arroyo went 0-for-3 for Triple-A Worcester on Thursday.
Duran was unable to make a rehab appearance.
The Red Sox are also playing with momentum after taking two of three from the Mariners to finish a tough 3-3 road trip. Both their victories at Seattle, which is also still in the AL wild card picture, featured late-inning rallies.
The Orioles had lost five straight before Thursday's win. Austin Hays plated the winning run with a single in the bottom of the 10th after the club had tied the score in the ninth on a wild pitch.
"We haven't caught a ton of breaks, and we feel like we got one tonight," said skipper Brandon Hyde.
Earlier in the contest, Ryan Mountcastle broke Baltimore's rookie record for home runs with his 29th of the season.
Akin allowed three runs over six innings in a loss to the Blue Jays last time out. He is 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA in two career appearances against the Red Sox.
Should Sale pitch Friday, it would be his first outing since giving up five runs (one earned) on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sept. 6. Sale is 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 21 games (15 starts) lifetime vs. the Orioles.
--Field Level Media
Orioles at Red Sox Friday, at 7:10 PM EST Cloudy According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 66° F with a 4% chance of rain and 5 MPH wind blowing in in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 2:42:58 GMT -5
Rest of series Probables
Saturday....1pm....Lowther 0-0/9.92 vs Pivetta 9-7/4.49
Sunday....1pm...Wells 1-3/7.76 vs Eovaldi 10-8/3.52
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 2:56:53 GMT -5
AL wildcard chase: How the schedules break down for Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays
By Tom Westerholm September 16, 2021
The last few weeks of MLB regular season could be a wild ride for the three teams remaining in the AL wildcard chase.
As of Thursday evening, the AL East faction of the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Yankees are separated by just half a game at the top of the standings after the Yankees dropped out of the tie with a loss to the Orioles. The A’s and Mariners, meanwhile, trail the Red Sox and Blue Jays by three and four games respectively.
How the different schedules break down paints an interesting picture of where the race stands with 14 or 15 games remaining on each team’s slate. Here’s a closer look.
Red Sox
Last 10 games: 4-6
The Red Sox have the easiest schedule of the three teams, with one fewer game and just one series against a potential playoff team.
They start with three contests this weekend against the Orioles, followed by two against the Mets. Next weekend, the Red Sox face the Yankees in their most important remaining series. Then they wrap up the regular season with three apiece on the road against the Orioles and Nationals (who are 60-86). Blue Jays
Last 10 games: 8-2
The Red Sox are nicely positioned in part because they play the worst team in the American League (the 46-99 Orioles) six times. The Blue Jays — who were also off on Thursday evening — also get to play the worst team in the American League three times, as well as the third-worst team — the 64-83 Twins — three times.
The biggest difference for the Blue Jays and the Red Sox: The Jays have three games against the Rays after their first series against the Twins. While the Blue Jays get three games against the best team in the division, the Red Sox get three games against the Nationals, the worst team in the NL East. Yankees
Last 10 games: 4-6
The Yankees have a very tough schedule remaining, but the next week is a brief respite with three games apiece against Cleveland and the Rangers at home.
Then things get difficult, starting with their crucial series against the Red Sox. A sweep would put the Yankees in a very comfortable position, but winning two out of three might not be enough to cement anything since the Yankees finish the season with three-game series’s against the Blue Jays (who seemingly can’t lose) and the Rays.
The Yankees could still make the playoffs, but — more than either the Red Sox or the Blue Jays — they will have to earn their way in with some big victories. Conclusion
Given the Blue Jays’ surge and their middle-of-the-road schedule, the most likely outcome seems to be that they claim the top wildcard slot, while the Red Sox’s cushy schedule (Yankees excluded) helps them snag the other.
The Red Sox-Yankees series next week looms large and could play a pivotal role. But if the Red Sox take care of business against the mediocre teams, they could diminish the importance of the head-to-head against their rivals.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 3:00:42 GMT -5
Making sense of the wild three team scramble as Red Sox strain for a playoff return By Peter Abraham Globe Staff,Updated September 16, 2021, 8:23 p.m.
The Red Sox have advanced to the postseason 10 times since 2003 and won four World Series along the way. But one experience the franchise has so far missed is the wild-card game.
Major League Baseball tweaked the postseason format to add a second wild card in 2012 and a one-game playoff. Ten of the 15 teams in the American League have played in the game at least once. The Sox have never come close; they have won the division four times since 2012 and finished well out of contention otherwise.
This season, it’s wild card or go home. The Sox are eight games behind first-place Tampa Bay with 14 games remaining, none against the Rays.
But at 83-65, they are fighting with the Blue Jays (82-64) and Yankees (82-65) to move on. The Athletics and Mariners are also in contention, but both are long shots.
The American League wild-card game is scheduled for Oct. 5. The winner advances to a best-of-five Division Series starting Oct. 7 at the home field of the highest seed. That is likely to be the Rays, which would be good news for the Red Sox if they got that far. The Sox were 8-11 against the Rays this season, but were outscored by only two runs. They were 2-5 against the Astros and were outscored by 17.
But that’s for later. For now, here some factors to keep an eye on the final 17 days of the season: Roster moves
The Sox expect to activate Chris Sale and Matt Barnes off the COVID-19 injured list before Friday night’s game against Baltimore.
Sale was 3-0 with a 2.52 earned run average in five starts before he tested positive. The Sox were 4-1 in those games. Barnes was an All-Star closer who had a terrible August, allowing 10 earned runs on 12 hits over 6⅔ innings. He hasn’t pitched in a major league game since Aug. 29, and the time seems to have served him well.
Barnes pitched in a minor league game on Wednesday and said afterward it was by far the best he’s felt on the mound in a month.
Outside of infielder Christian Arroyo, the other players remaining on the COVID-19 injured list — Jonathan Araúz, Jarren Duran, Yairo Muñoz, Danny Santana, and Phillips Valdez — have been marginal contributors.
Arroyo, who was “hit hard” by Covid symptoms according to manager Alex Cora, started a minor league rehab assignment with Triple A Worcester on Thursday. He could be ready next week and would give the team another option at second base.
The Sox have been fine with José Iglesias, who is 9 for 20 with four RBIs in nine games since being signed as a free agent on Sept. 6 and has played well defensively. But Iglesias is not eligible for the playoff roster, so getting Arroyo back up to speed will be important. Days off
The Sox have 14 games remaining. The Yankees have 15, and the Blue Jays 16.
One or two fewer games may not seem like much, but the remaining three days off will allow the Sox to get the most out of their pitchers.
They can use Sale and Nate Eovaldi a combined seven times on normal rest, with Nick Pivetta and Eduardo Rodriguez positioned to cover six games. That would allow No. 5 starter Tanner Houck to be a relief pitcher, a role well-suited for his fastball/slider combination.
The schedule
The Sox have an advantage here. Based on the standings through Thursday, they have one series remaining against a team with a winning record — the Yankees, starting Sept. 24 for three games at Fenway Park.
They play the Orioles and Nationals nine times. Six of those games come on the road to end the season. Related: Watch: Tanner Houck’s ‘ridiculous’ second-inning slider against Seattle draws raves across social media
The Blue Jays also have a weak schedule, with 10 of their final 16 games against teams with a losing record. The Yankees have the toughest schedule, with nine games left against winning teams. Home field
The Sox have eight games left at Fenway Park, where they are 44-29. Attendance has been down this season — only two sellouts at full capacity, the last on June 26 — but Cora said Wednesday he expected the team will get a boost from its fans. We’ll see.
The Yankees play nine of their final 15 at home, and the Jays nine of 16. Toronto is 19-8 at home since returning to Rogers Centre. Pitfalls
The Sox have been a poor defensive team for much of the season, in particular the last few weeks. They have allowed an astonishing 19 unearned runs in the last nine games.
The Blue Jays are concerned about José Berríos, who left his start Tuesday with abdominal tightness. He is 4-3 with a 3.31 ERA in nine starts since being obtained from the Twins.
The Yankees are unstable defensively, taking Gleyber Torres off shortstop and playing him at second base. Now DJ LeMahieu is at third and Gio Urshela is at short.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 3:02:52 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 6h AL Wild Card
Blue Jays 82-64 — Red Sox 83-65 — Yankees 82-65 -0.5 A's 79-67 -3 Mariners 78-68 -4
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 3:07:51 GMT -5
Lou Merloni @loumerloni · 6h Yankees are currently out of the Playoffs and in 4th place in the Division.
Imagine being behind the Red Sox, a team most thought would win 79 games while you and others actually thought the Yankees were going to be good this year? Said it in April, most overrated team in MLB. Start spreading the news……..
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 3:12:56 GMT -5
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 3:15:47 GMT -5
Looking around to the teams around us... Blue Jays host the Twins...Pineda vs Ryu tonight Mariners are in KC Oakland in LA to play the Halos Tribe in the Boogie down
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 7:41:32 GMT -5
AL Wild Card standings: Red Sox, Blue Jays pick up half game after Yankees blow 2-1 ninth inning lead vs. Orioles Updated: 7:25 a.m. | Published: 7:19 a.m.
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
The Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays didn’t play Thursday but they both picked up a half game on the New York Yankees.
The Yankees suffered a brutal 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles in 10 innings last night.
New York led 2-1 with two outs in the ninth. But Clay Holmes threw a wild pitch with Austin Wynns (.189 average) at the plate, allowing Kelvin Gutierrez to score the game-tying run.
If the season ended today: The Red Sox would make the postseason. Boston and Toronto are in a virtual tie for the top two Wild Cards, although the Jays hold a percentage point-lead because they have played two fewer games.
Where the Red Sox stand: The Red Sox have a .561 winning percentage, just behind Toronto’s .562 winning percentage. The Yankees (.558 winning percentage) trail them by a half game in the Wild Card. Toronto and Boston have a three-game lead on the A’s and four-game lead on the Mariners in the Wild Card. Boston opens a three-game series against the Orioles at Fenway Park on Friday. SCORES
Orioles 3, Yankees 2
Athletics 7, Royals 2 AL WILD CARD STANDINGS
1. Toronto Blue Jays 82-64 (.562)
Boston Red Sox 83-65 (.561)
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3. New York Yankees 82-65 (.558) ½ game back
4. Oakland Athletics 79-67 (.541) 3 games back
5. Seattle Mariners 78-68 (.534) 4 games back AL EAST STANDINGS
1. Tampa Bay Rays 90-56 (.616)
2T. Toronto Blue Jays 82-64 (.562) 8 ½ games back
2T. Boston Red Sox 83-65 (.561) 8 ½ games back
4. New York Yankees 82-65 (.558) 9 games back
5. Baltimore Orioles 47-99 (.322) eliminated
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 7:50:49 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles preview: TV schedule, pitching probables, key stories, how to watch (Sept. 17-19) Updated: 7:56 a.m. | Published: 7:54 a.m.
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — The Red Sox open their final homestand of the 2021 regular season with a 7:10 p.m. game against the Orioles on Friday.
Boston and Toronto enter Friday in a virtual tie for the top two Wild Card positions, although the Blue Jays hold a percentage point-lead because they have played two fewer games. The Yankees enter a half game behind in the Wild Card standings.
“Not too many people thought the last homestand of the season was going to mean something,” manager Alex Cora said Wednesday. “Now, it means a lot. Hopefully, it’s going to be fun Friday and the rest of the week and we can take care of business.”
The Red Sox also will host the Mets and Yankees on this eight-game homestand. They then head out onto the road to finish the regular season in Baltimore and Washington. Baltimore Orioles (47-99) vs. Boston Red Sox (83-65) · Fenway Park · Boston, Mass.
SERIES SCHEDULE (and TV information):
Friday, Sept. 17, 7:10 p.m. ET -- NESN
Saturday, Sept. 18, 1:10 p.m. ET -- NESN
Sunday, Sept. 19, 1:10 p.m. ET -- NESN
HOW TO WATCH:
Friday, Sept. 17, 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, Sept. 18, 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)
Sunday, Sept. 19, 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 Orioles enter with 99 losses. They have been outscored 870-608 (negative-262 run differential).
All-Star Cedric Mullins is batting .301 with a .367 on-base percentage, .536 slugging percentage, .903 OPS, 29 home runs, 34 doubles, four triples, 85 runs, 56 RBIs and 28 stolen bases in 143 games.
Ryan Mountcastle has .a .261/.311/.496/.807 line with 29 homers, 23 doubles, one triple, 69 runs and 81 RBIs in 128 games.
Trey Mancini is slashing .261/.335/.451/.786 with 21 home runs, 31 doubles and one triple in 133 games.
PITCHING PROBABLES:
Friday, 7:10 p.m. ET -- LHP Keegan Akin (2-9, 6.83 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Sale (2-0, 2.52 ERA)
Saturday, 1:10 p.m. ET -- LHP Zac Lowther (0-2, 9.92 ERA) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (9-7, 4.55 ERA)
Sunday, 1:10 p.m. ET -- LHP Alexander Wells (1-3, 7.76 ERA) vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (10-8, 3.52 ERA)
THREE SOX TO WATCH:
Matt Barnes
The Red Sox need Barnes — who is expected to return from the COVID-related IL this weekend — to pitch well down the stretch. He allowed 10 earned runs in 6 ⅔ innings (11 outings) during August. Opponents batted .375 with a 1.237 OPS against him.
Kyle Schwarber
Schwarber is 16-for-47 (.340) with a .508 on-base percentage, .596 slugging percentage, 1.104 OPS, two homers, six doubles, 14 runs, five RBIs, 15 walks and 10 strikeouts in 14 games at Fenway Park this season.
Bobby Dalbec
Dalbec should receive starts in all three games vs. Baltimore who will start three left-handed pitchers. Dalbec is slashing .280/.325/.522/.848 with eight homers, eight doubles and three triples in 169 plate appearances vs. lefties.
SERIES NOTES:
Nick Pivetta, who will start Saturday, has won all three of his starts against the Orioles this year. He has allowed seven earned runs in 18 innings (3.50 ERA). Baltimore hitters have batted just .203 against him. Chris Sale (COVID) is expected to return Friday. He made his first start back from Tommy John surgery against the Orioles. He hurled 5 innings and allowed two runs, six hits (two homers) and no walks while striking out eight in a victory Aug. 14. Trey Mancini and Austin Hays both homered against him. The Red Sox are 9-4 with a positive-30 run differential against the Orioles this season. That’s after losing their first three games to the Orioles and being outscored 18-5. Kevin Plawecki has thrown out just 3 of 38 base stealers (8%). The Red Sox are 44-29 at Fenway Park. They are 37-30 against AL East teams this season. The Red Sox are 30-27 in games started by an opposing left-handed starter. They face three left-handed starters this weekend. Boston scored seven runs on seven hits in 2 ⅓ innings against Zac Lowther on May 8.
UP NEXT:
Mon. Sept. 20 -- OFF DAY
Tue. Sept. 21 - Wed. Sept. 22: vs. Mets (2)
Thu. Sept. 23 -- OFF DAY
Fri. Sept. 24 - Sun. Sept. 26 -- vs. Yankees (3)
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 7:56:04 GMT -5
No sense of candy coating it it's getting late no damn sense of letting others do the work for us either, even though we will be scoreboard watching
and of course, the Orioles come to town, and a few have been good all year, Mullins and Mancinni, Mountcastle a butcher in the field, is swinging pretty well as is Hays lately.
And no dis respect but their pitching is minor league.
So the Red Sox should try and quit with the gag reel defense, the bone head base running, and beat the shit out of the Orioles this week-end.
They need to sweep this series.
Period.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 13:14:49 GMT -5
Red Sox vs. Orioles Series Preview
A look at this weekend’s three-game set at Fenway By Matt_Collins@MattRyCollins Sep 17, 2021, 1:30pm EDT
Camden Chat The opponent in one sentence
The Orioles remain one of the very worst teams in baseball as their never-ending rebuild is not taking steps in the right direction just yet. Record
47-99 Head-to-head record
Red Sox 9, Orioles 4 Trend
Down, like always. Baltimore was able to avoid a sweep to the Yankees thanks to a walkoff win on Thursday, but that snapped a five-game losing streak. Overall, they’ve won only twice in their last eight games. Pitching Matchups
9/17: TBD vs. Keegan Akin, 7:10 PM ET
This is officially a TBD, but by all accounts things are trending in the right direction for Chris Sale, who should be ready to take the mound again and make the start on Friday to start this series. The lefty has been on the COVID list and still has to pass some tests, but the team seems optimistic he’ll be ready to go. That would obviously be a good thing as the Red Sox are going to try and maximize the starts for their ace the rest of the way. Sale made his return to the major-league mound in August against Baltimore, allowing two runs over five innings with eight strikeouts.
The Red Sox will start this series going up against a young lefty who showed some promise in his debut last summer but has struggled much more this year. After displaying some real swing and miss in 2020, Akin’s strikeout rate is down below 20 percent, all while slightly increasing his walk rate and giving up more homers. The southpaw has been a bit better of late, not allowing more than three runs over his last six starts, though his ERA is still 4.35 over that stretch and his FIP is almost two runs worse. The Red Sox have only seen him once this year, scoring three runs over four innings. Akin will feature a low-90s fastball along with a changeup and a slider.
9/18: Nick Pivetta vs. Zac Lowther, 1:10 PM ET
For the only officially announced starter as of now, the Red Sox will turn to Nick Pivetta for their second game. The righty is probably going to see some time out of the bullpen following this start due to all the days off on the schedule, but he has to take care of business here. It’s been a rollercoaster all year for the former Phillie, but he’s coming off a strong start last time out against a good White Sox lineup. He’s got a 3.50 ERA over 18 innings in three starts against the Orioles this year, striking out 17 and walking eight.
Lowther will make it two straight lefties to start off this series for the Red Sox, and he’s an inexperienced one at that. Having just made his major-league debut earlier this year, Lowther only has 16 1⁄3 innings under his belt at this level. Things have been pretty tough in that time, too, pitching to a 9.92 ERA. He was the starter for Baltimore last week when they allowed 22 runs to Toronto, and he also made his first career start earlier this year against Boston. In that outing, the Red Sox scored seven runs off of him in just 2 1⁄3 innings. Based on his minor-league numbers, there may be some control issues here so the Red Sox should be patient and try to clog the bases. Lowther will feature a low-90s fastball along with a changeup and curveball.
9/19: TBD vs. Alexander Wells, 1:10 PM ET
This is more of a true TBD for the Red Sox, and it will be interesting to see which direction they go. If they stay on their normal schedule, it’d be Eduardo Rodriguez getting the ball. However, the off-day on Thursday would allow Nathan Eovaldi to get bumped up and make this start on normal rest after starting Tuesday’s game in Seattle. On the one hand, Alex Cora will want to maximize the number of starts from his best starters. And if Eovaldi doesn’t start this day, he won’t start until Tuesday because of a day off on Monday. However, Cora may look at the Orioles and decide he’d rather wait for Eovaldi to pitch Tuesday against the Mets, after which he’d be able to also pitch the series finale against the Yankees next Sunday. It’s still unclear how they’re leaning right now.
Wells makes it a clean sweep of lefties facing the Red Sox this weekend, and is yet another inexperienced one at that. Wells made his debut back in June and has been up and down all year, pitching to an ugly 7.76 ERA when he has gotten a chance to start. He’s never been a big strikeout pitcher as a pro, but his walk rate and home run rate has skyrocketed since getting to the majors, including in his last start when he allowed five runs and three homers to the Yankees. This will be Boston’s first time seeing the lefty. Wells will feature a high-80s fastball along with a curveball, slider, and changeup. Old Friends
Fernando Abad was a member of not one but two division-winning Red Sox bullpens, though he was used infuriatingly by a manager who insisted on pitching him against right-handed batters. Now 35, Abad is in middle relief with Baltimore.
Travis Lakins never really was able to fit into a role in the Red Sox organization but has been a mostly solid reliever for the Orioles, though he struggled this year before going down with an injury. Notable Position Players
Cedric Mullins gets forgotten at times because of his team, but he has been one of the very best players in baseball this year and is tied for sixth in fWAR among all position players. He’s hitting for power, he plays great defense, and his plate discipline is really solid to give him an all-around skillset and make him easily the best player on this Orioles roster.
Anthony Santander was a big breakout player in 2020, but this year was a struggle in the first half. That said, he’s turned it back on in the second half and has been a reliable power bat for this lineup. T-Shirt Collection
Take a look at the entire shirt collection from our friends over at BreakingT, including the latest one pictured above.
Trey Mancini has been a bit banged up of late, but when he plays he’s still a very good hitter who’s not really great at any one thing but is very good all-around at the plate.
Ryan Mountcastle is going to swing a lot, and he will strike out a bunch. But despite the plate discipline issues his ability to impact the ball on contact puts him above-average on the season.
Austin Hays was Baltimore’s hero on Thursday, and he’s another guy who doesn’t really walk but does just enough otherwise to keep his line solid.
Ramón Urías has been a surprise in this lineup, mostly with his on-base ability, though a lot of that is driven by a seemingly inflated BABIP.
Kelvin Gutierrez was a summer acquisition from Kansas City, and the infielder has struggled mightily at the plate for both organizations this season.
Pat Valaika joins Gutierrez as infielders who have been at least 50 percent worse than league-average by wRC+. Bullpen Snapshot
While the Orioles offense is actually a bit friskier than I think most people would think, their bullpen decidedly is not. To be fair to them, their closer, Cole Sulser, is having a good season. His ERA is below 3.00 and exactly in line with his FIP. If the Red Sox are behind in the ninth, they will have a legitimate challenge of coming back. That said, the rest of the bullpen is not impressive. Connor Greene is probably the next scariest reliever they’d have to face, but his command is just off enough that he’s more fine than good. Injuries
The Orioles have a few names on the injured list, but it’s not anyone of too much consequence. Jorge López did give the Red Sox trouble in one start early in the year, but his season numbers are not impressive. Tanner Scott would add big stuff from the left side to their bullpen, but his control issues largely cancel that out. The Harveys Matt and Hunter are both out with injuries as well. Weather Forecast
It should be a nice, late-summer weekend at Fenway with only a little bit of weather concern. That comes for the opener on Friday, though it shouldn’t be an issue. There is some rain in the forecast for the late afternoon, but it doesn’t look like it should have any effect on the actual game.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 13:15:53 GMT -5
Red Sox Notes @soxnotes · 2h The Red Sox begin their final homestand tonight. They lead the AL in runs scored per game (5.7), AVG (.278), and OPS (.826) at home.
The Sox are 44-29 (.603) at Fenway, including 34-18 (.654) since May 13.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 13:20:37 GMT -5
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Sept 17, 2021 14:12:21 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 7m Chris Sale is starting tonight.
Red Sox starting Sale, Pivetta and Eovaldi this weekend. Rodriguez on Tuesday. Houck likely available out of bullpen starting tomorrow.
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