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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 7, 2021 10:01:45 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 5m Red Sox ALDS roster is out. JD Martinez returns.
The Sox used that 40-man spot they opened yesterday to bring Danny Santana back.
Sox dropped Matt Barnes, which is a surprise.
Added: Sale, Perez, Santana, Martinez.
Subtracted: Barnes, Wong, Arauz, Durran.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 7, 2021 10:05:20 GMT -5
Marc Topkin @tbtimes_Rays · 14m #Rays ALDS roster includes Wisler and Fleming, OF Brett Phillips and LHP Ryan Yarbrough are not on
#Rays added INF Jordan Luplow as expected to ALDS roster
#Rays decision to carry 13 pitchers is what led to Phillips being excluded. Also not on the roster is Nick Anderson, who is still working back to form from spring elbow injury
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 7, 2021 10:17:47 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 7m #RedSox used four right-handed relievers against the Yankees and none were Matt Barnes. That was telling.
Just two catchers is interesting, but the extra pitchers likely won out. Rays are a strict platoon advantage team at the plate.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 7, 2021 10:19:41 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 22m Santana takes the pinch-runner/backup infield spots that had been occupied by Jarren Duran and Jonathan Araúz in the Wild Card. The Sox are also going with two catchers (Connor Wong is off the roster) while carrying 13 pitchers. They've added back Martín Pérez and removed Barnes.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 7, 2021 10:22:32 GMT -5
The talking heads will now tweet all afternoon about who was left off and is on the DS roster I don't care as long as we see no gas can bullpen gang or errors, or insane base running and don't want to read anymore previews....hell we all know the Rays...
just gonna wait and see if there is anything at the Cora presser and then the line ups....
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 7, 2021 13:53:34 GMT -5
J.D. Martinez on Red Sox roster for playoff series vs. Rays | Analysis, lineups, and pregame notes for Game 1By Alex Speier and Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated October 7, 2021, 11:10 a.m. Designated hitter/outfielder J.D. Martinez is on the Red Sox roster for the American League Division Series against the Rays. The slugger’s status for the best-of-five series had been in question after he rolled his left ankle while jogging out to right field in Sunday’s regular season finale against the Washington Nationals. He was left off the Sox’ roster for the Wild Card Game against the Yankees, with manager Alex Cora saying that the injury had to be “very serious for him not to post.” But Martinez worked out on the field at Tropicana Field on Wednesday’s off-day, and evidently the Red Sox were sufficiently satisfied with his improvement to put him on the roster. It remains to be seen whether he will be in the lineup for Game 1 or limited to pinch-hitting duties. The Red Sox’ Division Series roster is as follows: Pitchers (13): Ryan Brasier, Austin Davis, Nathan Eovaldi, Tanner Houck, Adam Ottavino, Martín Pérez, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Richards, Hansel Robles, Eduardo Rodriguez, Chris Sale, Josh Taylor, Garrett Whitlock Catchers (2): Kevin Plawecki, Christian Vázquez Infielders (5): Christian Arroyo, Xander Bogaerts, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, Travis Shaw Outfielders (4): J.D. Martinez, Hunter Renfroe, Kyle Schwarber, Alex Verdugo Infielder/Outfielders (2): Kiké Hernández, Danny Santana Other notable elements of the 26-man ALDS roster announced by the Red Sox on Thursday morning: • Lefthander Chris Sale, who was not on the Wild Card roster, was added for the ALDS. He’s expected to start Game 2. • Righthanded reliever Matt Barnes was not among the 13 pitchers on Boston’s ALDS roster. While the 2021 All-Star was on the Wild Card roster, with more potential innings to cover in a five-game series – and with Eduardo Rodriguez and Nick Pivetta both starting rather than completely available out of the bullpen – Barnes, who struggled down the stretch and was used solely in lower-leverage situations, was left off the roster. Martín Pérez was added to the roster. • With the Sox carrying 13 pitchers, the team had to reduce its position-playing group from 14 in the Wild Card game to 13 while also accommodating the return of Martinez. That reduction meant three players who were on the Wild Card roster were removed from the ALDS roster: third catcher Connor Wong, pinch-runner/outfielder Jarren Duran, and infielder Jonathan Araúz. • In place of those three, in addition to Martinez, the Sox added super-utility player Danny Santana to the Division Series roster. Santana can serve as a pinch-runner while also offering positional insurance in both the infield and outfield – in essence, consolidating the roles of Duran and Araúz. The Rays won the season series, 11-8. Julian McWilliams looks at how both teams match up. Lineups RED SOX (92-70): 1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF 2. Kyle Schwarber (L) DH 3. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 4. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 5. Hunter Renfroe (R) RF 6. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 7. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B 8. Christian Vazquez (R) C 9. Christian Arroyo (R) 2B Pitching: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (13-8, 4.74 ERA) RAYS (100-62): 1. Randy Arozarena (R) LF 2. Wander Franco (S) SS 3. Brandon Lowe (L) 2B 4. Nelson Cruz (R) DH 5. Yandy Diaz (R) 3B 6. Jordan Luplow (R) 1B 7. Manuel Margot (R) RF 8. Mike Zunino (R) C 9. Kevin Kiermaier (L) CF Pitching: LHP Shane McClanahan (10-6, 3.43 ERA) Time: 8:07 p.m. TV, radio: FS1, WEEI Red Sox vs. McClanahan: Jonathan Araúz 0-3, Xander Bogaerts 0-3, Bobby Dalbec 2-6, Rafael Devers 3-8, Kiké Hernández 2-6, J.D. Martinez 2-7, Kevin Plawecki 0-4, Hunter Renfroe 3-8, Kyle Schwarber 1-4, Alex Verdugo 0-1, Christian Vázquez 1-6 Rays vs. Rodriguez: Randy Arozarena 4-11, Mike Brosseau 1-3, Nelson Cruz 5-27, Yandy Díaz 7-17, Wander Franco 2-9, Kevin Kiermaier 1-12, Brandon Lowe 4-13, Jordan Luplow 2-6, Manuel Margot 4-12, Austin Meadows 1-10, Francisco Mejía 2-5, Taylor Walls 1-5, Joey Wendle 1-2, Mike Zunino 4-11 Stat of the day: Rodriguez has a 2.11 earned run average in his last five appearances and held opponents to a .638 OPS. Notes: The Sox are 103-86-1 in postseason play. They are 22-15 in 37 postseason series, having gone 7-6 in 13 trips to the ALDS (23-25 in ALDS games) .… Rodriguez went 1-1 with a 4.71 ERA in four starts against the Rays this season. Overall, he is 2-4 with a 5.21 ERA in 13 career starts vs. Tampa Bay .… McClanahan, 24, is making his first playoff start. Last season he became the first pitcher to make his major league debut in the postseason, appearing in four games as a reliever and finishing with an 8.31 ERA in 4 1/3 innings Song of the Day: The Rolling Stones - Start Me Upwww.youtube.com/watch?v=SGyOaCXr8Lw
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 7, 2021 16:13:38 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 46m Red Sox updates via Alex Cora:
* Martinez is available to pinch hit. Good chance he starts Game 2.
* Sale starts Game 2.
* Barnes decision was tough but they wanted the extra lefty against the the Rays.
MLB announced that Game 3 at Fenway Park will start at 4:07 p.m. on Sunday.
Game 4, if necessary, would be at 7:07 p.m. on Monday, also at Fenway.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 7, 2021 16:14:21 GMT -5
Alex Speier @alexspeier · 1h Not a sellout. It’s going to be interesting to hear the crowd breakdown. In DC, it was one of the loudest Red Sox road crowds many in the dugout had ever heard.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 7, 2021 16:16:25 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 48m Alex Cora pregame #RedSox notes (1/x): - Martinez 'is available today. He's not going to start. He's going to take batting practice.' - Martinez 'is moving better. I'm not saying he's going to be flying around the bases -- we'll go station by station.'
Cora pregame #RedSox notes (2/x): - Sale will start Game 2. Pivetta will be in the bullpen tonight. - On Pivetta: 'There's a chance he could start a game in this series.' - On Eovaldi out of the bullpen: 'You know his spikes are on today. He'll be there.'
Cora pregame #RedSox notes (3/x): - Leaving Barnes off the roster 'is always difficult. This guy, he's been here for a while. He's been here and done that.' - On including Perez: 'We had to make some adjustments. We decided to go with the three lefties.'
Cora pregame #RedSox notes (4/x): - On selecting Santana: 'Versatility. Switch-hitter. He can steal a base. He's fast, too. He's been in situations like this.' - More on Santana: 'The player -- the package. It's not about he's better or not better (than someone else).'
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Post by Kimmi on Oct 7, 2021 17:13:20 GMT -5
I have some nervous energy going here, but not as bad as it was before the WC game.
Hopefully, it will be a good series.
It's go time. Let's do this, Red Sox!
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 8, 2021 2:23:10 GMT -5
Arozarena shines, Rays blank Red Sox 5-0 in ALDS opener
By FRED GOODALL AP Sports Writer
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Randy Arozarena is off and running in October again.
The do-it-all rookie became the first player to hit a home run and steal home in a postseason game, propelling the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in their AL Division Series opener Thursday night.
The breakout star of October last year, Arozarena made a breathtaking dash to the plate for the first straight steal of home in the postseason since Jackie Robinson did it for the Brooklyn Dodgers against Yogi Berra and the New York Yankees in the 1955 World Series, according to the FS1 broadcast.
"I noticed the pitcher wasn't really keeping his attention to me. So I was able to take a big enough lead and be able to take that base," Arozarena said through a translator. "That's the first time I've ever stolen home."
Nelson Cruz also homered - off a Tropicana Field catwalk - and rookie Shane McClanahan pitched five stellar innings for the AL East champion Rays.
Game 2 in the best-of-five series is Friday night, with Chris Sale scheduled to start for Boston against rookie Shane Baz.
Wander Franco also sparkled in his playoff debut, delivering an early RBI double that sent the speedy Arozarena home from first base to get the defending AL champions off to a quick start.
Arozarena, a 26-year-old Cuban who still qualifies as a rookie despite setting postseason records with 10 homers and 29 hits in 20 games a year ago, capped another exhilarating performance by stealing home against lefty reliever Josh Taylor to make it 5-0 in the seventh.
"I think it just happens. You know, I just focus a little bit more," Arozarena said about his postseason prowess. "Luckily, it's happening in October. That means it's closer to the World Series."
It was the first steal of home of any kind in a playoff game since Javier Baez did it for the Chicago Cubs against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the 2016 NLCS.
Baez took a big lead off third base, drawing a pickoff throw from catcher Carlos Ruiz. As soon as Ruiz let go of the ball, Baez scampered home and beat an off-balance throw from third baseman Justin Turner to the plate.
"This game is all about history, and any time you are putting your name in those categories like Randy has, I've never seen anything like it in 2020, and hopefully I'll say that here at the end of 2021," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.
With one of the lowest payrolls in baseball and a roster lacking household names, the Rays are in the playoffs for a third straight year after winning a franchise-record 100 games and their second consecutive AL East title.
If not for Arozarena's flashy, crowd-pleasing play and the hitting of the 20-year-old Franco, who was promoted to the majors in June, then McClanahan's pitching may well have been the story of the night.
The 24-year-old lefty, who made his big league debut during Tampa Bay's run to last year's World Series, scattered five hits and struck out three in his first career playoff start.
McClanahan felt good about his outing, but was much more impressed with Arozarena.
"I said it three times tonight: That's got to be the Rookie of the Year. I don't think it's even a competition in my mind," the pitcher said. "What that guy does every single day on a baseball field is so special."
Cruz, acquired in July to add a potent bat to the middle of the lineup, hit his 18th career postseason homer for a 3-0 lead in the third. Arozarena also went deep against right-hander Nick Pivetta with the bases empty in the fifth for his 11th homer in 21 career postseason games.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, wasted opportunities to get back in the game, including the eighth inning when they loaded the bases with one out against J.P. Feyereisen. He escaped by striking out Rafael Devers and getting Hunter Renfroe to foul out.
"We had traffic out there, and we just didn't cash in," Boston manager Alex Cora said.
Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez took the loss, allowing two runs, two hits and walking two in 1 2/3 innings. Pivetta spared Cora from having to expend the bullpen by working 4 2/3 innings in relief.
Franco chased Pivetta with his second double of the night, an opposite-field hit to left that sent Arozarena scampering from first to third in the seventh. Four pitches later, Arozarena took advantage of Taylor not paying attention to him and took off for the plate.
"It caught everybody by surprise," Cora said. "It's a great baseball play. He had a great baseball game."
The victory extended Tampa Bay's recent mastery of the Red Sox.
The Rays lost four straight to Boston before winning 11 of the final 15 meetings during the regular season. And they wasted no time jumping on Rodriguez this time, using their speed to turn a leadoff walk to Arozarena, Franco's double to left-center and Yandy Diaz's two-out infield single into a quick 2-0 lead.
Cruz homered off one of the catwalks that support the roof at Tropicana Field, setting off another thunderous ovation from a yellow towel-waving sellout crowd of 27,419 that included college basketball analyst Dick Vitale, a Rays season-ticket holder who threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The veteran slugger launched a high drive toward left-center, and the ball bounded back into the field of play after hitting a catwalk. By stadium rule, it was a home run.
"I had no clue what was going on," Cruz said. "I was watching the outfielders. I was like, what happened? Just thank God it was a homer."
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER
Franco and Cruz are the two biggest additions to this year's Tampa Bay offense, which ranked second in the majors with 857 runs. With the 20-year-old shortstop and 41-year-old slugger in the lineup, the Rays scored 263 runs in 43 games.
The duo became the second set of teammates to each have a hit in a postseason game when one player was 20 or younger and the other was at least 40. They joined Manny Machado and Jim Thome, who did it in 2012 for the Baltimore Orioles, according to ESPN.
Cruz, meanwhile, became the second-oldest player to homer in the postseason after 43-year-old Julio Franco in 2001.
UP NEXT
Baz, an Olympic silver medalist who began the season in Double-A and made his major league debut in late September, will start Game 2 for the Rays.
The Red Sox, who beat the rival Yankees at home in the AL wild-card game to advance to the ALDS, will counter with Sale, who returned from Tommy John surgery in mid-August and went 5-1 with a 3.16 ERA over nine starts down the stretch.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 8, 2021 2:50:43 GMT -5
Sox's bats stymied: 'They made some plays' 2:41 AM ADT Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
0:16
1:10
ST. PETERSBURG -- There were no catwalks to be found for the Red Sox in Thursday's Game 1 of the American League Division Series. But there sure were a lot of hard-hit balls by Boston that went … right at those well-positioned Rays defenders.
It helped add up to a 5-0 defeat that will send manager Alex Cora's team into Game 2 with a sense of urgency to salvage a split on Friday before this best-of-five set goes back to Fenway Park on Sunday.
In Division Series with the current 2-2-1 format, teams who lost Game 1 on the road have advanced 10 of 43 times (23%). This excludes 2020, when the Division Series were played at neutral sites.
"We're good," said Cora. "I loved the at-bats today. ... We put some pressure on them. They made some plays. We hit some balls hard, but we've got Chris [Sale], and he is ready to go. The bullpen is rested, so we should be OK."
While the night didn't get off to an ideal start from a pitching standpoint (Eduardo Rodriguez recorded just five outs before getting the hook), Boston's bats gave the club plenty of chances to climb back into the game.
Of late, the Red Sox's talented offense has been hit or miss. After banging the baseball around for seven runs in that crucial Game No. 162 win at Washington on Sunday afternoon and six more in the AL Wild Card Game against the Yankees on Tuesday night, Boston was kept off the board in Game 1.
The bottom-line results, however, didn't necessarily match up with the amount of hard contact. The Red Sox hit into five outs on balls that had an exit velocity of 100 mph or more -- all in the first six innings.
Some of that is to the credit of the Rays, who combine strong analytics to formulate their positioning in addition to having players who are plus defenders.
"Look, they hit the ball hard early on off [starter] Shane [McClanahan]," said Rays manager Kevin Cash. "Shane was awesome, but you know coming in against the Red Sox, they are such a good lineup. They aren't a bunch of guys that you can just go carve through. They put pressure on us, but our defense was good as well."
If zero runs and nine hits seemed like an unusual combination, it's because it was. Consider that this was the first time that has happened to the Red Sox in their extensive postseason history and just the 11th instance in any playoff game.
And it was just the second time in 20 years it has happened to Boston in any game. The only other time it happened in the past two decades was April 6, 2014, against the Brewers.
"Yeah, we had traffic out there, and we just didn't cash in," said Cora. "Bobby [Dalbec] hit a few missiles with men on. Obviously, in the eighth we load the bases; we didn't score."
Making the bases-loaded opportunity in the eighth even more painful is that Rafael Devers, the most dangerous hitter on the team and one of the most feared in the game, was up with one out and struck out on a fastball well above the strike zone.
Devers (1-for-4) played the game with a wrap around his right arm and he dropped his bat to the ground after a couple of mighty cuts. However, Cora downplayed any significant health issue with his third baseman.
"A few days ago, everybody said he was setting up the pitcher whenever he drops the bat," Cora said. "Today, because he didn't get a hit, he is hurt. I mean, after 162 games, things happen and you get treatment, and you grind, you know? Not everybody is 100 percent right now, and he is posting."
Devers will be back in the lineup for Game 2, and he could have J.D. Martinez there with him. Martinez was inactive for the AL Wild Card Game and was out of the lineup on Thursday due to a sprained left ankle, but the hope is he will be ready for Friday.
To get a split in the series, the Red Sox will not only need a strong pitching performance from Sale, but they'll need some good fortune on offense.
That clearly was not the case on Thursday. The Sox went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base.
"Obviously, situations like this, you have to score runners," said second baseman Christian Arroyo. "As an offense, I thought we did a good job of getting our knocks, but you've got to have that blow, you know?"
The Rays had their share of those, including a solo shot in the third inning by ageless slugger Nelson Cruz that hit the C-ring catwalk and caused some brief confusion for Boston's defense.
"It threw me off because I thought [Alex Verdugo] was camped under it, and then I saw the ball bounce, and then I saw Nelson Cruz jogging, so I was really confused," said Arroyo, a former Ray. "It's part of the game, and it's part of the ground rules here. There's really nothing you can do about it."
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What the Red Sox will try to do is get back to the best version of themselves offensively in Game 2.
"There were some good at-bats in the middle of the game, grind at-bats," Cora said. "Others were kind of empty, but I think overall we did a good job hitting line drives and staying in the middle of the field."
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 8, 2021 2:52:22 GMT -5
Pivetta's length keeps Sox fresh for Game 2 Right-hander's 4 2/3 innings of relief give Boston more pitching flexibility 2:11 AM ADT Bryan Hoch
Bryan Hoch @bryanhoch
ST. PETERSBURG -- Distance was Nick Pivetta’s objective as he toiled through his first career postseason appearance, tossing 4 2/3 innings of relief in Thursday’s Game 1 of the American League Division Series. Each out recorded meant that the Red Sox's bullpen might be just a bit fresher the next night.
Pivetta chewed the bulk of innings in Boston’s 5-0 loss to Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field, taking over the middle frames after starter Eduardo Rodriguez recorded only five outs. The 28-year-old Pivetta’s effort places the Red Sox's relief corps in decent position for what should be an all-hands-on-deck effort in Friday’s Game 2.
“I think me providing some depth really helps that,” Pivetta said. “I think that’s really important in that situation, to be able to do that and help with the bullpen. We’ll see where we go moving forward.”
Pivetta threw 73 pitches (41 strikes), permitting three runs and four hits, including home runs to Nelson Cruz and Randy Arozarena, and two walks. No other Boston reliever tossed more than six pitches, with Garrett Richards, Josh Taylor and Adam Ottavino combining for five outs.
That could prove valuable behind left-hander Chris Sale, Boston's scheduled starter for Game 2. Sale has averaged about 5 1/3 innings over his nine starts since returning from Tommy John surgery on Aug. 14. Sale received an early hook in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Nationals in Washington, striking out all seven of the batters he retired.
“We’ve got Chris, and he is ready to go,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “The bullpen is rested, so we should be OK.”
Cora said he was aggressive in his decision to lift Rodriguez because he felt that Boston needed to “contain the game,” Tampa Bay having put two first-inning runs on the board on RBI hits from Wander Franco and Yandy Díaz. Richards induced an Arozarena groundout that ended the second inning before Pivetta took over in the third.
“It’s not that we mapped it out that way, but we felt that with that lineup and the way they are, that was a moment we had to stop it right there to get Randy out,” Cora said. “We felt that if we contained the offense for a while there, we were good enough offensively to put traffic on and score some runs. It just happened that we didn’t score.”
Because Tampa Bay held Boston's offense down, high-leverage options like right-handers Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock never warmed for the Red Sox, saving Cora from burning through his bullpen card. Houck and Whitlock each pitched an inning to help seal the AL Wild Card Game win against the Yankees on Tuesday.
“This is a series. It’s not just one game,” Rodriguez said. “We just have to go out there and win tomorrow. ... After today, we just have to go out there and win three games. It’s three out of five, not one out of two.”
Arozarena voiced a similar sentiment: “I think tomorrow is going to be a completely different day. You start new. You start at zero. You start with a whole other pitcher, a whole other ballgame.”
With an off-day on Saturday, allowing the clubs to travel to Fenway Park for Sunday's Game 3, Cora can empty the tank in hopes of evening the ALDS with a Game 2 win. It also leaves open the possibility that Houck -- who made 13 starts this year -- could get the ball for a potential Game 4 on Monday.
“I did the best I could,” Pivetta said. “Things didn’t go my way certain times, but I tried to keep us in the baseball game. I just tried to go as deep as I possibly could.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 8, 2021 2:53:37 GMT -5
Sale pumped for G2: 'Just hand me the ball' October 7th, 2021 Bryan Hoch
Bryan Hoch @bryanhoch 3
ST. PETERSBURG -- There was likely no one more thrilled by Rafael Devers’ go-ahead homer in Sunday’s Game 162 than Chris Sale, who was chased early from the season’s final regular-season game with a trip to the postseason on the line.
The Red Sox left-hander lasted only 2 1/3 innings in that start against the Nationals in Washington. He was granted an opportunity for redemption by Devers’ blast, which powered a come-from-behind 7-5 win, and Boston’s victory over the Yankees in Tuesday’s American League Wild Card Game at Fenway Park. That redemption could come when Sale starts Game 2 of the AL Division Series vs. the Rays on Friday night.
“That was big,” Sale said. “What I saw in that game was a lot of momentum, a lot of energy shift, and guys just being dogs. I did absolutely nothing to help our team win; I actually put us in a horrendous spot in that game. … I was obviously very appreciative of that, because that would’ve been a very not fun last game of the year.”
Sale, 32, made nine regular-season starts after returning from Tommy John surgery on Aug. 14, going 5-1 with a 3.16 ERA over 42 2/3 innings. Sale said he is “figuring this stuff out as we go,” which suggests the Rays could see a steady diet of four-seam fastballs and sliders.
“Not too many guys can come out of Tommy John surgery and you throw him in the middle of a pennant race and do the things that he has done,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “He has given us a chance to win. … I think he has been solid. I don’t think the changeup is where he wants, but he felt like this week he made a few adjustments that might play tomorrow.”
Opponents this season are 18-for-40 (.450) off Sale’s changeup, including two doubles and two homers. Sale said he focused on his arm action and mechanics coming off the shaky Nationals start, when he struck out seven but allowed two runs on three walks and four hits.
“I think the biggest flaw in that [changeup] is the consistency,” Sale said. “If I throw 10 of them, four of them are really good. Two of them are ‘ehh’ and the other ones are batting practice. I just have to find a way to get more consistent with that pitch.”
Two of Sale’s post-Tommy John outings came against the Rays, providing something of a blueprint to work off. Sale hurled six innings of two-run ball in a 3-2 Red Sox victory on Sept. 1 at Tropicana Field, where he is 5-3 with a 2.09 ERA in 12 career games (11 starts).
Sale also faced Tampa Bay his next time out, permitting five runs (one earned) and 10 hits over 3 2/3 innings in Boston’s 11-10 loss at Fenway on Sept. 6. Sale said that he sees Sunday’s comeback at Washington as a good indicator of what the Sox can achieve in a postseason setting.
“We saw the scoreboard; we knew what the deal was,” Sale said. “We knew our backs were against the wall to win that game. To tell yourself, ‘Hey, we have to win this game,’ then proceed to win that game -- it says a lot about who we have in this clubhouse.” Get the latest from the Red Sox
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While Sale’s focus is on providing a deep Game 2 outing, he could be a factor later in the series as well. Cora said he’d be careful using Sale as a reliever, though he made appearances out of Boston's bullpen in the 2017 and ’18 postseasons, including a scoreless three-strikeout inning to seal Game 5 of the 2018 World Series.
“Absolutely,” Sale said. “I think experience helps out a lot in this situation, with the playoffs and postseason. There’s no reason to save an arm to go sit on the couch. This is all the baseball we have left, and tomorrow might not come. It doesn’t matter when or where. Just hand me the ball, and I’m going to sling it until you take it.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 8, 2021 2:55:47 GMT -5
Notes: 'Good chance' J.D. starts Game 2 Barnes, Iglesias not on ALDS roster; Pivetta out of 'pen October 7th, 2021 Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Red Sox got a boost of good news before the American League Division Series even started on Thursday, when they placed ailing slugger J.D. Martinez on the roster for the best-of-five series against the Rays.
Martinez sprained his left ankle in the final game of the regular season on Sunday, when he tripped over second base while running out to play right field at Nationals Park.
He was left off the roster for the AL Wild Card Game, in which the Red Sox beat the Yankees, 6-2, on Tuesday.
However, Martinez was not in the Game 1 starting lineup against Rays lefty Shane McClanahan at Tropicana Field, but manager Alex Cora said he will be available to pinch-hit.
It’s possible Martinez will be back in the lineup for Friday’s Game 2, which is at 7 p.m. ET.
“There’s a good chance that [Friday], that might be the day. I feel better [about that] today than yesterday,” Cora said.
Clearly, Martinez has made a lot of progress within the past 24 hours.
“He’s feeling a lot better. He’s moving better,” Cora said. “I’m not saying he’s going to be flying around the bases, but we’ll go station by station, and hopefully, he can hit one in the air, hit one out of the ballpark and he can jog around the bases. It’s getting better. The medical staff, the last three days, even on the plane, they’ve done an amazing job. He’s in a much better spot than Monday.”
In 148 games this season, the 34-year-old Martinez slashed .286/.349/.518 with 28 homers and 99 RBIs.
With Martinez out of the lineup, Cora went with his best defensive alignment -- the one he used in the AL Wild Card Game.
Kyle Schwarber was at DH, with Bobby Dalbec at first base, Christian Arroyo at second and Kiké Hernández in center.
Though Alex Verdugo has struggled against lefties this season (.554 OPS), he got the nod in left field over Danny Santana, who was added to the roster after being reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list.
Barnes a tough omission Red Sox righty Matt Barnes, an All-Star closer earlier this season and a crucial member of the championship-winning bullpen of 2018, was left off the roster for the Division Series.
Barnes' struggles since August have been well documented, which left the Red Sox with the tough decision of keeping their longest-tenured reliever on the sidelines for the best-of-five ALDS. Barnes was on the roster for the AL Wild Card Game against the Yankees, but he didn’t pitch.
“Extremely difficult,” Cora said. “This guy has been here for a while. He’s been here, done that. But the uniqueness of their roster, we have to make some adjustments. Obviously, it’s a hard conversation with the player, but at the end, we’re trying to have the roster that we do believe is going to help us to advance.
“Obviously, he is disappointed. He wanted to be part of this. But at the same time, he’ll be a good teammate and he’ll be there for us. You never know what can happen today, tomorrow or the next day as far as our roster with everything that can happen. He’ll be ready. But it wasn’t an easy decision.”
The Red Sox decided to add a third lefty to the bullpen in Martín Pérez, which led to the decision to keep Barnes off. The Rays do a lot of mixing and matching, and they have five lefty bats in Brandon Lowe, Kevin Kiermaier, Ji-Man Choi, Austin Meadows and Joey Wendle.
Pivetta starting in ‘pen Righty Nick Pivetta, who made 30 starts for the Red Sox this season, will begin this ALDS in the bullpen. But that doesn’t mean he won’t get a start at some point. In fact, Game 4 remains a possibility.
“It all depends where we’re at and where we see things,” Cora said. “Today, he’ll be in the bullpen, but you never know what can happen in the upcoming days.”
Cart pusher José Iglesias, who was a key performer for the Red Sox down the stretch but can’t play in this series because he wasn’t in the organization as of Sept. 1, could have one visible role.
Cora said Iglesias could be the guy who pushes the home run cart in the dugout after a Red Sox player goes deep. The laundry cart ritual actually started at Tropicana Field late in the 2020 season when Boston was out of contention and the team was looking for a way to create some fun. Cora has enjoyed seeing the light-hearted gimmick -- which was started by catcher Kevin Plawecki and coach Jason Varitek -- continue.
“For them to have fun with that, it’s great,” Cora said.
Arroyo’s homecoming With Iglesias out of the mix, Christian Arroyo will get most of the playing time at second base. Playing the Rays in the postseason is exciting for the Brooksville, Fla., native, who grew up about an hour from Tropicana Field.
“I asked him how many tickets he is leaving today, or how much it is going to cost him for us because we are playing Tampa Bay. He said a lot,” Cora said. “So hopefully he can perform, you know, in front of family and friends here in Tropicana Field, and help us win ballgames.”
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