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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 13:18:48 GMT -5
Just how will the Red Sox use Chris Sale in the ALCS? Red Sox skipper Alex Cora isn't giving any clues
Bill Koch
The Providence Journal
BOSTON — Alex Cora declined to name a starting pitcher for the opening two games of the American League Championship Series against the Astros.
The Red Sox manager demurred when asked the question prior to a team workout Wednesday afternoon at Fenway Park. Boston is scheduled to open Game 1 against Houston on Friday night.
Nathan Eovaldi would be available on full rest for the Red Sox at Minute Maid Park. But it’s likely a pending decision on Chris Sale that would snap the rotation into order and he’s fresh off a disastrous Game 2 performance against the Rays in the A.L. Division Series.
“We’re going to talk about it tonight,” Cora said.
More:'Here we are surprising everybody but ourselves' says Red Sox ALDS star Kiké Hernandez
Sale barely escaped the bottom of the first inning in what wound up to be a 14-6 victory over Tampa Bay. He allowed a grand slam to career journeyman Jordan Luplow on a fastball above the zone that was yanked out to deep left. Tanner Houck saved Boston with five superb innings in relief, one of three bulk stints covered by Red Sox starters during their dismissal of the A.L. East champions.
“[Sale] will pitch,” Cora said. “He’ll be part of this. He’ll be an important part of this.”
Right-handed hitters have roasted Sale to the tune of an .824 OPS during his 2021 return from Tommy John surgery. That’s well above his career mark of .653 in left-right matchups. Sale has dominated opponents left-left this season, holding them to a microscopic .346 OPS.
Would those numbers convince Boston to deploy Sale as a specialist? The Astros almost certainly will spread regular lefties Yordan Alvarez, Michael Brantley and Kyle Tucker throughout their lineup. Offering Boston a ready-made pocket to deploy Sale, Josh Taylor or even Austin Davis — should he be named to the 26-man roster — would be an unlikely strategy from a veteran manager like Dusty Baker.
“We know what we want to do,” Cora said. “We’ll have our starters be part of the bullpen in Games 1 and 2 and then we’ll decide what we do in Games 3 and 4.”
Houston’s attack is primarily sparked by an infield that hits exclusively from the right side. And, unlike in the matchup advantages sought by the Rays, this quartet of Astros will be in the lineup regardless of opposing pitcher. Yuli Gurriel, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman drove the final nails into the White Sox during their 3-1 victory in the ALDS.
Houston’s splits among right-handed hitters during the regular season weren’t all that extreme — a .754 OPS right-right and an .834 OPS left-right. Bregman and Altuve in particular have crushed southpaws throughout their respective careers, posting an OPS of .878 and .981, respectively. Correa and Gurriel are within 30 points in terms of OPS splits against lefties and righties in their careers.
The Red Sox could opt for Houck or Nick Pivetta to counter the Astros in this series. Houck held right-handed hitters to a .580 OPS this season while Pivetta checked in at .729 — down considerably from his career mark of .804 since his 2017 debut with the Phillies. Both picked up victories in relief against Tampa Bay, helping Boston erase its 1-0 series deficit.
“What Nick did here in Game 3, that was amazing,” Cora said. “Then we used Tanner again in Game 4. They understand where we’re at. They understand what it takes.”
Eduardo Rodriguez seems likely to have earned himself another start after working into the sixth inning of Monday’s clincher against the Rays. Rodriguez recovered from his own brutal effort in Game 1 to toss five strong frames and leave with a four-run lead. The Red Sox ultimately walked off with a 6-5 triumph thanks to Kiké Hernandez's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth.
Has Sale done enough to earn the same sort of second chance from Cora? He was warming and would have been brought on for a save chance in Game 4 if Ryan Brasier hadn't coughed up a 5-3 cushion in the top of the eighth. It was shades of the clinching Game 5 in the 2018 World Series, as Sale — despite two bouts of shoulder inflammation that landed him on the injured list — fanned the side in the bottom of the ninth against the Dodgers.
“We can be aggressive in Games 1 and 2,” Cora said. “Then, after that, we’ll see where we’re at and we’ll decide which route we go. Having guys who are able to bounce back is very important.
“We already saw it in this past series. You have to be careful but, at the same time, we know there’s a route there — one day at a time.”
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @billkoch25
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 14:47:19 GMT -5
Gabe Lacques
@gabelacques
· 28m
#Astros manager Dusty Baker says Framber Valdez will start Game 1 of ALCS, Luis Garcia Game 2.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 16:30:38 GMT -5
Pete Abraham
@peteabe
·
1h
Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia starting the first two games for Houston per Dusty Baker.
Valdez beat the Sox twice this season: 14.1 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 18 K.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 16:31:44 GMT -5
Pete Abraham
@peteabe
·
12m
Sale Game 1. Eovaldi Game 2.
This is verrrrry interesting, eh?
Cora added they would be aggressive with the bullpen, which obviously is well-tested.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 16:32:33 GMT -5
Pete Abraham
@peteabe
·
10m
Sale is not an opener, Cora says.
Eduardo Rodriguez in the bullpen tomorrow
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 16:35:57 GMT -5
Alex Speier
@alexspeier
·
11m
Cora suggests going with Sale in Game 1 is similar to David Price getting a start in the 2018 ALCS after struggling in the ALDS against the Yankees.
Cora: "It's Chris Sale. At one point, he has to pitch in this series. We're very comfortable with him going tomorrow." Cora says Sox can be "very aggressive" with the bullpen, but he doesn't expect Sale to come out after one inning. "We're not doing the opener thing."
"Everybody has to be part of this. We feel comfortable with Chris, with the rest he got." ... Also notes that Eovaldi benefits from getting an extra (fifth) day of rest.
Cora recalled that the Red Sox rover role in the 2018 playoffs was born when Steven Wright, a few hours before Game 1 of the ALDS, suffered a back injury. He turned to Rick Porcello and Nate Eovaldi, who happened to be nearby, to tell them they were in the bullpen.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 16:37:25 GMT -5
Bill Koch
@billkoch25
·
11m
This gives the #RedSox the entire series to make an adjustment and a fresh staff should they need to do so.
It would be more difficult if Chris Sale struggled in Game 3, for example.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 16:38:08 GMT -5
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 18:03:57 GMT -5
Pete Abraham
@peteabe
·
1h
Sale says he’s regained his fastball command and changeup. “I like where we’re at.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 18:06:06 GMT -5
Alex Speier
@alexspeier
·
1h
Cora on ALCS: "Star-power wise, this is a good one."
Alex Speier
@alexspeier
·
1h
Sale: “There’s no hiding from it. It’s no secret. I’ve been horrible, probably my two worst starts of my career.” Says he worked off the mound every day after his start in TB to try to get mechanics back on track.
Sale says he thinks he’s gotten his changeup and fastball command back in his side work.
Sale suggests he ‘kind of got out of whack. I didn’t do much pitching - I did zero pitching, actually - and needed repetitions. … You can’t run a marathon without running a marathon.’
Sale says teammates have been reassuring after his struggle in TB to reiterate their faith in him.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 18:07:42 GMT -5
Alex Speier
@alexspeier
·
1h
Martinez says he had no idea if he’d be able to stay in for a full game when he returned from ankle injury, so batting 6th made sense. Then Sox offense exploded. ‘Honestly I think it’s better,’ he said of how the lineup is now structured.
Martinez says ankle swelling has ‘gone down a lot’ with benefit of days off.
Martinez on Sale: ‘There wouldn’t be a manager or a team that’s not comfortable with him going out there… It’s Chris. He could go out, throw seven blank, and would you be surprised?’
J.D. Martinez on his Astros last: ‘I don’t think about that any more. … I don’t know if being mad at a team is more motivating than going to the World Series.’
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 14, 2021 18:09:39 GMT -5
Can the Red Sox beat the favored Astros? Bill Koch looks at how Boston can reach the World Series
Bill Koch
The Providence Journal
How much has changed since the last Red Sox-Astros postseason meeting?
Jackie Bradley Jr., Andrew Benintendi and David Price were among the protagonists as Boston polished off Houston in the 2018 American League Championship Series. Each of those Red Sox playoff heroes have scattered elsewhere within the last 20 months.
Astros executive Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were fired due to their involvement in the club’s 2017 electronic sign-stealing caper. Alex Cora, the former Houston bench coach turned Red Sox manager, also paid for his indiscretions with his job.
More:How did the Red Sox upset the favored Rays to win the ALDS? Here's 4 takeaways from Game 4
Minute Maid Park in Houston is ready for the ALCS as the Astros and Red Sox hold workouts in preparation for Game 1 on Friday night.
The primary difference we might expect when Game 1 begins Friday night at Minute Maid Park? Venom. This is the third playoff series between the two clubs in five years, and the folks in the bleachers at Fenway Park aren’t likely to be any more welcoming.
Who will reach the World Series when all is said and done? It was Boston advancing last time and dismissing the Dodgers in the same five-game span. There is a path for the Red Sox to do the same three years later, but it might look a little different.
Keep Carlos Correa off the bases
Boston needs to limit Carlos Correa. The shortstop has assumed the role of de facto Astros captain after George Springer signed a $150-million deal with the Blue Jays in free agency last offseason.
“Very athletic, impactful player who loves to play the game,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He prepares and he’s a leader. I’m very proud of him and what he’s become just watching from afar.”
Correa and Cora both call Puerto Rico home in the offseason and are close off the field. That personal relationship will be put aside over the next couple weeks to deal with a player who went 5-for-13 with two doubles, four runs scored, four RBI and four walks in an ALDS victory over the White Sox. Correa smashed an 0-2 fastball from Carlos Rodon into left field for a two-run double early in Game 4 and Houston was off and running.
Correa was dealing with back problems throughout the previous ALCS meeting between the two clubs and still finished 6-for-19 with two runs scored. His power numbers and control of the strike zone suffered a bit — just one extra-base hit and seven punchouts in five games. Correa should be a different player this time as he continues to build momentum into free agency this offseason.
Rafael Devers needs to adjust
Rafael Devers might want to gear up for a steady diet of fastballs. The Astros pounded him almost exclusively with velocity during a four-game series that finished in early June. An extended tailspin at the plate had Devers searching for a mechanical adjustment.
Devers was back to his usual self by the middle of the month and finished with a .279/.352/.538 slash line. His three-run homer against Shane McClanahan in Game 4 of the A.L. Division Series was off a 97.7-mph heater down the middle. How the Boston third baseman continues to cope with his right forearm injury could be critical to the club’s chances of reaching a fifth World Series since 2004.
Limit Houston's two-out success
Recording the third out of each inning will be extra important for the Red Sox pitching staff.
Houston scored 18 of its 31 runs in its series against Chicago with two outs. Those tend to carry extra impact, like a well-timed body shot from a championship boxer. They dig deep into the rib cage and suck the oxygen from both your dugout and home stadium.
Boston pitchers held opponents to a .750 OPS with two outs and runners in scoring position during the regular season — good but still some room for improvement. The Rays were just 6-for-29 with men at second or third during the ALDS, including a grand slam from Jordan Luplow in Game 2. Those are situations in which the Red Sox must prevail over the next 10 days.
Postseason experience should help
Boston’s experience should come in handy, because the Astros have bags of it. Houston is just the third team in the LCS era to reach five straight series, joining Oakland (1971-75) and Atlanta (1995-99). The Braves also went to the National League Championship Series from 1991-93 — only the MLB Players Association strike midway through the 1994 season broke up what was one of the most successful runs in the history of the sport.
Devers, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez, Christian Vazquez, Chris Sale, Nathan Eovaldi, Eduardo Rodriguez, Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier all played a role in the 2018 series win over the Astros. Kiké Hernandez (Los Angeles) and Hunter Renfroe (Tampa Bay) met in the World Series last year. Kyle Schwarber was part of the curse breakers with the Cubs in 2016.
Any greener members of the Red Sox need some guidance? Turn immediately to those men or Cora, who has captured all four of his postseason series with Boston and eliminated the Yankees in the A.L. Wild Card matchup.
bkoch@providencejournal.com
On Twitter: @billkoch25
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Post by scrappyunderdog on Oct 14, 2021 19:28:23 GMT -5
Red Sox infielder Jose Iglesias names himself official 'chauffeur' of home run laundry cart
Iglesias, who isn't on Boston's playoff roster, will give cart rides to each Red Sox home run hitter during the MLB playoffs
Wajih AlBaroudi
A year after placing last in the AL East, the Boston Red Sox claimed an ALDS win over the Tampa Bay Rays to reach the ALCS. The team made that jump with a tradition it began during last year's pandemic-shortened season: the home run laundry cart.
Each time a Red Sox player hits a home run, a teammate pushes them through the dugout on a laundry cart. Catcher Kevin Plawecki began the tradition by giving Christian Vázquez a ride midway through the team's disappointing 2020 campaign. But as the team improved this year, a newcomer took over the cart-pushing duties in shortstop Jose Iglesias.
"Officially, I am the chauffeur of the laundry cart," Iglesias told AP Sports. "That was very fun in Tampa. They keep me very, very busy. And I hope I get busier over the course of the playoffs."
Cart pushing will be the only in-game activity keeping Iglesias busy in this MLB Postseason, as the Cuban finished the regular season strong but was ineligible for Boston's postseason roster. Boston claimed Iglesias off waivers on Sept. 6, five days after the playoff eligibility deadline. Iglesias eventually started 17 of the Red Sox's final 19 regular-season games, batting .356 to go along with 21 hits and seven RBIs.
Iglesias won't be making any laundry cart rides this postseason, but he realized a dream by taking the "carrito" for a spin after a September home run in Seattle. Carrito is a Spanish word meaning trolley, and Iglesias lovingly refers to the laundry cart as such.
"Actually, when I came to the team, I was like, 'My dream is to be in that carrito,'" Iglesias said. "And then I did it in Seattle, so that was very fun. It's just a great way to enjoy something that helps the team."
Boston is far from the only MLB team to employ a home run tradition. Home-run hitters from the New York Mets ride stuffed ponies through the dugout; San Diego Padres wear a seven-pound necklace called the "Swagg Chain"; Philadelphia Phillies share a straw "Home Run Hat," Toronto Blue Jays join the "HR Club" by donning a blue blazer; and the Colorado Rockies wear "homer shades."
Iglesias, a 10-year MLB veteran who's played for five teams, hopes home run traditions evolve within the league yet still holds reverence for the "carrito."
"You see teams doing little things around the league, and the carrito is one of my favorites," said Iglesias, who spent his first two and a half MLB seasons in Boston. "It's a privilege. It's a privilege to be here with the guys. I'm very, very happy to contribute in any way I can, whether it's energy-wise, if they see something on the field that I can make them better. Just [being] a part of this great organization in such a special time of the year, I'm very blessed to be a part of it."
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I don't know if he fits, but I'd love to have Iggy back next year.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 15, 2021 1:39:39 GMT -5
Looking Ahead To The ALCS Rotations
By TC Zencka | October 14, 2021 at 8:33pm CDT
The Red Sox will go with Chris Sale and Nathan Eovaldi in the first two games of the ALCS against the Astros, but it’s anyone’s guess as to who might be available for game three.
The uncertainty stems not from an uneven rotation, but from an uncertain group of relievers. Manager Alex Cora’s other available starters – Eduardo Rodriguez, Tanner Houck, and Nick Pivetta – will be available out in the bullpen for the start of the series, writes MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer. That’s a strategy that worked for Cora in the ALDS. Pivetta proved crucial out of the pen against the Rays, a performance redolent of Eovaldi’s own in the 2018 World Series. Houck tossed seven innings of relief in the series as well, yielding just a pair of runs.
Whereas the Red Sox were able to patchwork their bullpen for a four-game series win against the Rays, they will likely need an even more dynamic approach to survive a seven-game tilt against the Astros’ potent offense. There is definite potential for this series to turn into a slugfest, not only because these two clubs boast the first and fifth ranked offenses in the game by runs scored in the regular season, but because the Astros are likely to be without Lance McCullers Jr. Results of the MRI on his sore forearm have yet to be revealed.
McCullers may not be viewed nationally as an ace, he’s been nothing short of stellar in the postseason. He owns a 2.83 ERA in 57 1/3 career postseason innings.
And while McCullers can boast the distinction of having started a game seven of the World Series back in 2017 (a win), he could be replaced by another righty who’s held that honor. Zack Greinke started game seven of the World Series in 2019 for Houston (a loss), and though he’s not likely to put up a full starter’s load, he could be used as an opener in McCullers’ stead, writes The Athletic’s Jack Kaplan. Jose Urquidy, Cristian Javier, and Jake Odorizzi are also candidates to pick up bulk innings if McCullers is unavailable.
What we do know is that Framber Valdez will take on Sale in game one, while Luis Garcia will go head-to-head with Eovaldi in game two, per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. The Red Sox have the experience edge, but Valdez is no stranger to postseason success. Garcia, meanwhile, has at least gotten his feet wet in the playoffs: he had a scoreless two-inning outing in 2020 and 2 2/3 innings as the starter in game three versus the White Sox.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on Oct 15, 2021 1:57:35 GMT -5
Roundtable: Settle in for slugfest in ALCS
October 14th, 2021
Ian Browne
Ian Browne
@ianmbrowne
Alyson Footer
Alyson Footer
@alysonfooter
Brian McTaggart
Brian McTaggart
@brianmctaggart
The Astros and Red Sox had similar experiences in their American League Division Series, wrapping each up in four games, often with relentless offensive attacks that eventually wore down opposing pitchers.
So who has the advantage in the AL Championship Series? MLB.com reporters gathered to discuss:
Alyson Footer, editor/moderator: The Astros and Red Sox last met in the ALCS three years ago, and here we are again, though, obviously, a lot has changed since then. These two teams have quite a few things in common, but the one that stands out the most is that they both absolutely raked through their respective ALDS. Should we expect the same this round? You think it’s going to be a slugfest?
Brian McTaggart, Astros beat reporter: I do expect it to be a very high-scoring series. The Astros are going to be a little pitching-thin if Lance McCullers Jr. is out, and Houston's offense has been on a rampage in the playoffs (and the last part of the regular season). The Astros scored 31 runs in four games in the ALDS against the White Sox, and they've swung the bats well against Chris Sale and Nathan Eovaldi in the past, too.
Ian Browne, Red Sox beat reporter: I haven't seen the Red Sox this confident hitting-wise the entire season as they were in the ALDS. They shifted the 1-2 spots of Kyle Schwarber and Kiké Hernández, and J.D. Martinez accidentally moved to the six hole after he hurt his ankle because they were being cautious with him, and it wound up giving the lineup more balance.
I think the Red Sox are functioning much better as an offense now than when they faced Houston in late May and early June. Should be interesting to see how this plays out. It's hard to imagine Boston's pitching staff shutting down those Houston bats.
Footer: It’s easy to dismiss the effectiveness of the Red Sox bullpen, but it has actually been a strength of the team of late, when it’s mattered the most. Is that the most glaring difference between the two clubs? Relief pitching seems to be one of the biggest uncertainties for the Astros (though not the only one -- we’ll get to that in a second). Who has the advantage?
Browne: One thing you have to keep in mind with the Red Sox for as long as Alex Cora is the manager: He manages a bullpen COMPLETELY different in October than he does during the regular season. Cora gets his starters to completely buy into the "spikes-on" mentality on days they aren't starting. For example, Sale and Eovaldi will pitch the first two games, and everyone else from the staff will be available to pitch relief in Games 1 and 2, including Eduardo Rodriguez and Nick Pivetta.
McTaggart: The only game the Astros lost in the ALDS is when their bullpen completely collapsed. It certainly has to be a concern for them moving forward, especially if their starters don't work deep into games. Houston had trouble getting the ball to the back end of the bullpen for much of the regular season, even after it traded for Kendall Graveman, Phil Maton and Yimi García.
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They're going to need some length from Cristian Javier and some big mid-game outs from Garcia and Maton, a right-hander who could neutralize the Boston lefty bats.
Footer: The Astros were dealt a potentially devastating blow with the news that McCullers had an MRI on his right forearm and may not be available for the ALCS. Tags, as you wrote, the Astros are preparing to move on in the postseason without him. Stating the obvious, how crushing is this for the rotation?
McTaggart: It's a massive blow. He was their best starter in the regular season, and two of the four games the Astros won in the ALDS came in games McCullers started. The Astros will have Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia and José Urquidy in Games 1-3, but that's certainly a long way from Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole at the top of the rotation in 2019.
Garcia has been very good at home and Urquidy has a World Series win under his belt, but the pitching gets really thin in a hurry. Zack Greinke or Javier could be pulled from the bullpen for Game 4, or Jake Odorizzi could be activated.
Browne: I know that's going to make the Red Sox feel a lot more confident about their chances. Boston has the health advantage right now. They have no injuries to speak of on the hitting or pitching side, other than Garrett Richards, a middle reliever. Cora knows better than anyone that McCullers has the best stuff on the Astros. So yes, the Boston bats will take a little more swagger heading into this series knowing they won't have to face him.
Footer: Ian, we went from not knowing exactly Sale’s role is to finding out that he’s suddenly tapped as the Game 1 starter. What’s the deal?
Browne: The deal is that Cora is wildly unpredictable! Seriously, Sale has been busting his butt ever since his shaky start in Game 2 at Tampa Bay six days ago to fix his issues. He narrowed it down to a pair of big issues. His changeup and fastball command weren't close to where they needed them to be. Sale has been on the mound literally every day since his last start to fine-tune.
He is the ultimate competitor, and the Red Sox still trust him in this spot. If the Sox had a lead going into the ninth inning against the Rays in Game 4, Cora had him set to come in as the closer. The game was tied, so it didn't materialize. But that proved he didn't lose confidence in his ace.
Browne: The Red Sox will win the pennant if Sale can come close to being what you'd expect, and I'm not talking about vintage Sale of 2012-18. I'm talking what Sale was doing when he first got back from Tommy John and can go five or six innings and allow two or so runs.
They also need their defense to be as good as it was against the Rays. Boston's defense was an issue all year, so it will be interesting to see if they can continue to play clean baseball. If the Red Sox don't beat themselves in this series, I believe they have a real shot to upset the Astros.
McTaggart: If they mash. The Astros led the Major Leagues in runs scored in the regular season and averaged 7.8 runs in the ALDS. They are going to have to score enough to offset the shortages on their pitching staff. There is no better 1-7 lineup in the big leagues than Jose Altuve, Michael Brantley, Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, Carlos Correa, Kyle Tucker and Yuli Gurriel.
They can beat you line to line, gap to gap and with power. And they have tons of postseason experience and plenty of confidence.
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