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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 2:51:04 GMT -5
Mariners @ Red Sox Thursday, 19th 2022 7pm @ Fenway
Kirby 0-0/0.90
Hill 1-1/2.89
Seattle Mariners vs. Boston Red Sox Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 7:10pm EDT Written by Mason Folz
This Thursday the (16-21) Seattle Mariners and the (14-22) Boston Red Sox will face off in the first game of this four-game series. The first pitch will be thrown out at 7:10 PM EST inside Fenway Park. This is also the first time that these two teams will play each other this regular season.
The Seattle Mariners are coming into this one after losing their previous series to the Toronto Blue Jays. They struggled at the plate against Toronto, as they only scored two combined runs in the first two games against the Blue Jays.
The Boston Red Sox are entering this series after a three-game battle with the Houston Astros. Boston was able to win the first game of this series, but the Astros took the second. The Red Sox will need to wake up on the defensive side of the field if they want to challenge the Mariners.
This game was published/written before last night’s results.
The Mariner's Defense must Wake Up The Seattle Mariners were picked to be one of the weaker teams in the league before the season, but they have turned some heads after 37 games. They are currently in fourth place in the AL West. On the offensive side of the field, they are scoring 3.81 runs per game and hitting .231 as a team. This is the 21st least amount of runs scored per game and the 19th highest overall team batting average. They need to start stringing together some hits if they want to start challenging teams on the offensive side of the field. Seattle is also one of the most aggressive base running teams in the league. They have already stolen 19 bases, which is the 13th most in the MLB. They aim to get their players into the scoring portion as quickly as they can, as they haven't been consistent enough at the plate to trust that they can score a man from first base. The Mariners have also shown that they have some hidden power littered throughout their lineup. They are averaging .98 home runs per game, which is the 15th highest average in the league. They can change the game with one swing of the bat and I expect them to be aggressive at the plate. I would recommend watching for Eugenio Suarez at the plate in this one. He has already hit seven home runs and I would bet that he attempts for another one off the Red Sox's weak pitching rotation. He has hit the most bombs for his team this season and I expect him to be extra aggressive in this one.
On the defensive side of the field, the Mariners also have some work to do. They are currently allowing 3.90 runs per game and have a combined team WHIP rating of 1.27. This is the 21st most runs allowed per game and the 19th highest overall team WHIP rating. They are letting too many men reach base safely and it is making it too easy for the opposing team to have a big inning. The Mariners have also been searching for better starting pitching this season, as they have only recorded 12 quality starts. This is the 14th most in the league, as they have had to turn to their bullpen earlier in these games than they would like. In the field, they have also had some troubles. They have already committed 19 fielding errors, which is the 14th most in the MLB. They must be cleaner in the field if they want to challenge the Red Sox on the road. They can't allow them to get any free bases, as they will take advantage. According to MLB.com, George Kirby will be getting the start on the mound in this one. He has only pitched in 10 innings this season, but he only has a .90 ERA. Kirby also has a .80 WHIP rating, as he hasn't allowed many men to reach base safely in his limited action. He will be attempting to go deeper into this game, as his team can't turn to the bullpen early.
The Red Sox need to Heat UP The Boston Red Sox have not started this season how they would have liked, but they still have plenty of time to turn this season around. They are currently in fourth place in the AL East. On the offensive side of the field, the Red Sox are only scoring 3.78 runs per game and hitting .238 as a team. This is the 22nd least amount of runs scored per game and the 12th highest overall team batting average. They are making contact with the ball and reaching base efficiently, but they have struggled to score once they have men in scoring position. The Red Sox have also been one of the least aggressive base running teams in the league. They have only stolen eight bases, which is the 27th least in the Major Leagues. I believe they would greatly benefit from having more runners in scoring position. Especially because the Red Sox have realized that they don't have as much home run power littered throughout their lineup as they originally thought. Boston is only averaging .67 home runs per game, which is the 27th lowest average in the MLB. I would recommend watching for Rafael Devers at the plate in this one. He has already recorded 20 RBIs this season, as he has been the most clutch player on the team to begin this new season. I expect him to stay aggressive at the plate in this one against George Kirby.
On the defensive side of the field, the Red Sox have also struggled to begin this new regular season. They are currently allowing 3.87 runs per game and have a combined team WHIP rating of 1.19. This is the 19th most runs allowed per game and the 12th lowest overall team WHIP rating. They are cutting down on the number of base runners that they allow, but they are still underperforming when they are in the field. The weakest part of their team has been the starting pitching, as they have only recorded seven quality starts this season. This is the 25th least amount of quality starts recorded, as the Sox have been forced to rely on their bullpen more than they would like early in these games. The Red Sox defense would look much better if they could avoid problems with their starting pitching, as their fielding has gotten the job done up until this point. They have only committed 18 fielding errors, which is the 11th least in baseball. They are keeping the ball in front of themselves and always know where to go to get the nearest out. According to MLB.com, Rich Hill will be getting the start on the mound in this game. He has started this season (1-1) with a 2.89 ERA. He also has a 1.11 WHIP rating, which is one of the lowest on his team. Hill has pitched in 28.0 innings this season and I expect him to be aggressive early in this game. He has already recorded 24 strikeouts this season and he will be looking for more.
Mariners at Red Sox Thursday, at 7:10 PM EST Cloudy According to Forecast.io, it's expected to be 54° F with a 14% chance of rain and 4 MPH wind blowing right to left in Boston at 7:10 PM EST. Hourly Forecasts: Weather.com Forecast.io
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 2:53:56 GMT -5
Pete Abraham @peteabe · 41m Pitching matchups for the #Mariners - #RedSox series:
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 3:14:48 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Nate Eovaldi’s disastrous outing a location issue, not tipping pitches, Red Sox pitching coach Dave Bush says By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated May 18, 2022, 6:58 p.m.
A day after Nate Eovaldi allowed five homers in one inning against the Astros, Red Sox pitching coach Dave Bush suggested the trouble was more pitch location than Eovaldi tipping his pitches.
“We looked at the location plot for all of [the homers] and most of them were middle-middle,” Bush said before the Sox beat the Astros, 5-1, in Wednesday’s series finale.
Eovaldi allowed 15 homers in 32 starts last season. He’s one away from that total now through eight starts.
Given that Eovaldi has had a strong season prior to Tuesday’s outing — a 3.15 ERA in 40 innings through seven starts — Bush downplayed the concern about his starter’s performance against the Astros.
“We’ll try to figure out what we can do better from [Tuesday] night but also not make too much of an issue out of one appearance, when by and large he’s done very well this year,” Bush said.
Manager Alex Cora also downplayed the notion his starter was tipping pitches.
“We always talk about tipping,” Cora said. “But [Nate’s] a strike thrower against a team that does damage early in the count.”
Cora said he’s fine with Eovaldi surrendering homers as long as there’s no traffic on the bases.
“We love the way he attacks,” Cora said. “But we have to make adjustments. I think stuff-wise his fastball didn’t play, and that was his worst [outing] in a while. We’ll go back to the drawing board and get him ready for Sunday. Hernandez on the shelf
The WooSox placed lefthander Darwinzon Hernandez on the seven-day injured list Tuesday with a right MCL sprain. Cora said Hernandez will be out for a while.
The Red Sox optioned Hernandez to Triple-A Worcester at the end of spring training with the hope they could build him up to pitch multiple innings for the major league club this season. The Sox also wanted Hernandez to work on his command, which has been an issue for the lefthander, who averaged 7.4 walks per nine innings in parts of three seasons with the Sox.
But Hernandez struggled for the WooSox, posting a 5.95 ERA and walking 16 in 19 innings.
Despite the numbers, the Sox were encouraged by Hernandez’s progress. Cora alluded to Hernandez’s most recent outing in which the lefthander worked three innings, striking out three and yielding three hits. Hernandez did not allow an earned run (one unearned) and walked one just one batter. The Sox felt as if the southpaw was getting close to figuring it all out.
“You see the walks and all that, but as far as the fastball and consistency on his mechanics he was getting there,” Cora said. “Little by little, he was doing an outstanding job. His stuff was picking up.” Wacha nearing return
The Red Sox plan on activating Michael Wacha (left intercostal soreness) off the 15-day IL for Friday’s matchup against the Mariners. Wacha came out of his two simulated games this week feeling fine, and threw a short bullpen session Wednesday. Wacha was the Sox’ best starter prior to hitting the IL, posting a 1.38 ERA in five starts (26 innings pitched) . . . The Red Sox host the Mariners for a four-game set starting Thursday. The probable starters: George Kirby vs. Rich Hill; Robbie Ray vs. Michael Wacha; Chris Flexen vs. Garrett Whitlock; and Logan Gilbert vs. Nate Eovaldi ... Bryan Mata has progressed to throwing in simulated games in his return from Tommy John surgery. The highly-regarded pitching prospect has been clocked at up to 98 miles per hour in his rehab. He may be ready to start pitching in games when the Florida Complex League season starts in June . . . Triston Casas is considered day to day after rolling his ankle in Tuesday’s WooSox game ... For notes: J.D. Martinez’s hit streak (18 games) and on-base streak (34 games) came to an end Wednesday after the Sox designated hitter went 0 for 3.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 3:38:57 GMT -5
Red Sox notebook: Kiké Hernandez working through swing as first-half struggles continue OF’s hard-hit rate dramatically down this season
By Steve Hewitt | stephen.hewitt@bostonherald.com | Boston Herald PUBLISHED: May 18, 2022 at 7:32 p.m. | UPDATED: May 18, 2022 at 7:36 p.m.
Like last season, Kiké Hernandez is off to a slow start offensively. But he’s not having the same problems this time.
Through his first 33 games entering Wednesday, Hernandez’s hard-hit percentage was at 25.9%, which ranks in the bottom 5% of MLB, a dramatic decrease from his 43.2% hard-hit rate last season. He’s struggling against fastballs, batting .181 against them this season compared to .282 last season. Cora said Hernandez’s swing path is part of the problem – he’s hitting a lot of pop ups – but he’s seeing progress.
“He’s been doing a better job being more direct to the ball,” Cora said. “Still hitting the ball in the air. It’s part of his game but at the same time, when he hits line drives, that’s when he’s at his best. … We know he’s going to do damage at one point, but I think it starts with the little battles and if he starts shooting the ball the other way, he’s going to be OK.”
The Red Sox are still not getting much from the leadoff spot, entering Wednesday with a .563 OPS that ranks near the bottom of the majors, but they’re keeping Hernandez in that role despite his .253 OBP. They’re hopeful that if he can continue to use the opposite field, improvements will come.
“When you don’t feel right, like I always tell them, it should be the other way around,” Cora said. “You swing less and you take what they give you. Like I said, if he starts doing that, shooting the ball the other way and kind of like change the way they pitch to him, then things are going to open up to the pull side.” Darwinzon out indefinitely
Darwinzon Hernandez was placed on the injured list by Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday due to a right knee strain. Cora said the lefty went to have an MRI but doesn’t know the results yet.
“He’s going to be down for a while,” Cora said.
Hernandez made 48 appearances out of the Red Sox bullpen last season and has been a mainstay there since 2019, but was surprisingly sent to Worcester to start this season as the organization tries to improve his command and a 17.6% walk rate in three seasons. Though the overall results haven’t been great, the Red Sox were encouraged after his last outing, when he threw three shutout innings.
“The last one was a good one,” Cora said. “That’s why it’s tough because I’ve been in contact with Abby (Worcester pitching coach Paul Abbott) throughout the process and you see the walks and all that, but as far as like the fastball and the consistency of his mechanics, he was getting there. The last one, we felt, everybody felt that was his best one. When this happened, he was throwing a bullpen and Abby was very excited about him being able to repeat what we were preaching to him throughout the process. It (the injury) just happened.” Impressive homecoming
Jeremy Pena has had a week to remember. The Astros’ shortstop – who played in high school at Classical in Providence before going to college at Maine – made his Fenway Park debut. He sat out the series opener, but signed the inside of the Green Monster on Monday before hitting a home run in his first at-bat on Tuesday.
Pena has replaced star Carlos Correa – who left in free agency to the Twins – as the Astros’ shortstop but the shoes haven’t been too big to fill, as he’s emerged as one of the best rookies in baseball. The 24-year-old had seven homers, 21 RBI and an .878 OPS in 31 games entering Wednesday’s finale. He’s impressed Cora, who’s been tracking him for years.
“I’ve been watching him play in winter ball on TV,” Cora said. “He plays in the Dominican and I remember two years ago, there was a game and he was hitting the ball … he was rookie of the year that year, and I texted Alex Cintron and I said, ‘Whoa. Who’s this kid?’ Very physical, very athletic. …
“He’s in good hands over there. He’s a good player. He’s going to be a good player for a long, long time.” …
Michael Wacha threw another short bullpen on Wednesday and Cora said that as long as there are no setbacks, he will start Friday night against the Mariners when he’s eligible to return from the injured list. Rich Hill, Wacha, Garrett Whitlock and Eovaldi are in line to pitch the four-game series against the Mariners that starts Thursday. …
Jackie Bradley Jr. was out of Wednesday’s Red Sox lineup even though they were up against right-hander Luis Garcia. Cora preferred Franchy Cordero in right field and Bobby Dalbec at first base, each of whom he thinks have been producing better at-bats lately.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 3:40:52 GMT -5
Michael Wacha likely to return to Boston Red Sox rotation Friday; Darwinzon Hernandez (knee) will ‘be down for a while’ Updated: May. 18, 2022, 8:03 p.m. | Published: May. 18, 2022, 7:51 p.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON -- Red Sox starter Michael Wacha is expected to come off the injured list and start Friday barring any unexpected setbacks in the next 48 hours, manager Alex Cora said Wednesday.
Wacha has been on the injured list with left intercostal (rib muscle) irritation since May 8. He was scratched from his start that day and has missed a couple turns in the rotation. If all goes well, he’ll return on the first day he’s eligible (his IL date was backdated three days to May 5) and pitch against the Mariners on Friday. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
“Hopefully, if he’s OK the rest of the night and he’s good tomorrow, most likely he’ll pitch on Friday,” Cora said. “That’s the goal.”
The return of Wacha, who is 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA in five starts this year, will provide a boost to Boston’s rotation. With Garrett Whitlock now permanently staying in the starting five and Tanner Houck moving to the bullpen, the rotation will be at full strength for the first time in a few weeks.
Lefty Rich Hill will start Thursday’s series opener against the Mariners before Wacha goes Friday. Whitlock will pitch Saturday afternoon and Nate Eovaldi is scheduled to start the finale of the homestand Sunday.
Hernandez to miss time in Worcester
WooSox lefty Darwinzon Hernandez (MCL sprain in right knee) underwent an MRI on Tuesday and the Red Sox are still gathering results, Cora said. Even if the imaging doesn’t reveal any serious damage, the Red Sox don’t expect Hernandez to return to the mound anytime soon.
“He’s going to be down for a while,” Cora said.
Hernandez, who has been a big part of Boston’s big league bullpen for most of the last three seasons, was somewhat surprisingly optioned to the minors to start the season and joined Worcester’s rotation, where he has compiled a 5.95 ERA in 19 ⅔ innings over eight appearances (including seven starts). The raw numbers — which include 16 walks in 19.2 innings — have not been encouraging but the Red Sox believe Hernandez has made strides between starts. Cora has stayed in touch with WooSox pitching coach Paul Abbott to track the southpaw’s progress.
“You see the walks and all that, but as far as the fastball and the consistency in his mechanics, he was getting there,” Cora said. “The last (outing), everybody felt was his best one.”
The Red Sox wanted Hernandez to be able to work on his repertoire on a consistent schedule so they turned him into a 2-3 inning starter in Worcester. Things were trending in a positive direction before he injured his knee in a recent bullpen session.
“That’s the reason for it, for him to start and work in between starts,” Cora said. “He was doing a good job repeating his mechanics in the bullpens.”
No Sale news
Lefty Chris Sale (stress fracture in right rib cage) is still just playing catch and has not yet restarted throwing off a mound, Cora said. Sale has not thrown a bullpen in several weeks due to a non-baseball medical issue the team has not detailed publicly.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 7:00:03 GMT -5
Red Sox's Rich Hill, 42, faces Mariners' George Kirby, 24 FLM
When Boston Red Sox pitcher Rich Hill was in quarantine and on the COVID-19 list last week, he snuck out to a field and threw into a net.
The veteran left-hander returned to the mound Saturday against the Texas Rangers, pitching six-plus quality innings in an 11-3 victory.
Hill (1-1, 2.89 ERA) will look for another strong effort when he faces the visiting Seattle Mariners on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.
Hill allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits against the Rangers, with no walks and four strikeouts.
"It's just that one-pitch-at-a-time approach," Hill said. "You remove yourself from the results. That's the biggest thing, and if we're pitching for the moment and understanding each pitch is its own entity, its own moment, then we can look back at the end of day and be satisfied with the way the ball came out of your hand."
The 42-year-old has baffled the Mariners throughout his 18-year career, going 4-0 with a 2.64 ERA in 13 appearances against them, including six starts.
Hill will be opposed by 24-year-old Seattle rookie George Kirby (0-0, 0.90 ERA), who will be making his third career start. The 2019 first-round pick has allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits through his first 10 innings, with one walk and eight strikeouts.
After throwing six scoreless innings in his debut against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 8, Kirby wasn't as strong Saturday against the host New York Mets, lasting just four innings.
Kirby, who grew up outside New York City in Westchester County, had to endure a one-hour rain delay before the start of the game and struggled to put away batters. He struck out just one.
"When I would get them 0-2 or 1-2, it was a real challenge to get them to swing and miss," Kirby said. "I just felt like they were on everything, but it's my job to execute better with two strikes."
The Mariners and Red Sox both won 5-1 on Wednesday.
Boston's Nick Pivetta threw a two-hit complete game and struck out eight against the visiting Houston Astros. Rafael Devers went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple for the Red Sox, and Xander Bogaerts hit a solo homer.
The Mariners topped the host Toronto Blue Jays as Marco Gonzales pitched six quality innings and Cal Raleigh, Ty France and Abraham Toro went deep.
While the Mariners sent struggling Jarred Kelenic back to Triple-A Tacoma last week, their other prized outfield prospect, Julio Rodriguez, has been improving.
After hitting .205 in April, Rodriguez has upped his average to .257. Though he has yet to show consistent power, socking only two home runs, he leads the majors with 11 stolen bases.
"I feel like the more you are around it and the more you see stuff, the more you adjust," the 21-year-old said. "That's something that I felt very comfortable with, kind of stepping out of my comfort zone and learning and seeing what they are actually going to try to do to me. I've been able to learn."
The Mariners should get reliever Drew Steckenrider back from the restricted list Thursday after he missed the series in Toronto because of his vaccination status.
--Field Level Media
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 10:48:59 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 46s Devers' launch the past 8 games is a thing of absolute beauty.
.455/.486/1.000, 7 doubles, triple, 3 homers
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 11:13:57 GMT -5
Red Sox vs. Mariners Series Preview
What you need to know for this weekend’s four-game set. By Matt_Collins@MattRyCollins May 19, 2022, 12:01pm EDT
SB Nation Blog
Lookout Landing The opponent in one sentence
Seattle entered this season looking for this to be the year they come out on the other side of their rebuild with some of their young talent coming up to the majors, but they’ve stumbled a bit out of the gates. Record
17-21 Series Odds
Red Sox win series, +190 Trend
Down-ish. The Mariners hit a major roadblock in late April extending into early May when they lost 10 of 11 games, but they’ve more or less evened things out since then. That said, even since that streak they’ve lost two of their last three series including dropping two of three to the Blue Jays this week. Pitching Matchups
5/19: Rich Hill vs. George Kirby, 7:10 PM ET (MLB Network for out-of-market)
While Hill got off to a little bit of a slow start to this season, allowing seven runs across his first two starts, which covered only nine innings, he has been one of the hottest pitchers on the staff since then. The veteran didn’t allow a run for three straight outings following his blow up on Patriots Day, and while he allowed a couple runs his last time out he also went six full innings, which is a big deal for him. He’s not missing as many bats as he has in the past, which isn’t surprising given the age, but he’s been showing off mostly very good command, and as long as he’s locating his fastball well it should set things up for his curveball to do the dirty work.
In Kirby the Mariners have one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, and he’s made just two career starts thus far. They’ve gone quite well, with the young righty allowing just one run over 10 innings of work, striking out eight and walking only one. That said, seven of those eight strikeouts came in his first outing against the Rays, as he only struck out one last time out against the Mets. In the minors, the former first round pick showed what you want to see from a top pitching prospect, racking up strikeouts while limiting the free passes. While he never spent much time at any one spot, he only had one stint anywhere with a FIP over 3.00, and that was in Double-A this year with a 3.62 FIP. Kirby has a big-time fastball that sits in the mid-to-high 90s, and also throws a slider and a changeup along with the occasional curveball.
5/20: TBD vs. Robbie Ray, 7:10 PM ET
Officially this one is listed as a TBD for the Red Sox, but barring any surprising setbacks we know it’s going to be Michael Wacha making his return from the injured list. This is the first day the righty is eligible to return after being shelved with an intercostal issue earlier this month. Prior to the injury, Wacha was one of the rare positive surprises for this team, leaning on a devastating changeup to induce all kinds of weak contact and pitch to a 1.38 ERA despite peripherals that were more fine than great. It’s been a bit since his last start on May 3, so there’s always a valid question as to how much of that momentum can still carry over.
Ray was one of the top free agents on the market last winter after winning the Cy Young with Toronto, and Seattle made their big splash to bring him in and head up their rotation. The southpaw hasn’t quite lived up to that ace billing so far this year, sitting with a 4.62 ERA and a 4.14 FIP. His strikeout rate is down to 25 percent, which would be his lowest since 2015, while his walk rate is up to nine percent after finishing at a career-low 6.7 percent a year ago. While Ray did strike out nine in his last start, he also gave up five runs to the Mets and has allowed a homer in three straight starts. He’s mainly a two-pitch pitcher, leaning heavily on his fastball and slider. So if one of them is off, it could be a good night for an improving Red Sox offense.
5/21: Garrett Whitlock vs. Chris Flexen, 4:10 PM ET
Alex Cora indicated earlier this week that Whitlock will indeed be sticking in the rotation for the foreseeable future, not committing to the whole season but shutting the door on any immediate return to the bullpen. The young righty has certainly earned this chance with a 3.15 ERA since joining the rotation. On the other hand, he does look a bit like a different pitcher in this role. That’s obviously to be expected, but he has had to work around some more command issues than we’re used to seeing from him, though to his credit he’s mostly done just that. They’ve mentioned it on the NESN broadcast a few times, but I’m interested to see what his pace looks like. He’s been slowing things down since starting, and it’d be nice to see that picked up to some extent moving forward.
Flexen is a major-league veteran who the Mariners picked up prior to last season after the righty spent a year rebuilding his value in the KBO. He’s not going to miss a whole lot of bats, striking out roughly 17 percent of batters over the last two seasons, but he also doesn’t let many batters on for free. The key for him is going to be the kind of contact he allows. Last season it was a lot of weak contact, which led to a solid 3.61 ERA. This season, it’s up to 4.35 with the homer increase to go alongside. He’s only had one truly bad start this year, but the Red Sox should look to jump on some hittable pitches while also not letting him get ahead and use some of his offspeed stuff. Flexen sits in the low-90s with his fastball while also incorporating a cutter and changeup along with the occasional curveball.
5/22: Nathan Eovaldi vs. Logan Gilbert, 1:35 PM ET
Talk about needing a bounce-back outing. Eovaldi has been having some major home run issues all season, but they came in bunches on Tuesday night when he allowed five home runs in the second inning, tying a major-league record for the most allowed by a single pitcher in a single inning. Despite the homers, though, that was his one truly bad outing of the season. As the team’s ace, he needs to find a way to get things back on track and keep putting up the strikeout and walk numbers while also avoiding the middle of the zone. It’s been easier said than done this year. Houston Astros v Boston Red Sox Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images
Gilbert is another one of the top young pitchers in the game, though he graduated from his prospect status last season. He struggled a bit with run prevention in his rookie year, though his peripherals looked better with the results and that’s being backed up early on in 2022. The righty has a 2.40 ERA to go with a 2.89 FIP, doing a much better job of keeping the ball in the yard. He can get a little wild sometimes so patience will be key for Boston here, but if he gets ahead in counts he’s very good at finishing off at bats. He is struggling, relatively speaking, a bit more of late though, allowing at least three runs in each of his last three starts after allowing one or fewer in his first five. Gilbert sits in the mid-90s with his fastball and leans heavily on his slider while also mixing in his curveball and changeup from time to time. Old Friends
Roenis Elías has had three stints with the Mariners along with his time spent in Boston, and for a couple of years he was a solid multi-inning lefty for Seattle. It’s not clear he’ll even be on the roster this weekend, though, as he was called up to replace some pitchers who couldn’t make the trip to Toronto this week for vaccination reasons. Notable Position Players
Ty France has been the biggest offensive force for the Mariners early on in this season, continuing a recent breakout of his from previous years. There hasn’t been a whole lot of power here, but it’s still been about average to go with incredible contact skills and solid patience as well. Pitchers are going to have to hit the edges of the zone against him.
Jesse Winker was the big addition for Seattle’s lineup this year in a trade with the Reds. He’s gotten off to a bit of a slow start by his standards, and while he’s walking more than he’s striking out he’s hit for much less power than would be expected from him.
Julio Rodríguez is the top prospect making waves for the Mariners, and came into the year as arguably the best prospect in all of baseball. The outfielder is still finding his footing in the majors, though, and has been susceptible to the strikeouts.
J.P. Crawford is one of the more underrated players in the American League in my view as a good defensive shortstop with good on-base skills and some solid pop along with it.
Adam Frazier was acquired in a trade last summer and is another player in this lineup who isn’t going to hit for much power but will put a lot of balls in play.
Eugenio Suárez bucks the low-power trend here, representing a home run threat from the right side of the plate, though one with strikeout issues as well.
Mike Ford is a former Yankee who has just started getting some run in this Mariners lineup.
Steven Souza Jr. is another guy who is just starting to get some playing time and is struggling out of the gate.
Cal Raleigh also graduated from prospect status last season, like Gilbert above, and is still trying to figure out major-league pitching while playing solidly behind the plate. Bullpen Snapshot
Paul Sewald heads up what is really a big three for Seattle in the late innings. He’s given up a couple of homers this year which have served to inflate his numbers a bit, but he misses bats and is showing much-improved control early on.
Adres Muñoz has some of the best pure stuff that you’ll find in the American League, but like many raw relievers his command can come and go depending on the night.
Diego Castillo has gotten off to a rough start for Seattle, with a declining strikeout rate and an increasing walk rate. Injuries
Kyle Lewis has been very exciting when healthy, but he’s struggled to stay on the field. He’s currently rehabbing a knee injury and could be back soon, but probably not until after this series.
Mitch Haniger suffered a pretty bad ankle sprain towards the end of April and it appears he won’t be back in action until sometime in July.
Evan White has just started a rehab assignment after missing the entire season so far, so he won’t be available for this series. Weather Forecast
It’s not going to be ideal baseball weather on Thursday for the opener with temperatures in the 50s and clouds, but the good news is any rain should be out of the area around first pitch. Beyond that, things look very nice with temperatures rising as the weekend moves along.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 11:17:30 GMT -5
Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto said Thursday that Kyle Lewis (knee) is "hopefully really close" to being ready.
The official 20-day rehab assignment window will come to an end for Lewis on Monday, and it sounds like he is going to be activated on that day. The 26-year-old outfielder has posted a highly encouraging .333/.412/.700 batting line with three home runs and 11 RBI in eight games (34 plate appearances) at Triple-A Tacoma. Most importantly, he's had no setbacks with his troublesome right knee. Source: Maura Dooley on Twitter
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 11:18:58 GMT -5
jonmorosi Jon Morosi @jonmorosi 12m Kiké Hernández is the @redsox catalyst. He is on a six-game hitting streak, during which Boston has won both series. When Hernández scores a run, the Red Sox are 11-4. When he does not, they are 4-18. @mlbnetwork
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 11:36:37 GMT -5
Game 38: Mariners at Red Sox lineups and previewsBy Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated May 19, 2022, 59 minutes ago Don’t look now, but the Red Sox have won two series in a row, the latest coming when Nick Pivetta went the distance in a 5-1 win over the Astros Wednesday. It was the Sox’ first complete game in nearly three years, dating to when Chris Sale tossed one against the Royals on June 5, 2019. Next up is a four-game series with the Mariners beginning Thursday. Rich Hill will be on the mound for the Sox. Here is a preview. Lineups MARINERS (17-21): 1. Adam Frazier (L) LF 2. Ty France (R) 1B 3. Julio Rodriguez (R) CF 4. Jesse Winker (L) DH 5. Eugenio Suarez (R) 3B 6. Luis Torrens (R) C 7. Abraham Toro (S) 2B 8. Dylan Moore (R) SS 9. Steven Souza Jr. (R) RF Pitching: RHP George Kirby (0-0, 0.90 ERA) RED SOX (15-22): 1. Enrique Hernandez (R) CF 2. Rafael Devers (L) 3B 3. J.D. Martinez (R) DH 4. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS 5. Alex Verdugo (L) LF 6. Trevor Story (R) 2B 7. Bobby Dalbec (R) 1B 8. Christian Vazquez (R) C 9. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) RF Pitching: LHP Rich Hill (1-1, 2.89 ERA) Time: 7:10 p.m. TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7 Mariners vs. Hill: J.P. Crawford 1-3, Mike Ford 0-3, Ty France 1-5, Adam Frazier 0-3, Dylan Moore 1-2, Steven Souza Jr. 5-11, Eugenio Suárez 4-9, Luis Torrens 1-3, Jesse Winker 0-3 Red Sox vs. Kirby: Has not faced any Boston batters Stat of the day: The Red Sox have hit multiple extra-base hits in 15 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors. Notes: Hill is 4-0 with a 2.64 ERA in 13 appearances against the Mariners, including six starts. … Kirby is making his third career start. The 2019 first-round pick has allowed three runs (one earned) on seven hits through his first 10 innings, with one walk and eight strikeouts. … Rafael Devers is on a 12-game hitting streak and a 22-game on-base streak. … He is batting .550 (11-for-20) with eight extra base hits (five doubles, one triple, and two home runs) over his last five games. Song of the Day: The Kingsmen- Louie Louiewww.youtube.com/watch?v=xKt75jUuKJY
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 13:24:47 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 2h Verdugo with a .216 BABIP in April and .190 in May. Currently hitting a bunch of ground balls, but the fact that he has a .558 OPS for the year is mind-boggling. Just have to keep trusting the process.
Fastballs: .220 BA, .366 SLG .301 xBA, .623 xSLG
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 16:47:02 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox’s Michael Wacha to return from IL to start Friday vs. Mariners; Garrett Whitlock, Nathan Eovaldi also scheduled for weekend Published: May. 19, 2022, 5:12 p.m.
By Christopher Smith | csmith@masslive.com
BOSTON — Red Sox righty Michael Wacha will return from the 15-day injured list Friday to start vs. the Seattle Mariners.
Wacha has been sidelined with left intercostal irritation. He last pitched May 3 against the Angels at Fenway Park.
The right-hander has been Boston’s most consistent starter so far this season. He hasn’t allowed more than two runs in any of his five starts. He is 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA and 0.92 WHIP. The opposition is batting .148 against him.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t give an exact on how many innings Wacha will be able to pitch tomorrow.
“We have to be smart about it. I don’t know if he’s going 9 (innings),” Cora said. “But he’s so efficient. He’s very aggressive in the zone and he induces weak contact. We’ve just got to make sure we don’t overdo it. It’s going to be 15 days or more. And we’ve just got to be smart about it.”
Rich Hill will start for the Red Sox here Thursday in the opener of this four-game series vs. the Mariners. Garrett Whitlock will start Saturday. Nathan Eovaldi will start Sunday.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 18:41:06 GMT -5
Verdugo making an ass of himself in LF was bad this was worse
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne 2m Dylan Moore crushes a 3-run homer off Hill, and just like that, it's 3-0, M's.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 19, 2022 18:44:59 GMT -5
Ty France 2B makes it 4-0
and Law and Order coming on.....right on
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