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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 22, 2022 12:52:38 GMT -5
Bob Ryan @globebobryan 6m Red Sox fans: never, ever, EVER take Jackie Bradley Jr.’s grace and athleticism in the field —- doesn’t matter where —- for granted.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on May 22, 2022 15:11:19 GMT -5
Ouch! Two outs in the 9th.
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Post by scrappyunderdog on May 22, 2022 16:55:34 GMT -5
Still not sold on Franchy, but that's a heck of a big hit. I'd love to be wrong about this guy.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 22, 2022 19:06:53 GMT -5
Red Sox 8, Mariners 4: Break out the brooms on a walk-off grand slam
Plus, Nathan Eovaldi bounces back in a big way. By Matt_Collins@MattRyCollins May 22, 2022, 4:58pm EDT 35 Comments
The Red Sox cannot be stopped right now and finished up a great homestand with a fifth straight win to complete a four-game sweep over the Mariners. On the mound, Nathan Eovaldi bounced back in emphatic fashion after a terrible outing on Tuesday in the team’s only loss of the week. The offense got a few home runs as well, but Hansel Robles couldn’t lock down the ninth. This game went into extras, but Boston finally got their first win of the year in that situation thanks to a walk-off grand slam from Franchy Cordero.
More robust game notes below.
With the Red Sox playing their best baseball of the season so far, their only loss over their last six games came with Nathan Eovaldi on the mound for what was perhaps the worst outing of his life, and at the very least the worst inning of his professional baseball-playing life. Going up against the Astros earlier in the week, the Red Sox ace joined the record books in a way he certainly did not want to, allowing Houston to smash five home runs off of him in the second, an inning he didn’t even finish.
The mark of a good pitcher is to be able to put those outings behind you, though, and take the ball five days later with a clear mind ready to dominate. Your mileage may vary on what exactly qualifies as domination for Eovaldi, but he certainly put that Tuesday fiasco behind him and led the way with a good start on Sunday against the Mariners.
Eovaldi made his way through the first five innings completely unscathed, and really dominating over the first few. In those first three innings, he allowed just one batter to reach on a single, and he struck out three in each of the second and third frames. After working around a leadoff double in the fourth, he once again came back and was perfect again for the fifth to keep Seattle on the board.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox offense has really found its stride in the last week-plus, and were looking to keep that up against a talented but inexperienced Logan Gilbert. The righty had no issues with the top of the lineup, retiring the first five batters he faced in order, but then Christian Arroyo broke up that rhythm in a big way. The utility man hasn’t played a ton this year, but he finally connected for his first homer of the year on Sunday. Jumping on a first-pitch fastball that stayed middle-in, Arroyo demolished one 431 feet out to left field off the National Car Rental sign above the Monster Seats for a no-doubt, solo shot, giving Boston the 1-0 lead.
They’d add on again in the third as well, this time with a bit more finesse. Things started on a Kevin Plawecki ground ball that ricocheted off Gilbert and into right field for a one-out single, and then an Enrique Hernández double off the Monster to put a pair in scoring position. Seattle wasn’t taking their chances against Rafael Devers, who was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Xander Bogaerts got the job done with a sacrifice fly to double up Boston’s lead. The bases filled up again after a Trevor Story walk too, but Franchy Cordero’s rocket was hit right at Mariners first baseman Ty France to end the inning and leave the runners.
So it was a 2-0 game as we entered into the sixth, and Eovaldi hit his first real speed bump of his afternoon. The righty walked Taylor Trammel to start the inning, and then his home run problems crept back up. This time it was Adam Frazier, who got an inside curveball that stayed a bit too high. Frazier curled it right around Pesky’s Pole for a Fenway special homer, and with that swing the game was all tied up at two runs apiece. To his credit, Eovaldi came back after that and retired the next three batters he faced to keep the game tied.
And to the offense’s credit, it didn’t take very long at all to get back out in front. One of the big stories of this past week has been the emergence of Trevor Story after an incredibly slow start to his season, and he had another big swing here in the bottom of the sixth. Leading off the inning, he went out and got a fastball that stayed right over the plate, putting it into the first row of Monster Seats in left-center field to give the Red Sox a 3-2 lead.
With his team now back in front, Eovadli came back out for the seventh and retired the first two batters he faced, one with what would be his 11th strikeout of the day, setting a new career-high. But Mike Ford kept the inning alive with a two-out single, and that was the end of the line for Eovaldi. He did give up yet another homer, but otherwise it was a really strong showing to come back from the blowup earlier in the week. Austin Davis got the call to finish things off, and he did so by striking out Cal Raleigh to keep the Red Sox up by a run.
After the offense went down quickly and in order in the bottom of the seventh, it was Davis coming back on to start the eighth. He retired the first batter he faced, but then gave up a one-out single to end his day, with Hansel Robles coming on with one out and the tying run on base. He quickly gave up a single of his own to put runners on the corners, but then came back to induce a massive double play to end the inning and keep the Red Sox out in front.
It was still a one-run game for the ninth, with Robles coming back on looking to close this one out. He got the first two outs in order, but things took a turn in the next at bat. Eugenio Súarez was looking for a slider to start the at bat, and he got one right over the plate. That pitch was crushed into the Monster Seats, tying the game at three and giving Robles a blown save.
Now the offense had to add another run in order to avoid extra innings, and after a couple of quick outs Jackie Bradley Jr. kept things alive with a double. That left it up to Bobby Dalbec, with both J.D. Martinez and Alex Verdugo on the bench but unavailable. Dalbec couldn’t get it done, hitting a routine fly ball out to right field to end the inning and send this one to the 10th.
With the Manfred Rule runner on second to start the 10th, Jake Diekman got the ball for Boston. He did get a quick first out, but then back-to-back singles put the Mariners in front 4-3. Fortunately the lefty was able to limit the damage to just the one, but now the offense had some more work to do.
Christian Vázquez came on as pinch hitter and got the job done to start off the inning, shooting a base hit into right field to put runners on the corners for the top of the order. Hernández then followed that up with a base hit of his own, bringing home the tying run and putting the winning run in scoring position with nobody out. Devers then followed that up with a single, which should have loaded the bases. Instead, Vázquez was sent home and cut down at the plate. It was a borderline call (I thought he was safe) that was challenged and upheld, but it seemed like a questionable risk to take.
Story couldn’t get the run home, hitting a fly ball too shallow for Hernández to score, leaving it up to Cordero. He hit a couple of line drives in this game that found gloves, so he decided he should just hit it over everybody. For his first home run of the season, he launched a walk-off grand slam to complete a four-game sweep with an 8-4 win.
The Red Sox now have a well-earned day off on Monday before heading out to the Midwest to start a three-game set against the White Sox in Chicago. That series starts on Tuesday with first pitch at 8:10 PM ET.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 22, 2022 19:09:45 GMT -5
Bill Koch @billkoch25 · 4h Hansel Robles bidding for a multi-inning save. That's where the Red Sox closer roulette wheel landed on this warm Sunday afternoon.
We're tied at 3-3. No win for Nathan Eovaldi. Third blown save for Hansel Robles, 11th for the Red Sox.
Red Sox are 19-22.
Trevor Story and Franchy Cordero have come in from the cold. Boston sweeps Seattle and is on a five-game winning streak.
Absolutely needed to turn things around during this homestand. Looks like they might have.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 22, 2022 19:10:56 GMT -5
Jon Couture @joncouture · 3h Pretty good four-game series for a sub-.500 team. #RedSox
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 22, 2022 19:12:55 GMT -5
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne · 2h The Red Sox are all wearing Celtics jerseys on the flight to Chicago. I support this. Austin Davis had the full uniform, shorts and all.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 22, 2022 19:19:17 GMT -5
Franchy Cordero hits walk-off grand slam as Boston Red Sox win, 8-4, sweep Mariners Updated: May. 22, 2022, 6:41 p.m. | Published: May. 22, 2022, 4:58 p.m. Seattle Mariners v Boston Red Sox
BOSTON, MA - MAY 22: Franchy Cordero #16 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after hitting a walk off grand slam in the tenth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park on May 22, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)Getty Images By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON -- Franchy Cordero. Franchy Cordero. Franchy Cordero.
Cordero hit a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning Sunday, giving the Red Sox an 8-4 win -- and a four-game sweep of the Mariners. The blast finished off an excellent 6-1 homestand for the Red Sox, who won a wild one to improve to 19-22 on the season.
Cordero’s home run punctuated a crazy final two innings. Boston had Seattle down to its last out before Eugenio Suárez tied the game with a homer off Hansel Robles in the ninth. In the top of the 10th, the Mariners took a 4-3 lead, but Boston tied things up on a Kiké Hernández RBI single in the bottom half of the frame. Before Cordero’s blast, Christian Vázquez -- the would-be winning run -- was thrown out at home plate by Dylan Moore. With the bases loaded and two outs, Cordero lifted an 0-2 Andres Muñoz slider over the bullpen.
Cordero’s blast sealed a win that almost got away from the Red Sox and gave them their first extra-inning victory in seven tries. Christian Arroyo, who was added to the lineup five minutes before first pitch when J.D. Martinez was scratched due to back spasms, opened the scoring with a first-pitch homer off Mariners starter Logan GIlbert in the second. An inning later, after two hits and a walk loaded the bases, Xander Bogaerts made it a 2-0 game with a sacrifice fly. Nate Eovaldi, who struck out 11 batters in 6 ⅔ innings, made just one mistake -- an Adam Frazier two-run homer that tied the game in the sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth, Trevor Story continued his torrid week with a go-ahead, solo shot into the Green Monster seats to put Boston up, 4-3. The blast was Story’s fifth in four games and his seventh of the season. Austin Davis relieved Eovaldi and recorded two outs before turning things over to Robles, who worked out of a jam in the eighth and got two quick outs in the ninth before Suárez’s blast sent the game to extras.
Dylan Moore and Frazier led off the 10th with back-to-back singles off Jake Diekman that plated ghost runner Sam Haggerty. After Diekman avoided further damage, the Red Sox got back to-back singles from Vázquez (a pinch-hitter) and Kiké Hernández to tie the game. Vázquez was narrowly gunned down by Moore’s throw on a Rafael Devers single two batters before Cordero’s homer.
Hernández (2-for-5, 2B, RBI, R) and Jackie Bradley Jr. (2-for-4, 2B) were the only Red Sox with multiple hits.
Quick road trip to Chicago next
The Red Sox are off Monday before beginning a three-game series against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. The one-city trip is tied for Boston’s shortest road trip of the season. Here are the pitching probables:
Tuesday, 8:10 p.m. ET -- RHP Nick Pivetta (2-4, 4.22 ERA) vs. RHP Dylan Cease (4-1, 3.09 ERA)
Wednesday, 8:10 p.m. ET -- LHP Rich Hill (1-1, 3.90 ERA) vs. RHP Lucas Giolito (2-1, 2.84 ERA)
Thursday, 8:10 p.m. ET -- RHP Michael Wacha (3-0, 1.76 ERA) vs. TBA
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 22, 2022 19:20:33 GMT -5
Franchy Cordero becomes Boston Red Sox hero after being designated for assignment in October: ‘He brings a lot of joy to the team’ Updated: May. 22, 2022, 7:02 p.m. | Published: May. 22, 2022, 6:43 p.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON -- Franchy Cordero’s journey to being the hero for the Red Sox on Sunday has not been a linear one. It’s easy to forget now, but the Red Sox actually designated Cordero for assignment during their postseason run last October.
Cordero stuck around, and the Red Sox are sure glad he did. He has shown consistent improvement in his second chance with the club and on Sunday, hit a walk-off grand slam to seal an 8-4 win and a sweep of the Mariners. Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
In a lineup filled with offensive stars, Cordero was an unlikely hero, but one the Red Sox were happy to rally around.
“There’s a lot of guys in that clubhouse who are very happy,” said manager Alex Cora. “Very quietly, he brings a lot of joy to the team and the energy.”
The first go-around with the Red Sox for Cordero, who was acquired last February in the trade that sent Andrew Benintendi to the Royals, did not go as planned. He made the team out of spring training to start last season but was in Triple-A by May after hitting just .179 with a single homer in 34 games. He mashed with the WooSox, learned first base and then was summoned to the majors later in the summer. But his offense didn’t carry over in his return to the big leagues and he finished with a .189 OPS and .497 OPS on the year.
The Red Sox needed a roster spot last fall and cut Cordero, though he cleared waivers and signed a one-year, $825,000 deal with Boston. Travis Shaw made the team as a left-handed first base option, but went hitless in the first month and forced the Red Sox to make a move. Since rejoining the big league club on April 29, Cordero has hit just .231 with a .709 OPS, but he’s consistently hitting the ball hard and showing the Red Sox an improved offensive approach.
“To put the work is gratifying,” Cora said. “Last year wasn’t great. We designated him for assignment but we were happy that he was back with us. From the Dominican Republic to spring training, you can see it. He’s doing an outstanding job controlling the zone. We’re very proud of him.”
Before his 10th-inning homer, Cordero didn’t have much to show for the rockets he was hitting all over the field. He hit four balls harder than 95.6 mph -- including a 109.5 mph lineout and 103.2 mph groundout -- but was 0-for-4 before launching the home run. With two outs and an 0-2 count, Cordero stayed back on a slider from Mariners reliever Andres Muñoz and didn’t miss. The homer traveled 419 feet and left the bat at 106.1 mph.
“I was looking for a pitch up in the zone so the fastball doesn’t surprise me. He hung that slider and I was able to hit it well,” Cordero said through translator Carlos Villoria Benítez.
Cordero smiled as he circled the bases and received a Gatorade shower after being mobbed by teammates at home plate. The reception Cordero got from his teammates wasn’t just because the Red Sox had won in dramatic fashion. Quietly, Cordero has become one of the most well-liked players on the team. Those in Worcester rave about his character, and though he’s not particularly outgoing, he has made his mark in Boston, too. Cora credited Cordero with coming up with some of Boston’s celebrations, like waving to the dugout after a hit and another meant to “break the bad spirits.”
“You feed off that stuff,” said starter Nate Eovaldi. “It’s fun to celebrate the little things.”
It’s impossible to know if Cordero’s strong second act in Boston portends long-term success or if he will just be a fun role player for a short stretch. But that matters little right now. Cordero’s swing -- which he said that other than his big-league debut might have been his favorite moment in the majors -- capped off a memorable, successful homestand for the Red Sox in fitting fashion.
“He’s really easy to root for,” said Christian Arroyo. “He’s a great teammate, he’s a great player. He’s got a lot of really good tools.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 22, 2022 19:21:59 GMT -5
Boston Red Sox are entertaining, captivating again after 6 memorable wins on homestand | Chris Cotillo Updated: May. 22, 2022, 7:42 p.m. | Published: May. 22, 2022, 7:28 p.m.
By Chris Cotillo | ccotillo@MassLive.com
BOSTON -- It’s safe to say that the 2022 Red Sox Year-in-Review tape will prominently feature many highlights from the last week at Fenway Park.
For a May homestand against two AL West teams, the last seven days have been pretty darn memorable. If Nick Pivetta’s complete game and Trevor Story’s decision to go nuclear weren’t enough, Franchy Cordero’s walk-off grand slam Sunday afternoon did the trick. Even Boston’s one loss was historic as Nate Eovaldi tied a major league record by giving up five home runs in one inning.
Before this last week, the vibe around Fenway Park was sleepy, which fit the hapless early-season Red Sox well. But now, it seems a switch has flipped. The Red Sox are -- by far -- playing their best baseball of 2022 and finding ways to do it in interesting ways each day. Their four-game dismantling of the Mariners was their first sweep of the season.
“That was a huge homestand for us,” said Christian Arroyo, who homered Sunday. “That was a huge sweep. It’s hard to sweep in the big leagues in a three-game series, let alone a four (game series) against a really good Seattle Mariners team.” Enter your email address here to receive the Fenway Rundown email newsletter in your inbox every Wednesday.
All six of Boston’s most recent wins provided signature moments. Monday’s rain-soaked victory included Story’s first-ever Fenway homer with the Red Sox and Xander Bogaerts giving the team yet another reason to re-sign him. Wednesday night brought Pivetta’s two-hit masterpiece. On Thursday, Story homered three times in a rout. Friday was when Story’s grand slam landed in the hands of Jonny Gomes. The Sox rallied from a 5-0 deficit to come back and win Saturday. And Sunday’s dramatic, extra-inning win was icing on the cake.
“Overall, a great homestand and a great game,” said manager Alex Cora. “Swinging the bats, we’re really close to who we are.”
Boston’s hot streak has been powered by its offense, which finally broke out of its early-season slump and averaged nearly seven runs a game (48 runs in 7 games) against the Mariners and Astros. Different players -- from Cordero to Arroyo to Jackie Bradley Jr. to Christian Vázquez -- all had big hits, putting less pressure on Boston’s big three of Bogaerts, Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez. Suddenly, the Red Sox have found their groove offensively. They always said it would just be a matter of time.
“We weren’t panicking,” said starter Nate Eovaldi. “All the guys who were coming in the clubhouse, we still had a really good vibe. I think now, it goes to show. With the offense swinging the way we know they’re capable of doing, it takes pressure off all the other guys to go out there and pound the strike zone.”
Only time will tell if these Red Sox will emerge as true contenders or not, and through 41 games, their 19-22 record is still below preseason expectations. But there’s now a few words you can use to describe them that wouldn’t have been possible a week ago: exciting, entertaining and captivating.
Luckily for the Red Sox, a friendly schedule will allow for more Fenway fun very soon. After a day off Monday and three games in Chicago, Boston will be right back at home Friday to start a six-day, seven-game homestand against the lowly Orioles and Reds. It’s well within reason to think the Red Sox might be right in the thick of the postseason race by the end of those 10 games. For a team that’s firing on all cylinders, anything seems possible.
“Winning is better than losing,” Cora said. “We’ve been playing good baseball.... We just keep grinding. Offensively, we’re really good. We knew it coming into the season. Guys were putting good at-bats. The communication is great. Let’s see how it goes in Chicago.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 22, 2022 19:23:23 GMT -5
Chris Cotillo @chriscotillo · 2h Two other news items: Cora said Verdugo should play Tuesday and they're hoping the same for JD. Martinez will be day-to-day with back issue that pops up from time to time.
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 22, 2022 19:30:54 GMT -5
Red Sox Stats @redsoxstats · 3h 26 Ws
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 23, 2022 3:55:12 GMT -5
'Easy to root for' Franchy's walk-off slam keeps Sox hot May 22nd, 2022 Ian Browne
Ian Browne @ianmbrowne
BOSTON -- For the Red Sox, such an electric homestand deserved a grand finale.
But nobody could have guessed the one that unfolded, which explains the euphoric reaction that took place when Franchy Cordero crossed home plate following a walk-off grand slam on an 0-2 pitch with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning that gave Boston a wild 8-4 victory and a four-game sweep over the Mariners.
It was the completion of a 6-1 homestand for the Sox, who have won five in a row and nine of their last 12.
Cordero, a once-promising prospect for the Padres, had seen his stock drop so much that the Red Sox designated him for assignment one day before they were eliminated from the American League Championship Series last October.
Twenty-nine other teams could have claimed him. On this memorable Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park, the Red Sox had to be grateful nobody did.
At 27 years old, it isn’t too late for Cordero to reach some of that promise that sits within his impressive kit of tools.
A day after he hammered a triple to jump-start a winning rally, Cordero this time walloped a slider from Andrés Munóz over the visiting bullpen and into the first row or two of the bleachers, setting off a mob scene of white jerseys at home plate following his first career grand slam.
“Yeah, super excited to see the boys jumping around and excited and happy. I’m super happy for this moment,” Cordero said.
As well he should be. A barrage of injuries in San Diego prevented Cordero from being the player he wanted to be, and he barely even had time to unpack his suitcase after being traded to Kansas City before the Red Sox got him in the trade that sent Andrew Benintendi to the Royals.
Cordero was outrighted after nobody claimed him last October, meaning he was no longer on the 40-man roster for the Red Sox. But he was a non-roster invite during Spring Training, giving the club a chance to see some of his improvements up close.
Most notably, Cordero was in better shape and made strides in making more frequent contact.
“I told you, he’s going to start hitting the ball in the air and good things are going to happen,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora.
When you have Cordero’s power and you can put bat to ball, good things can absolutely happen. And the outfielder, who was promoted from Triple-A on April 29, couldn’t have picked a better time for his first home run of the season.
Despite being a supporting-cast member, Cordero has made life more fun for the Red Sox. Last year, he started the dugout wave which players would do when they reached base, particularly after an extra-base hit.
This season, he has added some new gimmicks.
“[Cordero]’s quiet in the clubhouse, but then on the field, whether he’s doing the waving or breaking the bad spirits and stuff like that, that helps,” said Red Sox righty Nathan Eovaldi, who bounced back from giving up five homers in one inning in his last start to striking out a career-high 11 and allowing two runs in 6 2/3 innings on Sunday. “He’s had quality at-bats, whether it’s been walks or he’s getting big hits. Everyone is a fan of his.”
The Red Sox had endured five walk-off losses this season and gone 0-6 in extra innings this season before reversing those trends in Sunday’s thriller.
As Cordero’s drive -- which Statcast projected had an exit velocity of 106.1 mph and an estimated distance of 419 feet -- landed, there was mayhem at Fenway.
Kiké Hernández, who had delivered the game-tying single in the 10th inning, raised his right arm in triumph as he headed home. Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom pumped his left fist and shouted something joyful from his seat in the front office suite. Get the latest from the Red Sox
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Christian Arroyo dumped a huge cooler of liquid which was aimed at Cordero but instead got more of NESN sideline reporter Jahmai Webster.
“Did you see how I reacted? I was going nuts,” said Arroyo. “Last year when Franchy got over here, he became really easy to root for. He’s a great teammate. He’s got a lot of tools, and you see it right there. He could leave the yard at any point. You saw it yesterday, he hits a 111-mph triple. He’s a special talent, so to see him get up there in that situation and just relax, not try to do too much and allow the hands to kind of work and get a slider up and walk it off, that was huge, and that was a huge homestand for us.”
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 23, 2022 3:56:36 GMT -5
Injuries & Moves: J.D. (back) a late scratch May 22nd, 2022
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Keep track of the Red Sox’s recent transactions and injury updates throughout the season. LATEST NEWS
May 22: J.D. Martinez scratched with back spasms The Red Sox lost a key cog to their lineup shortly before game-time on Sunday when J.D. Martinez was scratched with back spasms. The DH typically gets the spasms a couple of times per season. Martinez is day-to-day. The Red Sox, who are off on Monday, open a three-game series in Chicago against the White Sox on Tuesday.
“He’s doing OK. Just a tight back," said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. "Give him today, give him tomorrow and let’s see where he’s at on Tuesday.”
Martinez is off to a strong start this season and ranks among the American League leaders in hits (45), average (.349), and OBP (.390). -- Ian Browne
May 22: Alex Verdugo out with flu-like symptoms Verdugo played just one inning in left field and took one at-bat on Saturday before exiting the game with flu-like symptoms. He was still unable to go for Sunday afternoon's game, and the hot and sticky conditions didn't help. Cora thinks he will be fine to start on Tuesday in Chicago.
“He tested negative [for COVID-19]. He’s feeling better, but I think it’s smart to stay away from him especially with the conditions because this is hot for a lot of people. We went through protocol and he tested negative so he’s OK,” said Cora. -- Ian Browne
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Post by CP_Jon_GoSox on May 23, 2022 4:06:03 GMT -5
RED SOX NOTEBOOK Nate Eovaldi stands and delivers for Red Sox in helping secure sweep of Mariners By Julian McWilliams Globe Staff,Updated May 22, 2022, 9:47 p.m.
Nate Eovaldi needed this type of performance.
After he went 1⅔ innings and allowed nine runs (six earned), including five second-inning home runs, in a 13-4 loss to the Astros last Tuesday, Eovaldi carved up the Mariners in an 8-4 walkoff victory Sunday afternoon at Fenway Park
Prior to the game, manager Alex Cora was asked what he would need to see from Eovaldi in the series finale. Noting his depleted bullpen, Cora replied, “Seven [innings].”
Eovaldi was close, going 6⅔ innings. He allowed two runs on four hits and recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts. It marked the sixth game of his career with at least 10 strikeouts, the last coming vs. Tampa Bay last Aug. 11.
On Sunday, Eovaldi worked into the seventh in dominant fashion until Mike Ford’s ground ball single through the six-hole ended his day. A loud ovation from the Fenway crowd ensued. Indeed, it was well-deserved for Eovaldi whose team won in dramatic fashion on Franchy Cordero’s grand slam with two outs in the 10th inning, securing a four-game sweep of the Mariners.
Eovaldi threw 101 pitches, 69 for strikes, and had one walk, a leadoff pass to Taylor Trammel in the sixth. The next batter, Adam Frazier, homered just inside the Pesky Pole, tying the contest, 2-2, but that proved to be the only situation where the Mariners got to the righthander.
The Mariners came into the day hitting .265 while slugging .468 with 33 homers against the fastball. Against offspeed, however, the Mariners hit a pedestrian .167 with a .224 slugging and one homer. So, it made sense for Eovaldi to rely upon his splitter as much as he did, tossing it 28 times and drawing 12 whiffs, while ringing up six of his 11 punchouts with the pay-off pitch.
“When they’re aggressive, it looks like a heater,” Eovaldi said afterward. “So the splitters come in and keeps them off balance. They either take it or they swing through it. Especially going through the first time through the lineup, I used it a lot more.
“Usually, I tend to do it the second time through. I used it more the first time through, so they haven’t seen the fastball yet. It’s like a changeup and then the fastball coming in, it’s hard for them to square it up. Then I’m ahead in the count, 0-2, I can go back to it or go to one of my other off-speed pitches.”
Eovaldi took note how the Mariners were swinging against Garrett Whitlock Saturday. He saw they were aggressive against Whitlock on the first pitch or early in the count. It led to Whitlock getting shellacked for five runs (all earned) in just three innings of work (10 hits).
So, heading into Sunday’s series finale, Eovaldi knew he would have to utilize his off-speed or breaking pitches on the first pitch to keep the Mariners’ aggressive lineup off balance.
Eovaldi gave up four of his five homers against the Astros on the fastball. He made the adjustment of working up and down in the zone with it vs. the Mariners.
“Obviously the last outing I had wasn’t very good,” Eovaldi said. “The way the team was able to rebound after that and the way we finished [6-1] at home, this was a big four-game series for us, and the guys are starting to swing the bats better.”
Martinez a late scratch
J.D. Martinez (back) was a late scratch. Cora said he was doing OK but the team will wait until after Monday’s off day to see where he is Tuesday before the start of a three-game series against the host Chicago White Sox . . . Alex Verdugo tested negative for COVID. He was removed from Saturday’s contest in the second inning when he developed flu-like symptoms. He will be available for the opener against the White Sox on Tuesday night . . . Righthander Nick Pivetta will draw the start against Chicago righty Dylan Cease on Tuesday. Lefthander Rich Hill then takes the ball Wednesday against righthander Lucas Giolito. Righthander Michael Wacha will draw the start for the Sox on Thursday against a yet to be named pitcher . . . Many of the Sox players wore Celtics jerseys on the plane to Chicago after the game. Austin Davis and Tanner Houck wore full Celtics uniforms and went with Jayson Tatum while Hill went old school and sported a Larry Bird jersey.
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