Tag Archives: Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees Series Recap

The long-awaited face off has arrived since the early April bench clearing brawl. The Red Sox and Yankees rivalry was in full blast as Joe Kelly and Tyler Austin went at it after Austin was hit by a pitch. The meeting of the two teams was highly anticipated by all.

Pomeranz vs. Severino

Tuesday night, the Sox fell to the Yankees 3-2, allowing the two teams to tie for first place. Betts and Benintendi made it on base to lead to the Sox first run of the game. In the second inning, Drew Pomeranz broke a nail, causing some concern to bring the trainers out. Giancarlo Stanton hit two solo home runs. Luis Severino struck out 11 players against Drew Pomeranz’s six strikeouts. Mookie Betts hit an RBI triple in the seventh to tie the game. Joe Kelly came in to a sea of boos and chants from all of Yankee Stadium. Kelly came out as the Yankees loaded the bases with only one out to prevent more runs. The Yankees are now on a 16-1 win streak, and are showing true competition for first place as Porcello will face Masahiro Tanaka.

“They’re good hitters. They were fighting off a lot of pitches. They have a great team. I was trying my best, but I was battling.” -Severino on the Sox at bat

“We’re playing good baseball, doing it a lot of different ways. Tonight was tough. Boston is really good. They battle, battle, battle; kind of hung around. ” -Manager Aaron Boone on the win against the Yankees biggest rivalry

The 24 Hour Yankees AL East Lead Porcello vs. Tanaka

Rick Porcello pitches a game earlier than normal, as David Price was sent to Boston for x-rays. In the past few games, he had experienced problems in his hand, causing the x-rays to be needed. Later we found out that Price was okay and would be pitching in the upcoming series. Hanley Ramirez, Andrew Benintendi, and Mitch Moreland all hit homers on Wednesday night. But it was nothing compared to the electric eighth inning that the Yankees had. Brett Gardener hit a triple allowing two to score, and Aaron Judge’s 117 MPH homer allowed the Yankees to go up 9-6. Rick Porcello only struck out three players, ending Wednesday with a 2.79 ERA. The Yankees have taken the lead over the Sox to be in the AL East first place. Tomorrow Eduardo Rodriguez will face CC Sabathia in the series finale.

“It got my attention. I looked around a little bit that inning. It’s May and it’s bedlam.” -Aaron Boone on the win to bring the Yankees into first place.

The Sox and Yankees are Tied Again Rodriguez vs. Sabathia

The rain never stopped the Red Sox as they were 4-0 at the delay in the fifth inning. The Red Sox escaped a Yankees sweep with a 5-4 win on Thursday night. The Yankees scored four runs in the seventh to tie the game, but Martinez wanted the win and hit a homer in the eighth to take the win. Joe Kelly came in again to clean up the mess of players on base and got Giancarlo Stanton out on a grounder to retire the side. Craig Kimbrel has his 110th save. Ramirez hit a homer to the visiting bullpen to allow the Sox to reach the rain delay with a lead.

“Definitely. You saw it today. They don’t give up. I’m very confident in what we’ve got. This is our team right here and we’re concentrating on what we can do and see what we can do better to keep winning.” -Hanley Ramirez when asked if the Sox and Yankees rivalry is the best in baseball

“I hit it, and I was like blowing, praying, doing everything I can to push it over. I knew it had a chance.” -J. D. Martinez on his homer that won the game

Up Next for the Sox

The Red Sox will travel to Toronto to face the Blue Jays before heading back home to play the Oakland Athletics. Up first in the series against Toronto will be Chris Sale and Aaron Sanchez. David Price will return to pitch this series after x-rays in Boston. Alex Cora also reported that Jackie Bradley Jr. will be back in the Saturday line up while Brock Holt will return on Friday.

Sources

Red Sox Twitter

MLB.com

ESPN

Statcast

Expectations for a Healthy Tyler Thornburg

Leave a reply

When the Red Sox acquired Tyler Thornburg in the 2016 offseason, they envisioned him becoming a critical bullpen piece. Since the trade, Thornburg has not thrown a pitch for the Red Sox due to thoracic outlet syndrome in his right shoulder. The former Brewer could rejoin the Red Sox soon as he began his rehab assignment Monday. Thornburg was impressive in his first appearance considering the last time he pitched any kind of regular season game was in 2016. He could be a very welcomed addition to the Red Sox bullpen if he can return to his old form.

Red Sox Trade for Thornburg

When the Red Sox acquired Thornburg, he was coming of a dominant season in which he recorded a 2.15 ERA. He had recorded thirteen saves and struck out ninety batters in just 67 innings. He held batters to a .167 average, and was particularly dominant on lefties, who hit a measly .130 against him. In exchange for him, the Sox gave up prospects and Travis Shaw, who has broken out as the Brewers’ starting third baseman. This hurt the Red Sox as they struggled to get any production from third base until the MLB debut of Rafael Devers last year. Thornburg could still make it a good trade for the Sox, but the team will ease him back in.

Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Where Thornburg Fits In

When the Red Sox acquired Thornburg he was supposed to be a dominant late inning reliever. He still could be, but the Sox will be careful. Like with Carson Smith when he returned from Tommy John, the Red Sox will not use Thornburg in high leverage situations at first. The priority will be getting him comfortable on a Major League mound again. In his first rehab appearance he struck out three, showing that his strikeout stuff is still there. By the end of the season he could be the setup man for Kimbrel.

Photo Credit: Matt Stone

What to Expect

People will have to be patient with Thornburg, as he is coming off a difficult injury. It would be a surprise if he came back and dominated right away. The Red Sox will give him every opportunity to succeed. If he can return to his old form then the Red Sox get one of the best relievers in baseball without having to give anything up. Thornburg’s timetable is still uncertain and the Red Sox will be very cautious with his rehab. One thing is for sure- he will be more determined than ever and the Sox could be in store for something special. Getting him back to where he was in 2016 could be better than any trade the Red Sox could make.

Red Sox – Royals Series Recap

Leave a reply

Monday- The Royals fall to the Sox in Game 1

In their 21st win of the season, the Red Sox won 10-6 over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night. Xander Bogaerts hit his second grand slam of the season, and sixth for the team. Mitch Moreland hit a solo home run, going three for four with a homer, a double, three runs, and two RBIs. Andrew Benintendi hit a sacrifice fly into center field to drive in Jackie Bradley Jr. in the bottom of the fourth. Eduardo Rodriguez didn’t have a fantastic start as he pitched five hits, five runs, three walks, and striking out only six in the Royals lineup. Hector Velazquez hit the pitcher’s mound after Rodriguez and only allowed one hit. Mookie Betts was still not present in the lineup, but Cora said that he should be playing tomorrow.

“He’s been pretty amazing for us all year, obviously with the injury, not knowing what to expect coming back, but he’s picked right up where he left off… it was a nice night”. Said Moreland on Bogaerts performance

“I didn’t hit a grand slam in my career, so it’s not because of me”, said Alex Cora on the 6 grand slams hit since he became manager

Tuesday- Sox Fall on Sale day

The Red Sox fell to the Royals 7-6 on Tuesday night. Eduardo Nuñez homered in the 12th inning to tie the game. Royals reliever Kevin McCarthy pitched three scoreless innings to allow the Royals to gain control. A wild pitch in the seventh allowed Benintendi to run home and lead for a portion of the game. Tuesday night’s game was only Benintendi’s second time batting lead off in his career, as Mookie was still on the bench. Sale added another loss after pitching seven innings, allowing two runs, two walks, and only six strikeouts. Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless eighth inning and allowed the Sox to keep the 3-2 lead. Ultimately, the Royals won the 13th inning game. Tomorrow Drew Pomeranz will pitch for the second time this season at Fenway against Kansas City’s Danny Duffy.

Wednesday- Sox take the Series against Royals

With it being nearly 90 degrees in the city, it felt like a typical summer baseball game. Mookie Betts again proved why he’s the lead-off man for the Sox. Betts surpassed Ted Williams to hit the most three home run games in franchise history. The Gatorade shower made an appearance, and Mookie definitely deserved the spotlight. The Sox beat out Kansas 5-4 to take the series. J.D. Martinez also hit a two run homer to tie the game in the third. Drew Pomeranz picked up his first win of the season. He is showing improved velocity and an improved curveball since his time on the disabled list. Joe Kelly also returned from his six game suspension from the bench clearing brawl against the Yankees. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning to show that his time off did no harm.

“It was pretty cool, I’m just trying to shut them down long enough to let Mookie get at-bats. When he gets hot like that, we’re all cheering for more at-bats for him. They keep throwing him pitches, but he keeps sitting on everything they throw him. It’s pretty awesome to watch.”-Drew Pomeranz on Mookies performance

Sources

Red Sox Twitter

MLB.com

What If the Red Sox Didn’t Trade for Chris Sale?

Leave a reply

NOTE: There is no way anyone can tell what would actually happen, so these educated guesses are based on rumors from MLBTradeRumors.com

On December 6, 2016, the Red Sox acquired starting pitcher Chris Sale for four prospects. These prospects were infielder Yoan Moncada, starting pitcher Michael Kopech, outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe, and relief pitcher Victor Diaz. In this alternate universe, this groundbreaking trade never happened.

Where Does Chris Sale Go?

It was inevitable that White Sox GM Rick Hahn was going to trade Chris Sale, but who would be Chicago’s trade partner? Well, according to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post, the Nationals had the next highest bid, so Chris Sale would be a Washington National. The package going to Chicago would’ve consisted of outfielder prospect Victor Robles, as well as starting pitcher prospects Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez. This also means that the Nationals have to alter the package going to Chicago for outfielder Adam Eaton. So instead of Lucas Giolito, the Nats trade starting pitcher prospect Dylan Cease.

What Happens to the Red Sox’s 2017 Season?

The Red Sox no longer have Chris Sale, so in the offseason they do not trade starting pitcher Clay Buchholz to the Phillies. They need the pitching depth, and the Sox think they can get 2015 Clay Buchholz rather than the 2016 version. Also, since the Red Sox don’t completely trust the starting pitching depth they have, they sign Doug Fister in the offseason instead of in the middle of the season.

Clay Buchholz still tears a flexor tendon in his right arm in early April, so the Doug Fister signing makes even more sense. Also, David Price starts the season on the DL. So this means the Red Sox rotation after the Buchholz injury is Rick Porcello, Drew Pomeranz, Steven Wright, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Doug Fister. Injuries also hinder Steven Wright in early April, so Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez both get many spot starts to fill the voids.

Yoan Moncada starts the season as the everyday third baseman with Pablo Sandoval on the bench, occasionally DHing.

Trade Deadline

The Red Sox, headlined by an injury-prone starting rotation and a stagnant offense, still find themselves in the AL East race. They believe one trade can get them over the top. They decide to go after a starting pitcher, because there are a lot of quality starters on the trade market. Since the trade value is the lowest and they have the cap space, the Red Sox trade for starter Justin Verlander. The Tigers receive left-hander Jay Groome, outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe, and catcher Roldani Baldwin in the deal. The Red Sox agree to pay the rest of Verlander’s contract.

Since Justin Verlander is a Red Sock now, the Astros don’t pull off a trade. They were too late for the Yu Darvish and Jose Quintana deals, so they settle with what they have.

The Sox send down Yoan Moncada to AAA because of offensive struggles, so they still bring up Rafael Devers. Also, Boston still releases Pablo Sandoval.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Playoffs

The Red Sox make the playoffs as the first wild card team instead of winning the division. They defeat the Twins in the Wild Card game with Justin Verlander on the mound in Fenway Park. The success stops there, though. The Red Sox lose to the Indians in four games in the ALDS.

The Indians lose to the Yankees in the ALCS, who beat the Verlander-less Astros in six games in the ALDS. The Yankees face the powerhouse Washington Nationals in the World Series. Led by a rotation of Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, and Stephen Strasburg, the Nationals sweep the Yankees in the World Series.

2017-2018 Offseason

The Red Sox feel that they need to do something to boost the offense, so they make a huge trade. The rumors say that the Red Sox had interest in trading for Manny Machado, so that’s just what they do. The Orioles receive shortstop Xander Bogaerts, prospect Yoan Moncada, and starting pitcher prospect Michael Kopech. Yes, the Orioles were hesitant towards trading Machado, but that is an offer that no one can refuse. Then, the Orioles probably trade Zach Britton. I will say he goes to the Astros,

The Red Sox have to pay the remainder of Justin Verlander’s deal. They also feel that they have to opportunity to extend Manny Machado’s expiring contract. Because of this, the Red Sox do not sign J.D. Martinez. Instead, Martinez signs a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Conclusion

There is no telling what happens afterwards. Even so, it is interesting to think of what could happen if the Red Sox didn’t trade for Chris Sale.

Sources:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/nationals-offered-victor-robles-lucas-giolito-reynaldo-lopez-in-chris-sale-bid.html

Reds’ Firing of Bryan Price Impact on the Red Sox

Leave a reply

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

On Wednesday, April 18, the Cincinnati Reds announced the firing of manager Bryan Price. He was fired after only 18 games in the 2018 season. This is a sign for Reds fans that they are in for a long season. The Reds were a dreadful 3-15 at the time of the firing, which puts them at a meager 0.167 winning percentage. This is the worst start in franchise history since 1931, when the Reds started 2-16. Now, how would this impact the Red Sox? Aren’t the Reds in a different league and division?

This firing sends a message to the rest of league. The message reads, “We are giving up. We are throwing in the towel, and we are ready to start tanking”. Well, this strategy of roster management is becoming popular in the MLB. This strategy is also proven to work. There is no need to look back too far, for the 2017 Astros and 2016 Cubs are prime examples.

The Astros sold off many of their assets at the 2010 trade deadline, therefore starting the tanking. Because of their poor records, they were able to get high draft picks, which they used to draft George Springer in 2011, Carlos Correa in 2012, and Lance McCullers Jr. in 2012. The Cubs also were sellers at the 2012 deadline, and again, because of bad performance, they were able to draft Kris Bryant in 2013 and Kyle Schwarber in 2014.

We could see the Cincinnati Reds as major sellers at the trade deadline this year.

Trade Targets

One of the main criticisms of the offseason for the Red Sox was the inability to acquire another quality reliever. Well, look no further than 28-year old right-hander Raisel Iglesias. Iglesias is a bit of a late bloomer, but he is becoming an elite closer for the Reds.

(USA Today Sports Images)

In 2017, Raisel Iglesias had a 2.49 ERA in 76 innings pitched, while recording 28 saves in 30 save opportunities. We wouldn’t be looking for him to close games, since we already have Craig Kimbrel, but he would be a quality 8th inning man. Iglesias is already off to a great start in 2018, posting a 1.08 ERA in 8.1 innings pitched. The Red Sox would probably have to give up close to what they gave up for Addison Reed in 2018, so we’re looking at 3 or 4 mid-level prospects.

A minor transaction the Sox could look at possibly doing is a trade for 26-year old left-hander Wandy Peralta. One of the main criticisms of the offseason was not acquiring a left-handed reliever, and this deal would correct that.

While the Red Sox are already getting acceptable performances out of Bobby Poyner, it would be great to have two left handers in the bullpen. Peralta recorded a 3.75 ERA in 81.2 innings for the Reds last season. So far this year, has not given up a run in 9.2 innings pitched. The value for Wandy Peralta would be very low, for the Red Sox would only have to give up no more than one low-level prospect or just cash.

One Other Firing to Think About

One thing that has been talked about endlessly on MLB Network is who would replace Bryan Price. Well, since he’s already a scout in their organization, it would not be surprising if the Reds hired former Red Sox manager, John Farrell. We may have bad memories of Farrell, but he was not a bad manager record-wise. John Farrell had a record of 432-378 in 5 years as the skipper for the Red Sox, and won a World Series in 2013 with the team. To other teams, that resume doesn’t look too bad.

Series Review – Red Sox @ Angels

Leave a reply

Game 1 – Shohei Ohtani vs. David Price

This game had a lot of hype going into it. MLB Network was broadcasting this game, and many in Japan were watching, for baseball’s new phenom was pitching for the Halos. Shohei Ohtani, before this game had pitched two games, both being against the Athletics. He had a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings pitched in those two starts. The latter of the two starts, Ohtani had a perfect game through 6 ⅓ innings. Furthermore, if you add in the three home runs and the .367 batting average, that is a recipe for national attention.

Courtesy: USA Today

This game didn’t go so well…. for Ohtani. The Japanese Babe Ruth pitched two innings, while giving up three earned runs on four hits. Apparently, Ohtani had a blister, and in addition to the terrible pitch count after two innings (66 pitches), that is why he didn’t pitch long.

It was a different story for David Price. After pitching one inning and giving up four earned runs on three hits, Price looked for redemption in the better weather. He was typical David Price, as he pitched five innings, giving up only one earned run on three hits. He could’ve gone longer, but with Alex Cora’s approach to keeping starters fresh, he pulled Price after 78 pitches. Also, the bullpen looked great, with Brian Johnson going three strong innings and Marcus Walden pitching the 9th.

Certainly, the story of this game was offense. The Red Sox scored ten runs in the game on six home runs. These home runs came from Brock Holt, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Rafael Devers. But the star of this game was Mookie Betts. Betts hit three home runs in this game, one of them coming off Shohei Ohtani in the first at-bat of the game, further lengthening his record of 12 leadoff home runs (at the time). Mookie also tied Ted Williams’ franchise record of three career 3-home run games.

Final Score – Red Sox 10 Angels 1

Game 2 – Tyler Skaggs vs. Rick Porcello

This game had nowhere near the hype that game one did, but this was an important game nevertheless. If the Red Sox won the game, they would remain among the few teams to not lose a series yet this season. The Angels wanted to win this game in order to give them a chance to win the series the next day. Tyler Skaggs had gotten off to a good start this season before this series, having three starts, with a 1.69 ERA through 16 innings of work. Rick Porcello was having the best start of his career through three starts. He was 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA in 19 ⅔ innings.

Porcello continued his amazing start of the year, pitching six innings, and gave up zero earned runs. Tyler Skaggs couldn’t say the same, as he pitched 4 ⅓ innings, giving up six earned runs on eight hits. The Red Sox bullpen continued their great work, with Carson Smith, Marcus Walden, and Craig Kimbrel all pitching scoreless innings. The Red Sox continued their hot offensive streak, scoring nine runs total. Two hitters accounted for eight of the runs, as Rafael Devers hit his first career grand slam, and Mitch Moreland, my player of the game, also had RBIs. Two of the RBIs were on base hits in the first and third innings, and the other two were on a 2-run homer in the ninth inning. JD Martinez also hit a homer in the seventh inning.

Final Score – Red Sox 9 Angels 0

Game 3 – Nick Tropeano vs. Eduardo Rodriguez

This pitching matchup had no excitement around it, as Nick Tropeano isn’t quite a household name, and Eduardo Rodriguez is at most the fourth-best starter in the Red Sox rotation. Rodriguez had come off a great start against his former team, the Orioles, where he pitched six innings, giving up one earned run on five hits. Tropeano’s first start of the year was against the Royals, where he pitched 6 ⅔ innings of shutout ball.

Eduardo Rodriguez had a good start in this one, working six innings, giving up only two earned runs. On the other side of things, Nick Tropeano was probably the best starter for the Angels this series, but this doesn’t mean much. Tropeano pitched 5 ⅓ innings, and gave up four earned runs on seven hits.

The Red Sox offense continued their hot streak in this one. Remember that leadoff home run record Mookie Betts added to in Game 1 off of Shohei Ohtani? Well, he did it AGAIN. Make that 13 career leadoff home runs. Mookie Betts is off to a ridiculous start, and should be a serious MVP candidate this season. Then, Andrew Benintendi finally got his first home run of the year. On top of that, he had a two-RBI knock in the ninth inning. JD Martinez had a RBI, Mitch Moreland had a RBI flyout, and Rafael Devers had two RBIs.

Final Score – Red Sox 8 Angels 2

Cover image courtesy of Jae C. Hong, AP

Red Sox – Angels Series Preview

Leave a reply

With the unfortunate postponement of Monday’s annual Patriots Day game, it is time to look on to the upcoming road trip for the Sox. Their first stop will be at Anaheim to face the red hot Angels. This was already going to be such an intriguing series, but it got even more exciting as we learned the new superstar Shohei Ohtani, will be facing Boston in the first game of this set. And who will he be facing? David Price.

The next two matchups will be Rick Porcello against Tyler Skaggs on Wednesday, and Erod versus Nick Tropeano on Thursday.

So far this year, 16 games in for the Angels, and 15 games in for the Red Sox, Boston is 13-2, while Anaheim is riding a 13-3 record. Both teams are also leading their divisions in the early going. So yeah, it doesn’t take an expert to realize these teams have been on fire to start the year.

Talent in Anaheim

Let’s now look into how these teams have gotten to where they are now. As far as the Angels go, their rotation led by Garrett Richards, Tyler Skaggs, and some guy named Shohei Ohtani, has been solid. Their bullpen has also been strong led by Noe Ramirez (an old Red Sox), Blake Wood, Jose Alvarez, and their closer Keynan Middleton. Those four have combined to give up only three runs in 34 innings. Pretty decent.

The Angels offense led by Ohtani, Pujols, Justin Upton, and many who say is the greatest in the game, Mike Trout, have also been very productive in the early going. They’ll definitely be a challenge for the Red Sox rotation in this upcoming series.

Showtime Ohtani

Now remember when I mentioned that guy Shohei Ohtani, who’s in the rotation? Yeah, well not only can that guy pitch, but he can hit the ball 400 feet too. It’s really incredible to see what he’s done thus far. He had such high expectations going into the season. After the awful spring he had, everyone wrote him off. Some said he could start the season in AAA.

He has come right out of the gate and hit .367 with a .767 OBP. He’s also hit three home runs. Pretty good numbers right? You have to know that this all comes with him also starting two games and getting two wins. In his last start against Oakland, he took a perfect game into the seventh inning, striking out 12 and only giving up one hit. I’ll tell you right now this man does not look fun to hit against. He throws an easy 100 mph with a 68 mph curveball, along a nasty splitter. Just insane what this guy has done so farm and it will be fun to keep an eye on as time goes on.

No Bogaerts No Problem

The Red Sox starting pitching kept it going this weekend. After a huge series victory against New York last Thursday, the Red Sox took all three games this weekend against Baltimore. They got strong starts from Rodriguez, Velazguez, and five great innings from Chris Sale in the brutal cold weather.

I recently wrote a piece on how even though Xander Bogaerts is out for a little while, there is no need to worry. And I 100% stand by that. Tzu Wei Lin, who was called up after the Bogaerts injury, played all three games this weekend against the Orioles. In 12 AB’s he hit .500 with a .571 OBP. It seemed like every time he was up, he was hitting the ball hard somewhere. You also can’t forget the great defense he played throughout the series at shortstop.

This is the thing I’ve been most impressed with this Sox team so far. Even with Bogaerts, the hottest hitter on the team at the time getting hurt, the offense still thrived and they still found ways to win.

Boston’s Versatility

On Saturday, after a collision at home plate in the bottom of the first inning, Mookie was taken out of the game after the fourth inning. No big deal. JBJ just moved to right and made one of the most spectacular catches you’ll ever see.

Center field, right field, the moon.

Wherever you put JBJ, he will make an amazing catch. pic.twitter.com/FIlnMzIpl5

— MLB (@MLB) April 14, 2018

Mookie, along with Nunez, were out of Sunday’s game with the weather being ugly and Cora just being cautious. No big deal. Andrew Beninendi and Lin drove in a run apiece and won the game. This team has found ways to win even without key guys. The bullpen was also sneaky good in the Orioles series, which is another great sign.

So there is no doubt in my mind that this upcoming series is an incredible matchup and should be a fun next three games at Angel stadium in Anaheim. It all starts with David Price taking the bump against Shohei Ohtani on Tuesday night. You won’t want to miss this.

Is Rick Porcello Back?

Leave a reply

It seems as though a spring of Derek Lowe whispering sweet nothings has done Rick Porcello a whole lot of good this season so far.

Last Season

Flashing back to 2017 is a tough ride for Porcello, as he had almost as many losses as he did wins from his 2016 CY Young season. Rick came in with a cool 11-17, and it was clear nothing much was working in his favor. The Red Sox, although a contending team, did not provide Porcello his usual run support, which in turn lead to a collapse in performance on the mound. By the time that the bats ended up pulling through, it was clear that Porcello was a ghost of his consistent self the year before. Porcello by the end of the year was locating that devastating sinker straight down the pipe, and ended the season with an ERA of 4.65 and leading the league in home runs with 38. Needless to say, a couple got away from the big man. This year could be different though.

What Has Changed

You did good, @RickPorcello. pic.twitter.com/b2L6V02Xbc

— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 13, 2018

Here we are in 2018, and the Rick Porcello you knew last year is a ghost. Why do I say that? Although Porcello (3-0) is never going to be that lights-out pitcher at the top of your order, having him third in the rotation is comforting. Porcello has seemed to relocate his sinker back to where it belongs, in those tight corners of the zone the ump loves to give you. Although not all of those sinkers having been painting the corners, when Porcello misses his spots it seems as though he’s getting the outs he needs in the field. What is crucial to Porcello’s arsenal is something that he has no control over. In 2016 the Red Sox had a team that could put runs on the board, and it seems to be happening this year whenever Porcello straps in.

Red Sox Run Support

While on the mound this season the Red Sox have been able to provide 19 runs in three games. In the last 34 starts that Porcello has had with 3+ runs of breathing room, he has gone 29-0. With a bolstered lineup, it seems as if the Red Sox may be able to provide Porcello with support a majority of the time he’s on the bump. Is it smart to rely on the Red Sox to put up 3+ runs every single game Porcello starts after the drought of last season? No, probably not. But it does appear that this 2018 Red Sox lineup has production throughout. The games that a major bat isn’t producing, the lower part of the order is picking up that slack.

For example, in Porcello’s Yankees home start, Sandy Leon started a second inning flurry of four runs. This early game production is something that Porcello will need to be a sustainable asset for Boston. It is clear that the Red Sox hitters who will be relied on for production later in the year aren’t fully here yet. But I doubt Benintendi will bat .231 all season. We didn’t pay J.D Martinez what we did in confidence that .227 was his ceiling. April baseball is deceiving.

Conclusion

So instead of grinding your teeth a bit when you see that Rick Porcello is starting like you did last year, I think it’s time to have confidence in the former Cy Young winner. So is Porcello back? With 162 games on the docket, this season is a long and winding road to make assumptions. But Porcello has two seasons in Boston with 180+ strikeouts. The only difference between the two seasons is the support he was getting in 2017 v. 2016. So my answer is simple. IF the Red Sox provide Rick Porcello 3+ run support by the third inning each game he goes out, he will end the season with 20 wins.

The First Series Between the Red Sox and Yankees of 2018 Was a Good One

Leave a reply

It looks like Red Sox vs Yankees in 2018 is off to a hot start. This past series between the two teams at Fenway Park was everything we were anticipating. Maybe even more.

Game 1

It all started with absolute onslaught of the Yankees on Tuesday night. Chris Sale went six strong, allowing only one run. Mookie Betts had the game of his life. He racked up four hits and a walk, including a grand slam that would put the cherry on top to make the score 14-1.

The second game was even crazier. It opened up with David Price allowing four runs in the first, and coming out with an apparent “sensation in his fingertips.” He ended up being okay and is planning to make his next scheduled start. In came the bullpen, which did great. Throwing eight innings of two run ball. Both runs? Courtesy of Matt Barnes. Of course.

Game 2

But the craziness started in the top of the third. Tyler Wade bunted to Rafael Devers, who threw to Brock Holt at second to start a double play. The only problem was the double play wasn’t able to be turned, as Holt got spiked in his calf by Tyler Austin, sparking a bench-clearing argument. If you thought that would be the end of that, you were wrong. Skip ahead to the top of the seventh, Austin was up with one out and nobody on. Joe Kelly was on the mound and drilled Austin in the back. Consequently, Austin slammed his bat to the ground, looked at Kelly as he said, “Let’s go”, and charged the mound. An epic brawl broke out, and Kelly and Austin were both ejected. The Red Sox would end up losing the game, 10-6.

All of the players seemed pretty upset about what happened. Everyone voiced their displeasure, including some of the coaches on each team, along with each manager. This will certainly linger throughout the whole year.

Game 3

With a huge game on Thursday, Rick Porcello took the mound. He came through, taking a no hitter into the seventh inning, allowing two hits and no runs. The offense scored six runs off the Yankees’ starter Sony Gray, and won the game 6-3. Kimbrel got the save at the end of the game. The Red Sox won the series, taking 2 out of 3 games.

To recap? Four words: The rivalry is back. All this time, everyone has been trying to force the rivalry back. It’s been going on for years now. The problem is that the Red Sox and Yankees haven’t really been good at the same time for a while. The last time these two went at it in the Postseason was 2004. That was 14 years ago.

When the Yankees got Giancarlo Stanton in the offseason, the Red Sox’ Twitter account quote tweeted a tweet about the news saying “Rivalry???.” Everyone took it as a stupid joke. But it won’t be anymore. With the Red Sox getting J.D. Martinez in the offseason, many predicted the rivalry can only get stronger in the years to come. We can now confirm this is true. And every single Red Sox and Yankee fan should be excited for what’s ahead.

It sure was a fun first series as we saw a whole lot of action. Home runs, good pitching, and just like old times, brawls. These are two very talented teams in the AL East, and they are not fond of each other. The rivalry isn’t a joke anymore. The rivalry is back, folks.

The Sizzling 2018 Start for Mookie Betts

Leave a reply

Betts’s 2017 Season

At age 23 following a monster 2016 season, it seemed as if Mookie Betts was ready to take over baseball. Last year, Mookie had a down year compared to his 2016 season. His average dropped by fifty four points. He was still able to drive in over a hundred runs, which for most players would be considered a very good year. For the Red Sox right fielder it was a disappointing year by his standards, but through this season’s first ten games he has been on fire.

Photo Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

2018 Season for Betts so Far

Over the offseason, new Red Sox manager Alex Cora changed Bett’s hitting approach. Mookie is not your conventional leadoff hitter due to his power ability. Over the offseason, Cora told his right fielder to be more aggressive at the plate. So far it’s worked out well. In Spring Training, Mookie struggled, but he has erased all concern through the season’s first ten games. Last night in the Red Sox’ 14-1 victory over the Yankees, Mookie went 4-4, including a grand slam. He has been a spark plug for this Red Sox team from the top of the lineup, and last night he reminded people how he can impact a game in many different ways.

Photo Credit: Winslow Townson USA TODAY Sports

Expectations for Betts Going Forward

Mookie’s hot start has shown that this season could be a big year for him. If the Red Sox are going to contend for a championship, he will be key. He has a rare combination of power and speed. So far this year Cora has been able to maximize that and bring the best out in Mookie. In 37 at bats this year, Mookie has 16 hits including seven extra base hits. One of the reasons the Red Sox offense struggled last year was because Betts had a down year. When Mookie is at his best he is one of the best in baseball. He is projected to only drive in ninety runs this year. If he continues hitting like this he could very well pass that projection.

Photo Credit: Kevin Skiver

Why He Could Win MVP

Betts will not hit .423 all season. He is capable of hitting over .300 as he did two years ago. So far he is off to an impressive start. In 2018 he has looked more like his 2016 self. A season in which he was in the conversation, along with Trout, as the best player in baseball, and started in the All-Star game. It is still early, but 2018 could be his best season yet.