Tag Archives: Rafael Devers

Red Sox Take Two Out Of Three From The Rays

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The Boston Red Sox began a crucial stretch for their potential 2019 postseason run on Monday. They took on the Tampa Bay Rays in a three game set, trying to make up some ground in the American League East. The series is now over, with some good news for all of you Red Sox fans out there. Let’s recap this series, breaking it down game by game.

Game 1: Red Sox 9 Rays 4

The Red Sox came out in game one and flat out punched the Rays in the mouth. This one saw a lot of power out of the Red Sox bats from the start. Rafael Devers kicked off the scoring with a two run RBI double. J.D. Martinez hit a three run home run and led the way with a 2-5 night with four RBI’s. Andrew Benintendi and Sam Travis also hit home runs as part of a seven run third inning that gave way to an easy 9-4 win for the Red Sox. On the mound, Eduardo Rodriguez threw seven shutout innings, giving up two hits, four walks, and six strikeouts on the night. It was safe to say that the Red Sox got off on the right foot in this series after game one.

Game 2: Red Sox 5 Rays 4

This one was not as much of a walk in the park as the first game. The Red Sox had to use all 27 of their offensive outs, and a shaky last half inning in the bottom of the ninth, to come away with a 5-4 victory. Andrew Benintendi led the way with a 2-4 performance with 2 RBI’s. Christian Vazquez found himself hitting a deep home run for his 16th of the season. Chris Sale was on the mound in this one and he looked like the Sale we’re used to seeing. He threw six innings giving up 4 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 10 strikeouts; and still had a no decision. The combination of Brandon Workman and Marcus Walden helped secure a one run victory for the Red Sox. That also secured a series win going into the final game of the series on Wednesday.

Game 3: Rays 3 Red Sox 2 (For Now!)

The “For Now!” part we’ll get to in a second. The Red Sox struck first in this one with a two run single from Rafael Devers in the third inning. Unfortunately, that would be the only scoring the Red Sox could muster in the series finale. Charlie Morton kept the Red Sox off the scoreboard after that, going seven innings with 11 strikeouts to his credit.

Here’s the “For Now!” part. The Rays apparently had 10 players in their lineup, including two pitchers. The Red Sox tried to argue this, which led to a 19 minute delay in the game, with umpires even confused about the move. This game is under protest and some think the Red Sox have a legitimate case here. So we’ll see what happens with that. For now, the Red Sox lose this one 3-2. David Price was the tough luck loser in this one, going six innings and giving up three runs.

In Conclusion

The Red Sox proved they can be better than the Rays. They are one game back of the Rays and can catch them this weekend. The only downside: the Yankees are in town. If the Red Sox can prove that they can beat the Yankees in a series right now, the trade deadline can be extra crucial. Also, there could be another postseason in Boston with a good two months of baseball ahead of them. One series at a time though!

Red Sox, Rays

RED SOX – RAYS SERIES PREVIEW

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Well, that series with the Orioles could not have gone much worse. Coming into the series the Red Sox would have been hoping for a sweep. At the very least they would have been hoping to win the series 2-1. Instead, they lost the series and are now left heading to Tampa in a really tough situation. These next 14 days will shape the Red Sox season, be it for better or worse.

7/22 Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Jalen Beeks (L) 7:00 pm NESN

7/23 Chris Sale vs. Yonny Chirinos (R) 7:05 pm NESN

7/24 David Price vs. Charlie Morton (R) 12:10 pm NESN

NOTABLE NUMBERS

PITCHERS

All eyes will be firmly on Price after his mini-implosion against the Orioles (4 IP, 6 ER, 2 HR, 4K). In that matchup, he was up against the extremely impressive John Means, and he wilted under the spotlight. Well, that spotlight only gets brighter in this outing as he goes up against the even more impressive Charlie Morton. With an 11-3 record and a 2.61 ERA, Morton is firmly in Cy Young contention.

For his part, Morton is also coming into this game off the back of a tough outing. He took his third loss in his last seven starts against the Yankees, allowing five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. However, the rest of the season has been, for the most part, really good. Out of 21 starts, he has allowed three earned runs or less in 18 of those starts. He had two mixed outings against the Red Sox earlier this season. In Boston, he shut them out through six innings, but in Tampa, he allowed five earned runs in six innings. The Red Sox will be hoping for a repeat of that home performance this time around.

Jalen Beeks should be a familiar face to the Red Sox organization. Having spent the best part of five years in the organisation they should know all about him. This will be just his second major league start, having been a starter throughout the minors, but transitioning to a relief role in 2018. This season he has a 2.78 ERA, with 56 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings. This season he has gone three or more innings 15 times, over four on six occasions, as long as 6 2/3 on one occasion.

HITTERS

The Rays rank 15th in the league this season in batting average, 12th in OBP, 19th in slugging and 17th in runs scored and home runs. Interestingly they have been slightly better on the road, ranking 17th in batting average, 18th in OBP and home runs, 22 in home runs and 23rd in slugging. This is the best place to pitch against the Rays, and with the Rays coming to Fenway next week the Red Sox need to take advantage.

The Red Sox have been marginally better hitters at home, but it the change is fairly negligible. However, against the Rays they have been somewhat of a disaster this season. In nine games they are hitting .212, with a .345 slugging percentage, eight home runs and 90 strikeouts in 63 innings.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Pitching: The Red Sox once again have three lefties on the mound. The Rays are middle of the league against left-handed pitching, so the Red Sox will be hoping for a successful series. Right now these three pitchers are the best bet the Red Sox have for a playoff series. They also need these three guys to provide the majority of their wins in the coming months. This series is going to tell us a lot about the direction of this team.

Hitting: Let’s take a look at who are the best Red Sox hitters on the road this season. Rafael Devers has 14 of his 20 home runs on the road, while hitting .322 and striking out just 37 times in 205 AB. J.D. Martinez is hitting .301 with nine home runs, and Brock Holt is hitting .328 but with just one home run. In contrast, Jackie Bradley Jr. is hitting a woeful .202 on the road, but does have six of his 11 home runs away from Fenway Park.

EXPECTATIONS

The hope was that the Red Sox would be coming into this series with momentum. Instead, they are coming in off the back of a humiliating loss to one of the worst teams in the Majors. There are not many worse ways to head into a 14 game gauntlet against your two biggest divisional rivals.

It is not an understatement to say that the next fortnight is make or break. At the end of this not only could the Red Sox be out of the divisional race, but they could be in an uphill struggle for the wildcard spots as well. This series is one the Red Sox really need at least two wins from, and one of those wins will need to come off either Charlie Morton or Yonny Chirinos. It will be hard but the Red Sox are defending World Champions and now is the time to show it.

Why To Be Optimistic About The Red Sox In The Second Half

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The Boston Red Sox are about to embark on the second half of their 2019 season. They currently sit at 49-41, two and a half games back of the Rays, and nine back of the Yankees. A lot of people, including myself, were not overly enthusiastic about the first half of the season. But the second half kicks off officially on Friday when the Red Sox host the Dodgers. Keep in mind, this is a rematch of last year’s World Series match-up. Here are some reasons to be optimistic about the second half of the season.

Rafael Devers

First things first, can we acknowledge what a season Rafael Devers has had? Now, can we all agree that he should have been in the All-Star Game? We all can agree? Okay good, moving on!

Rafael Devers had one of the best first halves on the Red Sox by far. He is currently hitting for a .324 average ,along with 16 home runs and 62 RBI’s. If that doesn’t impress you, he also has 69 runs scored, along with a .923 OPS. Devers has been a man on a mission in the first half of the season. Now he just needs to keep up his hot hitting in the second half to give the Red Sox a chance of contending.

David Price

David. Price. Is. GOOD. Let’s end any debate of that now. While other Red Sox arms such as Chris Sale and Rick Porcello struggled in the first half, Price excelled. He was the Red Sox most consistent starter, and continuously pitched deep into his starts when they needed him. The numbers don’t exactly wow you, but they make you nod your head in approval. Price is currently 7-2 with a 3.24 ERA. In 83 and 1/3 innings he has 95 strikeouts, so just above one an inning. A lot of people were skeptical of Price in his first few seasons in Boston. But last year from the All-Star break until now he has now put the past behind him. If Price can continue his consistency in the second half, and the other starters improve, the rest of the MLB needs to look out.

Christian Vazquez

Nobody has really talked about Christian Vazquez in the first half. The Red Sox catcher has swung the bat very well so far this season. He is hitting .299 with 14 home runs and 41 RBIs (both career highs). We all knew Vazquez was an above average defensive catcher. But the hitting side of things was always Vazquez’s biggest question mark. He has certainly proved a lot of people wrong this season. If he keeps this pace up, maybe the demands for Sandy Leon will decrease.

In Conclusion

The Red Sox are in a better spot than we all think. They have had it all in the first half of the season. There’s been the rising star (Devers), the veteran making a statement (Price), and the surprise of the year (Vazquez), with the second half of the season yet to start. Are the Red Sox perfect? Not even close! No MLB team is perfect in all aspects of the game. But, do they have the pieces that can help them make a second half run? Definitely! 72 games remain, let’s see what this Red Sox team has in store for us.

Rafael Devers And Why He Should Be An All-Star

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The first half of the MLB season is officially history and the All-Star teams have been selected. For the Red Sox, J.D. Martinez and Mookie Betts have been selected onto the American League All-Star roster as reserves at D.H. and outfield, respectively. But what about Rafael Devers? Why isn’t he on the All-Star team? Well, I am about to defend why Devers should have been on the All-Star team.

His Average

Most of the time, you hear about Hall of Fame hitters having an average right around .300. Well, Devers is certainly exceeding Hall of Fame numbers. He is currently hitting .329 with the Red Sox in the first half of the 2019 season. That is good for second in the American League, behind the Yankees D.J. LeMahieu. Isn’t D.J. LeMahieu in the All-Star game? Last time I checked, yes indeed he is! Bottom line is that if you are hitting above .300 at the Major League level, you should be finding a way to get that player to the All-Star game. Oh and just for what it’s worth, Devers went 4-5 again last night against the Toronto Blue Jays.

His RBI Count

Not only is Rafael Devers hitting for average, but he is also knocking in runs left and right. It seems like whenever Devers is up, he has runners on base and they’re finding their way home. So far this season, Devers has 58 RBI’s. That is good for 8th in the American League, ahead of the likes of players such as Edwin Encarnacion, Gary Sanchez, and Alex Bregman just to name a few players. Oh and by the way, Sanchez and Bregman are All-Stars this year too! Whatever. At least Devers is knocking in runs for the Red Sox and can be a reason why they can turn things around in the second half of the season.

His Defense Improving

Now let me preface this by saying that I know Devers isn’t winning a Gold Glove any time soon. I get that, believe me. But think about this. Last season, Devers was one of the leaders in the entire MLB in errors at third base with 24 total. Last year, it was scary to see a ball hit in the direction of Devers. But now, he looks a lot more confident and smooth in the field. Sure, he has 12 errors in 78 games played at third base. But the thing is, a lot of those errors came early on in the season. He has since calmed down and made plays that he wouldn’t have come close to making last year. He is starting double plays with ease, he’s making tougher plays look much easier, etc. The bottom line is that Devers continues to improve his defense which is making him more of a complete player.

In Conclusion

Rafael Devers should be in the All-Star game, period. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Devers has earned the right to take a plane ride to Cleveland and be a part of the All-Star festivities as an American League All-Star. With the way he has swung the bat so far this season and with his defense constantly getting better, Devers should be there this year. But don’t fret Red Sox fans. Devers will have a few All-Star nods under his belt before we know it.

Takeaways From The Red Sox-Yankees London Series

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The Boston Red Sox took on the New York Yankees in a two game series played in London. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, they came away losing both games in the series, 17-13 and 12-8 respectively. The end result is obviously not what we wanted as Red Sox fans. But, there were some interesting tidbits picked up along the way. Let’s look at a few takeaways from the Red Sox and Yankees London Series.

Rafael Devers Continues To Hit Well

Rafael Devers continues to prove to everyone that he is for real at the plate. Devers is hitting .322 at the plate with 12 homeruns and 50 RBI’s so far this season. His hot bat continued in the London series. In the first game, Devers went 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. In the second game, he went 1-5. Granted, the second game isn’t what we are used to seeing this season. But, everyone has an off game. The overall point is that Devers continues to swing the bat well. In a season where the Red Sox have stayed inconsistent, Devers has been a very consistent lineup piece.

Xander Bogaerts Continues To Prove He Should Have Been An All-Star

What more does the MLB have to see to finally put Xander Bogaerts on the American League All-Star team? This is still baffling to me personally. Bogaerts went into the London series and continued to put together a strong first half of 2019. He went 2-6 in the two games with 2 RBI’s. On the season, Bogaerts is hitting .299 with 16 homeruns and 57 RBI’s. He has also played a great shortstop this year. So again, what more does this man have to do to get a bid in the All-Star game? He continues to prove that the contract extension in the off-season was well worth it.

J.D. Martinez Is Starting To Get Hot

One of the guys that gets the Red Sox offense going is J.D. Martinez. Martinez seemed to have found his consistent swing again in London as he was red hot in those two games. In game one, he went 3-5 with an RBI and a run scored. The next day in game two, he went 3-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Hopefully, this is a sign that J.D. Martinez will have a monster second half of the 2019 season.

The Red Sox Can Hit The Yankees Pitching

Keep in mind, it’s not like the Red Sox got creamed in both games. They lost 17-13 and 12-8 in the two games. For those keeping track at home, that’s 21 runs in 18 innings. If you have any pitching at all, you win that series. Everyone knows the Red Sox rotation on paper is a very strong one. The bullpen…that’s another story. But, if the Red Sox pitching can turn a corner, then they know they can keep up with the Yankees offensively.

In Conclusion

You can always take away a positive with losses and there are some good positives in these particular losses. The Red Sox seemed to have found their offense. Their pitching can be better, which is a good sign. Also, last time I checked; there is a whole second half of the season to play. Crazier things have happened, and this Red Sox team is very talented. Don’t be surprised if the Red Sox make a run in the second half of the season, with a few moves to help them along the way.

Red Sox-White Sox Series Recap

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Another series has come and gone for the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox played the Chicago White Sox in a three game series at Fenway Park before taking off to London to play the Yankees. Boston came away with a two out of three series win over the A.L. Central White Sox. Here is a recap of the whole series.

Monday Night: Red Sox 6 White Sox 5

The Red Sox found a way to win on Monday night. They survived game one of the series with a 6-5 win over the White Sox. Marco Hernandez was the hero as he hit an infield single to shortstop to drive home the game winning run. Eduardo Nunez and Andrew Benintendi led the way offensively for the Red Sox as they had two hits a piece.

On the pitching side, Eduardo Rodriguez got the start and pitched adequately. He finished the night throwing 6 and 1/3 innings while giving up six hits, five earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts. The impressive part of this game was the bullpen. The bullpen combined to give up 0 earned runs while giving up two hits, two walks, and had six strikeouts in 2 and 2/3 innings. Credit to the Red Sox bullpen for getting the Red Sox the opening win of the series!

Tuesday Night: Red Sox 6 White Sox 3

In the second game of the three game series, the Red Sox found themselves as winners once again. They came away with a 6-3 over the White Sox in what was a convincing win. Offensively in this one, it was the Rafael Devers show. Devers finished the game going 4-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Xander Bogaerts had a two run homerun in this game as well.

David Price got the start in this one and he continued to dominate as he has the whole season. Price went 6 innings. He gave up two earned runs on eight hits while also compiling nine strikeouts on the night. The bullpen once again did a fantastic job closing this game out. The combination of Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, and Brandon Workman gave up no runs, with two hits, one walk, and six strikeouts to their credit. This was another complete effort for the Red Sox to win game two of the series and ultimately win the series as well.

Wednesday Afternoon: White Sox 8 Red Sox 7

The Red Sox tried to finish off the sweep of the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday afternoon. Unfortunately, they fell just a little bit short. The Red Sox ended up losing the series finale by a score of 8-7. The White Sox were able to pull through, thanks to a Jose Abreu two run homerun off of Matt Barnes in the top of the ninth inning.

Offensively, the lineup was pretty balanced in this one. Rafael Devers had three more hits. Xander Bogaerts had two hits of his own, including a go ahead single in the bottom of the eighth inning to put the Red Sox up 7-6. J.D. Martinez, Michael Chavis, and Jackie Bradley Jr. also had two hits a piece during the game.

For the pitching staff, Chris Sale had the start in this one. He gave up five runs on six hits, while striking out 10. Steven Wright made his 2019 debut and had a strikeout in one inning of work. Matt Barnes was the losing pitcher in this one as he gave up two runs on three hits.

In Conclusion

The Red Sox should have realistically swept this series. But, two out of three is always successful. Now, the Red Sox get to play in London for an upcoming two game series against the Yankees. Salvage a split or even sweep of the brief series and come back to the states ready to close out the first half of the season on a positive note!

Get Noah Syndergaard On The Red Sox

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The Mets are a little off their rocker, the Winter Meetings are coming up, and the Cardinals have stolen some National League thunder with the Paul Goldschmidt trade.  Nathan Eovaldi is back!  Now is the time for the Red Sox to strike.  Bring Noah Syndergaard to Boston.  A quick reminder:

The Mets

The Mets are in win-now mode with their strange reliance on 36 year old, recently PED suspended, Robinson Cano.  They also got Edwin Diaz in the deal.  He’s a young closer who’s only done it in the relative obscurity of the Pacific Northwest.  Those guys are often inconsistent.  They’re also reportedly looking into trading for Corey Kluber, which is kind of nuts.  Kluber has been one of the best pitchers in baseball the last few years.  But the reason he’s available from the Indians is because he is 33 and on the verge of a big payday.  His contract escalates, from $10 million to $17.5 million and beyond, the next few years.

When news of a Syndergaard trade first surfaced, the Mets were said to be looking to upgrade their farm system with a trade.  And why wouldn’t they?  Syndergaard will be the best bargain Ace in the game the next few years.  His injuries are overblown and his September was one to remember.

But something happened on the road to a competitive team and stacked farm system.  Potential trades aren’t bearing the kind of fruit the Mets thought they would get.  Let’s take a deep dive on some rumored deals.

The Padres

The most recent rumor from the MLB Network was a package of Manny Margot, Austin Hedges, and Mackenzie Gore.

Margot, whom the Red Sox gave to the Padres in the Craig Kimbrel trade, has been a classic good defense, no-so-good offense, center fielder.  In 2017 he hit .263 with a .721 OPS.  In 2018, after the league had a look at him, he hit .245 with a .675 OPS.  Think Jackie Bradley Jr without the hot streaks and superior defense.

Austin Hedges is a catcher with slightly above average power, and little else.  In 2017 he hit .214 with a .660 OPS, 2018 it was .231/.711.

Mackenzie Gore is a highly rated young pitcher who gets a lot of strikeouts.  He also walks a lot of people.  Because of this, he had a middling 4.45 ERA in single A ball last year.

The Rockies

The Rockies have a lot of young pitching.  It may be just for show, but Assistant GM Zack Rosenthal told the MLB Network on Tuesday 12/4 that the Rockies are built on that young pitching and defense.  This is a team that hits missile after missile into the glorious Rocky Mountain air.  The team is also about to spend a record amount in arbitration on MVP candidate Nolan Arenado.  Arenado is not making that kind of money for his gold glove defense at third base.  He hit .297 with 36 Home Runs last year.

So what does this mean?  The Rockies may be deluding themselves into thinking their MVP candidates don’t matter and it’s all about the pitching.  More likely, they’re negotiating in the media to reduce their arbitration cases with their hitters.  But because of the money going to their hitters, they’re likely to keep the young starters they have.  The Red Sox don’t have that kind of young pitching.

The Red Sox

Rafael Devers is better than anyone the Padres or Rockies can or will throw at the Mets.

Margot is 24, Hedges is 26.  Devers is still the tender age of 22.  This precious youngster hit .284 with 10 home runs and a .819 OPS in part time play as a 20 year old in 2017, then .240 with 21 home runs and a .731 OPS last year.  Furthermore, Devers  hit .311 in the Postseason over his first 2 years, including 3 home runs and a .884 OPS in 45 at bats.

That’s special.  But he’s no Tony Conigliaro.  The beloved Tony C hit .290 with 24 home runs and an .883 OPS as a 19 year old, then .269 with 32 home runs and an .850 OPS as a 20 year old, then .265 with 28 home runs and an .817 OPS as a 21 year old.

Devers will be worth holding on to, but not transcendent.  That is why he’s worth giving up for the rare young, cost controlled monster, like Noah Syndergaard, who becomes available.

What’s more, the Mets need a catcher.  The Red Sox have a plethora.  Putting Christian Vazquez, whose Postseason success means his value may never be higher, in a trade would be ideal.  But the Sox could throw in Blake Swihart instead.  A combo of either Swihart or Vazquez, with Sandy Leon as backup, would be more than fine for the 2019 Red Sox.

If the Mets wants minor leaguers, give them some.  The Red Sox have a weak system, but Devers is younger than most of the highly touted minor leaguers in the game.  It would take less top young talent than some other teams.

Eovaldi Frees Things Up

And now that Nathan Eovaldi is back, the Sox are freed up to include Eduardo Rodriguez in the deal if they need to.  This gives the Red Sox more options.  They don’t need to give the Mets everything, but widens the possibilities of how a trade could look.

Syndergaard Solves The Contract Crunch

At the end of 2019 the Sox will have some choices to make.  Chris Sale, Rick Porcello, and Xander Bogaerts become free agents at that time.  Nathan Eovaldi’s contract is reported to be in the $17 million a year range.  All three of those other guys will cost more than that.

Then there is JD Martinez’s opt out.  He’s currently being paid $23.75 Million.   With his performance he will definitely be looking for a raise starting in 2020.

Noah Syndergaard is in arbitration.  He made $2.975 Million last year and, his projected earnings in 2019 are $5.9 Million.  If he becomes a top 10 starting pitcher in 2019, watch out.  Thor has three years of control left in arbitration.  He won’t approach $20 million in salary until 2021 at the earliest.

If Syndergaard is in Boston, there’s a lot more money for the rest of the team.

Time To Act

There are reports of the Mets talking with the Marlins about JT Realmuto.  They are itching to trade.  The competition for Syndergaard is falling away.  The Red Sox can solve the Mets catching problems.  Fire up the Knights of Cydonia and let’s rock this trade Dave Dombrowski.

Should The Red Sox Go After Noah Syndergaard?

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The Baseball Hot Stove is beginning. It’s winter, so warm up.  There are reports out there that the New York Mets are open to trading Noah Syndergaard.  Could Thor be in the Red Sox future?  Cue the Led Zeppelin and put on your mittens while we take a look.

Syndergaard’s Injuries

Noah Syndergaard has had a number of injuries, but his ‘injury prone‘ label is unwarranted.  In May of 2018, he had a strained ligament in his right index finger.  It’s unknown how he did it, perhaps playing Fortnite or Red Dead Redemption 2 a little too vigorously, but it held him out six weeks.  Then in late July, he suffered from the plague that hit New York pitchers hard: Hand, Foot and Mouth disease.  The scourge of toddlers may be embarrassing, but it’s hardly a long-term problem.

The major injury for Thor was a strained right lat muscle in May of 2017.  I’m not a doctor, so the details are a bit beyond me, but the bottom line is he did not need surgery.  Furthermore, this was not a rotator cuff or elbow injury.  Yes, it wiped out most of his 2017, but there has been no recurrence of the injury.

Contract Status

Because he missed the bulk of 2017, Noah Syndergaard has an incredibly affordable contract for someone of his stature.  He still has three years of arbitration ahead of him, and he’s starting 2019 from the low rung of $2.975 Million.

That means that even if he performs like a Cy Young candidate in 2019 and 2020 he still won’t be breaking the bank.  In short, this man is probably the best bargain in baseball as long as he’s healthy.  And it appears that he is.

End Of 2018 Performance

Syndergaard had a rough August as his body recovered from sickness, but he poured it on in September.  He went 4-1 with two complete games, including a shutout to end the season.  His Statcast average pitch speed was over 97 MPH on his fastball, so he’s still throwing much harder than the average incredible baseball player who is on any Major League roster.

On September 14th, Noah Syndergaard came to Fenway Park and pitched a beauty against arguably the greatest Red Sox team of all time.  7 innings, 3 hits, 6 strikeouts.  After the performance he tweeted out this nugget of a tantalizing possibility:

I’m sorry, but in light of the rumors of his availability, can I freak out now?

How He Fits On The Red Sox

It’s no secret that the Red Sox have a rather large bill coming due at the end of 2019.  Chris Sale’s contract is up.  Xander Bogaerts is hitting free agency.  JD Martinez has an opt-out in his contract.  Mookie Betts even now is looking to break records in arbitration.

As stated above, Syndergaard is cost controlled.  So while he is at that $2.975 Million number and coming off a season where he missed some time and made only 25 starts, Mookie is at $10.5 Million and coming off an MVP season.  The lower you start from in arbitration, the lower you end up the next year, and vice versa.

For a Red Sox team that is paying David Price over $30 Million, with at least that much needing to go to Chris Sale if they want to keep him, Syndergaard is a dream contract.  Furthermore, there is no starting pitcher depth in the Red Sox minor league system.  Low-cost young stars are the lifeblood of successful major league teams.  Noah Syndergaard is the very essence of the solution to these problems.

For these reasons, he won’t come cheap.

What A Trade Would Look Like

Alarmingly, the Red Sox main competition in the American League are pegged as landing spots for Syndergaard.  But the possible assets from the Yankees and Astros can’t measure up to the firepower the Red Sox can offer.

I was willing to trade Rafael Devers for very few players.  Kris Bryant was one of those players.  That is because Bryant is young and an MVP winner and perennial MVP candidate.  But Bryant would cost a lot soon.  Syndergaard is almost the equivalent as a pitcher that Bryant is as a batter and third baseman, and he’s cheap.

I’m also an advocate for taking advantage of Christian Vazquez’s value at this moment in time.

The Mets are working on getting 3B David Wright’s contract off their books.  They also have a hole at catcher.

I think the framework is there for a Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez for Noah Syndergaard swap.  I do know that this is a trade that meets what the Mets may be looking for.

This would be a major shake-up of the future of the Red Sox.  Most likely this would mean the Sox would not be in on Nathan Eovaldi, the Sox number one target of this offseason, but maybe not.  It would definitely mean letting go of all the potential and promise of Rafael Devers.  Perhaps there’s a certain swiss army knife, who’s won a recent World Series with Alex Cora, the Sox could sign to play third?

The Mets GM, Brodie Van Wagenen, is an unknown entity at the moment.  There’s no telling what he may do, but he is contacting a lot of starting pitchers’ agents.  It certainly appears he’s readying to trade Thor.

Think of top of this rotation on opening day: Chris Sale, Noah Syndergaard, David Price.  Kind of makes the drool flow freely from your gaping mouth right?

Red Sox Trade Potential 2019: Rafael Devers For Kris Bryant

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A shock-wave spread across the MLB Hot Stove when Buster Olney reported that the Chicago Cubs could trade Kris Bryant.  The Red Sox minor league system is bare, but Rafael Devers is young, cheap, talented, and a powerful trade chip.  Would a Rafael Devers Kris Bryant swap make sense?

Rafael Devers

Devers can be seen as a Red Sox wunderkind.  He will only be 22 years old at the start of 2019 season.  At that tender age, his accomplishments are many.  Here are just a few:

  • His Baseball Reference page compares him at a similar age to Willie Mays and Cal Ripken Jr.
  • He’s the youngest Red Sox player to hit a Home Run since Tony Conigliaro in 1965.
  • He has a .884 OPS in the postseason including 3 Home Runs and 14 RBI in 15 games.

Because of these, and many other great performances, most consider him an untouchable.  And for the vast majority of all the talent in all the world, he is.

But what if he could be the centerpiece, or only piece, in a trade for one of the best young players in all of baseball?

Kris Bryant

Kris Bryant himself is seen as a Chicago Cubs wunderkind.  At the tender age of 26, he has already been a Rookie Of The Year, an NL MVP, and linchpin of a 2016 World Series Championship for the Cubbies.

Devers may be full of potential, but Bryant is a monster and has proved it over a much larger sample.  Bryant is also playing much better defense than Devers at third base.

So why would the Cubs trade him?  Because many of the same concerns the Red Sox have had with Mookie Betts.  Bryant has refused to talk long-term extension with the Cubs.

Now, Theo Epstein, the President of the Cubs, downplayed the possibility of trading Bryant.  But what do we expect him to say?  If there is even a possibility, this could be an incredible opportunity.

In the spring of 2017, the Chicago Cubs visited Fenway Park for a 3 game series.  It was a brief glimpse of the kind of, pardon the term, damage Bryant could do.  In those 3 games, he hit 2 Home Runs, 2 Doubles, and had a 1.429 OPS.

Red Sox Payroll Concerns 2020

At the end of the 2019 season, the Red Sox have a number of payroll concerns.  Among them are trying to sign Mookie Betts to a long-term deal, Chris Sale and Xander Bogaerts becoming free agents, and JD Martinez having an opt-out in his contract.

Having Kris Bryant, a superstar, on the team at a lower number through 2021, would provide some flexibility for the Sox in the short term.  And Bryant is a much better bet to invest in than Rafael Devers.  Bryant is simply a better player.

Because of Rafael Devers’ postseason success, and tantalizing thoughts of Willy Mays and a young and healthy Tony C, he could be a one for one trade chip for Kris Bryant.  And hey, it’s just the kind of trade Dave Dombrowski is known for.

Red Sox Take Game 1 of the 2018 World Series

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A few thoughts on the first Sox-Dodgers World Series matchup since 1916 coming up, right after I miraculously recover from a belly-button ring infection…

Game 1 of the World Series always feels the most special. There’s the pregame ceremonies and introductions giving added pomp to the proceedings, and a certain buzz that only exists when any and all outcomes are possible. As the series progresses, that “special” vibe is replaced by crushing existential dread hanging on every pitch, which only grows stronger with each passing game. But prior to the first game fans are still comfortable enough to do things like (rightfully) cheer on the opposing manager.

Good news for Red Sox fans: There was plenty more to cheer about over the course of Tuesday night’s 8-4 win.

It’s no secret that the Sox strength lies in the top of their lineup, which contains a Murderers’ Quartet of Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, JD Martinez, and Xander Bogaerts. Here’s how they attacked Clayton Kershaw to kick things off in the bottom of the 1st:

  • Betts singled to center, stole second base, and won free tacos for America.
  • Benintendi slipped a hit through the hole into left field (scoring Betts), and took second on the throw home.
  • Steve Pearce popped out.
  • Martinez singled to center, scoring Benintendi.

2-0 Red Sox, before the Dodgers even had a chance to breathe. Los Angeles would continue to battle back throughout the early and middle innings, but Boston never trailed in this one. The Sox have had their fair share of fast starts this postseason, and continuing to do so in this series will go a long way towards winning the whole thing. Kershaw only lasted 4+ innings and was charged 5 earned runs, thanks to Boston’s relentless attack (and Martinez and Rafael Devers continually clutch postseason).

It’s a good thing, too, because the Red Sox ace didn’t have his best stuff either. Granted, Chris Sale may have still been recovering from a mysterious stomach injury that held him out of Game 5 of the ALCS. However, it was clear he didn’t have his best stuff. The Dodgers have been excellent all year at laying off pitches out of the zone, and Tuesday was no different. Sale threw 91 pitches, but only 54 (59%) for strikes. He positively labored through the first three innings especially, and wasn’t allowed to run through the LA lineup a third time. The velocity was sort of there, and his breaking stuff looked good, but he struggled to find the plate and was punished for mistakes:

Fortunately for Sale (and the Red Sox), the bullpen continues to be the surprise of the playoffs. It was another strong showing from the Boston relievers: 5 innings, 1 run, and importantly only 1 walk. When Joe Kelly is throwing changeups like this, you know things are going your way. Seriously, look at this thing:

Is that a damn Wiffle ball?

On a similar point, Alex Cora is on absolute fire. This guy can’t miss, and you can doubt his moves at your own peril. He let Sandy León hit. León responded with a pair of singles in the same game for the first time since 1892. He brought in Nathan Eovaldi in the 8th to bridge the gap to Craig Kimbrel. Eovaldi was lights out. He even pinch hit Eduardo Nunez for Rafael Devers in the bottom of the 7th, despite pleas from Red Sox Nation to “please god don’t even think about it” (roughly paraphrasing there).

Nuñez…well…I’ll just leave this here.

When you’re hot, you’re hot. And right now, Cora is pushing all of the right buttons.

Even Kimbrel came on in the 9th and looked like the guy he’s been for nearly all of his career. Straight gas, straight dominance. There’s still plenty of baseball to play, but it’s tough to ask for a better start for the Sox in this series.

Key to World Series Game 2

One last thing, that I’ll be watching for tonight: How will Roberts deploy his lineup and bench against David Price? In Game 1 the Dodgers manager went all righties against Sale, will he do the same in Game 2 or roll with his best guys? Either way, it’s interesting how Cora looked like the guy who has managed in a World Series before, while Roberts’ micro-managing screamed “first year on the job”. We’ll see if that script flips.