Tag Archives: Red Sox

It’s Time for the Red Sox to Do Something with Nathan Eovaldi

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Nathan Eovaldi started off strong for the Red Sox once he got here. He threw shutouts in each of his first two starts in Boston against the Twins and Yankees. He was looking like a great addition to the rotation. Skip ahead to September, and it’s not looking that way anymore. He hasn’t really had a good start since. His ERA has raised almost a full run in six starts ever since the shutout against New York. He’s not going deep into games, and he’s giving up lots of hits. With Eovaldi not looking like a starter anymore, it’s time to give him another role.

It’s time to move Nathan Eovaldi to the bullpen. With him not being able to go deep into games, he’d be perfect for a bullpen role. He would be the perfect guy to come in late in a game to get outs. He doesn’t need to start a game off and go deep when you can just have him go a few innings. His pitch arsenal is a good one for a long relief guy too. He throws 99 on his fastball with a really good splitter.

This could start out in September, he could get a pretty good amount of innings from it. But the real task would be in October, when it matters most. He could come out of the bullpen in say, the sixth inning. He could get three to six or seven outs and hand the ball off to Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier or Craig Kimbrel. Or maybe he can come in and be a righty specialist against some big hitters. Whatever works. Whatever it is, you’re only adding another piece to the bullpen and you can never have enough arms over there.

Now I’m not saying Eovaldi would be some amazing untouchable reliever, but there is no questioning he and the team can benefit from a move like this. He would be a good piece added to a weak bullpen that can really only make it better.

Down on the Farm 8/25-8/31

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*Down on the farm is a series in which every weekend, I will be updating you on weekly results from the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA). Also, the Portland Sea Dogs (AA), Salem Red Sox (High A) and Lowell Spinners (class a short season). After every team is recapped, individual stats are posted. Also, I will have a prospect of the week section at the end.

Down on the Farm – Pawtucket Red Sox

The Sox started off the week with an 8-5 win. Chavis and Ockimey went deep while Justin Haley got the win by allowing four runs in six innings. Pawtucket won on Sunday by a score of 8-3. Josh Ockimey hit a home run for the second straight night and Chandler Shepherd allowed no runs over six innings. They won by a score of 4-2 on Monday. Rusney Castillo knocked in a run and William Cuevas allowed two runs over seven innings.

The Sox lost by a score of 9-3 on Wednesday. Mike Miller drove in two runs but Marcus Walden gave up four runs in 1.1 innings. Pawtucket won by a score of 5-3 on Wednesday. The lineup tallied eleven hits and Mike Shawaryn allowed two runs over six innings. On Thursday, they lost by a score of 5-4. The offense left 19 runners on base and Rodriguez Jr gave up the game-winning run in the top of the ninth. Pawtucket closed out the week on Friday with a 3-1 loss. The offense was stagnant and Chandler Shepherd allowed two runs over six innings.

Down on the Farm – Portland Sea Dogs

Portland started off the week with a 4-3 win. Quiroz drove in three runs and Dedgar Jimenez allowed one earned run over six innings. The Sea Dogs won on Sunday by a score of 10-2. Bobby Dalbec knocked in three runs and Daniel McGrath gave up two runs over 5.2 innings. They won by a score of 12-6 on Monday. Jantzen Witte knocked in four runs and Trey Ball got the win in three innings of relief.

On Tuesday, Portland lost by a score of 8-4. Quiroz, De La Guerra, and Matheny went deep but Teddy Stankiewicz allowed five runs in as many innings. The Sea Dogs won by a score of 10-9 on Wednesday. De La Guerra went yard for the second straight day and Matt Kent got the win over five innings. On Thursday, they won by a score of 4-2. The offense was quiet and Cooney allowed two runs over three innings. Portland closed out the week with a 4-1 win on Saturday. Lopez drove in two runs and Jiminez allowed no runs over six innings.

Down on the Farm – Salem Red Sox

Salem started off the week with an 8-2 loss. The offense was stymied and Kevin McAvoy allowed three runs in five innings. The Sox lost again on Sunday by a score of 8-3. CJ Chatham drove in a run but Jake Thompson allowed eight runs over 3.2 innings. On Tuesday they won by a score of 6-5. CJ Chatham recorded four hits and Algenis Martinez got the win in three innings of relief. Salem lost by a score of 9-8 on Tuesday. Osinski hit a home run but Rusconi and Glorius allowed one run in relief to pick up the loss. The Red Sox won by a score of 10-3 on Wednesday. The offense only picked up two hits and McAvoy allowed ten runs over four innings. They closed out the week with an 8-0 loss on Friday. The offense was frustrated and Thompson allowed seven runs over 4.2 innings.

Down on the Farm – Lowell Spinners

The Spinners started off the week with a 4-3 loss in ten innings. Granberg picked up three hits and knocked in a run and Kevin Biondic gave up the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the tenth. On Sunday, Lowell lost by a score of 11-3. Trey Ganns drove in two runs but Thad Ward gave up six runs and record only two outs. On Monday, they lost by a score of 6-1. Williams drove in the lone run and Jose Gonzalez gave up three runs over five innings.

On Tuesday, they won by a score of 7-0. Northcut drove in three runs and Machamer allowed no runs in five innings. On Wednesday, they lost by a score of 7-0. The offense could not do anything and Pantoja allowed two runs over five innings. The Spinners lost by a score of 3-2 on Thursday. Marrero drove in a run but Browning allowed two runs in two innings of relief. The Spinners closed out the week with a 5-0 loss. The offense only recorded two hits and Demchak allowed two runs in 1.1 innings of relief.

Prospects of the week

Tzu Wei Lin, Sam Travis, William Cuevas, Bobby Poyner, and Robby Scott are the prospects of the week. They were all called up because of the roster expansion.

Top Five September Call-Ups in Red Sox History

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September first; the day rosters expand. Today the Red Sox called several players up from the minor leagues to join the club for the final month. It is yet to be seen if any of them will make a big impact, or even be used much at all. Sometimes the call-ups get a lot of playing time, and some even have a big impact on the team down the stretch. In choosing the top five September call-ups in Red Sox history, I combine how well the player did in that final month with the impact they had on the club. I do not factor in future production, only what they did in the September they were called up.

Jacoby Ellsbury

Ellsbury was first called up at the tail end of June, 2007. He only made five starts before being sent back down. After spending just one day in August with the big club, Ellsbury was called back up when rosters expanded on September 1st. From that point forward, Ellsbury was a regular starter for the club despite them being in first place. During the final month, Ellsbury batted .361 with three home runs and drove in 17 runs. He was also a perfect eight for eight stealing bases.

With his stellar performance down the stretch, Ellsbury made the postseason roster despite not even having enough at-bats to remove his rookie status for 2008. Ellsbury appeared in 11 games that postseason, including all four in the World Series where he went 7-16 at the plate. Ellsbury drew two walks, doubled four times and stole a base during the World Series against the Rockies.

Jacoby Ellsbury at the 2007 World Series Parade. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Fred Lynn

The second half of the “Gold Dust Twins” was a September call-up in 1974, coming up a couple weeks after Jim Rice. Lynn got up to the plate 51 times that September and showed the fan base what was to come. Lynn had six multi-hit games, including a four hit performance against the Tigers that September. He batted .419/.490/.698/1.188 down the stretch, homering twice and driving in 10 runs.

Rudy Pemberton

Pemberton is not as well known as the others listed. By the 1996 season he was already 26 years old when he got the call. Pemberton raked after being called up in September of that season. Pemberton had logged 30 at-bats with the Tigers in the spring of 1995 before being sent down. The Red Sox acquired him early in 1996 and he batted .326 with 27 home runs and 92 runs batted in for Pawtucket. Pemberton continued to thrive, picking up 21 base hits in 41 at-bats for a .512 batting average! Pemberton homered, drove in 10 runs and posted a 1.336 OPS.

Despite his performance, Pemberton got off to a slow start in 1997 and wound up in Japan. He spent most of the rest of his career playing foreign baseball.

Dwayne Hosey

Dwayne Hosey is a similar one to Rudy Pemberton. Hosey was already 28 years old when the Red Sox gave him his first shot in the big leagues in September of 1995. Hosey had generally put up solid numbers in the minors but had never been given a chance. In 1994 Hosey batted .333 with 27 home runs and 27 stolen bases for the Omaha Royals in AAA, but was never called up.

The Red Sox acquired Hosey on August 31, 1995 after a season down in AAA for the Royals and put him on their big league club. Hosey played a bunch for the division winners, accumulating 68 at-bats that September. He batted .338 with 3 home runs and was a perfect six for six on the basepaths. Unfortunately, he was 0-12 with two walks in their postseason series with the Indians, but he had performed well enough to start in the postseason for the club.

Clay Buchholz

How can you leave off a guy who threw a no-hitter? Buchholz had made a start on August 17th, but was sent back to the minors until rosters expanded. On September 1st, 2007, Buchholz no-hit the Baltimore Orioles, striking out nine and walking three. That alone earns him consideration. He made two more appearances that September, one in relief and one more start. He finished that September with a 2-1 record, a 0.54 ERA and .113 opponent batting average.

Jason Varitek lifts Clay Buchholz after his no-hitter on September 1, 2007.

Honorable Mentions:

Mike Greenwell, Xander Bogaerts, Austin Maddox, Carlton Fisk, Scott Cooper, Ted Cox, Nomar Garciaparra

The Red Sox Bullpen Feels Shaky. Does it Matter?

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Baseball’s waiver trade deadline passed yesterday, without so much as a peep from the top team in the majors. Dave Dombrowski and the Red Sox chose to roll with the guys in the clubhouse, despite two other AL rivals (New York and Cleveland) making moves to bring in former MVPs and despite calls across their fan base to improve the bullpen.

Those desperate cries have rang out all season long. As it turns out, fans aren’t feeling too comfortable at the thought of Matt Barnes, Joe Kelly, or Heath Hembree entering the 8th inning of a Game 7. Dombrowski’s reputation of building star-studded teams without reliable relievers doesn’t help matters either.

But just how shaky is Boston’s ‘pen? Is having a group of dominant relievers really so important in October? Let’s do a bit of digging to find out.

Red Sox Bullpen: Actually Good?

Photo Credit: AP Photo / Charles Krupa

For starters, the idea that the Red Sox bullpen has struggled this season is more perception than reality. There may not be a ton of big names and former closers like there are with the Yankees and Indians. That being said- the Sox’s relievers have generally been up to the task.

Boston currently ranks 6th in the majors in reliever ERA this season (4th in the AL). The five teams ahead of them also happen to be teams currently slated for a playoff spot. The aforementioned Indians, despite trading for the Padres’ Brad Hand earlier this summer and having Cody Allen and Andrew Miller in the mix, rank 26th in the league in bullpen ERA.

The Sox also rate favorably in FIP (5th in the majors, 3rd amongst playoff teams). Their bullpen’s 4.5 fWAR ranks 7th in baseball, even though their relievers have thrown only 461 innings this season (19th most). In other words, Boston’s ‘pen has provided enough value to rank in the top 25% of teams, despite appearing in fewer innings than every team ahead of them for the exception of Houston.

Of course, that doesn’t mean they’ve been perfect. Far from it in fact. Two troubling peripherals: the Red Sox rank 18th in reliever BB/9 (3.65) and 4th in strand rate (78.4%). Giving up free passes in high-leverage situations is playing with fire, especially in October. A high strand rate means that Boston has done well at putting out those fires. But, that luck can turn in a hurry.

Bullpen Matters

CINCINNATI, OH – AUGUST 12: Joe Kelly #56 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in the third inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on August 12, 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

All of this is to say that the Red Sox bullpen has been overall perfectly acceptable, if not dominant. The good news? Having a great regular season bullpen isn’t necessarily a predictor for postseason success, especially if you excel in other areas like Boston does.

The defending World Series champion Astros ranked 17th in baseball with a 4.27 bullpen ERA last year, yet still won 101 games. That was thanks in large part to their league-leading offense and strong starting pitching. The team they beat for the title last year, the Dodgers, ranked 4th in bullpen ERA. Both finished behind the Red Sox, whose 3.15 reliever ERA was good for 2nd best in baseball.

Here’s where the other previous six pennant winners ranked in bullpen ERA:

2016: Cubs 8th, Indians 4th

2015: Royals 2nd, Mets 11th

2014: Giants 5th, Royals 10th

Of the last eight World Series participants, four finished in the top five. Only last year’s Astros finished outside of the top half of the league. The Royals, who started this craze with their three-headed monster of Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera, and Greg Holland, finished 2nd in 2015. Their bullpen effectively functioned as the team’s greatest asset, compensating for a weak rotation and unconventional lineup. It was essentially the inverse of what the ’17 Astros lineup did for their relievers.

It’s perfectly fair to critique Dombrowski for not finding a better option at either trade deadline. It certainly would have been nice to supplement Craig Kimbrel at the end of games. Ultimately, it might not matter if the Red Sox bullpen is merely above average instead of dominant. Having a killer set of relievers helps come playoff time. However, it’s not necessarily more important than timely hitting, strong starting pitching, and major contributions from stars.

Thus far, it appears Red Sox management is betting on that being the case.

David Price Likely to Miss Next Start in Atlanta

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David Price was struck on the wrist by a line drive in Wednesday’s 14-6 blowout of the Miami Marlins. Alex Cora took a cautiously optimistic approach to the injury. He mentioned that Price was okay, but would need the next few days to make a decision on his next start against Atlanta.

Price “Still Sore” Could Miss Some Extended Time

Price saw a specialist earlier this week and has now reunited with the team for their 4-game series in Chicago. David was slotted in to pitch next against Atlanta on Monday, but Cora has all but ruled that out now.

“Still sore. He hasn’t thrown yet, most likely he won’t make his start in Atlanta,” said Cora. “He was supposed to pitch Monday. Two days, it doesn’t make any sense. I haven’t sat down with him yet, but (trainer) Brad (Pearson) told me he’s still sore. Feeling better but I don’t think he’s going to be ready for that one. So if he’s not ready for that one, we’ll push it back.

“He’ll be around us, but most likely won’t pitch in Atlanta.”

Price has been instrumental to the Red Sox in their success this season, posting a 14-6 record with a 3.60 ERA in 26 starts. Boston currently holds a 7.5 game lead in the AL East over the Yankees with 27 games to play. The team will certainly miss Price’s presence should he take more time to heal than expected, but his priority needs to be on making it to October fully healthy.

Next Man Up

Cora has yet to announce who will replace Price in the rotation, but did mention Hector Velazquez as a possibility. Velazquez is only in his 2nd year in the league but has pitched very well as a spot starter this season. He currently holds a 7-2 record with a 3.15 ERA in 38 games played (6 starts).

Boston will be calling up 5 players from Triple-A Pawtucket as teams can now expand their roster. There is a good chance that one of these prospects could make an appearance in place of Price, should the team decide against using Velazquez.

Players Who Can Help in September

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September is rapidly approaching, which means that rosters expand from 25 to 40 players. It is unlikely that the Red Sox make a last-second deal, so who they have now is who they are going with. The Sox are dealing with injuries and they need guys to help the rest of the way. Here are some players who can add depth in the home stretch:

Position Players

Infielders Tony Renda and Tzu Wei Lin are infielders who can play any position in the infield if needed. Even though he has struggled at the big league level this year, Lin has shown that he has potential. He is hitting .182 at the big league level this year, but he is hitting .313 with a .824 OPS in Pawtucket. The infielder showed that he can contribute on the big league level when he hit .268 in 66 plate appearances last year.

Tony Renda appeared in just one game this year as a pinch-runner when he scored the game-winning run against the Yankees. Renda can be the player who pinch runs in late innings. He would be the 2017 Rajai Davis or 2004 Dave Roberts. He is not nearly as good or as fast as those players, but it is the same idea. Renda had 30 stolen bases in 2013. He is a journeyman player who has done well in the minors but hit he hit just .183 in 32 games with the Reds in 2016. He is the classic “4A” player.

Brandon Phillips is not on the 40 man roster, but two spots are open on the 40 man roster. The veteran is hitting .308 with 14 doubles in 41 games with Pawtucket. To be postseason eligible, he must be called up before September first. Red Sox top prospect Michael Chavis is ready to be a big leaguer, but there is no point in calling him up. He is not eligible for the postseason roster because of his suspension, so why waste a year of experience on your top prospect?

Pitchers

The Red Sox bullpen has not been good since the all-star break, and it is clearly the biggest need on the team. Justin Haley has struggled in the big leagues this year, but has a 3.89 ERA in Pawtucket and has been the ace ever since Jalen Beeks was traded. William Cuevas has also been a starter in Pawtucket with big league experience this year. Cuevas has a 3.39 ERA in 135.1 innings this year in Pawtucket.

He and Haley would be the long relief options should someone have a short start. Robby Scott is another option and is a pitcher Cora would bring in for a specific matchup. Chris Sale, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Steven Wright have all been key contributors to the starting rotation this year, especially Sale. All three are on the DL, but all three are expected to come back. Rodriguez is making a start against the White Sox on Saturday.

Durbin Feltman and Travis Lakins are widely talked about prospects, and deservingly so. Lakins has a 2.08 ERA in Pawtucket this year. Durbin Feltman was drafted this year and has shot his way through the farm system. Feltman has a 2.18 ERA in the minors this year over 20.2 innings. There is a good chance one or both of them could fill the final two spots on the roster. This is most important for Boston because the back end of the bullpen is clearly the biggest need.

Why Jackie Bradley Jr. Is One of the Most Important Players on the Red Sox

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There have been a ton of great hitters in the Red Sox lineup this season, hence the reason they have the best record in all of baseball. With Mookie, J.D., Bogearts, Benintendi and Pearce, this offense can and will haunt every pitchers dreams. There is however, a particular player in this lineup that doesn’t get enough credit. A man who is one of the more important players on this team. That man’s name is Jackie Bradley Jr.

I myself have been on board with JBJ from the start. But many people weren’t. He’s always been looked at as a guy who can field very well but can’t hit. The problem with him is he can really struggle at the plate. He performs poorly against lefties, and can go cold against anyone. He started out 2018 hitting well under .200, but it climbed back up at the end of June.

This was only the beginning of the JBJ redemption tour to the haters. In the month of July, JBJ hit .260 with an .801 OPS. Not bad, right? It would only get better. In the month of August, Jackie has hit .291 with an .861 OPS, and since the All-Star break he’s riding an .854 OPS. He’s climbed his average up to around .230 now and has an OPS over .700 now after having it below that mark for most of the season. He also loves hitting at Fenway as his numbers have been particularly better there this year. He’s hitting .276 with and OPS near .800 in 59 games in Boston.

As I said above, JBJ is one of the most important players on this team which is something most don’t realize. There is absolutely nobody else I’d ever want roaming around in center field than this man. If you hit any ball in his general area, forget it. You might as well just put your head down and do the walk of shame back to the dugout. Unless he misplays the ball on purpose, there’s about a 0.0001 shot he’s not going to catch it. He’s catching everything. His range is just off the charts. What’s the best part about everything I just said? The fact that I haven’t even mentioned his arm yet.

Up here is Bradley back in 2014 throwing a ball over the center field wall from behind home plate. His arm has only gotten stronger since. It defies the laws of physics. It’s just stupid. He throws guys out left and right on a nightly basis and can throw up to 103 mph, and pretty accurately too. I feel like we almost take for granted what he does in center field that we think its normal. You really start to notice how valuable a certain guy is when he’s not playing. I can’t trust anybody like I trust JBJ in center field especially at a place like Fenway. He is an absolutely privilege to watch every night and the Red Sox are lucky to have him.

Jackie Bradley Jr. may not be the best hitter on this dangerous Red Sox offense. But he is certainly no scrub and someone to take lightly. His hitting has only been improving all year, and if he’s not the most elite defensive center fielder in the game I don’t know who is.

Boston Red Sox Sweep the Miami Marlins in a Quick 2 Game Series

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Close Tuesday Win to Start the Series

Tuesday was the highly anticipated end to the Sox’s losing streak, as Eduardo Nunez grounded out to a double play to allow JD Martinez to score the winning run. The tight 8-7 win was tough to watch, as the Sox bullpen was seemingly falling apart. The Red Sox led 4-1 in the 8th when Matt Barnes came to the mound. He proceeded to give up 4 runs, giving he Marlins a 5-4 lead. Heath Hembree entered and gave up one more run before the inning was over. The Sox were quick to tie the game up after Jackie Bradley Jr’s patient at bat. Craig Kimbrel(2.55 ERA) was next up out of the bullpen, and he let up back to back walks and a single by Magneuris Sierra to a knot it up at 7.

Tuesday showed that the bullpen needs work and the team looked forward to having David Price(14-6, 3.50 ERA) take the mound Wednesday night.

“I’m not concerned. I think we need to get better. Walks are getting up there now, a lot of 3-1 counts, a lot of two-strike hits. That’s not good and they know it. That’s something that we’ve been talking about. We trust the stuff, but at the end, we have to execute.” – Alex Cora

“It was pretty amazing that we were able to pull out a win tonight, winning’s a lot more fun than losing.” – Jackie Bradley Jr.

The Seventh Heaven Inning to take the Sweep

Fenway Park felt as though the Sox were playing in Miami last night. With the heat on full blast, the Red Sox came out with a win over the Marlins 14-6. The seventh inning seemed as though it was straight out of a history book. The last time that the Red Sox had an inning like last night was in 2003 against the Miami Marlins. In the 2nd inning Mookie Betts finally hit a home run, after a dry past couple of games. David Price was taken out in the 3rd after getting hit, bringing in Hector Velasquez.

The Sox went into the 7th trailing 5-3, but picked up a whopping 11 hits in the inning. Eduardo Nunez has been hot at the bat and continued to do so on Wednesday. Going through the lineup, Benintendi got the first out, and hit into a double play after a sacrifice bunt in the latter part of the inning. Mookie Betts ended the night a triple shy of another cycle, proving why he is the AL MVP leader.

“That inning, we didn’t hit the ball out of the ballpark, but we ran the bases well.” – Alex Cora

“Hitting is contagious, you see your teammates go out there and put together good at-bats, put you in better spots at the plate, it’s contagious. That inning showed it.” – Brock Holt

“Everyone was just enjoying it, it’s one of those things when you’re passing it back, having fun playing the game.” – Mookie Betts

Up Next

The Red Sox will travel to Chicago for a 4 game series against the White Sox. Porcello, Eovaldi, Rodriguez, and Johnson will be the starting pitchers for the Red Sox. Eduardo Rodriguez will make his first start after being on the DL and rehabbing in the minors.

Sources

MLB

NESN

Statcast

With AL East Lead Down to 6.5, Boston Needs Their Ace Back

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Chris Sale has been on the disabled list since August 19th with left shoulder inflammation. He has been battling with this issue for most of the 2nd half of the season but has made it clear to the media that he is fine. In fact, Sale has even mentioned that if the games were more important, he would be pitching.

Well, the games are about to get a whole lot more important.

Boston’s Dominance

For the majority of the season, the Red Sox have been cruising atop the AL East despite New York’s impressive season. The team leads the majors in 9 offensive categories including runs, hits, doubles, total bases, runs batted in, batting average, on base percentage, slugging, and OPS. They are currently ranked 3rd in team pitching across the majors. As it stands to head into Tuesday’s matchup with Miami, the team sits 48 games above .500 with a 90-42 record.

 

The Recent Skid Has The Team Searching for Answers

Via WEEI

Via WEEI

The Red Sox remain the only team in the league that has avoided a 4-game skid. Until last weekend, they were also the only team to avoid the broomsticks all season. After the worst three-day stretch of the year for the Sox, the team has seen their 9-game lead over the Yankees dwindle down to 6.5 with 30 left to play. Everything has gone Boston’s way all season until now. This team needs something or someone to wake them up now more than ever.

Chris Sale is that someone. The 29-year-old entered the season off the heels of arguably the best campaign of his career. He was a runner-up in the CY Young race last season, yet has somehow looked even sharper in 2018. Sale owns a 12-4 record with a 1.97 ERA in 23 starts this year. He has talked about pitching when the games matter. They matter now.

It’s time for this team to get out of cruise control and put the pedal to the metal, and Chris Sale is the man behind the wheel.

 

It’s Time for the Red Sox to Tip Their Hats and Call Players’ Weekend Their Daddy

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One year ago was the debut of the MLB’s new promotion called “Players’ Weekend.” It’s a weekend where players can show their personalities off and put whatever nickname they want on the back of their jersey. The jerseys are different too, and consist of two of the team colors. The Red Sox have dark blue for the torso but red for the arms. I honestly think the jerseys are pretty nice and the overall idea of the Players Weekend is a very cool one. With that said, I want these jerseys cut up, burned, and to never be used ever again.

These Darn Jerseys, Man.

For the first Players’ Weekend last year, the Red Sox got swept by the Orioles at home. A year later the Red Sox went into this Players’ Weekend looking strong. This team has the best record in baseball and had just come off of taking two straight games from Cleveland after dropping the first two. David Price just had one of the best starts of his career to continue his redemption tour. They were going into a series against the Rays, at the good ol’ Trop. Things were looking up this time around. It didn’t go well.

The Series

The first game of this series was Hector Velazguez vs the Rays bullpen. Velazguez absolutely wet the bed by giving up eight earned runs on nine hits in 2.2 innings. The offense didn’t help much either and would only score three runs. That would end up being an occurring theme in this series.

Game 2 saw Rick Porcello take the mound. He went five strong innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out eight. The offense for the second day in a row didn’t show up, scoring only once. They would go into Sunday looking to avoid getting swept for the first time all year.

It wouldn’t happen. It would only just get uglier. Nathan Eovaldi certainly wasn’t sharp on Sunday afternoon, but he definitely didn’t have much luck on his side. Everything was just going the Rays’ way all weekend and would only continue to keep doing so on Sunday. The Rays just wouldn’t stop scoring. As far as the Red Sox offense goes? You guessed it! They did nothing. Scoring only one run they would lose the finale 9-1 and get swept for the first time all year. This was also the first time they lost a series since the June 29-July 1 series in New York. They went 10-0-4 in their previous 14 series until this weekend.

The Players’ Weekend Curse

Although this is all because of Players’ Weekend, you have to give credit to the Rays. Ever since starting out the season 4-13, They have played 16 games over .500 ever since. Their philosophy of the opener, not having a classic starting rotation has seemed to be working. It’s a good thing this was the final time this season the Red Sox have to play the Rays. They are a very young, loose, and pesky team that can be very dangerous as soon as next year.

But those darn jerseys. Players’ Weekend is cursed. The Red Sox just can’t win on this certain weekend. Its incredible. It’s like they put on these jerseys and they’re a totally different team. They’ve been outscored overall 45-7 on Players’ Weekend. Guys like Mookie Betts go 1-8, the pitching is abnormally bad, nobody is the same. It’s just ugly all around. At this point they just have to tip their hat and call Players’ Weekend their daddy.