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Red Sox, Rays

RED SOX – RAYS SERIES PREVIEW

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When I wrote the Rays series preview last week I started it by asking if the prior series could have gone much worse. Just a week later and the tone and feeling around this team is so different. The Red Sox took five of their seven games against the Rays and Yankees, and really could not have dreamed of much more. However, if it had not been for dropping the final game of each series it could have been the perfect week.

7/30 David Pricevs. Charlie Morton (R) 7:10 pm NESN

7/31 Rick Porcello vs. Ryan Yarbrough (L) 7:10 pm NESN

8/1 Andrew Cashner vs. TBD 7:10 pm NESN

NOTABLE NUMBERS

PITCHERS

Price and Morton will go head to head once again to open this series, having closed out the last one. Combined they pitched 13 innings, allowed five earned runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out 19. They might find it a little tougher in the more hitter-friendly confines of Fenway Park, but this should be a matchup to watch.

With Yarbrough currently projected to start the second game, it is worth looking at how he fares as a starter this season and in his career. Both this season and in his career he is worse as a starter than a reliever, but that is not hugely surprising given the situations. However, the split that should concern the Red Sox is home versus away. At home, his ERA in any role is 5.79, but on the road that drops to 2.79. The Red Sox cannot allow that game to slip through their fingers, but it will not be easy.

The still relatively new Red Sox pitcher Andrew Cashner has a limited body of work against the Rays. He has just five starts and 29 innings against them in his career. His overall numbers are fairly middling, with a 4.03 ERA, 2-1 record, 18 strikeouts, and 12 walks. Not good, but not a disaster. Against a usually stingy Rays pitching staff the Red Sox could do with him being good in this one.

HITTERS

The Red Sox offense has been on fire in the last week. In the last seven days, they have hit .354 with 11 home, 46 runs scored and a whopping 37 extra-base hits. That does not even include the 14 runs they scored in the first two games of the last Rays series. This is the offense we expected this season, and we need to see more of it.

Getting on top of the Rays offense is key to victory. That is an obvious statement, but when I say early I mean really early, as in the first batter of the game. This season, in 108 PA the Rays have hit .340 in that spot, with eight runs, 15 extra-base hits, eight walks, and just 18 strikeouts. Overall the number one hitter in their order has a .306 batting average, 28 home runs, and 57 extra-base hits. That leads all positions in their batting order.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Pitching: The righties on this roster are the big question mark right now, well, and Chris Sale too. However, focusing on Porcello and Cashner is key for opponents right now. The two righties have been unimpressive this season, and the Red Sox need that to change. Their two starts against a lineup which is solid but unspectacular will be key. If they blow up, and the Red Sox lose to two of the Rays lesser starters, they once again head to face the Yankees in a lot of trouble.

Hitting: Hopefully, we are just going to sit back and watch this lineup do their work. However, the real intrigue is Morton, because if the Red Sox want a World Series they will likely need to beat pitchers like Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole. Perhaps even Morton himself in a play-in game to just simply get into a full playoff series. Lay down a marker in Game 1 and the best pitchers in the league will suddenly fear this offense a little more.

EXPECTATIONS

The Red Sox are flying high right now. Although if they are the team we want them to be they will be beating themselves up over those two losses in winnable situations to end those series. However, they have given themselves an outside shot at the division, and put themselves in a better position for the Wildcard game.

Going to New York will be tough, especially given the Red Sox are better at home than on the road. Therefore, this series needs to be a win. Ideally, it needs to be 3-0 to really put pressure on the Yankees, but that might be asking too much. The Red Sox offense will be key here. Can they get after Morton? Hopefully. Do they need to provide some run support for the last two games in the series? Most definitely. If they do not they could be facing a series defeat and being double-digit games behind the Yankees all over again.

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RED SOX – ORIOLES SERIES PREVIEW

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The Red Sox took care of business against the Toronto Blue Jays. A hiccup in game two of the series cost them a series sweep. Now the Red Sox travel to Baltimore for a three-game series in which they will want to keep up the momentum. That momentum is crucial heading into 14 games against their biggest rivals for the division: the Rays and Yankees.

7/19 David Price vs. John Means (L) 7:05 pm NESN

7/20 Rick Porcello vs. Tom Eshelman (R) 7:05 pm NESN

7/21 Andrew Cashner vs. Asher Wojciechowski (R) 1:05 pm ESPN

NOTABLE NUMBERS

PITCHERS

Cashner will return to the place where he has had plenty of success this season. The right-handed pitcher has a 3.49 ERA in six starts and 36 1/3 innings. In addition, he is 4-0 in those six starts at Camden Yards, and will be looking to add to that for his new team in this series.

John Means has been absolutely incredible this season, with a 2.94 ERA. His performances at home have been slightly better than on the road. In Camden Yards he has a 2.50 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings. He had a rough time last time out against the Rays, allowing six earned runs, with three home runs. That was as many home runs in one start as he had allowed in the 44 1/3 innings he had pitched at home. Getting a win against Means is not going to be easy.

Both Eshelman and Wojciechowski come into their starts with a relative lack of major league experience this season. Eshelman will be making just his third start, having allowed six earned runs across 10 2/3 innings in two starts against the Rays. After succeeding at Triple-A for the Phillies (2.77 ERA) he has struggled at the same level with the Orioles (4.44 ERA). Wojciechowski will be making the 14th start of his career, with those spread across three major league seasons stretching back to 2015. His 6.49 ERA suggests the Red Sox should be able to have success.

HITTERS

The Orioles have not been great with the bat this season, but their numbers have been slightly better at home. They have scored 12 more runs, have a .009 better batting average, a .031 better ISO, and a wRC+ that is 12 points higher at home than on the road. The numbers are still not incredible, but they are better, and the Red Sox need to be wary that this team can be frisky at home.

We have mentioned the struggles of Andrew Benintendi at times this season, but he has been incredible in one area with the bat. With runners in scoring position, Benintendi has a .342 batting average, with 32 RBI. If we look at clutch situations, such as bases loaded and RISP with two outs, things get even better. In bases-loaded situations he is hitting .625 with 12 RBI in nine PA. With RISP and two outs, he has a .395 batting average and 22 RBI. For a player who is not firing on all cylinders, it is fantastic to see that in clutch situations he is coming up big.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Pitching: So Cashner’s first start as a Red Sox did not go to plan, allowing five earned runs in five innings against the Blue Jays. The Red Sox will be hoping that a return to his old stomping ground can get him firing on all cylinders. They will also be hoping to get Rick Porcello‘s form turned around, as they will need their two right-handed starters firing in the second half.

Hitting: The game with Means on the mound will be tough, but the Red Sox will be hoping to cash in in games two and three. I have highlighted their numbers against right-handed pitchers numerous times this season, and they will need to perform to full expectations against them, as what they might get out of Porcello and Cashner is an unknown at this point.

EXPECTATIONS

The Blue Jays series victory has ensured the Red Sox remain within 10 games of the Yankees, but with no slowing up in New York, they need to keep the pedal to the floor. With 14 games coming up against their biggest rivals in the AL East they need a big series to ensure momentum is behind them.

If the Orioles cause major problems for the Red Sox then they probably do not deserve to be remaining in contention. The Red Sox will be hoping to give Means more headaches in the first game of the series, before going hard after the two righties in the last two games. Hopefully, this can be a series sweep for the Red Sox.

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.

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RED SOX – TIGERS SERIES PREVIEW

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The Red Sox just about snuck out of Toronto with two wins from their three-game series. Now they turn their attentions to their visit to Detroit, in their final series before the All-Star break.

7/5 Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Gregory Soto (L) 7:10 pm NESN

7/6 Rick Porcello vs. Jordan Zimmermann (R) 4:10 pm NESN

7/7 David Price vs. TBD 1:10 pm NESN

NOTABLE NUMBERS

PITCHERS

In order to try and make a positive out of what happened with Rick Porcello in London; at least he is well-rested. Porcello allowed six runs in the first innings on Saturday and did not make it out of the first inning. However, he only threw 33 pitches, so will come into this game in a slightly different situation to what the Red Sox will have expected. However, in his career he has been better in the second half of the season, starting with July. In June he has a career 5.06 ERA, but in July that drops by over a run to 3.97 in July. Let’s hope that trend continues in this series.

Jordan Zimmermann’s season has been a weird one. In his first two starts of the season, he allowed just two earned runs in 13 2/3 innings, with the Tigers picking up wins in both. Since then he has allowed 26 earned runs in 31 2/3 innings, and the Tigers have not won a single one of those games.

Gregory Soto has not had a great season, with an 8.83 ERA. He has allowed less than three earned runs in just two of his six outings this season. That comes despite having never gone more than four innings in any single outing. The Tigers have won just two games that Soto has featured in, but he has only figured in the result twice, taking two losses in his first two appearances.

HITTERS

The Red Sox offense has been slowly heating up in the last month. Over the last 28 days, they are hitting .294 with a .502 slugging percentage and a .857 OPS. In the last 14 days that rises to .315/.538/.905, and in the last seven days it has risen to .332/.596/.971. Now they can look to finish the first half on a high.

Detroit has really struggled at home this season, with a league-worst 68 wRC+, 3rd worst .229 batting average and .130 ISO, as well as a 4th worst 25.2 K%. They have hit just a paltry 26 home runs this season, and scored just 134 runs in Detroit. Both of those numbers are the worst in the league, below even the Marlins and Giants.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Pitching: This combination is likely to be the three that make up the middle of any playoff series if the Red Sox get to that point. If they are going to have any chance in a playoff series they need to dominate teams like the Tigers.

Hitting: Since the 14th of June the Red Sox have scored five or more runs in a game in 10 of their 14 games. The problem has been that they have only won six of those 10 games. This offense needs to continue to hit through their pitching woes, and this series offers the perfect opportunity to pile up the runs again.

EXPECTATIONS

The Red Sox won two games in their last series and gained precisely zero ground on the Yankees, who also took two of their three games. The Red Sox need to be perfect against these bottom-dwelling teams if they are to stay in touch with the Yankees. Ultimately, any shot they have at the division will come down to beating the Yankees in future series. However, winning these series convincingly will help take the pressure off those series.

The first two games should be games where the Red Sox hitters can cash in big-time against pitchers who are not having a great time of it. If they go into Sunday’s game having won the first two they will have their best pitcher of the three on the mound to close out the series. Win all three of these and things will look a lot rosier with the Red Sox potentially inside double-digit games behind the Yankees.

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RED SOX – BLUE JAYS SERIES PREVIEW

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The Red Sox are nothing if not frustratingly consistent, even when playing a “home” game in a different country. The Red Sox form at home has been a consistent issue all season, as they currently have a 20-22 record in designated home games. In terms of true home games that is a 20-20 record, but .500 is not good enough at home. However, their road performances have been strong since a tough start, and now they get six road games to try and rebound from being swept by the Yankees in London.

7/2 David Price vs. Trent Thornton (R) 7:07 pm NESN

7/3 Chris Sale vs. Sean Reid-Foley (R) 7:07 pm NESN

7/4 Rick Porcello vs. Marcus Stroman (R) 7:07 pm NESN

NOTABLE NUMBERS

PITCHERS

In order to try and make a positive out of what happened with Rick Porcello in London at least, he is well-rested. Porcello allowed six runs in the first innings on Saturday, and did did not make it out of the first inning. However, he only threw 33 pitches, so will come into this game in a slightly different situation to what the Red Sox will have expected. A negative for Porcello is that he has a 5.17 ERA in 78 1/3 innings in Rogers Center. However, in his career he has been better in the second half of the season, starting with July, In June he has a career 5.06 ERA, but in July that drops by over a run to 3.97 in July. Let’s hope that trend continues in this series.

When the Blue Jays came to Fenway I raved about Thornton’s road ERA, and he caused the Red Sox problems. Now the tables are turned, as Thornton has real issues pitching in Toronto. In 31 innings at home, he has allowed 22 earned runs, nine home runs, and a .528 slugging percentage.

2019 has not been kind to Sean Reid-Foley. The 49th overall pick in 2014 has struggled both in the majors and at Triple-A. In two starts and one relief appearance in the majors, he has managed 9 1/3 innings, allowing five earned runs, two home runs, and walking six. At Triple-A his numbers are arguably worse, with 45 earned runs allowed in 69 innings, walking a whopping 51 hitters. Between Reid-Foley and Thornton, the Red Sox should be disappointed if they don’t leave Toronto with two wins from those two games.

HITTERS

The Red Sox are absolutely raking against right-handed pitchers. They rank first in the majors in batting average BABIP and OBP, as well as second in BB% and joint third in wRC+. Three righties in this series should be a good sign for the Red Sox.

Toronto has struggled massively at home this season. They rank dead last in batting average, OBP and BABIP, as well as bottom-10 in wRC+, K%, and BB%. However, they have had success hitting for power, ranking 13th in ISO. However, that ISO falls to the 12th worst in the league when you look at their numbers against left-handed pitching. This series could be a fantastic opportunity for the Red Sox to exploit the Blue Jay weaknesses.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Pitching: The extra day’s rest is going to be a great relief to the Red Sox after this weekend. Saturday saw the bullpen stretched to its extremes, and thankfully Eduardo Rodriguez did a solid job on Sunday to spare further issues. That performance from Rodriguez, and the Monday off, plus two days off before the London Series, should mean that this bullpen is not in dire straights come Tuesday and Wednesday. However, the Red Sox coaching staff will be hoping Price and Sale can put together plenty of innings this weekend, so they can keep their bullpen out of the firing line as long as possible.

Hitting: You couldn’t ask for much more from the Red Sox hitters in the London Series. 21 runs in two games should yield at least one win. Sadly it did not, and now the hitters need to keep that form up in the second half of the season.

An interesting statistic for the Red Sox has been their inability to get hits from the leadoff hitter in the first innings. Four hitters have been the first hitter of the game, and all four have a batting average below .200. In fact, the first spot in the lineup has been a nightmare, with a combined .230 batting average from that spot. When you are not getting off to good starts in games and your top of the order hitter is struggling it puts a lot of pressure on your team. The Red Sox need to get someone hitting consistently in that one spot in the second half of the season.

EXPECTATIONS

The Red Sox are now 11 games behind the Yankees in the race for the division, as well as being two games behind the Rangers for the wildcard spot. The Red Sox need to start turning this around or they are going to find it tough come September. Six games in Toronto and Detroit before the All-Star break is their opportunity and they must capitalize.

Coming out of this series and these six games without series wins, and at least four of the six games. Realistically facing two of the worst four teams in the American League, the Red Sox should be looking at winning five or even all six of these. Do that and the All-Star break will feel a lot more comfortable. There is still plenty of time in this season, but they have to win games against bad teams or they are going to be in trouble.

Red Sox need to take advantage of upcoming stretch

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Christian Vazquez capped an exciting comeback with an extra inning walk off homer on Friday night. The Sox managed to erase a 5-1 deficit to beat the Toronto Blue Jays when Chris Sale did not have his best stuff. One would hope this exciting victory could jump start the Sox into a series win. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

The Red Sox then proceeded to have a really bad weekend. They lost two out of three at home to a Blue Jays team that was 27-48 going into this series. The bullpen blew a 6-1 lead on Saturday. The offense and Rick Porcello were not effective on Sunday. The official start of Summer at Fenway was spoiled by the Jays from Toronto.

However, there is something to look forward to. Boston is now entering a rather favorable stretch of play, as five of the next seven series contain sub .500 opponents. The Chicago White Sox come into Fenway for a three game series starting Monday. The White Sox currently hold a 36-39 record. (Not to mention Boston clobbered Chicago in early May, scoring 34 runs and winning three of four.)

Following this series in The United States, Boston will travel across the Pond to London. On June 29h and 30th, Boston will take on the 49-28, American League East leading New York Yankees. Also, the Sox will be off on June 27th and 28th and July 1st. This is the last team over .500 the Red Sox will face before the All-Star Break.

The Red Sox will then leave Europe for Canada for three games with the Jays before returning back to the states. Boston will wrap up the unofficial first half of the season with 3 between the woeful Detroit Tigers, who currently sport a 26-44 record.

After the All Star Break, Boston is back for three games at Fenway with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a rematch of last year’s Fall Classic. Los Angeles currently has the best record in baseball with 50 wins to a mere 25 loses.

The Red Sox end that homestand with a four game series against the Blue Jays. Boston will then travel to Baltimore to face an Orioles team that currently sits last in the majors with a not-so-hot record of 21 and 53.

It is crucial the Red Sox make the most out of this part of their schedule if they want to cut into the Yankees lead. They already started this stretch on the wrong foot by losing a home series to the poultry Blue Jays. (Not to mention, making me change my article.)

After these 21 games with six days off, Boston crashes back to reality with four straight series against New York and Tampa Bay. If the Red Sox want to avoid that nerve-wracking, unpredictable Wild-Card Game, they need to take advantage of the next four weeks. Not only is the competition inferior, they have a lot of off days.

Bottom line, Boston cannot afford too many more poor series against under .500 teams.

Photo courtesy of Michael Dwyer, AP Photo

Follow Chad Jones on Twitter @ShutUpChadJones

Red Sox-Twins Series Recap

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The Boston Red Sox had quite the task these past three games. They played a Minnesota Twins team that has surprised many people this season. They are leading the American League Central by nine games. Red Sox fans were hoping that they could win this series against the Twins and turn a corner. They did just that as they took two out of three from the Twins. Let’s take a look back at the series, game by game.

Game 1: Red Sox 2 Twins 0

The Red Sox came into Target Field on Monday night looking to get off on the right foot. They did just that with a 2-0 victory. Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi started the inning with back to back hits before J.D. Martinez stepped to the plate. Martinez hit an RBI single to left field to drive home Mookie Betts for a 1-0 Sox lead.

The game would stay that way as both offenses would be shut down through the next seven innings. However, that changed in the ninth inning. With a runner on second and two outs, Xander Bogaerts hit a double to right center field. That put the Red Sox up 2-0 as that would conclude the scoring for the night.

While the offense was fairly quiet, Rick Porcello was the star of the night. He threw seven innings while giving up four hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts. Porcello came out and held one of the better offenses in baseball in check. It was a great start for him and for the Red Sox in this series.

Game 2: Twins 4 Red Sox 3 (17 Innings)

This one didn’t end up as great as the first one, as the Red Sox lost in 17 innings. There were some good highlights for the Red Sox in this one however. Rafael Devers had a go ahead homerun in the top of the seventh inning to keep up his hot first half of the 2019 season. Jackie Bradley Jr. just so happened to make another phenomenal catch in the seventh inning to keep a 2-1 lead at the time. Oh yeah, and Christian Vazquez picked off a runner at third base, so that was pretty cool!

The game ended with a Max Kepler single to walk it off in the 17th inning. Kepler also hit a homerun in the bottom of the 13th inning to tie the game 3-3. Brian Johnson suffered the loss on the mound. He gave up three hits, one walk, and one run in 1/3 of an inning pitched.

Even though the Red Sox lost this one, there were a lot of good things to highlight. Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes threw scoreless innings. Benintendi, Brock Hot, and Devers each had three hits in the game as well. Plus, remember that it took the Twins 17 innings to beat the Red Sox. So, take that for what it’s worth.

Game 3: Red Sox 9 Twins 4

In game three, the Red Sox offense showed up. They scored nine runs and were able to come away with a 9-4 win. Eduardo Rodriguez had a gusty performance in this one. He pitched seven innings, gave up four runs, surrendered three walks while striking out nine batters. This wasn’t his best by any means, but it was good enough for the win. Rodriguez wasn’t the only one making contributions toward the Sox win last night. Xander Bogaerts had another milestone in his career, as he hit his 200th career double.

The Sox have won seven of their last eight. They also earned a series win, on the road, against a very good Twins team. Winning two out of three games is good in any series. For this Red Sox team, beating the Twins two out of three is a great sign for a lackluster 2019 season thus far.


This was a good sign for the Sox. They proved they can beat a good team on the road. Now, they can hopefully keep that momentum up with Toronto coming to town. There were many contributions from a lot of different players, which is the sign of a good team. Could the Red Sox have finally turned a corner? Stay tuned to find out!

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RED SOX – TWINS SERIES PREVIEW

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As we expected the Red Sox enjoyed their trip to Baltimore. The results in Baltimore ensured that whatever happens in this series, they will still be above .500 when they return home. Now they head into Minnesota to face the team with the second best record in the American League.

6/10 Rick Porcello vs. Jose Berrios (R) 8:10 pm NESN

6/11 David Price vs. Michael Pineda (R) 8:10 pm NESN

6/12 Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Kyle Gibson (L) 8:10 pm NESN

NOTABLE NUMBERS

PITCHERS

I raved about the home ERAs of some of the Red Sox pitchers in a previous preview. Well, the counter to that is some pretty ugly road ERAs, especially for Porcello and Rodriguez. Porcello is the worst of the group, with a 6.37 road ERA, but Rodriguez is close behind with 5.23 road ERA. That is just a small problem when you are heading to face the highest scoring team in the major leagues.

Things have come together for Berrios and Gibson this season. Both have ERA’s below four, and below their career averages. Their numbers have largely been driven by their performances in Minnesota. Berrios has a 2.53 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP at home. As for Gibson, he is even better at home, with 2.70 ERA and an impressive 0.79 WHIP.

The 2019 season has not been as rosy for Pineda, who had an up and down start but has had a relatively consistent spell recently. His season-long ERA is 5.04, and at home, it is up to 5.20. However, the consistency he has shown recently has been impressive. Six of his last seven starts have seen him allow three earned runs. The one exception was last time out against Seattle, when he allowed just one earned run. He will be hoping to take that good run into this start against Boston.

HITTERS

The Twins have some things to shout about offensively this season. They lead the majors in runs, home runs, ISO, batting average and slugging. That is a pretty amazing combination and helps to explain just why they are in control of the AL Central. However, their home form is not that great in comparison. They rank seventh in home runs, 11th in runs and 13th in batting average. If there is a place to face them, then actually, in Minnesota is not a bad option.

The Red Sox started the season with an 11-game road trip. They went 3-8 in that nightmare season opening. Since then things have improved somewhat. The Red Sox are now 22-17 on the road. That is a remarkable turnaround, with a 19-9 record in their last 28 road games. Their offense has been a big part of that, as they rank fifth in runs and home runs, and sixth in batting average away from Fenway. Right now the Red Sox are a team of road warriors

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Pitching: The Baltimore series may have given the Red Sox an option for their fifth starter. However, now they need to sort out starters three and four. As things stand, the Red Sox are looking at a Wildcard berth. And with that, they will need to win on the road to go deep in the playoffs. They cannot afford for two of their starters to be a liability on the road. What better time to prove they have it worked out than in the home of one of the best teams in the American League.

Hitting: After struggling to hit home runs again the Rangers the Red Sox put it right in the first game of the series. In that game alone they hit six home runs. Unfortunately, they followed that up with just one home run in the next two games combined. However, scoring seven runs in one of those games is just as promising as a game full of power. Being able to move men over and drive them in is going to be huge through the rest of the season, and the Sox cannot just rely on the long ball.

EXPECTATIONS

Before the season you would have said it would be disappointing if the Red Sox did not come out of Minnesota with two wins from this series. Now? Frankly, you would be happy just to get away from the Twins with a single win, and your dignity left intact. The sweep in Baltimore has bought the Red Sox some grace, by ensuring that no matter what they will be above .500 when they take on Toronto.

The Twins are a very good baseball team, but their slight Achilles heel has been their home form. Unfortunately, two of the Red Sox pitchers also have a serious issue on the road this season. Right now getting out of here with a single win will be more than good enough. Then they can hope to put the pedal down against the Blue Jays and White Sox in the following week. However, if Price can get the best of Pineda, then just one of Porcello and Rodriguez need a good start to make this a successful series. It will be tough, but imagine the confidence if they do win two or more in this series!

Put Eovaldi In The Bullpen

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This Red Sox season has seemed like one long extended Alien Ant Farm, Michael Jackson “Smooth Criminal” mashup. No, no we are not ok. I said we are not ok. Didn’t you hear me? Oh, right, we’ve been hit. Nathan Eovaldi apparently is not walking through that door before late June or early July at the earliest.

It’s not just the starting rotation that’s been hurting, but the bullpen too. Ryan Brasier, as predicted, has regressed. This is putting a lot of strain on the most consistent member of Alex Cora‘s pen: Matt Barnes.

Lou’s point is a good one. Matt Barnes has too much on his shoulders. Imagine if he was given the job of Closer, the stability Craig Kimbrel insisted on. The only thing Lou’s missing is Barnes isn’t just the Closer, he’s the stopper, the only one Cora trusts this year with the most difficult part of the opposing lineup. So he’s the 7th, 8th and 9th inning guy.

Eovaldi To The Pen

Sometimes, as Pete Townshend told us, one and one don’t make two, they make one. Eovaldi’s well known injury history has bitten, but what if he doesn’t have to pitch 80 or 90 or 100 pitches? He has his big contract, he’s in the first year of a four year $67.5 Million deal. That needle that pushes into the competitive and fear centers of the brain isn’t there. He doesn’t need to be a sometimes competitive starter to make his dough. He’s made it. Couldn’t he be happy being a dominant Closer?

Sale, Price, Porcello, Rodriguez. Those are your top four starters. Yes, the replacements in the rotation have been dreadful, but 10 blown saves on the year so far are more important that the fifth starter.

Playoff Eovaldi

Alex Cora used “The Rover” in the 2018 playoffs. He asked the starters to fill in the bullpen gaps. Eovaldi was the most successful. For his career he has a 4.21 ERA with a 1.352 WHIP. In the playoffs, as a Rover, against the Astros and the Dodgers, he went 9.1 innings, four hits, one walk, seven strikouts, one earned run. Some quick calculations get to a 0.99 ERA and 0.54 WHIP.

If Eovaldi can do that against the toughest competition in the league, he can do it on a Wednesday night in June, or any other day.

Make Nathan Eovaldi a $17 million a year Closer. Give Barnes another year as the setup man. Next year, when Rick Porcello goes elsewhere and Pablo Sandoval‘s $18 Million come off the books…Hold it right there. Sometimes the reasons that the Red Sox have the highest payroll in the league and can’t add any more are dumbfounding.

Regardless, right now, for this team, Eovaldi in the bullpen makes too much sense.

Red Sox

RED SOX – RANGERS SERIES PREVIEW

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The weekend series against the Rays was a progress stopper. After sweeping the Royals last week, the Red Sox lost 3-of-4 in Fenway to drop seven games behind the Yankees and Rays in the division. The upcoming week presents another chance to string together some wins, and that starts with the Rangers in Fenway Park.

6/10 Chris Sale vs. Mike Minor (L) 7:10 pm NESN

6/11 TBD vs. Ariel Jurado (R) 7:10 pm NESN

6/12 Rick Porcello vs. Lance Lynn (R) 7:10 pm NESN

6/13 David Price vs. Adrian Sampson (R) 7:10 pm NESN

NOTABLE NUMBERS

PITCHERS

Chris Sale threw a three-hit, 12 strikeout shut out in his last start in Kansas City. However, Sale has actually had most of his struggles at home this season. The left-handed pitcher has a 4.45 ERA in 28 1/3 innings at Fenway, compared to just a 3.49 ERA on the road. In contrast, both Rick Porcello and David Price has far superior numbers at home than on the road. If there was any pitcher of the three to bank on to turn their home form around it would be Sale.

Mike Minor is demonstrating the talent that we all knew he had this season. The veteran left-hander has his career derailed by injuries but has fought hard to get himself back on track. This season he has a career-best 2.55 ERA as a starter, striking out 87 in 81 1/3 innings. He has been slightly been more vulnerable on the road, with a 3.00 ERA, and a .310 wOBA.

The Rangers will be using two pitchers in this series who have served time both out of the rotation and the bullpen. Ariel Jurado has also been extremely good this season, both as a starter and a reliever. As a starter, he has a 3.57 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings. Adrian Sampson has been less impressive as a starter, with a 4.93 ERA, but has struck out 34 in 38 1/3 innings.

HITTERS

On the road, this season the Rangers have generally hit well. They rank in the top-10/15 of most road statistics. They have not had it all their own way, in fact, they rank second last in the majors in strikeouts on the road, with a 27.5 K%. Their road record is also pretty poor when it comes to results, as they sit just 10-18. This series should present plenty of opportunities for the Red Sox pitchers to rack up the K’s.

The Red Sox are coming off a series in which they averaged just 2.25 runs per game. It is going to be extremely hard to win games scoring that few runs, especially when they did not have to face one of the Rays best pitchers in Charlie Morton. However, the Rays do rank best in the majors when it comes to ERA. The Rangers? They rank seventh, allowing nearly two runs more per nine innings pitched.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Pitching: The Red Sox will be hoping Sale can continue his good form from last time out. They will also be looking for Porcello and Price to continue their good home form this season. However, question marks remain around the other starter in this series and their bullpen. Depth in starting pitching will likely be important later in the season, and they need their bullpen to hold its own if they are to close the gap and push for this division.

Hitting: You know you have had a bad series at the plate when Jackie Bradley Jr. is the only hitter to clear the fences. The positive is that the Red Sox really need something from JBJ’s bat, but there are more issues in that stat than positives, The Rangers rotation can be got at, and that is just the type of staff the Red Sox need to face right now.

EXPECTATIONS

The Red Sox season just rolls from frustration to frustration. Every time it looks as though they are building some momentum, it gets ripped away with a poor series. That is the case once again after this Rays series. The Red Sox are 34-32 and hovering seven games off the division lead.

There is still a lot of time to go. We have only just clicked through the 62-game mark, leaving over 100 games. In the grand scheme of things a seven game deficit when you consider that is nothing. However, the Rangers are a middle of the pack team. If the Red Sox want to be viewed as more than a middle of a pack team they need to send the Rangers packing with a series defeat.