MLB 2018-19 Free Agency Predictions: Pitchers

Welcome to my 2nd annual MLB free agency predictions. Last off-season, things took a long time to get going due to a relatively dull free agent market. This year, that is not the case. We might have the best MLB free agent class in the history of my blog, and it’s bound to get going any minute now. That’s why I’m releasing my predictions in November and December this year rather than January. I wanted to get these out before the Winter Meetings, where a lot of big moves could occur.

Today, I will be sharing my predictions for free agent pitchers. Feel free to comment with your thoughts.

Below is my tentative schedule for my 2018-19 MLB free agency coverage.

MLB 2018-19 Free Agency Coverage – Tentative Schedule

Week of November 19: MLB 2018-19 Free Agency Predictions: Pitchers

Week of November 19 or 26: MLB 2018-19 Free Agency Predictions: Catchers & Infielders

Week of November 26 or December 3: MLB 2018-19 Free Agency Predictions: Outfielders & Trade Ideas

Week of December 3 or 10: Baseball Bits #11: Big Free Agent Contracts

Starting Pitchers

Top Tier

Note: These were made BEFORE the James Paxton trade

The Jays have a lot of infield prospects on the rise. But their starting rotation needs some help if they want to contend. They will surely go after the market’s top starters. They are open to bringing back J.A. Happ, but I think Dallas Keuchel and Ervin Santana fit their mold better. Keuchel will serve as Toronto’s ace, where they will need an upgrade with Marco Estrada leaving. Santana isn’t what he used to be, but will still boost their rotation, especially if he rebounds fully from his injury in 2018. Meanwhile, Happ will head to the Angels to provide stability in an injury prone rotation that will be without Shohei Ohtani. The Yankees will pursue a younger starter like Patrick Corbin to upgrade the rotation in the long term, and an older starter to supplement the rotation until younger Yankees pitchers are ready to take over.

Jerry Dipoto had intended to rebuild this off-season. But they have too much talent on the rise to just start over now. It would be a Marlins-like move to rebuild now. I think it would be smarter for them to add a mid to high tier starter such as Gio Gonzalez or Nathan Eovaldi and an outfielder or two to supplement the young talent. Charlie Morton will leave Houston for and sign with the Nationals, who could use a #3 starter to replace Gio Gonzalez and add depth to the rotation.

High to Mid-Tier Starters

Shields will return to the White Sox. They will seek to be led by young talent, but need Shields back for depth. The Padres will also bring back their veteran starter, Tyson Ross for similar reasons. I could also see them adding Garrett Richards among other veterans as future investments to guide their return to contention. Richards will miss 2019, but hopefully, he’ll come back as a better pitcher in 2020. I think Jason Hammel is a good veteran fit for the Yankees.

If the Rays want to make the playoffs, their “committee day” in their rotation isn’t going to fly. They’ll need to add rotation depth, and Estrada seems like a good fit for them. He has experience in the AL East, and a mid-tier starter or two is just what Tampa needs. The Orioles could also use another starter. They aren’t signing anyone too expensive as they start a rebuild, but Yovani Gallardo has been on the team before and could be a good bargain signing for them.

Mid to Low Tier Starters

Eovaldi really boosted his free agent profile in the playoffs. But I think the Red Sox will be willing to offer him a long term contract after his playoff performance. The Rays will add Derek Holland as another option for the rotation. Holland, Tyler Glasnow, and Brent Honeywell will likely fight for the final two spots in the rotation. I think Ryan Yarbrough fits best as a long reliever. Similar to the O’s, the Royals and Tigers will look for affordable rotation depth. I think Lynn and Santiago are good fits. I could see Chris Tillman joining the Braves, who may seek a veteran starter to fill in until their pitching prospects are ready. I think the Giants should sign a lower tier starter, such as Jaime Garcia to give them options if young starters Chris Stratton, Tyler Beede, and Ty Blach struggle.

Relief Pitchers

Top Tier Closers and Late-Inning Relievers

There has been a lot of hype surrounding Kimbrel after he turned down the qualifying offer, but I think he will return to the Red Sox. He just wanted a longer term deal. The teams that were in the running for Kimbrel such as the Angels and Phillies will settle for other top closers such as Mark Melancon and Zach Britton. I think Jeurys Familia, another top closer will go to the White Sox as they try to take steps toward contention. I could see the Mariners keeping active in the free agent market by adding another bullpen arm in Miller. The Reds could also use a bullpen arm to replace Drew Storen, and Brach seems to be a good fit. He can close or set up, and he and Raisel Iglesias could make a strong veteran-younger player late-inning combo.

Mid-Tier Closers

Pittsburgh’s #1 hole right now is their bullpen. They’ll look to add multiple quality relievers. As they rebuild, they are not in the running for the market’s top closers. But Herrera is a reasonable closing option for them. Some other rebuilding teams who need closers, such as the O’s, Royals, and Rangers, will have to settle for lower-tier closers such as Tyler Clippard and Cody Allen. Meanwhile, I see veteran closer Greg Holland headed to Tampa, hoping to rebound from a rough 2018. Holland is an affordable option for a Rays team that wants to make the jump from mediocre to playoff contender. Storen, another seasoned veteran, could make for a good duo with fellow late-inning reliever Addison Reed for Minnesota.

Low Tier Closer-Mid Tier Set-Up

Herrera isn’t quite enough to fill Pittsburgh’s late inning hole. Romo could be a good fit. The Brewers could also use another late inning arm. They don’t need a top tier guy, but someone like A.J. Ramos or Santiago Casilla could definitely help. I think Casilla will return to the A’s though, and Zach McAllister, another mid-tier reliever, will return to Detroit, where he spent just about a week in his final MLB stint of 2018. The Rockies could resign Adam Ottavino, but I think they will go for a slight upgrade, Justin Wilson, with the Indians adding Ottavino to supplement Brad Hand and replace Andrew Miller.

Low Tier Late Inning Relievers

The Braves have been a rumored suitor to bring back Craig Kimbrel, but they should trust Arodys Vizcaino as their closer and add a lower tier late inning reliever to support him (I see them adding Maurer). The White Sox will sign Tony Sipp as a slight upgrade over Jeanmar Gomez, who I have going to Detroit. Gomez and McAllister will set up closer Shane Greene. The Royals will also look for an affordable bullpen arm. They should be set in the late-inning department with the duo of Clippard and Boone Logan. The Mets will be active in this free agent market, and they need late-inning help. Aaron Loup is a good addition, but I don’t have them adding a closer. Jenrry Mejia is eligible to return in 2019, and the Mets should be hopeful he can close. Duke will play a similar role in Toronto, setting up closer Ken Giles.

High Tier 7th Inning Relief

If the Red Sox bring back Kimbrel, they should be fine to let Carson Smith and maybe even Joe Kelly test the market. I think Smith will find a destination despite his injury, as the Twins sign him to supplement the late-inning duo of Storen and Reed. The Angels, who will still look for more bullpen help beyond Britton, will sign Kelly. If he’s having a good year, Kelly can become the full-time set up man in LA over Cam Bedrosian. Norris, a former starter, can provide the Rays with a trustworthy 7th inning arm. Jake Diekman should play a similar role in San Francisco. The O’s and Reds could also use bullpen help, but cannot afford the top guys in the market. They will settle for Axford and Warren, respectively.

That’s all for Part 1 of my MLB FA Predictions. Stay tuned for Part 2, where I will evaluate the catcher market and the infield market. This comes in good timing, as Kurt Suzuki just signed in Washington, and J.T. Realmuto trade rumors are reaching their peak.

Note: I think the Marlins will end up trading Realmuto to Atlanta with Kurt Suzuki off the table. The Marlins should sign another catcher to supplement Chad Wallach.

Price, Dingers, Lead Red Sox To 4th World Series of Century

October 31, 2018November 5, 2018 Andrew Roberts Game Recaps, MLB, Red Sox, Uncategorized Alex Cora, Andrew Benintendi, Benny, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Chris Sale, Chris Taylor, Clayton Kershaw, David Freese, David Price, Dodgers, Hanley Ramirez, J.D. Martinez, Joe Kelly, John Farrell, LA, LA Dodgers, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, Mookie Betts, Red Sox, Sox, Steve Pearce, Tony Massarotti

At the start of 2017, when the Red Sox signed Chris Sale, Red Sox reporter Tony Massarotti had said that the Red Sox had a three-year window to win the World Series. If they didn’t win it in three years, it was a disappointment. The Red Sox choked in the playoffs in 2017, similar to 2016. Their choke was followed by a long expected firing of World Series-winning manager John Farrell.

The Red Sox hired Alex Cora, a former Red Sox player as their new manager and signed OF J.D. Martinez that off-season. Cora and Martinez were two of our biggest factors this year. Fast forward 8 months, and Cora, Martinez, and the rest of the team is celebrating a 4th World Series victory of the century thanks to Cora’s smart, proactive managing, the dominance of a streaky, explosive lineup, and David Price’s long-awaited playoff successes.

This season is one to remember. The Sox finished with their best record in the 162-game era, dominated the playoffs and won the World Series. Game 5 was extra special, as Price performed better on the mound than he ever had in a playoff start. Meanwhile, the Red Sox lineup backed him up with an explosive 4 homer day. The Sox hit some of these home runs against Clayton Kershaw, who is regarded by many as the best active pitcher in the MLB.

To start the game, Andrew Benintendi, who has dominated against Kershaw, singled in his first at bat. Steve Pearce, Boston’s unlikely hero this year, followed up with a 2-run homer. This wouldn’t be the last the Dodgers see of Pearce, who was brought on board after the release of Hanley Ramirez. Pearce outperformed Ramirez by far.

Dodgers infielder David Freese struck back with a leadoff solo shot of his own in the bottom of the 1st, making it 2-1 Red Sox. Freese went on to have a 2-hit day and was the biggest threat to Boston’s victory. But after giving up the homer, Price settled down, throwing just 89 pitches in a total of 7.0+ IP. That’s the best we’ve seen his pitch count at in any start this season, regular season or playoffs. Believe it or not, Price was out-pitching Kershaw. That was a somewhat normal occurrence before 2016, but was a complete shocker to Dodger fans in this game. Not only was Price out-pitching Kershaw, but he actually looked like a $31 million/year pitcher.

Kershaw also settled down, but his pitch count was not as solid. The Red Sox lineup quieted down until about the 6th inning. To this point, Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez had been in World Series slumps. But both hit a solo home run in Game 5, Betts in the 6th, and Martinez in the 7th. Just like that, the lineup had awoken, and it was 4-1 Red Sox. Pearce added to it with an 8th inning solo shot making it 5-1. Now it was up to the Sox bullpen to secure the victory after 7 strong innings by Price.

Joe Kelly dominated in the 8th inning as he had been throughout the playoffs, striking out three consecutive batters after David Price walked Chris Taylor and left the game.

In the 9th, the Red Sox opted to bring in their ace, Chris Sale, in hopes he would finish the game off strong. Sale proved himself, striking out the side and winning Boston the World Series.

The Red Sox paraded through the city on duck boats this past Wednesday and will look to defend their title in 2019.

Red Sox @ Yankees May 8-10 2018: Series Preview

May 8, 2018May 8, 2018 Andrew Roberts MLB, Red Sox, Uncategorized 'Stros, Aaron Judge, AL East, American League, Anaheim, Angels, Astros, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brett Gardner, C.C. Sabathia, Christian Vazquez, Cleveland, Cleveland Indians, Craig Kimbrel, David Price, Didi Gregorius, Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Rodriguez, fenway Park, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, Greg Bird, Hanley, Hanley Ramirez, Houston, Houston Astros, Indians, J.D. Martinez, Jackie Bradley, Jackie Bradley Jr., JBJ, Joe Kelly, Kansas City, Kansas City Royals, KC, KC Royals, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, Miguel Andujar, Minnesota, Minnesota Twins, Mookie Betts, New York, New York Yankees, NY Yankees, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Rick Porcello, Royals, Sandy Leon, Sox, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas, Texas Rangers, Twins, Tyler Austin, X-Man, Xander Bogaerts, Yankees, Yanks

The Red Sox have had it easy in terms of their schedule over the last week and a half. They played the Rays, Rangers, and Royals, taking 7 of 10 during that stretch. But now they face the Yankees, who have won 15 of 16 against some of the AL’s best. They swept the Twins, Indians, and Angels, and nearly swept Houston. They have been boosted by the emergence of Miguel Andujar and Gleyber Torres, and are doing fine without 1B Greg Bird. How will they fare against Boston, the only AL team that still has a better record than the Yankees? They will fight for not just the AL East crown, but the American League crown in this series. They are arguably the two best teams in baseball right now, which makes this intense rivalry even better.

Previous 2018 Results

The Red Sox have already played the Yankees once this season at Fenway Park. The Yankees had even more injury problems and did not have Gleyber in the majors back in mid-April when this series occurred. Despite losing Xander Bogaerts to the DL shortly before the series, the Red Sox, who had started 8-1 due to spotless pitching and an easy schedule, took advantage. They took 2 of 3 in the series. The Red Sox lineup had dominated in Game 1 to bring the Sox a 14-1 win. David Price had a rough Game 2 and left early with an injury. But the Red Sox attempted to come back, and after Tyler Austin spiked the infielder sliding into 2nd, Joe Kelly got revenge when he hit Austin. It ended in a bench-clearing brawl that got Kelly and Austin suspended. Porcello continued a strong start in the 3rd game as the Red Sox won, 6-3. I did a recap of that game when the Sox and Bruins won important games on the same night.

Big Night For Boston: Sox, Bruins Win On Big Stage

How They Line-Up Now

Both teams have powerful, home-run hitting lineups. But both of these lineups have a weak spot. The Yankees have seen several hitters who are usually pretty good slump. Brett Gardner, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gary Sanchez all have a batting average under .230. Sanchez is batting .198. It is balanced out by strong seasons from Didi Gregorius and Aaron Judge, as well as early success out of Andujar and Torres. I was never too high on Gregorius, but he has really proven himself this year. The Red Sox do not have reliable hitters at the end of the lineup. Both regular catchers and JBJ are batting under .200, and Eduardo Nunez has also struggled. But J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts, Hanley Ramirez, and Xander Bogaerts have all thrived and led this team.

The Red Sox have the starting pitching advantage, but not all of the pitching match-ups in this series are favorable for the Red Sox. The Red Sox don’t have too much of a bullpen to rely on, either. Craig Kimbrel has been flawless, but the rest of the bullpen has not always stepped it up when the starter struggles. The Red Sox have to rely on either an offensive explosion or a spotless, long-lasting starter to win quality games.

Pitching Match-Ups

Game 1 (5/8): BOS: Drew Pomeranz (1-1, 6.14 ERA)

vs. NYY: Luis Severino (5-1, 2.11)

By no means is Severino going to be easy to face but I could see Pomeranz stepping it up on the big stage here. Once Severino leaves, it will be the offense’s turn to make an impact.

Note: Price has been scratched from his Wednesday start due to hand numbness. I’m beginning to agree with that 98.5 caller who talked about the stress disorder with David Price. Can he handle the pressure of a Red Sox-Yankees game?

Game 2 (5/9): BOS: Rick Porcello (5-0, 2.14 ERA)

NYY: Masahiro Tanaka (4-2, 4.39 ERA)

Tanaka has been pretty good this year, but Porcello has been flawless this year. Moving him a day up brings this pitching match-up into our favor.

Game 3 (5/10): BOS: Eduardo Rodriguez (3-0, 5.29 ERA)

NYY: C.C. Sabathia (2-0, 1.39 ERA)

I like Eduardo Rodriguez. He has very high potential, but C.C. Sabathia has been great when healthy, and I’m wondering how E-Rod will perform under the pressure of Yankee Stadium.

My Prediction: Red Sox Take 2 of 3

Red Sox Report: Sox Slowing Down, But It’s Understandable

May 6, 2018May 6, 2018 Andrew Roberts Red Sox, Red Sox Report, Uncategorized 'Stros, A's, Aaron Hicks, Anaheim, Angels, Astros, Athletics, Austin Maddox, Baseball Bits, Blue Jays, Bobby Poyner, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brock Holt, C.C. Sabathia, Chris Sale, Christian Vazquez, Cleveland, Cleveland Indians, Dustin Pedroia, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Rodriguez, fenway Park, Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres, Hanley Ramirez, Houston, Houston Astros, Indians, J.D. Martinez, Jackie Bradley Jr., Jays, Joe Kelly, Johnny Mize, Jordan Montgomery, Kansas City, Kansas City Royals, KC Royals, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Manny Machado, Marathon Monday, Marco Hernandez, Minnesota, Minnesota Twins, MLB, Mookie Betts, New York, New York Yankees, Oakland, Oakland Athletics, Paw Sox, Pawtucket, Pawtucket Red Sox, Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Red Sox Report, Royals, Sammy Sosa, Sandy Leon, Sean Manaea, Sox, Steven Wright, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Ted Williams, Texas, Texas Rangers, Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays, Twins, Tyler Thornburg, world series, Xander Bogaerts, Yankee Stadium, Yankees, Yanks

When the Red Sox began the season 17-2, I knew they would not be able to finish the season going at that pace. So it is understandable that the Red Sox have gone 8-7 in their last 15 games. It does not mean the Red Sox are a fluke. They have still shown signs in the last 14 games that they are capable contenders. But they cannot win every game, and 8 to 10-game winning streaks interrupted by just a loss or two is not realistic for any team to maintain.

But Mookie Betts is still on fire, and Hanley Ramirez has still put up much better numbers to start 2018. J.D. Martinez has also begun to heat up. Betts has gotten to the point in his hot streak where he’s breaking HR records. We will look at Betts’ records, the cooling off of the Red Sox, and much more in this edition of the Red Sox Report.

Red Sox Beginning to Cool Off, But It’s Not a Major Concern

As I said above, although the Sox have cooled off, the Red Sox have still shown qualities of an elite playoff contender. I still think they have the potential to make a deep run this year. What concerns me a little bit is who they have been losing to. They lost a series to the Rays to start their most recent homestand. Tampa barely has a starting rotation. But even a blind squirrel eventually finds an acorn. They also struggled and got no-hit against the Athletics. The A’s are not terrible, they have a powerful young lineup and an improving rotation. But after a 17-2 start, I did not expect A’s SP Sean Manaea to no-hit the Red Sox. It shows that our lineup is very streaky, feast or famine.

Struggles against the mediocre teams is a problem, but the Red Sox have been pretty good against tough opponents like the Angels and Blue Jays. What the Red Sox need right now is to be competitive against playoff contenders. If they continue to prove that they are capable of that, I will be much more confident in their World Series chances. But if they cannot show up against subpar teams, how will they be able to continue to thrive against contenders?

Sox Lineup Has Been Streaky But Has High Ceiling

The Red Sox lineup has really struggled at times. They have scored 3 or fewer runs in 4 of their 9 losses so far. But when the lineup is on a good streak, it can carry the team. At its best, this lineup could probably carry the Red Sox all the way to the World Series. But several guys have failed to come through in recent weeks. Christian Vazquez, Sandy Leon, and Jackie Bradley Jr. are all batting under .200, and Eduardo Nunez hasn’t looked like the same guy that boosted the Red Sox lineup on the brink of contention. Everyone in this lineup has struggled at some point this season.

But when on a hot streak, this lineup can take the league by storm. There were several hot hitters that led us to our amazing start, and a few of our hitters are still on fire. J.D. Martinez is 21 for his last 47 (.447) and has hit 3 dingers in that span. Mookie Betts has been on fire all season. Read more about Betts’ hot streak in the next section.

Mookie Betts Still On Fire, Now He’s Making History

Betts is batting .352 (5th in the league) with 13 home runs (leading the league) and a 1.257 OPS (leading the league) on the season. In addition, he’s 12 for his last 23 (.522). He has hit 11 of the homers in his last 15 games and has had two 3 HR games this season (one soon after Marathon Monday in Anaheim, and another at Fenway this week against the Royals). It’s only the start of May, and he had these 3 HR games within two weeks of each other. He also had a pair of 3 HR games back in 2016. He and Johnny Mize are the only players to ever have a pair of 3 HR games two times in their career.

Betts also passed Ted Williams for the most 3-HR games in team history. Betts is only 25. He has plenty of time in his career for more multi-HR games. Could he become the first person to have two 3-HR games in three different seasons? Could he eventually break the MLB 3 HR game record? It is currently held by Mize and Sammy Sosa (6). Betts is in the Top 10 with 4. Betts is tied for 2nd with Manny Machado for multi-HR games since 2016 (11). Betts and Machado are behind just Giancarlo Stanton (14). Betts is more than just our leadoff hitter. He is one of baseball’s biggest stars. But there is an argument for why he should remain our leadoff hitter, and I look at that in my next Baseball Bits.

Injury Report: Thornburg Begins Rehab, Several Activated Over Last Two Weeks

The Red Sox have continued to be hit by the injury bug. Brock Holt went on the DL in late April with a hamstring strain. Mookie Betts was also hurt for a few days in late April with hamstring issues but has since returned and continued to dominate. He also left today’s game with a wrist injury. But several of our previously injured players have returned over the last couple of weeks. Xander Bogaerts was activated last weekend, and he lost his hot streak on the DL, but he went 3-4 in his first game back and has continued to hit well, batting .303 since his return. Bobby Poyner has also returned from his injury but did not return to the big league roster until May 4th after a stint with the Paw Sox.

Steven Wright has returned from the DL too, but he is currently serving a 15-game domestic violence suspension. Joe Kelly recently returned from his 6-game suspension after the Sox-Yankees brawl in April. Eduardo Rodriguez was also out for a few days on a family medical leave but was activated on the 5th to start against the Rangers. He did not miss a start during his absence. Tyler Thornburg, Austin Maddox, Marco Hernandez, Brock Holt, and Dustin Pedroia are the players that remain on the DL. Thornburg has begun his rehab assignment, and Pedroia has been rehabbing at extended spring training. Pedey is targeting a May 25 big league return. Brock Holt is expected to return next week.

Sox Have Caught a Break vs. Royals, Rangers, But Round 2 With Flaming Hot Yankees Ahead

After a tough road trip, the Red Sox have enjoyed a relatively easy schedule over the last week and a half. They have played the Rays, Royals, and Rangers. Despite having a tough time against the Rays (who have won 11 of their last 14 on a hot streak), the Red Sox have caught a break against the Royals and Rangers, who they won 5 of 7 against. But after that, the Red Sox could have another difficult stretch ahead, starting with a 3 game series at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have won 14 of their last 15, and this was against playoff contenders.

The Yanks have swept the Twins, Indians, and Angels, and took 3 of 4 in Houston. If the Yankees continue to thrive against Boston, they will be proven as serious contenders. But Boston had an impressive 17-2 stretch of their own. Although it may not have been against as difficult opponents, the Sox did take 2 out of 3 when they hosted the Yankees. However, the Yankees were without C.C. Sabathia and Aaron Hicks in that series. They have also called up Gleyber Torres, who has done very well since that series. They have lost Jordan Montgomery and a couple relievers to the DL since the series though.

That’s all for this edition of the Red Sox Report. Stay tuned for more Red Sox posts coming soon.

Red Sox Report: Red Sox On A Roll Despite Many Injuries

April 16, 2018May 6, 2018 Andrew Roberts MLB, Red Sox, Red Sox Report, Uncategorized A's, Anaheim, Andrew Benintendi, Angels, Athletics, B's, Benny, Big Papi, Bobby Poyner, Boston, Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, Brad Marchand, Bruins, Celtics, Celts, Chris Sale, David Ortiz, David Pastrnak, David Price, Drew Pomeranz, E-Rod, Eduardo Rodriguez, Halos, Hanley Ramirez, J.D. Martinez, Joe Kelly, Khris Davis, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Angels, Matt Chapman, Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Oakland, Oakland A's, Oakland Athletics, Patrice Bergeron, Rafael Devers, Red Sox, Rick Porcello, Shohei Ohtani, Sonny Gray, Sox, Steven Wright, Tyler Austin, Tyler Thornburg, X-Man, Xander Bogaerts

(040818 Boston, MA) Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts is helped off the field after he injured his foot during the 7th inning of the game at Fenway Park in Boston on Sunday,April 8, 2018. Staff Photo by Nancy Lane

Can Boston teams sustain any more injuries? First, the Celtics lost Gordon Hayward on Opening Night and later lost Kyrie Irving for the season. Then the Bruins began sustaining a lot of injuries, and although they are still a strong playoff contender, it seems like another player goes down every time somebody returns. And now as the Red Sox are off to a hot start, they are far from full strength.

Even though Eduardo Rodriguez has returned and Drew Pomeranz will be back soon, the Red Sox have continued to lose players to injuries. This past week, Xander Bogaerts, Hanley Ramirez, Bobby Poyner, Mookie Betts, and David Price have all missed or left games due to injuries. Hanley surprisingly only missed a game after taking a fastball on his hand/wrist area. He hit a mammoth line drive HR in his first game back keeping his hot start going.

The Rivalry is Back: Red Sox Win In Heated First Series vs. Yankees

The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry is back and better than ever. This year, with the Sox and Yankees likely to compete for the AL East title, expect exciting games between these two teams. It did not take long for the intensity to get going in the first series. There were two bench-clearing incidents in the second game. I expect the tension to carry over into the next Red Sox-Yankees series and likely all of the remaining sixteen games.

Despite numerous injuries sustained by both teams, this was not a series you would want to miss. After a hot 8-1 start, the Red Sox were confident and ready to prove that their strong start was not a fluke. After the Sox blew out the Yankees 14-1 in game 1, the Yankees came into game 2 with a little more fight. They won the game and Yankees DH Tyler Austin spiked SS Brock Holt when he slid into second. Tensions flared and benches cleared.

Another bench-clearing brawl occurred when Joe Kelly retaliated by hitting Tyler Austin later in the game and Austin charged the mound. This one got both Kelly and Austin ejected and both of them have since been suspended. Both players appealed to stay in the series and on the active roster until the hearing. You will not want to miss a Red Sox-Yankees game this year as they are clearly the best 2 teams in the AL East.

By the time this game was over, starters Tanaka and Price were long gone as neither lasted too long. Price had the worst outing of his career lasting only 1 inning. He left after giving up 4 runs and was pulled before starting the 2nd due to a tingling sensation in his fingers. It was a cold night and sports radio talk has speculated Price’s issues were related to the cold, his elbow, or maybe even anxiety. Regardless, the Sox need Price healthy so whatever it was, the team and fans hope it was an isolated issue and he returns to pitching as well as he did to finish last season and start this one.

On A Roll: Lineup and Rotation Have Shown Flashes of Excellence

The Red Sox may be missing a lot of players due to injuries but the lineup has been hot of late after a slow start and their rotation has looked like one the best in the MLB all season (except Price’s bad outing). Hanley Ramirez is on fire despite suffering a wrist contusion this week and J.D. Martinez has heated up after taking a week or so to adjust to his new team. He now has 3 HR and 13 RBI on the season, including a grand slam in Boston’s comeback attempt in Game 2 against the Yankees.

The Red Sox have now hit 3 grand slams this season while they had none in 2017. Mookie Betts has also been on fire all season, batting .353, and Bogaerts was just as hot before his ankle injury on Sunday that got him placed on the 10-day DL. Andrew Benintendi started hitting well at home and is 10 for his last 26.

The rotation has shown flashes of dominance too, and Red Sox starters have pitched quality starts in 3 of the last 6 games. Rick Porcello even had a no-hitter through six on Thursday. The defense has helped the pitching playing nearly flawless all year with only 3 errors on the season. Jackie Bradley Jr. had an amazing catch this past Saturday that has SportsCenter Top 10 of the year potential.

Red Hot Hanley: Ramirez Riding 10-Game Hitting Streak, Is He Back To His Pre-2015 Form?

The Red Sox were expecting another power hitter to support Big Papi when they signed Hanley Ramirez back in the 2014-15 off-season. But a shoulder injury in 2015 limited Ramirez and he fell short of expectations in 2015 and 2016. Hanley looked better in 2017 but without Big Papi, he only hit .242 with 23 HR and 62 RBI. This season Hanley has been off to a great start. He is riding a 10-game hitting streak and he has hit 3 home runs and leads the AL in RBI. He is also hitting .362/.415/.617. You could argue that he has returned to the pre-2015 form that led the Sox to sign him to a very big contract.

After going down with a wrist contusion on Thursday, some speculated that he would not keep this up when he returned. But he was ready to go for Saturday’s game he quieted the doubters and hit a home run in his first at-bat. If he keeps this up, he will remain an everyday starter on the Sox, something that was not a given to begin the season. Do you think Hanley Ramirez is back to his pre-2015 form, or will he cool down?

Injury Update: Who’s Out, What To Expect

The Red Sox sustained lots of injuries this week. Xander Bogaerts was placed on the DL April 8th after hurting his ankle when chasing a ball into the Rays dugout. On Wednesday, David Price left the game but it looks like he won’t miss a start. Bobby Poyner went down with a hamstring injury in the same game as Price and was placed on the DL.

Mookie Betts left Saturday’s game after suffering a foot contusion by colliding with Orioles catcher Chance Sisco while sliding into home. He is now day to day, but he was out of the lineup Sunday.

The good news is that Drew Pomeranz will be returning this Thursday or Friday after a strong rehab start in Portland, giving up just 2 runs in 5 1/3 innings. Relievers Steven Wright and Tyler Thornburg are also making progress in their rehab.

I do expect the Red Sox to stay hot but these injuries could eventually hold the team back, especially with a tough road trip including visits to Anaheim and Oakland coming up. The A’s are led by power hitting out of veteran Khris Davis and breakout star Matt Chapman. The Angels are led by two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani and star hitter Mike Trout. They have a stacked lineup that has helped them get off to a hot start as they lead AL West. The Sox will face Ohtani in Game 1 of the series because their game on Sunday was postponed. Will the Red Sox be able to stay hot against these two teams despite injuries?

Sox Prepare To Face Ohtani In Game 1 Of West Coast Road Trip

The Red Sox will head out west after their Marathon Monday game against Baltimore was rained out and the first game is against young Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani. He has dominated at the plate and on the mound, and he is the probable starter on Tuesday. Ohtani has become known as the HR-hitting ace. He has hit 3 HR and is batting .367/.424/.767 in 8 games at the plate. As a starting pitcher, he is 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 2 games on the mound.

Stay tuned for more Red Sox posts coming soon.

Crazy 8th for Sox 8th Win

April 8, 2018April 8, 2018 Andrew Roberts Game Recaps, MLB, Red Sox, Uncategorized Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Adeiny Hechavarria, Alex Colome, Andrew Benintendi, Andrew Kittredge, Billy McKinney, Bobby Poynner, Bogey, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brad Miller, Brandon Drury, Brian Johnson, Brock Holt, C-Vazzy, C.C. Sabathia, C.J. Cron, Carlos Gomez, Carson Smith, Craig Kimbrel, Daniel Robertson, E-Rod, Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Rodriguez, Gary Sanchez, Giancarlo Stanton, Hanley, Hanley Ramirez, Hector Velazquez, J.D. Martinez, Jacoby Ellsbury, Joe Kelly, Joey Wendle, Kevin Kiermaier, Matt Andriese, Matt Duffy, Mitch Moreland, MLB, Mookie Betts, New York, New York Yankees, Rafael Devers, Rays, Red Sox, Red Sox-Yankees, Ryan Yarbrough, Sox, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Rays, Tyler Wade, Xander Bogaerts, Yankees, Yanks

After a 7-1 start to the season for the Red Sox, things were not looking good for them today. They were down 7-2 heading into the 8th inning, as the Rays had scored at least one run in six straight innings. Eduardo Rodriguez had been knocked out of the game after 3.2 innings, forcing the Red Sox to use numerous relievers to finish off the game. The bullpen struggled as Hector Velazquez, Bobby Poyner, and Brian Johnson gave up four runs in 3 1/3 innings But the Red Sox came all the way back to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-7 and extend their winning streak to eight games. Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts extended their hitting streaks to 7 games each, as they led the Sox offense.

The Red Sox started off strong with a leadoff double by Mookie Betts, and Betts was driven in by Hanley Ramirez’s groundout. But the Rays struck back quickly, with DH C.J. Cron hitting a solo homer. Early on, Eduardo Rodriguez was doing well, striking out five batters, including the side in the 1st inning. But the Rays were working the count and and E-Rod’s was over 70 after three innings.

While the Rays were not crushing the ball after Cron’s home run, they scored one run every inning from the 2nd all the way to the 7th. In the 3rd inning, E-Rod gave up a walk followed by a infield single that was originally ruled an out. Matt Duffy was clearly safe, so it was a smart challenge by the Rays. The run scored on a double by Carlos Gomez.

In the 4th inning, Daniel Robertson reached on another infield single for the Rays. 3B Rafael Devers could not make the throw in time. That was followed by a Brad Miller walk, and Adeiny Hechavarria drove in the run with a bloop single that Andrew Benintendi couldn’t quite get to. The Rays were trying to continue the rally, as Matt Duffy singled again after E-Rod left the game, but Hector Velazquez came in to get the last out.

Velazquez gave up a run in the next inning, as Daniel Robertson singled, stole second, and came home on Brad Miller’s base hit. The Sox chipped away in the bottom of that inning. They loaded the bases after a walk, a Christian Vazquez single, and another walk. Rays reliever Ryan Yarbrough had come in to replace Andrew Kittredge after two innings. Today, the Rays reliever combo to start was game was able to hold the Sox to just two runs through six innings, but it was not easy.

With two outs in the fifth, Hanley Ramirez ripped an infield single that Adeiny Hechavarria snagged to save more runs from scoring. J.D. Martinez followed, but struck out with the bases loaded. Martinez was the only Sox starter without a hit, but that did not keep the Sox from winning.

The Rays scored again in the 6th after Kevin Kiermaier hit a triple off the Green Monster to drive in Matt Duffy, who had walked. Kiermaier hit the triple off of Bobby Poyner, but Velazquez was charged with the run as he had walked Duffy before leaving the game. Brian Johnson came in in the 7th and struggled, giving up two more runs. Daniel Robertson walked, and came home on a triple by pinch hitter Joey Wendle. On that play, Xander Bogaerts hurt his ankle as he had to chase the ball into the Rays dugout after throwing to third before Devers was there. He will be evaluated further on Monday, but his timetable is currently unknown. Bogaerts was helped off the field, and it was really concerning when he couldn’t leave without assistance because he has been Boston’s best hitter so far this season. Brock Holt came in to replace him.

Tampa scored their second run of the inning off Johnson after a sac fly drove in Wendle. The Sox failed to get things going in the bottom of the 7th, but after Carson Smith came into the game, the Rays failed to score another run. They loaded the bases after a walk, a Carlos Gomez single, and a walk. But Smith escaped the inning by striking out Daniel Robertson.

This looked like it was going to be a Rays win, as after Hanley Ramirez led things off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch, the next two batters struck out and flew out.

But with two outs, Mitch Moreland, who was a doubles machine last year, hit his first double (and hit) of 2018, driving in Ramirez to make it 7-3 Rays. Eduardo Nunez singled and Moreland advanced to third. Rafael Devers then knocked a ball down the third base line that bounced off the left field garage, allowing both Moreland and Nunez to score.

Jul 5, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) reacts after giving up a home run against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

With that, Rays reliever Matt Andriese was done, and Rays closer Alex Colome came in, hoping to secure the 7-5 lead the Rays were still holding on to. The Red Sox had done well against Colome in the home opener. Just in case the rally continued, Cora got star closer Craig Kimbrel warming up in the bullpen next to Joe Kelly.

Christian Vazquez kept the rally alive with a base hit. Devers scored, making it 7-6 Red Sox. Vazquez advanced to second on another wild pitch. Mookie Betts tied it up with a line single to left as Vazquez came in to score with a nifty slide to avoid the tag. Andrew Benintendi kept the rally alive by doubling to the left field gap to drive in Betts. The outfielders were playing shallow as Benny’s double did not reach the Green Monster. It was now 8-7 Red Sox.

Kimbrel came in and quickly retired the side, as the Red Sox locked up their comeback victory, 8-7. This was by far their most exciting game of the season. The Sox faced easy opponents, but the Red Sox are now 8-1 to start the season, their best record ever after nine games. They had not even started 7-1 since 1904, a World Series-winning year.

The Red Sox head into their three-game series against the Yankees on fire. Will they win their first series against their archrivals? The Yankees have been depleted by injuries, and are just 5-5 after losing to Baltimore today in a 12 inning game. With Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird, Brandon Drury, Aaron Hicks, Jacoby Ellsbury, C.C. Sabathia, and Billy McKinney all injured, the Sox should certainly have the edge.

Red Sox Offense Sparks Comeback vs. Yankees

August 19, 2017 Andrew Roberts Game Recaps, MLB, Red Sox Aaron Hicks, Addison Reed, Andrew Benintendi, Bogey, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brett Gardner, Chase Headley, Christian Vazquez, Craig Kimbrel, Didi Gregorius, Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Nunez, Gary Sanchez, Heath Hembree, JBJ, Joe Kelly, Mitch Moreland, Mookie Betts, New York, New York Yankees, Rafael Devers, Red Sox, Robby Scott, Ronald Torreyes, Sox, Todd Frazier, Xander Bogaerts, Yankees, Yanks

It was the bottom of the 7th, with the Sox down 6-3. But the bases were loaded for Mookie Betts. He flew out, but Vazquez scored from third. That was followed by an Andrew Benintendi single that knocked in JBJ. After Hanley Ramirez loaded the bases again with a walk, Mitch Moreland came in to pinch hit. He got a nice pinch hit single, and both Nunez and Benintendi scored! The Red Sox had taken the 7-6 lead with a 4-run 7th!

The Red Sox won the series opener against the Yankees 9-6, in a back and forth game. Drew Pomeranz did exit in the 4th with back spasms, and the bullpen gave up 6 runs in the next 3 innings. However, the Red Sox were able to come back as the offense sparked and both Addison Reed and Craig Kimbrel had good outings.

Pomeranz started off the night strong. He struck out 4 and gave up just 4 hits in the first 3 innings. Meanwhile, the Red Sox offense was ambitious to start off the game strong. With 2 outs in the bottom of the 2nd, Xander Bogaerts hit a huge double off the monster that almost left the ballpark. Then with Bogey on 2nd, the red hot Rafael Devers came up to bat. Devers hit it in the same direction, right towards the monster. But this one was gone! Rafael Devers had hit another home run, his 7th career dinger, and he had only played 19 games so far.

The Red Sox had a 2-0 lead through 3. However, in the 4th, Pomeranz started throwing the ball way off, and they knew he was hurt. He had to be pulled from the game. Christian Vazquez extended Boston’s lead in the 5th though with a leadoff solo shot. He crushed it and it almost left the park completely.

But the Yankees struck back in the 6th. Headley singled, and Todd Frazier hit a 2-run shot to left center. The Red Sox were leading 3-2 but the Yankees were on a roll, and it continued in the 7th, starting with a Gary Sanchez leadoff solo shot to tie the game.

The Yankees weren’t done after that. Joe Kelly walked Gregorius and Headley singled to make it 1st and 2nd. Then Heath Hembree came in, only to walk another batter and load the bases for Ronald Torreyes. Torreyes hit a long single off the monster, and not just 1, but 2 runs scored. It was now 5-3 Yankees.

The Yanks weren’t done either. A Brett Gardner walk loaded the bases again, and after Robby Scott, the third pitcher of the inning hit Aaron Hicks by the pitch, the Yankees had a 3-run lead! The Red Sox ended up bringing in Addison Reed to finish the inning, their 4th pitcher in the 7th.

But the Red Sox struck back in the bottom of the 7th. Vazquez got on base again with a single, and JBJ walked to make it 1st and 2nd. Nunez got on base on an infield single, and the bases were loaded with just 1 out. Mookie Betts hit a sac fly to score in Vazquez. Then with men on 1st and 2nd, Benintendi singled to knock in JBJ! It was now just 6-5 Yankees. The Red Sox were coming back, and Mitch Moreland got the lead back for Boston with a pinch hit 2-run single! It was now 7-6 Red Sox going into the 8th.

Addison Reed pitched a quality inning for the Sox, and they scored again in the 8th. Devers singled and Vazquez walked. With JBJ batting, they each stole a base! So JBJ was up with 2 runners in scoring position, and single was enough to knock them both in. Now the Red Sox were the team with a 3 run lead.

Kimbrel came in and struck out the side to end the game! The Red Sox had won 9-6! What a game to start another series in this epic rivalry.

Chris Sale takes the mound tomorrow in hopes of another 10+ K game, and a win for the Red Sox. Will the Sox clinch the series with their ace on the mound?

Holt Grand Slam, Impressive Bullpen Leads Sox to Comeback Win

April 9, 2016April 9, 2016 Andrew Roberts Game Recaps, MLB, Red Sox, Uncategorized Big Papi, Blue Jays, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Brock Holt, Bullpen, Craig Kimbrel, Grand Slam, Hanley Ramirez, Jays, Joe Kelly, Josh Donaldson, Junichi Tazawa, Kevin Pillar, MLB, Pablo Sandoval, Panda, Red Sox, Rusney Castillo, Sox, Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays, Travis Shaw, Xander Bogaerts

Bases loaded, 1 out. Toronto led 7-2. Then suddenly, Holt cracked it into right, and it was gone!!!!

The Red Sox came back to haunt the Blue Jays after trailing by five at the end of the fourth. Their bullpen held the Jays to no scoring from innings 5-9, and their lineup produced 6 runs in the span of two innings. Brock Holt had a monstrous game, going 2-3 with 5 RBI, 1 run, a double and a grand slam. Xander Bogaerts added a 3 hit, 3 run game.

The Sox started off sloppy in the first inning with a 1-2-3 and a run given up by Joe Kelly. Kevin Pillar hit a lead off triple and with first and third, Edwin Encarnacion hit the sac fly that scored the run. By the end of the inning, despite two strikeouts, Kelly had given up a triple, two walks and a run off a sac fly. The Red Sox turned things around in the next couple innings. Hanley Ramirez got a single but was caught running to second. Travis Shaw and Brock Holt made up for it with back to back doubles that scored a run for the Sox. Starting Brock Holt and Travis Shaw rather than Panda and Castillo was worth it. It didn’t end for them there. Holt and Shaw had become a crucial part of the lineup. A Xander Bogaerts single along with an impressive RBI double by Big Papi scored the 2nd run for the Sox in the 3rd.

Joe Kelly also had more control in the 2nd and 3rd, he had two straight innings with only 1 hit or walk, but no 1-2-3 innings. In the 4th, Kelly just lost it. With Kevin Pillar up, he had given up four straight singles and a 2nd run. That’s when things just got worse. He hit Pillar in the head, scoring another run! Then Josh Donaldson, reigning AL MVP, came up to the plate. He crushed one into right and there went a grand slam. It was now 7-2 Blue Jays, Kelly had barely made it three innings, (he got pulled after the grand slam) and worst of all, it looked like the Red Sox could not win without David Price. Noe Ramirez even gave up two more hits before a third out in that same inning.

But in the 6th, the Red Sox began to prove everyone wrong. Xander Bogaerts drove a double to left, and Big Papi walked. When Hanley Ramirez grounded out, they both advanced a base. Travis Shaw then walked to load the bases. Guess who was back up? Brock Holt. Holt just barely got the grand slam to right. It looked like he would have to settle for a double but just reached the bullpen. The Sox had suddenly cut Toronto’s lead to just 1 run.

Meanwhile, the bullpen was impressing everyone. The Blue Jays lineup was held to just 1 hit since the dreaded 4th inning.

In the 7th, the Red Sox went on a two run, four hit rally. David Ortiz drove in run #1 of the inning on a base hit that drove in Pedroia. Hanley Ramirez drove in the 2nd run with Big Papi on first and Bogaerts on third. With that Bogaerts scored his third run of the game. It was now 8-7, the Red Sox leading. Junichi Tazawa additionally got the Boston bullpen their first 1-2-3 on the Jays. They were trying their hardest to stay in control until Craig Kimbrel was ready to close the game. After a quiet two innings for the Sox lineup, Kimbrel went out to finish the game on a 1-2-3.

After a game full of grand slams, rallying and big surprises, the Red Sox had come back to take down the Blue Jays 8-7. If they keep playing like this, they could actually fight for a playoff spot. Even if their rotation is iffy beyond Price, just as I said in my Opening Day Preview, the powerful lineup and bullpen just need to stay consistent for a good season. To go beyond getting a wild card, the Sox will need to be capable of outplaying the Jays head to head. That could be their key to their first pennant in three years. Catch game 2 of Red Sox @ Blue Jays on NESN. The Bruins also play their final regular season game as they fight for a playoff slot. Things are looking up for Boston Sports this weekend.

Scouting Report: Boston Red Sox

March 9, 2016March 19, 2016 Andrew Roberts MLB, Red Sox, Uncategorized Boston, Boston Red Sox, Carson Smith, Chris Young, Christian Vazquez, Craig Kimbrel, David Prive, E-Rod, Eduardo Rodriguez, Hanley Ramirez, Henry Owens, JBJ, Joe Kelly, Matt Wieters, MLB, Pablo Sandoval, Padres, Red Sox, Rick Porcello, Roenis Elias, Royals, Sox, Travis Shaw, Wade Miley, Yankees

After a 2013 World Series win, the Red Sox have been washed up earning themselves last place two years straight. Hopefully, this off season’s moves finally did the trick. The Red Sox have tried to make their team better but it’s been Murphy’s Law; all the players they sign have had horrible seasons in their first year on the team. If things work out their second years will be better. Also, hopefully guys they got this off season like David Price and Craig Kimbrel are a different story.

Off-Season Review

The Red Sox have had a pretty strong off season. They filled their holes at starting ace and in the bullpen, but the lineup is a concern. They didn’t focus on the lower rotation either.

The Red Sox started the off season relatively quiet. In Mid-November, they boosted their bullpen by receiving Craig Kimbrel from the Padres for Manuel Margot, Javier Guerra, Logan Allen and one other prospect. Kimbrel is one of the premier closers in the league. Aroldis Chapman, the only better closer in the MLB, in my opinion and was traded to their rivals the Yankees. However, he will miss 30 games due to taking PEDs. Andrew Miller will continue to close until that is over.

They also exercised Clay Buchholz’s club option to save him his spot in the rotation. However he looked crummy yesterday, which is fearful because of his even year struggles recently. The rest of November was quiet, but rumors surrounding pitchers David Price, Zack Greinke, Johnny Cueto and Darren O’ Day were in the air. They were favorites to sign Price. They finally reached a seven year, 217 million dollar deal in early December, just a couple days after the two-year signing of Chris Young, the ex-Yankees outfielder, not the Royals pitcher.

As the winter meetings came around they were trying to trade a lower rotation starter to save a rotation spot for either Joe Kelly or Henry Owens. Despite bad starts to the year, they had a great run late in the season. On December 7th, just a few days after the Price signing, the Sox traded Wade Miley and Jonathan Aro to the Mariners for more bullpen depth in Carson Smith and Roenis Elias. They filled their main needs, but they still had some minor ones afloat.

Besides minor league deals, the rest of the off season was relatively quiet, and they will have to figure out the rest in spring training. Anthony Varvaro, Roman Mendez, Carlos Marmol, Sandy Leon, Ali Solis, Chris Dominguez, David Murphy, Ryan LaMarre and Brennan Boesch highlighted the minor league non-roster invitees.

Off Season Grade: B+

Spring Training Questions

Will Christian Vazquez be ready to go?

Don’t expect Vazquez to start the season in the majors. He may need some more seasoning just to make sure he’s good to go, although in a Red Sox sim game, he said he was okay. Vazquez underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2015. He is almost one year removed, but catcher Matt Wieters returned too early, and that’s never a good thing. However, what other options do they have?

Unless Ryan Hanigan can stay at the majors level for an extended time again, Vazquez may be wanted as a backup catcher to Blake Swihart. It’s a tough decision.

Will the back end of the rotation perform?

Guys like Eduardo Rodriguez and Rick Porcello have potential for a bounce back season, but Clay Buchholz and Joe Kelly may be questionable. I was very worried when E-Rod got hurt — all that potential gone but when he’s ready to pitch, he can emerge into an SP2 role. Porcello had one bad year. He’s still in his prime and he was once a mediocre SP3-SP4 in the league. Buchholz also worried me on Sunday when he pitched badly. But the back end of the Red Sox rotation can bounce back if they have enough good pitching to beat out the bad.

How will the young guys do?

I’m a little worried about JBJ and Rusney Castillo’s abilities to hit, but Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts and Eduardo Rodriguez are a young trio of breakout candidates across the team. Yoan Moncada and Andrew Benintendi could crash the majors in 2016. Deven Marrero and Travis Shaw looked like they could stay in the majors. Henry Owens could start in a relief role, and eventually become a spot starter.

There is a lot of strong prospects high and low in the Red Sox system. Between their non-roster invitees, younger starters, and minor league prospects on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox’s farm system is piled with strong players.

Will Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez adjust?

This is a tough one to answer. These are two former all star sluggers that were good for a long period of time on just a couple of teams who signed with the Red Sox last off season. In the end, Murphy’s Law; as soon as they joined the Sox, they suddenly sucked and Ramirez didn’t even have a place in the organization after a failed attempt to move to left field.

Hanley Ramirez reportedly looked good in fielding drills with Brian Butterfield at first. He struggled in the first few exhibition games, but has bounced back recently. Sandoval however, came in to camp in very bad shape, and is attempting to adjust back to switch hitting. He made some decemy catches and plate appearances in some of the games, but has had a high number of errors in the games.

Right now it’s Hanley on an uptrend, Panda not so much, but that could change. Panda did look good at the plate despite fielding and health issues. Ramirez needs work at the plate, too. Changing to first still could be a little rough though. He may have hope if he can hit like he did early in 2015. So, it could go either way with these two mysteries.

Red Sox Projected Roster

Rotation

David Price

Eduardo Rodriguez

Clay Buchholz

Joe Kelly

Rick Porcello

Bullpen

Craig Kimbrel (CL)

Koji Uehara

Junichi Tazawa

Carson Smith

Roenis Elias

Robbie Ross Jr.

Tommy Layne

Lineup

Mookie Betts (RF)
Dustin Pedroia (2B)
Xander Bogaerts (SS)
David Ortiz (DH)
Hanley Ramirez (1B)
Pablo Sandoval (3B)
Rusney Castillo (LF)
Blake Swihart (C)
Jackie Bradley Jr. (CF)

Bench

Chris Young

Christian Vazquez**

Brock Holt

Travis Shaw/David Muprhy

**If Vazquez isn’t ready to go by Opening Day, it will be Ryan Hanigan in his place.

That’s all for today. Check out my Cubs article coming soon.

Swihart Makes History, Red Sox Catch Mets

August 29, 2015August 29, 2015 Andrew Roberts Game Recaps, MLB, Red Sox Big Papi, Blake Swihart, Boston, Boston Red Sox, Carlos Torres, Craig Breslow, David Ortiz, David Wright, Henry Owens, Jackie Bradley Jr., Jacob DeGrom, JBJ, Joe Kelly, Josh Rutledge, Junichi Tazawa, Mets, MLB, Mookie Betts, New York, New York Mets, Red Sox, Sox, Tommy Layne, Travis d'Arnaud, Wilmer Flores, Xander Bogaerts, Yoenis Cespedes

The Red Sox caught the Mets and beat them in extras 6-4. In the 10th tied 3-3, Blake Swihart hit a ball that appeared to go high off the padding of the center field wall for an inside the park dinger by Swihart. Even though replays later appeared to show the ball hit above the wall, the call stood making Swihart the first Red Sox player with an inside-the-park HR since September 9, 2011 and the first Red Sox catcher in over 70 years. They weren’t done as JBJ singled and Mookie Betts doubled. Josh Rutledge then hit a sac fly that drove in Bradley Jr. 5-3. Mookie Betts scored when Xander Bogaerts singled in the next at bat.

In the bottom of the inning, Junichi Tazawa struggled after the first 2 outs. He walked 4 straight, giving the Mets their 4th run. Good thing the Sox got those insurance runs. He appeared to hurt his back on a double play that stopped Wilmer Flores from advancing after a single. Craig Breslow was the only Sox left in the pen and got Cespedes to fly out to earn the save. Tommy Layne who pitched the 9th got the win. Carlos Torres, who gave up the inside the park homer took the loss.

The Mets scored first off Henry Owens in the 4th inning. The Sox rarely win when their opponents score first. Wilmer Flores doubled and Travis d’Arnaud singled him in. 1-0 Mets. In the 5th David Wright singled and Michael Cuddyer drove him in with another. 2-0. But the Red Sox answered with a 7th inning rally. Big Papi got it started with a solo shot to center and JBJ went deep to drive in Swihart, who had singled and stole second. 3-2 Red Sox. The Mets tied it up in the bottom of the inning. Yoenis Cespedes walked and David Wright singled him to second. Ogando walked the next two batters for the first of two runs scored on walks by New York.

In the 8th, Sandoval hit a ball about 2 inches that was ruled in play for an easy out. He was thrown out of the game for arguing the call. Josh Rutledge took over second and Brock Holt moved to third.

Tommy Layne kept the Sox alive in the bottom of the 9th. Then Swihart made history to spark the 3-run 10th.

Watch today’s game at 4:05 pm. It’s Jacob DeGrom, the surprise ace for the Mets, and Joe Kelly for the Sox. Kelly is undefeated in August, going 5-0 through 5 starts. He hopes to continue his streak after an extremely disappointing first four months.

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