Shipping Up To Boston - MLB 19 The Show Boston Red Sox Franchise

[TheJoker12]

Red Sox Playoff Reset: Astros win World Series over Cubs as Sox left wondering what might have been



It was tough to watch the Houston Astros celebrating their second World Series title in three years after defeating the Chicago Cubs in six games. With Chris Sale likely having been able to return for the World Series, one can only wonder if a better ALCS Game 7 performance may have been all the Sox needed to win their second straight championship.

Before we move on to the offseason, we thought we'd have a quick look back at the 2019 Red Sox postseason, and hand out some grades.

A+
None.

- When you finish first in the league during the season but manage just a 6-6 record in the playoffs, no one is worthy of an A+ grade.

A
Drew Steckenrider - 1-0, 4 saves, 7.2 ip, 10 strikeouts, 0.00 era, 0.39 whip
- Steckenrider was brilliant, and has all but locked down the closing role for 2020. The only negative you could point to would be the innings - in 12 postseason games, you have to wonder if Steck should have been used more frequently.

A-
Dustin Pedroia - 13-39 (.333), 7 runs, 0 home runs, 4 rbi, 0 stolen bases, .845 ops
Jackie Bradley Jr. - 14-44 (.318), 9 runs, 1 home run, 4 rbi, 3 stolen bases, .913 ops

- Two veterans delivered arguably the best two performances of any player on the Sox this postseason. Pedroia did what he did all season, although his OPS was significantly higher. JBJ was terrific, and as a result ended up hitting lead-off for almost the entire ALCS.

B+
Sandy Leon - 6-27 (.222), 4 runs, 2 home runs, 6 rbi, 0 stolen bases, .845 ops
Eduardo Nunez - 4-9 (.444), 1 run, 0 home runs, 0 rbi, 1 stolen base, 1.000 ops
Rick Porcello - 1-0, 13.1 ip, 11 strikeouts, 2.70 era, 1.20 whip
Darwinzon Hernandez - 1-0, 11.0 ip, 6 strikeouts, 2.45 era, 0.82 whip

- Leon didn't pick up a ton of hits this postseason, but two of his six left the park and he drove in six runs in total, tied for second on the team. He also was exceptional behind the plate, throwing out over 65% of attempted base stealers. Porcello delivered the best start of the postseason for the Sox when he nearly went the distance in Game 2 of the ALCS. Porcello is in the final year of a 4 year/$82.5 mil contract, and will need to accept a significant pay cut if he's going to remain in Boston.

B
Eduardo Rodriguez - 0-0, 14.1ip, 14 strikeouts, 3.77 era, 1.12 whip
Bud Norris - 0-0, 4.2 ip, 3 strikeouts, 1.93 era, 1.50 whip

- ERod saved the Red Sox in the ALDS, and as a result may have compromised himself for the ALCS. He lasted just two innings in Game 7 before leaving with an arm injury, which was later reported as arm fatigue. Norris was effective, but unfortunately his performance down the stretch in the season caused Alex Cora to lose faith in the reliever. It is unlikely that the Sox will exercise their team option on him.

B-
Christian Vazquez - 3-8 (.375), 1 run, 0 home runs, 0 rbi, 0 stolen bases, 1.000 ops
Jose Alvarez - 0-1, 1 save, 7.1 ip, 6 strikeouts, 3.68 era, 1.36 whip
David Price - 1-1, 17.2 ip, 12 strikeouts, 4.58 era, 1.64 whip

- Unfortunately David Price couldn't quite replicate his 2018 postseason, nor could he do what he did down the stretch for the Red Sox, when he finished on a 13-0 run. He was excellent in his one relief appearance, however. Alvarez was okay at times but not great at others - not exactly what you are looking for out of your primary setup man.

C+
Michael Chavis - 1-5 (.200), 2 runs, 0 home runs, 0 rbi, 0 stolen bases, .733 ops
Brock Holt - 1-10 (.100), 1 run, 1 home run, 1 rbi, 0 stolen bases, .500 ops

- The rookie Chavis wasn't ask to do a whole lot this postseason, although if he had showed signs of his life he may have been given more starts with the Red Sox offense scuffling. Brock Holt only had one hit, but it was huge, and therefore he earns the C+ grade.

C
Xander Bogaerts - 10-42 (.238), 6 runs, 2 home runs, 6 rbi, 1 stolen base, .707 ops
Andrew Benintendi - 10-49 (.204), 5 runs, 2 home runs, 11 rbi, 1 stolen base, .608 ops
Alex Cora - 6-6 record

- After a disastrous first four games of the playoffs, Bogaerts was one of the Red Sox best players the rest of the way, and delivered the game-winning hit in Game 5 of the ALDS. Benintendi found his stroke when he was switched to second in the lineup - something we may see done permanently next year. Alex Cora couldn't quite replicate the magic of 2018, when every move he made worked. You can't put all the blame on Cora, but you could question several of his decisions.

C-
Mitch Moreland - 4-16 (.250), 1 run, 0 home runs, 2 rbi, 0 stolen bases, .681 ops
Steve Pearce - 5-19 (.363), 1 run, 0 home runs, 3 rbi, 0 stolen bases, .602 ops

- Neither player was terrible, but neither helped spark an offense that struggled to score runs on a consistent basis. Pearce was a bit better than Moreland, and as a result received more at-bats, but his .602 OPS is far from impressive. There is a chance that neither player will return for 2020.

D+
Jarren Duran - 5-33 (.152), 3 runs, 0 home runs, 2 rbi, 2 stolen bases, .506 ops
Jerad Eickhoff - 0-0, 3.0ip, 4 strikeouts, 6.00 era, 2.00 whip

- Duran looked overmatched, and it was a lot to ask for a rookie hitter to play a month of the season before being thrown headfirst into postseason action against two of the best teams in the league. When he did get on base he was able to swipe two bases - the problem, however, was that he was rarely able to get on.

D
J.D. Martinez - 9-45 (.200), 4 runs, 1 home run, 6 rbi, 0 stolen bases, 6.13 ops
Nathan Eovaldi - 0-3, 13.0ip, 11 strikeouts, 6.92 era, 1.77 whip
Ryan Brasier - 0-1, 7.1ip, 12 strikeouts, 8.59 era, 1.36 whip

- Not the three names you want to see this far down on a grading list. Considering the Sox were just one game away from the World Series, and they received just one home run from Martinez, three losses from Eovaldi, and a 8.59 era from Brasier, and you can't help but wonder where the team would have ended up had these three players been even average.

F
Rafael Devers - 4-39 (.103), 4 runs, 0 home runs, 3 rbi, 0 stolen bases, .336 ops

- Not much more to say here. The stat line speaks for itself. Here's hoping Devers can shake this off and return to the dangerous hitter he proved himself to be during the regular season.



THREE OFF-SEASON STORYLINES TO FOLLOW

1. Who will be signed long-term?
The Red Sox have a number of restricted free agents this year, including Eduardo Rodriguez, Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., and of course - Mookie Betts. The team also has to make decisions on pending Free Agents Brock Holt, Rick Porcello, Mitch Moreland, and Steve Pearce. Ideally, Dave Dombrowski would like to lock up at least two of those RFAs, and likely would want to bring back at least Holt and Porcello, if the price is right.

2. The trade market
Losing is frustrating, but it would be a mistake for Dombrowski and the Red Sox brass to blow this team up. After all, they set a record for wins last season and won the World Series, only to respond with 105 wins and a Game 7 ALCS appearance. Instead, minor tweaks may need to be made - and this could be done via the trade. Two names to watch out for? Nathan Eovaldi and David Price. If the Red Sox want to extend some of those players listed above, they are going to need to free up some cap space - and right now, Price and Eovaldi are making nearly 40 million between them.

3. Dustin Pedroia's retirement
Pedroia had a strong rebound year in 2019 after missing nearly all of 2018 with a knee injury. He made 394 plate appearances and hit .325, although his power was significantly lower as he managed just five home runs. Will Pedroia return for 2020? There were rumours that if the Sox had won the World Series he was going to call it a career - but with the team losing in heartbreaking fashion, might he return for one last run?

[TheJoker12]

Red Sox Off-Season Reset: If the Price is right - Sox ship lefty to the Cardinals in exchange for depth, cap space



When you have a number of young stars like the Red Sox do, sacrifices have to be made. David Price just learned that the hard way. With players like Eduardo Rodriguez, Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., and Mookie Betts needing long-term extensions, the Sox needed to make a significant move to free up some cap space. They did so by sending Price, and his $31 million/year salary to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Joining Price is young starting pitcher Herb Tyler. In return, the Red Sox picked up three players - RF Jose Martinez, LHP Brett Cecil, and SP Dakota Hudson.

Since entering the league with the Cardinals, all Martinez has done is hit. Last season, he set a career high in home runs (19) and runs scored (71) while putting up an impressive .845 OPS. His problem has been his defense - he's been a man without a position. Last year he made a shocking 16 errors, mainly in the outfield. It was only a matter of time before Martinez moved to the AL where he could become a DH, and the Sox jumped at the opportunity to add a slugger who is currently making just $1.7 million/year.

Cecil, and his $7.6 million/year contract, was thrown in to give the Cardinals a bit of cap relief. He was awful for St. Louis in 2018 (6.89 era, 1.96 whip) and missed all of last season with an elbow injury. While the Red Sox hope he will compete for the second left-handed reliever spot in the 'pen, there isn't much optimism there.

The young Dakota Hudson is an intriguing addition. He was hit around pretty good in his brief appearance with the big-league club in 2019, allowing 71 hits in 58 2/3 innings, but he has potential as either a starter or a reliever. He will likely start the season in AAA with Pawtucket.

And thus, the David Price era comes to an end in Boston. It was tumultuous at times - it was awesome at others, and neither the club nor player should possess hard feelings about how it ended.

Some other notes from the 2019/2020 off-season:

Yastrzemski returns to Boston
No, not that Yastrzemski unfortunately. The Sox announced an additional trade on top of the David Price move today, as they acquired Mike Yastrzemski, the grandson of legendary Red Sox hitter Carl Yastrzemski, in exchange for outfielder Cole Sturgeon. Yastrzemski will join the club for Spring Training, although is likely to start in AAA with Pawtucket.

Pedroia will play at least another year; several other stars hang up the cleats
There was some speculation that 2019 may be the last season for Dustin Pedroia, but with a disappointing loss to the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the ALCS, the former MVP has decided to return for at least one more season. The fact that he's earning $13.7 million/year was likely a motivating factor as well. Several star players have decided to retire, however, including former Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury. Other names include C.C. Sabathia, Troy Tulowitzki, Albert Pujols, Hunter Pence, and Adam Wainwright.

Porcello, Holt return; Nunez, Moreland, Norris out
The Sox had a number of free agents to deal with, and announced today they locked up two of them to extensions. Rick Porcello will return on a 4-year/$30 million contract - a ridiculous hometown discount. Brock Holt will also be back, as he accepted a 3-year/$8 million contract. Two names you won't be seeing next year? Eduardo Nunez and Mitch Moreland. The team has decided to move on from both players. The team also stated they declined to exercise their option on Bud Norris, who will once again become a free agent.



ERod and JBJ earn extensions
Eduardo Rodriguez emerged as one of the Red Sox best pitchers this past season, and he's been rewarded with a five-year extension worth $42 million, with a player option on the fifth year. Likewise, Jackie Bradley Jr. had an outstanding year, both in the field and at the plate, and as a result was given a four-year contract worth $24 million.

Benintendi and Betts hit arbitration
Unfortunately, the Red Sox were unable to lock up either of their star corner outfielders. Betts has repeatedly stated that he wants to test the Free Agent market following 2020, and is likely betting on himself after suffering a devastating knee injury in August of last season. He will make $12.1 million this year. Benintendi, on the other hand, has expressed a desire to stay in Boston long-term, but the two sides weren't able to come to an agreement. He will make $9.1 million this year before potentially facing arbitration again next off-season.

Japanese star set to join Sox as team adds more bench and bullpen depth
The 27-year-old Japanese League star Tetsuto Yamada will be joining the Boston Red Sox for the 2020 season. Yamada has power (34 home runs in 2018) and speed (33 stolen bases in 2018), and plays terrific defense. The team also announced several other Free Agent signings including 3B David Freese, 1B Steve Pearce (who was initially let go by the Sox but agreed to come back on a team-friendly deal), SS J.T. Riddle, and RP Tony Watson.

Final Verdict
Depth was the name of the game this off-season. After a year which featured a rash of injuries and the Sox forced to call upon young players like Michael Chavis, Darwinzon Hernandez, and Jared Durran well before they wanted to, Dave Dombrowski made it priority number one to add big-league depth. Jose Martinez is a perfect example. When Mookie Betts went down, the Sox were stuck, and had to rely on a 22-year-old rookie to fill his spot. While Martinez will likely be limited to DH duties only, it allows Cora to use the other Martinez - J.D. - in the field to spell Betts and Benintendi more frequently. Yamada could be the steal of the off-season, and will likely receive a number of starts at second base in place of Dustin Pedroia, who will need to be monitored closely once again. Tony Watson and Brett Cecil will both compete for late-inning roles in the bullpen. And David Freese still has some pop in the bat coming off the bench. There were no major additions, and it remains to be seen how the Red Sox will make up for the loss of David Price, but the team is in much better position to handle any injuries that come their way this season.

[TheJoker12]

Red Sox Spring Special: Several roster battles should make Spring Training must-see TV for Sox fans



Last year's Spring Training was uneventful, to say the least. The Red Sox had just won the World Series and had essentially returned the same roster from the previous year. The rotation was set, the lineup was set, and the bench and bullpen were all but finalized.

That isn't the case this season.

After a disappointing Game 7 loss to the Houston Astros in the ALCS, the Red Sox made several changes in the off-season in an effort to add more depth to their organization at the big league level. With Spring Training about to get under way, we identified four key roster battles:

1. Fifth Starter
Candidates: Darwinzon Hernandez, Jerad Eickhoff
Longshot: Travis Lakins
- This is Hernandez' spot to lose. As a rookie, Hernandez appeared 29 times during the regular season and made seven starts. He finished with a 3.23 era and picked up eight holds as a reliever. He was even more impressive during the postseason. There are some questions regarding his durability, but barring a disaster, Hernandez should be the guy. Eickoff was better with the Red Sox than he was with the Phillies, but he should begin the year at AAA.
Prediction: Darwinzon Hernandez

2. Final Four Relievers
Candidates: Tony Watson, Ryan Brasier, Ryan Weber, Carson Smith, Matt Barnes
Longshots: Nick Burdi, Brett Cecil
- The backend of the bullpen is set - Drew Steckenrider will close, with Jose Alvarez and Brandon Workman as the primary setup men. The final four spots, assuming the team decides to keep 12 pitchers, are less clear. The Sox went out and added two left-handed relievers this off-season - Tony Watson and Brett Cecil. This will be Watson's first time on an American League team, but he does offer plenty of experience and post-season success (2.25 era in 16 games). Cecil was a disaster with the Cardinals, and it's hard to see any scenario where he beats out Watson for the second left-handed reliever role. It's also hard to envision a scenario where Ryan Brasier isn't on the team, despite his awful postseason. Matt Barnes is a huge question mark - if he can return to his first-half form, the Red Sox may boast the best bullpen in the majors. If he can't, however, it's likely he won't even be at the MLB level. The Sox also claimed Nick Burdi from Pittsburgh in the Rule 5 Draft - meaning he would have to be on the team all season in order for the Red Sox to keep him. He offers a lot of potential but there may not be enough spots to hold on to him. It may come down to Barnes vs Burdi for the last spot.
Prediction: Tony Watson, Ryan Brasier, Ryan Weber, Nick Burdi



3. Utility Middle Infielder
Candidates: Tetsuto Yamada, J.T. Riddle, Brock Holt
- With Eduardo Nunez out, there is an opening for a super utility infielder to come off the bench and hit, run, or start. Brock Holt would be the likely favourite, but he had an awful year last season, and as a result the Red Sox went out and added Yamada and Riddle. Riddle is one of the better defensive infielders in the league, but doesn't offer a whole lot at the plate. Yamada doesn't have any MLB experience, but if his Japanese League success translates over to Boston, he could be the steal of the off-season.
Prediction: Tetsuto Yamada

4. Utility Corner Infielder
Candidates: David Freese, Steve Pearce, Brock Holt
- Alex Cora has all but named Michael Chavis as his starting first baseman, and with Jose Martinez claiming another bench spot, that leaves just one position left for one of these three players. Pearce was disappointing last season, but was a bit better in the playoffs and of course won the World Series MVP in 2018. Freese was an intriguing addition - his best years are past him but he is one of the most clutch hitters in MLB history. Holt, again, makes this list, although if he is on the team it is more likely to be as a middle infielder (although his ability to play the outfield is a bonus).
Prediction: Steve Pearce

[TheJoker12]

Red Sox Roster Reset: Stacked outfield leads the way once again for 2020 Sox

Boston Red Sox Depth Chart - 2020

• Catcher
• Christian Vazquez
• Sandy Leon

• First Base
• Michael Chavis

• Second Base
• Dustin Pedroia
• Tetsuto Yamada

• Third Base
• Rafael Devers
• David Freese

• Shortstop
• Xander Bogaerts

• Left Field
• Andrew Benintendi

• Center Field
• Jackie Bradley Jr.

• Right Field
• Mookie Betts

• Starting Pitcher
• Chris Sale
• Rick Porcello
• Eduardo Rodriguez
• Nathan Eovaldi
• Travis Lakins

• Relief Pitcher
• Brandon Workman
• Jose Alvarez
• Tony Watson
• Ryan Brasier
• Ryan Weber
• Matt Barnes

• Closer
• Drew Steckenrider

• Designated Hitter
• J.D. Martinez
• Jose Martinez

A Few Leftover Roster Thoughts...
- We mentioned several roster battles at the start of Spring Training, and at last we've received some clarity as the Red Sox announced their Opening Day roster for 2020.

- The biggest surprise has to be Travis Lakins, who pitched well in his one Spring Training start, but the fact that he has been named the fifth starter has more to do with how poor Darwinzon Hernandez and Jerad Eickhoff performed. We said that, barring some disaster, this was Hernandez' job to lose - and he lost it. Hernandez walked 16 hitters in just 21 2/3 innings and finished the spring with a brutal 7.89 era and 1.94 whip. We will likely see him in the majors sooner rather than later, but the Red Sox felt like he needed to spend some time at AAA working through his mechanics.

- No real surprises in the bullpen, as Matt Barnes gets the final roster spot over Nick Burdi, who will return to the Pirates. Barnes struck out nine batters in six scoreless innings this spring as he looks to regain his All-Star form from the first half of last season.

- Tetsuto Yamada had a huge spring and as a result ran away with the middle infield bench position. Yamada hit .347 with three home runs and eight RBI, easily outperforming Brock Holt (.195, zero home runs, five RBI) and J.T. Riddle (.160, zero home runs, three RBI). With the Sox likely to manage Dustin Pedroia's workload even more this season, look for Yamada to get a lot of playing time.

- David Freese claimed the final roster spot over Steve Pearce. According to Alex Cora, this was the most difficult decision the team had to make this spring, as both players performed well and Pearce has the advantage of being able to play second and the outfield. Pearce has accepted his assignment to Pawtucket, but don't be surprised if he's back with the big league club very soon.

- Perhaps the most surprising announcement this spring was the batting lineup change. A year after having one of the best offenses in the majors, but one that failed to perform in the postseason, Cora has decided to move a few guys around in the order.

Opening day will look like this:
1) Mookie Betts
2) Andrew Benintendi
3) Xander Bogaerts
4) J.D. Martinez
5) Rafael Devers
6) Michael Chavis
7) Jackie Bradley Jr.
8) Dustin Pedroia
9) Sandy Leon

Cora felt Benintendi struggled, at times, with the pressures of hitting leadoff, and has decided to move Betts back to the spot where he won the MVP in 2018. Cora also stated that he thought Bogaerts' ability to hit the ball into the gaps would drive in more runs but also give Martinez even more RBI chances. With .300+ hitters JBJ and Pedy near the bottom of the order, there are no breaks for opposing pitchers when facing this 2020 Red Sox team.

[TheJoker12]

Red Sox Reset: World Series or bust



There are a lot of perks to playing in the city of Boston. You almost always play on a winning team. The owner(s) are ready to spend money. Management doesn't sit on their hands - they actively try to improve their teams throughout the season. And you get a ton of fan support.

The drawback? You better win.

Take the 2019 Boston Red Sox. They finished with 105 wins, and despite brutal injuries to their best pitcher and arguably their best player, they made it all the way to Game 7 of the ALCS where they came up just short against Houston.

But it didn't matter. They didn't win. And so they took heat.

J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers had terrific regular seasons - but that didn't matter after both failed to perform during the postseason. Nathan Eovaldi, a hero in 2018, lost three games in the ALCS and was subject to trade rumours all off-season. Finally, Alex Cora, the man who has won 213 regular season games in his first two seasons as a manager, is already facing criticism from the Red Sox faithful.

And so we begin a new decade - 2020.

The 2010s were an odd decade for the Red Sox - it featured two World Series winning teams and brought in five American League East titles. It also featured three teams that finished dead last in the division. What will the 2020s have in store? Only time will tell.

Schedule Breakdown

Hardest Stretch: September 8th - September 23rd
Nothing like saving the best for last! September brings several intriguing matchups for the Red Sox, but nothing tops this especially brutal stretch. It starts with three at Cleveland followed by three at Tampa, two playoff teams in 2019. The Sox then get a day off and return to Fenway, but it doesn't get any easier - they'll play three against the reigning World Series champs, the Astros, and three more against the Rays. Finally, they head to New York for a quick two-game series in the Bronx that could decide the division.

Easiest Stretch: July 17th - August 5th
Sure, this stretch features 10 road games, but the Red Sox won't face a team with a winning-record in 2019 for nearly three weeks. It starts with three at home against Arizona before the team takes off for seven games against Kansas City and Baltimore. They return home for five more against San Fransisco and Baltimore again, before heading north to Toronto for three. This should be a great stretch for the Sox to build a lead in the division, should they be in a position to do so.

Three Players to Watch

1. Michael Chavis
Chavis got his feet wet last year at the big league level - now it's time to dive in head first. With the team electing to move on from Mitch Moreland, and Steve Pearce currently in AAA, the first base job belongs to Chavis. Chavis played a little first last season, although is more comfortable at third or second. He has power, and should add some depth to a lineup that struggled to find a consistent first baseman last season. If Chavis struggles, however, there isn't a backup plan in place - the Sox need him to live up to his potential.



2. Tetsuto Yamada
There is a lot of optimism surrounding Yamada among Red Sox management. The 27-year-old had a tremendous amount of success in the Japanese League, and put together a very strong Spring Training. Yamada will come off the bench initially, but if he can stay healthy, there's a good bet he plays over 120 games.

3. Nathan Eovaldi
After a great stint with the Red Sox in 2018, Eovaldi struggled last year, both with injuries and with performance. He allowed a career-high 24 home runs during the regular season, and then lost three games in the ALCS - a 4-3 loss to the Houston Astros. Currently making $17 million/year until 2022, and with David Price no longer around, the Red Sox need the 2018 Eovaldi to return.

Three Questions

1. Who will be the fifth starter?
Travis Lakins has the job out of the spring, but he's never started a game in the majors before. Maybe the rookie will be a hidden gem and hold on to the job all season - but this seems unlikely. With Eovaldi a question mark, that leaves the Red Sox with just three starters they can rely on - and that includes the oft-injured Chris Sale. If there is a move to make this trade deadline, it will likely be to acquire another starting pitcher.

2. Will the closer-by-committee formula work?
Drew Steckenrider is technically the closer, but Alex Cora has repeatedly said that he likes using Steck in high-leverage situations or when the game is in the balance - and that won't always be the ninth inning. Ryan Weber closed a handful of games last season, and Tony Watson and Jose Alvarez also have experience working the ninth. When there is uncertainty about who is finishing the game, it seems like bullpens always struggle - will the Sox be the exception to this rule?

3. Have the Sox done enough should the injury bug bite again?
Excuses don't fly in Boston, but if the Red Sox had Chris Sale and Mookie Betts healthy in the playoffs last season, there's a good chance we are talking about back-to-back World Series championships right now. The organization's depth simply wasn't good enough to get by last season - the additions of Jose Martinez, David Freese, Tetsuto Yamada, and others should help in this area, should the team suffer a rash of injuries once again.

[TheJoker12]

Red Sox Reset: Sox pound AAA team, err, Blue Jays, to begin 2020



There was a lot of talk this spring about the new look Red Sox lineup. And if early results are any indication, this change is going to pay significant dividends.

The Sox beat up the Blue Jays to kickoff the 2020 season, scoring 21 runs and knocking out 20 hits in just three games. Of those 20 hits, nine were doubles and four were home runs - all from different players. Every single hitter on the roster had at least one hit.

The players most affected by the order reshuffling - Andrew Benintendi, Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez, and Rafael Devers - all responded in a big way:

• Betts - 3-12, 3 runs, rbi
• Benintendi - 4-12, run, rbi
• Bogaerts - 5-14, 2 runs, 4 rbi, home run
• Martinez - 4-11, run, 4 rbi, home run
• Devers - 3-7, 2 runs, 2 rbi, home run

As you can see, the Red Sox 1-5 hitters combined for 19 hits, nine runs, three home runs, and 12 rbi. A pretty successful start to say the least.

Of course, the Blue Jays are awful - they failed to make any upgrades in the offseason, and will rely once again on young players and rookies as they continue their rebuild. Still, Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez are respectable pitchers, and the Sox hitters teed off on them.

Will this success continue? Three games does not a season make, and there will be ups and downs. But the early results are certainly more than anyone could have hoped for.

The week in review

Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox
Mar 26, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Toronto (0-0)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	10	2
Boston (0-0)	1	3	0	3	0	1	0	0	x	8	12	0
W: Sale (1-0) L: Stroman (0-1)

Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox
Mar 28, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Toronto (0-1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Boston (1-0)	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	x	2	8	1
W: Porcello (1-0) L: Sanchez (0-1) S: Steckenrider (1)

Toronto Blue Jays at Boston Red Sox
Mar 29, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Toronto (0-2)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0
Boston (2-0)	3	2	0	1	2	1	0	2	x	11	20	0
W: Rodriguez (1-0) L: Borucki (0-1) S: Weber (1)

Three up
1. Starting pitching: Granted, the Blue Jays essentially have a AAA lineup, but the Red Sox starters were untouchable over the three-game series. Chris Sale, Rick Porcello, and Eduardo Rodriguez combined to go 3-0 and didn't allow a run in their 19 1/3 innings pitched. Even more remarkable, however, is that they only allowed eight hits - combined - and struck out 23 hitters compared to just two walks.

2. Newbies: The 2020 Red Sox feature four new players - reliever Tony Watson, and hitters Tetsuto Yamada, David Freese, and Jose Martinez. All four got their first experience as a member of the Sox over the weekend, and all performed relatively well. Watson struck out one batter in a short appearance on Thursday. Freese picked up three hits and scored two runs. Yamada doubled twice and drove in two runs on Sunday, while Martinez also contributed a double.

3. J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers: These two players took a lot of criticism for the Red Sox playoff failure last season, and much of it was fair - although it's unfair to ignore how good they were during the regular season. It's good to see both get off to a hot start in 2020, with each hitting a home run and driving in multiple runs over the weekend.

Three down
1. Matt Barnes: Barnes put together a great Spring Training and as a result earned the last spot in the bullpen. That may be short lived, however. He was brutal, once again, Thursday night, allowing four hits, a home run, two runs, and uncorking a wild pitch in his one inning of work. In fact, the Blue Jays only managed to score two runs in the entire series - and they both came off of Barnes.

2. Blue Jays offense: Three games, 20 hits, one extra-base hit, two runs. That is the definition of feeble. Sure, the Jays are in the midst of a big rebuild, and are giving several young players significant playing time, but that is an embarrassing way to begin your season.

3. Blue Jays pitching: Equally as bad as the offense, the Jays pitching was battered in Fenway. The starters were especially bad - Stroman lasted just three innings, allowing seven hits and seven runs, while Borucki managed to get only five outs before being chased, allowing seven hits and five runs. Sanchez wasn't terrible - he allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings - but also received a loss.



Just wondering...
1. Will the offensive success continue against the Indians? It's one thing to beat up the Blue Jays - it's quite another to do the same to the Cleveland Indians, who have one of the best pitching staffs in the league. The Indians started the year taking three of four from the Rays in Tampa, and look like they will be a force to be reckoned with once again.

2. What will Travis Lakins show us? The rookie is set to make his first major league start on Tuesday against Corey Kluber. Although the team could have started Chris Sale, Alex Cora preferred to give his ace an extra day's rest and get the rookie into a game sooner rather than later.

[TheJoker12]

Red Sox Reset: Indians pitching silences Red Sox bats but two epic comebacks help the team end the week on a high note



After belting out 20 hits and 21 runs in the first three games of the season, the Red Sox offense hit a speed bump against the Cleveland Indians, who boast one of the best pitching staffs in the league.

Luckily, the end of the week brought a rematch with the hapless Blue Jays, this time at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.

A convincing 4-1 win on Thursday night gave the Red Sox their ninth straight win against the Blue Jays, dating back to July of last season. In fact, their last loss to the Jays was the infamous 18-8 loss on July 16th, when the Red Sox bullpen allowed 14 runs in the seventh and eighth innings combined. The rest of the weekend, however, was not quite as easy.

On Saturday, a poor start by Eduardo Rodriguez saw the Jays jump out to a 5-1 lead in the second inning, a lead they would maintain until the ninth. Last year, the Red Sox were one of the best teams in the league at rallying from a deficit in the later innings - and they did so once again. With the score now 5-3, Mookie Betts led off the ninth with a single against Ken Giles, the Blue Jays closer. An Andrew Benintendi double followed by a Xander Bogaerts single made the score 5-4, and Rafael Devers would tie the game at five with a single two batters later. Michael Chavis would give the Sox the lead with another RBI single, before Jose Martinez hit a two-run blast for a little extra cushion.

On Sunday, the team once again found itself down late in the game. They trailed 6-1 in the third, but were able to cut the Jays lead to three going into the seventh. With the score now 6-4 Jays, and two on for Tetuso Yamada, he delivered a two-run double to tie the game at six. Unfortunately, the Sox were unable to complete the comeback and lost the game in bottom of the ninth - but the comeback, itself, means more than the result.

This Red Sox team, just like the 2019 version, is never out of it, and the game truly isn't over until the 27th out has been recorded. It's a good sign going forward - and a warning to the rest of the league.

The week in review

Cleveland Indians at Boston Red Sox
Mar 30, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cleveland (3-1)	0	0	0	1	1	3	0	0	0	5	10	0
Boston (3-0)	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	3	6	1
W: Bieber (1-0) L: Eovaldi (0-1) S: Hand (3)

Cleveland Indians at Boston Red Sox
Mar 31, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cleveland (4-1)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	8	0
Boston (3-1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	1
W: Kluber (1-0) L: Lakins (0-1)

Cleveland Indians at Boston Red Sox
Apr 1, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Cleveland (5-1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	3	7	0
Boston (3-2)	0	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	x	4	8	0
W: Sale (2-0) L: Bauer (0-2) S: Watson (1)

Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays
Apr 2, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston (4-2)	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0	1	4	8	0
Toronto (2-4)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	4	0
W: Porcello (2-0) L: Sanchez (0-2) S: Weber (2)

Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays
Apr 4, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston (5-2)	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	5	8	15	1
Toronto (2-5)	1	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	8	0
W: Brasier (1-0) L: Giles (0-1) S: Steckenrider (2)

Boston Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays
Apr 5, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston (6-2)	0	0	1	2	0	0	3	0	0	6	9	0
Toronto (2-6)	0	1	5	0	0	0	0	0	1	7	12	0
W: Phelps (2-0) L: Workman (0-1)

Three up
1. Rick Porcello: Porcello took a significant pay cut to stay in Boston, but it's where he wanted to be. And he's proving that so far. Porcello has dominated the Blue Jays in two starts so far, and on Friday he allowed just one run in eight innings while striking out nine. On the season, he has a ridiculous 0.59 ERA and 0.46 WHIP through two starts, and has yet to walk a hitter.

2. Chris Sale: Not to be outdone, Sale is also off to a terrific start in 2020 as he looks to rebound from a promising season last year that was unfortunately cut short due to injury. Sale struck out 14 hitters through 7 2/3 scoreless innings on Wednesday against the Indians, as the Red Sox were able to avoid a sweep with a 4-3 win. He has now struck out 20 hitters in just 13 2/3 innings on the season, to go along with his 0.66 ERA.

3. Andrew Benintendi: Benny seems to be loving hitting second in the lineup. After a frustrating season last year, in which he was good but not great, Alex Cora moved Mookie Betts back to the leadoff position with Benintendi hitting behind him, and it's worked so far. He picked up eight hits this past week, including two doubles and a triple, while scoring four runs and driving in four as well.

Three down
1. Offense vs the Indians: Granted, the Cleveland Indians have one of the best pitching staffs in the league, but after a strong showing against the Jays, the offense dried up big time against the Tribe. In three games, the team managed just 18 hits and seven runs, and hit only one home run. They also allowed Corey Kluber to throw a complete game shutout on Tuesday night.

2. Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi: Chris Sale and Rick Porcello were terrific this week - the same cannot be said for ERod and Eovaldi. Rodriguez struggled in his second start against the Jays, allowing five runs in five innings. Eovaldi was brutal on Sunday - he failed to record a strikeout in 4 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits, three walks, and six runs. While the Sox were able to rally and win on Saturday, they couldn't manage to do it two days in a row.

3. J.D. Martinez: It's hard to remember if Martinez ever had a week last season like he did these past seven days. He collected just three hits in 22 at-bats, all singles, and struck out six times against only two walks. On the season, he is now hitting just .212 - although it is, still, extremely early.



Just wondering...
1. David Freese's health remains a concern Freese was off to a great start in his Red Sox career, making multiple starts and hitting a two-run home run during Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Indians. Alas, he will spend the next 10 or so days on the injured list with an inflamed hip, suffered during Saturday's 8-5 Red Sox win over the Blue Jays. Injuries have plagued Freese throughout his career, and this isn't the start to 2020 he had in mind. Steve Pearce was recalled to replace him on the 25-man roster.

2. Lakins gets no help in MLB debut Although he lasted just four innings and had runners on base every single frame, Travis Lakins put together a pretty effort in his first career start on Tuesday. Unfortunately, no one else on the team showed up. The Red Sox managed just four hits against Kluber, and failed to score a run. Worse - the one run Lakins did allow was unearned because of a two-out error by Rafael Devers.

[TheJoker12]

Red Sox Reset: Betts leads way as Red Sox pound Rangers, steal one from Twins



If there were any questions regarding Mookie Betts and his recovery from a torn ACL last year, they may have already been answered just three weeks into the season.

On a sleepy Sunday afternoon at Fenway, the Sox looked lifeless as they entered the bottom of the ninth trailing the Twins 3-0. They were able to generate a rally, and Betts stepped up to the plate with two on and two out, the Twins now leading 3-1. He crushed a first pitch slider over the Green Monster for a mammoth walk-off three-run home run, giving the Red Sox the series win.

In the offseason, Betts elected to go to arbitration and received a one year deal worth $12.1 million. This is a huge year for the 27-year-old - if he wants to paid like the best player in baseball, he needs to play like the best player in baseball - and prove that the knee injury last season was just a minor setback.

Betts led the way this week, which saw the Red Sox sweep the Rangers and take two of three from the Twins. Back in the leadoff position, he scored six runs, drove in four, hit two dingers and also stole three bases. On the young season, he's hitting .302 with 14 runs scored and a .977 OPS. He's also walked (six) more times than he's struck out (five).

The much discussed lineup switch has paid dividends for the Red Sox in the early going. They blasted the Rangers 9-1 on Monday and 13-1 on Tuesday, and scored 37 runs total this past week. With J.D. Martinez off to somewhat of a slow start, it's been Betts leading the way as the Sox currently have one of the best offenses in the American League.

Questions still remain regarding 2021 - Betts has stated, clearly, that he wants to see what he can get on the Free Agent market. The Red Sox will surely make an offer, and Betts has said he likes playing in Boston - but that doesn't guarantee anything. The best thing the Sox can do is play for another World Series title - and with Betts hitting like he is at the top of the order, that seems to be very likely.

The week in review

Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers
Apr 6, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston (6-3)	0	0	2	0	3	3	0	0	1	9	16	1
Texas (5-5)	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	0
W: Lakins (1-1) L: Minor (1-1)

Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers
Apr 7, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston (7-3)	3	0	6	0	4	0	0	0	0	13	14	0
Texas (5-6)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	6	0
W: Sale (3-0) L: Miller (1-3)

Boston Red Sox at Texas Rangers
Apr 8, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Boston (8-3)	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	1
Texas (5-7)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
W: Porcello (3-0) L: Smyly (2-1) S: Steckenrider (3)

Twins at Red Sox |
Apr 10, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Extras	R	H	E
Minnesota (7-4)	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	5	11	0
Boston (9-3)	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	7	0
W: Parker (2-0) L: Steckenrider (0-1) S: Jones (6)

Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox
Apr 11, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Minnesota (8-4)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	7	0
Boston (9-4)	1	0	0	0	1	0	2	2	x	6	9	0
W: Eovaldi (1-1) L: Stewart (1-2)

Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox
Apr 12, 2020	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Minnesota (8-5)	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	8	0
Boston (10-4)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	4	9	1
W: Barnes (1-0) L: Jones (0-1)

Three up
1. Offense vs Texas: The Red Sox love playing in Arlington. Last year in September, the team scored 21 runs and belted out 31 hits in just three games. They were even better this time around - scoring 24 runs on 35 hits, 12 of which went for extra bases. On the year, the Red Sox rank second in average, third in runs scored, and second in doubles.

2. Rick Porcello: Perhaps pitching during a contract year was the worst thing that could have happened for Porcello, because he looks like a new man so far in early 2020. Porcello picked up his third win of the year on Wednesday after throwing 7 2/3 shutout innings. He still hasn't walked a batter in 23 innings of work, and has a ridiculous 0.39 ERA and 0.65 WHIP.

3. 3-4-5 hitters: The new look 3-4-5 - Xander Bogaerts/J.D. Martinez/Rafael Devers - had a big week, with the trio combining for 23 hits, 14 runs scored, and 17 RBI. With Betts and Andrew Benintendi all over the base paths in the early going, it's giving the middle of the order a lot of opportunities to drive in runs - and they are capitalizing.

Honourable Mention: Nate Eovaldi struggled in his first two starts of the season, but seemed to find something Saturday against the Twins. After a tough loss on Friday night that saw the Red Sox use four relievers, Eovaldi took it upon himself to give the bullpen a break, hurling a complete game gem and earning his first win of the year.

Three down
1. Drew Steckenrider: Steck has not looked like the same pitcher from last season, at least not yet. Overall, the Red Sox bullpen has been terrific - apart from Steckenrider. He allowed a three-run home run in the top of the 10th during Friday's 5-3 extra-inning loss, and now has a 9.64 ERA on the season.

2. Michael Chavis: Not a great start for the sophomore who was named the starting first baseman after Spring Training. Chavis went just 3-17 on the week and also committed an error. Perhaps more concerning for Chavis, however, is the fact that Jose Martinez received a start at first - Alex Cora has stated that he would prefer not to use Martinez there (for obvious reasons), but it could be an option should Chavis continue to struggle.

3. Fielding behind Travis Lakins: The Red Sox have only made seven errors so far through 15 games - but three of them have come during Lakins' starts. In fact, only three of the five runs he's allowed have been considered earned runs, and you could argue that the team should have made several other plays behind their young starter.



Just wondering...
1. Time to go on a run Everyone has Monday, April 20th circled on their calendar, as the Red Sox will travel to Minute Maid for an ALCS rematch with the Houston Astros. It's April 13th today, however, and the Sox have six games to play before that series begins - all at home, and all against inferior competition (two against the Orioles (6-11) and four against the Tigers (6-11)). This is a great chance for the Red Sox to put a win streak together before heading to Houston.

2. David Freese returns Freese only needed the 10 days on the IL to recover from his hip injury, and will be activated later today. In three games, he's hitting .500 with a home run and four RBI. Steve Pearce, who played one game and drove in two runs while replacing Freese, will return back to AAA.