Sorry, but no apology
Farrell stands by Price in spat
SEATTLE — John Farrell is still tying his rope to David Price. No apology necessary. During the hour or so when reporters were allowed in the visitors clubhouse at Safeco Field before last night’s game against the Seattle Mariners, the Red Sox manager met with the starting pitcher in his office with the door closed for around 10 minutes.
Unsurprisingly, Farrell offered little detail of the meeting.
“Did I meet with him?” Farrell said. “I had a chance to talk to him, yeah. It’s just as I’ve had other conversations with him. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
Except this entire season has been out of the ordinary. Price continues to cast a cloud over the rest of his team, which has, in its silence, stood by him.
Dustin Pedroia is considered a leader, but the second baseman hasn’t said anything about Price’s offfield outbursts. Nobody from field level has offered an apology to Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley after Price belittled the NESN analyst on a team plane in June.
And while Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was seen wisely apologizing to Eckersley in Toronto not too long after the incident took place, Farrell has made no such effort.
“After the incident, we obviously met with David,” Farrell said Monday. “That was handled internally. Since then, I’ve had multiple interactions with Eck. My relationship with Eck is certainly professional, but we’ve moved on from it and we’re focused on winning games.”
During a radio appearance yesterday on WEEI, Farrell said once again that he has not apologized to Eckersley.
“I’m aware people reached out to him the morning after the incident when we were heading into Toronto,” Farrell said. “Knowing that was in place, I followed up in my conversations with Eck as I always have done. They’ve been cordial. There’s been a professional respect on both sides.” So, no apology? “Yeah, that’s a no,” Farrell said.
Kelly warms up
Joe Kelly doesn’t have Eckersley-type numbers this season, but he’s close.
The flame-throwing reliever with a 1.49 ERA is making solid progress in his recovery from a hamstring strain. He completed a 25-pitch bullpen session yesterday while throwing at 80-85 percent, according to Farrell.
“His next bullpen will be on Friday when we get back home, so he’s making pretty good progress for sure,” Farrell said.
Kelly will need a minor league rehab assignment, and it sounds like one could be initiated soon.
“We’d like to think that his bullpen Friday would be more like he’s getting ready for a game situation, where the intensity continues to climb,” Farrell said. “I think clearly Joe feels like, as do all of us do, that at least one outing at the minor league level to feel game speed will be a help.” . . .
The Sox still aren’t giving up hope that former Mariners closer Carson Smith will be able to pitch this year. Smith completed his third consecutive bullpen session without a setback and the Sox had been hopeful he could face live hitters soon.
The idea that he could pitch this season “has not been turned away from,” Farrell said.
Devers one for ages
The organization’s top prospect, Rafael Devers, made his major league debut while batting ninth and playing third base.
At 20 years and 274 days old, he’s the youngest player to make his Red Sox debut since pitcher Jeff Suppan in 1995. Suppan was 20 years and 196 days old when he made a start against the Kansas City Royals.
Meanwhile, the player who took over in Double-A Portland for Devers continues to rake.
Michael Chavis, a firstround draft pick in 2014, hit his seventh homer in 31 games since his promotion while playing third base for the Sea Dogs yesterday. Chavis, who turns 22 next month, added a double and is hitting .281 in Double A after posting a .318 average for Single-A Salem in 59 games.
Slam on the brakes
The Red Sox entered the middle game of the Seattle series with a three-game losing streak and had yet to lose four in a row this season. The only other team in the majors to avoid a fourgame losing skid all season: the NL West-leading Los
Angeles Dodgers. ... The Red Sox were 5-7 since the All-Star break while averaging just 3.25 runs.