Get ready for a lot of Nunez
Unknown where he’ll play, hit
The first time Eduardo
Nunez got everyday at-bats in the big leagues, it was strictly because Derek Jeter was on the disabled list. And Nunez played so well in his place that Jeter was asked — tongue in cheek — whether he knew the story of Wally Pipp, the Yankees first baseman who famously sat out one day only to be replaced by Lou Gehrig, who played the next 2,130 games in a row.
“I do,” Jeter said. “That’s why I’ll be back Monday.”
Jeter was not the next Pipp, and Nunez was not the second-coming of Gehrig, but Nunez has emerged as a legitimate everyday player whom the Red Sox acquired this week to improve their underwhelming, inconsistent offense.
The Sox haven’t said what position he’ll play, where he’ll hit in the order, or how the lineup will adjust to make room for him. They’ve only said that Nunez, expected to be at Fenway today, is going to play — a lot.
“Oh, he’s going to get a high number of at-bats,” manager John Farrell said. “That’s why we acquired him.”
According to one of the longtime teammates who knows him best, that’s exactly what the Red Sox should be doing with Nunez.
“He’s a funny guy, a guy that works hard,” Mariners second baseman Robinson
Cano said. “You guys see the result of it.
“I’m happy for him that he gets a chance to play every day. The first time (he got regular at-bats) he made the All-Star team. He’s going to be huge for the Boston Red Sox.”
Few people have followed Nunez’ career as closely as Cano, who’s played a role that’s equal parts close friend, professional mentor and sideline cheerleader.
Nunez arrived in the big leagues in the Yankees shadow of Cano, Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, playing backup to three of the game’s elite infielders, each of whom treated him like a little brother. He and Cano remain close.
“We practice (together) every day in the offseason,” Cano said. “He prepares himself to play every day. Even if he doesn’t get a chance, he’s always ready for that. The last few years, that’s something that, for me as his friend and like a brother, I’m proud of him, the way he works hard and things have been going good for him.”
Initially, Nunez’ playing time was sporadic and his role unpredictable, but when Jeter missed three weeks in 2011, Nunez hit .339 with seven extra-base hits and four stolen bases in his place. When the Twins gave Nunez everyday atbats in 2016, he made the All-Star team. With the Giants this year, Nunez was hitting .308 with 21 doubles, and he’d been especially hot lately with an .896 OPS since June 1.
Although the Red Sox completed the Nunez trade on Tuesday night — technically past midnight early Wednesday morning — he didn’t join the team until it returned home to Fenway Park. The team has been evasive about its plans for him, saying only that he’ll play regularly, without explaining who’s going to lose playing time to make that happen.
They’ve left open the possibility of sending top prospect Rafael Devers back to the minor leagues to open third base, though Devers’ home run on Wednesday surely made a case that he’s worth more than a twogame trial.
However Nunez fits — he can play five different positions and would be justifiable at either the top or bottom of the order — the Red Sox are banking on his bat being worthy of everyday playing time, one way or another.
“He’s the kind of guy that, I would say will be a perfect fit for them,” Cano said. “They’re looking for a third baseman, and he’s been playing there a lot the past few years. He will be huge. And he’s played in that division before, so he knows.
“Trust me, they’re going to have so much fun with him there.”
Apologies to Eck
The Red Sox manager and their lightning rod starting pitcher might not think Dennis Eckersley deserves an apology, but the team president sure does.
“Dennis Eckersley was owed an apology, clearly,”
Sam Kennedy told WEEI yesterday.
David Price’s confrontation with Eckersley aboard the team charter last month has become a point of ongoing contention and debate, with Farrell saying this week that he has not apologized to Eckersley and that his only focus was to discuss the matter with Price.
“I’m not here to speak for anyone other than the Red Sox organization,” Kennedy told the radio station. “Dave
Dombrowski and John Farrell followed up with Price. They dealt with it in private. We’ve done our best to try and move on from it.”
Striking out ALS
Major League Baseball has announced a leaguewide fundraising campaign called MLB Fights ALS, which will take place at ballparks and through the league’s media outlets Aug. 1-5 to raise money for fighting the disease.
According to the league’s announcement, the campaign was inspired by Pete
Frates and has a goal to raise $1 million.