Tough sledding for JBJ
Slumping CF puts Cora in difficult spot
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
For the first time all season, Alex Cora pinch-hit for Jackie Bradley Jr. on Friday night.
It was a necessary move to get a better bat in the lineup in a key spot in the seventh inning of the Red Sox’ loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Cora used Brock Holt to hit for Bradley, then stuck Holt in left field and moved Andrew Benintendi to center.
Bradley has been on the bench for three straight games twice in the last two weeks, but was in the lineup for a second straight game last night after going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts Friday.
The struggling center fielder is 8-for-70 (.114) with 30 strikeouts over his last 23 games.
Last night, Bradley went 0-for-2 with a walk, run scored and two strikeouts in the Sox’ 6-3 win over the O’s.
It’s been a difficult situation for Cora to navigate given his faith in Bradley and desire to get him going.
“It’s hard,” the manager said. “But (Friday) wasn’t the perfect day. Two atbats and we pinch-hit for him in the seventh down three . . . . It’s one of those that I know he takes a hit (to his confidence) because it’s only two at-bats, but at the same time I still have to manage a game. I do feel that was a spot we needed to hit for him. He just swung and missed (Friday) and it was tough.
“Going back to Mitch (Moreland), he was swinging the bat well. We know what he can do. That pinch-hit appearance yesterday, very similar at-bat to the one he had in Toronto. He’s been good. Really good.”
Moreland, a Gold Glover at first base, is hitting .319 with a 1.010 OPS, and he still can’t get in the lineup regularly.
No depth issues
Dustin Pedroia is nearing a return, which will add to a crowded roster.
“Whenever Pedey comes in we have to see how the rest of the rotation goes,” Cora said. “It’s going to benefit everybody, (Rafael Devers), Xander (Bogaerts), Eduardo (Nunez), even Brock. We’ll find a way to make everything work. One thing for sure, we’re going to be a more complete team when Pedey comes back.”
Pedroia was scheduled to continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket and play seven innings at second base last night.
He’ll be off today and the Sox will get feedback from Pedroia about how he’s feeling before deciding the next step. He’s likely to continue his rehab assignment tomorrow in Pawtucket.
The Sox would like to see Pedroia play back-toback games at second base and come through that OK before they bring him back to the big league squad . . . .
Austin Maddox “pitched good” in his rehab outing Friday, according to Cora, but Tyler Thornburg “was inconsistent with his breaking ball,” the manager said.
Quality, not quantity
The Red Sox have survived an inconsistent stretch from their starting rotation to play .500 ball over their last 10 games, when their starters have gone more than 51⁄3 innings just three times.
The major league average for a start is 51⁄3 innings this season, down from 52⁄3 innings in 2008 and down from six innings in 1998.
Cora said he knows the average length of a start is down, but said, “I hope they didn’t listen to me because they want more. They want more, actually, than a quality start (at least six innings, no more than three earned runs). We want them to go deep into the games. We do feel our guys are capable of doing that on a consistent basis.”
Today’s starter, Eduardo Rodriguez, is averaging fewer than 51⁄3 innings in his eight starts with a 4.68 ERA.
Now in his fourth major league season, the lefty has a career 4.28 ERA and has yet to reach his potential. Pitching deeper into games is one way to get there.
“Honestly, with Eduardo, he’s in the strike zone,” Cora said. “There’s been a few games that 0-2, 1-2, they foul off pitches, they get to 3-2, and he gets the out or the strikeout, but it’s seven more pitches than what he wanted. We saw him in New York. He was great that night. He was able to put guys away right away.
“We want him to be more aggressive, even with two strikes. If he does that, his stuff is good, his talent is up there with the best lefties in the league, so just bury people with two strikes.”
Strong armed
The Sox’ catchers aren’t hitting all that well, but at least they’re not giving up too many stolen bases.
There have been only 20 stolen base attempts against the Sox this year, tied for third-fewest in the majors. But they have caught just three of them.
“We’ve only thrown out three or four, but there’s only 20 attempts, so it’s not like they’re putting pressure on us,” Cora said . . . .
Yesterday was the 10-year anniversary of Jon Lester’s no-hitter against the Royals at Fenway Park. Cora entered the game in the ninth inning as a defensive replacement for Julio Lugo at shortstop.