Scott earns a spot back Tek provides boost
Lefty returns as an option vs. righties
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
MINNEAPOLIS — Alex Cora hasn’t been too interested in keeping lefties around just to match up in the bullpen.
Cora typically prefers having right-handers like Joe Kelly, Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman who have been good against lefties this year.
But Cora made an exception yesterday, when the Sox sent right-hander Justin Haley back to Triple-A Pawtucket to make room for lefty Robby Scott. Scott joins Brian Johnson as the two lefties in the ‘pen.
“They’ve got a lot of lefties and switch hitters (on the Twins),” the Sox manager said. “We took a look at it the last few days and felt that, although we’ve got B.J., we needed one more to match up. I think it was the right time. He’s throwing the ball well. He’s gone multiple innings, too. We’re very comfortable with him now in the bullpen.”
Scott had a 3.79 ERA in 392⁄3 innings for the Red Sox last year while holding lefties to a .121 average and .527 OPS, though righties hit .246 with an .814 OPS off him, which is why former manager John Farrell usually used him for only a batter or two.
This year, Scott began the season with the PawSox and has posted a 1.48 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 241⁄3 innings.
“His slider was a lot better,” Cora said. “He was keeping the ball down. He was getting lefties out a lot easier than in spring training.
“In this series, and we’ll see in the next few, how we can use him. One thing that he’s done this year is, especially lately, is getting righties out, that’s important. Sometimes it’s tough, especially in the situation we’re in, just carry a lefty just to carry a lefty to get a lefty out. We don’t need that. We want him to get lefties and righties out. This is a lineup, if you’re going to use him, there’s going to be a righty somewhere in between so he needs to do the job.”
Bogey gets nod
Xander Bogaerts appears to be the new Red Sox threehitter for the time being.
He made his second straight start in the third spot in the order yesterday. He’s hit mostly second and fifth this year, but Cora wanted to make a change, moving J.D. Martinez back to the cleanup spot.
“I think it was more about J.D., and then earlier in the season, we had him in the four-hole, then obviously with the adjustments we have made to the roster, we started hitting him third,” Cora said. “I kind of went back to what I said in spring training when we got him, either he hits with men on in the first inning or he leads off the second inning.
“Xander has been swinging the bat well, he’s been getting on base at the usual clip regardless of his average being down and he’s driving the ball too. Just having those three on top and then J.D. and then Mitch Moreland hitting fifth, I think it will be good for Mitch too, to hit behind J.D., and try to go the other way with men in scoring position like he did in Seattle the last day.”
The Red Sox are 14-2 in the last 16 games started by catcher Christian Vazquez.
Cora said former Sox catcher and current front office special assistant Jason Varitek has been a big reason why. Varitek travels on some of the road trips to work with the catchers.
“There’s a calm presence that he brings,” Cora said. “We know he’s not here every day just like Chad Epperson, but he helps, not only with scouting reports and what he sees as far as studying the opposition, but to Christian and Sandy Leon and Blake Swihart, he means a lot. I never have been around a catcher that prepares as good as Jason and he’s helping them out.
“Little by little he’s teaching them how to do it and you can see the results.” . . .
Dustin Pedroia still has inflammation in his knee and Cora admitted he’s not feeling great about Pedroia’s progress.
“It’s been up and down,” Cora said. “But like I said before, it was major surgery. We didn’t know what to expect so we are where we are now. We’re hoping that, yeah, he’ll be back. When? We don’t know.
“But I still believe he’s going to contribute this season and he’s going to help us to win.”