Plenty rest for not weary
Cora insists bullpen benefits from layoff
Rest, or rust? Among the many questions heading into this year’s World Series, this is one the Red Sox have been hoping to answer favorably since spring training, when they drastically cut back their starting pitchers’ workload in exchange for expected freshness in September and October.
But the Sox didn’t need to press the issue with their starters in September, when the American League East title was comfortably in their hands.
As for the Dodgers? They’ve been scrapping and clawing the entire year and never had the luxury of extra rest. They entered September tied for the National League West lead, and they ended the month the same way. It took a 163rd game to decide the division in their favor.
They played two more games in the NL Championship Series than the Red Sox did in the ALCS.
Slight advantage, Red Sox? “I don’t know,” said manager Alex Cora. “Sometimes, like in ’07, the Rockies had (eight days) in between the World Series (and the NLCS). We had to fight all the way to the end (of the ALCS) against the Indians, and then that happened (the Sox swept the Rockies). One thing for sure, we will be prepared. I think that the off days will benefit us, especially in the bullpen. That rest is going to help them out. But I don’t think Dave (Roberts, Dodgers manager) is complaining. They’re here. They knew that it was going to be a tough series against the Brewers. They had to play 163 to win the division and all that stuff. At this time, it really doesn’t matter how you get there. They’ll be ready for (tomorrow). We will be, too. Let’s see what happens.”
When the World Series begins tomorrow night at Fenway Park, Clayton Kershaw will have pitched in a meaningful game just three days earlier. Chris Sale will be on nine days’ rest. Sale has a career 1.67 ERA on extra rest. Kershaw has a 2.33 ERA when pitching on short rest in the playoffs.
But it’s been a long seven weeks for the Dodgers starting rotation.
From Sept.1 through the end of the regular season, Dodgers starters threw 1,995 pitches, 618 more than the Sox starters in that time, a difference of 45 percent. Most of those pitches were thrown by Kershaw (541) and budding ace Walker Buehler (585).
And since the postseason began, Kershaw (272 pitches), Buehler (250) and HyunJin Ryu (222) have continued to carry a heavy workload. Only Justin Verlander (289) threw more than any of the Dodgers’ three starters.
By comparison, the Sox have had it easy. Coming back from a shoulder injury, Sale threw just 233 pitches in September and 192 in October. David Price threw 374 pitches in September and 215 in October.
These guys are ready to go.
Sale has the added benefit of missing his ALCS Game 5 start, though he did have to overcome a stomach illness.
“I think everything works out for a reason, and Game 5 happened and he gets a few more off days so he can take care of his belly button and he’ll be ready to go,” Cora joked.
“He’s been our guy since Day 1. Obviously the other guys did an outstanding job, but him pitching Game 1, it’s something we mapped it out through September. This was the plan all along.”
In his last outing, Price saw his velocity spike to an average of 94 mph and touch 96 mph, the highest it’s been since June.
Kershaw, who averaged 94 mph in his prime but 91 mph all year, has sat around 91 mph this postseason, though he averaged 92 mph in his relief appearance in the ninth inning of Game 7 to close out the Brewers.
There’s little doubt the Red Sox are better rested. It’s just a matter of how well that rest transfers to the mound when the lights flick on come tomorrow night.
For the bullpens, it’s been about even. Both teams rely on their starting pitchers, but they’ve done it differently. The Dodgers have used only Rich Hill to start and pitch out of relief (other than Kershaw’s inning vs. Milwaukee) while the Sox have used three of their four starters in both roles.
The Dodgers’ trio of Kenley Jansen, Ryan Madson and Pedro Baez threw 72 more pitches than the Sox’ trio of Craig Kimbrel, Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes in the month of September, but the Sox’ trio has worked slightly more in October. This one is about even. Do the position players have an advantage of being well-rested?
“I don’t know,” said second baseman Ian Kinsler. “You can look at it both ways. It’s however you want to spin it. The Dodgers are playing games right now, we’re not, so we can be rusty. Or we’re getting rest and we’re not as tired, so we’re going to be ready to play. Anyway you want to twist it.
“The bottom line is come (tomorrow), whichever team executes the best is going to win . ... To us, it’s just about winning games. Rest or no rest, it doesn’t matter.”