Workman, Sox top Jays
Holds on for save in close win
Whatever mess the Red Sox bullpen gets itself into, there’s always Brandon Workman to clean it up.
On a night that should’ve been a smooth-sailing victory against the only-good-against-the-Red-Sox team from Canada, Workman had to bail out an underwhelming effort by newly-bestowed set-up man Josh Taylor and save the Sox from themselves.
Workman entered to protect a one-run lead with two on and one out in the eighth and struck out both Blue Jays batters he faced to end the threat, then went out and pitched the ninth inning, too.
The Red Sox needed every one of his 45 pitches to close the door on a 5-4 win against the Jays and keep within three games of the second wild card spot with the trade deadline less than two weeks away.
Eovaldi imminent
The Sox’ big midseason bullpen acquisition is nearing a return to the mound.
Newly named closer Nathan Eovaldi will pitch Thursday for Triple-A Pawtucket, his first appearance since undergoing surgery.
The flame-throwing righthander had loose bodies removed from his elbow in April and also has been rehabbing from bicep tendinitis in his throwing arm. He’s being transitioned from starter to reliever to help him return quicker from injury.
Eovaldi will throw one inning for the PawSox on Thursday and could be activated to pitch next for the Red Sox in Baltimore this weekend, manager Alex Cora said.
“If everything goes well,” Cora said.
Eovaldi has made just four appearances this year after signing a four-year, $68 million contract in the offseason.
Green dies at 85
Former Red Sox infielder Elijah “Pumpsie” Green, the first black player on the last major league team to field one, has died. He was 85.
A Red Sox spokesman confirmed the death last night, and the team observed a moment of silence before the game against Toronto. Green, who was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2018, had been living in California.
A speedy but light-hitting utility player, Green brought baseball’s segregation era to an end of sorts when he took the field against the Chicago White Sox on July 21, 1959.
Hembree adjusts
After reviewing Heath Hembree’s dipping velocity and talking with the pitcher, Cora believes the righthander is healthy.
He averaged 95 mph on his fastball for most of the season until he went on the injured list in June, but has averaged 92-93 mph since returning.
“He feels good actually,” Cora said. “I know velocity is down. The one thing I always say about Heath, it’s about location. Yesterday, he wasn’t able to get the fastball up the way he usually does and he paid the price. Regardless of he’s throwing 95, 96, 91, 92, I know velocity has been down, but if he’s down in the zone, it becomes flat. He needs to leave it upstairs, and everybody knows it. That’s not a secret.”
Hembree has allowed a .400 batting average in five outings since his return.
“I think the whole league knows that fastball usage is up,” Cora said. “He has one of those special fastballs, especially when he’s up. I always joke, like, if Heater was pitching for Houston or Tampa, they’d be talking about his fastball and spin rate. But he pitches for us.”
Sale healthy
Chris Sale is healthy, the Red Sox still believe.
Sale threw “just a regular bullpen” this week and is scheduled to make his next start on Thursday afternoon.
“He’s healthy, and we’ll make some adjustments and we’ll work on it,” Cora said.
Sale is getting hit at a .322 clip while allowing a .974 OPS in his past four starts, when he’s thrown 21⅓ innings and allowed 18 earned runs (7.59 ERA).
“He did not execute (in his last outing) and they took advantage,” Cora said. “Although it doesn’t look great, I’m still positive. I think he can turn it around. He did early in the season, why not do it now?”
Home support
With political unrest in Cora’s homeland of Puerto Rico given the leaked text messages that revealed some wild comments by Ricardo Rosselló, Cora has joined the chorus of those asking the governor to resign.
“I think it’s time to make a change,” Cora said. “It’s something I’ve been very consistent about it.”