Martinez lands in COVID protocol
Sox hope to have him back today
The Red Sox were without their hottest hitter for Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles.
J.D. Martinez is being held in MLB’s COVID-19 protocol due to cold symptoms as the team awaits a negative test before he’s eligible to return.
“We feel pretty confident that he’ll be able to be with us (Sunday), but obviously we have to wait,” manager Alex Cora said.
MLB mandates all players and on-field personnel get tested every other day during the season. Cora said Martinez was given a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test as part of the routine, as well as a rapid test after Martinez revealed his symptoms.
The Red Sox made a roster move before the game, recalling Michael Chavis from Worcester. Teams can carry up to five players on a taxi squad with them to road cities in case of a coronavirus outbreak.
MLB has been strict about protocols this year as they attempt to avoid the extended slate of missed games due to coronavirus outbreaks.
“I’ll tell you my story in spring training,” Cora said. “We got this app that they asked you how you feel, right? I had allergies in spring training, and you got to be honest, you know, as far as like, ‘OK, so I felt this.’ And as soon as I sent it, I got a text, a phone call and a lot of people panic and in less than five minutes. So I had to go to JetBlue Park, do the rapid test, stay in my office until they gave me the green light, and that was it.
“But it’s understandable, right? We know what we are fighting against. But we don’t know how it moves or when we can get it, where, but I understand the protocols. I’m OK with it. So if we don’t have J.D. for one day, so be it, you know? Somebody has to step up and do the job tonight.”
The Sox are also without outfielder Hunter Renfroe, who will miss the entire weekend due to general soreness, according to Cora. Renfroe hurt himself making a sliding catch in right field at Fenway Park on Wednesday.
Without two of their regulars, Kiké Hernandez was in center field with Alex Verdugo in right field and Marwin Gonzalez in left.
That opened the door for Christian Arroyo to make his fifth start in eight games at second base, where he’s quietly become an everyday player for this team.
He’s just 3-for-17 and ranks in the bottom of MLB in exit velocity and chase rate, but Cora said he likes what he’s seen.
“He has the two biggest at-bats of the last week,” Cora said. “Sometimes we talk about results and look at the numbers, but from my end, he’s doing a good job. We’re going to get everybody involved. … But I’m very happy with the way he’s competing.”
Power numbers trending downward
Home runs are down across the league and the Red Sox are part of the trend.
They entered Saturday with just six homers on the season, while their pitching staff has allowed just two.
It was on Friday that MLB passed the 100-game mark this season.
The early numbers are relevant particularly given the league is using new baseballs that are supposed to suppress home runs. Compared to other seasons (through full day in which 100 games were played), the home run rate is the lowest since 2018:
2021: 2.29 HR/G
2020: 2.44 HR/G (season started in July)
2019: 2.34 HR/G
2018: 2.17 HR/G
2017: 2.18 HR/G
Verdugo said he thinks the Red Sox offense started scoring more runs once they realized they should stop swinging for the fences.
“We hit a few balls to left field that in normal times, a month or two from now, would be easily off the Monster or maybe even homers,” Verdugo said. “It got a little discouraging. But then it was like, ‘alright guys, that’s not going to work for that team either, we still need to figure out a way to chip some runs.’
“I think some good at-bats, good two-strike approaches and watching the guy in front of you grind, maybe spoil some pitches and get a base hit, it makes that next guy’s job — he’s a little more fired up and has an understanding of what he has to do.”
The unofficial closer
Matt Barnes isn’t the team’s official closer, but you might as well start calling him one.
The Sox have yet to have a save opportunity, so the battle between Adam Ottavino and Barnes for the closer role hasn’t officially been won. But Barnes has been lights-out so far this year, striking out nine to just one walk in four scoreless innings.
“You know what, they both have been throwing the ball well so I’m not going to jinx myself and name somebody,” Cora said. He later added, “you guys are watching,” implying that it should be quite obvious Barnes will be the last pitcher out of the ‘pen.
“He’s not as erratic,” Cora said. “He’s pounding the strike zone. There’s something about him this year that he bought into the concept that he can put guys away in the strike zone.”