Abreu to get more playing time vs. righties
Ceddanne Rafaela started at shortstop for the Red Sox in Monday morning’s Patriots Day contest at Fenway Park.
Manager Alex Cora has been vocal recently about the need to get Wilyer Abreu more playing time, and the Red Sox staff, along with Cora, have landed on a solution.
“Against righties, he will play every day,” said Cora before the Sox’ 6-0 loss to the Guardians. “We’ll find a way. We’ll move people around, but he will play against righties.”
That being the case, Rafaela, who signed as an infielder and is capable of handling shortstop, will get most of the time at that position when the Sox are facing a righty.
Abreu, as he did Monday, will play right field, with Jarren Duran in center and Tyler O’Neill in left.
Having Rafaela at shortstop is a positive development for the Sox, who have displayed horrific infield defense in the absence of Trevor Story.
David Hamilton, who is not a shortstop, has logged a lot of the innings there, struggling to make the routine play and throw. The Sox came into Monday ranked 22nd in the majors in defensive runs saved at shortstop (minus-2). However, Cora said, “This isn’t about the shortstop thing. This is about Abreu getting at-bats.”
Rafaela has struggled offensively, hitting just .160 in 17 games this year. But, of course, developing and contributing in the big leagues is a process.
“We’ve been through this the last two years with our rookies, and we’ve been very patient, and look where they are now, Jarren and [first baseman Triston] Casas,” said Cora. “So we’ll be patient. I learned this when I played here; you just got to be patient. It’s the big leagues.”
Rafaela has had better atbats across the last few games and is hitting the ball hard, despite not seeing results. He tagged a ball to right-center Saturday that forced the Angels’ Mike Trout back to the wall.
Rafaela hit two balls hard in Monday’s game, too. The first was caught near the triangle in the third inning, and the second traveled 400 feet to center. Though both were outs, Cora believes this is a good sign.
“We’re getting close,” he said.
“I think I’m swinging at the right ones,” said Rafaela. “Nothing mechanical. Just swinging at the right ones.”
A better Kutter
Kutter Crawford was impressive toward the middle part of the 2022 season. In five starts (six games) from July 4 to Aug. 2, the righthander compiled a 2.38 ERA in 34 innings. He pitched at least five innings each time and lasted six in three of the starts.
After Monday’s start, in which he allowed just two hits across 5„ scoreless innings while striking out six, Crawford said this is an even better version of himself.
“2022 was a big learning year for me,” said Crawford, who was a rookie that season. “So I kind of am taking what I learned from then to now.
“Throwing strikes is huge and competing is huge. You have to trust in your stuff. Having conviction in your pitches. In previous starts, I leaned on the sweeper. Today I leaned on the cutter.”
The Sox have always been high on Crawford’s upside based on his metrics, but the problem had been durability and getting through the latter innings. In his four starts this season, Crawford has gone less than five innings just once. His 0.42 ERA is the best for a Red Sox starter through four starts (minimum 20 innings) since Roger Clemens’s 0.28 in 1991.
“He worked hard in the offseason to maintain his stuff from Pitch 75 to Pitch 100, something he didn’t do last year,” said Cora. “He kind of hit the wall. Now the fastball is playing and the cutter is good.”
Ceremonial touches
The Sox held pregame ceremonies honoring those who were killed or injured in the Boston Marathon bombing 11 years ago. The Patriots’ End Zone Militia presented the colors, and the American flag was draped over the Green Monster. The Sox wore their home white jerseys with “Boston” across the front. Survivors of the bombing, in unison, did the “play ball” announcement.
The Sox also marked Jackie Robinson Day, with all players on both teams wearing No. 42 in blue lettering. Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars Kristen Harriot, Dylan Johnson, Titciana Barros, Lemuel Gonzalez, Natalia Crisostomo, and Jen Kincaid were greeted on the field by Red Sox Hall of Famer Elaine Steward, the team’s senior vice president/assistant general counsel, and also an alumna of the Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars.
Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski threw out the first pitch. Or was supposed to. Instead of throwing it, he spiked it.