Kelly suspension stays at 6 games
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
TORONTO — For nearly a week, beginning last night, the Red Sox will be playing with only 24 players after Joe Kelly’s appeal for a reduction to his six-game suspension for fighting Tyler Austin of the Yankees was denied yesterday.
Austin, on the other hand, had his suspension reduced from five to four games.
Kelly said little of note when he met with reporters in the afternoon, although his tweet not too long afterward shed a more candid light on how he was feeling: “At least take me to dinner first.”
To reporters, Kelly said, “I always like sticking up for myself. It kind of helps me sleep at night going in fighting for what I believe in, and it didn’t work out.”
He divulged close to nothing about what he said during his appeal last Friday in Oakland other than “obviously it didn’t work out too well.
“It’s disappointing. Suspensions are always not fun. We’re going to have to play a guy down for six games, so like I said, it’s disappointing, it is what it is and I’ll get six games and that’s how it goes.”
The April 11 fracas at Fenway Park began when Austin made a spikesup, off-line slide at second base where shortstop Brock Holt was hoping to turn a double play. Holt exchanged words and a look at Austin for the calf-high slide, and both benches briefly emptied.
Later, Kelly plunked Austin in the ribs, infuriating the Yankee, who slammed his bat down and then glared at Kelly and advanced a few steps. Kelly stared back and — this likely did not help his case — made a “C’mon” gesture with his hands. A rumble, impressive by most baseball brawl standards, ensued.
Kelly was not too sure if the gesture hurt his cause.
“I don’t know, I can’t really speak for them, all I know is that I ended up getting six games,” said Kelly. “And it’s a tough time, we’re playing good baseball and especially for myself, I felt like I was getting into a little bit of a rhythm but we’re going to have to win some ballgames. It’s disappointing that it came out that way but going to still keep doing my stuff every single day and try to be prepared to come back that last day at home.”
Kelly did pitch three innings over the first two games of this series, almost as if the Red Sox had a clue that a decision was coming.
“I can’t control that,” said manager Alex Cora. “Disappointed, yeah. But it is what it is. We’ll manage the game with the guys we have. We’ve got a good bullpen so in six days he’ll come back and we’ll keep rolling.”
Still, Cora was surprised Kelly did not catch a break.
“If I was a gambling man, I would have bet a dollar that it was coming, that they would at least reduce it to five,” said Cora. “It didn’t happen, they had their reason and we respect that and it is what it is.”
Cora has been using Kelly late and against lefties. In his absence, Cora said Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez will be asked to fill in.
X back tonight
Cora essentially guaranteed shortstop Xander Bogaerts (ankle) will be activated for tonight’s homestand opener against the Royals.
“He should be back (tonight),” said Cora. “I talked to him too and he was very upbeat. He didn’t have to convince me. He was emphatic and genuine and he said it with conviction. I told him who was pitching (tonight) and he’s like, ‘I don’t care.’ I’m like, ‘OK, cool.’ But no, it’s good. He’s upbeat and looking forward to having him back at shortstop in the middle of the lineup. It seems like, I know it’s a rehab game but his swing is still there, it’s not going to take that much.”
In these times of diminished offense for the Red Sox, Cora is grateful to have Bogaerts, the club’s hottest hitter when he got hurt, back.
“It creates balance,” said Cora. “The way he was driving the ball, it’s important to have him there, then the rest of the guys will fall into place. You don’t put as much pressure to the other guys. There’s a consistent 1 through 5, although we’ve been consistent, but having him hitting fifth, there’s reason he’s hitting fifth, he’s a differencemaker.”
Betts in center
With Jackie Bradley Jr. getting a day off, Cora had Mookie Betts playing center field in Bradley’s absence, with J.D. Martinez in Betts’ right field spot.
“It’s about keeping (Andrew Benintendi) in left field and having Mookie in center field,” said Cora. “This stadium, the dimensions, for me, that’s a better defensive alignment than just keeping Mookie in right and moving Benny to center and having J.D. in left. Like I said, we’re comfortable with J.D. in left or right. It’s not that he’s a bad outfielder. But I think those three in those spots in this stadium helps out.”