Options open for Phillips
Team preps him for work at 1B
The Red Sox want to see more out of newcomer Brandon Phillips.
The veteran second baseman made a splashy debut on Wednesday, when he hit a two-run, game-winning homer with two outs in the ninth inning to lead the Red Sox to a 9-8 victory over the Atlanta Braves.
Yesterday, Sox manager Alex Cora announced Phillips will begin working out at first base.
“We’re going to see how versatile we can make this guy,” Cora said.
The 37-year-old Phillips has played nearly his entire 17-year career at second base, though he’s made 24 starts at third base and two starts at shortstop. Never before has he played first base, where the Sox have been using a mix of Mitch Moreland and Steve Pearce.
But Moreland has hit just .183 with a .594 OPS in 33 games since the All-Star break while battling various injuries.
Phillips, who hit .302 with an .824 OPS in Triple-A Pawtucket before his callup, was on base three times in Wednesday’s game.
Phillips did not get in the game last night during a 6-3 loss to the Houston Astros at Fenway Park.
“Forget the home run, I think the at-bats that day were pretty solid,” Cora said. “The stuff he saw, it was good. And he was patient, he swung at strikes, you saw him running the bases. He’s done it before, so we’ll see how he goes. He’s going to start taking ground balls at first and he feels comfortable, and we feel that we can find some innings there, too, he’ll play some first base.”
It seems like a longshot for Phillips to make the postseason roster, but there is still more than three weeks to prove himself while the team evaluates its options.
“Whatever they need me to do,” he said. “If they want me to catch, I probably won’t be the best catcher but hey, I’ll try my best.”
The Sox have been so good this year, “they don’t really need me,” he said. “This is a great group of guys. I’ve never been a part of something like this. For me to be in a big market and play with guys I’ve played with for so many years, for them to play the way they’re playing — even the game I started in Atlanta, we were down like six runs. To come back, it was beautiful.
“Seeing the way this team is jelling, now I see why they’re playing the way they’re playing.”
Nunez has edge at 3B
Third base remains an open competition, too, though Eduardo Nunez has a leg up on that position over Rafael Devers right now.
Nunez started last night, when the Sox got a look at Astros ace Gerrit Cole. Devers will start today, but Nunez will start again tomorrow, according to Cora.
Nunez was 1-for-4 in the first game against Houston. Devers entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth and struck out swinging with two runners on base.
“Eduardo has been playing well,” the manager said. “I know the last however, he hasn’t had too much success as far as the numbers, but he’s hitting the ball solid. He’s playing good defense.”
Old acquaintances
Cora said he has great respect for the Astros, his former employer, and spent time before the game chatting with players.
“Since Jose Altuve came back, it’s a different lineup,” Cora said. “Obviously Alex Bregman right now is like the hottest hitter in the world. They’re a complete team. It’s a different bullpen now. They’ve got some options out there ... They’re playing great defense, a lot better than last year. The progress that the shortstop (Carlos Correa) has made defensively is huge for that team. He’s playing Gold Glove defense this year, which is impressive. We’ll see. We went there banged up a little bit and we split the series against them (in May).”
Ex-Sox prospect hurt
Former Red Sox prospect Michael Kopech, who was sent to the White Sox as part of the Chris Sale trade, suffered a UCL tear in his pitching elbow and is likely to have Tommy John surgery, the White Sox announced.
Kopech averaged 96.8 mph in his major league debut on Aug.21 but his average velocity dipped to 94 mph in his most recent start. He had a 5.02 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 141⁄3 innings.
Clemente candidate
Brock Holt was honored in a pregame ceremony for being the Red Sox’ candidate for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to one MLB player “who best represents the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement.”