Cora excited about Cashner New pitcher much improved
There was a natural curiosity even for Dave Dombrowski about what has contributed to such a dramatic turnaround from 2018 to 2019 for new Red Sox starter Andrew Cashner , but he was clearly enamored enough with his improvement to take a chance on him as the team’s new fifth starter.
For a 32-year-old veteran who now joins his sixth team, that curiosity is real. But the hope for the Red Sox is that the adjustments he’s made this season that have allowed him to be successful aren’t just a blip and will continue to play as they pursue a playoff spot.
Cashner, who will make his first start with the Red Sox on Tuesday after being traded from the Orioles on Saturday, has posted a 9-3 record with a 3.83 ERA. This after he produced his worst season in the majors last season, when he went 4-15 with a 5.29 ERA.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora noted that Cashner’s fastball velocity was higher in the two times he’s faced him this season, saying it reached 9697 mph, but his velocity numbers this season aren’t much different than the rest of his career. The biggest difference has been in his pitch mix.
Cashner has almost completely eliminated his sinker this season. According to Brooks Baseball, he’s used it 4.48% this season, way down from 35.7% last season. As a result, he’s used other pitches more, especially his changeup, which has almost doubled in usage from last season.
“That’s the way the game is going,” Cora said before the series finale against the Dodgers last night. “You make adjustments, and then you take away certain pitches, and you ask them to use others a little bit more. That’s how you expand your career. We’ve seen it in a lot of guys.”
Cora said he’s watched Cashner for a long time, and credited Dombrowski and his baseball operations staff for getting the deal done quickly, calling the acquisition “very important.” The right-hander has pitched his best baseball of the year over the last month and a half, going 3-1 with a 1.41 ERA over his last five starts, which have included games against the Astros, Athletics and Indians, all teams in the playoff chase.
“He’s not afraid to attack the strike zone,” Cora said. “He induces people to weak contact. At the same time, I know there’s not too many swings and misses, but the with the adjustments he has made this year with the Orioles, he’s gotten better.” Cora likes his makeup, too. “He competes,” Cora said. “Big, strong, Texas guy. He’s a presence. There’s a presence there.”
Wright to IL
Cashner, who will wear No. 48, reported to Boston yesterday and was added to the active roster. The corresponding move was sending Steven Wright to the 10-day injured list with a right great toe contusion. Wright took a line drive off his foot in the seventh inning of Saturday night’s loss to the Dodgers, and was immediately removed from the game.
“Steven is sore,” Cora said. “He’s not moving well.”
Wright had posted an 8.53 ERA in six relief appearances since being reinstated from his 80-game PED suspension last month.
Solving Sale
The work has begun on trying to figure out what’s wrong with Chris Sale, who gave up five runs for a third consecutive start and dropped to 3-9 with a 4.27 ERA in Saturday’s loss, but Cora doesn’t think it’s as bad as it appears.
Cora pointed out that the Red Sox didn’t make a play on a first-inning infield single, which led to A.J. Pollock’s RBI single that made it 1-0, and that Sale was one strike away on both Justin Turner’s RBI double and David Freese’s two-run double in the fifth.
“You try to put everything in perspective and keep the emotions out of the whole equation and you’re like, are we that far off or are we just one pitch, one pitch there for him to go six innings and one run?” Cora said. “So that’s the goal. That’s the goal for us. To find it and to find that pitch and put people away.” …
Mitch Moreland (quad) did not play in Pawtucket yesterday, and was instead with the Red Sox in Boston for workouts. Cora said the goal is for him to play in Pawtucket today.