Cora: Time off should help Devers
Third baseman played hurt in ALDS
HOUSTON — Rafael Devers certainly wasn’t 100% healthy as the Red Sox handled the Rays in four games in the ALDS, and Alex Cora thought some time off since Monday night’s clinching win would do the third baseman some good.
RED SOX NOTEBOOK
Devers was clearly favoring his right arm after several big swings against the Rays, but whatever was ailing him wasn’t enough for him to miss time, or even ruin his production. Going into Friday night’s Game 1 of the ALCS, Devers had hit five homers in October, including two in the postseason, as he dealt with playing hurt. Cora has been pleased with his approach at the plate.
“I believe so,” Cora said Friday when asked if the time off since Monday will benefit him. “I think it’s going to help him. One thing about all this stuff, I like the fact that his power is not actually pull side anymore. It’s still there, but he has been able to drive the ball to left center and to center field. The two homers in Washington, the two homers against the Rays, right, he has been able to stay on pitches and use the middle of the field. …
“I think it’s just him understanding what the opposition is going to do to him, kind of recognize him as the guy that we don’t want him to beat us. And I do believe he has done an amazing job staying within himself. There are certain times that he swings out of control, but I think overall since Washington and then the Wild Card game and then the ALDS, he has been under control using the whole field.
Best of the best
This ALCS will pit two of the best shortstops in the game, with All-Stars Xander Bogaerts and Carlos Correa squaring off.
Correa is having one of the best seasons of his career offensively and defensively as he enters free agency this winter, and Bogaerts has been a fan from afar. He didn’t go as far as to say he and Correa are the two best shortstops in baseball, but he knows their respective careers to this point can’t be disputed.
“Definitely we’re in the conversation,” Bogaerts said. “I feel like we’ve done it for a while now. We’ve been really consistent. I mean, I know he has been dealing with some injuries throughout the years, but this year he has played a lot of games, and he has been really, really productive for that team over there. …
“He is a great player,” Bogaerts added. “He has done it in the regular season. He has done it in the playoffs. He’s had huge moments. He has a World Series ring. … I feel like I’m pretty much the same. We’re big shortstops. We both came up young. A lot of hype around us. I wasn’t drafted first overall, but at one point we both were top prospects in the organization. I think we both did a good job just maintaining the same and helping our teams win as much as possible and leading them to victories.”
Eovaldi enjoys home
Nathan Eovaldi, who grew up nearby Alvin, Texas, always loves coming home to the state to pitch, whether it’s in Houston against the Astros or Dallas against the
Rangers. The righty might be in a more relaxed state for his start in Saturday’s Game 2 at Minute Maid Park.
“It’s definitely one of my favorite ballparks to pitch in,” Eovaldi said. “Growing up we went to a lot of the games at the Astrodome, Minute Maid, Enron at the time. Got a lot of fond memories here. In high school we had a tournament or two we got to play here in high school. Any time you’re a high school kid and you get to step on a big league field, it’s pretty awesome. The Dodgers were in town one time, and I got to come out here and throw a bullpen, so I got a lot of fond memories here.”
Dalbec on bench for Game 1
For a fourth consecutive game, Cora sat Bobby Dalbec despite the Red Sox going against lefty Framber Valdez. Cora said that Valdez is a different type of lefty who hasn’t necessarily pitched better to righties or lefties. But since dominating for most of the second half, Dalbec has fallen into a cold spell. He’s 2-for-31 dating back to Sept. 22.
Cora’s lineup looked different from how it did in the last three games of the ALDS. J.D. Martinez moved back up to fifth, and moved Alex Verdugo back down to seventh.
Hernandez, Sawamura added to roster
After both missing the ALDS, Darwinzon Hernandez and Hirokazu Sawamura were included in the Red Sox’ ALCS roster in the only two changes. Sawamura has not pitched since the season finale against the Nationals, but Cora liked the matchup with the Astros for him.
“You just adjust throughout the playoffs and the Yankees were different than the Rays, and the Astros are different than the Rays. We just feel like in this series he matches up well with certain hitters in the opposition compared to the Wild Card game and the last series, so that’s why we had him.” …
The remainder of the ALCS broadcast schedule was announced. Saturday’s Game 2 is at 4:07 p.m. ET on FOX and FS1 before the series heads to Boston. Monday’s Game 3 is at 8:08 p.m. ET (FS1), Tuesday’s Game 4 at 8:08 p.m. ET and Wednesday’s Game 5 (if necessary) at 5:08 p.m. ET (FS1). If it heads back to Houston, Friday’s Game 6 would be at 8:08 p.m. ET (FS1) and Saturday’s Game 7 at 8:08 p.m. ET (FOX and FS1).