8/26 Twins at Fenway

[Maxbialystock]

Gant vs. Sale

 

Advantage to Sale, of course, but the real question is the bullpen. Sale's won twice, but pitched just 5 innings both times, so the bullpen needs to do what they did last night--go 5 innings while giving up 0 runs. I'm thinking Whitlock might get 2 or 3 of those innings. Richards has also been decent from the pen--8 innings, 1 run. Sawamura and Taylor both pitched the last 2 games, so they might not be available.

 

If Schwarber starts at 1B, the Sox will have an awfully good lineup, assuming Kike goes back to CF and Arroyo returns to 2d base.

 

Sox up 1.5 on the A's for the 2d wild card slot, but are steadily losing ground to the streaking Yankees (11 straight) and implacable Rays, 8-2 in their last 10 and hands down the best team in the AL.

 

Need this as a confidence booster. Then three at Cleveland (playing .500 ball) followed by four at Tampa.

Edited August 26, 2021 by Maxbialystock

[mvp 78]

Schwarb still not at 1b:

 

1. Enrique Hernandez SS

2. Kyle Schwarber DH

3. J.D. Martinez LF

4. Rafael Devers 3B

5. Alex Verdugo RF

6. Christian Vazquez C

7. Christian Arroyo 2B

8. Jarren Duran CF

9. Bobby Dalbec 1B

[Maxbialystock]

Schwarb still not at 1b:

 

1. Enrique Hernandez SS

2. Kyle Schwarber DH

3. J.D. Martinez LF

4. Rafael Devers 3B

5. Alex Verdugo RF

6. Christian Vazquez C

7. Christian Arroyo 2B

8. Jarren Duran CF

9. Bobby Dalbec 1B

 

Like you said, seeing is believing.

 

Bogie out tonight, so Kike goes to SS and Arroyo to 2b, Dalbec to 1b, and Duran to CF--plus he is the 4th lefty bat against righty starter Gant.

[TylerD]

Sale day. Get a win.

[Oscars]

Good to see the extra velocity on Sales fastball, getting it up to 94-95 mph.

[Oscars]

shwarber has quietly become the Sox best hitter

[Oscars]

JDM is currently a very easy out

[iortiz]

Sliders are JDM killers.

 

Wonder why they keep him at the top of the order or playing at all.

 

They are entering into the end of the season. They have to give a f*** about codes.

[TylerD]

Great two innings for Sale.

[Oscars]

Sliders are JDM killers.

 

Wonder why they keep him at the top of the order or playing at all.

 

They are entering into the end of the season. They have to give a f*** about codes.

 

It’s not just JDM struggling lately, it’s him, Bogey and Devers who are all scuffling at once.

In the last 7 games between them they only have 5 RBIs, and JDM has none.

[mvp 78]

DFAlbecx3

[TylerD]

Bobby!!!!!! 3-0!!!

[a700hitter]

He hits them a long way.

[Bellhorn04]

He hits them a long way.

 

He can crush it.

[Oscars]

Attaboy Bobby

[mvp 78]

Immaculate

[iortiz]

Immaculate inning. Wow!

 

Whata performance thus far. This how an ace looks like mostly since Twins offense is a respectable one.

[moonslav59]

who needs Charles Schwab at 1B?

[TylerD]

Immaculate wow

[Bellhorn04]

For anyone who's wondering, Sale's contract runs through 2024, and there is also a vesting option for 2025.

[Oscars]

Alex please give JDM a day or 2 off

[iortiz]

For anyone who's wondering, Sale's contract runs through 2024, and there is also a vesting option for 2025.

 

It’s early but he looks 100% healthy.

 

If he keeps this way through these years we could grab another ring soon.

[iortiz]

Did you see the last 2 ABs of Verdugo? That’s his regular approach.

 

He rarely swings in three consecutive pitches like he did yesterday. His aggressiveness taxed his approach at the plate last night.

[iortiz]

Alex please give JDM a day or 2 off

 

At least put him at the bottom of the order.

[oldtimer]

Nice AB by Verdugo. He stayed in it and finally got a pitch to put in play. Drove in a run. Ran up the pitch count. All good things.

[Oscars]

Sale looks outstanding, he is back.

He had his fastball up to 96 against Sano

[Maxbialystock]

Amazing first 3 innings--Sale dazzling and Dalbec with a huge 3 run dinger--and a reason for thinking that maybe the Sox were sort of, kind of, turning a corner last night. Houck not so hot, but not that bad as a starter, then a great 5 innings by the bullpen, and finally a terrific comeback by the hitters to tie it with a run in the 7th, another in the 8th, and the great 2 run dinger by Schwarber in the 9th. Plus the 2 runs, 1 earned, in the 10th after Robles had given the game away.

[Maxbialystock]

Sale looks outstanding, he is back.

He had his fastball up to 96 against Sano

 

The Sox have guys--Robles comes to mind after last night--who can throw in the high 90's and still get hit hard. What makes Sales' fastball work is where he throws it and how he mixes it in with his slider and changeup.

[TylerD]

What a play by Arroyo

[TylerD]

Damn. First hiccup for Sale today. Oh well.