Orioles (Sugano) vs Red Sox (Buehler): 8/19/25, 7:10pm

[Brandon Glick]

Hi. Please don't get (mini) swept by the Orioles before a four-game series with the Yankees. Thank you.

[FredLynn]

If we do not win today then take care of business in NY (4 games) we likely will enter free fall like other Red Sox teams have done in the past. Gotta win at least two in NY. Otherwise I doubt we will be playing in October.

[Maxbialystock]

The Orioles were favorites last night because of their starter Rogers, who typically gave up 1 run in 7 IP. 

May, meanwhile, went 6 IP giving up 2 runs. So, after 6 the Sox were down 2-1 with a decent shot at winning.  But  then came the deluge when the Sox bullpen gave up 4 runs in 3 innings.

So the good news is the Sox had a shot at beating an ace with half of Crochet's ERA.  And the bad news is that the bullpen--and not the lineup and not the rotation--threatens to destroy this season.  Last night was their third straight terrible performance.  Sunday Whitlock and Weissert with 33 holds and 4 saves between them, gave up 3 runs in 1.1 IP to destroy a brilliant start by Crochet.  Saturday the Sox went into the 9th with a 7-2 lead which was cut to 7-5 by I. Campbell.  Chapman had to get the final out with a man on 1b.  

[Maxbialystock]

9 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

The Orioles were favorites last night because of their starter Rogers, who typically gave up 1 run in 7 IP. 

May, meanwhile, went 6 IP giving up 2 runs. So, after 6 the Sox were down 2-1 with a decent shot at winning.  But  then came the deluge when the Sox bullpen gave up 4 runs in 3 innings.

So the good news is the Sox had a shot at beating an ace with half of Crochet's ERA.  And the bad news is that the bullpen--and not the lineup and not the rotation--threatens to destroy this season.  Last night was their third straight terrible performance.  Sunday Whitlock and Weissert with 33 holds and 4 saves between them, gave up 3 runs in 1.1 IP to destroy a brilliant start by Crochet.  Saturday the Sox went into the 9th with a 7-2 lead which was cut to 7-5 by I. Campbell.  Chapman had to get the final out with a man on 1b.  

Strangely enough, I agree with bringing in hopefully better bats because there are no good relievers to be had in August.  

[notin]

17 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

The Orioles were favorites last night because of their starter Rogers, who typically gave up 1 run in 7 IP. 

May, meanwhile, went 6 IP giving up 2 runs. So, after 6 the Sox were down 2-1 with a decent shot at winning.  But  then came the deluge when the Sox bullpen gave up 4 runs in 3 innings.

So the good news is the Sox had a shot at beating an ace with half of Crochet's ERA.  And the bad news is that the bullpen--and not the lineup and not the rotation--threatens to destroy this season.  Last night was their third straight terrible performance.  Sunday Whitlock and Weissert with 33 holds and 4 saves between them, gave up 3 runs in 1.1 IP to destroy a brilliant start by Crochet.  Saturday the Sox went into the 9th with a 7-2 lead which was cut to 7-5 by I. Campbell.  Chapman had to get the final out with a man on 1b.  

The Orioles did get that lead to 4-0 with their inning off Moran before the Sox scored their first run.  It was never 2-1.

Small point…

[moonslav59]

Buehler needs to start earning his keep.

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Buehler needs to start earning his keep.

He gets $500k when he throws his first pitch tonight, so I think he's not worried about it. 

[moonslav59]

11 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

He gets $500k when he throws his first pitch tonight, so I think he's not worried about it. 

Maybe worrying might help: nothing else is working!

[mvp 78]

Last time Buehler pitched against the O's, O'Hearn went 3-3. That probably won't happen for O'Hearn tonight at Fenway! Maybe Buehler will have a better shot this go around? 

[mvp 78]

 

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

He gets $500k when he throws his first pitch tonight, so I think he's not worried about it. 

I continue to have hope for him.

(And if he gets pounded tonight I'll be right there with everyone else saying he's toast. 😏 )

[mvp 78]

 

[mvp 78]

Toro 1b

Lowe DH

😎

[Maxbialystock]

4 hours ago, notin said:

The Orioles did get that lead to 4-0 with their inning off Moran before the Sox scored their first run.  It was never 2-1.

Small point…

But you're right.  

[moonslav59]

27 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Finally! I hope he can pitch like he has for long stretches with us. We need a guy like that.

Who goes down?

 

[Maxbialystock]

3 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Buehler needs to start earning his keep.

Right now the monkey is very much on the bullpen's back.  They've blown 2 of the last 3 games and tried to blow the third.  Right now in late and close games the Sox have one reliever, Chapman.  That's an insane overstatement, but it's how I feel.

 

[Maxbialystock]

38 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Last time Buehler pitched against the O's, O'Hearn went 3-3. That probably won't happen for O'Hearn tonight at Fenway! Maybe Buehler will have a better shot this go around? 

Great find!

[Maxbialystock]

Rafaela out and Yoshida in LF?  My question is not about Cora's decision but about Rafaela being out.  

[vegasbob]

15 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Rafaela out and Yoshida in LF?  My question is not about Cora's decision but about Rafaela being out.  

That is a defensive reduction of some magnitude both in LF and a bit in CF.     Buehler may need all the help he can get.

[vegasbob]

Realistically, tonight is not a must win and the Sox face another O's pitcher, on a losing record team ( 58-67), who has an a sub 3. ERA and 1.28 WHIP over his last 3 games, and who is 10-5 for the season.   BUT, it feels like a must win in the sense that Sox have given up a couple winnable games recently .

The Final Forty started with the Sox at 66-56 , and have gone 2-2 since then against teams with losing records, at home.     If they continue with win one, lose one through the 40, they would finish 86-76, a marked improvement over '22, '23', '24 but not what they should be capable of.

Although KC and Detroit made last years WC round with 86 wins, why be hanging on the doorstep in case some team(s)  pulls off 87+ ?  

[moonslav59]

31 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Right now the monkey is very much on the bullpen's back.  They've blown 2 of the last 3 games and tried to blow the third.  Right now in late and close games the Sox have one reliever, Chapman.  That's an insane overstatement, but it's how I feel.

 

Our Sp'ers have been doing worse than before, as well, except Buehler, who has consistently sucked.

BTW, Whitlock has not allowed an inherited runner to score since June 8th, and just 2 out of 12, all year.

He allowed a run, his last time pitching, after going 16 scoreless games of 13.2 IP, just 9 hits, 2BB and 17 Ks. You know who pitches like this?

Chapman.

I guess a pitcher is only as good as his last game.

Crochet has a 4.91 ERA in his last 2 starts. Gio is at 4.09 in his last 2 (5.12 FIP.) Bello: 5.25 in last 2. It's not just the pen, Max.

We've lost 6 of the last 9, but have gone 13-9 in the last 22 and 25-14 in the last 39, which is nearly a quarter season!

[mvp 78]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

Finally! I hope he can pitch like he has for long stretches with us. We need a guy like that.

Who goes down?

 

Moran

[moonslav59]

36 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Moran

Either he or ICampbell makes sense.

Moran could turn out to be a keeper, in the long run, but then again, I felt teh same when we traded for I Campbell.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 hour ago, vegasbob said:

Realistically, tonight is not a must win and the Sox face another O's pitcher, on a losing record team ( 58-67), who has an a sub 3. ERA and 1.28 WHIP over his last 3 games, and who is 10-5 for the season.   BUT, it feels like a must win in the sense that Sox have given up a couple winnable games recently .

The Final Forty started with the Sox at 66-56 , and have gone 2-2 since then against teams with losing records, at home.     If they continue with win one, lose one through the 40, they would finish 86-76, a marked improvement over '22, '23', '24 but not what they should be capable of.

Although KC and Detroit made last years WC round with 86 wins, why be hanging on the doorstep in case some team(s)  pulls off 87+ ?  

Fangraphs has the Sox finishing at 86-76. Don't know them or how accurate their predicting is.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Finally! I hope he can pitch like he has for long stretches with us. We need a guy like that.

Who goes down?

 

Too many to choose from.

[Maxbialystock]

Three days ago we had 4 outfielders.  Now we have 2.  

[moonslav59]

21 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Three days ago we had 4 outfielders.  Now we have 2.  

Actually 5, if you count our current 2Bman, Rafaela.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

23 minutes ago, Maxbialystock said:

Three days ago we had 4 outfielders.  Now we have 2.  

2.5 

[vegasbob]

38 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Fangraphs has the Sox finishing at 86-76. Don't know them or how accurate their predicting is.

I am concerned that it may be pretty accurate and will fall 1 game short of WC#3.

That will be I. Campbell's sole fault

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 minute ago, vegasbob said:

I am concerned that it may be pretty accurate and will fall 1 game short of WC#3.

That will be I. Campbell's sole fault

Teams win and teams lose. If the Sox don't make it, some batters may also feel guilty, for not making contact 3,500 times with a baserunner in scoring position.

But Saturday's game when ICampbell couldn't hold a 7-1 lead is hard to forget. Like the various voices coming out of my larynx yelling, "Does this guy have any pitch that drops below meatball level?!?!"