Rays (Scholtens) vs Red Sox (Early): 5/8/26, 7:10pm

[Brock Beauchamp]

The Rays are really rolling this season. Is this for real, or are they just on a hot streak? And the question of the day is: if you were the head of the Red Sox, what would you do today to try to get them back on track?

	SUN	MON	TUE	WED	THU	TOT
Zack Kelly	19	0	0	25	0	44
Tyler Samaniego	13	0	0	31	6	50
Ryan Watson	0	0	0	0	51	51
Jovani Morán	11	0	0	0	0	11
Greg Weissert	22	0	0	11	11	44
Garrett Whitlock	19	26	0	0	0	45
Brayan Bello	0	0	94	0	0	94
Aroldis Chapman	17	13	0	0	0	30

[mvp 78]

1. DFA Watson. Add Tayron Guerrero and call him up. 

2. Move Story to 2B. Move Mayer to SS. 

3. Start Masa every game possible. 

4. Kelly gets the Watson mop up role. 

5. Weissert is NEVER brought in with runners on for the remainder of the year.

[moonslav59]

24 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

1. DFA Watson. Add Tayron Guerrero and call him up. 

2. Move Story to 2B. Move Mayer to SS. 

3. Start Masa every game possible. 

4. Kelly gets the Watson mop up role. 

5. Weissert is NEVER brought in with runners on for the remainder of the year.

Looks like a decent 5 point plan.

I might add:

6. Do not bat Story higher than the 5 slot v L and 6 slot vs R.

7. Move Samaniego & Moran up the mid/high leverage pen choice order.

8. Send Watson to the DFA or back to his old team.

9. Let Mayer bat vs LHPs and see what happens.

10. Examine your trainer and pitcher conditioning people closely.

[notin]

46 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

1. DFA Watson. Add Tayron Guerrero and call him up. 

2. Move Story to 2B. Move Mayer to SS. 

3. Start Masa every game possible. 

4. Kelly gets the Watson mop up role. 

5. Weissert is NEVER brought in with runners on for the remainder of the year.

I’m not fooled by 13 IP from Tayron Guerrero.

1.  Yes to DFA Watson.  Add Braiden Ward (who I am fooled by) and call him up.  Demote Gasper.

2.  Yes to flopping Story and Mayer.

3.  At least until Anthony comes back.  Either he helps the struggling offense or hits his way back on to the bench.

4.  Kelly to mop up.  Bello to Kelly’s role.  Leave Bennett in the rotation with Suarez, Gray, Tolle and Early.

5.  Maybe Weissert over Kelly for mop up?  Kelly might be optionable for Rivera, or when Slaten returns.

 

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, notin said:

I’m not fooled by 13 IP from Tayron Guerrero.

1.  Yes to DFA Watson.  Add Braiden Ward (who I am fooled by) and call him up.  Demote Gasper.

2.  Yes to flopping Story and Mayer.

3.  At least until Anthony comes back.  Either he helps the struggling offense or hits his way back on to the bench.

4.  Kelly to mop up.  Bello to Kelly’s role.  Leave Bennett in the rotation with Suarez, Gray, Tolle and Early.

5.  Maybe Weissert over Kelly for mop up?  Kelly might be optionable for Rivera, or when Slaten returns.

Guerrero doesn't have much time left on his arm. See if you can get lightning in the bottle. If it's not real, you still have Slaten coming back soon and Rivera in WOO. What's the harm? Other teams churn through AAA arms. Sox need to start doing that with some bullpen arms that could have impact. I don't think Jack Anderson really pushes the needle for me. I guy that can pump velo does. 

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Guerrero doesn't have much time left on his arm. See if you can get lightning in the bottle. If it's not real, you still have Slaten coming back soon and Rivera in WOO. What's the harm? Other teams churn through AAA arms. Sox need to start doing that with some bullpen arms that could have impact. I don't think Jack Anderson really pushes the needle for me. I guy that can pump velo does. 

Agreed, strike Guerrero's iron while it's hot.

He may only be good for a while, but we can use some good for any length of time.

[notin]

45 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

Guerrero doesn't have much time left on his arm. See if you can get lightning in the bottle. If it's not real, you still have Slaten coming back soon and Rivera in WOO. What's the harm? Other teams churn through AAA arms. Sox need to start doing that with some bullpen arms that could have impact. I don't think Jack Anderson really pushes the needle for me. I guy that can pump velo does. 

But Guerrero is not the guy pumping out 102-103 mph fastballs like he did in Miami.  Couple that with the fact the he couldn’t find the strike zone if the house he grew up in was in it.  I think he is more likely to be kerosene on a fire.  But I suppose Breslow did bring him on board for some sort of reason.

I’d move Bello to the bullpen first.  The Sox have 5 starters without him and have Crochet coming back at some point…

[mvp 78]

17 minutes ago, notin said:

But Guerrero is not the guy pumping out 102-103 mph fastballs like he did in Miami.  Couple that with the fact the he couldn’t find the strike zone if the house he grew up in was in it.  I think he is more likely to be kerosene on a fire.  But I suppose Breslow did bring him on board for some sort of reason.

I’d move Bello to the bullpen first.  The Sox have 5 starters without him and have Crochet coming back at some point…

His 4 seamer is averaging 98.3. His bb rate is down. I'd just rather watch him than Watson.

 

[mvp 78]

 

 

[moonslav59]

6 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

I do like Yoshida over Story for the 4 slot and would even put Rafaela 5th over Story, so watch Story blow up, tonight. LOL.

I'm not sure the last 14 day sample size means more than other time frames, but here it is:

40+ PAs unless noted

.938 Contreras (Nice get.)

.923 Abreu (Off to a nice start in '26)

.850 Yoshida (21 PAs)

.804 Rafaela (Can he stay steady, for once?)

.738 Monasterio (25)

.708 Mayer (.700 is the new .750)

.691 Durbin (rub your eyes)

.644 Anthony (to the IL)

.612 Duran (better than his season OPS)

.587 Narvaez (hopes of coming around might prove false)

.583 Wong (back to 2025 levels)

.558 Story (stuck in a rut)

.545 IKF (actually upticking)

 

 

[vegasbob]

Over the last 14 games the Red Sox are 7-7 , which may reflect what they are., a .500 team, which needs to go 6 over, just to be .500    

The 2=8 start is still the deficit.      does anyone actually miss AC or think the 7-7 record would be any different if they had retained Cora ?

Tracy seems to have kept an even keel so far . It seems obvious that he is getting direction from the FO analysts , maybe direct from Breslow.    I would love to know who is making the calls on the sequencing of relievers.   

The batting orders are more consistent and make some sense.    

[vegasbob]

Giving credit where due, thanks to Greg Weissert for openly admitting he pitched like s***.   The first step in any recovery program is to admit the failure and accept that change is needed.    Way to go , Greg, you are on the way !

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

Giving credit where due, thanks to Greg Weissert for openly admitting he pitched like s***.   The first step in any recovery program is to admit the failure and accept that change is needed.    Way to go , Greg, you are on the way !

Only one direction to go!

[notin]

Just now, moonslav59 said:

Only one direction to go!

Not true at all.  

The biggest lie anyone can ever tell themselves is “At least things can’t get any worse.”

[notin]

12 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

Giving credit where due, thanks to Greg Weissert for openly admitting he pitched like s***.   The first step in any recovery program is to admit the failure and accept that change is needed.    Way to go , Greg, you are on the way !

Yes, any recovery program will tell you is admitting you have a problem is the first step.  What they neglect to mention is that for the overwhelming majority of participants, it’s the only one they do…

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

Not true at all.  

The biggest lie anyone can ever tell themselves is “At least things can’t get any worse.”

It would be sideways for him to suck, but I suppose he could give up 20 runs in 3 IP.

[Bellhorn04]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Not true at all.  

The biggest lie anyone can ever tell themselves is “At least things can’t get any worse.”

Steven Wright: "My father used to say, if worse comes to worst, we're all screwed."

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

2 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Only one direction to go!

Out Gate C, left on Lansdowne St., right on Brookline to the middle of the David Ortiz Bridge, jump off onto a flatbed heading west on the Mass Pike.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I'd go with that line-up that's on the field right now.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 minute ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

I'd go with that line-up that's on the field right now.

Dwight should have been with those guys.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

3 hours ago, notin said:

Not true at all.  

The biggest lie anyone can ever tell themselves is “At least things can’t get any worse.”

It won't be a lie after you're dead.

[FredLynn]

Story remains USELESS 

[iortiz]

Story is a fckg bum. This guy clearly isn’t throwing strikes yet he keeps swinging. DFA his fckg ass already! He’s hurting this team in every possible way. 

[FredLynn]

Winning run on 3B

[FredLynn]

I predicted this team would finish 4th. They won’t make it out of the CELLAR. 

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Rays' offense pulled a Red Sox there.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

I remember when Gibson pitched for the weak hitting Cards and when the Cards scored a run, Curt Flood would tell Gibby there's your run. Don't screw up.

[FredLynn]

I predicted this team would finish 4th. They won’t make it out of the CELLAR. 

[FredLynn]

Get rid of Story already!

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

18 minutes ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

I remember when Gibson pitched for the weak hitting Cards and when the Cards scored a run, Curt Flood would tell Gibby there's your run. Don't screw up.

No post war pitcher had a better season than Gibson in 1968. He started 34 games and completed 28. He pitched a total of 304 innings. His ERA was a microscopic 1.12 with 13 shut outs. He finished the season at 22-9. Oh, his WHIP was .853.

How weak was the Cardinals' line-up? Gibby lost 9 games.

Best RH pitcher I ever saw.