Alex Cora examines Boston Red Sox’ very first month; ‘I like
TORONTO– The calendar turns to May on Thursday and Red Sox supervisor Alex Cora likes what he has seen from his ball club during April.The Red Sox
enter the last game of the month with a 17-14 record. They will try to win their fourth straight game when they play the Blue Jays here at Rogers Centre on Wednesday.
“I like where we’re at,” Cora said before Wednesday’s game. “I like where we’re going. We’ve just got ta be patient. It’s not pedal to the metal. It’s not. We need to be extremely patient with the group letting guys establish. The bullpen is becoming a weapon here. The beginners now, we have to be patient. We got Gio (Lucas Giolito) today.”
Giolito will make his Red Sox debut Wednesday after beginning the season on the IL with a left hamstring strain.Cora also noted the significance of Brayan Bello’s return from the IL. Bello has actually won both his starts so far and has enabled four runs in 11 innings (3.27 AGE ). Boston ranks 14th in the majors in personnel age(3.97)
. They rank 17th in both starter ERA (4.00 )and reducer period( 3.93).” We have an excellent team,”Cora said.”We have a great group and we’re playing the long run.”The Red Sox were inconsistent throughout the very first month, particularly offensively. However leadoff hitter Jarren Duran and No. 2 hitter Rafael Devers have broken out of their downturns on this road trip.Devers is 6-for-17(.353)with 3 homers, one double, four RBIs, 6 runs, 3 walks and three strikeouts in four games on this road trip so far. Duran’s average has actually increased 32 points from.241 to.273 the past 3 games.When those 2 are hitting, it alters the entire lineup.
“You see the difference,”Cora stated.”We anticipated them to strike.
“No. 3 player Alex Bregman, on the other hand, is having the very best April of
his profession. He’s batting.331 with a. 401 on-base portion,.570 slugging
portion,.971 OPS, six homers, 11 doubles, 23 RBIs, 22 runs, 12 walks and 25 strikeouts in 30 games.”Those three guys together, like I said in spring training, it’s gon na be very unsafe, “Cora stated.” They are three different at-bats, too.
And today all of them are swinging the bat well. So you see the results. “The Red Sox have gotten strong defense from their outfielders and catcher Carlos Narvaez. The infield defense has actually been unstable though.Despite the inconsistencies of the offense, Boston ranks first in doubles(61), fourth in runs(158 )and 5th in both slugging percentage (.423) and OPS(.757).”It’s just 30 games,” Cora said.
“You’re gon na go through stretches like that. The difference is that it happened early. And the numbers are the numbers. … But this is happening around the league. I looked at the numbers today
and there’s some actually excellent players that are struggling right now. Offense is down. For the first month of the season, offense is down. I do not know if this is gon na be the story of the season. But from our end, we do think our guys are gon na hit.” They’re doing a lot better not going after pitches lately,”Cora included. “Not starting out. Hitting the ball hard, although we have hit the ball hard the whole season or the entire month. Just keep working, keep getting better.
We’re gon na face personnels that they’re gon na be tough on us because matchup-wise, it benefits them (and) it’s not excellent for us. So on those days, what are we gon na do as an offense? Are we gon na cope with the 15 strikeouts and the popups? Or are we gon na strike line drives and take what they provide us? We’re about to see.”More Red Sox coverage