#boston-red-sox

#boston-red-sox

"I think what I would say is that we need to figure out ways to improve the team and that could take a number of shapes," Breslow said. "Every team gets better if you can bring in a starter or develop a starting pitcher that could pitch at Garrett Crochet's level, right? "There's no running from that and we'll be as aggressive as we can in chasing that down while also ensuring that we're doing everything we can to develop our players internally."

The Red Sox ranked seventh in the majors this season in runs scored. But even with that encouraging ranking, it was evident that Boston's offense approach had some severe shortcomings - plenty of which reared their collective head in October. The return of Roman Anthony at the top of the lineup next spring will undoubtedly help a batting order that hit just .198 with six runs scored and a whopping 30 strikeouts over their three-game series against New York.

Aaron Boone's big-game and postseason ledger is expansive between his game-winning home run in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox in 2003, playing in that ensuring World Series against the Florida Marlins, and then navigating the Yankees through six previous postseason appearances with an American League pennant to show for it last year.

Jose De León was called up from Worcester and I think blew away everyone's expectations. Steven Matz, Zack Kelly and Greg Weissert were the only ones needed out of the bullpen. The Sox even allowed Alex Cora to take out Trevor Story midway through the game, sliding Nick Sogard to short and plopping Nate Eaton at third. It all worked out in the end.

Getting back to the postseason always calls for a champagne-soaked party! And getting there for the first time in four years is especially meaningful. Take a look at what happened last night! First everyone got their brand new October Baseball shirts on, and took a photo with the backdrop of the Monster behind them. Then everybody made their way into the clubhouse and got ready to pop bottles! Alex Cora made a speech and at its conclusion, the party was on:

Oh, that was magical last night! Glorious. We're all riding high but we've still got a job to do and won't lose focus on what's in front of us. What with Abreu back in the lineup (still great to see him after his long absence), a lot of guys getting a rest day, and another start by rookie Connelly Early, it feels like we have a fairly fresh-faced lineup today.

In the recent years I've tried to become a 162-girl. If you don't know what I'm talking about, being a 162 person means that you care about every single baseball game that your team plays. Every game matters to you, from the inning-byinning minutiae to the broader divisional/post-season context. Some people can't be 162-ers, whether they don't have the time to be fully invested or don't have the drive. But the diehards who have the time and energy are my 162 people.

"He ran yesterday, he ran today, I just texted him," Cora said. "He feels OK. It wasn't at full speed but he felt better than the last time he tried. It's the start of the progression. I don't know as far as timetable, but it's good news." Wilyer Abreu (calf strain) ran yesterday and today, Alex Cora said.Cora: "He feels OK. It wasn't full speed, but better than last time he tried."- Tim Healey (@timbhealey)

The Boston Red Sox put rookie sensation Roman Anthony on the injured list Wednesday after the outfielder experienced left oblique tightness in Tuesday's 11-7 win over the Cleveland Guardians. While not giving a specific timetable, Red Sox manager Alex Cora acknowledged that oblique strains typically require four to six weeks of recovery time. "He's one of our best offensive players, but it's not hard," Cora said Wednesday. "We have to move on. We've been through this before."

Pretty good! A winning record in a month is always a plus. We had win streaks going. We took three of four from the Yankees and four of four from the Orioles in their own houses. Roman Anthony really started to dominate. Payton Tolle debuted. I can't really complain. It seemed like every loss this month was extra annoying, though.

Their ace got battered around, their young stud left with injury, multiple guys had to move positions twice in the game, and tomorrow's starter ended up pitching the ninth inning as the Sox continue to get more creative in their attempt to keep the bottom half of this pitching staff on the tracks. And despite all of that, this group of contagious competitors once again proved resilient and managed to cook up pair of rousing offensive innings in the 6th and the 8th,

Carlos Narváez had his first career pinch hit, a tiebreaking single in the fifth inning, Trevor Story had a strange homer that ticked the right fielder's glove and then the foul pole, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-4 on Monday. Romy Gonzalez added an RBI single for the Red Sox, who won for the ninth time in 12 games to improve to an AL-best 35-18 since the beginning of July.

But ever since the Red Sox signed him on August 18, he's torn it up. He's slashing .350/.417/.600, good for a 179 OPS+. His defense has improved as well; according to Baseball-Reference, he had -13 Total Zone runs and -5 Defensive Runs Saved for Washington, but for Boston, those totals are at 1 and 0, respectively. He suddenly looks like his old self (better, in fact), a player who might make a real difference on a team in the midst of a competitive playoff race.