TORONTO — The calendar turns to May on Thursday and Red Sox manager Alex Cora likes what he has seen from his ball club during April.
The Red Sox enter the final 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 gotta be patient. It’s not pedal to the metal. It’s not. We have to be very patient with the group letting guys develop. The bullpen is becoming a weapon here. The starters 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 importance of Brayan Bello’s return from the IL. Bello has won both his starts so far and has allowed four runs in 11 innings (3.27 ERA).
Boston ranks 14th in the majors in staff ERA (3.97). They rank 17th in both starter ERA (4.00) and reliever ERA (3.93).
“We have a good team,” Cora said. “We have a good team and we’re playing the long run.”
The Red Sox were inconsistent throughout the first month, especially offensively. But leadoff hitter Jarren Duran and No. 2 hitter Rafael Devers have broken out of their slumps on this road trip.
Devers is 6-for-17 (.353) with three homers, one double, four RBIs, six runs, three walks and three strikeouts in four games on this road trip so far.
Duran’s average has increased 32 points from .241 to .273 the past three games.
When those two are hitting, it changes the entire lineup.
“ You see the difference,” Cora said. “We expected them to hit.”
No. 3 hitter Alex Bregman, meanwhile, is having the best April of his career. He’s batting .331 with a .401 on-base percentage, .570 slugging percentage, .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 gonna be very dangerous,” Cora said. “They are three different at-bats, too. And right now all of them are swinging the bat well. So you see the results.”
The Red Sox have received strong defense from their outfielders and catcher Carlos Narvaez. The infield defense has been shaky though.
Despite the inconsistencies of the offense, Boston ranks first in doubles (61), fourth in runs (158) and fifth in both slugging percentage (.423) and OPS (.757).
“It’s only 30 games,” Cora said. “You’re gonna 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 really good hitters that are struggling right now. Offense is down. For the first month of the season, offense is down. I don’t know if this is gonna be the story of the season. But from our end, we do believe our guys are gonna hit.
“They’re doing a lot better not chasing pitches lately,” Cora added. “Not striking out. Hitting the ball hard, although we have hit the ball hard the whole season or the whole month. Just keep working, keep getting better. We’re gonna run into staffs that they’re gonna be tough on us because matchup-wise, it’s good for them (and) it’s not great for us. So on those days, what are we gonna do as an offense? Are we gonna live with the 15 strikeouts and the popups? Or are we gonna hit line drives and take what they give us? We’re about to see.”
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Read the original article on MassLive.
TORONTO — The calendar turns to May on Thursday and Red Sox manager Alex Cora likes what he has seen from his ball club during April.
The Red Sox enter the final 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 gotta be patient. It’s not pedal to the metal. It’s not. We have to be very patient with the group letting guys develop. The bullpen is becoming a weapon here. The starters 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 importance of Brayan Bello’s return from the IL. Bello has won both his starts so far and has allowed four runs in 11 innings (3.27 ERA).
Boston ranks 14th in the majors in staff ERA (3.97). They rank 17th in both starter ERA (4.00) and reliever ERA (3.93).
“We have a good team,” Cora said. “We have a good team and we’re playing the long run.”
The Red Sox were inconsistent throughout the first month, especially offensively. But leadoff hitter Jarren Duran and No. 2 hitter Rafael Devers have broken out of their slumps on this road trip.
Devers is 6-for-17 (.353) with three homers, one double, four RBIs, six runs, three walks and three strikeouts in four games on this road trip so far.
Duran’s average has increased 32 points from .241 to .273 the past three games.
When those two are hitting, it changes the entire lineup.
“ You see the difference,” Cora said. “We expected them to hit.”
No. 3 hitter Alex Bregman, meanwhile, is having the best April of his career. He’s batting .331 with a .401 on-base percentage, .570 slugging percentage, .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 gonna be very dangerous,” Cora said. “They are three different at-bats, too. And right now all of them are swinging the bat well. So you see the results.”
The Red Sox have received strong defense from their outfielders and catcher Carlos Narvaez. The infield defense has been shaky though.
Despite the inconsistencies of the offense, Boston ranks first in doubles (61), fourth in runs (158) and fifth in both slugging percentage (.423) and OPS (.757).
“It’s only 30 games,” Cora said. “You’re gonna 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 really good hitters that are struggling right now. Offense is down. For the first month of the season, offense is down. I don’t know if this is gonna be the story of the season. But from our end, we do believe our guys are gonna hit.
“They’re doing a lot better not chasing pitches lately,” Cora added. “Not striking out. Hitting the ball hard, although we have hit the ball hard the whole season or the whole month. Just keep working, keep getting better. We’re gonna run into staffs that they’re gonna be tough on us because matchup-wise, it’s good for them (and) it’s not great for us. So on those days, what are we gonna do as an offense? Are we gonna live with the 15 strikeouts and the popups? Or are we gonna hit line drives and take what they give us? We’re about to see.”
