One day after Red Sox manager Alex Cora ruled out the possibility of having struggling starter Chris Sale pitching out of the bullpen in the American League Division Series against the Rays, he and the Red Sox reversed course. Cora said that Sale was available to contribute out of the bullpen for Game 3.
“We changed our mind,” said Cora. “He feels he can go medically. Everybody is fine with it, and honestly I think, mentally for him, I think it will be great to put the spikes on and be ready for [Game 3 out of the bullpen].”
Asked if Sale would remain in consideration for a start in subsequent postseason contests, Cora remained coy.
“He’ll be in the bullpen today,” said Cora. “Very Belichick, very Sunday football answers today.”
One possible cause of Sale’s problems in Game 2 of the ALDS, when he allowed five runs in one inning: The lefthander’s release point was two inches further to his arm side towards first base than it had been in his previous outing in Tampa Bay at the beginning of September.
Perhaps as a result of that release point, Sale could not get his four-seam fastball in on Tampa Bay’s righthanded hitters. All of his four-seamers were middle-away. Meanwhile, his extension towards the plate was also diminished by roughly four inches compared to that prior start in Tampa Bay, meaning Rays hitters had more time to react to it.
Sale, of course, has prior playoff experience coming out of the bullpen. Most notably, in 2018, he delivered a scoreless inning on two separate occasions —the second being the ninth inning of Game 5 of the World Series, when he struck out the side to clinch Boston’s title.
Hoodie Connection
Patriots coach Bill Belichick texted Cora before the AL Wild Card Game wishing him luck then offering his congratulations afterward.
“That’s huge. That’s the highlight of the year to be honest with you,” Cora said. “That’s cool for somebody of his status to take his time and wish us luck and then another text . . . That was the coolest thing ever.”
In 2018 and 2019, Belichick’s messages to Cora and the Sox were often channeled through then-Sox advisor Tony La Russa, who is close to the Patriots coach. Cora and Belichick met after the 2018 World Series when the Sox were recognized at Gillette Stadium. But they hadn’t been in touch since.
“I finally got a text from him,” Cora said. “I’m in the club. I’m in the club. I was so excited. I texted him [Sunday]. I was like, ‘Hey, beat the Texans.’”
Rays manager Kevin Cash was asked if he has heard from noted Tampa Bay resident Tom Brady.
“No,” he said. “But if I do, I’m going to ask if I can go on his boat.”
Settling in
Kyle Schwarber started at first base for the fourth time in the last six games. He’s no Mitch Moreland, but it’s getting better.
“He’s been good,” Cora said. “He keeps working at it. It’s not like he feels comfortable with his stuff and doing his routines. Obviously, there’s a lot to keep learning and the willingness to do that is what makes him special and that’s why we keep pushing him to go out there and keep getting better.”
Schwarber, however, was charged with an error in the top of the third inning of Game 3 when he fielded a groundball from Rays lead-off hitter Brandon Lowe then overthrew Nate Eovaldi, who was covering first base, with his underhanded toss.
Schwarber atoned in the fourth inning when he fielded Ji-Man Choi’s groundball to first and made a perfect underhanded toss to Eovaldi for the first out, pumping his fist and doffing his cap to the appreciative Fenway crowd.
Schwarber said postseason baseball in Boston has reminded him of his time with the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
“Very comparable. I played in some big games for the Cubs. But that Wild Card game against the Yankees was incredible,” said Schwarber, a member of Chicago’s 2016 championship team. “It felt like the fans were paying attention and on every pitch.
“That was bucket list item, playing at Fenway Park in postseason games.”
Brotherly love
The Pirates fired third base Joey Cora on Saturday, ending his five-year run on the staff. The team wanted to give second-year manager Derek Shelton a chance to pick more of his own coaches.
Joey Cora, 56, is Alex Cora’s older brother by 11 years.
“We’ll see how it goes. Hopefully we’ll see him here soon. He might come here and hang out with us,” Alex Cora said.
When Alex Cora was first hired by the Sox in 2017, he said he wouldn’t want to have his brother on the staff. When they talk, it’s usually more about family than baseball.
“It’s a tough conversation,” he said. “He’s my brother and I feel like when we talk baseball it’s his way or the highway. He has all the answers about how you should do it and I avoid that.
“I love when he comes here and he’s just a brother.”
Cora said he made some calls on behalf of his brother and is confident he’ll land with another team. But that’s not likely to be the Red Sox.
“Not good for me, not good for him, not good for my mother,” Cora said. “That would be a tough one. But he’ll be OK. He’s a great baseball man.”
Joey Cora played in the majors from 1987-98 and has coached since 2003 with the White Sox, Marlins and Pirates.
Yellow alert
The Sox haven’t decided if they will wear their yellow and light blue “City Connect” jerseys on Monday. The color scheme is a tribute to the Boston Marathon finish line . . . The Sox are planning on a Marathon-themed pre-game ceremony before Game 4 with some notable figures from 2013 on hand. “It’s exciting for Boston. It’s fitting how it’s being done now,” Cash said. “It should be just fun all the way around.” . . . For the second straight game, the Red Sox featured a lineup with Schwarber leading off, followed by Kiké Hernández, Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, Alex Verdugo, and J.D. Martinez. Cora came upon the lineup in Game 2 of the ALDS, when he wanted to maintain left/right balance in case Martinez (left ankle) came out of the game in favor of Bobby Dalbec. The Sox exploded for 14 runs on 20 hits in the contest, and Cora committed to keeping the new lineup structure against righthanders. “By accident, we found probably our best lineup of the season balance-wise. I say ‘by accident’ because J.D. got hurt, so we had to make adjustments,” said Cora. “Then because J.D. wasn’t sure if he could go the whole game, we decided to hit him sixth in case we had to pinch-hit for him or take him out of the game. So by accident, I do believe against righties this is the best alignment that we can have offensive-wise.” . . . Hernández broke Hanley Ramirez’s franchise record for consecutive postseason hits (6) set in the 2017 ALDS vs. the Astros. Hernández tied Ramirez with his sixth straight hit of the series on a tying RBI single in the third inning that chased Rays starter Drew Rasmussen from the game, then passed him with a lead-off solo homer off Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks in the fifth inning that gave the Sox a 4-2 lead . . . Neither the Sox nor Rays had announced Game 4 starters prior to the start of Game 3. Both teams were waiting to get through the contest to determine who would be available.
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