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Home , Bo Bichette, Chase Shugart, Danny Jansen, Durbin Feltman, Keith Law, Matt Andriese

The Wednesday, May 19, 2021

* The Boston Globe

Blue Jays batter Red Sox in meeting of early AL East leaders

Julian McWilliams

Tuesday initiated the start of a series between two of ’s most prolific offenses, two separated by 1½ games atop the East. The Red Sox had a best-in-baseball .772 OPS. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, were tied for the second-most homers in baseball despite big offseason acquisition playing in just four games this year.

“It’s a challenge,” Red Sox manager said before the game. “And we’re up to the challenge. We feel we have a good team.”

At least on Tuesday they weren’t, bludgeoned by the Blue Jays, 8-0, in Dunedin, Fla.

The bottom of the fourth inning decided the fates of Eduardo Rodriguez and his team. With the Sox trailing, 1-0, after a RBI single in the second, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. cracked a full-count to lead off the fourth. Rodriguez retired the next two hitters, but Jansen negotiated a walk to bring up , who fisted an RBI single of his own to right field.

Sox right fielder , attempting to cut down Jansen, made an off-target and ill-advised throw to third. It sailed far to ’s right, allowing Jansen to score. then stung an RBI double that stretched the lead to 4-0.

Gurriel Jr. made it 5-0 in the fifth, singling after a Teoscar Hernández double, and Hernández made it 6-0 in the sixth, singling after a two-out walk to Bichette and a line-drive single by Vlad Guerrero Jr.

The latter was against Matt Andriese, Rodriguez done after the fifth and 11 of Toronto’s 18 hits, tying a career high allowed by the lefthander.

“I was missing a lot over the middle of the plate,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve given up a lot of runs and base hits when that happens, and that was [the result] today. I just need to work these next four days and get better for the next one.”

Though the Renfroe mishap didn’t help, neither did Rodriguez’s dip in velocity — a topic of conversation in his first seven starts. He sat 93-95 miles per hour in the first three innings, then 91-93 in the fourth and 91-92 in the fifth.

“I don’t want him to get caught up [thinking] he needs to throw hard right away, and then that happens,” Cora said. “He can actually pitch at 91-92 [early in the game] and do it the other way around. He can gain velocity throughout the outing. So, those are things that we’ll take a look at.”

In addition to some of the command issues, Cora noted that one of Rodriguez’s pitches wasn’t effective: His cutter. In 2019, hitters tallied a .243 batting average on it. This year, it’s up to .355.

“I think the cutter actually is bigger than usual,” Cora said. “It’s actually playing like a hanging slider instead of it being sharp, and throwing [that] pitch whenever he wants to. He’s been able to elevate the last two starts, but there’s been a lot of contact. I think teams are doing a good job of staying with him and going the other way.”

Hyun Jin Ryu held the Sox to just four hits in seven innings of shutout baseball. He gave the Red Sox batters a headache, striking out seven.

“He got some quick outs. He was on top of us the whole night, either with the fastball or the breaking ball,” Cora said. “He expanded with the changeup. He’s one of the best and not too many talk about him.”

Andriese allowed seven hits and three runs in the final three innings, with smashing a two- out home to right in the eighth to cap the scoring.

What certainly appeared as if it were an evenly matched game was no contest Tuesday. On what his team needs to do to recover, Rodriguez opted for a simple approach.

“We have to come back tomorrow and pitch well and well,” he said. “That’s all we need [to do] as a team.”

Kiké Hernández comes off , bats leadoff for Red Sox

Julian McWilliams

Kiké Hernández was activated from the injured list ahead of the Red Sox series opener against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla.

Hernández batted leadoff and went 1-for-4 in the 8-0 loss as the center fielder, giving them a boost at that spot despite his hitting .239/.298/.425 with four homers in 124 plate appearances prior to going on the IL with a right hamstring strain. Despite the underwhelming numbers, Hernández said his only goal was to get through his rehab stint healthy.

“Mission accomplished,” he said.

The Red Sox went 6-4 in the 10 games Hernández missed, and still sit atop the , a half-game ahead of the Blue Jays.

“I think we’re in a good spot right now. We’re in first place,” Hernández said. “There’s a lot of ways we can get better. [But] that’s what you want, finding ways to win games, even when you’re not playing great. And we’ve managed to do that so far.”

Sticking around

The Blue Jays carry one of the more lethal offenses in baseball, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. having a breakout year, slashing .329/.445/.615 with a whopping 1.060 OPS and 11 homers following his 3-for-5 Tuesday.

“He always controls the strikes zone,” manager Alex Cora said. “That’s something that he did in the minor leagues, and he’s doing that at the big league level. And he’s able to drive the ball to right-center. That’s a mark of a good hitter. But at the end of the day it’s about controlling the strike zone. And throughout his career, he’s done that.”

The Blue Jays’ 56 home runs led the American League entering Tuesday, with Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette each adding nine. Randal Grichuk’s blast in the eighth Tuesday was Toronto’s 27th in its 15 regular-season games this season in Dunedin, where they’ll play through Monday before returning to Buffalo, last season’s temporary home, beginning June 1.

Danny Santana continuing to ramp up

INF/OF continues to get his reps with -A Worcester, cracking three more hits (including a double and a ) as the first baseman in a 9-4 WooSox win over Buffalo.

Even though put together two doubles for the Red Sox on Sunday against the Angels, he’s still hitting just .167 and is yet to homer in 91 plate appearances. He could benefit from some minor league at-bats, which would clear space for Santana, who’s 11-for-26 (.423) with three homers between High-A Greenville and the WooSox.

“He feels good,” Cora said. “Swinging the bat well. They have been using him all over the place. So you know where he’s at right now physically and baseball wise, he’s in a good spot.”

Also Tuesday in Worcester, Red Sox pitching prospect left with an apparent arm injury. Bazardo grabbed for his elbow in the top of the ninth inning after just five pitches, and asked to be taken out of the game.

Christian Arroyo takes BP

Christian Arroyo (hand contusion) took batting practice with the WooSox at Polar Park on Tuesday. Arroyo stayed back for the first leg of the Sox’ road trip, and the team will make a decision based on how he comes out of BP. made the trip with the Red Sox, while Jonathan Araúz was optioned to make room for Hernández. There’s a strong likelihood that Chavis will be optioned once Arroyo is ready . . . The Blue Jays activated righthanded reliever off the injured list before the game. He pitched the ninth Tuesday, his first action since May 7 because of a right calf strain. Dolis replaced lefthanded reliever Nick Allgeyer, who was optioned on Monday.

Here’s what it was like for the Red Sox to play a real major league game in a modest ballpark

Peter Abraham

DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Red Sox usually play the Blue Jays here once or twice during spring training. It’s a long road trip the veteran players try to avoid.

David Ortiz somehow always decided it would be better if he stayed back and worked on his swing when a bus ride from Fort Myers to Dunedin was on the schedule.

TD Ballpark, built in 1990, was renovated in 2019 and it needed it. The visitor’s clubhouse was a concrete cube a few steps from the parking lot that looked more like a prison rec room.

The visiting manager had such a small office that the postgame press conference was usually held outside. Terry Francona once had to shush fans clamoring for his autograph so he could hear our questions.

But there is no skipping Dunedin this week. The first-place Red Sox started an important three-game series against the second-place Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

There was something nostalgic about seeing a major league game played in such a modest setting. There are only 20 rows of seats from the field to the top of the grandstand and no seats in the , only standing room.

The VFW post across Douglas Ave. charges only $20 for parking and had attendants waving US and Canadian flags at passing cars trying to lure them in. It was a 90-second walk from there to the gate behind home plate.

The Dunedin Public Library, visible over the right field fence, had a “Go Jays” sign out front and the Gulf of Mexico is just down the street.

To maintain social distancing protocols, the Jays have zip-tied cardboard cutouts onto about a third of the seats between first base and third base. So actual people, many of them Red Sox fans, were sitting next to facsimile people in the crowd of 1,566.

With games being broadcast back to Canada, the outfield had signs for Tim Hortons coffee shops and other Canadian businesses.

The Blue Jays built a large white tent behind the third base stands for visiting teams. It’s air conditioned and includes room for all the athletic trainers, analysts, and other staff members who go on the road.

There’s a weight room and a batting cage, too.

“They did an amazing job with the clubhouse and the facility to accommodate us and the visiting teams,” Sox manager Alex Cora said before an 8-0 loss. “It’s great.”

Cora said he was interested to see what the setup would be like and arrived early in the day to check it out.

“I was impressed,” the manager said. “Great job by the Jays and the people who took care of this place.”

The biggest difference is the wind. Without a larger stadium to block it, it whips out to right center. The first 14 games here averaged just under 11 runs.

“It’s not easy to play here,” Jays manager said. “The wind is everywhere and sometimes you lose the ball.”

The Jays also pushed the start time back to 7:37 p.m. to avoid the setting sun behind home plate blinding the .

The Sox managed only five hits off Hyun Jun Ryu and three relievers and advanced one runner as far as third. The Jays pounded Eduardo Rodriguez and Matt Andriese for 18 hits, the most allowed by the Sox this season.

The Jays are here because the Canadian government has imposed strict coronavirus protocols that wouldn’t allow travelers from the United States into the country without a two-week quarantine.

That obviously wouldn’t work during a baseball season and the government wasn’t inclined to grant exemptions for the sake of games.

The Jays played home games at their Triple A ballpark in Buffalo last summer. But given what can be raw spring weather in upstate New York, the team decided to play their first 21 home games here before moving to Buffalo on June 1.

There is hope Canada will permit the Jays to return to in Toronto by August or September. It’s possible the Sox could play the Jays on the road at three different ballparks this season.

MLB has played regular-season games at a Single A ballpark in Williamsport, Pa., in conjunction with the Little League World Series and occasional series in Japan, Mexico, and .

But those were all just single games or one series. This is an extended stay and the Jays have handled it well. Their 10-5 home record is the best in the division.

Montoyo said his players have done a good job of maintaining their perspective.

“We don’t make any excuses,” he said. “One of the reasons we’ve done well is we don’t complain. We just play.”

Red Sox prospect has been on a tear with Portland

Julian McWilliams

Triston Casas put on a show for the last week, registering his first two-homer game Wednesday in a 14-3 win over the Hartford Yard Goats. Casas went 4 for 6 with six RBIs. He wasn’t done, however, blasting another homer the following evening. He was 2 for 4 with three RBIs in that one.

After a 4-for-25 start, Casas has been on a tear, hitting .500 (11 for 22), with 10 RBIs, a .955 , and a 1.455 OPS.

“I had high hopes for that opening week, especially at home,” Casas said. “But I’m glad I picked it up. It felt good to contribute a little bit.”

The minors can be a tough place to get a true evaluation of how a player might contribute to a big league roster. There’s a large gap in talent and approach at the major league level, and even if a prospect dominates in the minors, it’s not necessarily transferable.

It’s important to home in on the player, and look at the skill set, talent, and makeup that is already present to make your projection.

Casas has played in only 133 minor league games since being drafted in 2018, and though he is still in Double A, the Red Sox believe they have a player.

“He’s a good hitter,” manager Alex Cora said recently. “It’s good to see him putting good swings on the ball. He knows the game. He knows his swing. He knows what to do with his swing.

“There’s a guy that the future’s bright, the way we see it. And he’s a very important piece of this organization.”

Casas’s seasoned approach has been well-documented. His ability to control the strike zone and be aware of what he wants to accomplish is more like that of a veteran than a 21-year-old prospect.

He’s excited to be a part of an organization that is having success at the big league level so far this season, though he hasn’t kept up with the Red Sox closely. Why? He has to get there first.

“I just kind of keep up with my team right now,” Casas said. “Hopefully I can get up there soon and make an impact at that level. Because as much as I love playing here in Portland, it’s not the goal.”

Thinking fast

Pitchers are dominating in the majors this season, holding batters to a .236 overall average as of Tuesday. With hitters being smothered with velocity, Casas has envisioned what his approach might be while acknowledging how tough it would be to have success.

“I know all the odds are against me,” Casas said. “Literally every factor is not in my favor. It’s supposed to be physically impossible to make contact with the ball coming at that speed.

“It’s still the same game, even though they’re throwing a little harder. I feel like I would have to do less if he’s providing the power for me. And I’m a big guy. I try not to overcomplicate things.”

Casas’s approach at the plate differs. It all depends on who is pitching.

“It changes every single at-bat,” he said. “I kind of really try to relate hitting to golf a little bit. You’ve got your driver, you’ve got your irons whenever you need them, and you’ve got your putter. You’ve got to have all the tricks in the bag.

“So when you’re going up there, you can’t just be cookie-cutter. It’s a very hard thing to do. But that’s why so few guys, you know, get to stay at the level that I’m striving for.”

Having a blast

Nick Yorke, the Red Sox’ 2020 first-round pick, is a long way from home. The 19-year-old second baseman from California is already playing every day at Low A Salem (Va.), which says something about how the Red Sox view him.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be down here,” Yorke said. “It’s been a blast. The guys have been really nice and welcoming and have helped me a lot. I was fortunate enough that I met a lot of these guys at instructional league last year. So I knew a lot of them coming into spring training.”

Yorke has struggled out the gate, hitting .150 in his first 43 plate appearances. But that’s normal for a player his age, especially considering the lost minor league season in 2020. One of the biggest changes from high school to the minors, Yorke said, is the leap in velocity.

“I faced a lot of great talent in the summer-ball circuit, but the one thing that’s different is you’re getting this talent consistently every day [in the minors].

“In summer ball, one day you could face a guy throwing 95 that has some good stuff. And then the next day you’re facing someone that’s throwing 82 that maybe doesn’t have the greatest stuff yet.”

The key for Yorke is reps, in the games and in practice. Oftentimes he’ll find himself cranking up the velo machine just so he can see it and react.

“It’s been fun,” Yorke said. “You’re playing against the best competition.”

Red Sox say vaccinated fans can go maskless when Fenway Park returns to full capacity on May 29

Hayden Bird

The Red Sox announced that additional single-game tickets have been made available for fans to purchase in advance of May 29, when Fenway Park — like other large sports venues across Massachusetts — will be allowed to return to full capacity for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, more tickets for two games against the Marlins on May 29 and 30 went on sale.

So far in the 2021 season, Fenway Park has been at limited capacity (currently set at 25 percent).

One notable change will be in the ballpark’s policy towards masks.

“On and after [May 29], masks will no longer be required for fully vaccinated fans, in accordance with current CDC guidelines,” said a team press release. “Unvaccinated fans are strongly encouraged to continue to wear masks.”

Fans traveling to Fenway Park on public transportation should be aware that mask requirements will remain for those riding the MBTA after May 29, whether they are vaccinated or not.

Another pandemic policy at the ballpark, the “health survey,” also will be discontinued, though certain rules will remain.

Bags will continue to be restricted, with exceptions limited to medical devices and diaper bags.

‘He was definitely a legend.’ Red Sox star George ‘Boomer’ Scott’s son keeps legacy alive years after his death

Khari Thompson

You can almost hear the smile in George Scott III’s voice when you ask him to describe how he remembers his late father, former Red Sox first baseman George “Boomer” Scott.

“Oh man, he was a character,” the younger Scott said. “He was a great guy.”

It feels fitting that George III still calls his dad Boomer, the nickname by which baseball fans in the 1960s and ’70s knew Scott.

After all, he was more than just a burly slugger from Greenville, Miss., who “moved like a cat” on the field, making three All-Star appearances, winning eight Gold Gloves, and earning enshrinement into the Red Sox Hall of Fame.

He was also the man known for calling his titanic home runs “taters” and his award-winning glove “Black Beauty” — serious on the field but a jokester off it.

Eight years after the senior Scott’s death, his son is on a quest to share Boomer’s legacy and character with the baseball world once again.

Scott III is overseeing the release and auction of a limited edition 12-card NFT collection, featuring both animated clips and portraits, honoring his father’s career and life.

The digital cards, designed by artists Robert Caulk and Dan Goldstein, include commemorations of the elder Scott’s Gold Glove titles as well as his home run title in the 1975 season.

Scott III says he was inspired by the wave of athletes creating their own NFTs — “non-fungible tokens” — one-of-a-kind items, almost like an original masterpiece painting, meant to be owned rather than traded.

“It’s one of the hottest things in sports memorabilia right now,” Scott III said.

NFTs are typically sold using cryptocurrency units, like Ethereum, but can be exchanged later for US dollars. Some sports-related NFTs, like one illustrating a LeBron James dunk, have sold for tens of thousands of dollars.

But for Scott III, the collection is about far more than getting into the cryptocurrency market and earning a payday.

It’s about honoring his father’s legacy and accomplishments in the game of baseball.

‘A great guy, and a great player’

Only after telling you about his father’s personality will George Scott III tell you what he thinks of Boomer as a ballplayer. But he doesn’t disappoint.

“One of the best athletes I’ve ever seen,” Scott III said. “He could have got drafted by the NBA and the NFL. Baseball was the ‘least best’ sport he played. He was definitely a legend.”

Boomer Scott did indeed love basketball more than baseball. But a contract offered a signing bonus, and his family needed the money; his mother worked three jobs to keep the house running in the South during the “cotton-picking days,” as his son tells it.

The Red Sox signed Scott as an amateur free agent in 1962 after he was discovered by Southern scout Ed Scott — a former Negro League player who first discovered a future star named Henry Aaron.

Four years later, he made the American League All-Star team as a rookie and started all 162 games for Boston in 1966 — the only rookie in franchise history to do so. He then played first base for the “Impossible Dream” Red Sox who shocked the league and went to the 1967 World Series.

He topped 20 home runs six times in his career, with his career high of 36 in 1975 tying him for the league lead with Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson.

After a five-year stint with Milwaukee in the middle of his career, he returned to the Red Sox from 1977-79 before retiring.

Making things right with The Boomer

The elder Scott’s time in the league, and in Boston specifically, wasn’t always rosy.

Scott’s signing in 1962 made him one of the first Black players associated with the Red Sox, who had broken their color barrier only three years earlier when they promoted Elijah “Pumpsie” Green to the big leagues in 1959.

One story tells how minor league teammates came to Scott’s hotel room dressed in Ku Klux Klan robes one night as a “prank.”

Things grew even more hostile when he made it to the majors, says his son, especially away from Fenway Park.

“He wore a helmet on first base instead of a hat because when he’d be on road games, people would throw stuff at him from the stands,” the younger George explained.

His father also reportedly had a difficult relationship with no-nonsense Red Sox manager Dick Williams, who he felt singled him out for especially harsh criticism beyond what was directed toward other players.

Though he was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006, Boomer still carried resentments toward the organization for not offering him a job after his playing career — a grievance that was never smoothed over before he died in 2013 despite his son’s efforts.

“I told him, ‘You’ve got to leave the past in the past and give this new regime [under current owner John Henry] a chance to treat you fairly, which they would have,” Scott III said, adding that there were plans to open a barbecue restaurant at Fenway in his father’s name before his death.

“They wanted to make it right with The Boomer.”

Pushing for ‘a dream come true’

These days, George Scott III — a former Red Sox minor league player himself — says he has a much better relationship with the organization than his father and even comes to games every now and again.

But he’s still intent on giving his dad and other baseball legends the spotlights he feels they deserve.

After his father’s NFT collection has been sold, Scott III hopes to create more digital profiles for other baseball players, including longtime major leaguer Lenny Harris.

He even has ambitions for doing a collection series specifically for Red Sox first basemen, including his former minor league teammate . “I gave and Mo a call last week about this,” he said.

But the biggest prize on the younger George Scott’s mind? Getting his father on the Eras Committee’s “Modern Baseball” ballot for the Hall of Fame in 2023. Scott III says he already sent in an application for Boomer’s credentials and will provide a letter to the Eras Committee to make his case.

Whatever happens with the vote, Scott III says seeing the name George Charles Scott Jr. on a Hall of Fame ballot would be a victory itself.

“That would have been a dream come true for him.”

* The Boston Herald

Eduardo Rodriguez’s struggles continue as Red Sox silenced by Blue Jays

Steve Hewitt

Even though the environment suggested otherwise as they played at a spring training facility, Alex Cora knew his first-place Red Sox couldn’t take this week’s series against the second-place Blue Jays lightly.

“We’ve got to be ready for this,” Cora said. “These three games, they count.”

But then they fell way short in one of their flattest performances of the season.

Eduardo Rodriguez’s underwhelming month continued, and he didn’t get any help from his offense, either. The Red Sox gave up a season-high 18 hits — 11 by Rodriguez — as they were silenced by Hyun-Jin Ryu in an 8-0 loss to the Blue Jays at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla. It was just the second time the Red Sox have been shut out this season as their AL East lead shrunk to a half-game over the Jays.

Rodriguez has been one of the best stories in baseball as he rebounds from a lost 2020 season, but lately, the lefty has fallen short of being the ace that Cora has labeled him. Tuesday, he submitted his worst outing of the season as he tied a career high by allowing 11 hits and gave up five earned runs, the most he has surrendered in a game this year.

The Blue Jays, one of the most aggressive offenses in baseball, swung early on Rodriguez and were successful. Four of their first nine batters swung at Rodriguez’s first pitch — and all of them were hits. Rodriguez did well to limit the damage early, but the Jays broke through on No. 9 hitter Danny Jansen’s RBI single in the second. And in the fourth, Jansen drew a two-out walk that opened the floodgates as three runs scored.

Rodriguez was hit for four doubles on the night as the Blue Jays had no trouble generating offense.

“It just felt like they kept putting good at-bats,” Cora said. “Everything with two outs. We weren’t able to stop the bleeding. There were a lot of ground balls. A lot of — I don’t want to say luck, but it seems like everything they put in play was a hit.”

Rodriguez’s outing continued a troubling trend. After a strong April, the lefty has fallen back to earth in May. In four starts, he’s totaled just 21 innings and allowed 33 hits, six walks and 14 earned runs. That’s a WHIP of 1.86 and ERA of 6.00, and his ERA this season is up to 4.70, the highest among Red Sox starters.

Rodriguez feels like his velocity is where it needs to be — the issue seems to be his command. Cora identified an issue with his cutter, which he said looked more like a hanging slider on Tuesday instead of being sharp and dotting the strike zone. But Rodriguez said he was having trouble locating all of his pitches.

“Missing my spots, that’s what I think has been changing the last couple of starts,” Rodriguez said. “It’s just something I need to work on. Finally I’ve got my velocity back, I need to just work on hitting my spots. That’s what’s happening right now. …

“Like today, I missed a lot of fastballs, changeups, cutters, the curveball that (Cavan) Biggio hit, the double. It’s just part of that. When you miss, everything changes. No matter what pitch you throw, if you miss, you miss. For me, just go to the bullpen, work these next four days and work on hitting my spots on all my pitches. That’s it. That’s all I need to do. It wasn’t just my cutter.”

Other takeaways from the Red Sox’ loss:

— After not starting Sunday, picked up on the momentum from Saturday’s win — when he ended a slump with a homer on his birthday — as he collected two hits, including a leadoff double in the fourth. But the Red Sox couldn’t muster much else against Ryu, the Jays’ ace, in a rare cold night for the league’s best offense.

Xander Bogaerts followed in the fourth by reaching on what was originally an error but later ruled a single to put runners on first and third with one out. But the Red Sox couldn’t cash in on their only real opportunity as Rafael Devers popped out and Christian Vazquez flew out. They were unable to put another runner in scoring position against Ryu, who threw seven shutout innings and allowed just four hits.

“You have to give him credit,” Cora said of Ryu. “He changes speed. He got some quick outs. He was on top of us all night either with the fastball or the breaking ball. He expanded with the changeup. He’s one of the best and not too many people talk about him.”

The Red Sox were shut out for the first time since their loss to the Orioles.

— Hunter Renfroe had a rough night. A week after his underrated defensive abilities were on full display, the right fielder made an error that cost the Red Sox a run. In the fourth, Marcus Semien hit a two-out single to right that scored a run, but Renfroe’s aggressive throw to third sailed past Devers, allowing another run to score that made it 3-0.

Renfroe then led off the fifth with a deep hit to right, but he was thrown out at second by Hernandez. It appeared Renfroe slid in safely, but his hand came off the base while Bichette’s tag was applied, making him clearly out.

Kiké Hernandez: Red Sox stars , Rafael Devers still not getting enough attention

Steve Hewitt

Kiké Hernandez hasn’t been surprised by the Red Sox’ hot start this season, but he does seem surprised that two of their best hitters still aren’t getting the attention they deserve: Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers.

Hernandez joined the Red Sox this season after playing six seasons with the Dodgers, where he didn’t have much of a chance to watch his new teammates regularly. But as the Red Sox’ new leadoff hitter, he’s had the opportunity to set the table for Bogaerts and Devers, who haven’t disappointed him.

Entering Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jays, Bogaerts was tied for the major-league lead in hits (52) with teammate J.D. Martinez, and led all shortstops in most offensive categories, while Devers’ 34 RBI led the majors to go along with his team-leading 11 homers.

“For some reason, the left side of our infield doesn’t get talked enough about,” Hernandez said. “Those two guys are elite and I don’t think there’s too many better than those guys on the left side of one infield. To me, the 2-3-4-5 hitters in our lineup are as good as they get and it’s been a lot of fun to watch, hitting in front of them, trying to get on base every once in a while for them. It seems like every time I get on base, those guys are going to find a way to bring me in.”

Hernandez was excited to rejoin them Tuesday as he was activated from the 10-day injured list after suffering a hamstring injury. He passed all of the tests in his weekend rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester — he belted two homers on Sunday, including the first in WooSox history — and was back in the Red Sox’ lineup right away, leading off and playing center field.

“It went really well,” Hernandez said. “Back in 10 days, so I took the minimum. Ten days felt like a month, but I’m glad to be back. I’m glad to be here.”

New digs

Due to the pandemic, the Blue Jays are unable to play in Toronto, so their home games to start this season are at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla., where they hold spring training, before they head to their Triple-A park in Buffalo in June. The park in Dunedin is small and unfamiliar to the Red Sox, but they won’t make any excuses for it.

“The ball flies here,” manager Alex Cora said. “The ball shoots to right field compared to the other places we have played. It’s going to be a different environment. Obviously guys are going to talk about how they see the ball, how they don’t see the ball, the atmosphere, but at the end, it’s a big-league game. The Jays are in our division. They’re very important. We’ll talk about that. I think the guys do a good job on a daily basis showing up and giving their best.”

Cora couldn’t compare the stadium to anywhere he’s played for a big-league game, but he does know the Jays have played well there. The Blue Jays are 9-5 there, the best home mark in the division. The Red Sox lead the Jays in the division by 1 1/2 games going into the three-game set before a weekend series against the Phillies in Philadelphia.

“If you look at our division, the only team that is more than two games above .500 is the Jays at home,” Cora said. “So, they have done a good job here, so we’ve got to be ready for this. These three games, they count. We’re ready for it and we’ll attack it the right way.”

Taking a look?

Cora has been impressed with Kaleb Ort, who has four saves in four chances and has nine to zero walks as the WooSox’ this season. The Red Sox have been searching for consistent bullpen options beyond this season, and though it’s too early to tell if Ort could warrant a promotion, Cora has been excited about what he’s seen since spring training.

Ort, like , was a former Yankees’ prospect taken by the Red Sox in the 2020 .

“When we went to New York, I gave Cash (Yankees GM Brian Cashman) a call and said, ‘Man, those two guys are amazing. Thank you.’ Jokingly I said, thank you,” Cora said. “He’s a good one. His stuff plays. I really liked what I saw. Velocity got better in spring training. He was throwing the ball well down there. He’s a guy that we’re looking at, obviously, for the right reasons. We’re very excited with what he’s doing, what he did in spring training, and what he can do, probably in the future.”

Odds & ends

Christian Arroyo (hand) was scheduled to take live batting practice in Worcester on Tuesday, the first time he’s done so since being on the injured list. … Danny Santana (foot) started at first base for the WooSox on Tuesday in his fourth rehab game with Worcester, as he nears a call-up to the Red Sox. …

Cora said is in a good place as he continues his rehab from Tommy John surgery.

“One thing he’s really excited about is the way he’s bouncing back after all the work he’s done,” Cora said. “That’s a good sign.”

Grandson of Sox legends, Ryan Berardino creates his own, hitting .489 at Bentley

Tom Fargo

Ryan Berardino might be the grandson of one of the most beloved players in Red Sox history, but it’s another franchise great the Bentley University first baseman channeled this year.

Not only did Berardino chase a magic number in batting average up until the last game of the season, he capped his five-year Bentley stay with flair, drilling a home run in his final at-bat, a -esque sendoff to his Falcons career.

With Bentley trailing Franklin Pierce by seven runs in the eighth inning of an NE-10 quarterfinal, Berardino had a feeling it was likely his last trip to the plate and made the most of it, rifling one over the left field fence for just his 10th collegiate home run.

“I have the video on my phone and I have probably watched it 10 times,” said Berardino. “It’s kind of like a sign from God that everything in my career culminated with that. I always tell people you never go up to the plate and say you are going to hit a home run, but in the on-deck circle I just had it in the back of mind that I was going to hit a home run. I almost got emotional rounding the bases. Something that special, it hasn’t sunk in that’s how it ended.”

It capped a truly remarkable campaign for Berardino, who ended the year second in Division II with a .489 average. He was actually hitting an even .500 entering the quarterfinal after a 4-for-4 performance with two walks in a 15-13 win in the first round against St. Anselm, but was 1-for-4 in the finale — although the hit was obviously a memorable one.

In 27 games, Berardino had multiple hits in 13 and went hitless only twice, driving in 34 runs and posting an on-base percentage of .539 while slugging .723, leading a largely inexperienced Bentley squad to a 17- 11 record.

“Everything just came to fruition,” said veteran Bentley head coach Bob DeFelice. “Everything happened at the right time for someone that had always been a good hitter. If you look at his numbers, they are crazy. And some of his outs were the hardest-hit balls I saw all year.”

Granted an extra year after his senior season was cut short by COVID, Berardino returned with a new mind and body. The 6-foot, 210-pounder lost some weight with a focus on becoming more flexible rather than bulked up, and brought a different attitude to the diamond as well.

“Just the fact that after the COVID year we didn’t even know if we were going to be playing, I kind of just treated every day like it was practice and had fun with it, a lot looser on the field,” said Berardino. “I used to put a lot of pressure on myself so just taking that off this year really allowed me to excel, and I just simplified my swing and that helped big time.”

Berardino, who starred at Lincoln-Sudbury and Cheshire Academy in high school, was good enough in his first three seasons to be named either second- or third-team All-NE-10 each year and be drafted in the 34th round of the 2019 MLB Draft by the Red Sox, a team close to his heart not just as a Massachusetts product but the fact that both his grandfathers have extensive ties to the organization.

On one side, there is three-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove right fielder Dwight Evans, who spent all but one of his 20 years in the major leagues with the Sox, and on the other is Dick Berardino, who spent five decades with the Red Sox as manager and coach at various levels, including on the major league staff for three seasons under Joe Morgan.

Each has been instrumental in his development. Berardino said that Evans goes through his at-bats with him pitch-by-pitch and works with him on his approach at the plate, while the elder Berardino, as a former MLB third base coach, gives him base-running tips and helps him with the mental aspect of the game, urging him not to get too high or too low.

“They are everything. I wouldn’t be where I am without them,” said Berardino of his grandfathers. “I call them both after every single game.”

Berardino turned down the opportunity to sign with the Red Sox after his junior season, opting to finish his degree in marketing instead and come back for a final year that ended up being two. He already has a job lined up as a business development representative at cybersecurity company Tessian while he works toward his MBA as a graduate student, but is hoping he gets a shot at extending his baseball career, whether his name is called during the upcoming MLB Draft or his phone rings with a free agent offer.

“Education is a big thing for me. I’m at a great school in Bentley and is not the highest-paying job and you don’t have the best job security,” said Berardino of his decision. “The way I looked at it, I believe in my ability and who I am as a player so get my education and hope to get a chance to sign after my senior year. Then COVID hit and I was very thankful to get the chance to go back at it this year and I hope it pays off.

“I know I have the talent and the mentality to be successful. If it happens, awesome, and if it doesn’t, it wasn’t meant to be and I am at peace with that.”

* The Providence Journal

Eduardo Rodriguez is suddenly hittable, and that's a problem for the Red Sox

Bill Koch

It’s a rare night where Eduardo Rodriguez doesn’t enjoy any run support.

The Red Sox bats are generally good for some thunder with the left-hander on the mound. Boston provides 6.69 runs per nine innings and has dropped just three of its last 43 games when giving Rodriguez at least four runs of backing.

There was nothing approaching that number Tuesday at TD Ballpark. Hyun Jin Ryu and three Blue Jays relievers shut Boston out on five hits. This was a one-sided 8-0 thumping to begin this three-game series among American League East leaders.

Rodriguez is in a bit of a spin over his last five starts. He’s allowed 39 hits in that span, which covers 28 innings. Rodriguez was considerably sharper through his first three starts, conceding just 12 hits in 16 innings.

“I was missing my spots,” Rodriguez said. “My pitches were right in the middle of the plate. That’s what happens.”

There were questions entering the season about how Rodriguez would perform after missing all of 2020. His COVID-19 diagnosis turned into myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle that’s rather unnerving when found in a healthy 27-year-old. Expectations as to how Rodriguez would return this season were all over the map.

His elbow inflammation coming out of spring training and 10-day stint on the injured list was concerning. He seemed to bounce back nicely. But everything regarding Rodriguez – entering free agency for the first time this offseason – will be overanalyzed in the next five months, and this evening was no different.

“Command is not where he usually is,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “That’s something he needs regardless of his stuff – if he’s throwing hard or if his velocity is down.

“The cutter actually is bigger than usual. We’ll try to find out why. It’s actually playing like a hanging slider instead of being sharp.

“He’s been able to elevate the last two starts, but there’s been a lot of contact. I think teams are doing a good job staying with him and going the other way.”

Rodriguez allowed 11 hits through five innings against Toronto, tying an unwanted career high he’s set twice previously. The Blue Jays put 19 balls in play at an average of 91.9 mph – consistent hard contact. Toronto knocked out at least one ball at 100 mph or more against all five pitches in Rodriguez’s arsenal.

“Today I missed a lot of fastballs on the plate,” Rodriguez said. “Changeups. Cutters. That curveball (Cavan) Biggio hit for a double. It’s just part of it.

“When you miss everything changes. You miss your spots, it doesn’t matter what pitch you throw.”

Rodriguez unraveled in the bottom of the fourth inning when he issued a walk to Danny Jansen. The Blue Jays entered just 1-for-25 on the season against left-handed and seemed a certain candidate to record a key out. Marcus Semien looped a single to right, Hunter Renfroe made an ill-advised throw wide of third base for an error and Bo Bichette sent an RBI double to deep center.

What was a manageable 1-0 game was suddenly 4-0. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added an RBI single to right in the fifth and Matt Andriese was roughed up while eating three innings in relief. The Red Sox bullpen was preserved for the next five nights, and hope of salvaging this result was already gone.

Red Sox Journal: Hernandez back from hamstring strain

Bill Koch

Kiké Hernandez was back in the Red Sox lineup on Tuesday in Dunedin, Fla.

The veteran utilityman was activated off the 10-day injured list prior to first pitch against the Blue Jays. Hernandez spent the minimum time out of action after suffering a right hamstring strain against Detroit on May 6.

Hernandez played twice at Triple-A Worcester over the weekend and made some club history in the process. He smashed a pair of home runs on Sunday, including the first grand slam in Polar Park history. Hernandez followed with a solo shot later in his seven-inning stint. He traveled with Boston to face Toronto.

“It went really well,” Hernandez said. “Back in 10 days. Took the minimum — 10 days felt like a month. But glad to be back.”

On May 6, Hernandez stroked a leadoff double against the Green Monster and took third base on a ground ball against the Tigers. He then signaled for the training staff and was removed from the game. The Red Sox optioned Jonathan Arauz to the WooSox to clear a 26-man roster spot.

“I think we’re in a good spot right now,” Hernandez said. “We’re in first place and there are a lot of ways we can get better. That’s what you want — find ways to win games even when you’re not playing great.”

Hernandez will be looking to improve on the .298 on-base percentage he’s posted through 30 games. That’s a few ticks below his career .312 clip, and his role is an important one ahead of the powerful middle of the Boston lineup. J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts entered Tuesday tied for the American League lead in hits with 52 apiece.

“The 2-3-4-5 hitters are as good as they get,” Hernandez said. “It’s been a lot of fun to watch hitting in front of them.”

Vlad on a tear

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been mashing the ball for the Blue Jays in the early going.

The corner infielder and designated hitter has posted a 1.049 OPS thanks to 11 home runs, seven doubles and 27 walks in his 39 games. Guerrero made a clear commitment to his conditioning over the offseason, dropping upwards of 40 pounds and reaping immediate dividends.

“He’s in a much better place physically, and you can see the results,” manager Alex Cora said. “He looks more athletic. He’s moving well.

“As far as the hitting part of it, he always controls the strike zone. That’s something he did in the minor leagues and he’s doing that at the big-league level.”

Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette and Teoscar Hernandez were among the other available regulars on Tuesday boasting an OPS of .800 or better. Toronto ranks sixth in the big leagues in slugging, seventh in OPS and eighth in batting average.

Injury updates

Christian Arroyo (left hand contusion) and Danny Santana (right foot) were among those on the field at Polar Park prior to Tuesday’s game.

Arroyo was expected to take batting practice with Triple-A Worcester. He could start a rehab assignment with the WooSox shortly. It’s the first time he’s been able to hit against pitching of any kind since being placed on the 10-day injured list.

“The plan is for him to take batting practice today,” Cora said. “We’ll know more in an hour.”

Santana returned to the lineup at first base and batted third. He was given a day off Sunday and rested during the scheduled team day off on Monday. Santana entered a combined 8-for-22 with a double and two home runs at Class-A Greenville and Worcester.

“He’s swinging the bat well,” Cora said. “We’ve been using him all over the place. Where he’s at right now physically and baseball-wise, he’s in a good spot.”

Sale progressing

Despite opening this six-game road swing in , Cora said there are no plans to meet with the rehabbing Chris Sale.

The left-hander is working at the club’s spring home in Fort Myers. Sale has progressed to throwing off the mound as he works through his 14th month of rehab from Tommy John surgery.

“He’s in a different bubble,” Cora said. “I texted with him yesterday. I’m not sure when he gets back on the mound again.”

Sale hasn’t pitched in a game since August 2019 and was shut down in March 2020 prior to his operation. He’s in the second year of a contract extension that takes him through the 2024 season.

“One thing he’s really excited about is the way he’s bouncing back after all the workouts,” Cora said. “That’s a good sign.”

Ready for liftoff? Sox visit homer-happy TD Ballpark for Jays series

Bill Koch

The temporary home of the is one of baseball’s premier launching pads.

A little extra offense is expected every night at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla. COVID-19 restrictions have Toronto’s players and staff members living out of suitcases for the second straight year — they plan to relocate to , home of their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, after June 1.

The extended stay in the Grapefruit League environment has resulted in an early bump for home run numbers and slugging percentage. ESPN.com ranks the ballpark No. 1 in terms of additional expected runs scored per game at 1.337.

“This is different,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said ahead of Tuesday night's series opener in Dunedin. “We know that. The ball flies here. The ball shoots to right field compared to the other places where we play.”

Hitters bash home runs every 10.7 plate appearances at this venue. It trails only in Cincinnati (9.8) and Camden Yards in Baltimore (10.2) among home runs per plate appearance in the big leagues to date. Warm weather and the prevailing breezes play a significant role, along with a shallow 363- foot gap in right-center field.

“There are going to be some fly balls that go out of the ballpark, and you cannot get frustrated,” Cora said. “It might be one of those where you go six (innings) and you give up five (runs), and it’s actually not a bad start. We’ll see.

“I think I’m getting ahead of myself, actually. Maybe we go out there and shut them down for three nights.”

First pitch is scheduled for 7:37 p.m. in each game of the series, which could limit some of the twilight conditions. Lighting at minor league parks is generally less powerful than what you might find at big league counterparts. The Blue Jays have brought in three temporary light towers — all set above the permanent lights — in an attempt to aid outfielders tracking the ball.

“I actually haven’t been here before,” Red Sox center fielder Kiké Hernandez said. “I spent five spring trainings in Florida before ending up with the Dodgers, but I was never part of big-league camp when I was with the Houston Astros. This year was my first big-league camp in Florida, and obviously we didn’t come here.”

Toronto has set up a large tent behind the third-base grandstand to accommodate visiting teams. Air conditioning filters between lockers and a weight-lifting area. Cora said players feel as though they have enough space to be comfortable and still observe social-distancing mandates.

“It’s something I was intrigued by,” Cora said. “We got here early today — the coaches and the medical staff — and I was impressed. Great job by the Jays and the people who took care of this place.”

This first Boston visit to face the Blue Jays is a reminder the virus is still here with us. Significant improvements have been made in terms of available vaccinations, lowering hospitalizations and reducing the number of daily deaths. But Canada has kept in place its travel limitations, and Toronto might be facing a second straight year not playing a home game at Rogers Centre.

“We’re just happy they’re playing and they have a home for a few months,” Cora said. “They can go about their business.”

* MassLive.com

Eduardo Rodriguez allows 11 hits as Boston Red Sox lose to Blue Jays, 8-0; Toronto totals 18 hits in blowout

Chris Cotillo

Unfortunately for Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez, the fact his worst outing of the season came in a spring training ballpark doesn’t mean it didn’t count.

Rodriguez allowed five runs on 11 hits in five innings as the Blue Jays beat the Red Sox, 8-0, in the opener of a three-game series at TD Ballpark -- Toronto’s temporary home in Dunedin, Fla. Toronto tagged Rodriguez for seven singles and four doubles, outhitting the Red Sox, 18-5, in total and setting a new season-high for hits allowed by Red Sox pitchers in 2021.

Danny Jansen got the scoring underway with an RBI single in the second inning before the Jays extended their lead to 4-0 with a three-run fourth. On a Marcus Semien RBI single that plated Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Hunter Renfroe committed a rare throwing error that allowed Jansen to score; Bo Bichette then drove in Semien with an RBI single one batter later.

Gurriel Jr. pitched in an RBI single in the fifth before Matt Andriese entered in relief and allowed a Teoscar Hernández RBI single to make it 6-0. In the eighth inning, Randal Grichuk tagged Andriese for a two-run homer to extend Toronto’s advantage to 8-0.

Boston had trouble getting anything going against Jays ace Hyun Jin Ryu, who tossed seven scoreless innings and struck out seven batters. Alex Verdugo had two of Boston’s five hits, including a leadoff double in the fourth inning. Kiké Hernández, who was activated form the injured list before the game, was 1-for-4 with a single.

With their second straight loss, the Red Sox fell to 25-18. The Blue Jays cut Boston’s lead in the American League East to a half-game.

Rodriguez’s rough May continues

Rodriguez’s performance continued a concerning main trend for the the lefty, who now has a 6.00 ERA (14 earned runs in 21 innings) while allowing 33 hits in four starts this month. His season ERA rose from 4.15 to 4.70, which is the highest among Red Sox starters.

Tuesday’s outing was the third time in Rodriguez’s career that he allowed 11 hits in an outing. The last time was Sept. 24, 2019 in Texas.

Richards tries to right ship

Righty , who has a 2.16 ERA in his last four starts, will try to snap Boston’s skid Wednesday night against the Jays. He’ll get the start opposite Toronto righty with first pitch scheduled for 7:37 p.m.

Eduardo Rodriguez has 6.00 ERA in 4 May starts, now leads Boston Red Sox starters with 4.70 ERA in 2021

Chris Cotillo

After a strong April, Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez has taken a significant step back in the month of May. After allowing five runs and 11 hits over five innings in Tuesday’s 8-0 loss to the Jays, the lefty has a 6.00 ERA this month, with the Sox losing three of his four starts.

Rodriguez missed the entire 2020 season due to a heart condition (myocarditis) but looked like he hadn’t missed a beat in his first four outings, going 4-0 with a 3.52 ERA through April 25. But since May 1, he has allowed 14 earned runs and 33 hits in 21 innings while striking out 22 batters

In the eyes of both Rodriguez and manager Alex Cora, command has been the major issue for the 29-year- old.

“Missing my spots,” Rodriguez said. “That’s what I think has been changing the last couple starts. It’s something, I need to work on it. I finally got my velocity back. It’s just working on hitting my spots.”

Rodriguez has been unable to pitch past the sixth inning in any of his four May outings and has seen his ERA rise from 3.52 to 4.70 -- the highest of Boston’s five starters. Against Toronto, he allowed hits in all five innings; the Jays’ 11 hits were tied for the most he had allowed in 135 career outings.

Despite the constant contact, Rodriguez limited the damage to one run through three innings and had gotten two outs when No. 9 hitter Danny Jansen stepped to the plate. Rodriguez then walked Jansen -- in a plate appearance Cora believed was a turning point in the game -- before allowing RBI hits by Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette that put the Jays up, 4-0.

Rodriguez missing his target repeatedly during the Jansen at-bat -- including three times with his cutter -- was emblematic of his entire outing.

“Command is not where he usually is, and that’s something that he needs -- regardless of his stuff -- if he’s throwing hard or his velocity is down,” Cora said. “I think the cutter actually is bigger than usual. We’ll try to find out why. It’s actually playing like a hanging slider instead of him being sharp and dotting that pitch whenever he wants to. He has been able to elevate the last two starts but there has been a lot of contact. I think teams are doing a good job staying with him and going the other way. We’ll go back to the drawing board and see what we can do.”

Rodriguez, who dealt with arm fatigue at the end of spring training and began the year on the injured list, has battled diminished fastball velocity all season. On Tuesday, he averaged 92.6 mph on 27 fastballs -- a tick higher than the 92.2 mph he averaged Wednesday night against the A’s -- but still was down from his 93 mph average in 2019. Cora doesn’t believe the velocity is a major concern but wants Rodriguez to try to gain speed on his fastball as outings go on.

“I don’t want him to get caught up like he has to throw hard right away and then that happens,” Cora said. “He can actually pitch at 91-92 (mph) and then he can do it the other way around and gain velocity throughout the outing. Those are things that we’ll take a look at.”

Rodriguez will have two more chances -- Sunday in Philadelphia and again on May 30 against the Marlins -- to salvage his rough month and head into June on a positive note.

“I was feeling really good today,” Rodriguez said. “It was one of those days where I was feeling good in the bullpen and I thought I wasn’t going to get that result today. But it happens.

“For me, it’s just going to the bullpen, working these next four days and working on hitting my spots on all four pitches,” he added. “That’s it.”

Boston Red Sox playing regular season series at Blue Jays’ spring training facility in Dunedin, Fla.: ‘It’s a different environment’

Chris Cotillo

The Red Sox have played plenty of February and March games at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla., but this week, they’ll face a new challenge: playing a regular season series in a spring training ballpark.

Because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, the Blue Jays -- for the second straight season -- are not able to play their home games in Canada, so they relocated to their spring home for April and May. They’ll move to their Triple-A stadium (Sahlen Field in Buffalo) on June 1 and may be able to play at Rogers Centre later in the season, but for now, their temporary home is a Grapefruit League stadium in that borders an elementary school and holds 8,500 fans at full capacity.

Even before they were tasked with holding regular season games in Florida, the Jays gave their spring home a major facelift. Between 2017 and 2020, TD Ballpark underwent a $102 million renovation that allowed the club to stay in Dunedin, where they have held spring training since 1990.

So far, Red Sox manager Alex Cora -- who last managed at the ballpark during spring training in 2019 -- is impressed.

“They did an amazing job with the clubhouse and the facility to accommodate us and the visiting team. It’s great,” Cora said.

The Red Sox played a three-game series in Buffalo in August and it appears their next series against the Jays, scheduled from July 19-21, will be held in western New York. Much like at Sahlen Field, the setup at TD Ballpark includes a large tent behind the third base stands that is used as the visitor’s clubhouse.

“It’s very similar to what they did in Buffalo, for everything that I’m hearing,” Cora said. “Guys have their own area. It’s a huge tent with (air conditioning) and a great weight room. They did a good job. It’s something I was intrigued by, but we got here early today — the coaches and the medical staff — and I was impressed. Great job by the Jays and the people that took care of this place.”

The park does come with some quirks, as Cora was quick to point out the ball usually flies to the right- center gap and that the lighting might be a bit different because four temporary light towers were brought in to accommodate major league standards before the season. Despite the oddities, the Jays entered Tuesday with a 9-5 record in Dunedin, good for the best home record in the American League East.

“Defensively, it’s a little bit different,” Cora said. “The pop-ups and the lighting and all that stuff, you’ve got to adjust and we don’t have time to adjust. Batting practice is in a half-hour or an hour and the lights won’t be on. That’s my biggest worry, the defensive part of it. The offensive part of it, obviously, your eyes, when the sun goes down and the lights are on, that’s going to be different. Besides that, the dimensions, it really doesn’t matter. We’ve been in places that they’re big and the ball flies, so I think defensively in the outfield, you have to make adjustments.”

Though the atmosphere will be new, the objective remains the same for the Red Sox. With Toronto just 1 ½ games back of Boston for first place in the American League East, the three-game series is an important one for Cora’s bunch.

“It’s going to be a different environment,” Cora said. “Obviously, guys are going to talk about how they see the ball, how they don’t see the ball, the atmosphere. At the end, it’s a big-league game, and big-league games, they matter.”

Boston Red Sox lineup: Kiké Hernández leads off in return, Eduardo Rodriguez on mound for opener vs. Blue Jays

Chris Cotillo

Kiké Hernández is leading off and starting in center field for the Red Sox as they open a three-game series against the Blue Jays at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla. on Tuesday night.

Alex Verdugo is in left field and Hunter Renfroe is in right field against Jays starter Hyun Jin Ryu. Marwin Gonzalez is at second base and batting eighth; is hitting ninth and starting at first.

Eduardo Rodriguez is on the mound for the Red Sox, making his eighth start of the year. Rodriguez beat Toronto on April 20 at Fenway Park, allowing two earned runs on three hits in six innings.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:37 p.m. ET.

Boston Red Sox (25-17) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (22-17) · TD Ballpark · Dunedin, FL FIRST PITCH: 7:37 p.m. ET

TV CHANNEL: NESN

LIVE STREAM: NESN | fuboTV - If you have cable and live in the New England TV market, you can use your login credentials to watch via NESN on mobile and WiFi-enabled devices. If you don’t have cable, you can watch the game via fuboTV, in New England | MLB.tv (subscription required)

RADIO: WEEI 93.7 FM

PITCHING PROBABLES: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (5-1, 4.15 ERA) vs. LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (3-2, 2.95 ERA)

RED SOX LINEUP:

1. CF Kiké Hernández

2. LF Alex Verdugo

3. DH J.D. Martinez

4. SS Xander Bogaerts

5. 3B Rafael Devers

6. C Christian Vázquez

7. RF Hunter Renfroe

8. 2B Marwin Gonzalez

9. 1B Bobby Dalbec

BLUE JAYS LINEUP:

1. 2B Marcus Semien

2. SS Bo Bichette

3. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

4. LF Teoscar Hernández

5. CF Randal Grichuk

6. DH Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

7. RF

8. 3B

9. C Danny Jansen

Boston Red Sox activate Kiké Hernández from injured list, option Jonathan Araúz to WooSox

Chris Cotillo

The Red Sox activated infielder/ Kiké Hernández from the injured list before Tuesday’s game, manager Alex Cora said. Hernández will lead off and play center field against the Blue Jays after missing 10 games due to a right hamstring strain.

Hernández, who is hitting .239 with four homers and a .723 OPS in 30 games this year, left Boston’s May 6 game against the Tigers in the first inning after tweaking his hamstring and was placed on the IL a day later. He spent two days rehabbing with Worcester over the weekend and went 2-for-6 with two homers -- including the first grand slam in WooSox history.

“It went really well,” Hernández said. “Back in 10 days. Took the minimum. 10 days felt like a month, but glad to be back. Glad to be here.”

After Sunday’s loss to the Angels, Boston optioned infielder Jonathan Araúz back Worcester to make room for Hernández on the active roster. Araúz, who posted a .644 OPS in 25 games last season after being selected as a Rule 5 pick in Dec. 2019, appeared in four games during his stint in the majors. The 22-year- old was 2-for-8 with a double and an RBI.

With Hernández activated, the Red Sox only have three players -- pitchers Chris Sale (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and (left calf strain) and second baseman Christian Arroyo (left hand contusion) -- on the major-league injured list. Two minor-leaguers pitchers ( and ) are currently shut down due to injuries while infielder/outfielder Danny Santana is working his way back from a foot infection and is playing for the WooSox; Santana is expected to be added to the big- league roster soon.

Boston Red Sox injuries: Christian Arroyo nearing rehab assignment with WooSox, Chris Sale ‘really excited’ about recent progress

Chris Cotillo

Before the Red Sox faced the Blue Jays on Tuesday night, manager Alex Cora provided updates on some of the club’s injured players:

Arroyo in Worcester

Second baseman Christian Arroyo (left hand contusion) took batting practice in Worcester ahead of the WooSox’ series opener against Buffalo on Tuesday afternoon, Cora said. The club may look to activate Arroyo for a rehab assignment in Worcester in the coming days but will wait to see how his hand feels Thursday evening before deciding on a next step.

“He’s in Worcester right now,” Cora said. “The plan is for him to take batting practice today. We’ll know more probably in an hour.”

Tuesday’s BP session is the the first for Arroyo since he was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 9. The 25-year-old was hit by a pitch on May 5 and has dealt with hand soreness for the better part of two weeks.

Sale ‘really excited’ about progress

Despite the Sox playing in Dunedin -- just two hours from their spring training home in Fort Myers -- injured lefty Chris Sale will not be paying a visit to the team. Cora said MLB’s COVID-19 protocols dictate that Sale is in a “different bubble” than the major-league club.

Sale, who threw off a mound earlier this month for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last March, continues to be upbeat about his progress.

“I texted with him yesterday,” Cora said. “I’m not sure when he gets on the mound again but he texted me, and we were going back and forth. One thing he’s really excited about is the way he’s bouncing back after all the workouts and all that. That’s a good sign.”

Santana getting close

Infielder/outfielder Danny Santana (foot infection) continues to rehab with the WooSox and is starting at first base Tuesday against Buffalo. The veteran homered in his second at-bat of the game and is getting close to joining the Red Sox. Santana could be activated as soon as this week, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.

“He didn’t play Sunday, he didn’t play yesterday. He’s playing today,” Cora said. “He feels good. He’s swinging the bat well. We’ve been using him all over the place. Where he’s at right now physically and baseball-wise, he’s in a good spot.”

When Arroyo and Santana are ready to join the roster, two position players -- Michael Chavis and Franchy Cordero -- are candidates to be sent down to Triple-A in the near future.

Boston Red Sox’s Alex Cora called Yankees’ Brian Cashman to ‘jokingly’ thank him for Rule 5 picks Garrett Whitlock, Kaleb Ort

Chris Cotillo

Red Sox manager Alex Cora has always enjoyed a good relationship with longtime Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and recently gave him a call to rib him for allowing Boston to nab two talented young pitchers from their rivals in December’s Rule 5 draft.

In December, the Red Sox selected righties Garrett Whitlock (in the major-league phase) and Kaleb Ort (in the Triple-A phase) from New York. While Whitlock has grabbed headlines with a stellar first six weeks in the majors (1.77 ERA, 21 strikeouts in 20 ⅓ innings), Ort has also been impressive, recording four saves an nine strikeouts in six innings for Triple-A Worcester in the first two weeks of the Triple-A season.

“He’s a guy that got my attention in spring training,” Cora said. “Just like Garrett, a great citizen. In the clubhouse, in the weight room, in the training room.

“Actually, when we went to New York, I gave (Cashman) a call and I was like, ‘Man, those two guys are amazing,’” Cora said. “Jokingly, I said ‘Thank you.’”

Ort, 29, went undrafted out of Aquinas College in Michigan and started his career in independent ball in 2016 before signing with New York in May 2017. He posted a 3.01 ERA in 96 relief appearances over three years in the Yankees’ system before the Sox nabbed him as a Rule 5 pick and invited him to major league spring training.

Ort won’t be found on any top prospect lists but has a chance to contribute in the majors at some point this year. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound has turned heads in both Worcester and Boston.

“He’s a good one,” Cora said. “His stuff plays. I really like what I saw. Velocity got better in spring training and he was throwing the ball well down there. He’s a guy we’re looking at, obviously, for the right reasons. We’re very excited with what he’s doing, what he did in spring training and what he can do, probably, in the future.”

Boston Red Sox excited about rare opportunity to pick so high in 2021 MLB Draft but ‘hope this is the last time we ever pick at 4 or anywhere near there’

Christopher Smith

The Boston Red Sox own the fourth overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft — their highest selection in 54 years after finishing with MLB’s fourth worst record in 2020.

“I hope this is the last time we ever pick at 4 or anywhere near there, but when that happens, you have to take advantage of it,” Red Sox GM Brian O’Halloran said.

Drafting fourth overall is a rare opportunity for Boston to add a franchise talent who can play an important role in Boston’s longterm goal under O’Halloran and chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. That goal is to compete for postseason berths and World Series titles every year.

“I know it’s cliché a little bit and said over and over again, but we’re trying to build a sustainable winner,” O’Halloran said.

This year’s draft takes place July 11-13.

It’s not often a successful big-market franchise drafts in the top five.

The Red Sox have drafted in the top five only three times. They picked third overall in 1967 (), fourth overall in 1966 () and fifth overall in 1965 ().

The last time the Yankees had a top-5 pick was 1991. Before that, it was 1968. They haven’t drafted in the top 10 since 1992 when they selected Hall of Famer Derek Jeter with the sixth overall pick.

The Dodgers haven’t drafted in the top 5 since 1993. They have drafted in the top 10 just once since then. They used the seventh overall in 2006 to select who has helped them to eight straight postseason berths, including three World Series berths in the past four years. Los Angeles has been the definition of a sustainable winner.

“The draft is always exciting with the opportunity to add talent to the organization,” O’Halloran said. “It’s one of the the most important things for us. It’s one of the most important times of the year is the amateur scouting period and the draft. So it’s always exciting, but yeah, it takes on, if anything, even more importance when you’re picking near the top.”

The Red Sox have the sixth largest total bonus pool ($11,359,600), just over $2.5 million more than the average pool in ‘21, per .

It is $6.2297 million more than the Red Sox’s bonus pool in 2020 and $6.5715 million more than their allotment in 2019.

“It’s not just the top pick. It’s that we’re picking near the top of each round, obviously,” O’Halloran said. “And that adds up. And the pool money — and how you use that and all that type of stuff — we’ve got to use this opportunity to add as much talent as we can.”

The Red Sox have five picks in the top 150. They will draft fourth overall, 40th overall, 75th overall, 105th overall and 136th overall.

The Dallas Morning News reported O’Halloran was in Mississippi this past weekend where where Vanderbilt aces Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker pitched against Ole Miss.

Rocker has dropped in every major mock draft after entering the spring season considered the consensus top pick.

MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis’ latest mock draft (May 5) had the Red Sox selecting Rocker, a 6-foot-5, 245- pound righty, at No. 4.

Baseball America’s mock draft from April 28 had Rocker headed No. 4 to Boston. But its most recent rankings (May 5) had Rocker going No. 3 to Detroit and shortstop Marcelo Mayer (Eastlake High in Chula Vista, Calif.) No. 4 to Boston.

Shortstop Jordan Lawlar (Jesuit Prep in Texas) has a chance to go No. 1. Baseball America has him No. 2. Callis has him No. 1.

The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked Rocker as the fourth best player in his latest rankings (May 13). He has Leiter at No. 5.

Louisville catcher Henry Davis — who Law has been high on for quite some time — has seen his stock rise drastically this spring. He is expected to be a top-5 selection.

Law has Davis ranked No. 1 overall. The catcher is batting .372 with a .493 on-base percentage, .646 slugging percentage, 12 homers, nine doubles, 42 runs and 44 RBIs in 45 games. Everyone also is pointing to his plate discipline and how he has more walks (31) than strikeouts (21).

The astute Twitter account, @redsoxstats, recently pointed out that the Red Sox could target either LSU’s Jaden Hill or Ole Miss’ Gunnar Hoglund in the second round. Both pitchers were potential first-rounders before undergoing Tommy John surgery this spring. As @redsoxstats mentioned, the Mets drafted Mississippi State pitcher J.T. Ginn in the second round (52nd overall) in 2020 after he underwent Tommy John surgery. Ginn received a $2.9 million signing bonus.

Law summed it up best when he wrote, “This year’s draft class is … hold on, it just changed again.”

Law doesn’t seem too high on this class. He also wrote, “It’s not great at the top, maybe not even through the first round.”

But the draft always is a crapshoot — which is the reason why went 25th overall in 2009 and Mookie Betts went 172nd overall in 2011. It’s difficult to predict how any player will transition to professional baseball.

The Red Sox, like every organization, have had mixed results in the first round and supplemental first round. In more recent years, they hit on Matt Barnes, , , Tanner Houck and Jackie Bradley Jr. But they missed on others, such as (seventh overall in 2013), , , Henry Owens, Kolbrin Vitek, , , and .

There have been 55 fourth overall picks since the Rule 4 Draft started in 1965. Sixteen players have posted a double-digit WAR: (70.5), Kevin Brown (67.8), Dave Winfield (64.2), Thurman Munson (46.1), Darrell Porter (40.8), Ryan Zimmerman (39.5), Jon Matlack (39.4), Alex Fernandez (28.5), Kerry Wood (27.6), Mike Morgan (26.2), Ken Brett (16.3), Gavin Floyd (15.7), (13.5), Gregg Olson (12.8), Dmitri Young (12.2) and Roy Howell (10.9).

There are seven active fourth overall picks on 40-man rosters: Gausman (2012 Draft, 13.5), Dylan Bundy (2011 Draft, 9.2), Kyle Schwarber (2014 MLB Draft, 6.4), Nick Madrigaln (2018 Draft, 1.0), Kohl Stewart (2013 Draft, 0.4), Dillon Tate, (2015, 0.4) and Brendan McKay (2017, -0.2),

Royals prospect Asa Lacy, the No. 4 overall pick in 2020, is list No. 30 on Baseball America’s Top 100 list. Marlins prospect JJ Bleda, the No. 4 overall pick in 2019, is listed No. 36 on Baseball America’s Top 100 list.

SOME RED SOX PROSPECTS TO WATCH

Brandon Howlett: The 21-year-old third baseman batted .343 (12-for-35) with a .385 on-base percentage, .514 slugging percentage, .899 OPS, one homer, three doubles, six runs and six RBIs in 10 games during High-A Greenville’s first two series. Multiple major league teams told him he’d be selected on Day 2 of the 2018 MLB Draft between rounds 3-10. He dropped to round 21 (No. 640 overall).

Durbin Feltman: The 24-year-old had some control issues in 2019 (31 walks, 51 ⅓ innings, IP, 5.4 walks per nine innings). But he made changes to his delivery and has 14 strikeouts and one walk 7 ⅔ innings this year. The changes also helped him regain velocity.

Marcus Wilson: The 24-year-old slashed .278/.381/.639/1.020 with three homers, two doubles, one triple, seven runs and seven RBIs in 10 games during Triple-A Worcester’s first two series. He was the 69th overall pick in the 2014 MLB Draft and acquired for from the Diamondbacks. He’s on Boston’s 40-man roster. He continues to swing-and-miss quite a bit (17 Ks, 6 BB) though.

Kole Cottam: The 23-year-old catcher, who Boston selected in the fourth round in 2018, was a non-roster invitee to Red Sox spring training. He posted a .391/.481/.696/1.177 line with two homers, one double, five runs and five RBIs in nine games during the first two series for High-A Greenville. He is one of the Red Sox minor league who has transitioned to the one-knee down stance.

Brayan Bello: A 22-year-old righty has won both his starts for High-A Greenville. He has allowed just two earned runs (1.59 ERA), six hits and three walks while striking out 13 in 11 ⅓ innings. Opponents are batting .158 against him. The Athletic’s tweeted Tuesday, “Red Sox think the fastest rising pitcher in organization is 22-yr. old RH Bryan Bello @ Greenville. One front office official says “Bello was up to 97 with the best changeup I ever seen, at least since Pedro.”

Johan Mieses: The Red Sox signed the 25-year-old outfielder as a minor league free agent in November 2019. The Dominican Republic native belted six homers in 10 games for Double-A Portland during the first two series. He entered Tuesday slashing .250/.372/.750/1.122 with 11 RBIs and 10 runs.

A.J. Politi: The 24-year-old righty has started three games for Double-A Portland, posting a 3.95 ERA (13 ⅔ innings, six earned runs), 13 hits, four walks and 16 strikeouts. He has allowed just two runs in his past two starts. He throws a mid-90s fastball with spin.

“He’s a really good north-south guy with a power arm,” Red Sox bullpen coach said about Politi. “He’s got a lot of ride with his fastball. Really good, sharp break to his curveball. Really good stuff. It’s a really important year for a lot of these guys that didn’t get to pitch last year. It’s no secret that with not having a minor league season, a lot of pitchers, this is a very important year for them in terms of development, in terms of facing competition. I’m excited for a lot of these guys. Politi is definitely a guy I’m excited about. Really power stuff. It’s just about letting these guys go out and have a season and get reps.”

Chris Murphy: The 22-year-old lefty has made two starts for High-A Greenville, allowing only two earned runs in 9 ⅓ innings (1.93 ERA).

Cameron Cannon: The 23-year-old, who was Boston’s top overall pick in 2019, is 14-for-45 (.311) with a .380 on-base percentage, .644 slugging percentage, 1.024 OPS, three homers, six doubles and 10 runs in 12 games for High-A Greenville.

Chase Shugart: The 2018 12th-round pick has a 1.29 ERA (one earned run, 7 innings) over two starts. He has allowed five hits and one walk while striking out eight.

Gilberto Jimenez: The 20-year-old switch posted a .378/.429/.444/.873 line with three doubles, nine runs, five RBIs and four walks in Low-A Salem’s first two series. He has struck out just five times in 11 games. He has an impressive 10.2% percentage.

Red Sox assistant hitting coach recently called him a throwback hitter.

“I say throwback because he has a more contact-orientated approach,” Fatse explained. “In an era where strikeouts are going up, to see a guy come in and that’s his priority, it’s exciting. I think he could be really special with the more baseball he plays.”

* The Worcester Telegram

Eyes of Boston are focused on Worcester Red Sox closer Kaleb Ort

Joe McDonald

WORCESTER — Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora couldn’t wait to call general manager Brian Cashman and say “thank you.”

Why?

Kaleb Ort.

The Red Sox acquired the former Yankees farmhand via the Triple-A phase of the 2020 Rule 5 Draft. After not playing during the 2020 season due to COVID-19, and no invite to the Yankees alternate site, the Red Sox took advantage of the opportunity on the 29-year-old right-hander.

“He’s a guy who got my attention during spring training,” Cora said. “He’s a great citizen in the clubhouse, in the weight room, in the training room ... he’s a good one. His stuff plays, and I really liked what I saw (in spring training). His velocity got better in spring training, and he’s throwing the ball well (in Worcester). He’s a guy we’re looking at, obviously, for the right reasons. We’re very excited with what he’s doing, what he did in spring training, and what might he do in the future.”

In Boston, there’s an impressive list of successful closers in the past 15 seasons. Currently, Matt Barnes is the go-to guy, and he’s been a solid fit for the closer’s role. He leads the majors with 12 perfect appearances of at least one inning. In fact, he leads the American League with 18 saves since taking over the role on Aug. 21, 2020.

In Worcester, it’s a smaller sample size for Ort, but it’s a role he’s served during his pro career. So far this season, he’s 4 for 4 in saves and has dominated the opposition. WooSox pitching coach Paul Abbott has been impressed.

“He’s taken that closer’s role and has ran with it,” Abbott said. “He’s come in and slammed the door without really any threat of a hiccup at all. He’s throwing strikes. He’s aggressive and he’s been impressive.”

It’s evident Ort uses his 6-foot-4, 233-pound to his advantage on the mound, while keeping opposing batters off balance.

“Just like any other role — go in, shut ‘em down, do your job, get out quicker than some other roles, I guess,” he said.

It doesn’t matter if he was throwing during the Red Sox’ alternate site, or now that the regular season has begun, Ort is working with plenty of confidence.

“Good. Everything feels good,” he said.

'Kept busy' in 2020 Since he did not get invited to the Yankees alternate site last summer, Ort kept busy doing other things.

“I literally worked every day,” he said.

When asked if he meant baseball work, or work, he said: “Work, work. Tires and cars all day.”

Since 2016, Ort spends his offseason working in his friend’s auto shop. He said he really enjoys it, and that’s one reason he get along so well with WooSox teammate Jett Bandy, who also spends his offseason working on his 1969 Chevelle.

“Jett and I talk DuroMaxes (engines) all the time — all day, every day,” Ort said with a laugh.

During his time away from the game, he didn’t know if there would be a next chapter of his baseball career. He didn’t throw but doesn’t believe it effected his velocity. He admits it took a little longer to ramp it up once he returned to throwing, but he’s in a good place.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen,” he said. “I wasn’t going to stop trying, that’s for sure.”

He made an impact on Cora during spring training, and the parent club is keeping tabs on the Triple-A closer, which is exactly what he wants. He said it was a relief when he learned of his opportunity with the Red Sox organization.

“Just excited — not much more to it,” he said. “Obviously it was a good opportunity.”

It’s evident the WooSox have a solid team with a roster mixed with prospects and veterans. The chemistry seems strong and the players believe this could be a special summer in Worcester.

“Awesome team — awesome,” Ort said. “All the dudes are awesome. It’s all very good vibes.”

Many of those good vibes could have an impact in Boston this season, including Ort.

* The Portland Press Herald

Bottom of the batting order heating up for Red Sox

Tom Caron

The Boston Red Sox have been in first place for more than a month. Thanks to a strong rotation, they haven’t allowed slumps to become epic losing streaks. It’s what good teams do, and the Red Sox are proving they are a good team.

UP NEXT WHO: Boston Red Sox (Rodriguez 5-1) at Toronto Blue Jays (TBD)

WHEN: 7:37 p.m. Tuesday

WHERE: Dunedin, Florida

TELEVISION: NESN

Even the best teams have to deal with bumps along the way, like Sunday’s loss to the at Fenway Park. Mike Trout’s bloop dropped in with two outs in the ninth and followed up with a home run that curled around the Pesky Pole to give the Angels a 6-5 lead. Just like that the three- game winning streak was over.

The Red Sox were poised to celebrate another comeback win before the two Angel MVP candidates combined to ruin that celebration. Still Boston heads to Dunedin, Florida to play Toronto (another phrase that didn’t make a lot of sense before the pandemic) with a tremendous amount of confidence in its offense.

There is production from the bottom of the order. In Sunday’s loss the No. 7 through 9 hitters went 5 for 11 with a homer, two RBI and three runs scored. That coming a day after Bobby Dalbec and Franchy Cordero, batting eighth and ninth, respectively, hit back-to-back doubles twice.

They’ve also had different players contributing in the leadoff spot. Michael Chavis was at the top of the order Sunday with Kiké Hernández and Christian Arroyo both on the injured list. Chavis went 2 for 5 with a double, upping his average to .259 this season.

Chavis’ day was overshadowed by Hernández, who was batting leadoff for the Worcester Red Sox in a rehab game against the Syracuse Chiefs. Hernández hit the first grand slam in WooSox history and seemed ready to return to the big club.

That’s why Manager Alex Cora wasn’t willing to speculate on the future of Chavis, or any other player, before the game on Sunday.

“I hate to look ahead,” Cora said. “There’s some people that are coming off the IL. Let’s take it day-by- day, you know? The other day, everybody was excited about (Chavis) hitting a home run and hitting two doubles.

“To win a World Series, it’s more than 26 guys. And you have to make moves based on your roster and the people that you have available. So the way I put it is he’s leading off today. (Monday) is an off day. We’ll see what the future brings. But the future for him is today. The future for this team is today. So we’ll leave it at that.”

If you listen closely, you’ll hear Cora putting a bigger emphasis on maximizing his roster and his lineup each night. The Red Sox would never admit it, but jumping out to the front of the division – and showing they can stay there – means there’s little time for development of young players. This team has a chance to make something special out of this season. It can’t sit through youthful inconsistency for long.

“We understand that they’re very talented and they’re going to contribute at some point,” Cora said of his young players when he spoke with me on NESN’s Friday Night Fenway last week.

“But also we’ve got to be careful how we balance that. We’ve got some capable players, guys that are swinging the bat better right now and we’re going to use them. And they understand that. There’s constant communication of what we do here.”

The goal is to get those young players producing, and to ease the burden on the heart of the order.

“This is a good offense and we can score runs with the best of them,” said Cora, “but at the same time we rely too much on the two, three, four, five and six hitters.”

Those batters – Alex Verdugo, Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez, Rafael Devers, and Christian Vazquez – have gotten the Sox this far. It will take more production from more hitters to keep them atop the division. Cora knows that, and will have to make some difficult decisions as players return from the injured list this week.

* RedSox.com

Missing his 'spots', E-Rod struggles vs. Jays

Jordan Horrobin

The Blue Jays came out swinging, and Eduardo Rodriguez was not up to the task.

Facing a lineup that attacked early and often, Rodriguez suffered his second loss in as many starts in an 8-0 defeat on Tuesday night at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla.

Rodriguez is known to seek first-pitch strikes -- he entered the night with a first-pitch strike rate of 66 percent, a career high -- and the Blue Jays clearly had the book on him. They swung at 16 first pitches in 26 at-bats (61.5 percent) against Rodriguez, which is the highest rate of his career and nearly double his average (31.1 percent).

That type of aggression changes nothing about Rodriguez's game plan. In fact, he welcomes it because it means he can push deeper into a game -- assuming he's hitting his targets.

"If I was hitting my spots, I'd probably throw eight or nine innings with like 80 pitches, because they were swinging first pitch," Rodriguez said. "It's just about that. It's all about hitting your spots."

The left-hander caught too much of the plate too many times, and the Blue Jays were eager to make him pay. Toronto's first four hits came on Rodriguez's first offering, including a second-inning double by Randal Grichuk. He came around to score the game's opening run, which was all Toronto needed on an uncharacteristically silent night for Boston's offense.

The Jays added on in the fourth, though, tagging Rodriguez for a trio of two-out runs to push their lead to 4-0. Rodriguez almost escaped unscathed, but he issued a walk to No. 9 hitter Danny Jansen. Next up was Marcus Semien, who blooped a single to right (with a 57.9 mph exit velocity, according to Statcast) that scored two. Bo Bichette followed with an RBI double, putting a stamp on a frame that unraveled on Rodriguez quickly.

"It just felt like they kept putting [together] good at-bats, everything with two outs, we weren't able to stop the bleeding," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "I don't want to say luck, but it seemed like everything they put in play was a hit."

Toronto collected 18 hits on the night (the most Boston has allowed this season), 11 of which came off Rodriguez (matching his career high). Suddenly, after winning his first four starts with a 3.52 ERA, Rodriguez has gone 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA in the four starts since.

What he's done consistently for the Red Sox is provide reasonable length, going five innings or further in all eight outings. But part of that length is born from his aim to be efficient. And when that efficiency isn't coupled with accuracy, Rodriguez can get into some major trouble.

"Command is not where it usually is, and that's something that he needs regardless of his stuff -- if he's throwing hard or his velocity's down," Cora said. "There's been a lot of contact. I think teams are doing a good job staying with him and going the other way, so we'll go back to the drawing board and see what we can do."

There wasn't a lot of contact on the other side, as Red Sox hitters spread five hits and two walks over nine innings. They only pushed one runner to third base all night, and in the end, they were shut out for the first time since Opening Day.

In the third week of May, it might still be too early to intently check the standings. But the Red Sox do have something at stake now in Wednesday's matchup with the Blue Jays: Boston needs to win to retain sole possession of first place in the American League East -- which they've held since April 11 -- or else Toronto (a half-game back) will take over.

Notes: Homer-happy Sox; injury updates

Jordan Horrobin

What happens when you take two of the most homer-happy teams in the Majors and drop them into an offensive tinderbox like TD Ballpark? With this week's series between the Red Sox and Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla., we won't have to wonder for long.

"I think you've gotta live with the results, right?" Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "There's gonna be some fly balls that are gonna go out of the ballpark and you cannot get frustrated."

Toronto (56 home runs) and Boston (53) enter their three-game matchup ranked first and third, respectively, in the American League in long balls this season. And according to Statcast's Park Factors ratings, TD Ballpark is tied for first in the Majors as an offense-friendly facility.

Part of that is due to the park's single-level outfield, which can create a sort of jet stream effect that allows balls to carry on particularly windy days. That was the case this past weekend in a series between the Phillies and Blue Jays; particularly on Sunday, when the teams combined for 18 runs and six homers.

"Watching videos and watching a few of the balls that the Phillies hit to right-center over the course of [this past weekend], that right-center gap is real," Cora said. "The ball shoots that way."

Cora suggested that pitching stat lines for this series in Dunedin might end up being misleading if there are some cheap home runs to be had. A pitcher could give up five runs in six innings, say, and still have made a satisfactory start.

As much as the Red Sox's offense has thrived on home runs, their pitching staff has been just as effective in preventing them. Boston has allowed just 0.73 home runs per nine innings this season, which is the lowest in the American League (third in MLB).

Given that, there's not much Cora can advise his team to do. More of the same, on both sides, is all he can hope for.

"From the pitching side, keep doing what we've been doing," he said. "Obviously pitch to weak contact. Offensively, I think we do a good job of driving the ball that way, so we'll see where it takes us."

Injury updates • Kiké Hernández (10-day injured list, right hamstring strain) was activated and placed into Tuesday's starting lineup. He spent the minimum allotted time on the IL, though he still remarked that "10 days felt like a month." In a pair of rehab games with Triple-A Worcester over the weekend, Hernández went 2-for-6 with two home runs, five RBIs and two strikeouts.

• With the Red Sox down in Florida this week, you might think they'd have a chance to check in on Chris Sale (60-day IL, right elbow), who is still rehabbing at the team's spring complex in Fort Myers (a two-hour drive from Dunedin). That's not the case, Cora said, because Sale isn't part of the team's "bubble." Cora said he doesn't know when Sale will throw from a mound next.

"One thing he's really excited about is the way he's bouncing back after all the workouts and all that, so that's a good sign," said Cora.

• Christian Arroyo (10-day IL, left hand contusion) is with Worcester and took batting practice Tuesday for the first time since sustaining his injury.

* WEEI.com

The Red Sox are simply going to need a better version of Eduardo Rodriguez

Rob Bradford

Just under a month ago we were proclaiming that the time was right for the Red Sox' to put their best foot forward when it came to offering Eduardo Rodriguez an extension.

Believe it or not -- even after the Red Sox' 8-0 loss to the Blue Jays Tuesday night -- that hasn't changed. In fact, such moments, when players are feeling down on their luck, are oftentimes the best to when it comes to convincing that the time is right to sign on the dotted line. (See Josh Beckett, 2006.)

But that is a different conversation for a different time.

What is of the utmost importance in the here and the now for these Red Sox is getting Rodriguez right. Because, this loss in wind-swept Dunedin, Fla. showed, Alex Cora's club really, really needs the designated ace to be an actual ace.

In this case, Rodriguez had his chance to show the top-of-the-rotation merit so many have labeled with him despite the myocarditis uncertainty and year-off from pitching. He was going head-to-head with the Blue Jays' ace, Hyung Jin Ryu.

Either Rodriguez was going to show the second-place Jays what was what and push the Red Sox first-place lead back up to 2 1/2 games, or things were going to start to get uncomfortable. It was the latter.

Whether you wanted to use the box score (5 innings, 11 hits, 5 runs), or just the eye-test, it was clear this was not the Rodriguez the Red Sox were banking on.

Ryu, on the other hand, was the guy Toronto had no problem leaning on, ending up with seven shutout innings.

Should the Rodriguez dynamic offer some cause for concern? Somewhat. The pitcher said repeatedly after the game it was just a matter of missing his spots. Cora noted the lefty's inability to throw an effective cutter.

For whatever reason (and yes, the fastball velocity is down slightly from 2019), this is closer to the dead- arm Rodriguez than the get-on-my-back Rodriguez.

Fortunately for the Red Sox, their other starting rotation options all carry ERAs under 4.00 while Rodriguez tries to whittle down his current mark of 4.70. But there are going to be instances like this again -- whether it be in tiny Dunedin or the big, bad Bronx.

The Red Sox need to get Rodriguez right.

Boston is reopening. The fun around sports is finally back

Alex Reimer

As a weird college student, I spent every Opening Day pacing Landsdowne Street. Around mid-morning, I would leave my cramped dorm room and take a right down Commonwealth Avenue, before heading up the hill on Brookline Avenue, inevitably passing the “Jesus Guy.”

He could probably tell I needed some saving.

With Massachusetts set to fully reopen May 29, both Fenway Park and the TD Garden can operate at full capacity, along with Gillette Stadium. For the first time since March 2020, sports are truly back in the City of Boston. But most importantly, so is the social camaraderie that makes watching sports so enjoyable.

In other words, it's time to party.

Sure, the games restarted last summer, but up to this point, they’ve existed in hollow form. It was downright dystopian to see an empty Gillette, and strange to see a sparsely filled Fenway. During a recent game against the A’s, Rafael Devers stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with two runners on and the Red Sox down by one. Under normal circumstances, Fenway would’ve been buzzing, and maybe Oakland closer Jake Diekman would’ve hung a breaking ball.

Instead, Devers grounded into a fielder’s choice, and the few thousand people in attendance meekly headed for the exits — in socially distanced fashion, of course.

My Opening Day strolls around Fenway Park filled me with utter bliss. I used to love going to games around the trade deadline, when I could feel the anticipation running through the humid air. Was this year they were finally going to trade Manny? Did Theo have another blockbuster up his sleeve? I loved scrutinizing the starting lineup posted in giant trading cards outside of Twins Souvenirs, wondering if every substitution meant a big trade was on the horizon.

Throughout the night, my mother, dressed head-to-toe in Yankees regalia, would inevitably become a lightning rod in our section. One time, she even knocked a beer back in a guy’s face. That was pretty awesome.

Sports are a social experience. We like watching games with people and awkwardly high-fiving after big plays and slam dunks. We all have our rituals: Pints at Yardhouse before the Red Sox; a drunken jaunt down Causeway Street before a night at the Garden; sitting in excruciating traffic on Route 1 before a Pats game.

It’s what we do around here.

The science is sound. The number of new COVID-19 cases reported statewide was the lowest since September, and about 62 percent of the state has received at least one vaccine dose.

Roughly 47 percent of the state is fully vaccinated.

This was always the end game: Get vaccinated, and then get back to our lives. That means being able to watch a game in a freaking bar — free of plexiglass and mandatory mask mandates. Many great friendships have been born at bar seats. In today’s isolated world, we would all be better off if we talked to strangers.

But is anybody really a stranger if they’re complaining about the Bruins’ power play, or questioning whether Tuukka can win a Stanley Cup?

At the risk of sounding too cheesy, sports are the heartbeat of our city. They’re a common language around here, and that’s good, because you need plenty of things to talk about while waiting in an excruciatingly long beer line.

Normalcy is just one $8.50 cup of light beer away.

* NBC Sports Boston

Maybe four great hitters actually are enough to carry Sox offense

John Tomase

It wasn't that long ago that a truly punishing lineup needed to rake and grind, one through nine.

The 2003 Red Sox famously batted AL batting champ Bill Mueller ninth while scoring nearly 1,000 runs. The 2004 club posted a .297 average with 20 homers and an .833 OPS out of the No. 8 spot in the order. The Yankees that same year slammed 31 homers out of the 7-hole.

The one-through-nine mantra has stuck despite seismic changes to the game. Pitchers now dominate to comical degrees. Former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein recently noted on Bill Simmons' podcast that today's average pitcher owns the same strikeout rate as Nolan Ryan and Sandy Koufax. Everyone throws 95 mph. The game is fundamentally broken.

It also leads to a question that applies to the 2021 Red Sox: with offense so depressed, can four great hitters carry a lineup?

The knee-jerk reaction is to say no. But J.D. Martinez disagrees.

"No, I believe it," he said recently. "I mean, if you look at every great team, it's hard to have 1 through 9 that rake. I think the last team that does that is like the Yankees super teams back in the day. I don't know."

With the league batting average at an all-time low of .236 and the strikeout rate at an all-time high of 9.2 per nine innings, the days of the relentless top-to-bottom offense are over. In their place are basically two options: three-true-outcome your way to victory on the strength of walks and home runs, or ride a stretch of complete hitters as far as they'll take you.

While the Red Sox are certainly capable of hitting the ball out of the park -- they rank third in the AL in homers with 53 -- they're living more on option No. 2.

In Alex Verdugo, Martinez, Xander Bogaerts, and Rafael Devers, they boast one of the best 2-3-4-5 combos in baseball, and that's even considering Verdugo's recent slump, which has dropped his average from .315 on May 6 to .279 today.

The heart of the order can take the ball out of the park, but they're complete hitters. Bogaerts (.344) and Martinez (.342) rank among the AL leaders, Devers is like a left-handed, bad-ball-smashing Vlad Guerrero Sr., and when Verdugo is going well, he sprays the ball all over the park. It should come as no surprise that the quartet ranks first through fourth on the club with 110 of the team's league-leading 217 runs.

While it's tempting to say that's not sustainable and the Red Sox must start receiving production from the much-maligned bottom of the order, it's not clear that's actually true. Of course, if Bobby Dalbec and Hunter Renfroe can build on some recent successes, it will improve the team's attack. But that's not the same as saying it's a necessity.

"It goes in streaks. Comes and goes, you know?" Martinez said. "I think we're producing. I like our offense. I don't know where the numbers lie or where we lie in the league, but I feel like we're a pretty potent offense and we can break out any second. That's the way hitting goes. If you can hit consistently all year, and continue to put up those numbers, it's never been done before in baseball. That's a very crazy lineup, that would be a very amazing offensive year for a team. It comes and goes in waves."

Consider the opponent for the next three nights. The Blue Jays are basically built around four standouts, too -- Vlad Guerrero Jr., Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette, and Teoscar Hernandez, who is the inverse of Verdugo and coming alive after a slow start. Eventually they will add $150 million free agent George Springer, too, but he has been limited to four games by assorted injuries.

Toronto has ridden that quartet to 192 runs, good for fourth in the American League (with three games in hand on the Red Sox). The rest of their order is every bit as pedestrian as Boston's, with catcher Danny Jansen hitting .123, DH Rowdy Telez at .188, and outfielder Lourdes Gurriel at .221. In other words, even the best offenses must work around a Franchy Cordero or two.

In that context, maybe we should stop focusing on what the Red Sox lack and instead embrace what others would kill to have. The days of top-to-bottom punishment are a fantasy. It's a lot of pressure, but maybe four guys really can carry the load.

Sox pitching prospect Bazardo suffers apparent arm injury

Justin Leger

The Boston Red Sox are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping one of their top pitching prospects avoided a major injury.

Right-hander Eduard Bazardo left Tuesday's game for Triple-A Worcester after suffering an apparent arm injury. Bazardo airmailed two straight pitches then called for the training staff while holding his right elbow.

Bazardo is ranked 19th in the Red Sox farm system according to SoxProspects.com. The 25-year-old pitched two strong innings for the major league club last Wednesday vs. the Oakland Athletics, striking out two and allowing only one hit.

* BostonSportsJournal.com

Final: Blue Jays 8, Red Sox 0

Sean McAdam

The Red Sox followed perhaps their most crushing defeat with one of their most lopsided of the season.

The Sox allowed a season-high 18 hits and were shut out for the first time since Opening Day, losing 8-0 to the Toronto Blue Jays. The win brought the Jays to within a half game of the Sox in the American League East standings.

Eduardo Rodriguez allowed five runs in five innings. Matt Andriese allowed three more in three innings of relief.

Offensively, the Sox managed just five hits though one didn't leave the infield and another should have been scored an error.

WHO: Red Sox (25-17) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (22-17) WHEN: 7:37 p.m. WHERE: TD Ballpark, Dunedin, Fla. SEASON SERIES TO DATE: 1-1 STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (5-1, 4.15) vs. LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (3-2, 2.95) TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7

LNEUPS

RED SOX

Hernandez CF Verdugo LF Martinez DH Bogaerts SS Devers 3B Vazquez C Renfroe RF Gonzalez 2B Dalbec 1B

BLUE JAYS

Semien 2B Bichette SS Guerrero Jr. 1B Hernandez LF Grichuk CF Gurriel DH Biggio RF Espinal 3B Jansen C

IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:

B8: Randal Grichuk goes the other way, aided by the wind, and homers to right with a man on.

B6: Sox go to the bullpen and Matt Andriese, but the night doesn't get any better with a walk and two hits leading to yet another run

B5: Blue Jays continue to rake against Rodriguez. Run-scoring single from Lourdes Guriel Jr. to RF, scoring Hernandez. The Jays have 11 hits and this would seem to be Rodriguez's final inning in what is surely his worst outing of the season.

B4: Rodriguez has himself to blame in that inning for walking light-hitting Jansen with two outs to start all the trouble.

B4: Sloppy play by Hunter Renfroe, who throws wildly -- and unnecessarily -- to third, allowing a second run to score. Jam shot blooper turns into two runs.

T4: Poor swing decision by Rafael Devers, who reaches out and pops up a pitch that was an inch off the ground and way outside.

T4: Alex Verdugo is undaunted by lefty pitchers. He hits them well and regularly. The Sox have two hits tonight and both are from Verdugo.

B2: Lots of hard contact this inning against Rodriguez, resulting in a 1-0 lead on a run-scoring single by Danny Jansen.

B2: A little too much needless flair from Rafael Devers, who goes for the flashy backhand stop and has the ball go under his glove for a leadoff double from Randal Grichuk.

B1: Eduardo Rodriguez pitching with a very slow tempo -- far slower than he has in previous outings.

WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox have won three of their last four games...At 25-17 (.595), they are tied with Oakland and San Diego for MLB’s third-best record behind the Chicago White Sox (25-15) and (25-16)....The Sox’ .706 winning percentage on the road is the best in the majors (12- 5)...The Sox also rank second in the AL and fourth in the majors in road ERA (3.41)...The Red Sox’ plus- 45 run differential ranks third in the AL and fifth in the majors...They have won nine games by 5+ runs, tied for second-most in MLB....: The Red Sox rank sixth in the AL and 12th in the majors in ERA (3.81), after posting a 5.58 ERA in 2020... They have allowed 4 runs or fewer in 7 of their last 8 games....In seven of the last 10 games, Red Sox starters have gone at least six innings...In the club’s last 20 games, Sox starters have a 3.25 ERA and have allowed one or no homers in 24 straight games, the club’s longest streak since 20018...The Red Sox are out-homering their opponents, 53-30 (plus 23)...That's the largest difference in the AL and second largest in the majors (STL, plus 25).... Sox pitchers have allowed an AL-best 0.73 HR/9.0 IP, third fewest in MLB...They have allowed multiple HR only seven times this season, including in only one of their last 14 games.....The Sox remain the only team yet to allow three home runs in a game...The Red Sox and Blue Jays are 6-6 against each other since the start of 2020, including 1-1 this season...Nine of the last 12 meetings have been decided by one or two runs....The Red Sox lead MLB in runs (217), doubles (94), extra-base hits (150), slugging percentage (.446), and OPS (.772). The Sox have 26 HR in their last 16 games...second-most in MLB during that time behind only Toronto with 27)... They have hit multiple HR in each of their last four games, their longest streak of the season....The Red Sox have three players with at least nine homers, 25 RBI, and a .900 OPS -- the rest of the AL has three such players combined.... Rafael Devers leads the majors in RBI (34); J.D. Martinez is tied for second (33)...Martinez is tied for the MLB lead in runs scored (33). Xander Bogaerts and Martinez are tied for the MLB lead in hits (52)...They also are tied for second in total bases (92) behind only Shohei Ohtani (93).,,,In the Red Sox’ last 11 games, their 7-8-9 hitters are batting .275 and slugging .492 with five homers..They have combined to hit seven homers in May, after hitting only two in April. In their last 4 games, the Sox’ 7-8-9 hitters are batting .415 and slugging .829....They have eight extra-base hits in their last 32 plate appearances...The Red Sox lead the majors in outfield assists (13); no other team has more than 10. According to FanGraphs, Red Sox outfielders rank tied for third in the majors with nine defensive runs saved...Hunter Renfroe leads AL outfielders in defensive runs saved (eight, second in MLB) and assists (five, tied for first in MLB)....In his last seven games, has allowed two hits and ni runs ....In 13 outings this season, covering 15.1 IP, Phillips Valdez owns a 0.85 WHIP and a .132 opponent AVG....In his last seven appearances, has no walks and 16 strikeouts...Eduardo Rodriguez has thrown five or more innings in each of his last 35 starts, dating back to May 4, 2019....Rodriguez leads Sox starters in SO/9.0 IP (9.69) and is tied for the team lead in strikeouts (42). ..The Red Sox are 50-14 (.781) in his starts since the beginning of 2018....Starting in September 2017, the Sox are 40-3 (.930) when giving him four or more runs of support...Teoscar Hernandez is 5-for-14 with three homers against Rodriguez in his career while Bo Bichette is 2-for-3 with a homer...Martinez is 4-for-13 against Ryu while Bogaerts is 2-for-5 with a homer.

NOTES:

* Kike Hernandez was activated and put right back into the lineup, playing centerfield and hitting leadoff.

* Alex Cora was encouraged by the last start from Eduardo Rodriguez, even though he lost. Cora saw improvement in the lefty's stuff.

* Cora warned that the ball has been flying out of TD Ballpark, especially to right/center. There's also some concern about the lighting and the challenges that might present to the infielders and outfielders.

* Cora said he texted with Chris Sale Monday and relayed that Sale is excited about the way he's bouncing back from his mound sessions.

* Christian Arroyo is set to take batting practice at Worcester Tuesday.

BSJ Game Report: Blue Jays 8, Red Sox 0 - Sox suffer first shutout since Opening Day

Sean McAdam

All you need to know about the Red Sox' loss to Toronto, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:

HEADLINES

Rodriguez not sharp in rout: Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez was pounded for 11 hits and five runs in just five innings. His velocity was up somewhat in the early going, but what soon became obvious was that Rodriguez couldn't command his pitches within the strike zone. Too many were left over the middle of the plate and the Blue Jays did the predictable amount of damage. They also had the right approach -- in attempting to take advantage of a strong gust that was blowing out to right, they constantly took the ball there. Rodriguez It's great that Rodriguez's fastball has exhibited more life, but that's more than cancelled out by his lack of command. And if the issue were just with his ability to spot his fastball better, the obvious fix would be to not throw it as hard in exchange for better command. But as Rodriguez himself noted, he had difficulty locating all of his pitches. His cutter was particularly ineffective -- in terms of spotting it and its shape -- with Alex Cora noting that it too often resembled a hanging slider. After a strong April, Rodriguez has a 4.70 ERA in May, with 33 hits allowed in 21 innings. Neither he nor Cora exhibited any panic, but clearly some adjustments have to be made in between starts that allow him to regain proper command.

Sox offense almost non-existent: Before the game, taking note of the smallish dimensions of TD Ballpark and noting the strong breeze blowing out to right, Alex Cora all but predicted this would be some sort of slugfest.

But he was only half right. The Sox had just five hits all night against Toronto starter Hyun Jin Ryu and a trio of relievers and even that number was somewhat deceiving, since one of the "hits'' was obviously an error by shortstop Bo Bichette and another was of the infield variety. The Sox got a hard-hit double by Alex Verdugo to lead off the fourth, and that was one of the very few balls that were hit well all night as Ryu masterfully kept the lineup off balance, working away from lefty hitters do they couldn't turn on balls and hit them to right. It's somewhat of a mystery as to how the Sox can have such a potent offense some nights and be among the leaders in so many categories, and still have games like this one.

TURNING POINT

In the fourth inning, when the game started to get away from the Red Sox, Rodriguez had two outs and No. 9 hitter Danny Jansen at the plate. If Rodriguez retired Jansen, the game would have gone into the fifth with the Blue Jays clinging to a 1-0 lead. Instead, Rodriguez walked the weak-hitting Jansen and a big inning followed, with three runs scoring.

ONE UP

Alex Verdugo: Most of the Red Sox lineup didn't seem to be able to do anything of note against Ryu, but in his first two at-bats, Verdugo pounded out a single and a double and was the only Sox hitter with a multi- hit night.

TWO DOWN

Hunter Renfroe: Renfroe had one of only five Boston hits, but he failed to cut a ball off in the gap and also made a costly throwing error that contributed to the three-run fourth inning.

Matt Andriese: Andriese ate up three innings so no one else in the bullpen had to work, but they were far from quality innings -- he allowed three runs on seven hits.

QUOTE OF NOTE:

"Today, I missed with a lot of fastballs on the plate, changeups, cutters. When you miss, everything changes. When you miss your spots, it doesn't matter what pitch you throw. If you miss, you miss.'' -- Eduardo Rodriguez.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

* The 18 hits represented a season high against the Red Sox.

* The shutout was the first suffered by the Red Sox since Opening Day.

* J.D. Martinez saw his five-game hitting streak snapped.

UP NEXT: The series continues Wednesday night at 7:37 with RHP Garrett Richards (3-2, 3.89) vs. RHP Ross Stripling (0-2, 5.91)

* The Athletic

Inside Garrett Whitlock’s long road to recovery that led him to the Red Sox

Jen McCaffrey

The day before Garrett Whitlock was scheduled to make his Red Sox debut in spring training, Chris Sale sought him out for lunch in the dining tent at JetBlue Park.

It had been 20 months since Whitlock last threw a pitch in a game. Tommy John surgery, the COVID-19 pandemic, the minor-league shutdown and a change of teams thanks to the Rule 5 draft made the outing a momentous occasion for Whitlock. He was understandably anxious.

“Don’t be afraid to suck,” Whitlock recalled Sale telling him. “Don’t go out there scared. Don’t go out there timid. Don’t be afraid to suck, because if you’re so afraid you’re going to do bad, you’re never going to give yourself the chance to do good.”

As the perennial Cy Young contender spoke with the rookie right-hander on that first day in March, it was perhaps a cathartic moment for Sale. The left-hander had last taken the mound in a live batting practice session exactly one year prior before finally succumbing to his own Tommy John surgery. He knew what Whitlock had endured to get to that moment, and although Whitlock had heard from many people ahead of his first appearance, one message resonated.

“Sale gave me the (vote of) confidence I loved most,” Whitlock said.

Whitlock vividly remembers the day everything changed.

Two days after the 2019 All-Star break, he was preparing to take the mound for the Yankees’ Double-A Trenton Thunder in Reading, Pa. His previous start on July 3 against the Portland Sea Dogs hadn’t gone well, with nine runs allowed, three earned, over five innings. (Bobby Dalbec hit a two-run homer off him in the third inning.)

Whitlock couldn’t get warm in the bullpen.

He threw a few more pitches and noticed he wasn’t hitting his normal velocity. Pitching coach Tim Norton knew something was wrong and shut him down. The team sent him to the nearby Penn State medical center for an examination. A doctor there told Whitlock it was a broken bone and he’d be fine in six to eight weeks. Whitlock was disappointed but relieved at the same time, knowing any elbow injury could be much worse. But as standard procedure, the X-rays and MRI were sent to the Yankees’ team physician, Dr. Christopher Ahmad, who had a different diagnosis.

Ahmad told Whitlock a calcification of the ligament in his elbow meant there would be future problems if he didn’t opt for Tommy John surgery.

“I just went from, ‘It’s a broken bone, six to eight weeks, to Tommy John,'” Whitlock, then 23, recalled. “I was devastated.”

Because of the two drastically different opinions, Whitlock sought a third from Dr. Jeffrey Dugas at Andrews Sports Medicine in Birmingham, Ala. Dugas confirmed Whitlock’s worst fears.

Whitlock recalled Dugas telling him: “I’m not discrediting this doctor in Pennsylvania, but Dr. Ahmad knows what he’s talking about. I’m looking at it, and I think we need to do TJ as well. There is a broken bone, but if you let it heal, it’s just going to keep re-breaking, and we need to do some other stuff with it too, so TJ is the best option.”

Whitlock knew surgery couldn’t be avoided. Since Whitlock was a Birmingham resident, the Yankees allowed Dugas to perform the surgery. Whitlock remained in Birmingham for his rehab at the Andrews- affiliated Champion Sports Medicine.

And so began a rehab journey that started with Whitlock as a member of the Yankees organization, weaved its way through a pandemic shutdown of minor-league baseball just as he was nearing a return to the mound, and culminated in Whitlock joining the Red Sox as a Rule 5 draft pick with a new lease on his career.

Tommy John surgery lays the foundation for successful recovery, but it’s the grueling rehab process that makes or breaks a player.

Whitlock was determined not to let it break him.

Three days after surgery in July 2019, he began working with physical therapist Kevin Wilk at Champion Sports Medicine. Five days a week, two to three hours a day, he worked diligently to get his arm back in shape. As an 18th-round draft pick in 2017 out of the University of Alabama, he’d already made it further in his career than many of his peers. In three minor-league seasons, he’d posted a 2.41 ERA in 42 games with 38 starts and an 8.8 K/9. At the start of the 2019 season, he ranked among Baseball America’s top 20 prospects in the Yankees’ system.

“They kept telling me, time after time, ‘If you work your tail off, you’re going to come back good,'” Whitlock said. “And Dr. Dugas told me the same thing. ‘If you just take it half-tailed, you’re not going to come back like you want to.'”

After his sessions in the morning with Wilk, Whitlock drove 30 minutes south to Pelham, Ala., where he’d spend the afternoon at Tinsley Performance working on strength and conditioning for the rest of his body.

Wilk has worked with a range of athletes, from Hall of Famer John Smoltz to high school soccer players. Whitlock’s commitment, he said, was unrivaled.

“‘I just want to get back to pitching. You tell me what to do, and I’ll do it,'” Wilk recalled Whitlock saying. “Right from the beginning it was like that. If anything, I was worried about him doing too much. He was so committed to getting back and playing again that my concern was: Is he going to overdo it and jeopardize the repair?”

The first six months were tedious, full of mobility work and slow movements. But by January 2020, Whitlock reported to Yankees camp and threw for the first time on flat ground. He was still a ways off, but it was all moving in the right direction.

Minor-league camp was just about to get underway when baseball — and much of the rest of the world — shut down as the COVID-19 pandemic emerged.

Although uncertainty and anxiety were rampant everywhere, Wilk decided to keep Champions Sports Medicine open for his clients, with masks and distancing.

“I wasn’t hit as much as other people were; some people couldn’t work out,” Whitlock said. “I was fortunate enough to still be able to go in for PT and do the work I needed to do everything.”

Whitlock continued his conditioning and throwing at a reduced intensity, unsure if he’d even have a minor- league season for rehab outings.

“At this point, it becomes an endurance test,” Wilk said. “Coming in every day for two and a half or three hours, five days a week for (over a year) is not realistic because we’re a PT clinic, a sports medicine clinic. We don’t have fields here; we have sick and injured people.”

But Whitlock’s upbeat demeanor not only helped his own case but also helped those around him.

Rather than watching “SportsCenter” nonstop while the patients were icing, Wilk turned on the Game Show Network. Whitlock showed off some unexpected talent.

“Garrett is a cerebral guy, a smart guy; he did very well in the game shows on our TVs,” Wilk said, laughing. “He’s really good. We had an All-Star team at one point with pro athletes. I never get involved because I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but Garrett is just yelling out answers. I’m like, ‘Dude, if baseball doesn’t work out, you can make a living on these game shows.'”

Whitlock formed friendships with some NFL rehabbers, too, such as then-Jets linebacker Avery Williamson, who was later traded to the Steelers, and journeyman quarterback Joe Webb. Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa rehabbed with Wilk around the same time, too.

Even with his own anxiety about the future, Whitlock went out of his way to calm some of the younger high school or college patients at the clinic who’d just had Tommy John surgery.

“I felt before Tommy John I was a little arrogant and focused on me and my success and everything like that,” Whitlock said. “Tommy John humbled me. I needed to get my priorities straight, get my focus right, and Tommy John was my second chance, and I wanted to pour life into these kids and these young adults and show them just because something major happens in your life doesn’t mean God is not working toward your good. I wanted to speak life and show them something good can come out of this if you work your tail off and do the right things.”

Wilk admired Whitlock’s investment in the other patients: “It speaks to his high quality as a person.”

By July, Whitlock had taken the mound for the first time under watchful eyes at the Andrews-affiliated American Sports Medicine Institute in Birmingham, documenting his progress on his Instagram page. A year post-surgery, his progression was trending positively, even if he had nowhere to throw minor-league rehab starts.

The Yankees, meanwhile, were facing a roster crunch for the offseason. Whitlock needed to be put on the 40-man roster or would be up for grabs in the Rule 5 draft. They had other spots they needed to fill and had no way to guarantee a pitcher who hadn’t thrown above Double A would get one of those coveted spots.

If the pandemic hadn’t hit, Whitlock might have been in minor-league rehab outings by the summer, giving the Yankees a chance to see him back on the mound and more confident in offering him a spot on their roster.

“I’ve definitely thought about it,” Whitlock said. “What would have happened if COVID didn’t hit, where would I be with the Yankees and that kind of stuff, but at the same time, TJ was such an instrumental thing in my faith, my relationship with God. I was glad it all happened and glad I was able to still be at home and everything.

“I was married during my rehab, so it gave me a chance to spend time with my wife, so it was just an all- around positive thing that happened to me. Obviously, I don’t want to take anything away from what COVID has done to the world, but for me, I wanted to look at the positives and see everything it had given me.”

The Red Sox had been scouting Whitlock since his days pitching in Double A against their own affiliates. The Instagram videos he’d posted during rehab piqued their interest further. When it came time for the Rule 5 draft, the Red Sox, benefiting from one of the worst records in 2020, had the fourth pick and selected Whitlock immediately.

“Like you guys, we’ve been able to see what he’s been posting on Instagram,” Gus Quattlebaum, Red Sox vice president of professional scouting, said in December. “But, fortunately, we have the luxury of looking at medicals prior to the Rule 5 draft, and all things are trending upwards. He’s on a normal progression leading into this upcoming season. We’re really excited to land someone that we think has upside as a potential starter, or at a minimum can assume some volume either out of the pen or as a starter.”

The Red Sox would have to keep Whitlock on their 26-man roster the entire season or offer him back to the Yankees. Coming off a season in which they were bereft of pitching depth, it didn’t seem like much of a gamble to add Whitlock despite the fact the 24-year-old hadn’t thrown in a game since July 2019 at Double A.

The months and months of rehab with Wilk had paid off. Whitlock entered spring training with his new team more than ready to get back on a mound and show his worth.

“I promised myself, if I suck on the field is what sends me back, that’s what it’s going to be about,” he said. “I wasn’t going to let my lack of effort or hustle or work ethic be the determining factor, and that’s why I try and be the best teammate I can be, best rookie I can be, and that’s why I try and work my tail off each and every day. I don’t want to squander this opportunity.”

In four spring appearances, he allowed one run on eight hits over nine innings. He didn’t issue a walk and struck out 12.

By the time camp wrapped up, Whitlock was a roster lock. The Red Sox were going to use him as a long man out of the bullpen, being careful not to pitch him too much, mindful of the fact he hadn’t ever pitched above Double A and that he was competing for the first time since surgery.

Whitlock retired the first 25 batters he faced in the majors. It was the longest stretch for any Red Sox pitcher since Sale had done the same in June 2019. Whitlock’s high-90s fastball and wipeout change-up (refined with the help of new teammate Matt Andriese) made him a legitimate weapon out of the bullpen.

From afar, Wilk beamed with pride, knowing what Whitlock had overcome.

“We were all ecstatic here,” Wilk said.

Whitlock finished April allowing six hits and two walks over 13 1/3 scoreless innings while striking out 18. Though he’s given up four earned runs so far in May, he isn’t taking anything for granted.

“He’s been competing since Day 1 in spring training,” manager Alex Cora said. “It wasn’t a given that he was going to make the team. He never showed hesitation about his work or what we’ve been preaching to him. It just keeps going. It’s fun to watch. In an era where everybody puts pressure on people and everyone’s in the spotlight and everybody knows what you’re doing because of social media, he’s just the same Garrett as when we got to spring training on Feb. 11.

“You guys asked me, who caught your attention, and it was him. From what he does in bullpens to the weight room to the training room, even carrying the beer on the plane is kind of perfect. Everything is so structured. We’ve got a good one. We’ve got a good one.”

* Associated Press

Ryu pitches 7 masterful innings, Blue Jays beat Red Sox 8-0

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Hyun Jin Ryu pitched seven masterful innings, light-hitting Danny Jansen played a key offensive role and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Boston Red Sox 8-0 on Tuesday night.

Ryu (4-2) scattered four hits and struck out seven. Travis Bergen, and Rafael Dolis completed the five-hitter.

“It was vintage Ryu,” Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. “For him to go seven innings against that lineup, that’s a pretty good lineup.”

Ryu was coming off a win in Atlanta last Wednesday when the lefty gave up one run over seven innings,

“I feel really good right now, physically,” Ryu said through a translator.

Jansen had a second-inning RBI single and drew a pivotal walk during a three-run fourth as Toronto won for the ninth time in 12 games and improved to a season-high six games over .500. Jansen had two hits in three at-bats and raised his batting average to .143.

Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez (5-2) gave up five runs and 11 hits in five innings. The lefty has gone five or more innings in 36 consecutive starts dating to May 4, 2019, the longest active streak in the majors.

“Command is not where he usually is and that’s something he needs, regardless of his stuff,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “I think the cutter actually is bigger than usual. We’ll try to find out why. There’s been a lot of contact. Teams are doing a good job of staying with him and going the other way. We’ll go back to the drawing board and see what we can do.”

The Blue Jays are 10-5 this season at TD Ballpark, their spring training facility. Toronto entered averaging an AL-best 6.14 runs in home games.

Toronto is playing its third and final homestand in Dunedin before relocating to Buffalo, New York, next month. COVID-19 restrictions are keeping the Blue Jays from playing in Canada.

Jansen put the Blue Jays ahead 1-0 on an RBI single in the second off Rodriguez. It was just his second hit in 26 at-bats against left-handed pitchers this season.

Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette had run-scoring hits in a three-run fourth that made it 4-0.

After Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a leadoff double, Jansen drew a two-out walk. Semien drove in Gurriel with a single and Jansen scored on right fielder Hunter Renfroe’s errant throw to third. Bichette added an RBI double.

“You go to that walk,” Cora said. “Then after that Semien gets that bloop single, we make the error, they score two. Everything with two outs. We weren’t able to stop the bleeding.”

Gurriel also contributed an RBI single in the fifth.

Teoscar Hernández had three hits, including an RBI single in the sixth, for the Blue Jays. Hernández has driven in 17 runs in 17 games since returning from the COVID-19 injured list.

Randal Grichuk hit a two-run homer to right field in the eighth.

DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT

Cora had high praise for renovations at TD Ballpark.

“They did an amazing job with the clubhouse and the facility to accommodate the visiting team,” he said. “It is different, we know that. The ball flies here and the ball shoots to right field compared to the other places we have played.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: OF Kiké Hernandez (right hamstring strain) returned from the 10-day injured list. … Cora said LHP Chris Sale (Tommy John surgery) is really excited about how he is bouncing back after workouts. Sale is throwing off a bullpen mound.

Blue Jays: CF George Springer (right quadriceps strain) is taking batting practice and jogging but has not started running sprints. … 1B , who hurt his hamstring Sunday, was available off the bench. … Dolis (right calf strain) was reinstated from the 10-day IL.

UP NEXT

Red Sox RHP Garrett Richards (3-2) and Toronto RHP Ross Stripling (0-2) are Wednesday night’s scheduled starting pitchers.

* The New York Times

‘When You Hear the Heart, You Know It’s Your Motor’

James Wagner

The bullpen session was supposed to last 30 pitches. Even after a nasty two-week bout of Covid-19, Eduardo Rodriguez thought he could make it through this ordinary baseball task last July. But by the fifth pitch, the top starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox was so drained he said he was seeing stars.

“I felt like I was going to faint,” he said recently in Spanish during a video call. “By the 10th pitch, I said, ‘That’s it.’”

Rodriguez and an athletic trainer assumed that his body was still shaking off the rust from the illness. So three days after the failed attempt, having squeezed in some cardiovascular exercises despite lingering lethargy, Rodriguez again climbed a mound at Fenway Park for a bullpen session. Exhaustion again took over by his 10th pitch.

“I just couldn’t anymore,” he said. “I felt bad.”

Soon thereafter, Rodriguez was diagnosed with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscles, which can arise from the havoc created by Covid-19. The condition can lead to cardiac arrest with exertion. To recover, Rodriguez, who had been in constant motion since his childhood playing soccer and baseball in his native Venezuela, was barred from any physical activity for three months.

No trips to the supermarket. No walks outside with the dog. No video games. And perhaps worst of all for a professional athlete in the prime of a finite career: missing an entire season.

“I had to stay as stable as possible and not accelerate the heart,” he said, adding later, “I literally did nothing.”

Fast forward 10 months and Rodriguez, 28, is a key member of the surprising Red Sox, who enter Wednesday’s game atop the American League East with a 25-18 record. After a difficult outing against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, Rodriguez is 5-2 with a 4.70 and has the best strikeout- to-walk ratio of his career.

As the United States reopens during what is hoped to be the downslope of the coronavirus pandemic — thanks to the proliferation of vaccinations — Rodriguez represents both a reminder of the dangers of the virus and how much society has grown to understand it.

Last year, uncertainty about the effects of this new virus on the heart — and competing interests — fueled concern about sports returning to play during a pandemic. More studies emerged with time, some reaching different conclusions than initial ones. To date, Rodriguez is the only known case of myocarditis among players.

“It is less common than we first feared,” Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University, said in a recent phone interview. “That’s good.”

A study published in March in JAMA Cardiology — with participation from all six major North American professional sports leagues — found that only five of 789 athletes infected with the coronavirus were later found to have inflammatory heart diseases, less than 1 percent. And of those five unnamed athletes — all of whom had Covid-19 symptoms worse than mild but not enough to be considered clinically severe — two had pericarditis and three had myocarditis.

‘Now that I’m recovered, I can be an example to others to take care of themselves. This isn’t something like, ‘Oh, this is the flu, it’s not much.’’

Eduardo Rodriguez discussing his experience with myocarditis.

Still, Schaffner, who was not an author of the study, said he remained concerned because even people who initially have mild or even no symptoms can eventually suffer from long Covid, in which symptoms drag on for weeks or months after first being infected. Even though it occurs less frequently, he said myocarditis can still develop in Covid-19 patients who didn’t end up hospitalized.

“The way to prevent all that is to do everything we can to prevent the initial infection,” he said.

Rodriguez said he was unsure how he and his wife, Catherine, were infected. In June 2020, about a week before leaving their home in Miami for workouts in Boston, Rodriguez began feeling warm and tired. He thought it was the flu.

The next day, his fever spiked, his body ached and his knees wobbled getting out of bed. A day later, he wondered if he needed to go to the hospital. “I felt like I was 100 years old where you need help getting out of bed,” he said.

Rodriguez alerted the Red Sox. The team sent him virus tests, which came back positive for him and his wife. They put masks on their two young children, didn’t let them sleep with them and thankfully, he said, neither got sick.

He said he vomited after each attempt at eating. His sense of taste and smell vanished. Rodriguez said all he could hold down was water or juice. He lost 20 pounds in 10 days, dropping to 218 pounds. He shivered in the shower regardless of the temperature of the water.

By the 15th day, Rodriguez said his symptoms finally disappeared. He kept his left arm loose by throwing into a net in the backyard and attributed the fatigue he felt when riding an exercise bike to the aftereffects of the virus. He and his wife soon tested negative, and he got the multiple negative results needed to join the Red Sox, albeit late.

But on the mound for those bullpen sessions in Boston, Rodriguez’s heart couldn’t keep up, prompting extensive examinations at Massachusetts General Hospital. Doctors delivered the myocarditis news in a video call.

“I was scared because I didn’t know what that was,” Rodriguez said. “When you hear the heart, you know it’s your motor.”

Chaim Bloom, the chief baseball officer of the Red Sox, called Rodriguez’s diagnosis “really scary” because of the unknown effects of the new virus and because myocarditis could be life altering.

Rodriguez said doctors told him in a subsequent video call that the best course of action was to rest, which meant no baseball last season. His immediate fears about his career were calmed when they told him he could make a full recovery after three months of inaction. Still, sitting alone in his apartment in Boston, Rodriguez said he felt empty.

“Imagine, you live to play baseball and you do this every day,” he said. “I wanted to rejoin the team.”

During a team meeting conducted via video call, Rodriguez, who helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series and won 19 games in 2019, explained the situation to his teammates.

“It was sad news,” catcher Christian Vazquez said in a phone interview, adding later, “It was a big loss.”

At home, Rodriguez filled his time with wife and two children, Annie, 7, and Ian, 4 — the people he said helped him the most during his recovery. He reminded his youngest not to jump on him in bed. He stopped playing video games because it raised his heart rate. All he did was shower, eat, sit around, sleep, and talk to his children or watch them play in the pool or backyard.

“I saw all the movies on Netflix and Disney+ and TV series,” he said. “We didn’t have anything left to watch.”

During his recovery, Rodriguez said it felt like everyone he had ever played with — and even rivals he came to know over the years — reached out to him, from pitcher David Price and outfielder Mookie Betts, both of whom were traded from Boston to the Los Angeles Dodgers before last season, to the retired slugger David Ortiz. Vazquez said he, shortstop Xander Bogaerts and others would call Rodriguez regularly as a group via FaceTime.

“Everyone was keeping tabs on me,” Rodriguez said. “Baseball is like a brotherhood.”

Although watching his teammates play from afar was hard, Rodriguez said he had experience being away with injuries, mostly to his knee. In all, he watched roughly 45 of the Boston’s 60 games last year. The ones he said he missed were because of family nights.

If there was a silver lining to sitting at home for three frustrating months with an inflamed heart, Rodriguez said it was that he got to spend time with his family that he otherwise wouldn’t have during the baseball season. “From that perspective, I look at it with gratitude,” he said.

A few days after the Red Sox season ended in late September, Rodriguez received the news he had been hoping for: He was cleared for physical activity after a heart examination.

Rodriguez said he worked out even harder than usual, trying to shed the extra weight he had put on his 6- foot-2 frame because of so much inactivity. Since October, he said his body has felt 100 percent back to normal. He reported to 2021 spring training at 228 pounds.

While living through myocarditis was rough, Rodriguez said he was thankful that no other major leaguers were known to have dealt with it.

“Now that I’m recovered, I can be an example to others to take care of themselves,” he said. “This isn’t something like: ‘Oh, this is the flu — it’s not much.’”

Bloom said it was a blessing that myocarditis wasn’t more widespread in M.L.B.

“In talking to counterparts last summer, as we were all finding our way through this, I kept telling people — because you don’t know how different teams’ medical staffs differ — to make sure you do a heart work- up, because you never know what you might find,” he said recently. “And there are some areas of this game where it’s about life and death. It transcends the competition.”

Being away from the mound for so long, though, has its downsides. A week before opening day, Rodriguez said he felt a lack of strength in his throwing arm, a common and momentary condition in baseball known as dead arm. (The official injured-list designation, though, was elbow inflammation.) He recovered quickly but once again missed the chance to start opening day for the Red Sox.

Rodriguez, however, said he didn’t mind. A week into the season, he was back with the Red Sox and told Vazquez he was very nervous ahead of his first start. Although Rodriguez’s velocity has fluctuated, it has trended back toward his normal range as his body has gotten reaccustomed to pitching every fifth day.

“Knowing everything that he had been through,” Bloom said, “to then see him looking strong and healthy and carving up hitters is a really, really good feeling for a lot of us.”

A few weeks ago, Rodriguez said he hoped to get a vaccination soon and commended the health and safety protocols designed by M.L.B. and the players’ union. He knows full well the potential dangers of the virus. He has just one goal for this season: to stay healthy.