The Sunday, July 30, 2017

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Sandy Leon’s dash home gives Red Sox wild win

Julian Benbow

From a pair of errors by two new faces brought in to inject life into the Red Sox offense, to a pair of walks and passed balls by arms coming out of an over-extended bullpen, to key hits by a lineup that’s come up with plenty on their recent hot streak, the way the sixth inning unraveled felt like a microcosm of a frustrating month.

But the rally late-game they put together to come away with a 9-8 walk-off win in the 10th inning crystallized the all-hands-on-deck mentality that’s allowed them to keep their heads above water despite a difficult July.

Newcomer Eduardo Nunez had a pair of big swings with two solo homers, but with runners on second and third in the 10th, a ground ball in the middle of the infield was his biggest swing of the night. He bounced a soft ground ball to Edwin Escobar at short. Escobar dived to make the play, rolled over, and made the throw still seated to get the out at first.

At third, Sandy Leon froze close to the bag watching the play unfold. He broke late, but narrowly dodged the outstretched glove of Royals Salvador Perez to tag home and give the Sox the win.

“He made a very instinctive play, and he made a great, athletic play,” third base Brian Butterfield said. “I know that seems kind of odd, he’s this big, strong guy, but that was a very athletic slide, and it won us the game.

“We normally wouldn’t make a break toward home like that, so he obviously saw something that made him break, and I’m glad he did. I didn’t want to stay out there any longer.”

The win was the Sox’s sixth walk-off of the season, twice as many as they had last season and the most since 2014. It also kept them a half-game behind the first-place Yankees in the division. Despite struggles on offense and off-field drama circling the clubhouse, they’ve gone 12-13 in July.

“There’s things that we’ve certainly got to get better at,” said Butterfield. “We’re doing some good things, and I think some of that is overlooked, especially when we lose a game or lose a couple in a row. I think the coaching staff is pleased with some of the things we’re doing, but there’s also some things we’ve got to get better.

“We’re 100-plus games into the season. There are some mistakes we’re making that shouldn’t be made. We’ve got to clean it up. We’ve got to tighten things up because everything is getting a little more and more important.

“It’s gut-check time now. We’ve got to make sure that we mind our p’s and q’s. I think that they’re preparing well. I think that they prepare well physically and mentally to compete, but in-game situations, we’ve definitely got to get better at.”

An offense searching for itself in recent weeks manufactured the runs they needed to stay alive.

Down 8-6 in the seventh, Andrew Benintendi and Hanley Ramirez worked walks to start the inning. A passed ball moved Benintendi to third, and they took advantage when Jackie Bradley Jr. shot a sacrifice fly to right to trim the deficit to one.

Christian Vazquez led off the eighth with a single to center, and Brock Holt came in to pinch . A wild pitch moved him to second, and a single by Rafael Devers pushed him to third. lifted a fly ball to center to score Holt and tie the game.

For the ninth time this season, Craig Kimbrel came into a tie game. He gave up a single to Salvador Perez to start the ninth but got a lift Sandy Leon caught Perez’s pinch runner trying to steal second. He went on to strike out Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas and Brandon Moss. In 9.2 innings when he’s entered in a tie game, Kimbrel has a 0.00 ERA and 17 with just one walk.

For the fifth time this month — and the fourth time since the all-star break — the Sox went to extra innings. This time, they had to weather a tug of war with the hottest team in baseball. They jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to an RBI by Vazquez in the second and Nunez’s solo homer in the third. They gave it back in the fourth when Eduardo Rodriguez gave up an RBI single to Whit Merrifield and a three-run homer to Lorenzo Cain.

They even it up again in the bottom of the fourth, with Vazquez delivering an RBI and Devers lining an RBI single to center. Then they reclaimed the lead in the fifth when Nunez homered for the second time, and Bradley scored on an error by Moustakas.

A messy sixth inning in which the Royals scored four runs threatened to put an end to the back-and-forth, but the Sox rallied. They’re now 9-3 in extra-inning games.

“I think any time you’re in extra innings, wins can give you a boost,” Sox John Farrell said. “Given the stretch of games that we’ve come through, we lose a tough one in the 13th inning out in Seattle, we’ve had our fair share of games that have extended deep into a night. And to win this with the see-saw battle that it was — take the lead give it back multiple times — this was a good win.”

After Rodriguez ran up 107 pitches in four innings of work, Farrell had to call on six arms out of the bullpen. From the sixth inning on, Robby Scott, , Kimbrel and Matt Barnes combined to give the Sox five shutout innings, with five strikeouts and four hits allowed.

“Guys are on call,” Farrell said. “They’re ready, they know their roles as those innings are approaching.”

Nunez walked off the field with a face full of baby powder cream and a back soaked in ice water. It was Nunez’s second career multi- game. The Sox were last in the (27th in baseball) in homers coming into the night. The two blasts already put him two shy of and Mookie Betts for the second-most on the team this month.

“Everything is going well,” Nunez said. “That’s easy to say, but yeah, I feel good. I feel good. It’s exciting, for one day being here, to help the team win and you have something to put in the game to win games. I think that’s a good feeling.”

Before the game, Farrell navigated some nagging injuries, keeping Pedroia out of the lineup to rest his left knee. Originally, Xander Bogaerts, who had been dealing with groin tightness and the lingering effects of being by a pitch earlier this month, was out of the lineup, but he played through it going 2 for 4 with a walk.

Butterfield said the team would have to push through the season’s dog days.

“Honestly, I don’t want to hear anybody on our club talk about fatigue,” he said. “We don’t have time for that. Everything is too important now. We’ve got to step forward and be tough. You’re going to feel fatigue, but you’ve got to let that adrenaline take over as soon as that first pitch is thrown. You can be fatigued during your preparation. You may be fatigued during the anthem. But as soon as they’re getting ready to throw that first pitch, we’re ready to compete.”

Sox’ pitching staff standing by slumping hitters

Julian Benbow

While the Red Sox offense has tried to snap out of a monthlong funk, the pitching staff has shouldered the burden of keeping the team in games.

Coming into their Saturday night matchup against the Royals, the Sox were hitting .239 as a team in July, slugging just .350 and averaging just 4.3 runs. Meanwhile, the Sox pitching staff had a 3.16 ERA, holding opponents to a .227 batting average.

But while the offense sorts through its problems, manager John Farrell said he’s seen the staff stay positive.

“What I’m seeing right now is a pitching staff that is rallying around our offensive group,” Farrell said. “The support that’s there, the talk that’s in the dugout, the encouragement, that’s being a good teammate.”

Despite putting together far and away their best month of the season in terms of ERA (3.19), Sox starters are just 8-9 in July.

Run support has been slim. The Sox lineup has scored three runs or fewer 12 times this month, getting shut out three times.

No one’s been on the short end of the stick more than 2016 AL winner Rick Porcello. He’s gotten two runs or fewer in 12 outings, and he’s lost all of them despite having a 3.86 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. (Oddly, when he’s gotten between three to five runs, he has a 7.15 ERA). He’s left the mound with no run support in 10 of his 22 starts this season.

“If you want to talk about Rick Porcello particularly, you would say that it’s affecting him if he comes out in games and there’s an increased number of walks where he’s pitching so fine for the fear of giving up a base runner or a hit or a run,” Farrell said. “That’s not the case. And yet he’s the one guy that you look at 10 of the 22 starts where there’s been no runs on the board when he’s been on the mound. That’s almost unheard of. I think he’s handling it as best as possible and that’s going out and executing pitches.”

Pedroia a late scratch When the Sox first released their lineup for Saturday’s game, Xander Bogaerts was out and Eduardo Nunez was in his place at shortstop, hitting sixth.

But not long after, Bogaerts was back in the lineup, and Nunez moved to second base to fill in for Dustin Pedroia, who was a late scratch.

Nunez had an impact with the bat, hitting solo homers in the third and fifth innings.

The Sox have been conscientious about giving Pedroia days off to manage the left knee on which he had surgery in the offseason. He was held out for a day game against Anaheim on July 23 and played DH on July 20 against the Blue Jays, two days after the Sox and Jays went 15 innings.

“As we’ve been having to do with Pedey and that left knee, there are days where it’ll act up a little bit, and we’ve got to spend some time with some treatment and get past some of the discomfort that he’s going through,” Farrell said. “So I would hope that one day would be enough to get him back to the level where he’s in the lineup again tomorrow.”

Bogaerts has been managing his own nagging injuries. He was scratched from the lineup July 2 in Toronto because of groin tightness and was hit in the right hand by a pitch on July 6 against Tampa Bay. He came into Saturday 0 for his last 18.

“I think there’s been some gradual improvement with his timing,” Farrell said. “A lot has been made about how nicked up he might be, and those have been real. With a little bit of a groin issue in Toronto one night, getting hit in the hand with a pitch down in Tampa. But when you watch the BP and the early work that he does, he’s driving the baseball, there’s good, solid, consistent contact.

“So taking that into the game is where he’s at right now, and I see over the past couple days there’s been slight improvement with the timing. So that’s starting to turn a little bit, but he’s important to our lineup and to our offense, make no mistake about that. So getting him back on track a little bit more consistently would be a big boost for our offense.”

Fister to start Monday Doug Fister will be slotted into the rotation on Monday, taking the mound in the series opener against the Indians. That will allow Chris Sale to pitch on an extra day’s rest, which was the original plan before was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Friday. “[We] felt like what we had planned, him getting an extra day this past turn, will stay consistent with that,” Farrell said . . . The Sox traded minor league Luis Ysla to the Dodgers for cash considerations. The 25-year old lefthander went 1-5 with one and a 5.05 ERA 29 appearances for Double A Portland this season . . . Lefthander Brian Johnson was placed on the seven-day disabled list (retroactive to July 27) with left shoulder inflammation . . . After throwing a 25-pitch bullpen Friday, Joe Kelly will throw live batting practice on Monday. The hope is to have Kelly throw 15 to 20 pitches and then have him begin a rehab assignment. Farrell said Carson Smith is also in line to begin facing hitters soon as well. Before the Sox can determine how much a role Smith can play in the bullpen going forward, they have to get him to the point where he can start a rehab assignment, Farrell said. “Part of the rehab is to work out the kinks,” said Farrell. “I mean, he’s not going to be sharp. We know that. But getting to the point of getting out and seeing live hitters, getting in competitive settings, that will be a big boost for him.” . . . While Mookie Betts is having his roughest month of the season, hitting just .248 with a .727 OPS through Friday, Farrell said he hasn’t considered moving him out of the leadoff spot. “I don’t know if it was spot-in-the-lineup-related,” Farrell said. “Go back to when he was hitting in the three-hole, it was there. And some might say, well, there’s more pressure in the three-spot. So he’s been a catalyst when he’s been on base and when he’s swinging the bat as he’s capable. He hasn’t gone long periods where there’s been a drought. But he’s coming off a couple years where the bench mark is so high and where he’s at right now, you begin to pick things apart.”

Who are the players to watch as the trade deadline nears?

Nick Cafardo

It’s a fluid time of the year when a deal can happen any time before 4 p.m. on Monday, when the non- waiver trade deadline ends.

“It could go right down to the wire in some cases as teams assess where they need to be with their respective rosters,” said Giants general manager Bobby Evans. “You just never know when something is going to get brought up, revived, or whatever.”

Some would call this the Baseball Christmas season, when teams get new players for the pennant race. There have already been significant moves made, and they will continue up through Monday. Nobody wants to be left out as far as improving their chances.

And in this day and age of parity, more teams hang in longer feeling they can claim their division or one of the two wild-card spots.

As for starting , the most sought after will be the A’s Sonny Gray, the Rangers’ Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels, the Tigers’ , and Lance Lynn of the Cardinals. There’s a secondary market for Blue Jays and Francisco Liriano (who appears close to being dealt to the Royals).

There’s a relief market for Zach Britton and Darren O’Day of the Orioles, Justin Wilson of the Tigers, the Cardinals’ Trevor Rosenthal, Addison Reed of the Mets, and Hunter Strickland of the Giants. Submariner Pat Neshek went from the Phillies to the Rockies on Wednesday, taking a valued reliever off the market.

“There’s been a lot of interest in our relievers,” Baltimore GM Dan Duquette said.

The Astros will likely land a top reliever, but they don’t seem to want to go all-in for Gray, at least not yet.

Among hitters there’s a market for the Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista, the Braves’ trio of Matt Kemp, Nick Markakis, and Matt Adams, Mets Jay Bruce and , Yonder Alonso of the A’s, the Giants’ Hunter Pence, Marlins Dee Gordon and Giancarlo Stanton, and Jose Abreu and Melky Cabrera of the White Sox.

The hottest name in the pitching ranks is Gray, and several teams appear to be competing for him. The Yankees seem to be the most engaged, with an eye on expanding a deal to include Alonso. But other interested teams also have the level of prospects the A’s are seeking, including the Brewers, Dodgers, Nationals, Cubs, Astros, Mariners, Royals, and Phillies (even though they’re out of playoff contention).

The A’s could always wait until the offseason to see if they could get more for Gray, but when you have a pitcher with a bit of an injury history, you’re rolling the dice if you wait too long. Gray has also pitched well of late and his value may not get any higher.

The Rangers have been wishy-washy on dealing Darvish, who is entering free agency. They don’t appear to have a realistic chance of capturing a wild-card spot, and their decision on Darvish may come down to the deadline. There’s also some speculation Texas could make Hamels available. The lefthander has a no-trade provision. He can be traded to the Nationals, Rays, Braves, Phillies, Cubs, Mariners, Cardinals, or Mets without his approval.

Hamels, 33, is 5-1 with a 3.97 ERA this season, missing a good stretch of time with an oblique injury. He’s 27-7 in 55 starts as a Ranger, the second-best winning percentage (.794) in baseball in that span (25 or more decisions), second only to Clayton Kershaw (35-7, .833).

Hamels is due $23.5 million in 2018 and he has a buy-out of $6 million for a $20 million team option in 2019.

Verlander is throwing very well, still able to ramp it up to 97-98 miles per hour when needed. The Tigers would have to subsidize the contract because he’s owed $28 million in both 2018 and 2019, with a $22 million vesting option in 2020. Verlander would appear limited to a big-market team such as the Astros, Yankees, Cubs, and Dodgers (who could be the leader).

The Giants would love to shed high-priced starters Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija. Cueto is an attractive choice, but he has an opt-out in his contract after this season and that worries some teams. He’s currently on the disabled list with multiple blisters, so he may not go anywhere.

“We’ve got a lot of interest in our starters and relievers,” Evans said. “No idea how it’s going to go but trying to juggle a lot of balls in the air right now.”

The Royals acquired two relievers and a starter from the Padres, signifying that they are all-in in trying to make the playoffs. They would like another starter and have been scouting Liriano and Estrada.

The Rays put Jake Odorizzi on the DL, and that could mean pending free agent Alex Cobb stays put. Cobb could’ve been the trade piece used to upgrade the Rays’ bullpen. Cobb would certainly interest the Cubs, Dodgers, Brewers, and Indians.

Another interesting team is the Twins. As they’ve fallen back in the standings, the talk around Ervin Santana has increased. The teams that miss out on Gray could turn to Santana (11-7, 3.37 ERA).

In this era of relief pitching, the Orioles have what contenders want. But Duquette has said he won’t deal any of his veterans. Britton can become a free agent after next season and it doesn’t appear the Orioles will re-sign him, so he is much sought after. The Astros appear to be hot for Britton.

One interesting name is Brandon Kintzler, a late bloomer who has had a terrific year as the Twins’ closer. His value may never be higher.

Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler said the team will likely hold on to lefty reliever Brad Hand because San Diego hasn’t been offered enough. Sure. The Padres already traded three pitchers to Kansas City. Hand, Wilson, and Britton are clearly the best lefty relievers on the market and should bring a lot in return.

J.D. Martinez was the best hitter on the market and Detroit traded him to the Diamondbacks on July 18.

If there wasn’t much of a demand for Martinez, according to Tigers GM Al Avila, then there likely won’t be a big demand for Pence, Abreu, Cabrera, Kemp, and others who hit for a living.

Teams are trying to solve their hitting needs from within, but sooner or later teams such as the Red Sox, Royals, Yankees, and Indians may try to beef up their lineup with a power bat.

Abreu certainly makes a lot of sense for the Yankees if they can’t acquire Alonso.

The lefthanded-hitting Adams would fit too with the short right-field porch at . And first baseman Tommy Joseph could be had from the Phillies.

There isn’t much demand for middle infielders, so the Tigers’ and the Reds’ Zack Cozart are likely to stay put. The catcher market isn’t robust, either. The Rockies and Cubs have showed interest in Rangers backstop Jonathan Lucroy, and the Cubs have inquired about the Tigers’ Alex Avila.

Apropos of nothing 1. Scott Boras believes teams should be able to add a player to the 25-man roster when a reliever reaches a certain number of appearances or a young starter reaches his innings cap. This additional roster spot would help prevent teams from overusing pitchers. Boras also pointed out how client was allowed to gradually build up his innings as a young pitcher with the Tigers, which Boras cites as a reason why Scherzer has been able to stay relatively healthy in his career.

2. We incorrectly referred to the proposed site for a new Pawtucket ballpark as Slater Mill. The proposed site is the location of the old Apex department store off of Route 95.

3. Blue Jays bench coach DeMarlo Hale said the toughest place to coach third base is Fenway Park. Hale cited among reasons the obstructed angles down the line and how the ball plays off the Wall. Hale, who was with the Red Sox from 2006-11, said, “Coaching third base [at Fenway] kept me up nights.” Hale is in the final year of his contract with Toronto.

4. , 45, crushed it in the Japanese independent league in the first half of the season, hitting .460 for the Kochi Fighting Dogs. Ramirez has not received any offers from a professional team in Japan, however. Would the Red Sox consider him as a DH? I’d write LOL, but I might be serious.

5. The Giants lead the majors this season in games without a homer (53 games, with a 17-36 record). The Red Sox are second with 40 games (17-23). Last season Boston went 13-23 in 36 homerless games.

6. The Phillies and Braves could both add and subtract before the deadline. Both teams are trying to set themselves up for the future so don’t be shocked if they pursue Sonny Gray given that there likely won’t be a lot of starting pitching available in free agency.

Updates on nine 1. Eric Hosmer, 1B, Royals — You can bet Scott Boras has Boston high on his free agent destination list for Hosmer next season. Hosmer is a lefthanded batter but loves hitting to the opposite field. He’s an excellent defensive first baseman. Would the Red Sox be interested? Perhaps not if they’re sold on Sam Travis being the guy.

2. , OF, Marlins — With a change in Marlins ownership looming, it appears Suzuki’s days in the major leagues are numbered. Would the 43-year-old consider playing in Japan again if he can’t find another major league home? Those who know him feel that he doesn’t want to give up playing yet.

3. CC Sabathia, LHP, Yankees — How will the Yankees handle Sabathia’s pending free agency? Let him walk? Try to sign him to a one- or two-year deal? Sabathia has likely earned himself another three-year window. We’ll see how many teams are willing to go that far, but the lefty will definitely extend his career somewhere.

4. Jason Vargas, LHP, Royals — Vargas is going to cash in as a free agent thanks to his fine season. Think Rich Hill, who inked a three-year, $48 million deal with the Dodgers last offseason following a career revival with the Red Sox, A’s, and Dodgers. It appears Vargas, 34, is heading in that direction, likely to an NL team, perhaps the Rockies or Diamondbacks.

5. Travis Shaw, 3B, Brewers — Shaw has hit seven three-run homers this season. “That’s a quick 21 RBIs,” he said. Shaw has impressed everyone with his temperament and how he’s dealt with his young daughter’s heart defect. She was born a month ago and remains hospitalized. Shaw spends every waking hour away from the ballpark at the hospital. Shaw’s goal at the start of the season was to drive in 100 runs, and he’s almost at 80. He’s also played a great third base.

6. Eduardo Nunez, INF, Red Sox — Something the Red Sox have to beware of is Nunez’s chronic hamstring issues. Sox scouts were impressed with Nunez’s versatility and his consistent bat. Nunez is also considered a big-time clubhouse presence, which is needed these days. By the way, the Indians were the Sox’ closest competition for Nunez.

7. , Hall of Famer — Carew’s story is amazing. The 71-year-old received a heart and kidney transplant a year ago and was at the Hall of Fame ceremonies this weekend. He found out the organs came from former NFL tight end Konrad Reuland, who died at age 29 from a brain aneurysm.

8. Dan Straily, RHP, Marlins — There’s real debate within the organization whether to deal Straily. About a half-dozen teams have expressed legitimate interest in the righthander.

9. , Hall of Famer — Glavine remains entrenched in the Jeb Bush/Wayne Rothbaum group that wants to purchase the Marlins. Rothbaum, a hedge-fund billionaire, would be the primary investor. Glavine would have a role in baseball operations or in picking the executive team to run it on a daily basis.

Extra innings From the Bill Chuck files — “The major league ERA in 2014 was 3.74; in 2015, 3.96; in 2016, 4.19; and this season, 4.36.” . . . Also, “While Astros ace Dallas Keuchel was on the DL from June 3 to July 27, Houston went 28-18 (.609) in his absence.” . . . Happy birthday, Steve Ellsworth (57) and Scott Fletcher (59).

Money ballplayers Minor league players can earn less than $10,000 per year, but that doesn’t mean the guy sitting next to them isn’t making a whole lot more. Until Allen Craig was cut by the Red Sox on June 30, he and Pawtucket Red Sox teammate Rusney Castillo were making a combined $22.2 million. Below is a lineup of former major leaguers toiling in the minors while still earning at least a million dollars (players on rehab stints aren’t included; salary is for 2017 season).

David Price says he and will ‘definitely talk it out’

Alex Speier

Amid a swirl of controversy about both his conduct off the field and whether his health will permit him to stay on it, David Price spoke to reporters in the Fenway Park clubhouse for more than 10 minutes on Saturday. The remarks were his first both since he landed on the 10-day disabled list for left elbow inflammation and since revelations about his verbal confrontation with NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley created a firestorm around both the pitcher and his team.

Though Price missed most of the first two months of the season because of a forearm injury he encountered in early March, the lefthander downplayed concerns about the current state of his arm. Price, who is 5-3 with a 3.82 ERA in 11 starts, said that the severity of his current injury merits little comparison with what he experienced in Fort Myers.

“I feel good, honestly. It’s not the same that went on in spring training. It’s nowhere near the extent of what happened on March 2nd,” said Price. “If spring training was a 10 out of a 10, this is a 1. It’s not what it was in the spring. I’m confident that I’ll be OK. . . . Just going on how my arm feels in everyday activity, whether it’s brushing my teeth or just using my arm in everything that I do. In spring training that was very limited in what I could do. Right now, it doesn’t limit me in everyday activity. It’s nowhere near what it was then.”

As such, he expressed optimism that a quick return to the Red Sox rotation may prove possible. If he stays on schedule to start throwing a ball again on either Monday or Tuesday, the lefthander believes his return to the rotation may prove relatively rapid. (He is first eligible to come off the DL on Aug. 4.)

“I’ve probably averaged over 100 pitches since I came back,” said Price. “My arm is built up to this point. It wouldn’t be a long process once I start throwing.”

While Price’s return to the mound has a chance to follow a fairly straightforward path, the fallout from his beef with Eckersley could prove more complicated to navigate. Price acknowledged that he could have found a better way to detail his grievances with Eckersley than to deride him in front of teammates on a recent charter flight, and said that he would speak directly with the Hall of Fame pitcher.

“We’ll definitely talk it out. . . . When he’s around, we’ll speak face to face. I’m sure you all will hear what’s said. That’s the way it goes,” Price said of Eckersley, who is in Cooperstown this weekend for Hall of Fame ceremonies. “I could have handled it probably a different way, but ever since that’s happened, he’s been really good. He’s said a lot of positive stuff about everybody in this clubhouse. This is one band, one sound. We’ve got to have everybody on board. That’s that.”

Even as Price suggested that he could have found a better way to express his objections to Eckersley’s candid and sometimes critical broadcasting style, the pitcher did not back away from his objections to the tone struck by the popular broadcaster.

“If Eck was around, he’d know who we are. He’s never in the clubhouse. Mr. [Jerry] Remy is always in here. Dave O’Brien is always around. Mr. [Mike] Timlin, on the road trip, always in the clubhouse. [Eckersley is] the one guy I’ve seen in my career that doesn’t ever show his face in the clubhouse. There’s a reason behind that,” said Price. “If you’re going to say what he says, you know, come around. Just show your face. And if guys have a problem with it, they’ll pull him aside. Be like, that ain’t how it’s done. This is not the first time this has happened here regarding Eck. It’s unfortunate that it happened and it did and we’re going to get through it.”

Asked whether he believed his strategy for outlining his grievances against the media had been an effective one, Price expressed the view that his actions have been to the benefit of the clubhouse.

“I know this clubhouse is a tight-knit group of guys. Everything that’s happened has not spaced us out or done anything of that nature. If anything, we’ve had discussions about it, we’ve rallied around it,” said Price. “I’m standing up for my teammates. That’s it.”

In his efforts to do so, Price said that he “absolutely” considered himself a leader within the Red Sox clubhouse, and was willing to court negative feedback if needed to demonstrate his support of his teammates.

“I talked to my dad this morning and he remembered whenever I got suspended in fifth grade for one day, for standing up for classmates,” said Price. “That’s who I am, that’s who I always have been, and that’s who I’ll continue to be.”

Price expressed the view that his actions have brought his teammates closer together, encouraging a form of camaraderie that may help the team get past one of its most difficult on-field stretches of the season.

“This [controversy] isn’t going to hinder us in any way,” he said. “It hasn’t caused us to play the type of baseball we’ve played. We just haven’t played good baseball and that’s that. Like I said before, this is a very hard game and it’s not always going to go your way. Whenever you go through a stretch like this, everybody’s going to have to come together and we do and when we get through this, it makes us feel that much better at the end of the year.”

Red Sox fans don’t have to like David Price, but don’t root for his failure

Christopher Gasper

There is a perverse sense of pride taken in Boston being known as a difficult place to play, in the Boston Baseball Experience being a crucible of criticism, cynicism, and derision. Fans and media members making life unpleasant for players is somehow seen as a badge of honor. It’s a reputation some relish.

Perhaps it stems from the team’s 86-year drought and the notion that if the Sox aren’t performing the players should be as miserable about it as we were.

But being a tough place to play is a dubious distinction. There’s nothing wrong with being demanding or discerning as a customer, but reveling in running players out of town and rooting for them to flop to prove a point is misguided.

You don’t have to like embattled Red Sox pitcher David Price, but there is no benefit for anyone here in his failure, not fans, not media members, and certainly not a reeling Red Sox team that desperately needs him to pitch like a No. 2 starter to secure a playoff berth and do what Price hasn’t as a starter — win in the playoffs. One would assume that fans are more interested in their team winning than they are in basking in the schadenfreude of Price cracking under the pressure of this market.

The dirty details of Price’s team plane castigation of Hall of Fame pitcher and candid NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley on June 29 and Price’s failure to apologize to Eck have put Price, already a target of fan ire, atop the most unwanted list of an unforgiving Red Sox Nation. It has also triggered a denunciation of the Red Sox’ clubhouse culture. In a bit of conspicuous timing, Price, who missed the first 49 games of the season with an elbow/forearm issue, was unable to make his first start at Fenway Park since Dan Shaughnessy provided play-by-play of Price’s run-in with Eckersley.

Price was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Friday with elbow inflammation. His elbow is irritated. Fans are irritated with him. It’s better to let both calm down. Excommunicating Price and bragging about how he’s not cut out to play in big, bad Boston solves nothing for the Sox this season or moving forward.

Even if after next season Price exercises the opt-out he has in his seven-year, $217 million deal there is a vested interest in him pitching up to his potential while he’s here because the Sox’ window for World Series contention is three years at most.

Shaughnessy expressed the idea that rooting for Price’s failure is folly back on June 7, the same night that Price had his media meltdown in New York, feuding with Comcast SportsNet New England’s Evan Drellich and fulminating against the Sox media corps. Shaughnessy wrote that “piling on Price has become a parlor game in New England.” Now, it’s a bloodsport.

There are some who are reveling in his missteps and misery and delighting in the opportunity to run him out of town. That’s not going to improve the Sox or prove anything about Boston as a superior baseball market.

To be clear, Price deserves the majority of the blame here. He exacerbated an already challenging situation with pouty and petty unprofessionalism with the media. He blew off reporters after a rehab start in Triple A Pawtucket. He railed against the media in New York. He disrespected Eckersley and still hasn’t apologized to Eck for his childish and churlish behavior. (Dustin Pedroia indicated on Friday that Price would apologize to Eckersley face to face.)

Price poured gasoline on the fire. He did what he told the Globe’s Stan Grossfeld in March that he wouldn’t. He allowed Boston to get the best of him.

“I’m going to continue to treat people the way I expect to be treated,” he told Grossfeld. “I’m going to respect people.”

But no one likes to be a punching bag or a punchline. Price has been both since he got here in a way that is disproportionate with his performance and feels personal. He doesn’t deserve the John Lackey treatment. He certainly doesn’t deserve to be berated with racial taunts while warming up in the bullpen at Fenway.

A solid, if somewhat disappointing, first season for him with the Sox was unfairly painted as an abject disaster. Price certainly didn’t take Boston by storm the way Chris Sale has. But there is no world where going 17-9 with a 3.99 and leading the majors in innings is a horrendous season. That season wasn’t enough to justify his contract, but it wasn’t a reason to turn Price into a pinata.

Price’s shortcomings in the postseason (0-8) as a starter have been well-documented. That’s the cross he has to bear in his career. Only one of those losses has come in a Red Sox uniform, though.

Price can’t win. We say we want athletes that care, that take the wins and losses personally, that want to earn the adulation of the devoted Boston sports fan. However, last season Price was ridiculed for caring too much, for being too thin-skinned.

He took a different tack this year, pretending not to care what anyone thinks about him and borrowing from the Josh Beckett playbook of belligerence, an unwise move that has played even worse.

From the beginning, some have openly questioned whether Price was suited for this market and mocked his contemplative nature. It feels like it has become the mission of some Sox supporters and sports talk radio antagonists to make Price’s failure here a self-fulfilling prophecy. Price becoming the latest high-profile free agent to flame out in Boston certainly won’t help the Red Sox acquire such players in the future. It’s not good for star free agents, particularly African-American ones, to leave Boston feeling like they weren’t treated fairly and were persecuted.

There is nothing to gain from Price hating it here and being hated here. It would be nice if Price could hit the reset button with Red Sox Nation and start over. I said some things. You said some things. Let’s move on. Instead, it just seems the goal is to get Price to move on to his next destination.

* The Boston Herald

Newcomer Eduardo Nunez and Sandy Leon combine to push Red Sox past Royals in 10 innings

Stephen Hewitt

It took a while, but fate was on the Red Sox’ side last night at Fenway Park. The outcome was bound to be determined by — of all people — Eduardo Nunez.

And Sandy Leon was there to complete the heroics.

After hitting two solo home runs to pace a rejuvenated offense, Nunez, the newcomer playing just his second game since arriving in a trade, put the ball in play on a full count and let fate take its course. His walkoff groundout to shortstop in the 10th inning was the difference as the Sox escaped with a 9-8 victory against the Kansas City Royals in an ugly, sloppy game that lasted four hours, 45 minutes.

“There was a lot going on back and forth,” manager John Farrell said. “Lead changes, overcome some mistakes, whether it’s defensively or on the base paths, but a much-needed win on our part. There’s no doubting that.”

After Leon opened the 10th with a double, the Royals elected to intentionally walk Mookie Betts with one out to bring up Nunez.

A wild pitch put Betts and Leon at second and third. Nunez’ hard-fought at-bat included falling behind 0-2, the wild pitch and his fouling off three pitches before it ended with the grounder. The ball was snagged by Royals shortstop , who threw Nunez out, but Leon raced home on first baseman Eric Hosmer’s throw and eluded the tag by catcher Drew Butera for the win.

“Eduardo’s come in here and given us a huge lift,” Farrell said. “Two nights, he’s swung the ball extremely well. Two big home runs obviously, but the infield out and somehow Sandy finds a way to elude a tag with just a great slide to finish it off.”

The Red Sox put on their best offensive showing since July 4, but poor pitching and defense nearly cost them in this one.

Nunez’ second homer — a shot that hit the AAA sign above the Green Monster — gave the Red Sox a fifth-inning lead before Jackie Bradley Jr. came around to give them a 6-4 lead, but the advantage was immediately given away. Already into the bullpen by then after Eduardo Rodriguez’ four-inning start, the relief trio of Fernando Abad, Blaine Boyer and Robby Scott — combined with some poor defense — were the culprits in the sixth. Soon enough, the 6-4 lead turned into an 8-6 deficit.

After a throwing error and walk allowed the first two Royals to reach, Boyer relieved Abad, and the results weren’t much better. A passed ball, infield single, wild pitch, single and walk tied the game and loaded the bases as Scott entered the game. And there were still no outs.

Hosmer grounded into a fielder’s choice in which Nunez, playing second base, overthrew shortstop Xander Bogaerts as he tried to turn a . That gave the Royals a 7-6 lead and Perez’ sacrifice fly made it 8-6.

Farrell had to get into the bullpen early. After escaping the first three innings unscathed, Rodriguez pushed his luck in the fourth and a harmless fly ball down the right field line from Lorenzo Cain somehow snuck inside Pesky’s Pole for a three-run homer and 4-2 Royals lead.

The Red Sox tied it right back up in the fourth, went ahead in the fifth and then fell behind by the 8-6 count in the sixth. In the seventh, Bradley’s sac fly brought the Sox within a run, and an inning later, Betts tied the game with another sac fly.

In the Royals’ ninth, Perez led off with a single off Craig Kimbrel, before pinch-runner Terrance Gore was thrown out by Leon trying to steal second. In the home half of the inning, the Sox had runners on second and third with two outs, but Mitch Moreland grounded out.

In the 10th, though, the Sox didn’t waste their opportunity.

“We’ve had our fair share of games that have extended deep into the night, and to win this with the seesaw battle that it was, take the lead, give it back multiple times, this was a good win,” Farrell said.

Silverman: David Price shows true, tone-deaf self while addressing Eck controversy

Michael Silverman

What a giant waste of time David Price has become.

In an epic display of thin-skinned, tone-deaf, self-centered and stubborn-to-a-fault rambling, Price partook in a clubhouse interview before last night’s game that took the cake in a crowded field of contenders for athletes who behave like children.

On a day when Price could have extended an olive branch to Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley and offer an ounce of humility and contrition for berating and embarrassing him on the team plane for having the gall to be critical — “Yuck!” Eck uttered on-air when he saw a yucky linescore on a rehab start by Eduardo Rodriguez — Price instead doubled down on his eyewash act.

He’s a leader, you see. An unrepentant leader.

And if Eckersley were around the clubhouse more often before and after games — which is all Price really wants, after all — then Price would not have had to wait to see him on the airplane to deliver his message.

I’m sure he’s right — as long as there were teammates around to hear him and see him defend their honor, then Price is always there to get in the face of the offender.

One-on-one direct communication on the side with no audience, the way adults are supposed to deal with adversity and disagreements?

What’s the point of that?

Don’t ask Price.

That would be a waste of his time and ours.

“If Eck was around, he’d know who we are — he’s never in the clubhouse,” said Price. “Mr. (Jerry) Remy is always in here. Dave O’Brien is always around. Mr. (Mike) Timlin, on the roadtrip, always in the clubhouse. He’s the one guy I’ve seen in my career that doesn’t ever show his face in the clubhouse. There’s a reason behind that.

“If you’re going to say what he says, you know, come around — just show your face. And if guys have a problem with it, they’ll pull him aside. Be like, ‘that ain’t how it’s done.’ This is not the first time this has happened here regarding Eck. It’s unfortunate that it happened and it did and we’re going to get through it.”

Courage, David, courage.

Price will eventually get around to telling Eckersley that he “could have handled it probably in a different way.”

“Probably.”

Don’t commit, David.

And don’t even hint that you might apologize to Eckersley, either — that wouldn’t play well in the clubhouse.

“Standing up for my guys,” said Price, after describing himself as “absolutely” being a leader on the Red Sox. “Talked to my dad this morning. He remembered whenever I got suspended in fifth grade for one day for standing up for classmates, and that’s who I am. That’s who I always have been and that’s what I’ll continue to be.”

Hooray for the fifth-grade Price, who I bet truly was a stand-up classmate.

But professional athletes do not get the “stand-up teammate” label when their actions resemble a schoolyard bully whose sole response is the knee-jerk variety: lashing out in anger.

If they did, owners John Henry and and presidents and Sam Kennedy would not have had to seek out Eckersley and apologize for Price’s actions and words.

What kind of leader doesn’t understand how spectacularly his strategy has backfired when the four most powerful people in the organization are put in damage control mode?

If Price were not so vital to the team’s fortunes the next two seasons (at least), the team would have handled his indefensible tirade against Eckersley much more harshly. But, much like the Red Sox needed to treat Manny Ramirez with kid gloves in order to keep him happy and in the lineup even when he was behaving poorly, the Red Sox need to keep Price around and on the mound.

Price’s act is getting old, quickly, and his peckish, narcissistic effort to defend it yesterday rang hollow and sad.

It’s not rare to find an athlete who is sensitive, but Price’s beef with Eckersley is above and beyond the norm.

It’s telling that Price believes his outburst worked.

“Ever since that’s happened, (Eck)’s been really good. He’s said a lot of positive stuff about everybody in this clubhouse,” said Price. “This is one band, one sound. We’ve got to have everybody on board. That’s that.”

That’s not that, of course, but when Price was asked if his strategy might not be working or pertinent to winning ballgames, he played dumb.

“Not too sure what you’re asking, but I know this clubhouse is a tight-knit group of guys,” said Price. “Everything that’s happened has not spaced us out or done anything of that nature. If anything, we’ve had discussions about it, we’ve rallied around it. I’m standing up for my teammates. That’s it. That’s that.”

For someone who has embraced the role of media ombudsman in addition to being a starting pitcher, Price sounded like somebody who had never thought about how to ask nicely when it comes to finding somebody to snap him out of his funk.

“That’s not my job, that’s what you guys do,” said Price. “I don’t know. I don’t have any constructive criticism.”

I do.

Change your strategy, and your tune.

Because that ain’t how it’s done.

Silverman: As proves, some Red Sox deadline trade missteps belong in the Hall of Fame

Michael Silverman

In an occurrence as rare as a lunar and solar eclipse on back-to-back days, the baseball calendar is aligned in a special spot at this moment.

This afternoon the Baseball Hall of Fame will induct three new players and one executive into its Cooperstown, N.Y., museum while tomorrow at 4 p.m., baseball executives — some selling, some buying — will wrap up deals before the annual non-waiver trading deadline.

As both events relate to the Red Sox, there’s barely enough pixels in the universe to cover all the ways in which the story angles collide.

Tomorrow’s trading deadline is front and center on everybody’s mind, as the Red Sox explore making one or two more deals that could be the difference between maintaining a lead in the and making a good team much more capable of playing deep into October.

That, at least, is the narrative that every fan of every contending team salivates over this month. In reality, however, as far as the Red Sox are concerned, the track record of making deals that have a significant impact on a team’s chance to win is an underwhelming one. There are a few notable exceptions — what happened in 1997 and 2004 are the prime examples — but otherwise, there’s a lot of huffing and puffing that in the end does not amount to a great deal.

The same could not be said with two big trade deadline deals from a year ago — going to the Indians and Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs, with each reliever playing pivotal roles in carrying his team to the World Series. Deals like that are the exception, though.

Especially here.

Which is why the Hall of Fame ceremony today feels so relevant to the chapter in Red Sox trade history that will be written tomorrow.

With all due respect to Pudge Rodriguez, and executive , the induction of former Red Sox farmhand Jeff Bagwell is one of the ultimate trade “deadline” stories.

By now, every Sox fan old enough to recognize ’s voice understands that the team shipped Double-A prospect Bagwell to the on Aug. 30, 1990, for 37-year-old reliever Larry Andersen. This was nearly a full month after the trade deadline had already passed but reliever Jeff Reardon was hurt and the Sox needed a big boost to the bullpen. Andersen was that guy: He was superb, posting a 0.955 WHIP and 1.23 ERA over 15 appearances and 22 innings. He helped the Red Sox reach the ALCS and . . . they got swept by the Oakland A’s.

Bagwell, meanwhile, was a young, promising third baseman who had a phenomenal on-base ability but had not shown much pop in Double-A New Britain. Along with that .422 on-base percentage and 34 doubles, there were only four home runs. And a .457 .

The trade was made, and for the Boston-born Bagwell, everything changed in Houston, where he was converted to a first baseman. In 1991, he won Rookie of the Year. Then, Bagwell began a trajectory unlike few other first basemen in history. In 15 seasons, he clubbed 449 home runs and slugged .540. He finished his career with a .408 on-base percentage.

It’s an easy deal on which to second-guess then-Red Sox general manager , and many have. There’s no way to spin the deal in the Red Sox’ favor in hindsight, although I am dying to meet the person who projected Bagwell as a power hitter who would make the Hall of Fame.

Since Bagwell left, the Red Sox have developed only one other power hitter: . After him, power has been an imported commodity. With his three World Series rings, is the poster boy for imported power.

Now that he’s gone, however, the poster is in tatters and has yet to be replaced.

That Vaughn is the last, great, authentic Red Sox slugger is rather sobering.

Vaughn was having a bust-out season in Triple-A Pawtucket when Bagwell was in Double A, and he broke into the big leagues in 1991, same year as Bagwell. He took longer to blossom than Bagwell, but the larger point is that the Red Sox have not been able to duplicate that kind of homegrown power in a draft or international signing since Vaughn and Bagwell.

And now, with Ortiz retired and the Red Sox in need of more power to fuel their sputtering offense, their absence is even more noticeable. Bagwell’s presence on the podium only highlights the drought.

Will Rafael Devers turn into a big bopper a la Bagwell or Vaughn? Much too soon to say. As for other power prospects in the organization, such as Sam Travis, Michael Chavis, Bobby Dalbec, it’s kind of early on all of them. It’s possible that two other onetime Red Sox trade chips, Yoan Moncada (now with the White Sox) or Manuel Margot (Padres) will break out like that, though it’s less likely with Margot.

Most immediately, unless the Red Sox decide to pull a trigger on a big bat by tomorrow, the team is hoping that talented hitters Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Jackie Bradley Jr., Xander Bogaerts and Hanley Ramirez start to get going in case Dustin Pedroia starts to cool down.

Coming and going . . .

Here are some other deals to remember (and forget) as it relates to the Red Sox and deadline trades:

• They need more pop, but it’s a commodity they have seldom traded for since they dealt away Bagwell.

At the 1995 deadline, they basically swapped out Mark Whiten for Dave Hollins in a deal that mattered little. They went for Butch Huskey in 1999, and three years later, but each was past his prime and did not make a decisive impact.

In 2008, Manny Ramirez was sent packing, with the Red Sox receiving Jason Bay. For a season and two months, Bay was quite productive, swatting 45 home runs but he wanted no part of signing with the Red Sox once he became a free agent.

The following season, the Red Sox traded for Victor Martinez, who lasted as long as Bay and while decent, did not slug as much as Bay.

Not until 2014 did the Sox go for a big bat at this juncture of the season. That was when they shipped off Jon Lester and Jonny Gomes to Oakland for Yoenis Cespedes. The slugger made a minimal impact in his two months, and later in the offseason, he was exchanged with Detroit for Rick Porcello.

Because the Red Sox could not re-sign Lester, they turned to David Price in free agency, so the presence of Porcello and Price could be traced without much effort to that 2014 trade for Cespedes.

• The other 2014 trades were a mixed bag that overall helped the Red Sox, even though they could not save then-GM ’s job. He traded Miller as a two-month rental to Baltimore for starter Eduardo Rodriguez, plus he dealt to the Giants in a deal that netted current reliever Heath Hembree.

Another big deal was trading John Lackey to St. Louis for the worthless Allen Craig and the useful Joe Kelly. Stephen Drew also got sent out, returning Kelly Johnson, a trade that is the essence of boredom.

• While Bagwell is the only position player since at least 1986 traded as a minor leaguer to go on to Cooperstown, according to the Baseball Hall of Fame, two pitchers have followed that path. The Tigers traded to the Braves as a minor leaguer while the New York Giants selected in the 1947 minor league draft, but neither was a midseason trade.

• The 1997 trade Dan Duquette pulled off with the Mariners, in which closer Heathcliff Slocumb brought back and , ranks as arguably even more vital to the club’s 2004 title than that season’s trading deadline deal in which and Henri Stanley were shipped out as the Red Sox received Orlando Cabrera, Doug Mientkiewicz and Dave Roberts. Imagining the Red Sox being on the cusp of a title at the end of July 2004, without Lowe and Varitek defies reason.

One more trade Duquette pulled off on Aug. 13, 1997: He sent Mike Stanley to the Yankees for right- hander Tony Armas Jr. The Yankees’ angle to that deal drew much more notice, but three months later, Armas was part of the package — along with Carl Pavano and Brian Rose — that the Expos requested in exchange for Pedro Martinez.

• In 2007, the Sox made what felt like a big deal at the time — trading for reliever Eric Gagne from Texas for three minor leaguers. Gagne was a shell of himself by then, and made a poor impression in 20 appearances and five postseason games. The Aug. 6 free agent signing of outfielder Bobby Kielty proved much more valuable that season, or at least more memorable: Kielty’s eighth-inning solo home run provided the winning margin in the World Series-clinching Game 4 against the Rockies.

• In 2013, the Red Sox’ most recent World Series-winning season, the team made two trades that counted. Left-hander Matt Thornton came aboard mid-July, then Peavy arrived at the end of the month. Peavy shored up the rotation, and it’s a fair point to suggest that the trade for him was critical to the Red Sox title.

• In 2011, when the Red Sox blew it at the end of the season, it figures in hindsight to see that the two trades the club made were more or less neutral. Infielder Mike Aviles had some good moments (plus he got under the skin of short-time manager Bobby Valentine the next spring) but starter Erik Bedard did not. Bedard’s tenure was notable for being served papers concerning child support just prior to a September start.

• Here’s a bad trade Duquette made in 1996: He sent out starter , then-33 years old, to Seattle for outfielder Darren Bragg. Moyer went on to pitch 14 more seasons. Bragg was out of the game after the 2004 season.

• A good deadline trade the Sox made in 2012: sending under-achieving first base prospect Lars Anderson to Cleveland for knuckleballer Steven Wright.

• About those underwhelming deals, does the July 27, 2015, trade of plus cash to Los Angeles for Josh Rutledge qualify? . . . I believe it does. An inconsequential move: In 2009, the Red Sox traded for Adam LaRoche from the Pirates, and nine days later they traded him for Casey Kotchman.

• One more: In 1996, Duquette saw an opportunity to bring to the Red Sox one of the best names ever. He seized the moment, and sent to the Mariners. In exchange, Arquimedez Pozo became a Red Sox.

The rest is history.

Red Sox notebook: David Price upbeat about latest elbow injury

Stephen Hewitt

David Price’s beef with Dennis Eckersley may not have a solution anytime soon, but at least one problem involving the Red Sox left-hander figures to have a conclusion in the near future.

It’s still unclear when Price will return to the mound after being sent to the disabled list with left elbow inflammation on Friday (retroactive to July 25), but one thing seems clear: This isn’t as serious as the left elbow injury he suffered in spring training.

“I feel good,” Price said. “Honestly. It’s not the same that went on in spring training. It’s nowhere near the extent of what happened on March 2, so I feel good.

“I’m way more optimistic than I was in spring training. Spring training was a 10 out of a 10; this is a 1. It’s not what it was in the spring, so I’m confident that I’ll be out there.”

Price was scheduled to start Friday night’s series opener against the Kansas City Royals, but was scratched hours before first pitch after an MRI on Thursday revealed the inflammation.

Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was much more cautious in his comments, saying the injury was still in the evaluation process. But manager John Farrell backed Price’s belief that it wasn’t serious, and even speculated that he could be throwing again by tomorrow or Tuesday.

Price wasn’t ready to put an exact timetable on that, but did say he’ll probably be out longer than when he would be eligible to return from the DL.

“I feel like I’ve missed five or six (days) already, today might be the seventh. I don’t think I’m going to be starting in three days,” said Price, who won’t be eligible to come off the DL until Aug. 4.

“So yeah, I would have to say it’s more than 10 days, but we’ll play catch whenever it feels good and we did all the strength tests and the grip tests, and my strength and my grip were both stronger than what they were in spring training before I came back.

“All the signs are really good, so I’m just going to take it a day at a time, take all the treatment and take care of it.”

Pedey late scratch

At one point this month, Dustin Pedroia seemed to be over the left knee issues that had bothered him all season, but it turns out the old injury still needs maintenance.

The Sox was originally slated to start and bat third last night, but he was a late scratch when he began to experience some discomfort in the knee.

“As we’ve been having to do with Pedey and that left knee, there are days where it will act up a little bit, and we’ve got to spend some time with some treatment and get past some of the discomfort that he’s going through,” Farrell said.

Farrell is hopeful he’ll back in the lineup for today’s series finale.

Pedroia has been the Sox’ hottest hitter in July. He has four homers in the month, doubling his total he had prior. Farrell has continuously credited the surge to the improved health in his knee, which he had surgery on last fall.

Farrell said the day off was a product of the mileage Pedroia has run up recently.

“I think it’s more volume related; the number of innings played,” Farrell said. “I can’t say there’s been one single event that has triggered what he had repaired in the offseason, so it’s volume related.”

As a result, Xander Bogaerts, who was going to sit, was plugged into the lineup. The slumping shortstop got his first hit in a week as he went 2-for-4 with a walk in the Sox’ 9-8 extra inning victory.

Rehab updates

Farrell said Joe Kelly (hamstring) is set to throw live batting practice tomorrow, and Carson Smith (elbow) is close to facing live hitters. The manager said he has not ruled out Smith’s return for the stretch run.

“He’s not been eliminated, let’s put it that way, but we have to get him through these next two steps,” Farrell said. “That’s live BP and then that’s getting him out to games.

“Part of the rehab is to work out the kinks. I mean he’s not going to be sharp, we know that, but getting him to the point where he’s getting out and seeing live hitters, getting him into competitive settings, that will be a big boost for him.” . . .

Doug Fister, who’s back in the rotation after Price was placed on the DL, will start the series opener against Cleveland tomorrow. Chris Sale will start Tuesday. . . .

The Red Sox traded minor league pitcher Luis Ysla to the for cash considerations. The left-handed Ysla was 1-5 with one save and a 5.05 ERA in 29 relief appearances for Double-A Portland this season. . . .

Last night marked the 12th four-hour game for the Red Sox this season. Detroit and have played seven; no other team has endured more than six.

* The Providence Journal

With little remorse, David Price reiterates criticism of Dennis Eckersley

Tim Britton

BOSTON — Dennis Eckersley shouldn’t expect an apology from David Price any time soon.

Although Price admitted Saturday that he could have gone about his team-plane confrontation of Eckersley “probably a different way,” he reiterated his critique of the team broadcaster. The pitcher focused on the idea that Eckersley does not spend enough time in the Red Sox clubhouse, especially when compared to other team broadcasters.

“If Eck was around, he’d know who we are. He’s never in the clubhouse,” Price said. “Mr. [Jerry] Remy is always in here. Dave O’Brien is always around. Mr. [Mike] Timlin, on the road trip, always in the clubhouse. He’s the one guy I’ve seen in my career that doesn’t ever show his face in the clubhouse. There’s a reason behind that.”

Price is right that Eckersley is not in the clubhouse as often as someone like Remy, who’s there most than the average team broadcaster; he is wrong when he says Eckersley is “never” in the clubhouse.

“Every team that we play here, whenever they hear our broadcast, everybody in here is always getting text messages [about] how the guy, he has to never be around. People know what’s going on,” said Price of Eckersley. “I mean, if you’re going to say what he says, come around. Just show your face. And if guys have a problem with it, they’ll pull him aside and be like, ‘That isn’t how it’s done.’

“This is not the first time this has happened here regarding Eck. It’s unfortunate that it happened, and we’re going to get through it.”

Price added that since the incident on June 29, Eckersley’s commentary has been “really good. He’s said a lot of positive stuff about everybody in the clubhouse.” Price said he doesn’t watch broadcasts of his own starts, and that he’s never heard Eckersley say something negative about him. At the same time, the comment that has ignited this whole ruckus — Eckersley’s “Yuck” in regards to an Eduardo Rodriguez minor-league rehab stat line — came during a game Price started.

Price said he would speak to Eckersley face-to-face “when he’s around.” There did seem to be ample time to have that conversation earlier in the month, when Eckersley was regularly working the broadcasts. He isn’t around the team this weekend, as he is in Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame inductions.

Given the way Price has bristled at the local coverage of him and the team — Eckersley is not the first member of the media he’s confronted this season — he was asked whether he had any constructive criticism for the media.

“I don’t know,” he said. “That’s not my job.”

Price said that, rather than splintering the clubhouse, his tiff with Eckersley has been a rallying point.

“This clubhouse is a tight-knit group of guys,” he said. “Everything that’s happened has not spaced us out or done anything of that nature. If anything, we’ve had discussions about it, we’ve rallied around it. I’m standing up for my teammates. That’s it.... That’s who I am, that’s who I always have been and that’s who I’ll continue to be.”

“Nothing is going to divide this team,” said Dustin Pedroia on Friday. “We’re all in this together. We’re all trying to overcome everything and win the World Series.”

Unless some Zapruder film crops up capturing the incident in full, attempting to determine precisely who applauded Price’s rant is asinine. It has become clear that while the organization has taken steps to apologize for the incident, the team itself condones it — either passively or actively.

Price said he “absolutely” views himself as one of the club’s leaders. He does not think the team’s poor play in the last month relates in any way to what happened.

“I don’t think it’s affected us,” he said. “We just haven’t played the type of baseball we’re capable of playing.”

To that end, Price said the inflammation in his left elbow, which landed him on the disabled list on Friday, is “nowhere near the extent” of the injury he initially experienced in spring training. That time, he missed three months, including the first two of the regular season. This time, given that the soreness isn’t as severe and he has built his arm strength up to midseason form, he does not anticipate as long an absence.

“All the signs are really good,” he said. “It wouldn’t be a long process once I start throwing.”

Trade Deadline Reset: What are Boston’s priorities before July 31?

Tim Britton

BOSTON — President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski played it close to the vest on Friday.

Asked about the club’s priorities as the trade deadline nears, Dombrowski wasn’t particularly helpful.

“I’m not going to answer that question for you because I don’t really want to tip our hands on what we’re trying to do other than we’re open-minded,” he said.

After acquiring Eduardo Nuñez earlier this week, the Red Sox seem set at third base. But there are other possible areas of need for a team that has lost 13 of its last 20 games and fallen out of first place in the American League East. Let’s explore them:

Does the injury to David Price force the Red Sox to aggressively pursue a starting pitcher?

Dombrowski didn’t think so on Friday.

“We’re not going to go out and make a big trade for a starting pitcher,” Dombrowski said. “We’re still hopeful that David will be back at this point.”

One reason why: The Red Sox have a slew of off-days coming up following this homestand — four of them in an 11-day span, in fact. That would allow them to skip Doug Fister (or whomever their fifth starter is) three straight turns in the rotation while still providing an extra day of rest for Chris Sale, as hoped. Fister could start twice on this homestand and then be moved to the bullpen until he’s needed for another start August 22 — or until Price is healthy enough to return.

If Boston’s optimism is unfounded and Price is out the remainder of the season, the Red Sox can rejigger the rotation to require a fifth starter only nine times total while receiving as many as 13 starts from other members of the staff. That would, however, limit the extra days of rest they could give Sale or any other starter in preparation for October.

How seriously are the Red Sox considering an offensive upgrade?

Not that seriously, at this point. At least that’s what Dombrowski is saying publicly.

“I’m confident we have enough pieces,” he said Friday, “but I also know that we need to better. We need to perform better from an offensive perspective. We’re a better offensive club than we’ve performed over the last month, there is no question about that.

“You always try to keep things in perspective. It’s hard when you’re going through it and you’re going through the struggles we are right now offensively. There’s very few guys that are swinging the bats as well as they’re capable of doing. But I know that they have the abilities to do that.”

Dombrowski mitigated Boston’s July offensive rankings — it has the American League’s worst OPS this month at .660, entering Friday — with the season-long ones. The Sox entered Friday seventh in the A.L. in runs per game and fifth in on-base percentage.

“I look at that being more of where we are than the month of July,” Dombrowski said.

The Red Sox hope that the recent additions of Rafael Devers and Nuñez can help provide some additional production at third base; Devers doubled and scored on Friday while Nuñez reached three times in four trips in his Boston debut.

But the club is still aching for power up and down the lineup. Take Friday night, for instance. Boston and Kansas City both reached base nine times Friday. But the Royals hit two home runs, including one with two outs and two on from Mike Moustakas. It was the difference in the game.

Moustakas’ home run was his 30th — or as many as the entire Red Sox starting infield from Friday.

There aren’t obvious places to upgrade, especially if the Sox feel Mitch Moreland is more like the hitter he was in April and May than the one he’s been since fracturing his toe in June. But the cost to acquire some impact rental bats — J.D. Martinez and Lucas Duda come to mind — hasn’t been prohibitive. In a buyer’s market for bats, it might behoove the Sox to look more aggressively for a fit at first or DH to complement Hanley Ramirez.

(The Mets’ Jay Bruce hit his 27th home run Friday night. Just saying.)

Might the Price injury change Boston’s approach to the bullpen?

“If we can get better, we will,” Dombrowski said. “But it’s not necessarily always easy, and secondly, the acquisition price at this point is large.”

Dombrowski mentioned both the imminent return of Joe Kelly — he can go out on a rehab assignment by early next week — and the recent contributions of Brandon Workman as considerations. He compared Workman explicitly to a trade acquisition; the right-hander has a 2.30 ERA with 13 strikeouts to three walks over 15 2/3 innings. He hasn’t allowed a run in his initial inning of an appearance all season.

Boston could get Carson Smith back at some point this season, as well.

That said, one way to prepare for the postseason and compensate for the loss of Price — especially if the Red Sox want to limit the workload on their starters — is to bulk up the bullpen, the way the Yankees have.

* The Springfield Republican

Eduardo Nunez gets 'baby powder in eyes' celebrating walkoff win in 10th inning; 'That was fun'

Christopher Smith

BOSTON -- Eduardo Nunez recorded the walkoff RBI in the 10th inning after bashing two homers earlier in the game. The Red Sox won 9-8 over the Royals on Saturday.

And Nunez's Red Sox teammates celebrated by covering his face in baby powder:

"Baby powder in my eyes," he said. "Yeah, I didn't even see after that. That was fun."

With two runners in scoring position and one out, Nunez grounded to shortstop Alcides Escobar with the infield playing in. Escobar made a nice play diving to his left and threw to first baseman Eric Hosmer for the second out.

But Sandy Leon snuck in for the winning run. Hosmer threw home but Leon avoided catcher Drew Butera's tag.

"I didn't even know what was going on," Nunez said. "I was running so hard. I was mad when he (dived to make the play). I didn't even know what was going on. I see Leon at home plate, I was like, 'What's going on? Why is he there?'"

Nunez laughed at he said that.

He went 3-for-6. He blasted an 89 mph slider from Royals starter Trevor Cahill for a homer in the third inning to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead. He also crushed an 82.9 mph changeup from Cahill for a homer to give the Red Sox a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning.

Nunez also went 2-for-3 with two singles and a walk in his first game for the Red Sox on Friday.

The Red Sox acquired him earlier this week from the Giants for minor league pitchers Shaun Anderson and Gregory Santos.

He understands as a right-handed pull hitter, he can take advantage of the Green Monster.

"I don't want to pull the ball too much," he said. "I just react. But we know that (the Monster) is close. It's not like in San Francisco that's a big park. Different."

Red Sox manager John Farrell added, "He's always been a guy with hard impact. He's got such a lively bat. The ball jumps off his bat."

Eduardo Nunez delivers walkoff RBI, 2 homers as Boston Red Sox beat Kansas City Royals

Christopher Smith

BOSTON -- Welcome to Boston, Eduardo Nunez.

Sandy Leon began the 10th inning with a double off the Green Monster. Mookie Betts was intentionally walked with one out. They moved to second and third base on a wild pitch by Royals reliever Mike Minor.

Nunez then grounded to shortstop Alcides Escobar with the infield playing in. Escobar made a nice play to his left and threw to first baseman Eric Hosmer for the out.

But Leon snuck in for the winning run. Hosmer threw home but Leon avoided catcher Drew Butera's tag. The Red Sox won 9-8 over the

Nunez went 3-for-6 with two homers here Saturday at Fenway Park.

Nunez blasted an 89 mph slider from Royals starter Trevor Cahill for a homer in the third inning to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.

Nunez also crushed an 82.9 mph changeup from Cahill for a homer to give the Red Sox a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning.

The Red Sox acquired the infielder earlier this week from the for minor league pitchers Shaun Anderson and Gregory Santos.

He also went 2-for-3 with two singles and a walk in his first game for the Red Sox on Friday.

Christian Vazquez, meanwhile, went 3-for-4 with an RBI triple in the second inning and an RBI double in the fourth.

Vazquez singled to begin the eighth inning. Rafael Devers, who went 2-for-5 with an RBI, then singled. Mookie Betts tied the game 8-8 with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Disastrous sixth

Alcides Escobar reached on Devers' throwing error to begin the sixth inning. It was Devers' first big league error.

That was the first beginning of a disastrous inning for the Red Sox.

Two walks, two singles (one infield single) and an error by Nunez, led to four runs.

Rodriguez struggles

Eduardo Rodriguez pitched only 4 innings and allowed four runs, all earned, seven hits (one homer) and three walks while striking out five.

He threw 107 pitches, 73 for strikes.

Boston Red Sox trade Luis Ysla to Dodgers for cash considerations

Christopher Smith

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox have traded left-handed reliever Luis Ysla to the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash considerations.

He had been on the 40-man roster until the Red Sox designated him for assignment to clear a spot for Eduardo Nunez.

The 25-year-old Ysla, a native of Carabobo, Venezuela, went 1-5 with a 5.05 ERA in 29 relief outings (46 1/3 innings) for Double-A Portland this year.

The 6-foot, 236-pounder combined for a 3.99 ERA in (56 1/3 innings) for Portland (39 outings) and Triple- A Pawtucket (one appearance) last year.

The Red Sox added him to the 40-man last November to protect him from December's Rule 5 Draft.

They acquired him back Aug. 31, 2015 from the Giants for Alejandro De Aza.

David Price: elbow injury 'nowhere near the extent of what happened' in spring training

Christopher Smith

BOSTON -- The Red Sox placed David Price on the disabled list Friday with elbow inflammation (retroactive to July 25) after he spent the first 49 games of the 2017 season on the DL with an elbow strain.

But he's more optimistic now than when he visited Dr. James Andrews during spring training March 3.

"I feel good, honestly," Price said before Saturday's game. "It's not the same that went on in spring training. It's nowhere near the extent of what happened on March 2. So I feel good."

The hope is Price will play catch either Monday or Tuesday.

"I'm way more optimistic than I was in spring training," he said. "If spring training was 10 out of 10, this is a one. It's not what it was in spring. I'm confident that I'll be OK.

"Going on how my arm feels and everyday activity, whether it's brushing my teeth or just using my arm in everything that I do, in spring training that was very limited in what I could do. And right now, it doesn't limit me in everyday activities. So it's nowhere near what it was then," he added.

Price is 5-3 with a .3.82 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 63 strikeouts in 11 starts (66 innings).

"We did all the strength tests and the grip tests and my strength and my grip were both stronger than what they were in spring training before I came back," he said. "All the signs are really good. So I'm going to take it a day at a time, get all the treatment, take care of it."

David Price says Boston Red Sox fans being upset 'is the worst part about it'

Christopher Smith

BOSTON -- Red Sox fans clearly haven't been happy with David Price (and the entire team) since exact details emerged on how he treated NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley on the team charter to Toronto on June 29.

Just search Price's name on Twitter. Listen to fans calling into WEEI and the Sports Hub. The reaction hasn't been pretty.

"That's the worst part about it," Price admitted before the Red Sox and Royals game at Fenway Park on Saturday. "Fans hear what they say. They're going to believe what they read and what they hear on TV. That's not us."

Price then segued from the fan reaction to how Eckersley never comes in the clubhouse.

"If Eck was around he'd know who we are," Price said. "He's never in the clubhouse. Mr. Remy is always in here. Dave O'Brien is always around. Mr. Timlin on the road trip, always in the clubhouse. He's the one guy that I've seen in my career that doesn't ever show his face in the clubhouse. And there's a reason behind that."

What would Price like to say to fans to clear the air?

"We're plugging away," Price said. "All the support that we get here both at Fenway and on the road, it's tremendous. Whenever we go out on the road for BP, just to see the amount of fans that we have above our dugout compared to wherever we are, it's always at least twice as many fans. They support us really well. They hold us on a very high pedestal. And that's the same thing we do as well. This is a very tough game. And we'll rally together and get through this."

David Price wants NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley to 'just show his face' in clubhouse

Christopher Smith

BOSTON -- David Price said he probably could have handled the situation with Dennis Eckersley on the team charter June 29 in a different way.

He said he plans to speak with Eckersley when he sees him next. He wouldn't say if he plans to apologize.

"When he's around we'll speak face-to-face," Price said in the Red Sox clubhouse before Saturday's game. "I'm sure you'll all hear what's said. That's the way it goes."

Price expressed his displeasure over how Eckersley never visits the clubhouse.

"If you're going to say what he says, come around," Price said. "Just show your face. If guys have a problem with it, we'll pull him aside. That ain't how it's done. This is not the first time this has happened here regarding Eck. It's unfortunate that it happened, but it did and we'll get through it."

He also added, "Mr. Remy is always in here. Dave O'Brien is always around. Mr. Timlin on the road trip, always in the clubhouse. He's the one guy that I've seen in my career that doesn't ever show his face in the clubhouse. And there's a reason behind that."

Price said he and Red Sox teammates have received text messages from visiting players about Eckersley's commentary.

"Every team that we play here, whenever they hear our broadcast, everybody in here's always getting text messages how, 'That guy (Eck), he has to never be around.' People know what's going on. And that's just part of it. We'll get through this. This isn't going to hinder us in any way. It hasn't caused us to play the type of baseball that we've played. We just haven't played good baseball, that's that."

Price said he considers himself a leader in the clubhouse. He said he and his father were talking on the phone earlier today about how he got suspended in the fifth grade for standing up for classmates.

"That's who I am. That's who I always have been."

Price is happy with Eckersley's analysis since the incident.

"Ever since it's happened, he's been really good. He's said a lot of positive stuff about everybody in this clubhouse. This is one band, one sound. We've got to have everybody on board. That's that."

He said the incident on the plane had nothing to do with Eckersley's criticism of him.

"I don't go back and watch the broadcast after I pitch," he said. "I can honestly tell you I've never heard Eckersley say a bad thing about me. I never have. So that had nothing to do with it."

The Red Sox held a four-game lead in the AL East standings July 5. But they enter play today a game behind the Yankees in the standings.

"I know this clubhouse is a tight-knit group of guys," Price said. "Everything that has happened has not spaced us out or done anything of that nature. If anything, we've had discussions about it, we've rallied around it. I'm standing up for my teammates. That's it."

* The Lawrence Eagle Tribune

David Price acting like the bully he once stood up to

Chris Mason

BOSTON – When asked whether he considers himself a leader in the Red Sox clubhouse, David Price pulled a story from his past to prove that he’s always been wired as one.

“Absolutely. Yeah. For sure. And that’s, I stand up for my guys,” Price said. “I talked to my dad this morning and he remembered when I got suspended in fifth grade for one day, for standing up for classmates. And that’s who I am, that’s who I always have been and that’s who I’ll continue to be.”

It’s time for some self-reflection, because Price is becoming the schoolyard bully that he had the guts to stand up to as a 10-year-old.

You know the story by now. Price berated Dennis Eckersley on the team plane last month in an effort to humiliate the calls-it-like-he-sees-it broadcaster in front of his teammates. When a shaken Eckersley tried to respond, Price shouted “Get the (expletive) out of here!” A slew of cronies applauded, and Price repeated his act later in the flight. Dan Shaughnessy detailed the entire ordeal in the Globe.

Belittling a 62-year-old while you’re surrounded by lackeys doesn’t take any courage. It isn’t a healthy dialogue. It’s the brainless approach of a middle school bully.

In his first comments since the details of the altercation became public, Price showed no remorse.

“I could have handled it probably a different way, but ever since that’s happened, he’s been really good,” Price said. “He’s said a lot of positive stuff about everybody in this clubhouse.”

Whether Eckersley has changed his tone is up for debate, but Price’s brag is further proof that he simply doesn’t get it. Boasting that someone was effected by the way you disparaged them? That’s Biff Tannen approved.

Price repeats that he was only standing up for his teammates. That he was unhappy with the way Eckersley said “yuck” after seeing the stat line from an awful Eduardo Rodriguez rehab start.

“I honestly can tell you that I’ve never heard Eckersley say a bad thing about me. I never have,” Price claimed. “So that had nothing to do with me whatsoever.”

Please.

But the biggest beef that Price kept circling back to? Eckersley doesn’t pal around in the clubhouse.

“If Eck was around, he’d know who we are,” Price said. “He’s never in the clubhouse. Mr. (Jerry) Remy is always in here. Dave O’Brien is always around. Mr. (Mike) Timlin, on the road trip, always in the clubhouse. He’s the one guy I’ve seen in my career that doesn’t ever show his face in the clubhouse. There’s a reason behind that.”

First of all, Eckersley does pass through from time to time. I’ve seen him in there during the hour that it’s open to the media.

But even so, Eckersley doesn’t need to be in the clubhouse every day. As a former MVP that played 24 years in the majors, his resume speaks for itself. Eckersley doesn’t need to be buddies with players to do his job well.

In fact, that separation is one of the attributes that makes him an outstanding broadcaster. Eckersley is always unbiased and unfiltered, a wildly enjoyable combination. He doesn’t go out of his way to criticize, but when something is bad, he won’t sugarcoat it.

“I mean if you’re going to say what he says, you know, come around. Just show your face,” Price said. “And if guys have a problem with it, they’ll pull him aside.”

Eckersley showed his face on the team plane. Look at where that got him. Price has been outspoken about his dissatisfaction with coverage of the Red Sox. But when asked how the media could be more fair, he froze faster than a bully asked why he was doling out wedgies.

“I don’t know, man, I don’t think that’s … that’s not my job. that’s what you guys do,” Price said. “I don’t know. I don’t have any constructive criticism.”

Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t sound like Price won’t be apologizing to Eckersley any time soon.

“When he’s around, we’ll speak face to face,” Price said, more than a month after the incident. “I’m sure you all will hear what’s said. That’s the way it goes.”

They won’t be speaking face to face this weekend. Eckersley is in Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

* The New Hampshire Union Leader

Mike Shalin's Working Press: L'affaire Price a distraction

Mike Shalin

On this Hall of Fame Sunday, where my friend and trailblazer Claire Smith enters the Hall, we give you all baseball.

Well, almost all.

We start with Friday, with the Red Sox making almost as much news as the White House.

It was a day filled with conspiracy theories, explanations, another loss, street protests, etc.

At Fenway, not Washington.

The day started with news David Price had re-injured his elbow, immediately sparking the theory he and the Sox were faking something to keep Price from pitching in front of the home crowd after the whole Dennis Eckersley thing.

The day ended with fans booing Price as he drove away from the park in his armored vehicle.

In the middle, there was Dave Dombrowski saying he didn't think Price was gone for the year. There was Dustin Pedroia saying he didn't applaud Price for humiliating Eck on that team flight.

There was word that Eckersley, who is in Cooperstown this weekend with so many other Hall of Famers, will be in that Legends Box on Tuesday night, making him the former Sox introduced to the crowd at some point early in the game - the guy giving the quick wave to the people. Somehow, we think this just might be the first time this intro gets a standing ovation.

Price, who is not one of theirs, took on Eckersley, who is, even though he helped the A's sweep the Red Sox twice in the playoffs.

A national radio host said Price's problem is that he's black and playing in Boston. And while we don't question Price saying he heard racial taunts at Fenway pitching for other teams, we doubt that's the point here.

We actually don't know what the point is here. But more and more every day it's looking like Price and Boston are not a good match, kind of like Price and the postseason. Price has an opt-out after next season and we'll see then just how miserable he will be with $127 million on the table. Will money talk?

Faking? I don't think so. This guy loves to pitch.

"I do not know if he'll miss the season. I'm not anticipating that at this time," said Dombrowski. "Nobody has made that statement to me. He has inflammation in his elbow, his arm, where he had it before. I think we're really more in an evaluation stage at this point. We'll see where he progresses from here. We'll keep working with him and try to get him back on the field as soon as possible. I don't really know when that will be."

If Price returns right after the homestand and pitches on the road, then something did take place. But if the guy is really hurt, this is a problem going forward - and this team doesn't need any more problems in the post-David Ortiz season.

As column pal Matt Kalman tweeted: "this david price stuff has been a heck of a distraction ... have you noticed your sox are only 3 games up for the first wild card?"

Whether you believe Pedroia or not is irrelevant. A lot of this stuff is sounding like fried chicken and beer, which brings us to another thing from Friday: Does John Farrell finish this season?

Farrell, who should have shown more support for Eckersley, even if it was in terms of controlling his players (and we know that's hard these days), is directing a flat bunch that fell out of first place Friday night for first time in a month. He has injured players playing. He has this off-field nonsense. Does he survive?

And guess what: 's name has even popped up again. "Bring in Leyland to finish the season," they scream. Jim Leyland has not managed the Red Sox more than anyone. You get the feeling the only thing that will stop that conjecture is when this outstanding baseball man joins , et al in the great beyond. Stop with the Jim Leyland talk!

The Red Sox were 6-9 since the All-Star break heading into Saturday night's game. They aren't hitting and you wonder what would have happened if Chris Sale hadn't pitched twice on the West Coast. Stay tuned. This could become a daily story.

Like the White House.

Hall of Famer

I have known Claire Smith for just about as long as I've been in the business, and Sunday she enters the Hall as the first woman to win the Spink Award. I'm sorry work gets in the way of me being in Cooperstown for this special day for a special person. But Claire doesn't need my presence. The award is even overshadowing the players (and ) going in. Bravo!

Good news from the Hall on Friday: says he's cancer-free!

Lovable Empire?

With all this negative stuff going on with the Red Sox, the Evil Empire in the Bronx is turning into a rather neat story. Rookies, a manager not afraid to take a stand, a rebound from a horrendous month, etc. I know it's never that way with this team, but they're playing with house money.

Friday night, Masahiro Tanaka pitched eight innings, allowing a run on two hits, walking none and striking out a career-high 14, including the side in his final frame. He struck out the first five and seven of the first eight.

Was it because it was a night game?

Tanaka in days games: 0-5, 14.81 ERA, 2.71 WHIP, .419 opponents' batting average, 12 walks, 30 Ks.

Tanaka at night: 8-4, 3.15 ERA, .98 WHIP, .223 BA, 15 walks, 103 Ks

Around the horn

The Providence Journal's Tim Britton noted, after Mookie Betts' latest infield popup, that it was the 24th time Betts had done that since June 13, and no one else in baseball had done it more than 24 times ALL SEASON. ... The Royals had outhomered their opposition 20-2 during the nine-game winning streak, homering in all nine games. ... SABR reported Tuesday night's Reds' triple play against the Yankees was the 712th in MLB history, only the second scored 6-3-5-6. ... This just in: Tim Tebow is not a joke as a baseball player. He's hitting. ... Ryan Zimmerman's 237th career homer as part of that Thursday barrage tied him with Frank Howard for most ever by a Washington player. ... Max Scherzer is the first pitcher in Expos/Nats history with 200 strikeouts before Aug. 1. ... Brett Gardner joined Joe Gordon (1940) and Roberto Kelly (1990) as the only Yankees to end a game with a walkoff homer and then connect leading off the next game. ... Tweet from Jon Morosi: "Joey Gallo is on pace to hit more than 30 HR with a batting average below .200 and OPS above .800. No @MLB player has done that. Ever."

In other news

Brad Stevens was at Patriots practice Saturday, but Rob Ninkovich wasn't - for the third straight day. ... The Celtics were reportedly not one of the teams to have made trade proposals for Kyrie Irving. ... Ben Roethlisberger, who gets hit more than most QBs, says the latest concussion study has him evaluating things, telling the Tribune-Review in Pittsburgh, "I want to play catch with my kids. I want to know my kids' names. As much as I want my kids to remember what I did and watch me play the game, I also want to remember them when I'm 70 years old." ... USC has made it clear alum O.J. Simpson is not welcome at team practices when he gets out. ... Bostonian/now-New Yorker Kevin Hayes proudly donned a Tom Brady jersey over his hockey gear this week. ... "2017 is the 1st season in #Royals franchise history they have recorded both a 9-game winning streak & 9-game losing streak. #EnjoyTheRide"

* The Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Red Sox 9, Royals 8: Leon dances around tag to score in the 10th

Bill Ballou

BOSTON -- The Red Sox came up with a slide-off victory Saturday in 10 innings, one that they needed badly.

Sandy Leon scored from third on Eduardo Nunez’ one-out to shortstop. Alcides’ Escobar made a fine play with the infield in and threw out Nunez at first but Leon broke and the throw and was able to avoid Drew Butera’s tag at the plate.

It was a good night for Boston in general. Not only did Leon play a key role in the the winning rally, starting catcher Christian Vazquez had a single, double and triple. He missed the cycle by a homer for the second time this season.

Nunez had three hits including his first two Red Sox homers. Both were solo shots into the monster seats, one in the third and one in the fifth.

The game seesawed both ways with Boston jumping out ahead early, then coming back to send the game into extra innings after the Royals rallied. KC scored all its runs in the two innings, getting four in the fourth and four more in the sixth,

The key hit for the visitors was Lorenzo Cain’s three-run homer off Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez in the fourth. It barely dropped beyond Pesky’s Pole in right and turned a 4-1 deficit into 4-4 tie. Rodriguez was awful, but did not get the loss. He threw 107 pitches in just four innings and allowed seven hits with three walks, forcing John Farrell to go to his bullpen early.

The bullpen wound up with the win as Matt Barnes, the sixth Sox reliever, improved to 6-2 with one inning of work. Royals reliever Mike Minor took the loss to fall to 5-3.

The Boston offense erupted for 13 hits, improving the Sox’ record to 34-9 when they have 10 or more hits this season. Vazquez and Nunez were the only Boston batters with more than two hits and the only Sox hitters with extra base hits.

Rodriguez was trouble right from the start of his start.

In the first, he avoided giving up a run even though he gave up singles to Whit Merrifield and Eric Hosmer. Salvador Perez made the last out of the inning via a fly ball to center. In the second, Kansas City left the bases loaded as Rodriguez walked Brandon Moss and Alex Gordon and surrendered a single to Merrifield.

Jorge Bonafacio fanned, though, and the Royals were left scoreless. Eric Hosmer’s in the third proved to be harmless but the Royals finally got to Rodriguez in the fourth as they erupted for four runs on four hits — three singles and Cain’s home run.

Boston’s early runs off Royals starter Trevor Cahill came via extra base hits, for a change.

Jackie Bradley Jr. led off the second with a base hit up the middle and scored on Vazquez’ two-out triple to right. With one gone in the bottom of the fourth Nunez belted his first home run in a Boston uniform, a solo drive over the green monster. It was his second career homer at Fenway, first hitting a similar shot off Josh Beckett on Aug. 2, 2011 when he was with the Yankees.

Vazquez came through again in the Boston fourth, slamming a two-out double to right to drive in Mitch Moreland with Rafael Devers following with a game-tying single to center. Nunez came through again leading off the fifth, this time smoking a liner over the wall to give Boston a 5-4 lead.

Sox made it 6-4 on Mike Moustakas’ error.

Kansas City scored four again in the eighth, though, to retake the lead. Devers and Nunez both erred and they were costly miscues. The outcome could have been worse but Moustakas grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Bradley’s sacrifice fly brought the Red Sox to within 8-7 in the seventh, then Mookie Betts’ sacrifice fly tied the game in the eighth.

Those RBIs turned out to be good omens for Boston. The Sox are 6-1 since 2015 when they hit more than one sac fly in game, 129-40 since 1993. This time, it just took a little longer to get into the win column.

Red Sox Journal: Brock Holt’s role may be scaled down

Bill Ballou

BOSTON — Brock Holt, the last Boston batter to hit for the cycle, seems to be in danger of cycling out of the picture as the Red Sox’ Plan B for almost every position in the field.

Dustin Pedroia was not in the starting lineup Saturday night as the Red Sox try to manage his recurrent left knee soreness. The team expects the veteran second baseman to be back in the lineup on Sunday. Pedroia’s down day gave newcomer Eduardo Nunez a chance to make his debut as a position player as he took over at second.

He is the seventh different player to start at second for Boston this year, one of them being Holt. However, he has been at second just twice. Holt has had to deal with a lot of disabled list time in the last two seasons, first for a concussion, then vertigo. The two issues may be related, but there has been no definite diagnosis.

John Farrell said that he does not see a reduced role for Holt in the weeks ahead, but more of a return to the role he had before Rafael Devers came up from the minors. That role was, indeed, reduced from seasons like 2014 and 2015 when he played more than 100 games.

Holt says he feels fine, Farrell added, but the team recognizes that he has missed a lot of time in the last couple of seasons. The exact number is 112 games missed out of 267.

Holt returned from his concussion last July 1. Before that his career average for 272 games in Boston was .272 with nine homers and 104 RBI. In 77 games since then Holt is batting .245 with four home runs and 17 RBI.

He does not have an extra base hit in 51 at-bats this season.

Bogaerts slumping

Xander Bogaerts had been held hitless in four straight games going into Saturday night and was in an 0 for 18 skid overall, then singled in the fourth in his first at bat.

That snapped the second worst slump of his career, the other one being during his rookie season in 2014. Bogaerts went hitless in five straight games between Aug. 13-20 and was 0 for 21 during that skid.

He was not in the lineup initially posted by the Sox Saturday with Nunez going in at shortstop, but the night off that Pedroia got changed that around.

Short on power

The Sox have not hit a grand slam this year. It is the latest they have gone in a season without one since 1990 when Luis Rivera hit one at Fenway against the Yankees on Aug. 31. Boston had one other grand slam that season, the very next day, when hit an inside-the-park slam, also against the Yankees. The last time the Sox went an entire season without a grand slam was 1953. ... Joe Kelly might throw live batting practice on Monday, according to Farrell, and Carson Smith may not be far behind.

Headed west

The Red Sox sold left-handed pitcher Luis Ysla, who was at Portland, to the Dodgers. He will pitch for their Double A team at Tulsa. Ysla had begun the year on the 40-man roster but was designated for assignment last week. He was 1-5 with a 5.05 ERA for Portland.

* RedSox.com

Sandy's dandy slide for Red Sox foils Royals

Ian Browne and Jeffrey Flanagan

BOSTON -- It goes in the scorebook as a 6-3 out. But it was enough for the Red Sox to pull out a 9-8 walk- off victory in the 10th inning to at last cool off the Royals, who saw their winning streak end at nine games on Saturday night at Fenway Park.

The four-hour, 45-minute game ended in zany fashion. It was the Red Sox's first walk-off groundout without an error since Aug. 8, 1937, when scored on a Ben Chapman groundout to the second baseman.

With one out, Eduardo Nunez hit a grounder in which shortstop Alcides Escobar made a nice stop from the ground and got the out at first base. Once the throw went to first, Sandy Leon raced home from third ahead of Eric Hosmer's throw and slid in safely under the tag attempt by catcher Drew Butera. Nunez, who had smashed two towering homers earlier in the game, was credited with an RBI.

"I saw [Mookie Betts] far off second base and I thought he was going to get into a rundown, so I decided to go. That was a pretty close play," Leon said. "The right side was really open, so I tried to reach home plate without him touching me."

It was a big win for the Red Sox, just their second in the last seven games, as they stayed a half-game behind the Yankees in the American League East. For the Royals, it was a tough way for their streak to end, as they twice couldn't hold two-run leads and slipped to three games behind the first-place Indians in the AL Central.

"[Hosmer] made a good throw," Butera said. "I went to tag him, but credit to Sandy -- he made a nice slide. I felt like I was in the right position.

"Kind of typical for a game here in Boston. Lot going on. Stinks to be on the losing end." Added Royals manager , "Great play by Esky. Good throw home. We just missed the tag. It was a great slide."

Nunez wound up with a face doused in baby powder during the walk-off celebration that completed his second game with the Red Sox.

"Baby powder in my eyes. I couldn't even see after that. That was fun," Nunez said.

Leon started the winning rally with a leadoff double off the Green Monster. Losing pitcher Mike Minor put himself into a bad spot with a one-out wild pitch that put runners on second and third.

The game swayed back and forth all night. Lorenzo Cain's pop fly down the line in right in the fourth wound up as a three-run homer that curled fair around Pesky's Pole to give the Royals a 4-2 lead. The projected distance of 302 feet is the shortest homer tracked since Statcast™ was introduced in 2015. The drive had a modest exit velocity of 90.4 mph.

An RBI double by Christian Vazquez and an RBI single from Rafael Devers tied it in the bottom of the fourth. Nunez's second homer provided a lead in the fifth. An error by Mike Moustakas later that inning made it a two-run game. Momentum went back in the Royals' direction in a big way in a four-run sixth, helped by errors from third baseman Devers and Nunez. The Red Sox got single runs in the seventh and eighth, tying it on a sacrifice fly to deep center by Betts.

"We've had our share of games that have extended deep into the night and to win this after the see-saw battle it was, this was a good win," Red Sox manager John Farrell said.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Cain cut down: Vazquez helped keep the deficit to just one run when he fired to second to nail Cain trying to steal for the second out in the top of the eighth. Reliever Heath Hembree wound up facing just three batters in the inning, and Vazquez jump-started the tying rally in the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff single.

"That's my game, throwing people out and trying to help the team in that aspect," Vazquez said. "Trying to do my best to help the team."

Leon nails Gore: It was a different catcher who made a key throw for the Red Sox to snuff out a rally in the top of the ninth. Brock Holt was a pinch-runner for Vazquez in the eighth and scored the tying run, meaning Leon came on to catch the ninth. Pinch-runner Terrance Gore seemed to get a good jump when he tried to steal second. But Leon made a strong throw, and Gore was narrowly out. The Royals challenged the call, but the replay was inconclusive and the call was ruled to stand. It was just the third career caught stealing for Gore in 22 tries.

"You come off the bench after sitting for eight innings and you're getting a world-class sprinter in Gore at first base. And that pitch has got to be turned around with accuracy, with quickness, that was one heck of a throw," Farrell said.

"Just a perfect throw," Yost said.

CAHILL'S DEBUT

Right-hander Trevor Cahill wobbled in his first start for the Royals, giving up five runs and eight hits in four-plus innings.

"Not very good," Cahill said. "The offense did a nice job coming back and it would have been nice to put up some more zeros. I just couldn't hold that lead."

WHAT'S NEXT

Royals: Right-hander Jason Hammel (4-8, 4.81 ERA) will start the series finale against the Red Sox on Sunday at 12:35 p.m CT. Hammel gave up three runs and five hits in 5 2/3 innings in his previous start on Monday against the Tigers.

Red Sox: Left-hander Drew Pomeranz gets the ball on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. ET for the finale of this three- game series at Fenway Park. Pomeranz has given up three earned runs or fewer in seven of his last eight starts. Prior to the game, the Red Sox will commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the championship team.

Double trouble: Leon, Vazquez tough on KC

Evan Chronis

BOSTON -- Red Sox catchers Sandy Leon and Christian Vazquez are used to splitting time behind the plate, so they also were fine with sharing praise for helping their team earn a 9-8 walk-off win in 10 innings over the Royals on Saturday night.

Leon, who replaced Vazquez behind the plate in the ninth inning, sent a double off the Green Monster to open up the 10th. Three batters and a wild series of plays later, Leon found himself breaking to home plate from third on Eduardo Nunez's groundout. Leon evaded the tag with his slide at home plate to score the decisive run.

The previous inning, Leon made a defensive gem that potentially kept the Royals from taking the lead in the ninth. With pinch-runner Terrance Gore attempting to steal second base with none out and the score tied at 8, Leon made a perfectly placed throw to nab the speedy Gore.

"You know, you come off the bench after sitting for eight innings and you're getting a world-class sprinter in Gore at first base," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "And that pitch has got to be turned around with accuracy, with quickness, that was one heck of a throw given that he's been sitting for eight innings."

Vazquez singled and was lifted from the game in the eighth for pinch-runner Brock Holt. Vazquez, who drove in two runs and was a home run shy of the cycle, didn't make the decision to replace him an easy one.

His highlight play on defense came the half-inning before he was lifted, as Vazquez caught Lorenzo Cain trying to steal second base. Cain had previously gone 16-for-16 on attempts this season.

"It was fun," Vazquez said. "That's my game -- throwing people out. Try to help the team in that aspect. I'm trying to do the best to help the team."

Leon was prepared to finish off what his catching partner had started.

"I was ready to do what I have to," Leon said. "I was getting ready before Vazquez came on in the last inning and he got the hit, and then we pinch-hit for him. I was ready for anything. Whatever I can do to help the team, I'm going to do it."

Price optimistic regarding left elbow status

Ian Browne

BOSTON -- Red Sox left-hander David Price had an encouraging update on his health on Saturday, saying the inflammation he is dealing with in his left elbow is nothing close to what he dealt with in Spring Training.

"I feel good, honestly," Price said. "It's nowhere near the extent of what happened on March 2. I feel good."

Following the elbow strain of Spring Training -- which Price referred to as a tear several weeks later -- he missed the first two months of the regular season.

Though Price was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Friday, retroactive to Tuesday, he is hopeful his absence will be short-term.

"Yeah. I'm way more optimistic than I was in Spring Training," Price said. "If Spring Training was a 10 out of a 10, this is a 1. It's not what it was in the spring. I'm confident that I'll be OK."

That said, Price conceded that he isn't likely to return the first day he is eligible, which is on Friday.

"I would have to say it will be more than 10 days," Price said. "But yeah, we'll play catch whenever it feels good. We did all the strength tests and the grip tests. My strength and my grip were both stronger than what they were in Spring Training before I came back. All the signs are really good. Just going to take it a day at a time, get all the treatment, and take care of it."

The injury Price dealt with in Spring Training centered around the forearm.

"I think it is in a different place. Just going on how my arm feels in everyday activity, whether it's brushing my teeth or just using my arm in everything that I do, in Spring Training that was very limited in what I could do," Price said. "Right now, it doesn't limit me in everyday activity. It's nowhere near what it was then."

The other reason Price thinks his recovery time will be much shorter is because his arm is built up through his Minor League rehab starts, and the 11 starts he's made for the Red Sox.

"I've probably averaged over 100 pitches since I came back. Before it happened in Spring Training, I hadn't thrown more than 30 pitches in an outing, hadn't even made an outing to that point," Price said. "I had one live BP when it happened in Spring Training. My arm is built up to this point. It won't be a long process once I start throwing."

Price hoping to speak with Eck to clear air

Ian Browne

BOSTON -- For the first time since Red Sox left-hander David Price confronted Hall of Fame pitcher and NESN analyst Dennis Eckersley on a team flight a month ago, Price spoke at length on Saturday about what led to the incident.

Price also added that he looks forward to having a chance to speak with Eckersley in hopes of clearing the air.

That won't be possible this weekend, as Eckersley is in Cooperstown, N.Y., for the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

"Yeah, we'll speak when he's here in person. We'll definitely talk it out," said Price, who is on the 10-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation.

Price made it clear that what upset him the most is that Eckersley, who is known for being candid in his analysis, doesn't spend time in the clubhouse like other announcers.

"If Eck was around, he'd know who we are," Price said. "He's never in the clubhouse. Mr. [Jerry] Remy is always in here. Dave O'Brien is always around. Mr. [Mike] Timlin, on the [last] road trip, was always in the clubhouse. He's the one guy I've seen in my career that doesn't ever show his face in the clubhouse. There's a reason behind that.

"I mean if you're going to say what he says, you know, come around. Just show your face. And if guys have a problem with it, they'll pull him aside. Be like, 'that ain't how it's done.' This is not the first time this has happened here regarding Eck. It's unfortunate that it happened, and it did, and we're going to get through it."

Price thinks that Eckersley's analysis has been less biting since their run-in. Does Price feel bad about the incident?

"I could have handled it probably a different way, but ever since that's happened, he's been really good," Price said. "He's said a lot of positive stuff about everybody in this clubhouse. This is one band, one sound. We've got to have everybody on board. That's that."

Does Price feel the need to apologize to Eckersley?

"When he's around, we'll speak face to face," Price said. "I'm sure you all will hear what's said. That's the way it goes."

Numerous reports have stated that what drew Price's ire on the night of June 29 was Eckersley saying "yuck" when NESN flashed the pitching line of Eduardo Rodriguez's Minor League rehab start. Price did nothing to dispute those reports on Saturday.

"[I] stand up for my guys. I talked to my dad this morning and he remembered whenever I got suspended in fifth grade for one day, for standing up for classmates," Price said. "And that's who I am, that's who I always have been, and that's who I'll continue to be."

* ESPNBoston.com

David Price to Dennis Eckersley: 'Just show your face' in clubhouse

Scott Lauber

BOSTON -- David Price could have taken the opportunity Saturday to apologize for berating Dennis Eckersley on the Red Sox's plane last month. Instead, Price delivered a different message to the Hall of Fame pitcher-turned-team broadcaster.

"Just show your face," he told reporters.

Speaking to the media for the first time since he was placed on the 10-day disabled list Friday, Price admitted that he could have confronted Eckersley "probably a different way" than mocking and cursing at him on the team plane June 29. But rather than saying he was sorry, Price doubled down, claiming that Eckersley doesn't spend as much time in the Red Sox's clubhouse as most other broadcasters do.

Eckersley filled in last month on NESN telecasts for regular color analyst , who is being treated for a recurrence of lung cancer. Known for his candid, unfiltered approach, Eckersley typically says what he believes, even if it's critical of players. Although Price is right that Eckersley spends less time in the clubhouse than Remy and some other broadcasters, he doesn't avoid it entirely.

In the case of the June 29 incident, Price was annoyed by Eckersley's one-word reaction -- "Yuck" -- to lefty Eduardo Rodriguez's poor pitching line in a minor league rehab start. Previously unreported details of Price's plane encounter with Eckersley, including the fact that several players reportedly stood and applauded, surfaced in last Sunday's Boston Globe. Price hadn't addressed the situation until Saturday.

"If Eck was around, he'd know who we are," Price told reporters. "He's never in the clubhouse. Mr. Remy is always in here. [Play-by-play announcer] Dave O'Brien is always around. Mr. [Mike] Timlin, on the road trip, was always in the clubhouse. He's the one guy I've seen in my career that doesn't ever show his face in the clubhouse. There's a reason behind that."

David Price told reporters Saturday that he could've handled the confrontation with Dennis Eckersley "probably a different way" but doubled down on his claim that the Hall of Famer doesn't spend as much time in the Sox's clubhouse as other broadcasters. AP Photo/Charles Krupa Eckersley has a good reason for not being at Fenway Park this weekend for the Red Sox's series against the Kansas City Royals. As a Hall of Famer, he is attending the annual induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York.

Red Sox owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner, team president Sam Kennedy and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski have apologized to Eckersley. But neither Price nor any uniformed personnel, including manager John Farrell, has followed suit.

On Friday, second baseman Dustin Pedroia said Price hasn't spoken to Eckersley because he hasn't seen him. Eckersley worked 10 consecutive games in three cities on a pre-All-Star break road trip after the incident with Price.

Price said he doesn't watch broadcasts of his own starts, though the "Yuck" comment came during a game he pitched. The left-hander characterized Eckersley's commentary as "really good" since the confrontation, noting that "he's said a lot of positive stuff about everybody in the clubhouse."

Eckersley isn't the only media member who has drawn Price's ire this season. He had a run-in with a Comcast SportsNet reporter after a game at Yankee Stadium in May and cursed at several reporters in the aftermath of that flare-up.

Price's behavior hasn't been limited to his time with the Red Sox. In previous seasons, he has publicly lashed out at TBS commentators and Dirk Hayhurst and a newspaper reporter from Detroit. Asked if he has any constructive criticism for the media, Price said, "I don't know. That's not my job." If anything, he said the Red Sox "have rallied around" Price's media criticism.

"I'm standing up for my teammates. That's it," Price said. "That's who I am. That's who I always have been, and that's who I will continue to be."

With regard to his left elbow, Price said the inflammation is "nowhere near the extent" of his spring training elbow injury, and he doesn't expect to be sidelined for long.

"All the signs are really good," Price said. "It wouldn't be a long process once I start throwing."

* CSNNE.com

Drellich: David Price contradicts himself over and over again

Evan Drellich

BOSTON — David Price’s 10 minutes with the media on Saturday afternoon reinforced how little he understands the media. The Red Sox lefty gave himself credit for what he perceived as a softened stance from NESN color commentator Dennis Eckersley since Price confronted Eckersley on a team plane.

“I could have handled it probably a different way, but ever since that’s happened, he’s been really good,” Price said of the incident. “He’s said a lot of positive stuff about everybody in this clubhouse. This is one band, one sound. We’ve got to have everybody on board. That’s that.”

For one, there isn’t any common feeling out there that Eckersley has changed.

Two, Eckersley is not part of Price’s band. Some broadcasters may choose to comport themselves that way, as team members. Good for Eckersley for taking a more unbiased approach.

On Saturday and throughout his time in Boston, the biggest clue Price lives in a fantasy land is his hypocrisy.

Time and again, he says one thing, then contradicts himself with his actions, his words or both. Remember when he said at his introductory press conference “I’m a lover, I’m not a fighter,” when asked about his interactions with Red Sox fans?

Price said Saturday if Eckersley came around the clubhouse more, guys would pull him aside to handle their issues — presumably, Price meant in a more tasteful, respectful fashion than his own approach.

“I mean if you’re going to say what he says, you know, come around,” Price said. “Just show your face. And if guys have a problem with it, they’ll pull him aside. Be like, that ain’t how it’s done. This is not the first time this has happened here regarding Eck. It’s unfortunate that it happened and it did and we’re going to get through it.”

Well, Price pulled this reporter aside in New York in June. And he made clear that night, with many expletives and a raised voice in a hallway, that he wanted it known he was pulling this reporter aside.

Grandstanding has been a repeated approach, so what reason is there to believe that Eckersley would be handled any differently in a locker room?

Price on Saturday was asked if he was standing up for himself as well teammates.

“Honestly, I don’t,” Price said. “I don’t go back and watch the broadcast after I pitch. I honestly can tell you that I’ve never heard Eckersley say a bad thing about me. I never have. So that had nothing to do with me whatsoever.”

Price, time and again, has made clear how bothered he’s been by the media’s coverage of him in particular.

That was true when he was upset about tweets this reporter sent excerpting Price’s own comments to the Globe in June. He also told the Globe in spring training that he felt like the reporters didn’t properly take the time to get to know him and his charitable efforts.

He isn’t Mr. Selfless, although surely at times, Price does act selflessly — with charitable events and otherwise.

How could Price actually be unaware of what quote-quote negative things Eckersley has said about him?

Consider that, as Price noted, he receives texts messages from other teams’ players about Eckersley’s words.

“Every team that we play here, whenever they hear, whenever they hear our broadcast, everybody in here is always getting text messages how the guy, he has to never be around. People know what’s going on,” Price said. “That’s just part of it. We’ll get through this. This isn’t going to hinder us in any way.”

But not once did Price hear Eckersley be critical of his own pitching?

“I talked to my dad this morning and he remembered whenever I got suspended in fifth grade for one day, for standing up for classmates,” Price said. “And that’s who I am, that's who I always have been and that’s who I’ll continue to be.”

Fifth grade is a fitting image for this whole thing. On one hand Saturday, Price said the Eckersley incident and its fallout have been immaterial to the clubhouse.

“I don’t think that’s affected what we do in here at all,” Price said. “It’s not something that we talked about after it happened or any other time. I don’t think it’s affected us.”

Except it has been talked about. And people have been affected. And Price acknowledged as much.

Price noted that he spoke a day earlier with Dustin Pedroia, whose reputation has been questioned because of the incident.

“Everything that’s happened has not spaced us out or done anything of that nature,” Price said. “If anything, we’ve had discussions about it, we’ve rallied around it. I’m standing up for my teammates. That’s it. That’s that.

So which is it — you've had discussions about it or you haven’t?

“[Pedroia and I] talked before he addressed the media yesterday,” Price said later in Saturday’s session. “And told him whatever he needed to say to take it off of him. This isn’t about him.”

OK then.

The most comical of all was this comment to the Globe in June.

“I know I’ve got 24 guys in this clubhouse and all our coaches rooting for me, and my family and my friends. That’s all I need,” Price said. “Whatever anybody else wants to do, that’s on them. I’m fine. I’m at peace.’’

That’s all you need? You’re at peace?

Later that night in June, after Price gave that quote to the Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy, he went after this reporter in a hallway. The next month, he went after Eckersley.

Price told the Globe that same June day that he “was honest with everything” local media asked in 2016.

Honesty is all anyone can hope for, media or otherwise. But if you repeatedly present falsehoods, if you’re repeatedly illogical as a star pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, people will notice.

Price is a one-man band with one sound, and it sounds absurd.

* NESN.com

Red Sox Notes: Sandy Leon’s Slide Could Be Pivotal Moment In Boston’s Season

Joshua Schrock

Sandy Leon impacts the game in a variety of ways, but his game-winning slide Saturday night might be one of the most important plays of the Boston Red Sox’s season.

The Red Sox had lost five of six coming into Saturday’s game with the Kansas City Royals, and with the game tied at eight in the 10th inning, Leon saw an opportunity to grab a much-needed win, and he delivered.

Leon led off the 10th inning with a double off the Green Monster, and he moved to third on a wild pitch by Royals left-hander Mike Minor.

After an intentional walk to Mookie Betts, Eduardo Nunez came to the plate with a chance to end the game. The newest member of the Red Sox laced a rocket up the middle, but Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar made a diving grab and threw out Nunez from his backside for the second out of the inning.

But once the ball left Escobar’s hand, Leon broke for home. First baseman Eric Hosmer spun and threw a laser to catcher Drew Butera, but Leon was able to slide around the Royals backstop to give the Red Sox a 9-8 win.

Here’s Leon’s game-winning slide.

Leon made a savvy decision to break for home the minute the ball left Escobar’s hand that manager John Farrell said was a call Leon made on his own.

“With just one out, we’re in a standing speed, we’re not going on contact,” Farrell said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage, “we’re waiting to see the ball go through and then he broke when he saw the ball go across the diamond. ”

But Leon broke for home because Betts was in danger of being caught in a rundown

The Red Sox, on the other hand, were in danger of losing a game in which their offense finally broke out, but Leon did it all in two innings off the bench, tallying a double, throwing out Royals speedster Terrance Gore and finishing off the game with an acrobatic slide. Boston’s slide could have continued in heartbreaking fashion Saturday, but instead, Leon bolted for home, and now the Red Sox can focus on heading onward and upward.

Here are more notes from Red Sox vs. Royals.

— Eduardo Rodriguez has struggled since returning from the 10-day disabled list. The Red Sox lefty lasted only four innings Saturday against the Royals as he was unable to keep his pitch count under control, throwing 107 pitches in his short outing. Rodriguez now is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA since returning from a dislocated right kneecap that he suffered before a start against the on June 1.

Since his injury, the left-hander has an average fastball velocity of 92.6 mph, which is down from 94 mph before the injury. Rodriguez’s dip in velocity has contributed to his short outings as teams have been able to foul off his put-away pitches and drive up his pitch count. The Sox young lefty averaged six innings per start during his first 10 starts of the season, but since his return from injury Rodriguez is averaging a little less than five innings per outing.

— The Red Sox traded Double-A pitcher Luis Ysla to the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash considerations.

— Nunez recorded the second two home run game of his career Saturday. His first came last season for the .

— Leon and Christian Vazquez each threw out a runner Saturday who had not been caught yet this season. Vazquez threw out Lorenzo Cain in the eighth inning and Leon gunned down Gore in the ninth.

Red Sox Wrap: Boston Uses 10th-Inning Rally To Down Royals 9-8

Joshua Schrock

Saturday night looked like it was going to be a heartbreaking loss for the Boston Red Sox, but instead, it could be one of the most important wins of the season.

The Red Sox trailed the Kansas City Royals by a run entering the eighth inning. They had blown two different leads and were in danger of dropping a game in which they had scored seven runs. But the Sox tied the game in the eighth against Joakim Soria to send the game to extra innings.

And then in the 10th inning, Eduardo Nunez came to the plate with runners on first and second with one out

Nunez, who already had crushed two home runs in the game, hit a rocket to short, but Alcides Escobar laid out to glove it and threw out Nunez from the seat of his pants.

But Sandy Leon, who was on third, raced home and avoided the tag of catcher Drew Butera with a tumbling slide to give Boston a 9-8 win.

The Red Sox improved to 57-48 with the win, while the Royals fell to 54-48 with the loss. Here’s how it all went down.

GAME IN A WORD

Uplifting.

The Red Sox looked to be headed to another defeat, but they rallied to tie the game and picked up a huge win in extra innings.

IT WAS OVER WHEN

Leon slid around Butera to send the Fenway Faithful home happy.

ON THE BUMP

— Eduardo Rodriguez struggled from the first pitch Saturday, as the left-hander was unable to record any quick innings in what was a short outing.

He worked around shaky command for the first three innings, but the Royals finally got to him in the fourth inning when Whit Merrifield muscled an RBI single into the to trim Boston’s lead to one. Two batters later, Lorenzo Cain lifted a fly ball that barely curved around Pesky’s Pole for a three-run home run. The round-tripper gave Kansas City a two-run edge.

Rodriguez recorded the final out of the inning, but that was it for his outing. He lasted four innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking three.

— Fernando Abad tossed a scoreless fifth inning but ran into trouble in the sixth when he allowed the first two batters to reach and was pulled from the game.

— Blaine Boyer relieved Abad with runners on first and second with no outs. Escobar immediately moved to third on a passed ball and scored on an RBI infield single by Merrifield. The run was charged to Abad and trimmed the Sox’s lead to one. Jorge Bonifacio followed by lacing an RBI single to center to tie the game. Boyer was lifted after walking the next batter to load the bases.

— Robby Scott came in for Boyer with the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth inning but was unable to keep the Royals from taking the lead. Eric Hosmer rolled a ball to second base, but Nunez’s throw to second was offline, allowing a run to score and Hosmer to reach first. The Royals tacked on another run when Salvador Perez lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to give Kansas City a two-run lead.

Scott recorded two outs in the seventh before manager John Farrell took the ball from him with a runner on first.

— Heath Hembree got the final out of the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth.

— Craig Kimbrel threw a scoreless ninth.

— Matt Barnes didn’t allow a run in the 10th inning.

IN THE BATTER’S BOX

— Christian Vazquez got the Red Sox on the board in the second inning when he laced a two-out RBI triple down the right field line to put Boston on top by one.

— Nunez extended the Red Sox’s lead to two with a solo blast in the third inning.

— The Red Sox quickly tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when Vazquez plated Mitch Moreland with an RBI double to right-center field, and Rafael Devers followed with an RBI single to center to tie the game.

— Nunez smoked another home run over the Green Monster in the fifth inning to give the Red Sox a one- run lead and chase starter Trevor Cahill from the game. Boston stretched its lead to two later in the fifth when Jackie Bradley Jr. scored on a fielding error by Mike Moustakas.

— Boston cut the Royals’ lead to one when Bradley drove in Andrew Benintendi with a sacrifice fly to right field in the seventh inning.

— The Red Sox tied the game in the eighth when Mookie Betts drove in Brock Holt with a sacrifice fly to center field.

— Leon led off the 10th inning with a double off the Green Monster and scored with an unbelievable slide around Butera.

TWEET OF THE NIGHT

The Sox need Rodriguez to find his first-half form.

UP NEXT

The Red Sox will conclude their three-game series against the Royals on Sunday afternoon. Drew Pomeranz will get the ball for Boston and will be opposed by Jason Hammel for Kansas City. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET.

* BostonSportsJournal.com

McAdam: Leon waited a while for his turn

Sean McAdam

For eight long innings, Sandy Leon mostly watched as the Red Sox and Kansas City Royals traded runs, errors and wild pitches.

Then, pressed into service off the bench, Leon managed to impact the Red Sox’ 9-8 victory in 10 innings in every way possible – with his bat, his arm, and, most improbably, his legs.

“It feels good (to contribute),’’ said Leon. “I was ready, when it happened. I was ready for anything.’’

Which was good, since despite his late arrival, Leon soon impacted the game from behind the plate, in the batter’s box and on the basepaths.

After starting catcher Christian Vazquez was lifted for pinch-runner Brock Holt in the bottom of the eighth, Leon took over the behind the plate in the top of the ninth and, one batter later, faced the prospect of Terrance Gore, arguably the fastest player in the American League, dangling off first, representing the potential go-ahead run.

Sure enough, Gore broke for second, but Leon fired a strong throw to second that nabbed Gore, keeping a dangerous baserunner out of scoring position.

An inning later, Leon stepped into the box to lead off the bottom of the 10th. Kansas City reliever Mike Minor ran the count full.

“He likes to pitch inside a lot with his fastball and slider,’’ said Leon. “He threw me a couple cutters and I think one almost got me. Then, I was ready for something hard and he threw me a fastball on 3-and-2 and hit it real well.’’

After a by Rafael Devers and an intentional walk to Mookie Betts, both Leon and Betts moved up on a wild pitch by Minor – the sixth by Kansas City pitchers in the game and third by Minor alone.

With the Royals’ infield in to try to cut down the winning run at the plate, Eduardo Nunez slapped a ball past the most that shortstop Alcides Escobar knocked down. Leon froze for a moment as Escobar tumbled on his back and noticed Betts caught too far off second.

“We were in a see-it-through (baserunning approach),’’ explained third base coach Brian Butterfield, meaning that Leon was instructed to make sure that the ball got through the infield defenders before committing to the plate. “Mookie saw the ball hit up the middle and your normal response on a ball hit on the ground is to move forward, even though he knew we were in a see-it-through. I’m sure he got caught in no-man’s land when Escobar (fielded) the ball. And I think Sandy saw that Betts was coming (to third).’’

Escobar briefly considered trying to catch Betts, but instead fired to first to nab Nunez. Meanwhile, fearful that Betts was about to get caught in a rundown, Leon broke for home. At perhaps the slowest baserunner on the Red Sox, it was something of a gamble.

“I saw Mookie too far from second base,’’ Leon offered, “and I thought he was going to get in a rundown.’’

After recording the out on Nunez, Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer turned and threw home.

“It was a pretty close play,’’ recounted Leon. “ I saw (Royals catcher Drew Butera) reach for the ball (up the first base line), so the right side was open and I just tried to touch the plate without him touching me. It was close, but he didn’t touch me.’’

With the agility of a ballet dancer, Leon twisted his body to evade a slap tag by Butera, while managing to slap his hand on the plate.

“That’s a great play,’’ enthused Butterfield. “You can have well-laid plans, but then something happens and we deviate from it, and he made an instinctive play and an athletic slide. I know that seems kind of odd, because it’s Sandy, a big, strong guy. But that was an athletic side. Great play, won us the game.’’

Even after skillfully eluding the tag, Leon had to wait in a bit of suspended animation to see if the play was going to be reviewed. In a matter of seconds, it was determined that the proper call was made, and the celebration, delayed for a while, began.

“That’s the game now,’’ shrugged a smiling Leon. “You have to respect that and just wait.’’

And waiting was something Leon had already done for much of the night.

McAdam: Price vows speedy return from latest elbow setback

Sean McAdam

Addressing his feud with Dennis Eckersley wasn’t the only thing on David Price’s agenda Saturday. He also provided an update on his balky elbow, which forced him to the disabled list.

Price was scratched from his scheduled start Friday after experiencing inflammation in his elbow following his start in Anaheim last weekend. He was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to last Wednesday.

“I feel good, honestly, ‘’ said Price. “It’s not the same as what went on in spring training. It’s nowhere near the extent of what happened on March 2. I feel good. I’m way more optimistic than I was in spring training. In spring training, (the issue) was 10-out of 10; this is a one. It’s not what it was in the spring. I’m confident I’ll be OK.’’

Price said the discomfort he felt in March limited his everyday activities. He’s under no such limitation this time.

“It’s nowhere near as bad,’’ he reported.

Price would be eligible to come off the disabled list at the end of next week, but that might not be enough time for his return to the rotation.

“I have to say it will be more than 10 days,’’ he said. “I’ll play catch. We did all the strength tests and grip tests and my strength and my grip were both stronger than they were in spring training. All the signs are really good. I’m going to take it a day at a time and take care of it.’’

He further noted that, when he was shut down in the spring, he had only thrown a few bullpens and live batting practice sessions. Now, he’s made 11 starts and his arm strength is considerably more.

“It wouldn’t be a long process once I start throwing,’’ he predicted.

McAdam: Defiant Price unrepentant in addressing Eckersley confrontation

Sean McAdam

Some four weeks after David Price upbraided Dennis Eckersley on a team charter flight to Toronto, the Red Sox lefty addressed the issue in detail for the first time Saturday.

But if anyone was expecting some version of an apology – or even a clarification or explanation — to the Hall of Famer, there was none forthcoming.

To the contrary, Price was largely unrepentant about the incident that saw him berate and mock Eckersley for his one-word reaction (“Yuck”) to a rehab start by Eduardo Rodriguez. And if this was an effort by the club to finally put the issue behind it, that too, fell far short of the goal.

Indeed, rather than issuing a mea culpa of sorts, Price somehow managed to give himself credit for making Eckersley seem more positive in his on-air comments since the incident.

(Perhaps this is how Price re-injured his arm: by contorting himself while patting himself on the back).

If this was Price’s effort to put out the fire that he ignited weeks ago, he succeeded only in further self- immolating.

And Price also managed to contradict himself. After first noting that the issue was “not something that we talked about after it happened or any other time,’’ he later said: “If anything, we’ve had discussions about it and we’ve rallied around it.’’

Pick a lane, David. Which is it: you’ve tuned out the distraction, or you’ve skillfully turned this into a unifying moment for the rest of the team?

If you’re going with the latter, it sure hasn’t manifested itself on the field or in the standings. Since your mid-air rant, the Sox are 12-13 and have lost a game and a half in the standings. The rallying cry seems more like a whimper.

“My attitude is still the same,’’ said Price when asked about external criticism of his altercation. “I want to help these guys win this year. That’s what I’m focused on.’’

On Saturday, what Price seemed mostly focused on – ‘’obsessed’’ might be a better word choice — was that Eckersley is not present enough in the clubhouse to be accountable for his on-air criticisms.

“He’s never in the clubhouse,’’ said Price. “Mr (Jerry) Remy’s always in here. Dave O’Brien, he’s always around. Mr. (Mike) Timlin, on the road trip, (he was) always in the clubhouse. (Eckersley) is the one guy in my career who doesn’t show his face in the clubhouse and there’s a reason behind that.

“Every team that we play, whenever they hear our broadcast, everybody in here is always getting text messages, ‘That guy, he has to never be around.’ Like, people know what’s going on … If you’re going to say what he says, come around. Show your face. If guys have a problem, pull him aside,” Price said. “That ain’t how it’s done. This isn’t the first time it’s happened here regarding Eck. It’s unfortunate that it happened, but it did.’’

You’ll notice a distinct lack of contrition from Price, who seemed more interested in making sure it’s commonly known what a selfless, supportive teammate he is.

“I could have handled it, probably, a different way,’’ he allowed. But then he quickly shifted back into self- congratulatory mode.

“But ever since that’s happened, he’s been really good,’’ Price said. “He said a lot of positive stuff about everybody in this clubhouse. This is one band, one sound. We’ve got to have everybody on board. That’s that. I’m standing up for my teammates, that’s it. That’s that.

“Standing up for my guys. I talked to my Dad this morning and he remembered when I got suspended in fifth grade, for one day, for standing up for classmates. That’s who I am. That’s who I always have been and who I’ll continue to be.’’

On a day when Price clumsily attempted to clear the air, however, that seemed less like a promise and more like a threat.

* Associated Press

Leon helps Red Sox win 9-8 in 10, end Royals' 9-game streak

BOSTON -- Sandy Leon certainly looked nifty at the right time.

The stocky Leon slid into home plate and avoided catcher Drew Butera's tag on Eduardo Nunez's ground out in the 10th inning Saturday night, lifting the Boston Red Sox past Kansas City 9-8 to end the Royals' nine-game winning streak.

"I saw him reach for the ball, so the right side was wide open so I decided to go for it without him touching me," Leon said. "It was close, but he didn't touch me."

Nunez also hit two solo homers over the Green Monster for the Red Sox, improving to 5 for 9 in two games since being acquired from San Francisco for two minor-league pitchers earlier in the week.

Lorenzo Cain hooked a three-run homer around the right-field pole and Whit Merrifield had a career-best four hits -- all singles -- for the Royals, who were looking to match their longest win streak since June 2014.

The Red Sox won for just the second time in seven games and remained one-half game behind the AL East- leading .

Leon opened the 10th with a double off the Green Monster against Mike Minor (5-3). After Mookie Betts was intentionally walked, both moved up on a wild pitch before Nunez hit a grounder that shortstop Alcides Escobar made a diving stab of and threw to first. Leon, who halted on the play, headed home on the throw to first and beat Eric Hosmer's throw by slipping his hand around the tag.

"He made a very instinctive play and an athletic slide. I know that seems kind of odd because that's Sandy," Red Sox third base coach Brian Butterfield said. "But he made an athletic slide."

After a delay to confirm the call, the Red Sox celebrated.

"I didn't know what was going on. I was running so hard, I was mad when he dove so I didn't know what was going on," Nunez said. "When I see Leon going to home plate, I was like, `What's going on? Why is he there?' What's going on?"

Royals manager Ned Yost waited and knew it was over after a replay.

"We missed the tag at the plate, but (Escobar) made a great play stopping it and wheeling and throwing to first and (Hosmer) got rid of it as quick as he could," he said. "It was just a tough play. It was a great slide."

Matt Barnes (6-2) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.

Boston tied it on Betts' sacrifice fly in the eighth.

Trailing 6-4 in the sixth, Kansas City scored four runs on two hits, two walks and the two errors. Reliever Blaine Boyer also had a wild pitch and Christian Vazquez a passed ball.

Third baseman Rafael Devers booted Escobar's grounder to open the inning and Alex Gordon walked. Both moved up on the wild pitch. Merrifield and Jorge Bonifacio had consecutive RBI singles to tie it. After Nunez threw high on an attempted force at second and a run scored, Salvador Perez's sacrifice fly made it 8-6.

The Red Sox had moved ahead by scoring twice in the fourth and fifth. Vazquez had an RBI double and scored on Devers' single. Nunez hit his second homer leading off the fifth, and the other scored on Mike Moustakas' fielding error.

Cain's homer cleared the short wall and Betts' glove as he leaped, slipping into the first row to make it 4-2.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Royals: C Perez was in the lineup after taking a foul tip off his left thigh that sent him to the ground late in Friday's win. He had left Tuesday's game and sat out Wednesday with soreness on his right side.

Red Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia was scratched because of soreness in his left knee after being in the original lineup. "There's days where it will act up a little bit," manager John Farrell said. Nunez, originally set to start at shortstop, was moved to second and Xander Bogaerts back in to short.

BAD KARMA

In Bogaerts' first two times up, he came to the wrong "walk-up song." Luke Bryan's `Country Girl' was played over the PA instead of his usual `Gonna Give it to Ya' by DMX.

He was thrown out on the bases after reaching both times.

ROUGH DEBUT

Kansas City starter Trevor Cahill gave up eight hits and five runs over four innings in his Royals' debut.

He was acquired in a six-player trade with San Diego on Monday.

"Not very good," he said. "The offense did a good job of coming back. But it'd be nice to throw some more zeroes up there because they're making the other pitcher work and putting some good at-bats together."

MINOR MOVE

The Red Sox traded minor league LHP Luis Ysla to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday for cash considerations. He was 1-5 with a 5.05 ERA with Double-A Portland.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel (4-8, 4.81 ERA) is set for the series finale. He's winless in his last six starts, but beat Boston for his last victory on June 19.

Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz (10-4, 3.59) looks to extend his career-best streak of winning his last four decisions.

* The Kansas City Star

Royals’ nine-game winning streak ends in 9-8 loss to Red Sox

Rustin Dodd

In the moments after a 9-8 loss, after a nine-game winning streak had vanished inside Fenway Park on late Saturday night, Royals catcher Drew Butera returned to the visitors clubhouse and looked for a video screen. He wanted to rewatch the decisive moment, a twisting, athletic roll-slide from Boston’s Sandy Leon that delivered a walk-off victory. He wished to see how his glove had missed the body of Leon, a 5-foot-10, 225-pound catcher who had broken for home on the game’s final play.

“A few inches,” Butera said.

On a marathon night at Fenway Park, in a bizarre affair that lasted four hours, 45 minutes and featured four errors, at least two base running blunders, a crucial defensive miscue in right field, and a litany of wild pitches and passed balls, the Royals’ nine-game winning streak officially came to an end on a strange play in the bottom of the 10th inning.

In his second inning of work, reliever Mike Minor faced Boston’s Eduardo Nunez with runners at second and third and one out after a pitch had skipped away from Butera behind the plate. Butera was playing because Salvador Perez had exited for pinch runner Terrance Gore in the top of the ninth. (Gore was caught stealing at second). The infield was playing in to cut down the run at home. Nunez hit a chopper to the left of shortstop Alcides Escobar, who dived to corral the baseball.

Escobar rolled over and fired to first base, and for a moment, Leon, the runner at third, did not break. Standing near the mound, Minor believed the Royals had caught a break.

“I thought: ‘OK, this is our second chance right here,’ ” Minor said. “Because I thought for sure he wasn’t going to break after the throw.”

But as the throw sailed toward first, Leon sprinted toward home. He had opened the inning with a double off the wall in left-center and moved to third on the wild pitch. He sought to test the arm of first baseman Eric Hosmer, who caught the ball at first for the second out and relayed a perfect strike that beat the runner. Butera received the throw and turned to tag Leon, who lunged to his right and rolled toward home, slapping his right arm on the plate as Butera’s glove whiffed.

“I saw him reach for the ball,” Leon said, “so the right side was really open, so I just tried to do what I can to touch the plate.”

In a quiet clubhouse, one that processed a loss for the first time since July 18, Butera replayed the final sequence. He felt comfortable with his positioning, he said. He received the ball in the correct spot. His glove just missed its intended target.

“I felt like I was in the right position,” Butera said. “I went to go tag and he made a good adjustment to get out of the way of it.”

Royals manager Ned Yost added: “It was a great slide. We just missed the tag.”

The final moments decided the outcome. Yet, for the Royals (54-48), the game was lost over the course of nine innings. Starter Trevor Cahill, acquired on Monday from the , was nicked for five runs in four-plus innings in his first start for Kansas City. Rookie Jorge Bonifacio, who finished 1 for 6 with four strikeouts, misplayed a ball in right-center in the fourth. The bullpen, so efficient and effective in the month of July, squandered an 8-6 lead by allowing runs in the seventh and eighth innings.

Left-hander Ryan Buchter, another former Padre, opened the seventh by issuing two walks and before allowing an unearned run following a passed ball by Salvador Perez. Reliever Joakim Soria surrendered a run in the eighth on two singles, a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Mookie Betts. The bullpen had posted an American League-leading 1.91 ERA in the month of July and a 1.82 mark in its last 10 games.

“It was just one of those nights where they just weren’t exceptionally sharp,” Yost said.

Even after night straight victories, the loss stung. Whit Merrifield matched a career high with four hits. Lorenzo Cain tucked a three-run homer inside Pesky’s Pole in the fourth, recording a 302-foot shot that ranked as the shortest homer in baseball since at least 2015.

On Saturday, they were seeking their first 10-game winning streak since 2014. Five days after being acquired from the Padres in a six-player trade, Cahill toed the rubber for the Royals for the first time. The night represented the start of the latest chapter for Cahill, a 29-year-old right-hander whose career began with significant promise in Oakland before sliding back toward mediocrity across the last three seasons.

As a 22 year old in 2010, Cahill posted an 18-8 record with a 2.92 ERA for the A’s. Four years later, he was in Arizona, toting a 5.61 ERA while falling out of a starting role. By 2016, he was essentially a (successful) full-time reliever for the .

In the months after collecting his first World Series ring, he searched for another job. He settled on San Diego, his childhood team, a place where he could likely start for a rebuilding club.

The decision paid off. The marriage worked decently for both parties. Cahill posted a 3.69 ERA in 11 starts for the Padres. He also missed close to seven weeks because of a shoulder strain. Yet, as he returned to a starting role, he pieced together his best numbers in four years.

“You get in a routine, get in rhythm,” Cahill said. “It’s a lot easier to build off that confidence when you’re going out there every five days.”

On Monday, the Padres bundled him with relievers Brandon Maurer and Buchter, sending the package to the Royals in exchange for Travis Wood, Matt Strahm, infield prospect Esteury Ruiz and close to $8 million. Cahill said he sensed a trade was a possibility.

“It’s nice to come in and come to a contender again,” he said on Friday.

On his first night on the mound, he was tasked with extending a winning streak. But his curveball was not there, he said, and his first night in a Royals uniform offered disappointment.

“It’s one of those things, the last couple of starts my breaking stuff hasn’t been there and I’ve had to rely on the sinker and change-up,” he said. “And then going through the lineup, two or three times, the hitter makes an adjustment.”

In his estimation, the performance was “not very good.” By the end, the Royals could share in the assessment as a whole. On a long, sloppy night of a baseball, a winning streak came to an abrupt halt. The end was measured in inches.

“I came back and looked at the replay,” Butera said. “It was pretty close.”