The Boston Red Sox Sunday, May 9, 2021

* The Boston Globe

Xander Bogaerts continues to show why he’s among the game’s best shortstops in Red Sox’ rout of the Orioles

Julian McWilliams

BALTIMORE — In an era defined by talented shortstops, and in a league that has seen talented players such as Francisco Lindor and Fernando Tatis rise to the sport’s forefront,, Xander Bogaerts’s has made his own ascent, his talent propelling him into the same strata as his well-healed and handsomely-paid counterparts.

Manager Alex Cora spoke to Bogaerts’s supreme skill and competitive fervor ahead of the Red Sox’ series with the New York Mets a couple of weeks ago, adding his shortstop’s calm demeanor, his lack of flashiness in the field can, at times, downplay what Bogaerts actually brings to the game.

Yet, with the season Bogaerts has had to this point, and the career he’s fashioned with the Red Sox, that should no longer be the case.

In the Sox’ 11-6 win against the Orioles Saturday at Camden Yards, Bogaerts’s imprints were all over the outcome. Bogaerts went 3 for 4 on the night, hitting a two-run home run to left in the top of the sixth inning to stretch the Sox’ lead to 11-2. at the time.

In the bottom half of that frame, Bogaerts flashed on defense, making a back-handed stab of a sharply- struck Maikel Franco rocket to the hole. He initiated what ended up being an inning-ending double play that enabled Red Sox starter Garrett Richards to get out of a jam.

In the bottom of the seventh, Bogaerts leaped and caught a Cedric Mullins line drive that also ended the inning. The Sox went on to collect 14 hits, their 11 runs scored giving the team in the contest has the club at 44 in the last five contests facing the Orioles.

At the fulcrum of it all is Bogaerts. He’s currently hitting .357, .400, .603 with a 1.003 OPS to lead all shortstops.

“I just want to strive to get better,” Bogaerts said afterward. “I want to go somewhere really high, and that’s what I expect of myself every day. I have that mentality of, of going out there and even surprising myself.”

Bogaerts’s play left Red Sox starter Garrett Richards in awe of his teammate. Richards, who went seven solid innings and allowed four runs on eight hits, including a Freddy Galvis solo shot in the second, knows how important it is to have Bogaerts behind him.

“Absolutely amazing,” Richards said of Bogaerts. “I mean these guys, this team in general, I mean, you guys have seen it for, you know, a month and a half now.”

The bottom of the Sox order contributed in each of the last two Red Sox wins after delivering virtually nothing for a large chunk of the season. The Red Sox (21-13) survived some ninth-inning drama to put their third consecutive win under wraps when Josh Taylor entered the game for a shaky Austin Brice and struck out Trey Mancini on three pitches.

Marwin Gonzalez’s double in the top of the second off Orioles lefthanded starter Zac Lowther, who made his big league debut, scored the Sox’ first run of the game. Orioles right fielder D.J. Stewart’s throw from right skidded away from second baseman Rio Ruiz, allowing Christian Vázquez to score. Hunter Renfroe’s RBI single up the middle later in the frame scored Gonzalez, giving the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.

Michael Chavis, who was activated from the team’s taxi squad Friday and was in the leadoff spot Saturday, belted a two-run shot off Lowther to highlight the Red Sox’ four-run outburst in the inning that expanded their lead to 4-1.

Yet few teams have a Bogaerts, and as he reaches his prime in a Sox uniform that has over 1,000 games of dominance, his manager can’t help but look across the league and put his shortstop at the top of the pack.

“The whole package if he’s not the best shortstop in the big leagues, well, you know, I mean, somebody needs to show me somebody else, to be honest with you. That’s how I feel about him. This guy is amazing.”

Michael Chavis makes an immediate impact in return to Red Sox lineup

Julian McWilliams

BALTIMORE —It’s been a while since he erupted onto the scene, but Michael Chavis’s opportunity with the Red Sox arrived once more in Saturday evening’s game against the Orioles.

In the first half of 2019, Chavis’s debut season, he hit .263 with 15 home runs only to see his average plummet to .221 the rest of the way. That was followed by a pandemic-shortened, 60-game season during which his batting average fell to .212.

As the 2021 season approached, Chavis found himself on the outside looking in when it came to a roster spot. A couple of key acquisitions, including Marwin Gonzalez and Kiké Hernández, coupled with the positive impression Christian Arroyo made during spring training, meant Chavis would start his season in Triple A Worcester.

However, Chavis, who was placed on the team’s taxi squad for this four-game series against the Orioles at Camden Yards, found his way back to the big leagues when he was called up after Hernández was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday with a strained hamstring.

It marked his second stint with the big league club. He was recalled April 10 at Baltimore, entering as a pinch runner in the 10th inning of a 6-4 victory over the Orioles during which he scored on a wild pitch.

“I was talking yesterday with our hitting coach, and I was like, ‘Do you think I should approach this 10-day stint as an opportunity to prove myself and maybe earn a spot?’” recalled Chavis, who drew the start at second base and was penciled into Alex Cora’s lineup as the leadoff hitter in a 11-6 win over the Orioles.

“After really thinking about it with him, and talking through it with him, I don’t think that’s the appropriate approach from my own mindset.”

When the competition tightened during spring, Cora noticed Chavis began chasing results, something the player noted as the reason he started to get outside of his tried-and-true approach.

Not controlling the strike zone has always been an issue for Chavis, and it reared its head once more. So, when Chavis was optioned to Worcester, the team wanted him to focus on his control of the strike zone.

Judging from his second plate appearance Saturday night, it was apparent Chavis had solved his issues. After striking out in the first inning, Chavis’s persistence paid off when he belted a two-run homer off Orioles lefthanded starter Zac Lowther to give the Red Sox a 4-1 lead in the second.

“Well, first at-bat, I’d never faced that guy before and if we’re being completely honest, we’re human and I was scared,’' Chavis admitted after going 1 for 6. “I’ve been in the big leagues before and I’ve had some experience up here, but 100 percent I was a little bit nervous.

“It was kind of weird, but those jitters showed up and that first at-bat it sped me up a little bit, and that second at-bat, I was able to slow it down a little bit and it just kind of fell into place. We’re just going to try and keep getting better every single day.”

But, given the circumstances of the season, Chavis said it was a difficult task getting things sorted out at the team’s alternate training site.. During simulated games, the team didn’t have umpires. As a result, Chavis said it was difficult to get a really good sense of the strike zone.

“It was odd,” Chavis said. “Working on zone recognition when we didn’t have any umpires, to say the least, I mean, you don’t have a legitimate consistent strike zone. You’d have a guy either standing behind the pitcher’s mound calling balls and strikes. So you have a catcher who’s working with the pitcher to call balls and strikes. But he doesn’t want to mess up his pitcher. He doesn’t want to mess you up, [either].”

It also helped Chavis prepare for this opportunity when he came into spring training lean and in better shape.

“Somebody else thinks I’m quick,” Chavis joked. “I feel good. I really do.”

Stretching out starters

The Red Sox have gotten at least five innings from their starters in five of their last six appearances. For much of the season, that has been the standard for this Red Sox pitching staff. But Cora said before the game that his team now needs more length.

“We’ve been talking about it,” Cora said. “The whole 30 whatever games, it feels like we’ve been in every game from day one. And that’s great. But sometimes it’s like, this is too much. Right now, we’re not getting that [length]. We’re getting five quality innings and so hopefully, we start turning the corner and it’s time to start getting there.”

Righthanded starter Garrett Richards, meanwhile, delivered another seven strong innings for the Sox, allowing four runs on eight hits, including one homer, while issuing one walk and striking out five batters. It was the second time in his last three outings Richards has lasted seven innings.

“It’s huge,” Richards said. “To go out there and grab another [inning] right there at the end, it saves an arm. It goes a long way. The bullpen is a moving piece. And sometimes it gets in trouble. But if you can do everything you can on your day to make that easier, it goes a long way.”

Tweaking Sawamura

Hirokazu Sawamura has allowed four runs in his last 4⅓ innings of work. Those outings included three homers, including one in Friday’s 6-2 victory over the Orioles. Cora believes there’s an adjustment Sawamura needs to make.

“Fastball is down in the zone,” Cora said. “That’s something that we have talked about it. We actually we want him to elevate.”

Cora was encouraged by Sawamura’s velocity Friday, which came in at 97-98 m.ph. But he believes the stuff will play more aggressive at attacking hitters with those fastballs up.

“That’s what they’re hunting and they put good swings on it,” Cora said regarding Sawamura throwing too many low fastballs. “Besides that he’s been okay.”

Batters be aware, the year of the pitcher is upon us

Peter Abraham

BALTIMORE — The faith Red Sox manager Alex Cora has shown this season in Franchy Cordero and Bobby Dalbec can be hard to understand.

Cordero’s halting swing resembles somebody trying to swat a mouse with a broom. Dalbec looks better at the plate and makes decent contact but is rarely rewarded.

Both have already endured painfully long hitless streaks.

But their continued presence in the lineup started to make more sense on Friday night, and not just because Dalbec was 2 for 3 with a three-run homer in a 6-2 victory against the Orioles at Camden Yards.

It was what happened in Cleveland that brought it into focus.

Wade Miley, a journeyman lefty of no particular distinction, no-hit the Indians. It was the fourth no-hitter already this season if you count the seven-inning game Madison Bumgarner threw in a doubleheader, which you should.

Does that mean there will be a dozen no-hitters this season? Probably not. But don’t bet against it.

Through Friday, major league hitters had a .233 batting average with a .701 OPS and were striking out 24.2 percent of the time.

This season’s on-base percentage of .310 is the lowest since 1968, the year of the pitcher. The rash of no- hitters and plunging statistics aren’t a fluke. This is how the game is being played.

“I hate to say this is what it is. But it looks that way,” Cora said before Saturday’s 11-6 victory. “I don’t think it’s like the last few years when guys were hitting .210 and hitting 40 [home runs]. I don’t see that happening, either.”

Consider the plight of the hitter. The opposing team has a room full of analysts breaking down data to determine how best to pitch you. If you do make contact, the defense is shifted to where you are most likely to hit the ball.

Getting the ball in the air was once a solution. But now MLB has deadened the ball to create more action on the field.

There was a time not too long ago when fans would cheer when the scoreboard radar gun registered 100 miles-per-hour for a pitch. Now it’s commonplace.

In short, it is becoming impossible for all but the best players to hit for average and power.

“Absolutely,” said Dalbec, who had a two-run single Saturday. “It’s so hard. Everyone throws 100. If they don’t throw 100, they have an outlier arm angle that makes it tougher … pitchers are nasty right now.”

Cora has noticed some hitters adjusting to shifts by going the other way. He believes that trend needs to continue to force teams out of shifts and make pitchers change how they attack hitters.

“Let’s see how the industry adjusts to this,” Cora said.

Meanwhile, it’s probably time for all of us to adjust our expectations and understand that hitters like Cordero and Dalbec are getting regular playing time throughout the game.

Cora has already done that, not that he has much of a choice.

“A great hitter now is what —.270, .275? It seems like it, right? That’s way above average. I know the expectations of our guys is not to hit .270. They want to be great,” he said.

Some have been. Through Friday, the Red Sox led the majors in runs, batting average, OPS and doubles despite getting little from the bottom of the order.

Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, J.D. Martinez and Alex Verdugo allow the Sox to be patient with Cordero and Dalbec.

“The bar is lower as far as the hitters. You just have to live with what’s going on and be realistic,” Cora said.

Dalbec’s single in the third inning Friday snapped an 0-for-27 streak. That took some pressure off his shoulders and helped lead to the game-changing home run in the fourth inning. He followed that up with a big two-out hit Saturday.

Dalbec contacted some of his former hitting coaches for advice and had a long talk with Cordero in Texas last weekend to commiserate about their shared struggles.

He also got some counsel from Dustin Pedroia, who had a three-week slump in his rookie season before breaking out.

Pedroia told Dalbec to stay true to his process and that it’s never as bad or as good as it seems.

“The whole ride the wave thing. Be the same guy,” Dalbec said. “He’s awesome. He’s awesome.”

Pedroia is no doubt an excellent resource for a young player. But he fought through that slump in 2007, a season that saw the average hitter hit .268 with a .758 OPS. Most teams this year have only two players hitting those marks.

Dalbec is playing in a different game.

Portland Sea Dogs happy to be hosting games again

Peter Abraham

After he was done helping out in the ticket office and with concessions, Geoff Iacuessa had time to stop for a few seconds and take a look around Hadlock Field on Tuesday night.

He saw a baseball game on the field, friends and neighbors in the stands, and his staff busily going about their jobs.

“I took a deep breath and thought, ‘This is awesome,’ ” said Iacuessa, president and general manager of the Double A Portland Sea Dogs. “We had been waiting a long time for this.”

Six hundred and ten days to be exact. It was the first game Portland had played since Sept. 2, 2019. Minor league baseball was shuttered for 20 long months because of the pandemic.

The shutdown in 2020 came less than a month before Opening Day.

“All systems were go and all of a sudden everything just stopped,” Iacuessa said.

Portland filled the void by turning Hadlock Field into a pitch-and-putt golf course last summer. It hosted open-air dinners on the field and an event for kids at Halloween.

There was some money to be made, but that wasn’t the primary motivation.

“We wanted to stay connected with the community in a way that was safe for them and for our employees,” Iacuessa said. “It was a way to give people a new memory at the ballpark. You want to find a way to stay in people’s minds.”

In the minor leagues, the GM is not involved in baseball decisions. He’s more the CEO of a small business. The Sea Dogs have 19 full-time employees and dozens more during the season.

They were a chief concern for Iacuessa, who joined the Sea Dogs as an intern in 2001 before becoming full time in 2002 as director of group sales. At a time when many major league and minor league teams laid off staff members, owner Bill Burke kept on the full-time employees.

“That was one of the things that we kind of celebrated. Our biggest goal was we kept the entire front office staff,” Iacuessa said. “It was a testament to ownership. They’re incredible people.”

There were some moments of despair. A company the Sea Dogs used to book tickets to the golf and dining events went out of business and the team lost money. Iacuessa wrote it off as just another problem spawned by the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the staff did projects around the ballpark to spruce it up and prepare for this season. People who normally handled business aspects of the operations grabbed paint brushes and went to work.

There were outside issues, too. Minor league baseball was being reorganized under the control of Major League Baseball and 43 teams were dropped in December or converted to amateur teams.

The Sea Dogs were confident their partnership with the Red Sox, which goes back to 2003, would be maintained. But there were no guarantees.

“There was certainly some concern in that process,” Iacuessa said. “But it was a good process for us, and we’re excited about the relationship in the future. It’s great for our fans.”

MLB is mandating that affiliates now maintain certain standards as far as facilities and team travel. The Sea Dogs have a few improvements to make but nothing major.

For now, Portland is allowed 1,850 fans per game. That will climb to 2,087 once plexiglass is installed in certain areas, which is scheduled to happen soon.

Hadlock Field’s capacity is 7,368. Iacuessa is working with the state government to determine how many more fans will be allowed as the season progresses.

With notable Red Sox prospects Triston Casas, Ronaldo Hernández, Jeisson Rosario, Thaddeus Ward, and Josh Winckowski on the roster, the Sea Dogs have an interesting team worth going to check out.

“It’s been a huge challenge, but having people back in the ballpark was a huge milestone,” said Iacuessa, a Greenfield native who graduated from UMass and always wanted to be involved in baseball.

“I always believed that things were going to get better and that we’d get back. It finally happened.”

SPLIT DECISION Sox need more lineup balance

Through 32 games, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, J.D. Martinez, and Alex Verdugo accounted for 60 percent of the runs batted in for the Red Sox, 56 percent of the extra-base hits, and 52 percent of the runs.

The 7-8-9 positions in the batting order were hitting .188 with a .536 OPS, the lowest marks in the majors.

It’s easy to suggest calling players up from the minors. But outside of Michael Chavis, the Sox lack viable candidates. Jarren Duran was 0 for 11 in his first three Triple A games before getting three singles Friday. He could be ready after the All-Star break, not in a few weeks.

It’s also far too early in the season to expect much via trade. The only hopeless causes at this point are the Tigers and Rockies, and probably the Pirates, although they went into the weekend only four games out.

The Rockies have first baseman C.J. Cron performing well on a budget deal. Maybe that could make sense at some point.

Albert Pujols? Let’s not go down that road. Forget Yasiel Puig and all of his issues, too.

The Sox have some wiggle room with the luxury tax, roughly $3 million, to make additions from outside the organization. But for now the best option is to prod more out of Kiké Hernández, Marwin Gonzalez, Hunter Renfroe, and Christian Vázquez, and hope Bobby Dalbec or Franchy Cordero gets at least warm.

But at the moment, the Sox are a team divided. Mashers at the top of the order and easy outs at the bottom.

A few other observations about the Red Sox:

▪ Those two errors on Thursday aside, Devers has regained confidence in his defensive play. He’s moving more directly to the ball, his throwing has become more accurate, and he’s staying out of Bogaerts’s way on balls in the hole he can’t cut off.

When the Sox shift and Devers is alone on the left side of the infield, he looks comfortable on plays around second base.

The latest Defensive Runs Saved numbers have him at minus-2. If Devers can get to zero, essentially a neutral defender, that’s fine. His bat takes care of the rest.

▪ It feels like Chris Sale’s rehab after Tommy John surgery, going on 14 months, has been slow. But Noah Syndergaard, who had his surgery three days before Sale, isn’t back yet. Nor is Luis Severino, who had his surgery a month earlier than Sale.

Will Carroll, whose “Under The Knife” newsletter on injuries is invaluable, points out that while the rehab protocols haven’t changed, teams and individuals are being ultra conservative with pitchers.

▪ Through Friday, the Red Sox had an average game time of 3:12, tied for eighth longest in the majors. But that’s a big drop from 3:25 in 2019 and 3:20 in 2020.

Pitching coach Dave Bush has played a big role in that by encouraging pitchers to work at a quicker tempo. It’s obviously working for them in terms of results, too. Matt Barnes is Exhibit A.

▪ As the minor leagues get started, the Sox and other major league teams will only be able to draw call-ups from Triple A for the immediate future as those players are already under the same COVID-19 testing protocols as major league players.

A player called up from Double A would require a quarantine first.

Triple A teams also could be missing key players from time to time as MLB teams will be allowed to continue having taxi squads of as many as five players on the road to make unexpected additions easier.

Triple A teams will be allowed 33-man rosters as a result, with 28 active for games.

Injury rehabilitation assignments also must be done at Triple A for protocol purposes. So even if Triple A Worcester is on the road and Portland is home, a rehab player would join Worcester. This could have an effect on Sale once he starts his rehabilitation games.

ETC. It’s hard to end well, even for a Hall of Famer

There’s no reason to feel too badly for Albert Pujols, who was designated for assignment by the Angels on Thursday. He’ll get the remainder of the $30 million he is owed for this season, followed by a 10-year, $10 million personal services contract once the season is over.

His numbers are first-ballot Hall of Fame worthy — 3,253 hits, 667 home runs, and 2,112 RBIs. Only Henry Aaron and Babe Ruth drove in more runs.

But Pujols hit .198 this season and the Angels are a better team if Shohei Ohtani is the designated hitter and Jared Walsh plays first base. In the end, what helps the team is more important than sentiment.

Pujols wasn’t interested in being a bench player, the Angels said, so they let him go.

Two things came to mind after hearing the news.

The first was that the home run Pujols hit off Brad Lidge in Game 5 of the 2005 National League Championship Series remains the most astounding thing I’ve witnessed in person covering baseball.

With the Cardinals facing elimination, Pujols crushed a three-run shot to left field off Lidge in the ninth inning. The ball sailed over the train tracks above the seats at Minute Maid Park and would have left the park had the roof been open. The crowd was stunned into silence.

That’s not casually using an expression. It was dead quiet for a few seconds. Pujols later told writers who covered the Cardinals that he could hear his cleats hit the dirt as he rounded the bases.

“You saw some magic there, believe me,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said that night.

The series went back to St. Louis and the Astros won Game 6 behind Roy Oswalt. But that was an amazing moment.

My other immediate thought was that this news truly underlines just how much David Ortiz got it right.

Big Papi announced his retirement before the 2016 season, was celebrated across baseball, led the Red Sox into the playoffs with an All-Star season, and left the game without an ounce of regret.

Pujols deserved that kind of sendoff. Instead, a losing team decided it was better off without him. His $240 million deal with the Angels will be remembered as an all-time bust. Pujols made the All-Star team once, had a pedestrian .758 OPS, and the Angels never won a playoff game with him.

Via Instagram, Ortiz expressed his support for Pujols.

“I do not agree on the move that just happened,” he wrote. “That was devastating for fans and player. l know this is a business, but l was expecting someone like you to walk away like you deserve. You have done so much for baseball that is hard to replace someone like you.”

Pujols wants to keep playing and perhaps he will get a shot to finish on a better note. But, for now, his situation is a reminder that writing a graceful final chapter of a long career can be hard for even the most accomplished players.

Extra bases

Even for Angel Hernandez, baseball’s most notoriously bad umpire, this was something. During the Indians-Royals game Tuesday, Salvador Perez’s deep fly ball to right-center bounced off the glove of center fielder Harold Ramirez. Hernandez, who didn’t venture very far from first base to make the call, signaled Perez was out. Andrew Benintendi, who was on second base and understandably confused, got caught in a rundown and was tagged out. The umpires got together and decided to put Benintendi on third. Hernandez claimed later he was “basically blinded” by the scoreboard lights. “I had to come out with the call,” Hernandez said. “I basically guessed on the wrong call.” Indians manager Terry Francona, as usual, summed it up well: “I just kind of told Angel, ‘Why’s it always happening when you’re here?’ It’s aggravating, but I don’t think there was anything we could do. Believe me, I was thinking about it. I didn’t know.” . . . Through four starts, Ohtani allowed seven hits over 18⅔ innings, three fewer than the number of home runs he has hit this season . . . Former Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine is running for mayor of his hometown of Stamford, Conn., as an independent. Now 70, Valentine has been athletic director at Sacred Heart University since June 2013 . . . A day after former Orioles pitching coach and manager Ray Miller died, John Means threw the first solo no-hitter for Baltimore since Jim Palmer in 1969. Miller, who always preached the value of working fast, changing speeds, and throwing strikes, would have appreciated the 113-pitch, 12-strikeout gem . . . The Yankees have a Double A pitcher named Janson Junk. The headline writers at the New York Post must be rooting for him . . . Did you know that games can no longer be played under protest? It started last season. The feeling by MLB was that protests were largely cosmetic and rarely led to anything. There hadn’t been a protest upheld since 2014 when a rainout at Wrigley Field was overturned because the grounds crew was too slow in covering the field. Before that you have to go back to 1986 . . . The University of Hartford announced its intention to drop to Division 3 in all sports no later than 2025. What a shame for a baseball program that has sent three players to the majors: Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell, current Braves reliever Sean Newcomb, and former Indians and Red Sox infielder Earl Snyder . . . Del Crandall, the last living member of the Boston Braves, died Wednesday. He was 91. Crandall, a catcher, played in Boston from 1949-50 before the franchise left for Milwaukee. Crandall played 16 seasons in the majors, making the All-Star team in eight of those seasons, and went on to manage six seasons . . . After a year off because of the pandemic, Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) will host its Field of Dreams event at Fenway Park on June 16. The event, which started 24 years ago, brings together corporate teams for softball games to raise funds for ABCD’s SummerWorks jobs program for teenagers. Contact Liz McCarthy at (617) 620-6949 for more information about entering a team . . . Happy birthday to Floyd Robinson, who is 85. The outfielder played 23 games for the Red Sox in 1968. It was the end of a nine-year career that saw Robinson receive MVP votes every year from 1962-65 while a member of the White Sox. The Red Sox obtained Robinson from Oakland on July 31, 1968. He was 3 for 24, mostly as a reserve or pinch hitter.

Remembering Worcester’s long-ago history in the big leagues as baseball returns

Kevin Paul Dupont

The Worcester Red Sox officially unwrap Polar Park, their new gem of a ballyard with yesteryear touches, on Tuesday afternoon. Syracuse is in town for a six-game set.

It’s a big deal for the city of some 185,000, forever in the shadow of all things, sports and otherwise, related to the Hub of the Universe.

The locals sound eager to embrace their WooSox, stitch themselves into the cultural sports fabric that one day will have them boasting that they saw kids, predicted their fame and fortune, long before anyone else even guessed they’d make it to The Show.

A very long time ago, Worcester was The Show, with its own short-lived major league team, the Ruby Legs, and a southpaw hurler, J. Lee Richmond, whose exploits in the early 1880s still rank him among the game’s great iron arms.

A modest monument in Richmond’s honor still stands not too far from Polar Park, on the grounds of what was Driving Park, located then on the city’s sprawling Agricultural Fairgrounds. It was there, on the Saturday afternoon of June 12, 1880, that a 23-year-old Richmond fired the first perfect game in big league history.

The Baseball Hall of Fame has the 6-12-80 scorecard tucked away in its vast collection. Only 23 perfectos have been thrown in MLB history, and Richmond fired his in a season he went (hold on, this is not a typo) 32-32 and made 66 starts.

Again, that’s 66 starts. Richmond was both starter and closer, completing 57 of those starts. In fact, “closer” wasn’t part of the day’s discourse, and “opener” was used at a ballpark for bottled beer.

Richmond mowed through the requisite 27 batters, a feat so unique and splendid that the term “perfect game” had yet to become a hardball colloquialism. From a distance of 45 feet, the standard measurement of the day from mound to plate, he retired ‘em all with his assortment of confounding breaking balls (sinkers and risers) and deft changeup.

Final score: Worcester Ruby Legs 1, Cleveland Blues 0. The lone run came across when Cleveland’s Fred “Sure Shot” Dunlap chopped up a ball around second base for a pair of errors.

One can only wonder how many perfect games would be thrown today — and how fast games would be played — if pitchers wound up from 45 feet instead of today’s 60 feet 6 inches. Baseball bumped the mound out to 50 feet the following year.

Richmond, an Ohio kid who was just days shy of graduating from Brown University, appeared to give up a hit in the fifth when Cleveland first baseman Bill Phillips smacked a ball between first and second. It was an alert Lon Knight, the Ruby Legs’ right fielder, who scooped up the roller and fired to first ahead of Phillips. Batter out, 9-3. Not many of those, in games perfect or otherwise, even in Little League.

Per John R. Husman of the Society for American Baseball Research, the umpire that day was Medford- born Foghorn Bradley, who had played the 1876 season for the Boston Red Caps.

Bradley’s given name was George, but boy, I say boy, what self-respecting ump would go by George rather than Foghorn?

Richmond, about to graduate, spent the night prior to his perfect game celebrating on the Brown campus with friends and teammates. He played both football and baseball, was the 1880 class president, and became Brown’s first athletic Hall of Fame inductee.

On the morning of June 12, after being up all night, Richmond first played a baseball game (start time: 4:50 a.m., per Husman) with classmates in Providence prior to turning in at approximately 6:30 a.m. After a brief snooze, he was up to catch the 11:30 train to Worcester, and by dusk authored the first perfect game in major league history.

Richmond’s 1880 season with Worcester was his busiest in the bigs. He essentially was the Ruby Legs’ (sometimes referred to as the Worcesters) pitching staff and rotation, which was the day’s industry norm. In the franchise’s three years of existence, his name was on 80 percent of its victories. In 1880, at only 5 feet 10 inches and 142 pounds, he piled up a total 590⅔ innings.

Today, a major league workhorse will log in the range of 220-240 innings. Washington’s Stephen Strasburg led the bigs with 209 innings pitched in 2019. The last guy to crack 300 innings was the Phillies’ Steve Carlton in 1980, a century after Richmond’s Ruby Leg motherlode.

Yet keep in mind, nine other pitchers, all of them working in the late 19th century, posted seasons with more innings pitched than Richmond’s 590⅔.

Will White, a western New Yorker, holds the all-time mark with 680 innings pitched in 1879. Known as “Whoop-La” White, he played 10 years for the National League’s Cincinnati Reds and piled up more than 450 innings in a half-dozen of those seasons.

The granite marker in Richmond’s name stands roughly waist high and is now located in a tidy, groomed courtyard of Becker College, maybe a mile’s stroll northwest of Polar Park.

It’s quiet at Becker these days. The school announced some six weeks ago that it is closing its doors for good, another small private college gone under. A Globe reporter’s voicemail message left with a school PR contact, inquiring about the future of the humble monument, went unanswered.

Richmond, who began studying to be a physician immediately after the 1880 season, played in only 15 more games after the Ruby Legs folded after the 1882 season. He became a doctor and later an educator, teaching chemistry for years in the Ohio public school system. His lifetime mark: 75-100, across 1,583 innings, all but 119 of those tossed in his three years with the Worcesters.

Game time Tuesday at Polar Park is 3:05 p.m., roughly the same time of day J. Lee Richmond was spinning history for the Ruby Legs, back long ago when Worcester was the bigs.

Northeastern touts its ‘most tested’ class at Fenway Park

Lucas Phillips

Fenway Park played host Saturday to Northeastern University’s first in-person commencement since 2019, as students reflected on a difficult year that involved an upheaval of college life and relentless COVID-19 swabs.

“Your class has to be the most tested in history,” joked Northeastern president Joseph E. Aoun.

Bentley University was the first to hold a college commencement at Fenway last Saturday, according to the university, followed by Emerson College the day after. Suffolk University and at least 16 high schools also plan to host graduation ceremonies at the historic ballpark.

It was perhaps a sign of the times that the Northeastern student speaker began his speech with the question, “When do we get back to normal?”

Nathan Louis Hostert, a political science major from Kansas, told the crowd that the pandemic took a toll on his class.

“I think it is important to acknowledge what we went through,” he said. “This past year sucked.”

Yet Hostert also emphasized silver linings and concluded by urging the class to “make a new normal that we can all be proud of.”

Northeastern graduates were scattered on folding chairs set up in the outfield and in the stadium’s field- level seats during the first of the university’s three ceremonies Saturday, divided up to meet social distancing requirements.

The university’s pep band and small brass and woodwind ensembles played live from the bleachers and guests of the students were dispersed across the park’s other levels.

In many ways the ceremony was a traditional one, with speakers urging graduates to celebrate their accomplishments and do good in the world.

Still, there was no ignoring the ongoing pandemic, and one of the featured speakers was Rochelle Walensky, a leader in the Biden administration’s COVID-19 response. Like all the guest speakers outside the university, including Impossible Foods founder Patrick Brown and Boston Acting Mayor Kim Janey, she spoke via prerecorded video.

“Pause, look around at this stadium, and celebrate this moment,” said Walensky, who was chief of infectious diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital before being selected as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “While magnificent, I am certain it is not what you envisioned when you started on this experience.”

Walensky briefly spoke of her journey to the prominent national post she now holds, beginning from her work with AIDS patients. “When I was in your shoes, I can promise I would have never expected to be here. But you become who you are because of pivotal moments in your education and your training,” she said.

Before the ceremony, Edberg Andre, 30, who grew up in Dorchester and is graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering said “I’m glad Northeastern could pull this off.”

He carried a replica World Wrestling Entertainment heavyweight championship belt over one shoulder and said: “I’m a champion today.”

Some of last year’s graduates are still upset that they did not have an in-person ceremony, according to Bethlehem Ashagire, 22.

“They were pretty sad,” she said.

As for Ashagire, her feelings about graduation were far simpler as she walked into the ballpark: “I’m excited.”

Christopher Magana, 21, acknowledged that the “limited number of guests takes a way from it a little.”

Still, “It’s definitely better to walk than not,” he said, with his mother at his side.

Although students were allowed only a single guest inside the park, one extended family waited outside with face cutouts and matching hats. Nine family members had flown in from all parts of the country, including the West Coast, to be there.

“It’s amazing,” said Eloise Coly, 21, who also attended a virtual graduation in January, which she described as underwhelming. “I almost cried a few times.”

“It’s bittersweet,” added her mother Shirley Coly, 55, of Washington state, explaining that her husband — the graduate’s father — died in March. “My family rallied because we knew it would be kind of hard.”

Unlike most commencements, the event acknowledged the loss and hardship many endured over the past year.

“Virtually everything about what you expected your college experience to be was turned upside down in March of 2020 and it’s pretty much stayed that way ever since,” Governor Charles D. Baker said in prerecorded remarks played during the event.

“I do think the fact that you get to have the ceremony at Fenway Park is actually kind of a cool thing, but I’m sure if you had to trade that for everything else that happened over the course of last year, you’d probably be perfectly happy to do it back at your dorm.”

* The Boston Herald

Xander Bogaerts does it all, Red Sox pour it on in 11-6 win over Orioles

Steve Hewitt

For the first month of the season, the Red Sox jumped out to become the top offense in baseball largely on the back of the top of their lineup.

A week into May, the bottom of the order is starting to help them see how much better they can be.

During a stretch in which some of their biggest slumpers finally put an end to their skid, everyone — literally — had a hand in the Red Sox 11-6 victory over the Orioles on Saturday night at Camden Yards, which continues to be their own hitters’ paradise. Garrett Richards also threw seven solid innings and Xander Bogaerts had one of his best games on both sides of the ball in the Red Sox’ third straight win.

It was one of their best top-to-bottom offensive performances of the season. Every hitter in the starting lineup had either a hit or RBI by the fourth inning, and Rafael Devers was the only one not to record a hit on the night as the Red Sox ran away with one that was never really in doubt. Their 11-run outburst was the sixth time they’ve scored double-digit runs this year, third this month and they’ve now scored 44 runs in five games at Camden Yards this season, all victories.

“It was a good day offensively,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “It was a really good day, not only putting at-bats, but we ran the bases really, really well. We controlled the strike zone. We used the other side of the field. So, overall it was outstanding.”

Even Michael Chavis, activated Friday to replace the injured Kiké Hernandez, batted leadoff on Saturday and returned to the majors with a bang, hitting a two-run homer. He pumped his fist rounding first as he capped a four-run second inning, just the start of their fireworks.

A night after breaking his 0-for-27 slump with a three-hit game, Bobby Dalbec continued his momentum with a two-run, two-out single in the third. It was a strong night for the bottom of the lineup, as the Nos. 6- 9 hitters Christian Vazquez, Marwin Gonzalez, Hunter Renfroe and Dalbec combined for six hits and five RBI.

“It’s contagious,” Bogaerts said. “I feel like good things happen that way, and from top to bottom, I mean especially the bottom half of the lineup is a lot of talk about that. They’re getting on base and they’re doing a heck of a job. Obviously, being on base for the top of the order has been very nice and obviously just having a lot of traffic, that creates a lot of problems for the other team.”

The offensive cushion made things easy for Richards, who continued his impressive stretch since making a critical mechanical adjustment in his delivery. He worked around a few jams to finish with seven innings for the second time in his last three starts, which should be a big boost for a tired bullpen with eight games in a row ahead.

“It’s huge,” Richards said. “To go out there and grab another one (inning) right there at the end, it saves an arm. It kind of goes a long way.”

In his last three starts since making that adjustment, Richards has been what the Red Sox hoped for. In 19 innings, he’s allowed six earned runs and his control has been much better, with 22 strikeouts to just two walks.

He could give some credit to the defense behind him, especially Bogaerts. The shortstop blasted his seventh homer of the season, a deep two-run shot in the sixth that put the game out of reach at 11-2, but he saved his best for with his glove. He helped Richards get out of the fifth by assisting on a 3-6-3 double play started by Dalbec, but the highlight of the night came in the sixth.

The O’s had already scored two runs in the frame and were threatening to tack on more when Maikel Franco hit a hot shot to Bogaerts, who slid to his right to snag it before spinning, getting up and firing it to Chavis, who quickly turned it to Dalbec for the inning-ending twin killing.

Bogaerts wasn’t done, either, as he leapt high to grab a liner from Cedric Mullins to end the seventh, before he was taken out of the lopsided game.

Red Sox Notebook: Michael Chavis not looking to prove himself in return to majors

Steve Hewitt

Michael Chavis is back in the big leagues, and the circumstances are drastically different for him than when he was called up by the Red Sox two years ago.

One thing that didn’t change, though, was the feeling when he saw his name on the lineup card.

After not making the big-league roster coming out of spring training and starting the season in Worcester, the Red Sox recalled Chavis on Friday as they sent Kiké Hernandez to the injured list. He didn’t play in Friday’s win, but he was in Saturday’s lineup against the Orioles, batting leadoff and playing second base.

“As soon as I found out I was in the lineup today, I had a big old smile on my face,” Chavis said. “I called my family.”

Chavis was a wide-eyed rookie in 2019 when he made his debut. He made a strong first impression with 10 homers in his first 30 games but then struggled with inconsistency at the plate and ultimately finding a regular role on the team. There wasn’t any room for him on the roster when the Red Sox broke camp in March.

This time around, Chavis’ stint will likely only last until Hernandez is back. As a third-year player who has yet to earn an everyday role in the big leagues, Chavis recognizes the situation he’s in. The ultimate goal is to obviously find a steady place back in the majors, but he knows that’s not going to happen in 10 days.

“I asked our hitting coach (Tim Hyers) and I was like, ‘Do you think I should approach this 10-day stint as an opportunity to prove myself and maybe earn a spot?’” Chavis said. “And after really thinking about it with him and talking it through with him, I don’t think that’s the appropriate approach for my own mindset just because I think it’s going to cause me to kind of press or chase a result.

“I always talk about how staying process-oriented is not only just great for me, but in general just for sports. It’s the way you focus on getting those results and I feel like if I focused on what I had to prove in these 10 days, I wouldn’t be able to focus on the process leading up to that. It’s so easy to say I’m going to try and hit .500 and a bunch of home runs and not swing at bad pitches and everything like that, but the process is, I’m not going to swing at bad pitches, I’m going to have plate discipline and I’m going to focus on the process.”

Manager Alex Cora said Chavis has impressed in Worcester, though that comes with a caveat. He hasn’t seen consistent in-game at-bats, and though he’s seen live pitching at the alternate site, it hasn’t been under ideal circumstances with strangely structured sim games. But he put his biggest focus on staying as ready as he could, knowing an opportunity would eventually come.

With experience and prior lessons under his belt, nothing is really new for Chavis, who has a measured and mature approach as he makes something of a second impression in the majors.

“I know what to expect,” Chavis said. “I’ve been here before. The nerves are definitely a little bit less than my first time and I’m not absolutely terrified and unsure of everything that’s going to happen, so I definitely feel a little bit more comfortable.”

Sawamura scuffles

After a strong debut in which he gave up just one hit and no runs in his first big-league appearances, Hirokazu Sawamura has struggled since. The veteran Japanese reliever has a 6.00 ERA in his last eight appearances with four homers, including one in Friday’s win against the Orioles.

Cora said that one of the issues is the location of Sawamura’s fastball, which is down in the zone more than they’d like.

“We want him to elevate,” Cora said. (Friday), velocity was up, it was 97-98 but at this level, it seems like fastball down in the zone, that’s where they’re hunting and they put good swings on it. Besides that he’s been OK. … I think it’s just a slight adjustment, being able to elevate the fastball. I’m not saying just throw it up there all the time, you’ve got to get ahead but you can expand up. And then when he can go up, they get to the limit and then he can use that split, which I think has been playing better lately.

“I think that’s the next step, just to make sure where he uses his weapons, and I think that fastball should play up in the zone.”

Whitlock bounces back

Garrett Whitlock pitched two scoreless innings in Friday’s win, an encouraging outing after the rookie reliever allowed a game-winning three-run homer in Wednesday’s loss to the Tigers. But Cora didn’t want to overplay how much Friday’s performance would do for his confidence.

“It feels good to put up two zeroes but we have to be careful,” Cora said. “Talking about him struggling or not performing because of that inning (on Wednesday). For how cool it is for some people, it’s just man at second, no outs and a bloop and a blast is three runs. I think he’s still attacking the zone. You saw the movement of the pitches (Friday). He actually mixed up a few sliders, which is good, and he gave us a chance to rest the bullpen.”

Alex Cora says Xander Bogaerts is baseball’s best shortstop: ‘This guy is amazing’

Steve Hewitt

After Xander Bogaerts made a leaping catch, yet another highlight play to cap another outstanding performance, Jerry Remy made a quick quip on NESN’s game broadcast.

“Why doesn’t he do something tonight?” Remy joked.

It’s starting to become understandably comical how good Bogaerts has been this season.

In their 11-6 victory over the Orioles on Saturday night, the Red Sox’ franchise shortstop may have had his best all-around game of the season — and that’s saying something. He just about put the game to bed in the sixth inning, hitting a two-run homer to give the Red Sox an 11-2 lead before he flashed the leather with the play of the night, starting a highlight-reel double play to end the inning.

It was Bogaerts at his best. And afterward, his manager claimed him as just that among baseball’s shortstops. The best.

“He’s probably the best offensive shortstop in the big leagues, but whatever he touches, he turns into outs,” Alex Cora said. “Sometimes people get too caught up in the numbers, but overall the whole package, if he’s not the best shortstop in the big leagues, somebody needs to show me somebody else, to be honest with you. That’s how I feel about him. …

“This guy is amazing.”

It’s obviously lofty praise, of course. The list of the game’s best shortstops is loaded, and includes the likes of Fernando Tatis Jr., Francisco Lindor, Corey Seager, Trevor Story and others.

But right now, it’s hard to argue. After Saturday’s win, Bogaerts continues to lead shortstops in almost every major offensive statistical category, including hits (45, first in MLB), batting average (.357, fourth in MLB), on-base percentage (.400), slugging percentage (.603) and OPS (1.003).

He’s only getting better, including defensively. Though he has four errors this season, Bogaerts is making good on his spring training goal to become better with his glove. The play he made in the sixth was further evidence of that. He dove to his right to nab a hot shot from the Orioles’ Maikel Franco, spun around as he got back to his feet to make a throw to second baseman Michael Chavis, who made a quick turn to Bobby Dalbec at first for the sensational inning-ending twin killing.

It was a big play, too, as the Orioles had already scored twice in the sixth and were threatening to cut more into their deficit.

“That double play was nice,” Bogaerts said.

Bogaerts is too humble to call himself the best shortstop in the game. The position has been deep since he came into the league in 2013, and he recognized Tatis, Lindor, Seager, Story, Carlos Correa and Javier Baez as guys who entered the league after him and are considered among the sport’s best.

But none of them are touching Bogaerts, who continues to reach new levels of excellence.

“I just want to strive to get better,” Bogaerts said. “I want to go somewhere really high, and that’s what I expect of myself every day that I go out. I know every day I’m not going to have the best game or going to have a good game. I understand that, because I’ve been in the league for a while now you know you’re gonna have the ups and downs. I really want to be the best and I have that mentality of going out there and even surprising myself, I think just a good point for me, just aim high. …

“The shortstop (position) is really deep, man. And as I said, I expect a lot of myself, and I go out there and try to be the best and that’s just the mentality that I have every year.”

* MassLive.com

Michael Chavis blasts homer in return, Boston Red Sox beat Orioles; Xander Bogaerts also homers, makes two great plays on defense

Christopher Smith

BALTIMORE — Michael Chavis celebrated his return to the major leagues with a home run.

Chavis, who began 2021 at Triple-A Worcester and got recalled right before Friday’s game, crushed a two- run blast to left field off Orioles starter Zac Lowther on Saturday. It traveled 381 feet and gave Boston a 4- 1 lead in the second inning.

The Red Sox won 11-6 over the Orioles here at Camden Yards.

Boston scored four runs in the second inning, three runs in the third inning, two runs in the fourth and two runs in the sixth.

Everyone in Boston’s starting lineup, except for Rafael Devers, stroked at least one hit. Alex Verdugo and Xander Bogaerts each recorded three hits. Christian Vázquez and Hunter Renfroe each had two hits.

Bogaerts homers, make two excellent plays in field

Xander Bogaerts’ crushed a 414-foot, 106.2-mph two-run homer to left field in the sixth.

Bogaerts — who went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs — also had a strong game at shortstop.

The Orioles already had scored twice in the sixth and were threatening to score more runs against Garrett Richards. Baltimore had runners at first and second with one out.

Maikel Franco crushed a liner (107.9 mph off the bat) that Bogaerts fielded to his right despite the ball taking a quick, high hop. Bogaerts turned it into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Bogaerts then made a nice catch on Cedric Mullins’ 96 mph lineout to end the seventh.

Richards earns win

Red Sox starter Garrett Richards improved to 2-2 with a 4.54 ERA. He pitched 7 innings, allowing four runs, eight hits and one walk while striking out five.

Richards allowed six earned runs in 2 innings his first start this season April 4 at home against Baltimore. He has allowed 12 runs in 33 ⅔ innings (3.21 ERA) in six starts since then.

Boston Red Sox notebook: Michael Chavis blasts homer; Christian Vázquez (.455 in May) ‘changes complexion of lineup’

Christopher Smith

BALTIMORE — Michael Chavis called his family after seeing his name in the Red Sox’s lineup Saturday.

“As soon as I found out I was in the lineup today, I had a big, old smile on my face,” Chavis said.

Chavis, who Boston recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Friday, took advantage of his opportunity. He belted a 381-foot two-run homer to help lead the Red Sox 11-6 over the Orioles here at Camden Yards.

“Chavis, he comes up and gets a homer in his first game,” Xander Bogaerts said. “It’s contagious.”

The Red Sox stroked 14 hits. Everyone in Boston’s starting lineup, except for Rafael Devers, stroked at least one hit. Alex Verdugo and Bogaerts each recorded three hits. Christian Vázquez and Hunter Renfroe had two hits apiece.

“We controlled the strike zone,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We used the other side of the field. Overall, it was outstanding.”

Vázquez ‘changes this lineup’

Christian Vázquez went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs and one walk in Saturday’s win.

He is 10-for-22 (.455) with a .480 on-base percentage, .545 slugging percentage, two doubles, five runs, seven RBIs, two walks and two steals in six games during May.

Cora said Vázquez has the ability to “change the complexion of the lineup.”

“When Christian is just hitting line drives all over the place, it gets the line moving,” Cora said. “Sometimes he gets caught up on hitting the ball in the air and all that. Understandably so because he can do it. But when he starts spreading the ball all over the place and becomes the complete hitter, he changes this lineup.”

Richards pitches 7 innings

Red Sox starter Garrett Richards improved to 2-2 with a 4.54 ERA. He pitched 7 innings, allowing four runs, eight hits and one walk while striking out five.

“For him to go seven (innings) was huge,” Cora said. “We were able to reset our bullpen and now we are at full force tomorrow.”

The sixth inning was a struggle. Richards gave up two runs on three hits (two doubles) and one walk.

“I feel like I got caught up in us having a big lead right there in the sixth inning,” Richards said. “I wish I would have thrown more first-pitch breaking balls and kind of got guys off the fastball.”

Richards allowed six earned runs in 2 innings his first start April 4 at home against Baltimore. He has allowed 12 runs in 33 ⅔ innings (3.21 ERA) in six starts since then.

Red Sox want Sawamura to elevate fastball

Red Sox reliever Hirokazu Sawamura has allowed four homers in 14 ⅓ innings.

The rest of the Red Sox relievers has allowed eight homers in 108 ⅔ innings (entering Saturday).

“Fastballs down in the zone,” Cora said about the common denominator. “We have talked about it. We want him to elevate. (Friday) velocity was up. It was 97, 98 (mph). But at this level, it seems like fastballs down in the zone, that’s where they’re hunting.

“Besides that, he’s been OK,” Cora added. “Obviously the walks against lefties, it concerns you. Walks from the bullpen, it always concerns you. But I think it’s just a slight adjustment. Being able to elevate the fastball. I’m not saying just throw it up there all the time. You’ve got to get ahead. But you can expand up. And then if he goes up, they get to the limit, and then he can use that split, which I think has been playing better lately. I think that is the next step, just to make sure where to use his weapons. And I think that fastball should play up in the zone.”

Lineup construction

Michael Chavis, who has a .302 career on-base percentage, batted leadoff Saturday, one day after Marwin Gonzalez (.317 OBP) led off.

Kiké Hernández (.312 career OBP) had been hitting in the leadoff spot until he went on the IL because of a right hamstring strain.

Cora likes a right-handed hitter at the top so he can separate Alex Verdugo and Rafael Devers, both left- handed hitters. Verdugo has been batting second and Devers fifth.

But why not Verdugo at leadoff and Xander Bogaerts second?

Cora prefers Bogaerts always hitting behind No. 3 hitter J.D. Martinez.

“You saw what happened to us against Detroit,” Cora said. “J.D. got walked twice (intentionally) and they went to probably one of the best hitters (Bogaerts) in the big leagues. It’s not about protection. It’s about construction and how to manage the team against us. It seems like it’s pretty difficult for the opposition to manage the bullpen with this structure that we have.”

Boston Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts. who leads all major league shortstops in most offensive categories, ‘killed the bleeding’ with slick double play Saturday

Christopher Smith

BALTIMORE — Xander Bogaerts’ crushed a 414-foot, 106.2-mph two-run homer to left field in the sixth.

He went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs in Boston’s 11-6 win over the Orioles on Saturday here at Camden Yards.

Bogaerts leads all major league shortstops in batting average (.357), on-base percentage (.400), slugging percentage (.603), OPS (1.003), hits (45), doubles (10) and extra-base hits (17).

He also turned a pretty double play Saturday.

The Orioles already had scored twice in the sixth and were threatening to score more runs against Garrett Richards. Baltimore had runners at first and second with one out.

Maikel Franco crushed a liner (107.9 mph off the bat) that Bogaerts fielded to his right despite the ball taking a quick, high hop. Bogaerts turned it into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

“He’s probably the best offensive shortstop in the big leagues,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “But whatever he touches, he turns into outs. Sometimes people get too caught up on the (defensive) numbers. But overall the whole package, if he’s not the best shortstop in the big leagues, well, somebody needs to show me somebody else.”

Bogaerts was pumped about the play that ended the sixth.

“That double play was nice,” Bogaerts said. “I got really excited because obviously Richards was kind grinding in that inning. He threw some good pitches but guys were just putting up good at-bats, they were getting on base. And that kind of killed the bleeding a little bit. So that one was real nice.”

Bogaerts dealt with some shoulder soreness during spring training, limiting his time in the field before the regular season.

“I had a couple of rough games, especially early on,” Bogaerts said. “I didn’t play a lot of spring training in the field. It was a lot of DH. And I had a lot going on with my shoulder. I was so worried about my shoulder that my throws were going bad. I stopped using my legs. So I just had a lot going on mentally. Nothing like the yips or anything like that, but just mentally not being able to get the ball over there, it was always bouncing and (first baseman) Bobby (Dalbec) saved me a couple times early on with those throws that I made. But I started getting on a plan, start doing long toss.”

He said he also got on a shoulder strengthening program.

“A couple guys helped me out ... mostly the pitchers,” Bogaerts said. “It’s been helpful. I feel comfortable getting the ball over there.”

Michael Chavis, Boston Red Sox: ‘I had a big, old smile on my face and I called my family’ when I found I was in lineup Saturday

Christopher Smith

BALTIMORE — Michael Chavis will be in the Red Sox lineup for the first time this season Saturday. He’s leading off and playing second base.

Boston recalled Chavis on Friday to take Kiké Hernández’s spot on the active roster. Hernández was placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain.

“As soon as I found out I was in the lineup today, I had a big, old smile on my face and I called my family,” Chavis said.

Chavis struggled offensively during the second half of 2019 and throughout the shortened 2020 season. Christian Arroyo beat him out this spring training for the final position player Opening Day roster spot.

“I’m not sure if I’m here to prove anything,” Chavis said. “I think I’m here to do what I can do, take care of what I can control and that’s about it. ... I was talking yesterday and I asked our hitting coach, ‘Do you think I should approach this 10-day stint as an opportunity to prove myself and maybe earn a spot?’ After really thinking about it with him and talking it through with him, I don’t think that’s the appropriate approach for my own mindset. Just because I think it’s going to cause me to press or chase a result. And I always talk about staying process orientated.”

In his first 26 major league games, Chavis batted .296 with a .389 on-base percentage, .592 slugging percentage, .981 OPS, nine home runs, two doubles, 24 RBIs, 14 walks and 30 strikeouts (119 plate appearances). In 112 major league games since then, he has batted .228 with a .281 on-base percentage, .382 slugging percentage, 14 homers, 13 doubles, three triples, 53 RBIs, 25 walks and 147 strikeouts (427 plate appearances).

“I know what to expect. I’ve been here before,” Chavis said. “The nerves are definitely a little bit less than my first time. I’m not absolutely terrified and unsure of everything that’s going to happen.”

Manager Alex Cora said during spring training that he wanted Chavis to focus only on the infield (first, second and third). But Cora mentioned Friday that Chavis is available to play left field, too.

Chavis didn’t play left field at all at the alternate site.

“But I’ve communicated with our outfield coach and everything like that and communicated with AC as well,” he said. “Like I said before, I’m going to do whatever I can to get in the lineup. I want to play baseball. And if it means going out there and doing early work in left field every single day, that’s what I’m more than happy to do.”

Chavis said he feels “absolutely incredible” and more mobile after slimming down in the offseason.

“I’ve written in my notebook multiple times that I’m working on being comfortable, being uncomfortable,” he said. “And it sounds stupid, but for what it means for me is there’s going to be a bunch of times throughout my career and everybody’s career that there are going to be uncomfortable situations whether it’s stuff going on back home, stuff with the clubhouse. Whatever’s going on, there’s going to be times that you’re uncomfortable and you have to find a way to be comfortable. So that’s one thing I’ve been working on. And I think a lot of that is really just a mindset.”

Michael Chavis leading off in Boston Red Sox lineup vs. Orioles as he makes first start of 2021 season Saturday

Christopher Smith

BALTIMORE — Michael Chavis is leading off for the Boston Red Sox on Saturday. It’s his first start of the season after beginning the year at Triple-A Worcester.

Boston recalled him Friday to take Kiké Hernández’s spot on the active roster. Hernández was placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain.

“Christian (Arroyo) is not ready to play and we need right-handed bats against the left-handed pitcher,” Cora said Saturday.

Arroyo is dealing with a left hand contusion after being hit by a pitch Wednesday.

“He had a good spring. He was playing well in Worcester,” Cora said about Chavis. “And he’s going to get a chance today to get a few at-bats and make a difference.”

“As soon as I found out I was in the lineup today, I had a big, old smile on my face and I called my family,” Chavis said.

Chavis struggled offensively during the second half of 2019 and throughout the shortened 2020 season. Christian Arroyo beat him out this spring training for the final position player Opening Day roster spot.

“I’m not sure if I’m here to prove anything,” Chavis said. “I think I’m here to do what I can do, take care of what I can control and that’s about it. ... I was talking yesterday and I asked our hitting coach, ‘Do you think I should approach this 10-day stint as an opportunity to prove myself and maybe earn a spot?’ After really thinking about it with him and talking it through with him, I don’t think that’s the appropriate approach for my own mindset. Just because I think it’s going to cause me to press or chase a result. And I always talk about staying process orientated.”

Orioles lefty Zac Lowther will make his first major league start. He pitched a scoreless inning of relief earlier this season.

Garrett Richards will start for Boston. He has allowed just two earned runs in 12 innings over his past two starts. He has a 2.70 ERA and .220 batting average against in his last five starts after a tough first start to begin the season.

Boston Red Sox lineup:

1. Michael Chavis 2B

2. Alex Verdugo CF

3. J.D. Martinez DH

4. Xander Bogaerts SS

5. Rafael Devers 3B

6. Christian Vázquez C

7. Marwin Gonzalez LF

8. Hunter Renfroe RF

9. Bobby Dalbec 1B

Pitching matchup: RHP Garrett Richards (1-2, 4.40) vs. LHP Zac Lowther (0-0, 0.00)

Boston Red Sox’s Nick Pivetta received just one full JUCO scholarship from coach who never saw him pitch in person; ‘I wasn’t very good’

Christopher Smith

BALTIMORE — Righty Nick Pivetta enters his start against the Orioles on Sunday here at Camden Yards with the best ERA (3.23) among Red Sox starting pitchers.

He’s 6-0 with a 2.88 ERA in eight starts (40 ⅔ innings) since Boston acquired him with pitching prospect Connor Seabold from the Phillies for Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree last August.

“It’s just working through those struggles early on in my career that has gotten me to the point I am today,” Pivetta said. “So even all those things that happened to me weren’t the best, there were really great learning tools from it. What doesn’t beat you makes you stronger. That’s 100%.”

Pivetta’s path to the Red Sox’s starting rotation wasn’t exactly a smooth, easy one. He went from a lightly- recruited high school baseball player from Canada to a hard-throwing JUCO pitcher to a struggling big leaguer with the Phillies.

He had a 5.50 ERA in 92 outings (71 starts) for Philadelphia from 2017-20.

But things are clicking in Boston. Opponents are batting only .200 against him this year. The 28-year-old is 4-0 with a 3.31 FIP in six starts. Cutting down on walks is the one area that could use improvement.

“I love the guys here. They know how to win,” Pivetta said. “They know how to go about their business every single day. And I’ve learned a lot.”

Here are 10 things about Pivetta for fans to learn more about him. As he said, his path to where he is today even included some luck.

1. Pivetta’s only full scholarship came from junior coach who never saw him pitch

Pivetta, a Victoria, Canada native, received only one full college scholarship offer that came from head coach Josh Simpson at New Mexico Junior College. Simpson never saw Pivetta pitch in person before offering him.

“To be honest with you, I wasn’t very good when I was younger,” Pivetta said. “I actually hurt my elbow. But I had a good track record with the junior national team. And I believe he (Simpson) talked to a couple high school coaches at the time, in my area. And they vouched for me. I just got kind of lucky, to be honest with you. I didn’t have any D-1 interest. I went on a visit to another school but they only gave me a 75% scholarship. And Josh gave me 100%. Anytime I can go play baseball and go get an education in the states and not have to pay anything, that’s huge, right?”

Pivetta missed his high school senior season with an elbow injury.

“I just let it rest,” Pivetta said. “It was my whole last year of high school basically. And then I pitched a little bit in the summer.”

2. Pivetta enjoys the outdoors, especially fishing

Victoria, Canada is a known vacation spot for outdoor activities. It’s on the West Coast, within a few hours of Vancouver and Seattle.

“I camped a lot with my father,” Pivetta said. “We would go do that. Me and him would fish a lot. I skied and snowboarded a lot when I was younger. I was primarily outdoors a lot. It’s an island off the coast. It’s a large island. There’s a lot to do with outdoor stuff there. You take the ferry over and there’s Vancouver, which is a much larger city. There’s tons of stuff to do there, too. I was avid outside: mountain biking, skateboarding, basically you name it. I wasn’t a huge fan of wakeboarding but I liked to fish a lot. Fishing’s probably my No. 1 thing.”

According to Victoria’s tourism website, “A year-round temperate climate, rugged west coast shores and mountains, lush rainforest canopy and pacific breezes offer a natural environment tailor made for everything from hiking, cycling and kayaking, to diving, fishing, picnicking and even ziplining above the treetops.”

“I fish in the ocean or I go river fishing,” Pivetta said. “I love fishing in Florida as well.”

3. He can’t wait to explore Boston, Cape Cod

Pivetta is under contract through the 2024 season. So he will be in Boston for a while. He’s looking forward to exploring the state once life returns to normal post-COVID.

“I think the biggest thing is going out to eat, going to the museums, just going to really experience the city and the shops,” Pivetta said. “I want to go to beaches. I want to go to parks. There’s so much to do here. I can’t wait to go to the Cape. I really want to go down there. There’s a lot of restaurants I want to eat at. I think that’s probably the biggest thing.”

He and his wife Kristen like to walk around cities and find places to eat.

“Check them out and go eat,” Pivetta said. “I’ll eat any food. I’ve got a healthy palate.”

He and Kristen have a small dog, a Yorkshire Pomeranian.

“We like to get out in nature a lot, take advantage of that when I’m home,” Pivetta said. “It’s just getting out and just living. Living and breathing a normal life again, I think that’s what everybody wants. Not have to go outside and worry anymore.”

4. Pivetta’s stepdad got him into baseball

Pivetta’s parents got divorced when he was young.

“So I had my mom, my stepdad, my dad and my stepmom,” he said. “So actually my stepfather was the one who really got me into baseball. We had a baseball park up across like a road and then there’s a farm. On the other side of the farm, it’s Layritz Park on a hill. And that’s where I started playing baseball at a young age. I played there until I was 12 years old. And then I played in the PBL, which is the Pacific Baseball League for the rest of the time.”

While Pivetta and his father participated in outdoor activities like camping and fishing, he and his stepdad shared baseball.

“My stepfather, he was the one who introduced me to baseball and we just did it as fun,” Pivetta said. “It was always me going to him, saying, ‘Can we go play catch? Can we go and hit balls?’ We’d go up to the baseball park and he’d throw me BP. Stuff like that. It was never forced upon. It just naturally happened.”

Pivetta said having a strong relationship with both sets of parents was really important.

“My mom was the leader in all of that,” Pivetta said. “She wanted to make sure that I had every aspect growing up. My dad moved off the island from when I was 8 or 9 until when I was about 18. So I would go over to Vancouver, then I would stay on the island to go to school. So I went back and forth.”

5. Struggles weighed on him

Pivetta always has showed a ton of potential with a mid-90s fastball and spin on his breaking ball. And although he has worked hard to get results — he even spent an offseason training in Los Angeles with Noah Syndergaard, Jack Flaherty and Lucas Giolito (Philadelphia Inquirer) — the statistics weren’t always there with Philadelphia.

“I’s an honor to play baseball every single day. But there’s always 100 guys trying to take your job every single day, too, right?” Pivetta said. “The position you’re in isn’t necessarily the most healthy mentally. It becomes hard. And it doesn’t become fun in a sense anymore because it turns more into a business and a job than a pleasure and a fun and a game.

“You’ve just kind of got to grind through it,” he added. “You’ve got to take your licks and you’ve got to get mentally tough. This game’s not easy. But it’s a ton of fun.”

WEEI’s Lou Merloni and others have pointed out on Twitter that Pivetta has a similar intense attitude to Porcello when he’s pitching. Porcello also is an avid fisher.

“Yeah, I heard. I probably would have gotten along with him very well,” Pivetta said.

6. Pivetta’s velocity jumped his sophomore year at New Mexico Junior College

Pivetta’s four-seam fastball has averaged 94.5 mph this season, per Baseball Savant.

“I went (to New Mexico Junior College) and got better as the years progressed,” Pivetta said. “I didn’t really get better until my second year of junior college.”

What led to the jump?

“I think I was just training a little bit more,” Pivetta said. “I grew a little bit I think. I just progressed. It was just a progression. And then my velocity just went up.”

Pivetta said a career in professional baseball wasn’t even something he really considered until the Nationals selected him in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB Draft. (Washington traded him to the Phillies in July 2015 for Jonathan Papelbon).

“It doesn’t become a reality until you get drafted and you’re there and you’re in the professional system,” he said. “I was just a kid from Canada playing college ball. I just play baseball because I like to play baseball. Of course, obviously, everybody says they want to make it to the big leagues and they want to play professional baseball. That’s always the goal. But I just enjoyed playing baseball. It’s just fun.”

7. Pivetta watched 4 p.m. Blue Jays games in between school, baseball practice

Pivetta grew up a big fan of Hall of Famer Roy Halladay, who pitched for the Blue Jays from 1998-2009.

The righty also enjoyed watching former Blue Jays hurlers Mark Buehrle and A.J. Burnett.

“The (Blue Jays) games are always on at 4 o’clock every day during the season because it’s a three-hour difference,” Pivetta said. “So I would come home after school, 4 o’clock, watch the Blue Jays game for as much as I could before I had to go to practice.”

8. Josh Beckett also was one of his favorite pitchers

“I actually watched quite a few Red Sox games, too, right?” he said.

The Blue Jays and Red Sox play 19 times a year being in the same division.

“Josh Beckett was one of my favorite pitchers growing up,” Pivetta said.

Pivetta watched Blue Jays games but he preferred being outdoors.

“I was off doing a lot of other things at the time,” Pivetta said. “As much as I loved baseball, I watch it way more now than I ever have.”

9. First MLB game he attended was at Seattle

Pivetta attended his first major league game as a high schooler at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, then Safeco Field. He went on an overnight trip to Seattle with his baseball academy.

“There’s a ferry that goes from downtown Victoria to downtown Seattle,” Pivetta said. “It’s called The Clipper. So it takes like two hours. It’s a walk-on ferry, no cars. We stayed the night, watched the game and then came back the next day.”

10. He never played hockey but he loves watching it

Yes, he’s from Canada but no, never played hockey.

“No, not a second of hockey,” Pivetta said. “I wasn’t physical enough as a kid and I didn’t like getting up at 6 a.m.

“I love watching hockey in person,” he added. “I think it’s one of the best sports to watch in person. My dad was a pretty big hockey fan. I would watch the Canucks game here and there if it was on. But if it was between me going outside and playing and watching a hockey game, I was probably outside playing.”

* RedSox.com

Bats erupt for 11 runs in rout of Orioles

Ian Browne

There have already been four big league no-hitters this season. Entering the day, MLB had a cumulative average of .233. It seems that hitting has never been harder than it is these days.

All of this makes what the Red Sox are doing even more impressive.

They did it again on Saturday with a well-rounded batting barrage that toppled the Orioles, 11-6, at Camden Yards.

“We’ve been very disciplined,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “We understand who we are, and we understand we’re going to hit the ball in the air and we can hit home runs. But at the same time, we’ve been talking about it since Spring Training -- put the ball in play in certain situations. And we’ve been doing a good job.”

“I do believe when your best players buy into the concept, that’s what happens. J.D. [Martinez], for how great of a slugger he is, he gets his singles. He goes the other way. He goes up the middle. When your best hitters do that, I think everybody buys into the concept, and we’ve done a pretty good job the first 30- something games.”

Good enough that Boston’s 21-13 record is the best in MLB.

“Amazing, man. Absolutely amazing,” said winning pitcher Garrett Richards. “I mean, these guys, this team in general, you guys have seen it for a month and a half now, it’s a really good team. We’re not weak in very many areas and I think it’s still early. I don’t even think we’ve peaked yet. We just show up every day with the mindset that we’re going to win today.”

Unlike much of the season, when Boston’s production was largely dependent on the fearsome two through five hitters (Alex Verdugo, Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers), the lineup is now producing from top to bottom.

Never was that more evident than Saturday, when the Sox had 11 runs by the sixth inning.

The contributions came from the expected (Verdugo, Bogaerts, Christian Vázquez) to the not-as-expected (Michael Chavis).

Bogaerts hit a prodigious home run (Statcast-projected 414 feet to left) as part of his three-hit night. Verdugo also added three hits. Vázquez scored twice, had two hits and drove in two. Hunter Renfroe had two hits, an RBI and a run scored. And Chavis, playing in his first Major League game of the year after being recalled from Triple-A on Friday, led off and smashed a two-run homer.

“Chavis, he comes up and he gets a homer his first game,” said Bogaerts. “I mean it's just, it's contagious, surrounding him with good hitters. I feel like good things happen that way, you know, and from top to bottom. I mean, especially the bottom half of the lineup. There was a lot of talk about that [earlier]. Now they're getting on base and they're doing a heck of a job. Obviously, being on base for the top of the order has been very nice and just having a lot of traffic, that creates a lot of problems for the other team.”

Riding the wave of offense was Richards, who made an easy night for the bullpen by going seven innings.

“It’s huge,” said Richards. “I can go out there and eat as many innings as possible and try to save as many arms in the bullpen. Especially with the lead, I can go out there and throw one more inning out there in the seventh. That was kind of my mindset, continue to attack the zone and get outs.”

Then there is the offense, which continues to pile up runs and hits.

The Red Sox lead the Majors in runs (183), hits (312), doubles (76), RBIs (166), average (.269), slugging percentage (.445) and OPS (.779).

“It’s really fun to watch,” said Richards. “It’s really cool to be a part of on a daily basis just the way everybody’s going about their business and knowing where we stand in this league. We have a very good baseball team and we’re trying to make it all the way to the end.”

Cora, Sawamura have plan to reduce homers

Ian Browne

While Hirokazu Sawamura continues to make progress in his first season in the Major Leagues, one issue for the Japanese reliever has been the long ball.

In Friday’s 6-2 win over the Orioles, Sawamura gave up his fourth home run in 13 appearances. Among Red Sox pitchers, only Eduardo Rodriguez, who is a starting pitcher with more than twice as many innings as Sawamura, has given up more.

The good news is that Red Sox manager Alex Cora thinks there is a solution within reach.

“Fastball is down in the zone. That's something that we have talked about,” said Cora.

Back in the day, pitchers would try to keep the ball down in hopes of getting a ground ball instead of a more damaging hit. Those days seem to be over.

“Actually, we want him to elevate,” said Cora. “[Friday], his velocity was up, it was 97-98 [mph]. But at this level, it seems like fastball down in the zone, that's where they're hunting and they put good swings on it. Besides that he's been OK.”

To get to the point where Cora uses him in higher leverage situations, Sawamura might just need to make subtle adjustments.

“Obviously, the walks against lefties, it concerns you,” said Cora “Walks from the bullpen, it always concerns you. But I think it's just a slight adjustment, you know, being able to elevate the fastball. I’m not saying, just throw it up there all the time, you’ve got to get ahead, but you can expand up.

“And then when he can go up, they get to the limit and then he can use that split, which I think has been playing better lately. So I think that's the next step, just to make sure where to use his weapons, and I think that fastball should play up in the zone.”

Chavis leads off in first game back

A day after Michael Chavis was recalled from Triple-A Worcester to replace Kiké Hernández (10-day injured list with right hamstring strain) on the roster, he was inserted into the lineup in the leadoff spot for Saturday night’s game. Chavis was available on Friday, but didn’t play.

“As soon as I found out I was in the lineup today, I had a big old smile on my face. I called my family,” Chavis said.

Had his career progressed the way he had planned to this point, Chavis would not have started the season at the alternate site and Triple-A. Now that he has a second chance, Chavis is going to do his best not to press.

“I was talking yesterday and I asked our hitting coach, ‘Do you think I should approach this 10-day stint as an opportunity to prove myself and maybe earn a spot?’” Chavis said. “And after really thinking about it with him and talking it through with him, I don’t think that’s the appropriate approach for my own mindset, just because I think it’s going to cause me to kind of press or chase a result. I always talk about how staying process-oriented is not only just great for me, but in general for spots.

“It’s so easy to say I’m going to try and hit .500 and hit a bunch of home runs and not swing at bad pitches and everything like that, but the process is, I’m not going to swing at bad pitches, I’m going to have plate discipline and I’m going to focus on the process.”

Why not Verdugo at leadoff?

While Twitter has been full of Red Sox fans who want Alex Verdugo to lead off, Cora has steadfastly declined that idea and kept his invaluable outfielder in the No. 2 hole.

The reason is that he wants to keep his two through five combo of Verdugo, J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers in that order.

“You saw what happened the series against Detroit,” said Cora. “J.D. got walked twice, and they went to probably one of the best hitters in the big leagues [in Bogaerts], so it's not about protection, it's about construction and how to manage the team against us and it seems like it's pretty difficult for the opposition to manage their bullpen with this structure that we have.”

Cora family gets its passion from matriarch

Ian Browne

For Red Sox manager Alex Cora and his older brother Joey, who is the third-base coach for the Pirates, there is no mystery who they will see a text from when they wake up each morning.

“We have the family group text -- and every day at six in the morning back home [in Puerto Rico], it might be three in the morning on the West Coast or whatever, it’s ‘Good morning’ and we have to make sure we answer whenever we get up,” said Alex Cora. “It’s like, ‘Good morning’ and she blows a kiss [emoji] and then the day goes.”

That author of those texts? Iris Amaro. She is the proud, 81-year-old mother of two baseball sons, plus a daughter, Lydia, who runs a medical lab that has left her particularly busy during COVID-19 and another daughter, Aimee, who is a prominent public-relations official for radio and television outlets in Puerto Rico.

Of the 10 grandkids that Iris has, the ones who are old enough to text are also on the group text.

After the morning pleasantries, baseball often becomes part of the communication at some point in the day.

“She loves the game,” said Joey Cora. “She knows who is good, who is bad and all the intricacies of the game. You can have a really good conversation about the game. She’s not a regular fan -- she’s deeper than that. When you’re involved like Alex and I, the conversations are a little more intense -- and she is into it.”

This is the ultimate baseball family -- and nobody, not even Alex or Joey, has more passion for the game than Iris.

For Mother's Day, Iris will be up for her usual morning walk. But by the time the Red Sox play the Orioles in Baltimore at 1 p.m. ET, and the Pirates start their game at Wrigley Field at 2:20 p.m. ET, Iris will have the television tuned to the proper stations.

“She makes sure she gets her MLB package,” said Alex Cora. “And it’s not to watch all the games. She wants to watch the Pirates and the Red Sox. That's it. She could care less about anybody else.”

Iris glues herself to the nuances of the games her sons are involved in and she roots for the Red Sox and Pirates to go 2-0 every day. However, Joey chuckles about the priority viewing.

“She watches Alex’s game and, I guess, in like ... a little box in a corner [of the screen], she watches our game, too, you know, whenever she can,” Joey said.

However, Alex notes that when he was suspended for the 2020 season and home with his mother in Caguas, she was always watching the Pirates and not the Red Sox.

“For how much she cares about the organization, she didn’t pay attention to Red Sox last year. It was about the Pirates,” Alex said. “She’s just pulling for her kids and she wants us to do well -- and this is what we like to do and we have a passion about it and she backs us. She's always there for us.”

****

In the late 1980s, Alex was just 13 when his father José Manuel Cora died of colon cancer. Prior to that, José had helped to instill baseball passion in the entire family when he started a Little League chapter in Caguas in 1969. José was the president of that league for years.

“But she was a big part of it,” said Alex. “She had to give the green light for him to spend so much time with [Little League] kids and all that.”

Sensing how important baseball was to Joey and Alex, Iris smartly used it as a tool to make sure the boys were keeping in line with their other responsibilities in life.

“When we were out of line with something else, she took [baseball] away,” said Joey. “She knew what buttons to press at the right time. But she was there for us the whole time. At times, it was tough [for her to get there], obviously. She worked and everything. But she was there every time she needed to be there and could be there. She was always there for us.”

Joey was already in the United States starting his professional career in the Padres organization when José died.

At that point, Alex needed his mother and sisters more than ever -- and they consistently delivered.

“It was actually the women of the house, my two sisters and my mom, just taking me everywhere until I took off for college,” said Alex. “She impacted all of us, my mother did. But for the three of them to take charge [of me], they had to do it. Somebody had to take me to the ballpark, somebody had to teach me what I needed to do to keep going and fulfill my dream, and obviously I had my brother, you know, watching from afar. But for them to be present and do what they did, it was amazing.”

*****

Though losing his father was a crushing blow, Alex Cora has mostly lived a blessed baseball life. He followed in his brother’s footsteps and had a 14-year playing career that included stints with the Dodgers, Indians, Red Sox, Mets, Rangers and Nationals. In 2007, he was part of a World Series-winning Boston team and made close friends for life from that squad in Mike Lowell and Dustin Pedroia.

In Alex’s one season as bench coach for the Astros, Houston won the World Series. Alex then had another dream come true when the Red Sox hired him to be their manager. Things couldn’t get any better when, with Alex Cora at the helm, the Red Sox set a franchise record with 108 wins in 2018 and ran roughshod in the postseason, going 11-1, to win the World Series.

But the storm clouds came for Alex in January of 2020 and they were heavy. When MLB released the results of an investigation of sign-stealing involving the ’17 Astros, he was implicated in the report as a key contributor to the scheme in which players would use technology to let other players know what pitch was coming.

Alex Cora and the Red Sox talked it over and decided it was best for both sides if they parted ways. That was a few months before MLB would rule Cora wasn’t involved in a more minor sign-stealing investigation involving the 2018 Red Sox. Still, Cora was suspended for the entirety of the '20 baseball season for his actions in Houston.

Alex knew what the reaction would be like from the general public and he could live with whatever came his way. But what meant the most to him is how his mother handled the situation.

“We talked and, obviously, I actually said something about being embarrassed in an interview back home,” said Alex Cora. “And she's like, ‘I'm not embarrassed, we are disappointed. But we still have you, we’re still going to walk with our chin up high, you made a mistake, and you’re paying for it. That doesn’t mean you’re a bad kid or you’re a bad person. You just made a bad choice. But you will be fine, you know you've done it before and we're always going to back you up, regardless of what happens from now on.’”

That’s called unconditional love -- and Iris proved to Alex how powerful that can be in the summer of 2020.

“She was there for me. She's been there for me the whole time,” said Alex Cora. “I’ve made some good choices throughout my life and bad choices throughout my life, and she’s mom. She's the one that’s gonna discipline me when I [need it] and she’ll give me a hug when I need it, too. I think last year for her was about just making sure I was OK. And I was OK. I knew I was gonna be OK. But from my end, I was like, 'I want them to be OK, I want her to be OK.' ... That was my one of my biggest worries and she was OK.”

*****

It turns out that Iris Amaro is better than OK these days. Alex got a second chance to manage the Red Sox and they are off to a strong start. Joey is still doing his things with the rebuilding Pirates.

By the way, Iris is a big fan of the 2021 Sox.

“She loves the fact that our team is very passionate. We have fun doing it. She knows that,” said Alex Cora. “She likes what she sees, and she told me right way. She’s like, ‘You have a good team. They care. They’re slamming helmets after a bad call or a bad at-bat.’ She's really enjoying this team, not because of the record but just the passion that we show.”

That’s because Iris has that same passion, even if it doesn’t manifest in helmet throwing.

Aside from her daily walks and viewing of the Red Sox and Pirates, Iris is known for her involvement in her church and taking elderly people to medical visits.

“I’m telling you, it’s amazing,” said Alex Cora. “I’m not saying it because she’s my mom. She just keeps going. She looks younger at 81 than she did ... 10 years ago. Her doctor, who lives in my neighborhood, sent me a text the other day and [said] she might live until she’s 200 the way she is right now.”

“She’s a fan of the game and all that stuff. But at the end of the day, we’re her four kids and whatever we do -- Red Sox, Pirates or whatever our sisters are doing -- she wants to make sure we're doing well as human beings,” said Joey Cora.

* WEEI.com

The Red Sox own the best record in MLB. But are they actually the best team?

Rob Bradford

Analytics show that there is no team in Major League Baseball better than the Red Sox. By analytics, of course, we mean wins and losses.

With their 11-6 win over the Orioles Saturday night, the Sox keep the best record in all of MLB, sitting at 21-3, 1/2-game better than the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's.

“Amazing, man. Absolutely amazing," said Garrett Richards, who claimed the win Saturday night. "I mean, these guys, this team in general, you guys have seen it for a month and a half now, it’s a really good team, man. We’re not weak in very many areas and I think it’s still early. I don’t even think we’ve peaked yet. It’s encouraging, man. We just show up every day with the mindset that we’re going to win today. We’re worried about the game today and we’re worried about tomorrow, tomorrow. It’s really fun to watch. It’s really cool to be a part of on a daily basis just the way everybody’s going about their business and knowing where we stand in this league, we have a very, very, very good baseball team and we’re trying to make it all the way to the end.”

So, there you have it. Best team in baseball. Or are they?

Put it this way, a case can be made. And heading into the 2021 season, with the likes of the Dodgers, Padres, Cardinals, Mets, White Sox, Yankees and Blue Jays seemingly getting fat in the offseason, such a notion wouldn't seem plausible by the time he hit Mother's Day.

But here we are, watching a Red Sox team that is just not flawed enough to be in a conversation few saw coming.

How is this happening. Well ...

- The Red Sox carry the kind of middle-of-the-order foundation even Chaim Bloom and Co. probably didn't see coming. They are one of two teams with three regulars (J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers) owning OPS over .900, with No. 2 hitter, Alex Verdugo not far behind what a .311 batting average and .856 OPS. That has been, undoubtedly, the biggest separator when it comes to this first-place team.

- The starting rotation has been good enough from top to bottom. That might not sound sexy, but understand the importance of feeling as though you actually have a chance each time one of your five starters pitch. The Red Sox' starters have more wins (15) than any team in baseball, eight more than the shock-and-awe group put together by the Padres.

- They have one of the game's best closers in Matt Barnes. And while getting to him might sometimes seem dicey, at least there are the kind of pieces -- particularly when it comes to multi-inning options (Garrett Whitlock, Matt Andriese) -- that are simply a must when looking to function at a high level.

- It is a team that fights back. This seems like a small thing, but it is also an element that can define success or failure.

- And, perhaps most importantly, there simply aren't any teams in big league baseball that are going to blow your socks off. The Dodgers were supposed to be the fail-safe when it comes to that line of thinking, but they have been trudging to an 18-16 record while fending off injuries. Everyone else? They all have their own unique problems.

There will be some of these teams that start to separate themselves, figuring things out while keeping a keen eye on the trade deadline. But who is to say one of those clubs isn't this current best team in baseball?

The Red Sox, for instance, have the best team batting average in baseball while scoring the most runs of any team. Yet, by the time they left Camden Yards after their latest win it was a club that owned five players who were hitting .239 or worse while playing the majority of the time.

That would seem to be something that might get a bit better. As, most likely, will other corners of concern on this roster.

It is undoubtedly much more of a work-in-progress-type team than the one Alex Cora guided in 2018. (And, believe or not, that club was actually in second-place behind the Yankees on May 9 that season.)

But make not mistake about it: It sure is easier to fix any of those leaks while you're riding this kind of wave.

* BostonSportsJournal.com

Final: Red Sox 11, Orioles 6

Sean McAdam

Pounding out 14 hits — including two homers — the Red Sox scored nine runs in the first four innings and went on to paste the Baltimore Orioles, 11-4, their third win in a row.

Michael Chavis (No. 1) and Xander Bogaerts (No. 7) hit homers for the Sox, who had four players collect multiple hits.

Garrett Richards went seven innings to qualify for his second victory of the season.

WHO: Red Sox (20-13) vs. Baltimore Orioles (15-17) WHEN: 7:05 p.m. WHERE: Oriole Park at Camden Yards SEASON SERIES TO DATE: Red Sox 4-3 STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Garrett Richards (1-2, 4.40) vs. LHP Zac Lowther (0-0, 0.00) TV/RADIO: NESN; 93.7 WEEI-FM

LINEUPS

RED SOX

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

ORIOLES

Mullins CF Hays LF Mancini 1B Stewart RF Mountcastle DH Galvis SS Franco 3B Sisco C Ruiz 2B

IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:

B6: Superb glove work all around, as Bogaerts backhands a rocket, flips to Chavis who makes a nice turn and Dalbec finishes it by digging out a throw.

T6: Bogaerts belts a two-run homer to left, his seventh homer in the last 15 games after going the first games without one.

B5: Nicely turned double play as Bogaerts bounces a return throw to first just in time to nab Rio Ruiz at first.

B4: Richards shows some athleticism in coming off the mound to track down a dribbler, then makes a strong throw to first to nab Maikel Franco.

T4: The beating continues, as even the lone out this inning was productive scoring a run. The Sox have 12 hits already and everything’s falling in.

T4: Alex Verdugo saw his on-base streak snapped at 24 straight games Friday night, but he’s starting another one in earnest with three hits in his first three plate appearances.

B3: Though he’s given up two runs in the first three innings, Richards has been very efficient with his pitches, with just 35 thrown. That could help him get through six or seven and give the bullpen (mostly) a night off.

T3: Bobby Dalbec strikes again. After a homer Friday night, he strokes a line single to left, scoring two. That’s five RBI in this series for the first baseman.

T3: Red Sox keep piling up the baserunners. An infield single from Xander Bogaerts, a walk to Rafael Devers and a single to center by Vazquez scores Bogaerts. That it’s for Lowther. Shawn Armstrong on.

B2: Impressive at-bat for Freddy Galvis, who went with a curveball outside the strike zone and flicked it down the left field line for a solo homer.

T2: Michael Chavis announces his return to the lineup by crushing a changeup up and away, just clearing the wall. Very quickly, the Sox have erased a 1-0 deficit and have themselves four runs in the second off rookie Zac Lowther.

T2: Hunter Renfroe continues to use the whole field, going back up the middle with a run-scoring single, scoring Gonzalez from second. That’s eight RBI in May for Renfroe,

T2: Some sloppiness on the part of the Orioles helps contributes to a tying run for the Sox. With Christian Vazquez at first with a walk, Marwin Gonzalez reached out and slapped a liner to right for a double. But Stewart’s throw bounced around the middle of the infield and enabled Vazquez to score from third.

B1: D.J. Stewart serves a liner into center for a run-scoring single as Cedric Mullins scores from first.

PRE-GAME STATS: The Red Sox have the best record in baseball, at 20-13 (.606)…They’re 20-10 since losing the opening series of the season and are 5-1-3 in their last nine series….The Sox’ +30 run differential ranks third in the league…Their .714 road winning percentage is the best in the majors (10- 4)…Red Sox pitchers have a road ERA of 3.17, which is second only to Baltimore’s 3.11…Offensively, the Red Sox lead the majors in runs (172), batting average (.266), slugging percentage (.443), OPS (.774), doubles (75), and extra-base hits (117)…They’ve also struck out in just 21.8% of their plate appearances, the third-best mark in the majors…..The Sox have scored five or more runs in six of their last seven games for a total of 49 runs…In that span, they’re batting .282 with 12 HR and an .828 OPS…The Sox are one of three teams in the majors to have at least 5 players with 15 or more RBI: J.D. Martinez (31), Rafael Devers (24), Xander Bogaerts (18), Alex Verdugo (16), and Hunter Renfroe (15)…Bogaerts leads the majors in hits (42) and is fifth in batting average (.344)…He leads all shortstops in AVG (.344), OBP (.389), slugging percentage (.574), OPS (.963), doubles (10), and extra-base hits (16). …Meanwhile, Martinez leads the majors in RBI (31) and total bases (81) and is tied for the lead in homers (10)… He leads the AL in runs scored with 28..He ranks second in the majors in hits (41), third in extra-base hits (20), slugging percentage (.675), and OPS (1.098), fourth in OBP (.423), and seventh in AVG (.342)….Bobby Dalbec is only the 12th Red Sox player ever to hit at least 10 HR in his first 50 career games….: The visiting team has won each of the last eight meetings between the Red Sox and Orioles, including all seven games in 2021…The Sox own the highest wining percentage at Camden Yards (.605) among AL teams, going 144- 94 from 1992 to the present…Sox pitchers have allowed only 0.71 HR/9.0 IP, the second-fewest in the majors, trailing only the Yankees at 0.68…They have allowed multiple HR only six times and are the only team yet to allow as many as three homers in a game….Cedric Mullins is 3-for-5 lifetime against Garrett Richards while Trey Mancini is 2-for-5 with a homer…Christian Vazquez has a five-game hitting streak in place and has had at least one RBI in four of his last five games…Marwin Gonzalez also has an active five- game hitting streak.

NOTES

Michael Chavis, added to the roster right before gametime Friday to replace Kike Hernandez (hamstring), who was placed on the IL, is at second base and hitting leadoff. “I’m not sure I’m if here to prove anything,” said Chavis. “I think I’m here to do what I can do, control what I can control and that’s about it. I feel if I’m focused on what I need to prove in these 10 days, I wouldn’t be able to focus on the process. It’s easy to say I’m going to try to hit .500, hit a bunch of homers and not swing at bad pitches. But the process is, I’m not going to swing at bad pitches, I’m going to focus on plate discipline and focus on the process.”

Alex Cora on Chavis: “He had a good spring, he was playing well in Worcester and he’s going to get a chance today to get a few at-bats and make a difference.”

Hirokazu Sawamura was touched for a homer Friday night and has allowed four in 14.1 innings. Cora sees fastballs down in the zone as the pitch most often coming back to bite Sawamura. “We have talked about it,” Cora said. “We want him to elevate. At this level, it seems like fastballs down in the zone, that’s what (hitters) are hinting and they put good swings on it. I think it’s just a slight adjustment — being able to elevate the fastball. You have to get ahead, but then he can expand up. Then, when he goes up, they get to the limit, and then he can use that split-finger, which I think has been playing better lately.”

The Sox have had their starters provide five or more innings in 25 of their first 33 games, but Cora would like to see more starts of six innings instead five. “Six innings would be perfect,” said Cora. “A quality start, that would be great. But right now, we’re not getting that. Hopefully, we start turning the corer and start getting there. I think that’s the next step — for them to go deeper into games.”

BSJ Game Report: Red Sox 11, Orioles 6 – Sox hitters tee off, enjoy easy win

Sean McAdam

All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox’ win over the Orioles, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:

HEADLINES

Everybody hits — including the bottom half: For most of the season, the Red Sox have been among the league leaders in most offensive categories — and they’ve reached that position despite relying on four or five guys from the top of their lineup. But more recently, they’re starting to get contributions up and down the order. Hunter Renfroe is averaging an RBI per game this month and had two hits and an RBI as part of the Sox’ 14-hit attack. Also, Bobby Dalbec produced a big two-run single, giving him five RBI over the last two nights. And Marwin Gonzalez, who hit leadoff Friday but was dropped the seventh Saturday, had a double. If the Sox get production from all over their lineup, it’s scary to think how dominant their offense might be. “It was a really good day offensively,” said Alex Cora. “We’re getting really good at-bats. That’s what we need.”

Bogaerts shines: It was quite a night for shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who made several standout plays in the field, including leaping to grab a line drive and an incredible backhand stop of a hard smash to start a 6-4-3 double play in the sixth inning. But there was much more, too — a three-hit night at the plate, including a two-run homer. Bogaerts now has seven homers this season — all in the last 17 games. “Sometimes people get caught up in the numbers,” said Alex Cora. “But overall, the whole package, if he’s not the best shortstop in the big leagues, well, somebody needs to show me somebody else, to be honest with you. He’s so steady with everything he does.”

Richards provides length: Before the game, Cora spoke about the need to push his starting pitchers a bit more and instead of settling for five-inning outings, expect them to go deeper in order to reduce the workload on the bullpen. Garrett Richards allowed solo runs in both the first and second, but had a lot of quick innings and at one point, from the second through the fifth, pitched to just two hitters over the minimum. He was determined to take his team deep into the game, and though he had a rocky sixth when he yielded two more runs, got them through seven on 98 pitches. “That was huge,” Richards said. “To go out there and grab another (inning) at the end, that saves an arm. It kind of goes a long way. If you can do everything you can on your day to make that easier (to preserve the bullpen), it goes a long way. You see the repercussions one, two, sometimes three days down the line.”

TURNING POINT

After allowing a solo homer to Freddy Galvis in the bottom of the second, it looked like Richards could be in for a rough night. He had already spotted the O’s a run in the first, then gave up another after the Sox had scored four for him in the top of the second. But something clicked for Richards after that, as he went on to retire 11 of the next 13 Baltimore hitters he faced, taking the Sox through seven innings.

TWO UP

Christian Vazquez: Vazquez scored two runs and had two run-scoring singles and has now knocked in runs in each of the last three games while extending his hitting streak to six games.

Alex Verdugo: After seeing his on-base streak snapped at 24 consecutive games in the series opener Friday, Verdugo started another one, collecting hits in each of his first three trips to the plate.

ONE DOWN

Austin Brice: Brought in for mop-up duty over the final two innings and backed by a seven-run lead, Brice managed to hit three batters and walk another while allowing two runs in the ninth and requiring help from Josh Taylor to get the game’s final out.

QUOTE OF NOTE

“He’s so good. He’s so good. This guy’s amazing.” Alex Cora on shortstop Xander Bogaerts.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

The Red Sox improved to eight games over .500 for the first time this season.

All eight games between the Red Sox and Orioles this season have been won by the road team.

The win was the 14th comeback victory of the season for the Sox.

The Sox are averaging nine runs over their last five games and have reached double figures in runs in three of their last five games.

UP NEXT

The two teams meet again Sunday at 1:05 with RHP Nick Pivetta (4-0, 3.23) vs. RHP Dean Kremer (0-2, 6.43).

MLB Notebook: Red Sox minor leaguers to watch; keys to avoiding injuries; end of Pujols era

Sean McAdam

This week, for the first time since Labor Day weekend of 2019, minor league baseball resumed, and for those who love to follow the game and watch the development of young players, not a moment too soon.

“This is what we do this for — to go out there and compete — and for everybody to get a chance to do that, it’s really, really exciting,” said Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom.

There’s been some reorganization within the Red Sox’ affiliate structure since then. Most obviously, the Triple-A Pawtucket franchise has relocated to Worcester; Salem and Greenville have switched classifications — the former is now Low A and the latter High A — and, for now, sadly, Lowell’s affiliate doesn’t exist.

But even with the changes, there’s plenty of interesting storylines. Here’s a look — with some help from talent evaluators both inside and outside the Red Sox system — at the ten most intriguing prospects for the 2021 minor league season:

1. Jarren Duran, OF, Worcester. Duran is likely the player closest to making an impact on the major league team. It’s virtually impossible to envision a scenario in which he doesn’t contribute in Boston. The only questions, for now, would seem to be how soon and how much. Duran could use additional time to work on his routes in center and to test how the changes he’s made to his swing over the last year and a half play out in actual games. Duran has elite speed and the athleticism to make himself into a fine defender in the outfield. What remains to be seen is how well he drives the ball and how much of an extra-base threat he becomes.

2. Jeter Downs, INF, Worcester. Perhaps this is unfair to Downs, but his development will go a long way in determining the relative success of the Mookie Betts deal. With Alex Verdugo already an above-average regular in the big leagues, all eyes are on Downs. If he becomes an everyday infielder with some offensive potential, the deal will be looked at more favorably; if he’s no more than a depth contributor or an up-and- down option, it becomes a failure. Downs needs work (and consistency) at second, but there’s also the feeling — voiced by Worcester hitting coach Rich Gedman of late — that there’s some to unlock offensively.

3. Connor Seabold, RHP, Worcester. His season has been delayed by some elbow soreness, which the Red Sox maintain is minor. In spring training, Seabold really caught scouts’ attention and his changeup has already been classified as a major weapon. Assuming no major health setbacks, he’s viewed as the next starter prospect who could make the jump to the big leagues. If he continues to impress, he’ll make the Brandon Workman/Heath Hembree for Nick Pivetta/Seabold trade even more lopsided than it already is.

4. Triston Casas, 1B, Portland. It’s a measure of how advanced Casas is as a hitter that he was assigned to Double-A after being drafted out of high school in 2018. He missed most of that season with a thumb injury, and like everyone else, all of 2020, too. So the fact that he’s at Double-A with a little more than a year of pro experience, at 21, speaks volumes. Casas is 6-5, 245 and his power is still developing. The comparisons to Freddie Freeman are, it would seem, well-earned.

5. Thaddeus Ward, RHP, Portland. Unlike higher profile pitching picks in recent years, Ward has progressed out of the spotlight a bit. Projected as, at best, a swingman, he’s now seen as someone who could have a ceiling as a back-end starter. His stuff may not be elite, but Wards commands three solid pitches and has shown a real feel for pitching. If he joins Tanner Houck in Boston at some point later this year, it will go a long way in erasing the long-held narrative that the Sox can’t develop its own starting pitchers.

6. Jay Groome, RHP Greenville. And speaking of starting pitchers … It wasn’t that long ago that the tall lefty, chosen in the first round in 2016, was going to anchor the Boston rotation for years to come. That was before a series of physical setbacks, including Tommy John surgery, sidetracked his development. Groome had a strong showing at the alternate site last summer, but he needs to do that in affiliated ball and he’s got to make up for lost time while demonstrating that he can stay healthy.

6. Gilberto Jimenez, OF, Salem. If there’s a five-t0ol prospect in the system that Red Sox fans can dream about, it’s Jimenez. He got into some major league spring training games in March, a measure of how highly he’s regarded, considering that he’s just 20, and at the time, hasn’t played above short-season Rookie ball. Jimenez has plus power and plus speed and the expectation if, he could climb the minor league ladder quickly.

7. Blaze Jordan, IF/OF, GCL. Jordan gained notoriety as a high schooler for his prodigious power displays in showcases and home run derbies, and the Red Sox raised a lot of eyebrows in the industry when they selected him in the third round last summer and then gave him above-slot money to sign. Jordan has to prove that he can actually, you know, play and isn’t some internet-sensation sideshow. There are questions about where he’ll play, but at a time when power is the most sought-after skill in the game, it will be fascinating to track his progress.

8. Ronaldo Hernandez, C, Portland. Even with his late conversion to the catching position, Connor Wong may be somewhat more advanced, but Hernandez has a higher ceiling. And given the fact that Christian Vazquez is only under control for one more year (the Sox hold a club option for 2022), the focus on the catching position will be intense. For now, think of Hernandez as a younger version of Gary Sanchez — with a plus arm and plus power. The rest of his game — from receiving to making more regular contact — remains under development.

9. Eduard Bazardo, RHP, Worcester. In one sense, Bazardo doesn’t belong on this list since his ceiling is nowhere near as high as others here. Bazardo merely represents bullpen depth for the organization, but given that A) he’s already made his major league debut (in Minnesota) and B) he’s made a habit of far exceeding expectations in his minor league career, he bears watching. There are already some in the organization who believe he’s already a better option than some arms on the current major league staff, it’s almost certain he’ll be back at some point this season. From there, perhaps he’ll continue to surprise and evolve into a high-leverage weapon. ______

In a development that should have caught absolutely no one off-guard, data from the first month of the season revealed that injuries are, indeed, on the upswing. According to research provided to The Athletic, IL usage was up 15 percent from the last comparable month (April of 2019). For pitchers, that number was up 22 percent.

And let’s face it, those numbers are likely to only climb, as players — and pitchers in particular — deal with the stress brought on by graduating from the pandemic-shortened 2020 season to a more typical 162- game schedule. Pitchers who made only 12 starts and threw 70 or so innings last year will be tasked with nearly tripling those numbers. And that is when the problems could spike.

The early portion of the season typically features more built-in off-days and postponements caused by rain and generally inclement weather. Just wait until we get to July and teams are more routinely playing 17, 19 days in a row without a break.

To date, however, the Red Sox have been remarkably untouched by injuries. Through the end of April, they had not incurred a single injury in regular-season play. Two pitchers — Chris Sale (Tommy John surgery) and Ryan Brasier (calf strain) remain on the IL and are months away from returning to health. A third, Eduardo Rodriguez, began the year on the IL due a late-spring “dead arm” — officially classified as elbow inflammation — and resulted in him missing the first six games. He has since been fully healthy.

(The Sox utilized the IL-COVID related list once when an allergy attack for J.D. Martinez triggered COVD protocols but that lasted just one day).

Through April, only two teams in the game — the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians — used the IL less than the Sox. For accounting purposes, IL moves were tabulated even if the original injuries took place in spring training (or earlier) and were backdated, as was the case for Sale, Brasier and Rodriguez.

Not until Friday’s decision to place Kike Hernandez on the IL with a right hamstring strain did the Sox have to disable a player for something that took place since the season started. (Bloom playfully accused me of jinxing the organization by broaching the topic the day before Hernandez’s injury took place).

“You have to give credit to our medical staff and our strength and conditioning staff,” said Alex Cora. “They do an outstanding job. During the offseason, (anticipating a jump in injuries) was something that was brought up and they were on top of it. I think luck has something to do with it, too. We have to be honest. But we’re very hands-on with our players.

“As an organization, we don’t mind guys going into the training room. It’s about preventing injuries. We want you in there to do the work so we can prevent something bad happening instead of waiting for something bad to happen and then you get treatment. (The staff) is on top of it, as far as massage and keeping them fresh, keeping them flexible. I do believe the medical department is among the best, if not the best, in the big leagues. They’ve done an amazing job keeping these guys healthy.”

“It’s difficult keeping everyone on the field in a normal year — and it’s harder in a pandemic,” said Bloom. “We play a long season and we play just about every day and all of that wears players down. That’s an even bigger issue this year, because everyone in the game is coming off a limited workload from 2020. We needed to stay on top of that wear and tear while also maintaining a good, strong workload foundation from day-to-day.

“As with everything in the game, you try to control what you can and put the odds in your favor.”

Bloom said a lot of emphasis has been placed on workout routines and schedules, and the need for players to do as much as possible in a shorter period of time, while also observing COVID-protocols and social distancing.

Cora also pointed out that the composition of the roster has been a factor. With a premium placed on versatility — Hernandez, Marwin Gonzalez, Christian Arroyo — the Sox anticipated the value of having players who can move around the field and contribute at several positions.

“It’s helped us,” said Cora. “The fact that we can move people around, provide rest and not feel like you’re missing somebody in the lineup.”

As an example, Cora pointed to a sore right shoulder experienced by Rafael Devers earlier this week. As a precaution, the Sox kept Devers out of the lineup for two days, with Gonzalez ably filling in. Instead of pushing Devers to play when he was less than 100 percent and risking a bigger problem, he got some valuable recovery time and the team didn’t miss a beat.

“We try to structure our week and plan ahead,” said Cora. “As a group, we do a good job getting ahead of stuff and giving them rest. I don’t ever feel, ‘I need to play Xander (Bogaerts), because if not, we don’t have a good shortstop.’ No, no. We’ll give him the day and he’ll be (better for it in the long-term).” ______

Some thoughts on the sad end to the Albert Pujols’ career with the Angels.

These things are always delicate and that’s even more true when dealing with a player of his status. Would it not have been better to anticipate this being an issue just five weeks ago, before the start of the season, and work with Pujols on a more palatable solution than some hastily arranged mid-week DFA? Then again, that’s probably too much to expect from owner Arte Moreno, whose stubborn streak is legendary and who probably exerts more influence on his team’s day-to-day goings on than any other owner in the game. It’s just downright shocking that, under Moreno’s ownership, the Angels have won a grand total of two postseason series in almost 20 seasons.

All long-term contracts are highly risky, but those given to first base sluggers would seem to be most in danger of backfiring. The presence of the Detroit Tigers at Fenway this week, at the precise moment that Pujols was being unceremoniously kicked to the curb, could not help but force you to ask the question: How much longer for Miguel Cabrera? Cabrera finally snapped an 0-for-27 hitless streak Friday night, but is slashing .127/.225/.238. Worse, Cabrera has two more seasons left after this one, each one paying him $32 million. It’s clear this won’t end well.

Had Pujols simply retired after his last contract was up in St. Louis, he would have already been a Hall of Famer. I’m not sure we’ll ever see another player have a better 11-year start to a career (.328.420/.617 with two Gold Gloves, 445 homers, three MVPs and seven other Top 5 MVP finishes). Sadly, in his last 10 seasons in Anaheim, Pujols never once receive Top 10 MVP consideration and was only once an All-Star.

* The Athletic

Michael Chavis goes deep in return to Red Sox lineup, but uncertainty remains

Chad Jennings

So much of the jog around the bases looked instantly familiar. Michael Chavis clenched his fist as the ball left the yard. He clapped his hands as he approached second base. He clapped them again when he rounded third, he lifted both arms as he stepped on the plate, and he gestured toward the stands as he turned back to the dugout.

It was the old Chavis from two years ago. Powerful. Productive. Showing a little emotion, while trying to act like he belonged. And just like two years ago, the question was whether it really meant anything at all.

In the Red Sox lineup for the first time this season, Chavis homered in his second at-bat during an 11-6 win against the Orioles on Saturday. It was his only hit, and he struck out in two of his other five at-bats, but it was a flash of what made Chavis something of a sensation early in 2019, and it was a reminder of why he’s been the only position player called up to the roster this season. He could help if he has made the necessary adjustments and if the Red Sox have ways to use him. Or, he could be sent back down in a week and a half when the Red Sox are healthy again. He has only a brief window in which to prove himself all over again. Or maybe not.

“That’s actually interesting that you said the word prove,” Chavis said. “Because I was talking (Friday with) our hitting coach and I was like, ‘Do you think I should approach this 10-day stint as an opportunity to prove myself and maybe earn a spot?’ And after really thinking about it with him and talking it through with him, I don’t think that’s the appropriate approach for my own mindset, just because I think it’s going to cause me to kind of press or chase or chase a result. … I feel like if I focused on what I had to prove in these 10 days, I wouldn’t be able to focus on the process leading up to that.”

That’s the reality of the newest stage of Chavis’ career, in which the short term and long term are both foggy, and he’s going to have to become comfortable with that kind of suffocating uncertainty.

For the first five years of his professional career, Chavis was a first-round draft pick rising steadily through the Red Sox minor-league system. He had prospect status and home run power. The long-term goal was clear, and daily at-bats were plentiful.

When he finally arrived in 2019, Chavis was an emergency call-up for a Red Sox team desperate for a second baseman. He had a .981 OPS in his first big-league month but a .679 after that. He was trying to get his work done while not getting in the way of veterans. He was sometimes having a blast but also described the experience as occasionally “uncomfortable.”

The 2020 season was, of course, uncomfortable for everyone. Chavis hit just .212, had to learn left field on the fly and admitted in September that the emotional and mental strain got to him. He said he stopped having fun for a while that season but refocused this offseason and came to spring training in good shape.

Now, Chavis is caught in between. He’s no longer the new kid finding his way, but he’s also not an established veteran with a defined role or a stated set of expectations. He doesn’t know how long he’ll be on the roster, whether he’ll be in the lineup day to day. He doesn’t know how long another demotion might last, or when another opportunity might present itself. His trajectory is no longer clear, and his path ahead has grown jagged. Chavis is a meticulous note-taker and said his notebook these days has multiple entries about “being comfortable being uncomfortable.”

“I mean, it sounds stupid,” Chavis said. “But what it means for me is that there are going to be a bunch of times in my career, and in everyone’s career, that there are going to be uncomfortable situations, whether it’s stuff going on back home, stuff with the clubhouse and within the team, or whatever is going on. There’s going to be times that you’re uncomfortable, and you have to find a way to be comfortable. And that’s one of the things that I’ve been working on.”

Some uncomfortable truths this year: Chavis played well in spring training but made the team only as an injury fill-in. He was told to work on his strike-zone awareness but then went to the alternate site where there was no umpire to establish a real strike zone. He was on the taxi squad earlier this week but didn’t get officially called up until Kiké Hernández strained his hamstring. All of it is a new kind of reality.

Interestingly, Chavis has arrived just when his most obvious opening to big-league playing time has closed a little bit, as the bottom of the Red Sox lineup has been more productive lately. Hunter Renfroe continued his resurgent month of May with two more hits and another RBI on Saturday. Bobby Dalbec had a two-out, two-run single, which came one day after he snapped a seven-game hitless streak with two hits, including a home run. Marwin Gonzalez also had a hit and helped spark a four-run second inning. Franchy Cordero walked in his only plate appearance.

If those guys keep hitting, maybe the Red Sox won’t have a lasting role for Chavis and he’ll be sent back down when Hernández returns. Or maybe he’ll hit enough to stick around, and the Red Sox will begin to carry a four-man bench to make room for him. Or maybe someone else will get hurt and this opportunity will continue regardless. The reality is, Chavis doesn’t know, and the Red Sox probably don’t know, and he’s trying to get used to that. Chavis has been a top prospect, he’s been an upstart rookie, and he’s been a frustrated big leaguer. Now, he’s just one of those guys caught in between, trying to make the most of every opportunity on the field, without making too much of it in his head.

“I’m not sure if I’m here to prove anything,” he said. “I think I’m here to do what I can do, take care of what I can control, and that’s about it.”

There’s not much else he could do.

* Associated Press

Chavis, Bogaerts hit home runs, Red Sox beat Orioles 11-6

BALTIMORE (AP) — Michael Chavis homered in his first start of the season, Xander Bogaerts also connected and the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 11-6 on Saturday night.

Bogaerts and Alex Verdugo each had three hits for the Red Sox. Boston improved to a season-best eight games over .500 at 21-13.

“It was a good day offensively,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We ran the bases really, really well. We controlled the strike zone. We used the other side of the field. Overall, it was outstanding.”

Chavis was recalled Friday from Triple-A Worcester and took the roster spot of Kiké Hernández, who was placed on the injured list with a right hamstring strain. Chavis started at second and batted leadoff — his only other appearance this season was April 10 against Baltimore as a pinch-runner.

Garrett Richards (2-2) beat the Orioles for the first time in three starts this season, allowing four runs and eight hits over seven innings.

“It’s a really good team, man. We’re not weak in very many areas,” Richards said. “It’s still early. I don’t even think that we peaked yet. It’s encouraging. We just show up every day with the mindset that we’re going to win today. It’s really fun to watch. It’s really cool to be a part of on a daily basis.”

The Red Sox took a 4-1 lead in the second on a single by Hunter Renfroe and a two-run homer by Chavis off Orioles left-hander Zac Lowther, who made his first major league start.

Freddy Galvis cut the lead to 4-2 by leading off the bottom half with a solo shot for the Orioles, who have homered in each of their last nine games.

The Red Sox answered with three runs in the third on an RBI single by Christian Vazquez and a two-run single by Bobby Dalbec off Shawn Armstrong.

Lowther (0-1) was charged with seven runs over 2 1/3 innings.

“I am not executing in the right spots,” Lowther said. “When I was missing, I was missing over the heart of the plate, and to a good lineup like that, you’re going to get hurt.”

Boston opened the fourth with three straight singles and scored two more runs on a grounder by Rafael Devers and a single by Vazquez.

Bogaerts pushed the lead to 11-2 with a two-run homer in the sixth.

“I expect a lot of myself and I go out there and try to be the best,” Bogaerts said. “It’s just the mentality that I have every year.”

Trey Mancini had an RBI double and scored on a pinch-hit single by Ramon Urias in the sixth, but Bogaerts ended the threat with a nifty grab for an inning-ending, 6-4-3 double play.

“He’s probably the best offensive shortstop in the big leagues,” Cora said about Bogaerts. “Whatever he touches, he turns into outs. If he’s not the best shortstop in the big leagues, somebody needs to show me somebody else, to be honest with you.”

Orioles infielder Pat Valaika pitched a scoreless ninth.

Austin Hays managed a two-run single in the ninth off Austin Brice that pulled the Orioles within 11-6.

BIG CROWD

The announced attendance at Camden Yards was 10,598, considered a sellout with ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

CEREMONY

Orioles left-hander John Means was honored prior to the game for throwing a no-hitter Wednesday against Seattle. Means is the first Baltimore pitcher to toss a complete-game no-hitter since Jim Palmer in 1969.

MOVES

Orioles: LHP Brandon Waddell was claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Twins and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. RHP Jay Flaa was designated for assignment.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: INF Christian Arroyo (hand) was out of the lineup for the third consecutive game. He suffered a bruised left hand after getting hit by a pitch Wednesday against the Tigers. Arroyo could return Sunday.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Nick Pivetta (4-0, 3.23 ERA) has allowed three earned runs or fewer in five of his last six starts. He picked up a win against the Orioles on April 11 at Camden Yards.

Orioles: RHP Dean Kremer (0-2, 6.43 ERA) is coming off the best start of his rookie season, allowing just one run and two hits over six innings against the Mariners.

* USA Today

How Albert Pujols' final hours with Angels turned ugly

Bob Nightengale

It was one of the most awkward, uncomfortable and ugly good-byes in this generation of baseball immortals.

We’re talking about Albert Pujols.

He woke up Wednesday morning, having already been told he’d be in the starting lineup that night for the Los Angeles Angels against the Tampa Bay Rays.

By the time the day was over, Pujols was yelling at manager Joe Maddon, telling president John Carpino and GM Perry Minasian that he wasn’t going to retire, insisting he did not want to spend the rest of the season on the bench and blasting Maddon’s managerial skills, according to two people with direct knowledge of the day's events who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature the details.

The next day, it was officially over.

Pujols, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer, was designated for assignment, his Angels career over.

There was no ceremony. No opportunity for the Angels fans to cheer him one last time. Just a stoic press release and a Zoom press conference with Maddon, Carpino and Minasian.

But not Pujols.

Pujols’ greatest teammate didn’t even know what was happening until Mike Trout asked reliever Steve Cishek why Pujols was hugging players, leading him to tears.

“We were all surprised when it happened,” Trout said. “You know, it hit me a little bit. It hit me a lot. Ever since I’ve been up here, he’s been my guy. He mentored me throughout my career so far.

“I can’t thank him enough. He was an unbelievable person and unbelievable friend to me.”

Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez skewered the Angels for the ugly farewell, as well as future Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre.

“What happened to him is shameful,’’ Beltre said, “and shows the ugly side of baseball. No matter what, he will always be a legend.’’

Said former Boston Red Sox great David Ortiz on his Instagram account: “I do not agree on the move that just happened. That was devastating for fans and player. I know this is a business, but I was expecting someone like you to walk away like you deserve. You have done so much for baseball that is hard to replace someone like you."

The shame is how it ended for Pujols in Anaheim, but rare are the graceful exits in any walk of life.

Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, along with Ortiz, announced their retirements before the start of their final season. They were wildly celebrated every city they visited, with speeches and farewell presents.

Some, such as Hall of Famers Rickey Henderson and Jim Thome, become retired only when the phone stops ringing.

It would have been so much easier, of course, if Pujols announced he’d be retiring at the end of the season.

It would have made it near impossible for the Angels to release him during the season. They probably would have felt an obligation to play him, too. But Pujols, who is 33 homers shy of 700, believes he can still play at a high level.

“He really believes, and if he believes, then I believe,’’ said Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa, one of Pujols’ closest friends. “So I’d be very interested to see if a club sees the fit. Because they’ll get a very determined Albert."

The White Sox would love to have him, reuniting Pujols and La Russa from their St. Louis Cardinals days, but they don’t have an opening with reigning MVP Jose Abreu at first base and Yermin Mercedes at DH. The Cardinals know how much Pujols means to the organization and their fanbase, but they have Paul Goldschmidt at first base.

Maybe, a young team like the Kansas City Royals make sense for Pujols. Maybe a team that has a sudden need with an injury. Or maybe the phone won't ring for Pujols.

“He’s as motivated as he’s ever been,” Minasian said. “Let me put it this way, if he does go somewhere else and pursue playing somewhere else, I would not bet against him.”

Now expect him to wear Cardinals cap.

But you can bet that Pujols will be going into the Hall of Fame wearing a Cardinals cap.

Pujols recently told USA TODAY Sports that if he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he’d strongly considering going in with no cap insignia out of respect to the Angels and owner Arte Moreno.

Now, don't be surprised if he goes into Cooperstown wearing a Cardinals cap.

St. Louis is where his heart lies. The city will gloriously celebrate the day Pujols is inducted into Cooperstown. And the franchise will be erecting a statue of him outside Busch Stadium and retiring his number.

It would be fabulous to see Pujols wear the Cardinals uniform one last night, even if it’s for a single game, but Hollywood stories rarely exist in baseball, proven by what happened last week in Anaheim.

Who will be joining Pujols in Cooperstown?

While Pujols is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, he's not the only active player who is a sure thing. There are at least six players who will be joining Pujols in Cooperstown no matter what transpires the rest of their careers, including:

Pujols’ dream, he says, is to enter the Hall of Fame with Molina.

“I always tell him, let’s finish together, let’s retire together,’’ Pujols told USA TODAY Sports this spring. “That would be awesome. … He’s the greatest catcher of his time. It’s not even close. Defensively, he might be the greatest of all time.

“I always tell people the Cardinals could afford to let me go, but they couldn’t afford to let Yadi go anywhere else. That pitching staff and that organization would never have the success without Yadi. He’s meant everything to that organization."

Best money spent

Scherzer is proof that some long-term mega contracts work, particularly for a pitcher.

The Nationals ace has lived up to every penny of his seven-year, $210 million free agent contract, which expires after this season.

The numbers: Two Cy Young awards and a runner-up finish, 86-45 record, 2.79 ERA, 1,157 innings, 1,510 strikeouts, 11 complete games, four shutouts, three postseason berths and the 2019 World Series title.

It will go down as the third-best team valued contract for a pitcher of at least four years since the advent of free agency.

The best?

Randy Johnson, who signed a four-year contract, $52 million with the Arizona Diamondbacks in December 1998.

The numbers: Four Cy Young awards, three ERA titles, 89-33 record, 2.48 ERA, 1,030 innings, 1,417 strikeouts, 31 complete games, 11 shutouts, three postseason berths, 2001 World Series championship and World Series MVP.

Runner-up?

Greg Maddux, who signed for five years and $28 million in 1992.

The numbers: Three Cy Young awards, one runner-up, three ERA titles, 81-27 record, 2.13 ERA, 1,156⅓ innings 883 strikeouts, 38 complete games, 10 shutouts, five playoff appearances, two pennants and the 1995 World Series title.

And that's not including another six years in Atlanta after Maddux re-signed with the Braves.

Excuse me, didn't you used to be the Dodgers?

The Dodgers started 13-2 this season, and it seemed they could finish with the best record in baseball history, but they entered Saturday in the middle of a 4-14 stretch and now everyone is scratching their heads in disbelief.

If Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda was alive, he’d march through those clubhouse doors and give a fiery speech, just as he did one day in the 1990s trying to get the Dodgers out of their slump.

“The greatest team in history, the ’27 Yankees, lost 10 games in a row," he said. “Look at what happened to them. They didn’t let a losing streak stop them from winning the World Series and going into history."

Reporters asked Lasorda later if the Yankees really lost 10 games in a row in 1927?

“How the hell do I know?’’ Lasorda bellowed. “I was born in ’27.’’

The wait pays off

Starter Taijuan Walker didn’t have a job in February, waiting for a team to offer him a contract worth what he believed he deserved.

He spoke to a number of teams.

The New York Mets were on the backburner.

They had their sights set on Trevor Bauer, and were convinced they had a deal, until the Dodgers pounced at the last minute and grabbed him.

In need of a starter after Trevor Bauer jilted them for the Dodgers, the Mets shifted gears and signed Walker to a two-year, $20 million deal one week into spring training.

Now Walker is one of the National League's top starters, going 2-1 with a 2.38 ERA in his first six starts.

“He’s a guy you can’t sleep on," Mets catcher James McCann said. "He should be in the talks of being that guy at the top of the rotation, the way he’s throwing the ball, the stuff that he has."

The quiet star

It’s hard to believe shortstop Xander Bogaerts has already played 1,000 games for the Red Sox, only the 30th player in franchise history to accomplish the feat, and only the 10th before his 29th birthday.

He plays virtually every day, remaining in the lineup even with nagging injuries. He has averaged 149 games a year in every full season since 2014.

“To play 1,000 games in an organization,’’ Bogaerts said, “you have to be productive and be a guy that pretty much they can rely on. I’m happy to be the player that I’ve become.”

And, oh, how the Red Sox are thrilled to have him as the steady force on the field.

“I believe he’s the most consistent person in this organization,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters. “I mean, off the field, on the field, physically, what he does in the offseason, the way he takes care of himself during the season. The way he goes about his business. Everything is about winning for him. I know when he came here in 2013, he got a taste, he got a ring, but that was a special group.

“He learned right away what it’s all about play in this market, this city, this stadium, for this franchise. He doesn’t take a day for granted. He’s not as vocal or loud as Dustin (Pedroia) as far as, like, getting dressed at 5:30 p.m. in case they move the starting time a half hour, but he’s always ready. He’s always prepared.”

Around the league

► Lucas Giolito and the White Sox discussed a contract extension during the winter but couldn’t reach an agreement. Now, he is off to a sluggish start, going 1-3 with a 4.99 ERA. One of the biggest differences being cited is that he no longer has his personal catcher, McCann, who signed with Mets in the offseason.

► Cleveland is just the third team in history to be no-hit twice in their first 31 games, joining the 1884 Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the American Association and the 1917 White Sox.

► The Reds still are wondering how reliever Amir Garrett got a seven-game suspension for yelling and pounding his chest after striking out Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo after Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman threw a 102-mph fastball in retaliation at Mike Mike Brosseau of the Tampa Bay Rays and only only a three-game suspension. Hard to see this suspension not reduced.

► Baseball executives predict that Freddie Freeman, who’s eligible for free agency in the winter, will stay in Atlanta with a contract extension similar to the five-year, $130 million deal that Goldschmidt signed two years ago with the Cardinals.

► There have already been three no-hitters by left-handed pitchers after Wade Miley’s no-no for the Reds on Friday, tying the most in a season. The last time it was accomplished was in 1990 when Randy Johnson, Fernando Valenzuela and Terry Mulholland did the trick.

► It’s stunning that Davey Martinez, who was named manager in 2018, already is the Nationals’ longest- tenured manager in franchise history.

► Is it parity, or is it mediocrity? Entering the weekend, no team had even a .600 winning percentage. The last time no team was playing at .600 clip was July 26, 2016.

► How dominant has Orioles ace John Means, who threw their first no-hitter in 40 years, been this season? He has faced 166 batters, and only 38 of those plate appearances were with a runner on base. In those plate appearances, he has yielded just seven singles and a walk.

► Pardon the Twins for praying normalcy returns next year in baseball with traditional nine-inning games and no ghost runners in extra innings. They entered Saturday with an 11-8 record in normal nine-inning games, but 0-11 in all others (0-7 in extra-inning games and 0-4 in seven-inning doubleheaders).

► Dylan Cease made history last week by becoming the first White Sox pitcher since Ted Lyons in 1925 to get three hits at the plate before giving up one on the mound. More remarkable? Those were the first plate appearances of his career.