The Red Sox announced a series of roster moves today. First baseman Mitch Moreland is headed to the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain, helping to free up roster space for some tweaks to the team’s bullpen mix.
Lefty Josh Taylor will be promoted for his first taste of the majors. He had already been added to the 40-man roster last fall to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. The Sox also sent down Travis Lakins after his tough outing last night, recalling fellow right-hander Colten Brewer.
Moreland had been down for a few days already, though his absence had been attributed to a knee contusion. He has also dealt with minor back issues in the recent past. Rather than pushing him to return, the Sox will allow the left-handed-hitting first bagger some time to recuperate.
Thus far at Triple-A, Taylor carries a 2.91 ERA with 29 strikeouts and nine walks. The 26-year-old gives the Sox a much-needed southpaw presence in their relief unit. As we discussed earlier this morning, the Boston pen has struggled to retire opposing lefty hitters. Taylor has actually struggled quite a bit against lefty hitters this year in the highest level of the minors, surrendering a cumulative .286/.364/.500 batting line, though he has carried more typical platoon splits in prior seasons.
Our best power hitter goes down? Great.
And we’ve seen Colten Brewer before. Not sure he and a twenty-six-year-old unproven minor-leaguer is the solution. Fingers crossed.
moreland is the best power hitter? Guess you just bypass JD.
Just going by production so far this year. You can’t see that? Home run leader? RBI leader? Power numbers?
Bogaerts is their rbi leader for 1. And 2 you seriously can’t consider Moreland the better power hitter based off 2 more homers. He has an 870 OPS, JD 931, devers 901, chavis 903, betts 871, bogaerts 876.
Much more than simply looking at who has the most homers and incorrectly saying he’s the rbi leader when he’s not…
Moreland is leading the team in homers, and slg % and is tie for second on the team in extra base hits behind bogaerts
yep one season and .07 self points. guess Jake Odorizzi is the best pitcher in the league then.
Give Moreland some credit for once. He’s been carrying the team offensively while JD Martinez has been lagging.
Sure Bogaerts has been playing well and Martinez has picked up lately but jeepers give the guy a label that he’s deserved the first part of the year.. our best power hitter.
On base percentage has absolutely nothing to do with power. By quoting “OPS” you’re bringing something else entirely into the argument that shouldn’t be there.
Now, JDM is clearly their best hitter followed by Mookie but Moreland has been their best “power hitter” by any metric. Though it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see JDM or even Mookie rise ahead of him.
It’s relative. Power hitters see fewer strikes to hit – generally reflected in BB’s and OBP.
Will PAW 1B Josh Ockimey get a look?
No. Chavis and Pearce will play first
If anyone were to get called up it’d be Travis since he’s on the 40 man
If the Reds fall out of the central, and Pearce, Nunez, or JBJ continue to slump, sox should look into a dietrich trade
Why Dietrich? There are so many other possibilities? We don’t need the LH version of Steve Pearce
Considering Dietrich has 17 bombs to Pearce’s one I don’t think that’s an apt comparison. Neither player truly has a defensive position but Dietrich would be a no doubt upgrade at the plate.
Used the comparison just because Pearce had a decent year last year, should have put that in that post^
In the words of Trump, this bullpen is SAD!
At least the made the right call by not re-signing Joe Kelly (despite the city’s love for him)
Kimbrel not being signed by a team to this point is a joke. Following the draft, he’s going to get a nice deal.
“Sad.., so sad, very sad.”
DT.
Kimbrel will sign just after we get into June. He won’t have draft pick compensation attached after the third I think it is.
Cora has to stop with the bullpen shuffling. The pen has struggled lately but like TB, shuffling guys around does that. Either sign Kimbrel or keep Barnes in the 9th inning role. Let workman or Walden work the 8th and give Brasier 6th inning duty or opener till he gets right.
Set bullpen roles don’t work anymore, the White Sox do it with their scrap heap of a pen and it’s useless, other than naming a closer, straight up keeping pitchers boxed in to a certain innings doesn’t have a point.
it seems to work still for many teams. houston and Cleveland are strong examples.
oh and it worked for the Red Sox last year
Barnes needs the 9th. I don’t know why Brasier is cora’s guy, I can see Barnes being decent in that closers role, he seems like the most capable of the bunch.His breaking ball really plays
Yeah but he walks too many guys.
And the thing is now that we don’t have a dedicated closer who’s counting on saves for a contract and all that we can throw our best pitcher in the seventh if need be. Agreed, that could be Barnes.
It gives the manager so much more flexibility to win the game.
Imagine doing that to Kimbrel LOL !!
It would really help if you mentioned how many innings he got the 29 Ks and 9 BBs in.
21 innings…..
Starting Pitchers
Porcello
11 GS (includes starts of 2.2/4.0/4.2/5.2 innings)
Sale
11 GS (includes starts of 3.0/4.0/5.0/5.0/5.1 innings)
Rodriguez
11 GS (includes starts of 3.2/4.1/4.2/5.0/5.1)
Price
9 GS (includes starts of 0.2/5.0/5.0)
Velazquez
7 GS (includes starts of 0.1/2.0/3.0/3.0/3.0/3.1/5.0)
Weber
1 GS 6.0 innings
Smith
1 GS 3.1 innings
That is 25 games when the starting pitcher lasted less than 6.0 innings and in 16 of them they lasted less than 5.0 innings. In other words, the bullpen is being overworked.
You are correct.
I can see the Red Sox are your life. Good you have a hobby!