BOSTON – Playing 14 games in the last 13 days, the Red Sox capped a grueling stretch with a 6-4 loss to the Angels in the rubber match of a three-game series.
While at first glance, losing a series to the team with the worst record (56-90) in the American League seemed less than ideal, the big picture will tell you it really wasn’t a big deal.
In all, the Sox went 7-7 in three cities (New York, Baltimore and Boston) during that whirlwind period of time, and remained in good shape to make it to the playoffs.
With 15 games left, Boston (80-67) is in firm possession of the second AL Wild Card spot. The Guardians (74-73), who currently sit in the third spot, fell to the Orioles, 9-5, leaving them six behind Boston.
Everyone on the Red Sox looks forward to some rest on Thursday before entertaining the Royals for a three-game series that starts Friday night.
“We talked about the other two gauntlets [on the schedule earlier in the season], with this being the last one where you can finally reach the three off-days over the course of the next 10 days or two weeks,” said Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy. “That’s helpful from the standpoint of rest for everybody that's active, and also rest days for the guys who we're trying to get back. So yeah, I think have a good rest day and come back ready to go on Friday against Kansas City.”
In this one, the Sox were without two key starting position players in Willson Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela, who are both currently on the injured list, and a third in Adley Rutschman, who missed the last two games by design after getting a cortisone injection for his hyperextended right elbow following Monday afternoon’s win.
The schedule will be much more favorable the rest of the way. After Thursday’s respite, Boston is off again on Monday, and then the Monday after that.
“Yeah, take advantage of the off day tomorrow for sure. Rest a little bit and get back to it,” said Roman Anthony, who belted his third homer since returning from the injured list on Aug. 30. “But the mentality stays the same. Just kind of show up and do anything that we can to win a ballgame. Definitely reset after a tough series, and then get back and try to win a series again.”
Here were some takeaways from Wednesday’s defeat.
1. Anthony breaks out of brief slump
While Anthony was on fire upon his return from missing three months with a right wrist injury (10-for-22 in first five games), he was in a 1-for-23 dry spell when he stepped to the plate for his third at-bat on Wednesday.
With two outs, Anthony unloaded for a 108.6-mph laser beam that soared into the runway between the bleachers and the right-field grandstands. Per Statcast, the 418-foot bullet would have been gone in all 30 MLB parks.
“Yeah, it felt good to kind of capitalize there and shorten up and put the ball in play,” said Anthony.
Anthony noted he might have been trying to make too much happen lately.
“I think I’ve just got to get back to that leadoff mentality rule,” said Anthony. “I think the swings sometimes get a little bit hard, and yeah, maybe try to do too much at times. For me, it’s just a constant work in progress to get back into that leadoff hitter mode, and get back to playing the brand of baseball that we know how to play best, and just pass it to the next guy.”
2. Abreu belts No. 24
An inning after Anthony sliced the lead to 6-2, Wilyer Abreu made it a three-run game with a solo shot to center.
It was Abreu’s 24th homer of the season, two more than the previous career high of last season. His 13 homers since the All-Star break are tied with Baltimore’s Pete Alonso for first in the AL. He also leads the AL in extra-base hits during that span with 28.
“It’s cool for me. I'm very proud of myself for what I've been doing this year,” said Abreu. “So just try to keep working hard, try to give my 100 percent every day, try to get the best pitches to hit and do my thing. Hopefully I can hit a couple more before the season ends.”
3. Bennett gives up trio of homers
Coming off three straight quality starts, Jake Bennett benefited nicely from a designed rest period of eight days roughly a month ago.
However, Bennett’s strong trio of outings came to an abrupt halt. Zach Neto, who dominated Boston pitching in the final two games of the series, belted a three-run homer to spark a five-run rally in the third that also included a two-run shot by Jose Siri.
Denzer Guzman completed the trifecta of homers off Bennett with a two-out solo shot in the fourth.
Bennett has been touched up for seven homers in his last four starts, and the three home runs allowed were his most in a start – topping the two he allowed in his previous start against the Orioles.
“Just mistake pitches that they hit hard. It is what it is,” said Bennett, who is 9-7 with a 3.69 ERA.