GAME #116 - FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2023 - DETROIT TIGERS @ BOSTON RED SOX

[markj]

7:10PM Eastern

Red Sox

Chris Sale (L)

Rob Refsnyder (R) LF
Rafael Devers (L) 3B
Adam Duvall (R) CF
Masataka Yoshida (L) DH
Trevor Story (R) SS
Alex Verdugo (L) RF
Pablo Reyes (R) 2B
Triston Casas (L) 1B
Connor Wong (R) C

Tigers

Tarik Skubal (L)

Matt Vierling (R) CF
Andy Ibanez (R) 2B
Spencer Torkelson (R) 1B
Jake Rogers (R) C
Miguel Cabrera (R) DH
Kerry Carpenter (L) RF
Javier Baez (R) SS
Zack Short (R) 3B
Eric Haase (R) LF

Gametime Temp: 78°F
Chance of Precip: 0%

[Sea Dog 23]

I don't believe what I just saw.   Today's lineup is just the second time in history that Sale and Story have started the same game together. The other game was July 12, 2022.  During that last game, Story injured his wrist and was out 5 1/2 weeks.  What does that tell me about who is often on the IL?

Youkilis said last night that Turner could be out 4-6 weeks.  That would be a big hill to climb if true.  Yu Chang cleared waivers and is back at Worcester.

[Sea Dog 23]

Sale has a clean 1st inning.  How many innings will Cora leave him out there?

[MongoLikeSox]

Baez made one helluva double play snag earlier in the game. That said, that contract he signed with the Tigers ain't looking so good for the tigers.

So, the Tigers do a lot of platoon and lots of PH'ing, but are still bottom of the pile offense. They've got a couple of big prospects. Greene in CF being one of them. If I was a fan and had Riley Greene platooning, I'd be steaming PO'd. Talk about sipping the Tampa Ray Kool Aide a little too much.

Does Casas have an easy power stroke or what?

[Schloicka]

Barraclough with the win. Murphy with the save. Sale pitched well. Offence got enough. Good win.

[SeaBeachFred]

I don't believe what I just saw.   Today's lineup is just the second time in history that Sale and Story have started the same game together. The other game was July 12, 2022.  During that last game, Story injured his wrist and was out 5 1/2 weeks.  What does that tell me about who is often on the IL?

Youkilis said last night that Turner could be out 4-6 weeks.  That would be a big hill to climb if true.  Yu Chang cleared waivers and is back at Worcester.

Sad news on both ends.  Turner has been a solid contributor for us this season, hitting with power, driving in runs and playing pretty well in the field.  That's the first bad news.  The other point is bad news as well. Yu Chang cleared waivers and is back in our organization instead of being given his release ticket out of town.  Means we may most likely see this worthless bum back in Boston as so many previous DFA's have experienced the same rejection elsewhere only to turn up back in Boston to sicken us some more.

[SeaBeachFred]

Barraclough with the win. Murphy with the save. Sale pitched well. Offence got enough. Good win.

Agreed Schloicka, a good win to open a series.  We have had some success with Detroit over the years and coming off a dismal eight of ten losses it is nice to have won  three of them back.  But what comes next?  Do we have the talent, desire, determination, leadership and smarts to make this a sustained run for the rest of the month and into September?  That is what I am hoping for the next three weeks.  Two more hits for Story and Casas is starting to look likea good power hitter and now playing against all comers.  Good for Alex to keep this up, though I would like to see Duran play against lefties as well.  But as you always say, on to tomorrow.

[MongoLikeSox]

Barraclough was all nerved up, but still did OK. I would have like to seen him ride it out a couple more innings, maybe settle down some. AJ Hinch put a stop to that with all the Lefty bats he inserted, making it easy for Cora to go to Murphy.

Good for us that Sale's heater was a few ticks higher than it was in Syracuse last weekend. Also good for us that everything else worked as it did in Syracuse.

They only threw Houck out for 3 innings and 36 pitches. Has Cora come out and said anything definitive about the roles for Houck, Pivetta and Crawford when Houck returns?

[Sea Dog 23]

Also good news, Jays lost again so Sox are 2 games back in losses (3 overall).

Good work for Chris Murphy over 3 innings and the save.  Nice that Sale, Houck and Whitlock (soon) are getting back to the team.  Some speculation that Paxton is fading a little, his velocity is down and K rate is diminishing.  Survival by large numbers is the Cora mantra!