A whole new world
After the most exciting week in Red Sox baseball since, maybe, the 2021 ALCS, the team jettisoned their DH for, uh, well I’m sure it’s a great return. Anyway you can read about that all over OTM.
For now, imagine yourself among the players. Waking up in Seattle. It’s, perhaps, overcast. You enjoy a coffee. You listen to some grunge.
Welcome back.
You’re still in Seattle.
The games start at 9:40 PM ET.
Boston is, once again, sending the weaker pitching staff against an opponent who has a good rotation. Fortunately for the Sox, Lucas Giolito (born on Con Air Day btw) bounced back after his 1.2 inning disaster against the Los Angels Angels to keep the Tampa Bay Rays off the board for 6.0 innings. His FIP is now a full run ahead of his ERA.
Ditto Walker Buehler. Strong start. And Garrett Crochet, of course, dominated the Yankees and Aaron Judge. If — and this is an if of enormous proportions, an If that rolling the attack dice in Risk you still feel confident when you lose your extra armies but keep going anyway — IF the rotation pitches like it did against the Rays and Yankees this could be a good matchup. Because…
…the Mariners, who could hit in April, could not hit in May or, so far, June. (Aside from Cal Raleigh).
Jorge Polanco, who posted a 1.200 OPS in April has hit .195/.250/.280 since then.
Randy Arozerana is slashing .231/.348/.393 and just chipping a bit off his career norms across the board.
The less said about Mitch Garver the better.
Julio Rodriguez is having a great June .360/.373/.460, and started turning it on in May.
But overall their lineup hasn’t been able to back up their rotation since April. Seattle is 4-6 in their last 10, though that includes a sweep of the Cleveland Guardians this weekend. Just hanging above .500. (Sounds familiar huh?)
Probable Pitching Matchups
Monday June 16: Lucas Giolito (5.45 ERA / 4.54 FIP) vs. Logan Gilbert (2.35 ERA / 2.15 FIP)
Tuesday June 17: Walker Buehler (5.01 ERA / 5.10 FIP) vs. Bryan Woo (3.39 ERA / 3.57 FIP)
Wednesday June 18: Garrett Crochet (2.24 ERA / 2.73 FIP) vs. Luis Castillo (3.29 ERA / 3.88 FIP)
When/Where to Watch
Monday June 16: 9:40 PM ET on NESN
Tuesday June 17: 9:40 PM ET on NESN
Wednesday June 18: 1:35 PM ET on NESN, MLBN
(Author’s note: I didn’t use the word sleepless in this piece until now. I’m not sure that reference is still valid. Am I wrong? Is it the children who are wrong? I am writing this after the trade. There are feelings. And moods.)