Latest news with #AlexCora
New York Times
a day ago
- Health
- New York Times
Liam Hendriks heads to the IL as Red Sox injury woes continue
As the Boston Red Sox begin a three-game series in Atlanta this weekend, the team has placed right-hander Liam Hendriks on the injured list with right hip inflammation. The Red Sox have nine players on the injured list total but five of them — including Alex Bregman and Triston Casas — have joined the list since the start of May. The team is 10-16 in May and are currently on a five-game losing streak. Advertisement The Red Sox have recalled right-hander Nick Burdi from Triple-A Worcester to replace Hendriks in the bullpen. The 36-year-old Hendriks last pitched on Tuesday when he gave up a walk-off grand slam to Milwaukee's Chrisitan Yelich in a 10th-inning loss. In 14 appearances this season, Hendriks has posted a 6.59 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with seven walks and 12 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings. He began the year on the IL with a compressed nerve in his right forearm, but debuted on April 20 after 681 days in between MLB appearances, as he recovered from non-Hodgkins' Lymphoma followed by Tommy John surgery. It's been a tumultuous last few weeks for Henriks. Manager Alex Cora used Hendriks in lower-leverage opportunities when he first returned to the active roster, but as the REd Sox bullpen was heavily used over the past several weeks, Hendriks voiced frustration during the last homestand that he wasn't being used in bigger spots. 'I feel like I haven't been pitching enough,' Hendriks said on a day when he pitched but gave up the go-ahead runs in a loss to the Mets. 'And if you want me to be me, I got to pitch, like I will rust before I wear out. But at the end of the day, I've got to reward them by getting guys out. And if I'm not doing that, then I don't deserve to pitch.' The next day, Hendriks posted on Instagram he'd received death threats and was outspoken about the increasingly threatening comments made to players in large part due to the rise of sports gambling. 'With the rise of sports gambling, it's gotten a lot worse,' Hendriks said. 'Whether it be Venmo requests, whether it be people telling you in their comments, 'Hey, you blew my parlay. Go f— yourself' kind of s—. And then it's, 'Go hang yourself. You should kill yourself. I wish you died from cancer.' That one kind of hit a little too close to home for me with everything I've gone through.' Advertisement Burdi returns to the Red Sox after throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings in two appearances for the team earlier this year. In 15 appearances for Worcester, Burdi had posted a 0.48 ERA with 26 strikeouts and five walks in 18 2/3 innings. The Red Sox bullpen currently ranks 14th in baseball with a 3.74 ERA.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Alex Cora worried Red Sox may fire him? Here's what he said
With the Red Sox sitting four games under .500 at 27-31 and riding a five-game losing streak, there's no doubt the club is underachieving. But a disappointing first third of the season doesn't mean manager Alex Cora is worried about getting fired. Asked whether or not he was worried about job security on 'WEEI Afternoons' with Andy Hart, Nick 'Fitzy' Stevens and Ted Johnson, Cora said he was not. Cora received an extension to become the second-highest paid manager in major league history in July, signing a three-year deal in the $21-22 million range. Advertisement 'No, not really,' Cora said Thursday. 'From my end. I actually don't ask coaches about that. I just ask them to do their best on a daily basis. But I can answer that question personally: No.' Cora's Red Sox were just swept in Milwaukee and are 10-16 in May. They are a staggering 6-15 in one-run games and suffered two such defeats at American Family Field this week. 'I feel like every day we go out there and we're doing our best,' Cora continued. 'It hasn't happened for us. You look at the season and having conversations with some people this morning, I was like, 'It's a weird one, right?' because it feels like you're in every game but it's not going your way. 'Just a tough stretch for us and for me as a manager and we've just got to be ready for tomorrow. We've got a big series coming up here in Atlanta. Hopefully, we can win two out of three or sweep it and get this bad taste out of our mouth.' Advertisement Cora is a favorite of ownership — and team president/CEO Sam Kennedy — and was thought to be given major security when he signed his deal last summer. As of now, despite Boston's rocky start, there are no indications that the Red Sox are considering moving on from Cora. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, in just his second season running the baseball operations department, is also thought to be safe. Still, Boston has dug itself quite the hole early. As of Thursday's off day, the Red Sox are 9½ games back in the American League East and 4½ games out of the wild card race and have an 18% chance to make the playoffs, according to FanGraphs. 'It's not early,' Cora said. 'I've been saying that... It's the first third of the season we have played and we're playing under .500. We have fallen behind a lot of games in the division. Obviously, there's a lot of ways to make it to the playoffs. But if we're going to talk about playoffs, we just have to play better. I think the first goal is to get back to .500 and start winning more games.' In the immediate future, Cora said, the focus for the Red Sox needs to be on slowing things down and trying to win some games. 'There's certain times in the season when things are going great that you can run freely and try to score from first, try to steal from second, steal bases and all that. Try to force plays,' he said. 'In this case, if you look at it the last two or three weeks, every play matters. So slowing it down is the most important thing.' More Red Sox coverage Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is the Red Sox season already over? Plus, Dodgers make a trade & The Good, The Bad, The Uggla
The Boston Red Sox are 27-31 with May coming to a close and what was a season that started with optimism is beginning to sink into a sour reality as the season pushes past its one-third mark. Jake Mintz & Jordan Shusterman talk about Boston's floundering 2025 campaign, the issues with roster construction and how manager Alex Cora isn't entirely to blame. Advertisement Can the Red Sox pull out of their early-season hole? Will fortunes change after their first series against the New York Yankees next week? Only time will tell, but it's hard to be optimistic about their chances this season sitting at 4th in the AL East. Meanwhile out west, the Los Angeles Dodgers have made a trade! The guys explain the reasoning behind acquiring Cincinnati Reds reliever Alexis Diaz for prospect Mike Villani. Diaz, who was an All-Star just two seasons ago has regressed significantly, but with the injuries throughout LA's pitching staff, the move made sense for both sides. Closing out the episode, Jake and Jordan dive further into the mechanics of the bullpen phone before closing out the week with a new edition of The Good, The Bad & The Uggla where pitching injuries reign supreme, the MLB partners with the AUSL & the Miami Marlins have a new baserunning tactic in the minor leagues. (2:25) - Are the Boston Red Sox cooked? Advertisement (22:15) - Dodgers trade for Alexis Diaz (27:40) - Previewing Dodgers/Yankees rematch series (36:40) - More bullpen phone questions (41:30) - The Good, The Bad, The Uggla Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora isn't all to blame for the team's struggles this season as they sit a handful of games under .500 at the end of May. (Photo by) (Photo by) Follow the show on X at @CespedesBBQ Follow Jake @Jake_Mintz Follow Jordan @J_Shusterman_ 🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Is it time for Roman Anthony to be called up by the Boston Red Sox?
Roman Anthony is not going to fix the Red Sox on his own. But it's time for Boston to promote the top prospect in all of baseball. The 21-year-old is wearing a Red Sox jersey, but his hat and helmet have had a "W" on them as he's torn the cover off the ball for Triple-A Worcester. He's entering Thursday's action with an incredible .318/.450/.528 slash line to go with a .978 OPS. Anthony has crushed eight homers and nine doubles in his 176 at-bats, while driving in 12 runs and scoring 18 out of the leadoff spot for the WooSox. There's little doubt Anthony could replicate his production -- or at least come close to it -- at the Major League level for Boston. He's built for the middle of the lineup at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, and he demolished another baseball on Tuesday, crushing a homer with an exit velocity of 115.5 mph. Those swings have been fairly common for Anthony in 2025. "He's not knocking on the door [to the majors], he's knocking it down, let's be honest," Boston manager Alex Cora said in his interview with WEEI Afternoons on Thursday. "When we make the decision, I know everybody's going to be happy and I know he's going to contribute." But the Red Sox seem set on letting him season in the minors a little longer. Boston has lost five straight and is desperate for an offensive spark. But chief baseball officer Craig Breslow used the team's current slump as a reason not to bring Anthony up when asked why he is still toiling in the minors during his Thursday morning interview on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show. "It's a fair question, especially when you look at Roman's performance in the upper levels of the minor leagues and in Triple-A to start this season. Roman can be a really, really good player, which we think he is. He still has some development opportunities he's working through, whether that's getting comfortable in left field -- he missed a little bit of time with an injury to his throwing shoulder -- or working on some things at the plate despite the stat lines screaming otherwise," said Breslow. "We also have to be mindful of the environment that Roman would be coming into and the pressure we could be putting on a 21-year-old in the midst of a losing streak to come up and save the team," continued Breslow. "Roman's time is coming. I don't think there is any question about that. We have to figure out what is best of the organization and what is best for him." Breslow added the team wants to make sure Anthony has a path to play every day, but there are roadblocks in Boston. But those current obstructions can be easily overcome by the Red Sox if they want to clear way for their top prospect. Is there really a roadblock for Roman Anthony in Boston? The Boston outfield is crowded with Ceddanne Rafaela and his incredible glove in center, Jarren Duran in left, and Wilyer Abreu locking down right field. Anthony has been playing mostly left for the WooSox when he's in the field, but is in centerfield for Thursday's game against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in Moosic, PA. But given the way the 27-31 Red Sox have been playing as of late, and considering the team leads the Majors with 15 one-run losses this season, finding a spot for Anthony should be the team's priority -- not keeping players happy in a struggling lineup. Again, Anthony isn't going to come in and save the day, but he could be the jolt the team needs as the season gets closer and closer to being a lost cause. Enough about this perceived roadblock, too. There are a number of ways to clear way for Anthony and his bat in Boston. Rafaela can play the infield and could replace the struggling Trevor Story at shortstop. Story has been slumping hard for over a month, and either needs to become a pricey bench player or get DFA'd to help clear way for younger players. If the team doesn't want to cast off Story because of his huge contract, move him to second base and let Kristian Campbell try his hand at first. (The rookie is set to play some first in Boston's weekend against the Braves.) Marcelo Mayer looks like he's here to stay in the big leagues, and can play third, short, or second. He gives Boston another reason to move on from Story. And it would likely take a miracle, but if Cora can convince Rafael Devers to grab his glove and play some third base again, it would open up the DH spot for Anthony when he isn't in the outfield. Things would get more complicated when Alex Bregman returns from his injury, but that shouldn't concern the Red Sox in the present. The season going completely off the rails is a much more pressing concern. There are ways to get Anthony in the field or simply get his bat in the lineup. It's going to take some shuffling, some potentially tough conversations, and likely require the Red Sox to eat a big contract. But it can be done. Anthony is the top prospect in all of baseball and has already proven himself at the Triple-A level. He will certainly go through some struggles and growing pains when he reaches The Show, but it's time for him to get a chance to get those out of the way and make a big impact in the big leagues. Current Red Sox players have all had their opportunity to make their mark on the 2025 season, and most of them have come up short. It's time for Anthony to get his shot, before it turns into another lost season for the Red Sox.
CBS News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Kristian Campbell might play some first base for Red Sox during series vs. Braves
Marcelo Mayer shares his reaction to being called up to play for the Boston Red Sox Marcelo Mayer shares his reaction to being called up to play for the Boston Red Sox Marcelo Mayer shares his reaction to being called up to play for the Boston Red Sox The Red Sox might see a new side to rookie Kristian Campbell this weekend in Atlanta. Campbell will likely play some first base for Boston during the team's three-game series against the Braves, manager Alex Cora revealed Wednesday. The Red Sox have been scrambling for help at first base since Triston Casas suffered a season-ending patellar tendon rupture in his left leg at beginning of May. The team has turned to the likes of Romy Gonzalez, Abraham Toro, and Nick Sogard, but the Red Sox are still exploring other options. After third baseman-turned-designated hitter Rafael Devers turned down a chance to try playing some first, Campbell became another possible option. He began working out at first base almost two weeks ago, and the 22-year-old has slowly gained some confidence at a new position. He will likely get his first in-game introduction to the spot on the diamond this weekend against the Braves. "We talked a few days ago, and he's like, 'I feel confident,'" Cora told reporters Wednesday, before the team was handed its fifth straight loss by the Milwaukee Brewers. "He's like, 'We'll never know if I don't play,'" added Cora. "I love that he feels convicted about it, so one game in Atlanta, he'll do it." Cora toyed with the idea of trying Campbell at first during the team's three-game sweep in Milwaukee. But he didn't want to see the rookie make his debut at the position against an athletic Brewers team that puts a lot of balls in play. "It was going to be tough from that standpoint," explained Cora. "With Atlanta, they do one thing and they do it well: Hit the ball in the air and out of the ballpark. I think [Atlanta is] a good matchup for him." He added that Campbell won't be thrown into the deep end without help, as there will be a coach dedicated to helping him with his new role in-game. Cora said Campbell will be acclimated to his new role slowly, so don't expect him to completely take over the position. "We're not going to all of a sudden go seven in a row," said Cora. "Little by little." Kristian Campbell's defensive versatility Going back to his college career at Georgia Tech, there are only three positions Campbell hasn't played in a game: Pitcher, catcher, and first base. But the flexibility he's shown in his career made the team comfortable enough to put yet another position on Campbell's plate as he navigates his rookie season. When Campbell does take first base for Boston, it will be the fourth different defensive position he plays for the team this season. He's played 43 games at second base, where he's posted a .975 fielding percentage, to go with six appearances in center field and two games in left field. Kristian Campbell's offensive struggles Campbell made Boston's Opening Day roster after he claimed the starting second baseman's job with an impressive Spring Training. He swung a hot bat out of the gates, slashing .301/.407./.495 with four home runs, 12 RBI, and 18 runs scored over 29 games in March and April. But he's been ice cold since the calendar changed to May. Campbell has slashed just .120/.175/.160 with just one extra-base hit (a home run) over his last 20 games. The Red Sox are asking a lot of Campbell to overcome his current offensive struggles while also learning a completely new position in the field. But Cora sounds confident the rookie can handle the move while also making the necessary adjustments at the plate to get out of his slump.
