BOSTON -- Red Sox righty Nick Pivetta threw 73 pitches in relief Thursday night, but that’s not stopping manager Alex Cora from penciling in the righty for Game 4 of the ALDS against the Rays
After Nathan Eovaldi pitches Game 3 on Sunday afternoon, Pivetta “most likely” will get the nod to pitch Monday night on three days’ rest, according to Cora. Things could change if the Sox need to use Pivetta in relief of Eovaldi in Game 3.
“We’ll do our thing tomorrow and then go from there,” Cora said Saturday. “Most likely it’s going to be Nick. We’ll see. We have to make sure we win tomorrow, and if we have to use certain guys tomorrow, we’ll do it. We’ve got capable guys to pitch Game 4 too.”
Needless to say, Cora’s plans for the Red Sox’ rotation haven’t gone as scheduled so far against Tampa Bay. Eduardo Rodriguez (1 ⅔ innings in Game 1) and Chris Sale (1 inning in Game 2) each received quick hooks, forcing Pivetta (4 ⅔ innings, 73 pitches Thursday) and Tanner Houck (5 innings, 61 pitches Friday) into long relief duty. According to Cora, all four pitchers -- Rodriguez, Sale, Pivetta and Houck -- should be available in relief in Game 3. Houck and Pivetta would obviously be used in short stints.
Martinez likely to stick in No. 6 spot
Cora used a new-look lineup in Game 2, with J.D. Martinez hitting sixth for the first time all season. With Martinez nursing a left ankle sprain, Cora said, he didn’t want to have to shake up the middle of the batting order if the designated hitter had to come out of Game 2.
Martinez had four hits (including a 3-run homer) and Boston exploded for 20 hits as a team in Game 2. The newly constructed lineup looks like it’s here to stay.
Against right-handers, Kyle Schwarber will lead off with Kiké Hernández hitting second, Rafael Devers hitting third, Xander Bogaerts in the cleanup spot and Alex Verdugo hitting fifth ahead of Martinez. The structure allows the Red Sox to alternate between lefties and righties through the first two-thirds of their order.
“I loved it,” Cora said. “I thought about it this morning, and I’m like that’s pretty good right there. That’s good balance, a bunch of athletes in front of him, guys that they’re getting on base at a high rate, including Alex, who’s been amazing against righties throughout the season.
“So we’ll keep it like that,” Cora said. “Against righties, that’s going to be our alignment.”
Cora expects Martinez to be at full strength for Game 3.
Sale to remain in rotation mix
Sale, like the other starters, may pitch out of relief in between starts, but Cora said the Sox aren’t considering moving him to a full-time bullpen role “for health reasons.” The lefty has had two consecutive poor starts, lasting just 2 ⅓ innings in Sunday’s season finale against the Nationals before giving up five runs on four hits in a single inning Friday.
Cora said Sale and the team’s pitching department are working tirelessly to get things fixed.
“There’s a lot of people looking at video from now and a few years ago and all of that,” Cora said. “He’s the first one to admit it, he needs to be better, and he’s working at it. We’ll get him right, and he’ll be ready for whenever we need him.”
Cora is trying to balance respecting Sale’s track record while putting the Sox in the best position to win important games in October.
“He’s the first one to say that he needs to get better,” Cora said. “We’ll keep doing that. We have no issues taking guys out here because they understand that at this point it’s not about who you are, it’s about who we are, and he’s the first one to say it.”
Brasier, Robles among most trusted relievers
Hansel Robles (who had a 7.94 ERA in his first 12 appearances with the Red Sox) and Ryan Brasier (who was optioned to Triple-A on Sept. 17) have -- somewhat shockingly -- become two of Cora’s most-trusted relievers in the late innings. Both pitchers tossed scoreless innings late in the Game 2 win; they combined for five strikeouts.
“Both have been amazing,” Cora said. “They made some adjustments throughout the season. I think Hansel has thrown more strikes, and he settled down. Like I said before, his stuff has always been great. It’s just a matter of throwing more strikes and then use certain pitches in certain situations.
“With (Brasier), I do believe him getting sent down for one day kind of lit a fire on him. He came back to prove to us that we made the wrong decision, and I’m glad that it’s going this way.”
Matt Barnes’ struggles have caused Cora to rethink the back end of his bullpen. Adam Ottavino has been inconsistent and Josh Taylor ended the season on the injured list, so Brasier, Robles and Garrett Whitlock appear to be the top three relievers at the moment. Pivetta and Rodriguez both pitched late in the season finale as well.
“I’m glad we have more weapons now,” Cora said. “That’s the nature of the sport. That’s why I said 162 (games) is real, and there’s certain guys that they’re going to have a great first half and they’re going to struggle, other guys are going to come in, but then at the end, as a group, I think we’re clicking at the right time bullpen-wise, and there’s a lot of guys who are throwing the ball well over there.”
Brasier had a 1.04 ERA in 8 ⅔ innings during the 2018 playoffs and is off to a hot start (1 ⅔ scoreless innings, 3 strikeouts) this October.
“Everybody wants the ball, and so far whoever has got it, whatever the situation is, go out and perform,” he said. “It’s that next-man-up mentality that you always hear about in sports. Not just baseball, but every sport. I think just that’s kind of how we go about it in the bullpen. Nobody really cares where or when they throw.”
Barnes’ struggles continue
Before Game 2, reliever Garrett Richards pulled his left hamstring while doing conditioning drills, causing the Sox to take him off the ALDS roster and activate Barnes. Barnes pitched the ninth inning with an eight-run lead Friday, allowing a hit and issuing two walks before securing the blowout win.
Barnes is not a candidate to pitch high-leverage innings at this point.
“I think mechanically he’s a little bit off,” Cora said. “He’s pulling his fastball. The breaking ball still plays. He got the lefties out, which is something that we took into consideration when we decided to add him because he’s one of those guys that he’s a neutral split and he can get the righties out. So that’s why we added him.”
Eovaldi ready for Game 3
Eovaldi, who allowed one run on four hits in 5 ⅓ innings in Tuesday’s Wild Card Game win over the Yankees, will pitch on regular rest Sunday. The righty owns a career 1.63 ERA in 27 ⅔ postseason innings (all with the Red Sox in 2018 and 2021).
“It’s my favorite time of the year,” Eovaldi said. “For us to be in this situation, we’ve had to fight and battle the whole time to be able to get here and be in this situation. We’ve had a lot of guys step up to be able to help us out, and I want to be able to continue that and help the team any way I can.
“I love pitching in these moments and against teams like the Rays,” he continued. “It’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be fun.”
Eovaldi faced the Rays four times during the regular season and pitched well, holding Tampa Bay to seven earned runs in 26 ⅓ innings (2.39 ERA). He said he plans to combat Tampa Bay’s aggressiveness with a careful plan.
“I don’t want to tip my hand too much,” Eovaldi said. “I’ve got a pretty good plan of attack. I feel like the first two games they’ve come out swinging definitely. They kind of set the tone right away.”
Game times announced for rest of series
Game 3, which is scheduled for 4:07 p.m. ET, might be the only afternoon game of the Rays-Red Sox series. Game 4 is slated for 7:07 p.m. ET at Fenway Park and Game 5 most likely will be played at 8:07 p.m. ET back in St. Petersburg.
As of now, Game 5 is scheduled for 5:07 p.m. ET, but will be moved to 8:07 if the Astros-White Sox series is wrapped up. Houston currently leads Chicago, 2-0, and could close things out as soon as Sunday.
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