Alex Cora on Bruins’ Stanley Cup run: ‘The city should be proud.’
The Red Sox have now moved to center ice.
Manager Alex Cora took time before Thursday’s game against the Rangers to congratulate the Bruins on their run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. In doing so, he also acknowledged the arrival of a period in which the Red Sox will come more clearly under a microscope in the local sports landscape.
“What a great season, huh? They did an outstanding job. Putting themselves in that position is pretty remarkable,’’ Cora said of the Bruins. “I don’t know much about the sport, but I know if you’re playing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup, you did a good job. The city should be proud. Obviously we get judged by results, but I think when everything wears down, they will recognize how great they were this year. I’d like to congratulate Bruce [Cassidy] and the boys and the organization for an amazing season.
“And here we go,’’ said Cora. “It’s our stage.’’
Cora downplayed the idea, however, that his team faced any additional pressure as a result with the redirected attention of the local sports scene.
“I think we’ve been on the stage the whole season. We’re the world champs, so maybe there’s another stage. I don’t know,’’ said Cora. “I don’t think there’s another stage. We know who we are. We know where we’re at. Like we’ve been saying all along, we’ve just got to play better.’’
Checking on Big Papi
Cora said that he’d connected by phone on Wednesday with Tiffany Ortiz, wife of David Ortiz, about the retired star’s recovery from a gunshot wound and the well-being of the family.
“The kids are doing OK, she’s holding strong, and the big man has been the big man. She said, ‘He’s just a beast,’’’ relayed Cora. “Hopefully everything keeps going the right way and when we come back we’ll be able to visit him.’’
A call to arms
Nate Eovaldi has not resumed throwing since being shut down late last week with biceps soreness.
“He’s feeling better. We just have to make sure he feels great,’’ Cora said of the righthander, who underwent surgery in mid-April to remove loose bodies from his right elbow. “It looks like it’s a lot of time [that he’s been shut down], but it’s really not. We still feel comfortable where we’re at.’’
Cora noted that the absence of Eovaldi has been magnified by the simultaneous sidelining of Brian Johnson (out since April 6 with left elbow inflammation) and Hector Velazquez (sidelined since May 30 with a lower back strain).
“We always talk about Nate but we never talk about Hector and B.J., what they did last year,’’ said Cora, noting the contrast with the bullpen-taxing brevity of recent outings from depth options such as Ryan Weber, Josh Smith, and Darwinzon Hernandez. “It puts us in a tough situation using the bullpen because you overuse guys in those days and then you’re chasing your tail the whole time. It seems like we’re never full strength bullpen-wise.’’
That being the case, Cora noted with enthusiasm that Johnson is slated for activation over the weekend against the Orioles, with the possibility that the lefthander could make a start on Sunday. Velazquez could start a rehab assignment this weekend.
Pearce starts rehab
First baseman Steve Pearce will start a rehab assignment on Friday with the Lowell Spinners, whose short-season New York-Penn League season gets underway.
“The goal,’’ said Pearce, who has been on the injured list with a lower back injury since June 1, “is to get healthy and find my swing.’’
Cora said that Pearce is “physically . . . in a great spot.’’ He added that when Pearce declares himself ready to return to the roste,r the team will “give it one more day to make sure. [But] he looks great.’’
In 99 plate appearances this year, Pearce is hitting .180/.245/.258, but the team believes that his return to health and availability could allow the team to improve its poor performance thus far against lefties. The Sox are hitting .239/.309/.420 against lefties, and are 8-13 in contests started by southpaws.
Thorny situation
Righthander Tyler Thornburg walked three batters and struck out two over 1⅔ innings in a rehab appearance for Triple-A Pawtucket on Wednesday. Cora said his breaking ball was good but he lacked fastball command.
