Alex Cora, Rafael Devers express collective disappointment with Red Sox’ offense
The Red Sox rank in the bottom half in the majors in a few key offensive categories in May.
The Red Sox’ sputtering offense disappointed again Saturday, wasting another solid outing from their rotation in a 7-2 loss to the Cardinals.
In addition to scoring just two runs, Boston’s offense only had two hits through the first seven innings. Somehow, the Red Sox were able to tie the game up, 2-2, in the eighth inning when Jarren Duran scored from first on a double from Rob Refsnyder.
It ended up being all for naught, though, because Justin Slaten gave up four earned runs in the bottom of the frame.
While Slaten was responsible for the Red Sox’ loss, Alex Cora turned his attention to his team’s hitters following Saturday’s game.
“At the end of the day, we’ve gotta score runs,” the Red Sox manager told reporters. “We can’t play these games all the time, right? Tight games all the way. We put pressure on the bullpen. At one point, we have to start producing runs.”
Boston’s offense ranks in the middle of the pack in a couple key areas this season, sitting in 15th in batting average (.243) and 17th in runs per game (4.26). But it’s struggled in May, ranking just 25th in runs (53), 19th in batting average (.229), and tied for 26th in home runs (11).
Rafael Devers’s home run streak is responsible for four of those home runs. The star slugger hit a homer in his fourth consecutive game on Saturday – a 431-foot solo shot to center in the fourth inning – and his fifth in the month, bringing his total to eight on the season.
But Boston has lost each game during Devers’s homer streak, scoring just 16 runs total in its last four games. Devers was more focused on the final results as opposed to his personal accomplishments following Saturday’s loss.
“I feel good about the home runs, but at the same time, we’re not winning so it’s bittersweet,” Devers told reporters through team translator Carlos Villoria Benítez. “The swing feels good but if we’re not winning, it’s just pointless.”
Even though Devers has started to turn things around after an injury-plagued April, he isn’t performing to his full capabilities. He missed at capitalizing on a golden opportunity in the first inning, striking out with runners at the corners following a Cardinals error.
The strikeout dropped Devers’s batting average with runners in scoring position to .182 (6-for-33) on the season, exactly .100 points fewer than his career average (.282).
“I need to make an adjustment,” Devers said of his struggles with runners in scoring position. “I like to hit with men in scoring position and I haven’t been able to hit with men in scoring position. Obviously, that gets me a little bit frustrated. But at the same time, I need to keep working.”
Devers’s inability to pounce on the first inning opportunity and the Red Sox’ continued struggles at the plate meant Kutter Crawford was put in a familiar hole, spending his entire outing Saturday either pitching with the game tied or from behind.
Crawford pitched another solid performance, allowing just one run on six hits and five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. His ERA improved to 2.17, a top-10 mark in all of baseball. However, the Red Sox’ record with Crawford on the mound is continuing to head in the wrong direction as they’re just 3-7 in games he’s started this season. They’ve lost the last three games Crawford has started and four of his last five starts.
Refsnyder, who’s hit a solid .308 with a .804 OPS in May, expressed disappointment that he and the rest of the hitters have continued to let Crawford down.
“It speaks to our offense. We need to be better,” Refsnyder told reporters. “We’re putting ourselves in good positions and guys are getting on base.
“I don’t think there’s any excuse for wasting Kutter’s starts. He’s got a sub-2.50 [ERA] the whole year. It’s all on us. We just need to do better. All of our starters are doing great and it just sucks. We’re trying hard and the results aren’t there. There’s no one to blame but ourselves.”
Cora continued to express similar thoughts when he listed some of the good at-bats the Red Sox had Saturday, coming to a blunt conclusion.
“We need more.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com