MLB

7 things that happened with the Red Sox over the weekend

The Red Sox defeated the Jays on Sunday, 5-3.

Boston Red Sox's Mitch Moreland was a standout against the Toronto Blue Jays. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

By Deyscha Smith

4 minutes to read

The Red Sox took on the Toronto Blue Jays for a three-game series this past weekend. The Sox won on Friday (5-3), lost on Saturday (2-1), and came out on top on Sunday, posting a 5-3 walk-off win. That victory, in part, was thanks to Mitch Moreland, who hit two home runs.

Off the field, Alex Verdugo dished his take on the Mookie Betts comparisons, Rafael Devers admitted that Moreland is “carrying” the team right now, and more. In case you missed it, here’s what happened to the team over the weekend:

Friday

Alex Verdugo became the first Red Sox left-handed hitter to hit two-opposite field home runs in a single game at Fenway Park: On Friday, Verdugo made two impressive homers — his first in the second inning and another in the eighth. He is the first left-handed hitter to do so since slugger Mo Vaughn in 1996, according to The Boston Globe‘s Alex Spier.

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He also made a specular play in in the ninth, robbing a home run from Jays’ infielder Travis Shaw.

Verdugo’s triumphant yell afterward made the moment.

“I would say I’ve never screamed like that before,” Verdugo told the Associated Press. “I used to be a pitcher back in the day. I was pretty hyped up … I would say, I don’t know if I’ve ever really screamed like that after a catch, even with fans. With fans, it’s like, ‘Wooo, let’s go.’ But that one was like, I just had to kind of let it out. You could hear even when I catch it, like, ‘Aahhhhhhh!'”

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The Sox added Seth Blair and released John Andreoli:  

Saturday

Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez struggled: The Red Sox have struggled this season offensively, and on Saturday it was apparent in J.D Martinez and Rafael Devers. The Globe’s Julian Williams described their performances as “jarring”, noting that Devers chased six pitches out the zone and is batting .170, while Martinez has a “slow swing.”

Interim manager Ron Roenicke shared his thoughts: 

“No doubt it gets in your head,” Ron Roenicke said of Devers’ pressing. “And when you press, you still try to be aggressive and you end up chasing more.” When asked about Martinez, he added: “Right now he’s missing pitches that he should be hitting,” he said. “We need that offense to come through like we know that they can.”

Ron Roenicke weighed in on replacing Andrew Benintendi in the fourth inning: Benintendi, who in the last 15 games is 2-for-36 with 16 strikeouts (.056 ERA), was replaced by Kevin Pillar in the fourth. Roenicke said it was a decision he didn’t like to make, but with the team’s swinging troubles, it was a necessary one.

“It’s still tough and I still didn’t like it,” Roenicke said. “I know it worked out to where Pillar got two at-bats, he played great defense, threw a guy out, made a great play at the wall. But I still didn’t like it. I actually would have rather not have done that. … We don’t score runs, and I start doing things I would rather not do. So I guess it affects everybody.”

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“I would have never done it in a 162 games. I shouldn’t say never but I probably wouldn’t have done that in 162,” Roenicke said. “And if we were swinging the bats well, I wouldn’t have done that, either.”

The team recalled Dylan Covey and optioned Ryan Weber: The Red Sox recalled right-handed pitcher Dylan Covey from the alternate training site, and optioned Ryan Weber after the game.

Covey, who was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in July, made his debut against the Baltimore Orioles, where he allowed two runs in 2.0 innings with two strikeouts and zero walks. He has a 6.56 ERA throughout his career. Weber, who made his first Opening Day Roster this season, allowed two runs in 3.0 innings against the Jays on Saturday. He was 0-2 with a 9.90 ERA.

Verdugo commented on Mookie Betts comparisons: ‘I don’t think about Mookie.’

Verdugo’s energy on the field has earned him some comparison to the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts. He brushed off the comparison.

“I’m not replacing him,” Verdugo said. “Yeah, he played here, but this is a game. This is a business. He decided to go elsewhere. I’m not replacing him. That’s what you guys say. That’s what everybody else says. I’m going out there and playing right field, playing my game.”

Sunday

Mitch Moreland discussed his two home runs on Sunday:  The team regained their momentum on Sunday, thanks to a solid performance by Moreland.

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“I feel good right now,” he said about his two homers. “Trying to stick with a game plan, and it’s been working out. Obviously we didn’t play as well as we wanted to — the first game I thought was a great game and yesterday we had a chance to win that game and couldn’t pull it off. Today is a big one, hopefully it will get us on track and get us ready for Tampa.”

Rafael Devers said that it’s Moreland who has been “carrying” the team. “Obviously, right now, Mitch is the one that’s been carrying us right now, but we have a lot of great players,” he said “Like I’ve said before, we all have an equal part, whether it’s making a great defensive play, the starters pitching as well as they can [and] the relievers as well.”

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