All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 7-5 loss to the Blue Jays, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Sloppy play continues: There's little doubt poor starting pitching has been the Red Sox' chief failure this season, with just one quality start from the rotation through the first dozen games. But the Sox are not yet mastering some of the little things and that's not helping the cause either. On Tuesday, the team didn't commit any errors, but catcher Christian Vazquez committed two passed balls in the same inning while starter Chris Sale yanked a pitch enabling a steal of home. "If he just throws the ball down the middle, he's out by five feet,'' lamented Alex Cora. The Jays were also 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts and the Sox contributed a wild pitch. "They're taking advantage of us,'' said Cora. "We're slow to the plate. We have to do a better job slowing down the running game. Teams are running against us. We have to mix it up. We saw it during the road trip and we saw it again today.'' The Red Sox -- particularly the starters -- are allowing enough baserunners as it is. Allowing them to take extra bases is only compounding the problem.
Pedroia comes back: It wasn't exactly the stuff of storybooks. Dustin Pedroia returned to action in a regular season game since last May 29. He was given a standing ovation when he collected his World Series ring and again when he came to the plate for the first time in the second inning. "I felt good,'' he said. "It was great to be out there. Obviously, I wish we won. But it's been a long time since I was able to do that and be out there. It was fun.'' on the field, the results weren't great. He managed a leadoff single down the right-field line in the ninth, but in the three previous at-bats, was hitless, ending three innings while stranding baserunners in scoring position each time. "My first few at-bats, I was trying too hard,'' he said, "because I was kind of in a big spot.'' Later, he survived a scare on a collision at second with baserunner Teoscar Hernandez, who got his spikes caught in Pedroia's shoelaces. A few teammates had expressed initial concern that he has re-injured his knee. "My knee can't get any worse, so it's going to be alright,'' joked Pedroia.
Manny returns: For the first time since 2016 -- and only the second time since his playing career ended -- Manny Ramirez returned to Fenway Park Tuesday, joining in the pre-game ceremony as the Red Sox celebrated their most recent World Series win and the three that came before. Ramirez was cheered wildly by the fans and later spoke with reporters. "It's awesome,'' he said of the chance to re-visit Fenway. "This is the best city to play in. All the fans cheering and cheering my name, it's a great feeling.'' Looking back on his career with the Sox, Ramirez noted: "When I came to Boston, I knew it was going to be tough. But to be honest, it made me a better player. ... It was God's plan for me to play here.'' Ramirez said he had been invited by the Red Sox "a couple of years'' but he was busy with his family. "This time, I wanted to come back and say 'Hi' to the fans,'' he said. Ramirez, who has drawn little support on the ballot for the Hall of Fame, was asked about his chances to get into Cooperstown. "I hope so. We’re praying. In life, everybody makes mistakes,'' he said. In an apparent reference to his two PED suspensions, Ramirez added: "Nobody’s perfect. With time, if it’s God’s will, we’re going to be there. If not we’re just happy we got the opportunity to play the game we love.”
TURNING POINT
As bad as things turned for the Sox in the middle innings, they closed to within a run in the sixth. But in the seventh, consecutive walks by the Boston bullpen and a run-scoring single by Randal Grichuk re-established the Jays two-run lead and ate into the Red Sox' momentum.
ONE UP
Tyler Thornburg: Thornburg continues to make strides out of the bullpen. He contributed two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out two.
TWO DOWN
Jackie Bradley Jr.: Bradley insisted that he fixed his swing in the second half and over the winter, but it's yet to be demonstrated. He was 0-for-4 and is hitting .171 for the season, serving as an anchor in the bottom third of the lineup.
Christian Vazquez: Other than a leadoff single in the third, Vazquez had a brutal afternoon. He was soon erased on the bases while attempting to steal. Then, in the top of the fourth, he committed two passed balls. He also couldn't glove a pitch from Sale as the Jays stole home.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"Never in my life.'' Chris Sale, when asked if he's ever felt this lost on the mound.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Sox had been 14-2 in their previous 16 home openers.
- Mitch Moreland has four homers in the first 12 games; the last Red Sox player to do that was Hanley Ramirez in 2015.
- The solo homer by Mookie Betts had an exit-velocity of 105.2 mph, his hardest-hit ball of the season.
- Xander Bogaerts has six walks in his last five games.