NOTE: We are not updating Live Coverage tonight as we deal with the new site conversion.
WHO: Red Sox (22-14) vs. Oakland A's (21-15)
WHEN: 7:10 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 4.62) vs. RHP Chris Bassitt (2-2, 3.70)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUPS
A'S
Canha LF
Brown RF
Laureano CF
Olson 1B
Lowrie 2B
Chapman 3B
Moreland DH
Murphy C
Andrus SS
RED SOX
Gonzalez 2B
Verdugo CF
Martinez DH
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Vazquez C
Renfroe RF
Cordero LF
Chavis 1B
WHAT'S UP: .After being swept by Baltimore in the opening series of the season, the Red Sox are 22-11 (.667) in games and 6-1-3 in series. The Sox have won four of their last five games....The Red Sox’ plus-33 run differential ranks second in MLB behind the Chicago White Sox (+53)...The Sox have won seven games by five or more runs, tied for second-most in the majors. By contrast, the Sox have lost only two games by five or more runs, tied for second-fewest in the majors...Only the Giants have lost fewer games (one) by five or more runs....The Sox also lead the majors in come-from-behind wins with 15...The Red Sox are 10-9 at home, but 10-6 after the first series of trhe season...They've won three of their last four games at Fenway Park.....The Sox have been limited to just five runs in their last two games after totaling 45 runs in their previous five games....Even with the recent drought, the Sox still lead the majors in runs (188), batting average (.264), slugging percentage (.439), OPS (.768), doubles (80), and extra-base hits (126)...They've also hit 16 homers in their last 10 games, tied for second-most in the majors during that time... They have recorded multiple extra-base hits in 20 consecutive games, the longest streak in the majors in 2021....J.D. Martinez leads the majors in RBI (31), runs scored (31), and total bases (84), and is tied for the lead in home runs (10)...He also ranks in the top three in OBP (third, .427), slugging (third, .646), OPS (second, 1.073), hits (second, 44), and extra-base hits (third, 20). Since joining the Sox in 2018, Martinez is tied for the MLB lead with 293 RBI and is fourth in homers with 96...He has hit .304 with a .950 OPS in that time....Xander Bogaerts has seven HR in his last 19 games, tied for most in the MLB in that time. Bogaerts leads MLB in hits (46) and ranks fourth in batting average (.348)...He leads MLB shortstops in average, OBP (.399), slugging (.591), OPS (.990), doubles (11), and extra-base hits (18)...He's the only qualified shortstop with an OPS of at least .900....This is the first time since July of 2013 the Sox and A’s are facing each other while leading their respective divisions....Over the last 15 home meeting with Oakland, the Sox are 12-3 and have won the last four in a row...The Sox are sixth in the AL and 14th in the majors with a 3.96 ERA; last year, the staff ERA was 5.58...Red Sox starters have gone five or more innings in 14 of the last 15 games....Nathan Eovaldi hasn't homer in his last 52.0 IP, MLB’s longest active homerless streak. Eovaldi (39 innings this season) is the only qualified MLB pitcher to not allow a HR in 2021...He has faced 218 batters since last giving up a homer...Ramon Laureano is 1-for-2 with a homer off Eovaldi while former Sox infielder Jed Lowrie is 0-for-8....Marwin Gonzalez is 1-for-6 lifetime with a homer off Oakland starter Chris Bassitt while Martinez is 1-for-8....Hunter Renfroe has a four-game hitting streak.
NOTES:
- Alex Cora believes that both Kike Hernandez (hamstring) and Christian Arroyo (hand contusion) will ready to come off the IL as soon as they're eligible.
- Cora said he'd like Nathan Eovaldi to mix in more of his secondary pitches Tuesday night, after being perhaps too fastball-heavy in his most recent start, allowing six runs on seven hits in just 4.1 innings against Detroit