Alex Cora kept his answers short, and didn't discuss the big picture. He knew the Blue Jays lost. He didn't see the Astros and Rays dropped games atop the wild card standings too. He might've, but didn't let on. The Red Sox' timely win pulled them within 4.0 games of the playoffs with 47 remaining.
"We just gotta keep winning," Cora said. "We won three out of four. (Kansas City) played well, they pitched well ... win the next series then move onto the big road trip."
Chris Sale's return can't hurt that chase, a white No. 41 uniform visible in the back as music blasted in the clubhouse post-game after James Paxton and Boston's top relievers shutout the Royals. Every win helps. Even one where Trevor Story ran into an out stealing second and Pablo Reyes nearly did stretching out a double that set up the Sox' second run. The Mariners won their seventh straight game yesterday. More momentum pushes against Boston's playoff chances -- 5% according to ESPN entering Thursday -- than towards it. So Sale's return from injury comes with less fanfare than any before it with Boston.
Perhaps that's how he wants it. Sale didn't speak on Thursday's before his scheduled return and avoided the clubhouse. The Sox won't hype up this attempt at a turnaround.
"We were just talking upstairs," Chris Martin said post-game. "He said he's pretty relaxed and he's ready to go. Obviously, getting him back and getting these three games from Kansas City, get on a roll here, and I think we've got a pretty favorable schedule coming up."
While much of Boston's hole opened from self-inflicted miscues on the field and front office complacency, one valid excuse that existed all season came in the training room. The Red Sox exhausted their relief staff in recent weeks, using Jansen in back-to-back wins to win the Royals series. Josh Wincowski leads the league with 63 relief innings pitched, and appeared again on Thursday. The series finale marked Boston's first shutout as a pitching staff in nearly one month, utilizing openers and bulk relief efforts for two rotation turns for nearly the entirety of that stretch.
Six days of rest helped LHP James Paxton muster his his best start since June. Bryan Bello, shimmying his shoulders to the music post-game on Thursday after his stellar start Monday, continues to anchor the rotation. Nick Pivetta and Kutter Crawford can contribute quality starts, with Tanner Houck and Garrett Whitlock back soon providing starting and relief capabilities. Sale also indicated a willingness to fill whatever role Cora requests upon his activation.
Thursday's win previewed what that pitching flexibility can allow Cora to do from the dugout. John Schreiber, recently an opener in his return from injury, succeeded in relief with Bobby Witt Jr. in scoring position ahead 2-0 with one out when Paxton exited. Wincowski struck out two and escaped the seventh inning after blowing a 2-0 lead on Monday, having appeared for nearly two innings on Saturday. Martin continued his dominant run, one run allowed over 24 appearances. Jansen grabbed another save in what's become a stellar season for the bullpen.
"I think we've got some reinforcements coming," Martin said. "Guys who can throw multiple innings in Houck and Whitlock. I'm not sure what their roles are gonna be, but obviously we've had guys who have stepped up, that next man up mentality, have come in and done a good job filling in spots and making pitches. Getting Schreiber back is huge, obviously you see how that shortens the game, him being able to come in right there."
Boston's staff enters Friday's series opener against Detroit 17th in ERA (4.35) despite allowing .256 hitting (24th), 1.32 WHIP (19th) and receiving the league's worst defense, according to outs above average, behind them. It could be worst, and returning talent should only help. Those who pitched so far sit tied for seventh in forced double plays, 11th in saves and ranking top-10 in most strikeouts and fewest walks per nine innings.
Sale himself, albeit posting a 4.58 ERA in 59 innings with no certainty he'll hold up physically, had improved to a 2.25 ERA in his final 36 innings before the injury. He struck out 41 and walked five, finishing 4-0 over those six starts. His stuff can still pop when it's in control.
"What (the bullpen) did the last few days was a lot," Cora acknowledged. "So somebody else has to step up. We've got Chris for X amount of pitches and innings, and other guys, they have to step up tomorrow ... we've been waiting for this day. He's been around us and he feels good."
Previously, Sale rehab starts would draw fans in droves to Worcester. This time, they happened in Syracuse as a string of meltdowns at the major league level turned many away from the Sox as they fell behind the Mariners and Yankees in the playoff picture. The Jays unloaded on Boston's pitching, and Kansas City continued a stretch through Wednesday where 100 baserunners and 39 runs crossed home at Fenway hitting Sox pitchers. Their own bats went quiet when August began. Story's return didn't help this week. Mistakes like Reese McGuire's celebration seemed to define the season already.
Yet Sale did not allow a run over two Triple-A rehab starts to begin the month (6.1 IP, 4 H, 10 SO, 2 BB, 93 pitches), and the lineups he and the team's first full rotation turn will face this upcoming week don't look any more dangerous than Kansas City's. Detroit ranks 28th in runs scored. Washington checks in at 19th. The Yankees, losers of 5-of-6 against Boston this year, loom in 22nd place, while this month's slump only dropped Boston to ninth in runs scored.
Thursday's win increased the Sox' playoff odds to 13.1% on Fangraphs, but scoring only their 4th win while scoring fewer than three runs provided a greater hope. That the Sox can shift their identity toward pitching into the fall -- when it matters most.
"I remember when I signed here, I was excited to see (Sale)," Jansen said. "To be alongside him now, it's awesome. You see the fighting spirit that he has, things people can't see on the field that I can see every day...the positivity he brings. That's a tough mindset for a guy who keeps (going) down with injuries, you see how he's stayed focused, tried to come back and won't let things bug him, dealing with the trainers, strength coach and everybody to try to get back on the field, that's exciting. I'm excited to watch that game tomorrow."
