Has anybody checked on Alex Cora lately?
Often jovial and quick-witted in his interactions with the press, the Red Sox’s manager hasn’t seemed like his usual self lately.
I’m not the only one who has noticed, either. A colleague who interacts with Cora regularly acknowledged to me that they too have sensed the skipper’s demeanor has shifted from chipper to business-like in recent weeks.
He’s been quick to criticize, for example, choosing to focus more on Rafael Devers’ struggles over his successes after his team-record six-game homer streak, and has become snappier during his various media availabilities.
In my estimation, his attitude shift began with the start of Boston’s offensive slump after the San Francisco series. Cora was quick to call out his offense, sternly warning “we have to be better” as his team slinked together two or fewer runs six times in a seven-game stretch.
Now, losing can definitely take its toll, so on one hand I suppose Cora’s bad mood isn’t all that surprising. Yet Cora has consistently maintained an even keel throughout his managerial career in Boston, usually erring on the side of hopefulness and positivity.
Sure, there have been times in the past where his frustrations slip out — like when Boston’s season was falling apart down the stretch last season — but this doesn’t feel like frustration. Instead, it comes across more like… resignation.
Is Cora feeling the pressure of another middling season while managing in a contract year with a new boss who he isn’t sure is fully in his corner? Is he tired and fed up with the cards he’s been dealt with this team? Is he starting to become a little mentally checked out and focused on his next job?
It’s true that great managers and coaches in sports demand the best out of their players and often aren’t satisfied even when things appear to be going well from the outside. Perhaps this is just Cora seeing the potential of his group and knowing they’re capable of more, or maybe years of perpetual mediocrity are starting to wear him down.
At any rate, if you see Cora out and about, you might want to give him a high five… or a hug. It sure seems like he needs it.
Make Rafaela Great (In Center) Again
If I ever run for president, the first item on my agenda would be enacting legislation mandating that the Red Sox keep Ceddanne Rafaela in center field.
The 23-year-old has fewer than 80 major league games under his belt, yet there’s already no doubt he is an elite outfielder — and perfectly suited for Fenway Park.
Rafaela flexed his defensive muscles again over the weekend, making a highlight-reel diving catch in the second inning of Friday’s series opener against Milwaukee to rob Joey Ortiz of extra bases.
Rookie on rookie robbery 🚨
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 25, 2024
Ceddanne Rafaela (@RedSox) uses a 28.3 ft/sec sprint speed to cover 82 feet, making a diving catch to steal a base hit from Joey Ortiz: pic.twitter.com/v0qEIsXwl5
“He’s gifted, he is,” Cora said of Rafaela. “It’s a good feeling in the dugout when they hit it in the air, you’ve got a feeling that if it’s in the ballpark, he’ll make the play.”
It seems like we’re all seeing the same thing, right? I see it, you see it, Cora sees it. So why on earth do the Red Sox keep shuffling him back and forth between center and shortstop like he’s the second coming of Brock Holt?
Is Rafaela capable of doing it? Yes, absolutely. He is a gifted defender whose skillset clearly translates well across the diamond. But that’s beside the point. Any time spent for Rafaela at another position is taking away from time he could be spending focusing on an area of his game that has been less than stellar: his hitting.
Keep this guy in center please, @RedSox… https://t.co/InfHcRSwne
— Gethin Coolbaugh (@GethinCoolbaugh) May 25, 2024
Rafaela entered Saturday hitting a paltry .193, despite recording hits in three straight games before being blanked again on Friday. As is almost always the case, it takes time for hitters to adjust to major league pitching.
I’d much rather see the Sox stick with Rafaela in center to let him focus primarily on getting more comfortable at the plate. His versatility is and has been useful for a team that began the year with a major injury bug, but I believe keeping him in one place — a place where he clearly excels — is only fair to a player they have high organizational hopes for.
Maybe someday he’ll be a super utility player, not capable of being an everyday starter. But today isn’t that day. Rafaela deserves to be put in the best position to thrive, and that’s usually a scenario that doesn’t including a lot of variables and moving around…
Hamilton has been (found) money
You know that feeling when you find a crumpled up $20 bill in your pocket that you had forgotten about?
That’s exactly what David Hamilton’s sudden offensive emergence has felt like as the speedy shortstop continues to pile up the hits and offer the team surprising production at the plate.
The 26-year-old raised his batting average 61 points from .200 to .261 in a span of only 10 days, with his best showing coming in Friday’s blowout loss to the Brewers. Hamilton went 3 of 4 with an RBI double.
“The more he plays, the better it’s gonna be for him. He found a rhythm,” Cora said of Hamilton. “This guy is dynamic. He can put pressure on the opposition, gives us another athlete in the lineup, and we’ll find at-bats for him.”
It’s a far cry from the player we had seen to start the season and in limited spots last year. Hamilton is still a work in progress defensively, but as Cora alluded to, his bat will make him hard to take out of the lineup if he keeps up this kind of productivity.
I was asked about Hamilton and his future here in this week’s BSJ Live Q&A. While I don’t think Hamilton is a player who is worth keeping around in the long term (and he’s certainly not one who is going to alter the franchise’s plans to turn the keys over to Marcelo Mayer sooner than later), but he’s a decent stopgap to have around as the team either waits for Trevor Story to return next season or goes full Mayer.
His presence also allows for the Sox to keep Rafaela in center, and I just read somewhere that that’s something they should strongly consider doing…
Whitlock done for season
Speaking of guys we won’t be seeing for a while, we can unfortunately add Garrett Whitlock to that list.
The right-hander told us on Saturday that he’s likely to be recommended to undergo an internal brace procedure to address the tear in his UCL, which would shut him down for the remainder of the season.
Whitlock had been off to a strong start with a 1-0 record and a 1.96 ERA through four starts. He struck an upbeat tone when speaking with reporters about his thought process as he continues down the road to recovery.
"It's all about how you get back up, how you fight, and that's how I'm viewing this and that's how I'm attacking it."
— NESN (@NESN) May 25, 2024
Garrett Whitlock on being shut down for the remainder of the 2024 season with an elbow injury. pic.twitter.com/2G5Ae3j0DI
"It's all about how you get back up, how you fight,” Whitlock said. “And that's how I'm viewing this and that's how I'm attacking it.”
The Sox will certainly miss Whitlock’s presence in the rotation, but they’ve been more than able to tread water without him. Right now, the Sox have four of their five starters to open the season back on the field in Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Nick Pivetta and Tanner Houck.
We could see the team continue to embrace an opener role to fill the void, which guys like Brennan Bernardino have performed admirably in. Maybe this opens up the door faster for a Josh Winckowski return from Worcester, and he put together a solid WooSox season debut that saw him toss four innings of one (earned) run ball with four strikeouts.
Will Soto put on some Sox?
A glance at the AL East this week reveals that the division-leading Yankees are continuing to roll right along. New York entered Saturday night’s game at San Diego having won three straight and 10 of its last 12 games.
One player who has been a big part of their success is Juan Soto, the superstar outfielder who the Yanks acquired from the Padres over the offseason. The 25-year-old right fielder launched a two-run homer on Friday in his return to San Diego, where he addressed questions about his future.
Soto is set to become a free agent at the season’s end, and his comments about his next contract are probably making most Yankees fans feel uneasy…
“You gotta be open to listen to anybody, and everybody. We ain’t closing any doors,” Soto said when asked about a possible return to play for the Padres. “Whoever wants to talk and talk about deals and stuff, I’m open to deal with anybody. I don’t have any problem, but that’s gonna be in the future.”
Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton all go DEEP for the @Yankees in the 3rd inning! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Hkg9bATSvC
— MLB (@MLB) May 25, 2024
So while Soto continues to tear it up for the Yankees — and might I add, he’s exactly the kind of player who would have been a perfect fit for the Sox as currently constituted this season given their surprisingly good pitching, yet mostly underwhelming offense — I can’t help but stir the pot a little…
Would Soto be a good signing for the Sox next offseason?
It sounds like there’s no special loyalty to the Yankees, and that shouldn’t come as a surprise given Soto’s contract demands back when he was still with the Nationals. Soto is a mercenary, through and through. It seems like he’ll play for whoever is going to give him the most money.
Yeah, yeah, I know John Henry probably scoffed reading that last line. I can’t say there’s a high likelihood of it happening — although I can guarantee you the Red Sox will certainly be “in” on Soto — but hey, I’m just a guy who grew up a Boston baseball fan and remembers when they used to pay big name stars to come to town and try to win.
Now in his seventh big league season, Soto is still on the younger side with at least half his career ahead of him. His production has remained steady, and we know he’s certainly going to command a big money deal.
If the Sox ever do consider making one of those deals again, I can tell you that… no, Soto’s contract will not be “worth it” when all is said and done. Nobody’s truly is, outside of a select few. But bringing in a bat and player like Soto would be a nice accompaniment for a roster that Craig Breslow and company are banking on coming into their own over the next few years.
He might have to barter with Whitlock to get his trademark No. 22 jersey, though…
Gethin Coolbaugh is a columnist for Boston Sports Journal. Follow him @GethinCoolbaugh on X/Twitter.