LEADING OFF: Bosox try to recover from Toronto’s run rampage
Jul 22, 2022, 7:03 AM | Updated: 10:17 pm
Boston Red Sox's Alex Verdugo looks at the scoreboard during the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Friday, July 22, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
A look at what’s happening around the majors on Saturday:
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FLABBERGASTED AT FENWAY
Jarren Duran and the Red Sox will try to shake off what happened at Fenway Park, where Toronto went on a run rampage that included an inside-the-park grand slam thanks to Duran’s misplay and negligence.
The Blue Jays set a franchise record for runs in the 28-5 rout, and Raimel Tapia’s inside-the-parker accounted for four of the most unusual ones.
Tapia hit a fly to center in the third inning, and Duran took a couple steps back, then a couple in, then put up his hands in confusion. Fans groaned when the ball landed on the warning track behind him.
Duran walked slowly toward the ball while left fielder Alex Verdugo raced over, slid to scoop it up and fired it toward the infield. The relay home wasn’t close to nabbing Tapia, who picked up speed when he realized Duran had lost the ball.
The 25-year-old Duran, in his second major league season, is in a 3-for-35 slump, including a strikeout to end Friday’s game.
YOU AGAIN?
Justin Verlander makes his fifth start of the season against Seattle, and aims for his major league-leading 13th win.
The 39-year-old Houston ace has been dominant in his return from Tommy John surgery, going 12-3 with a 1.89 ERA. He was picked for his ninth All-Star team but didn’t pitch Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Verlander has won four straight starts, allowing just two earned runs in 27 innings. He’s 3-1 against the Mariners this year going into this outing in Seattle.
Right-hander Logan Gilbert (10-3, 2.76) starts for the Mariners.
NEW YORK NEWCOMER
The NL East-leading Mets added a much-needed bat at designated hitter, getting former All-Star Daniel Vogelbach from Pittsburgh in a trade for rookie reliever Colin Holderman.
The burly Vogelbach is a lefty hitter who was batting .228 with 12 home runs, 34 RBIs and a .769 OPS in 75 games with the rebuilding Pirates.
New York has gotten little production at DH from J.D. Davis and injured Dominic Smith. At the time of the trade, Davis, a right-handed hitter, was batting .234 with three homers, 19 RBIs and a .670 OPS in 62 games. A left-handed hitter, Smithwas batting .194 with no homers, 17 RBIs and a .560 OPS in 58 games.
The 26-year-old Holderman is 4-0 with a 2.04 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 15 appearances covering 17 2/3 innings.
AILING CHISOX
Hoping to make a push in the second half, the White Sox will be minus center fielder Luis Robert after putting him on the 10-day injured list because of blurred vision.
General manager Rick Hahn said the team is “cautiously optimistic” the slugger and Gold Glove winner will be ready to return when the White Sox open a three-game series against Oakland on July 29.
Robert exited Chicago’s win at division leader Minnesota on July 15 in the second inning because of lightheadedness. He was having trouble seeing from a distance and getting jumps on balls, Hahn said. Robert then missed the final two games before the All-Star break.
Robert is batting .301 with 12 homers and 54 RBIs in 74 games.
Robert missed time in May because of COVID-19. But Hahn said he would “hate to speculate” whether these symptoms stem from his bout with the coronavirus.
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