The Boston Red Sox faced off against their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees, in a highly anticipated weekend series. The three-game set had its share of ups and downs, with the Red Sox ultimately coming away with a series loss. In this article, we'll take a closer look at what went right and what went wrong for the Red Sox over the weekend.
What Went Right
Despite the series loss, there were several positives to take away from the Red Sox's performance. One of the biggest bright spots was the pitching of
Chris Sale. The left-hander was dominant in his start on Saturday, striking out 10 Yankees over 6 innings of work. Sale's outing was a much-needed boost for the Red Sox rotation, which has been struggling to find consistency.
Another positive was the continued emergence of
Rafael Devers as a force to be reckoned with in the Red Sox lineup. The young third baseman hit his 10th home run of the season on Sunday, and his .300 batting average is among the best on the team.
The Red Sox bullpen also showed signs of life over the weekend, with
Matt Barnes and
Ryan Brasier combining for 4 scoreless innings of relief.
What Went Wrong
While there were certainly positives to take away from the series, there were also several areas where the Red Sox came up short. One of the biggest issues was the team's inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities. The Red Sox left a total of 22 runners on base over the course of the series, including 10 on Sunday alone.
The starting pitching, outside of Sale's outing, was also a concern.
Eduardo Rodriguez struggled in his start on Friday, allowing 5 runs over 5 innings of work.
Rick Porcello didn't fare much better on Sunday, surrendering 6 runs over 4 innings.
The Red Sox defense also made several key mistakes, including a costly error by
Xander Bogaerts on Saturday that led to a Yankees run.
While the Red Sox ultimately came up short in the series, there were still several positives to take away from the weekend. The team's pitching and offense showed flashes of brilliance, and the emergence of Devers as a key contributor is a promising sign for the future. However, the team's inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and the struggles of the starting pitching outside of Sale are areas that will need to be addressed moving forward.
As the Red Sox look to bounce back from the series loss, they'll need to focus on shoring up their pitching and finding ways to drive in runs. With a tough schedule ahead, the team will need to be at the top of their game if they hope to stay in contention in the competitive AL East.
The Red Sox will look to get back on track on Tuesday when they take on the
Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. With a strong outing from their pitching staff and a bit of luck on their side, the Red Sox could be poised for a big win. Will they be able to bounce back from the series loss and get back on track? Only time will tell.
Note: This article is for general information purposes only and is not intended to promote any specific team or player. All statistics and information are accurate as of the time of writing and may not reflect the current state of the teams or players mentioned.