Red Sox: 3 players ready to break out against the Seattle Mariners
Red Sox v. Seattle Mariners in a battle of top teams
Last night didn’t go the way that the Red Sox would’ve liked especially with the positive results this team has seen so far in 2021, but it’s time to turn the page. We can all bang our fists on the table about the team’s most recent loss but it won’t do us any good, plus I don’t know how much more frustration I can expel. It’s time to look toward the future and the means the Seattle Mariners and the final four games of the current homestand.
Seattle was atop the AL West until the Oakland A’s decided they didn’t want to lose a game ever again and now find themselves 0.5 games back in the standings. The Red Sox currently find themselves two games clear of the second-place Tampa Bay Rays and have a chance to lengthen that lead.
Over the course of the season, we’ve seen multiple players step up to the plate bot literally and figuratively to bring Boston to 12-7. Despite the few bumps in the road along the way, this team has been lights and day different from the club we saw in 2020.
The starters have been controlling the opposition while keeping the Red Sox in games. The relievers have been closing the door and not allowing unnecessary runs to cross the plate. And the offense has made it feel like there isn’t a single deficit that they can’t overcome. With that said, I think there are three players that we should pay extra attention to in this upcoming series at it feels like they’re about to jump off against Seattle.
Red Sox INF: Bobby Dalbec
This one may come as a surprise but to anyone watching day in and day out, it shouldn’t. Bobby Dalbec has been absolutely crushing the baseball despite not hitting one out of the park. Yeah, he has some absolutely disgusting strikeouts, as we saw last night, but there are more positives than negatives. Big Bob had two huge doubles against the Twins last week in which one tied the game and the other put them ahead. He’s been quietly bringing up his stats while being a contributor to this offense.
Again, his strikeouts tend to come at the most inopportune times and tend to be pretty ugly to watch. Last night he had a chance to put the Red Sox back into the game and swung at the first pitch effectively killing the rally. The thing is he had a great at-bat recently where he battled for a hard-fought walk in a series that would’ve never gotten that far in 2020.
He’s showing great improvements at the plate but clearly still has some things to work on. He isn’t in tonight’s lineup but with four games coming up he has plenty of opportunities to make some noise.
I truly feel that if he can keep his patience at the plate in this series we’ll see him hit his first homer of 2021. He’s just barely missed a few so far this year thanks to some poor luck and Fenway’s funky field dimensions. Hell, my man crushed a triple on Tuesday night like it was nothing! He’s struck out 18 times in 53 plate appearances in 2021 while only taking four walks, that will be the secret to his success.
Lay off the junk pitches and be patient for the quality and the hits will continue to come. I won’t be surprised if after this series his .265/.321/.388/.709 line has increased in every category. Not to forget that Dalbec has turned into a fantastic first baseman and is proving that he can be the solution for the Red Sox at the position for the long haul.
Red Sox INF/OF: Marwin Gonzalez
I said it during last night’s game and I’ll gladly say it again right here, Marwin Gonzalez is becoming one of my favorite players on this team. Whether it’s in the field or at the plate it feels like Marwin is always capable of doing something big to help the team win. Alex Cora has moved Gonzalez all over the field which was always the thought as he’s one of the most reliable utilitymen in the league right now.
Through 16 games this season he’s played five different positions. He’s covered most of the infield while also taking on left field with plenty of time to fill up his BINGO card. Marwin’s bat has also been hot as of late and he owns a .235/.365/.353/.718 line with a homer, 4 RBI, and 2 stolen bases.
He’s similar to Dalbec in that he has a lot of strikeouts, 12, but where he sets himself apart is the walks. In 51 plate appearances this season he’s amassed 8 walks to those 12 whiffs, a ratio I’m more than happy in seeing.
I would like to see Gonzalez try and swipe a few more bags but his season-high is only 12 and that was back in 2016 so this may be about it for him. He’s been showing some great instincts at the plate and isn’t as much of a liability for the Red Sox as some others in the lineup.
He’ll continue his ride on the positional carousel tonight as he’s at first base after splitting time at second and left last night. He’s one guy that I don’t mind seeing all over the place as he has confidence no matter where he is on the diamond or in the lineup. Through the first three weeks of the season, he’s rewarding Alex Cora’s faith in him in spades.
Red Sox LHP: Eduardo Rodriguez
Of the three I have on this list, I can safely say I’m the most eager to see what Eduardo Rodriguez can do in this series. Since returning from his battle with COVID and myocarditis Eddie has been nothing but Aces.
In fact, he’s currently tied with a list of pitching studs for the most wins with 3, including his teammate Nathan Eovaldi. In spring training it was clear that Eduardo was coming back to retake his title as the top dog in the starting rotation until a case of dead arm sidelined that plan.
After spending the first few days of the season on the IL he was able to rehab and recover enough to make his return to the lineup. Since then he’s amassed a 3-0 record through 16 innings with a 3.38 ERA, pretty damn good. He’s averaging a 10.1 K/9 while limiting free passes with a 3.3 BB/9.
That should be the big metric that jumps off the screen as Eduardo is notorious for giving up walks and actually lead the AL with 75 back in 2019. I know eventually that number will start to climb but to be off to such a solid start is a great sign of what may come in 2021.
In his three starts this season he’s gotten better with each outing. His ERA has decreased over those starts 5.40/3.60/3.38 while his inning count has increased, 5.0/5.0/6.0. It’s pretty clear that while there isn’t a true mandate on his starts the Red Sox aren’t going to let him run himself into the ground.
Though he did hit 90 pitches in his most recent start on Tuesday night. His 69% strike rate has played a massive part in his success as he isn’t giving the opposition anything to work with.
E-Rod will have his shot at the end of the series with a chance to bring his record to 4-0 and continue his warpath toward being the ace once again. Hell, if he gets that fourth win he may just get that ride in the laundry cart that he’s been wanting!
Red Sox v. Mariners Preview
This series with the Mariners can be a make or break for both teams. I know that sounds incredibly dramatic for the third week of April, but I don’t think I’m far off by saying it. For the Red Sox, they’re in easily one of the toughest divisions in MLB and we all know the Yankees will eventually wake up. They need to put as much space between themselves and the rest of the division as early as possible to build a cushion. You can’t win the division in April but you can sure as hell lose it.
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For the Mariners, they started the season surprisingly hot, and until the A’s went on this win streak they had the division. Much like the Yankees, Houston will eventually remember that they’re a good team and will climb back up into the standings. Seattle has a chance if they take this series to get back on top of the AL West and to give themselves some breathing room. Unfortunately for them, they’re coming to Fenway Park while Boston is playing some of the best baseball they’ve produced in years.
The series breaks down as follows:
- Thursday: Nick Pivetta (2-0, 3.68) v. Justin Dunn (1-0, 3.72) 7:10 pm start
- Friday: Martín Pérez (0-1, 5.93) v. Yusei Kikuchi (0-0, 4.74) 7:10 pm start
- Saturday: Nathan Eovaldi (3-1, 3.04) v. Chris Flexen (1-1, 3.38) 1:10 pm start
- Sunday: Eduardo Rodriguez (3-0, 3.38) v. TBD 1:10 pm start
Next. Garrett Whitlock proving prospects are a strength. dark
Things have been pretty good for the Red Sox in the early going this season but that could all come crashing down if they can’t win this series against Seattle. Again, it may be dramatic but every series is a must-win. You don’t have to win every game but you have to take each series, at worst take the split. Boston is coming off of a pair of splits and the momentum is in flux right now. Taking this series from the Mariners would be a great boost to close out this homestand and get this squad right back on track.