To say this has gone exactly as the Red Sox planned wouldn't be entirely accurate.
Alex Cora did, after all, suggest in spring training that Kiké Hernandez -- a player he designated as perhaps the best defensive second baseman in baseball -- would be part of the late-inning protection plan. Hernandez was going to likely be moving to second in late-and-close situations because that's where he was thought to be most valuable.
Things obviously have changed. And it's a good thing for the Red Sox they have.
Hernandez has been a legitimate weapon defensively while serving as the Sox' starter in center field. This was put on display in dramatic fashion during the Red Sox' 3-2, 10-inning win over the A's.
With nobody out in the 10th, the Sox clinging to a one-run lead thanks to Hernandez's RBI single, Oakland's Seth Brown decided to try and tie things up on Sean Murphy' shallow fly ball to center. It was a bad decision.
Anyone who has been watching Hernandez since spring training that while the velocity of the former Dodger's arm isn't at the level of teammate Hunter Renfroe, it is strong enough ... and extremely accurate.
So while the original plan of primarily using Hernandez at second, while integrating Alex Verdugo and Hunter Renfroe into center field hasn't come to fruition, the identification of all three outfielders is a feather in the Red Sox' collective cap.
This outfield -- the one that was supposed to take a significant step back due to the absence of Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts -- sits with a combined 20 runs saved, which sits as the second-most in the majors.
"The way we play defense in the outfield is elite, put it that way," the Red Sox manager said. "I know a lot of people had their doubts coming into the season, because we didn't have Mookie, Benny and Jackie, but these three guys are playing up there, they're playing elite defense. They throw to the right bases, they keep their throws down, their routes are great, the communication is outstanding, so defensively, we're one of the best outfields in the big leagues, if not the best. It was a great win in a place that has been tough for us in '18, tough for us in '19. To come here and win the first one and have a chance to win the series tomorrow is great."
Cora added, "It's teamwork. We did it in spring training. Obviously the three are great outfielders, Hunter, Kiké, Marwin (Gonzalez), the work (Tom Goodwin) Goody put in on a daily basis, the scouting report, everything we do preparation wise to let him know what kind of team we're facing, are they aggressive, not aggressive, are they careless on the bases? The information, we get it, we provide it to them, but at the end, they have to do the job. Goody has been on top of it. You've seen the results."
The combination of talent put together by Chaim Bloom and then organized by Cora has ended up being a fine fit.
Renfroe playing every day. Gonzalez moving around. The insistence that relievers such as Josh Taylor and Adam Ottavino (who got the win) were going to turn things around. And even the idea that Hernandez should be the guy at the top of the batting order. (He has been the right guy in that spot for a couple of weeks now.)
Add in the resurgence of starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (6 IP, H, 0 R) and you get this -- a team riding an eight-game win streak with a 4 1/2-game lead over second-place Tampa Bay.
It's all working out, with Hernandez's throw offering the latest punctuation.
"The defense we have behind me, I trust these guys a lot," Rodriguez said. "I can put my life in front of whatever, because I know they’re going to protect my life. These guys are amazing. Every time I get a groundball, flyball, I know they’re going to make a good play. I just try to keep the ball in the ballpark because I know the defense I have, that’s how much I trust them."
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