With the Red Sox (66-55) getting the train back on the tracks on Tuesday night with a big 14-1 win in Houston (67-53), Boston held its position as the second wild card team in the American League, remaining 1 ½ games up on the Yankees (64-56) in the final wild card spot.
Each passing week, the franchise’s first playoff appearance since 2021 feels more and more like a possibility. The lineup is rounding into form, their young star outfielder is living up to his billing, and the starting rotation is doing just enough behind their ace to keep pace with the rest of the top teams in the AL.
Vibes are high around Red Sox Nation, yet the whispers of possible foul play by Boston just won’t go away.
The latest claims of impropriety come from defending AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
The Tigers ace told “Foul Territory” that while most of the responsibility around avoiding sign stealing should fall on the pitcher, he believes the Red Sox are one of two teams that color outside the lines.
"I don't know why they have a box [for on-field coaches] if they can't just be in it,” said Skubal. “Sometimes they go way up the line and way up the other line to see things that you shouldn't be able to see when you're playing the game of baseball. So that's the one I have a problem with.
“And there's teams that do it. Boston's coach [Jose Flores] - they've had me before in Boston. Cleveland has had me before, Sandy Alomar at first base. But I'm very aware of what's going on and when that kind of stuff starts to happen. And I think as a team, we're pretty aware of it. We're watching and making sure nothing's going on."
With Skubal not being the first (or second) to complain about Boston this season, and with Alex Cora’s infamous involvement in the 2017 Houston Astros cheating scandal always looming large, WEEI’s Andy Hart and Nick “Fitzy” Stevens had no choice but to address the mounting complaints against Boston when the manager joined WEEI Afternoons on Wednesday for his weekly appearance.
Here’s the full exchange:
Andy Hart: “There has been an influx of criticisms or stories about how you guys are handling your scouting of opposing pitchers and what they are throwing. There was the iPad thing in San Diego, Kyle Hudson in Houston, here at Fenway Park, and now Tarik Skubal questioning where your base coaches stand. What is your reaction to all this?”
Alex Cora: “Skubal talked about us?”
AH: “Yeah, he doesn't think your coaches at first and third stand in the coaches boxes.”
AC: “But we haven't played them in a while. And their third base coach doesn’t stand [in his box] either, and he's my brother [Joey Cora]. But whatever.
“No man - you prepare, and that's the way it works in big leagues. Everybody's working. Everybody is trying to gain an edge. This is not the 2017 Houston Astros. You know, we did what we did. And one thing for sure - I'm going to have that dark cloud over me my whole life. And we messed up big, and some of us paid the price, right? And I can live with that.
“But the league is on top of stuff. You know - the iPad stuff, everybody has their information, as long as we work and everything goes through the league. So there's no worries, man. We're just trying to gain an advantage, you know? And take advantage of situations that happen on the field. And like we always say, we have to be on top of our guys, too. Because our guys, some of them have tipped throughout the years, and we have to clean them up. And we have to do our [due] diligence to stay on top of everything. If you don't do that at this level, you're not going to be successful.”
Nick “Fitzy” Stevens: “Do you think it's because of the dark cloud from years ago, or do you think it's something else that would lead people to scrutinize you or the organization more than other prominent franchises like the Red Sox?”
AC: “I think they talked about the Yankees a month ago, right? Like they were giving signals from second base. So, you know - I mean, I don't know. Everybody's trying to gain an edge. And you know, if it's a dark cloud, so be it, you know? I mean, it is what it is.
“I have to live with that, and I'm not afraid to talk about it. There's people that are afraid to talk about that, but I haven't been afraid to talk about what we did and how big of a mistake we made in ’17, and it is what it is, you know? I would love to take it back, but it's not possible, right?
“We have to continue and then keep growing. And when they ask questions, I have answers. And, you know - I got a family that suffered through that, and is suffering through it still, you know? And that's how it is, you know? I don't get defensive about it. So if they think it's because of that, and people are talking about it because of that, so be it.”
The Red Sox will go for a series win on Wednesday night in Houston, with Walker Buehler (7-6, 5.40 ERA) taking the bump for Boston. Houston will throw righty Hunter Brown (9-5, 2.51 ERA). First pitch is slated for 7:10 p.m. ET.
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