The mayhem all started with a simple wave from Alex Cora.
At the start of the second inning Tuesday in the Red Sox’s brutal loss to the streaking Rays, Cora waved in Xander Bogaerts from shortstop. The young All-Star tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the 10th Red Sox player or coach to be sidelined with disease in recent days.
With the Red Sox clinging onto a one-game lead in the second wild card, the timing couldn’t be worse. Then Brad Peacock started pitching, and promptly deflated any lingering optimistic spirits. The woefully undermanned Red Sox were able to rally back a couple of times last weekend against the struggling Indians.
That would not happen against the best team in the American League.
Peacock arrived to the Red Sox with a ghastly 7.71 ERA, continuing Chaim Bloom’s streak of acquiring discarded hurlers who can’t get anybody out. In the wise words of Dennis Eckersley, Peacock went on to throw the “ugliest inning in the world” Tuesday, aided by some atrocious defense from an array of hapless COVID replacements.
Tampa Bay’s six-run third started with a walk and hit-by-pitch before Peacock walked Nelson Cruz to load the bases. Unlike the previous night, when Hansel Robles was somehow able to escape a bases loaded jam, Peacock didn’t experience the same success. Wander Franco smashed a single to right field, prompting Hunter Renfroe to throw the ball to the cut-off man, as any outfielder would.
Unfortunately, Bobby Dalbec couldn’t handle the throw. The ball slipped under his glove, allowing an additional run to score.
“Is that the ugliest thing you’ve ever seen in your life?,” Eckersley said.
Five minutes later, it got even uglier. New reliever Stephen Gonsalves — another emergency COVID call up — short-armed a pitch to home plate with Austin Meadows in the box. The ball skipped passed Christian Vazquez, bringing in Cruz from third.
Two batters later, after Meadows hooked an RBI single through the right side, Yandy Diaz popped the ball into short right. It inexplicably fell between Renfroe and second baseman Yairo Munoz, who was summoned to replace Bogaerts. Two more runs scored, giving the Rays their commanding 7-1 lead.
“I didn’t think it could get any uglier, and it did,” Eckersley added.
Amen.
With 28 games remaining, it would be hyperbolic to say Tuesday’s lousy loss in Tampa ended the Red Sox’s season. But it was rock bottom. The Delta variant is sweeping through the unvaccinated Red Sox off the field, and they’re playing like a minor league team on it — probably because they’re running out scores of minor league players.
We may soon find out how ugly it can get.
