There’s no doubt the Red Sox need their whole crew back. Ravaged with COVID absences, they’re fielding a team littered with Four-A players and special guest stars from recent last-place teams.
Jose Iglesias, come on down!
But that’s still no excuse for what happened Monday. The Red Sox fell to the Rays 11-10 in 10 innings after making three errors and allowing five unearned runs. They blew their 7-1 lead with an array of defensive blunders, including an embarrassing little league inside-the-park grand slam to Nelson Cruz. Alex Verdugo dropped the fly ball in center field, and second baseman Taylor Motter airmailed his relay throw to third.
Later, Austin Meadows smacked a game-tying inside-the-park home run, because neither J.D. Martinez nor Hunter Renfroe backed up Verdugo when he lost the ball in deep center field.
It looked like there were nine versions of young Alex Reimer playing out there.
It’s tempting to blame the Red Sox’s wretched defense on their array of starters sitting on the COVID list: Xander Bogaerts, Kiké Hernandez, Christian Arroyo. Hernandez is one of the best defensive centerfielders in baseball, and Major Leaguers should be able to hit cut-off throws. If Verdugo was playing the corner outfield, he probably would’ve offered the help that Martinez and Renfroe didn’t.
But let’s be honest: many of the aforementioned errors were routine plays and mental mistakes. Martinez and Renfroe should know to back up the centerfielder; Renfroe and Motter (or anybody) should be able to execute a simple cut-off; Christian Vazquez should be able to lay down a sac bunt. For whatever reason, the Red Sox weren’t mentally prepared to play Monday, letting down Chris Sale in the process.
It wasn’t the first time their iron mitts have failed them this season. The Red Sox have 24 games of two or more errors.
The Rays have nine.
Alex Cora’s crew deserves credit for battling through this wicked stretch. They’ve gone 4-2 over the last week, with three wins including some incredible late-game heroics. As it stands today, they remain in firm control of the second wild card spot.
The pending returns of Hernandez, Bogaerts and Matt Barnes should only make them stronger.
But those reinforcements won’t serve as a panacea for their defensive woes. The Red Sox should’ve won Monday, even with a depleted lineup and mishmash defense. Far too often, they just haven’t been sharp.
That doesn’t bold well for a one-game playoff, where one mistake can sink your season.
