It seems the Red Sox have a brand new beginning second baseman.
Luis Urías, the membership’s lone acquisition at Tuesday’s commerce deadline, has been known as as much as the massive league membership from Triple-A. To clear house on the roster, the Red Sox designated incumbent starter Christian Arroyo for project, and afterwards supervisor Alex Cora indicated Urías will get the majority of the taking part in time at second going ahead.
“We trust this kid, I think offensively he had some good seasons and he can play second base,” Cora mentioned. “Obviously we pulled the trade and he’s here to play.”
“I’m very happy and very grateful to have this opportunity with this team and this group,” Urías mentioned through translator Carlos Villoria Benítez. “They’ve all been very nice and very welcoming to me.”
Not way back Urías was among the many best younger center infielders within the National League, and whereas the 26-year-old has endured a nightmare season up to now — batting .145 in 20 huge league video games — the Red Sox are betting he can get again to being the participant who hit 23 residence runs with 75 RBI two seasons in the past.
Once that was determined, the membership then wanted to decide on between Arroyo and Pablo Reyes because the utility infielder, and Cora mentioned they went with Reyes as a result of he’s extra versatile.
“He’s a good kid, up and down season, at one point it felt like he was trying too much in a sense,” Cora mentioned of Arroyo, who he known as a great defensive second baseman who got here up with some huge hits in his Red Sox profession. “Obviously we’ll miss him but we’ll see what the future holds and we’ll go from there.”
Though Arroyo was a preferred clubhouse presence and got here up huge for Boston on numerous events, the writing had been on the wall for the 28-year-old infielder for a while. Arroyo is batting .241 with three residence runs and an unimpressive .638 OPS on the season, and in current weeks he’d begun shedding taking part in time to Justin Turner, who’s 38 years outdated and hadn’t performed usually at second base since 2015.
Turner could proceed to see time at second provided that seven of the membership’s finest hitters are both outfielders and nook infielders, which means that was the one technique to get all of them within the lineup directly, but when Urías can recapture his outdated type which will change the calculus for Cora on a nightly foundation.
After recording back-to-back seasons with 3-plus wins above substitute — which signifies borderline all-star manufacturing — Urías injured his hamstring on opening day and missed the primary two months of the season. He returned on June 5 and performed so poorly afterwards that he was demoted to Triple-A barely three weeks later.
He’s remained within the minors ever since, however because the All-Star break he’s begun to indicate indicators of a turnaround, batting .264 with a .900 OPS and as many walks (14) as strikeouts (14). Speaking to reporters Friday, Urías described his season as far as “very difficult” however added that he’s feeling significantly better bodily and is lastly getting his timing again.
“When I started getting more at bats and more repetitions I started to gain more confidence,” Urías mentioned. “I feel really good right now.”
Story’s return imminent
In addition to Urías, the Red Sox are additionally anticipated to activate shortstop Trevor Story sooner or later within the coming days. Story’s rehab project is because of expire on Wednesday, which means he ought to be again by mid-week on the newest, however Cora didn’t rule out the likelihood he might return over the weekend.
“It’s about how he’s bouncing back from games. He played Tuesday and Wednesday, the night game and then the day game, he felt it, and that’s the reason he’s not playing with us today,” Cora mentioned Friday. “I’m not saying it’s day-to-day but it surely’s about him feeling that he can go on the market and compete at this degree.
“There’s more here than obviously on a rehab assignment, the pressure, the anxiety, you feel it after the game and you feel it the next day,” Cora continued. “Now it’s just a matter of whenever he says he’s ready, he’ll be here.”
Entering Friday, Story was batting .241 with three residence runs, seven RBI and a .992 OPS in 10 minor league video games, seven of which he additionally performed shortstop. Cora mentioned that when he’s again they may doubtless ease Story again into the lineup and keep away from taking part in him each night time till he’s prepared.
Whitlock more likely to bullpen
Tanner Houck (facial fracture) and Chris Sale (stress response in shoulder) are scheduled to start out Saturday and Sunday, respectively, for the WooSox. Houck is scheduled for 2-3 innings and the plan is to maintain constructing him up with one or two extra rehab begins subsequent week, and Sale might be again in Boston “sooner rather than later.”
Garrett Whitlock (proper elbow bone bruise) can also be anticipated to start his rehab project subsequent week, and Cora indicated that when he returns he’ll doubtless accomplish that as a multi-inning reliever much like his position in 2021. … Turner (heel bruise) was not within the lineup Friday for the third consecutive sport, however Cora mentioned he’s obtainable off the bench and will begin Saturday relying on how he’s feeling by then. … Brayan Bello, who final pitched on Tuesday in Seattle, will get an additional day of relaxation and make his subsequent begin on Monday in opposition to Kansas City. The Red Sox will use openers on Saturday and Sunday in opposition to Toronto, with Nick Pivetta and Chris Murphy more likely to pitch vital innings in aid.
Source: www.bostonherald.com