Three takeaways from Red Sox’ 9-7 loss to Yankees: Xander Bogaerts did all he could

Believe it not, as bad as the Red Sox have been this season, had they finished the win at Yankee Stadium on Sunday night and moved to 4-6, they’d have been one win away from the playoff picture.

Why are we talking about the playoffs just 10 games into the season?

Well, one-sixth of the 60-game season now in the books. And with eight teams in the American League due to make the postseason, the 3-7 Red Sox aren’t out of it yet.

But after Xander Bogaerts did everything he could to give the Red Sox a chance, Matt Barnes gave up a 7-6 lead in the eighth inning on Aaron Judge’s second homer of the game (and fourth of the series), it sure feels like the Sox are cooked.

Here are the three takeaways:

1. How do the Red Sox come back from this?

Bogaerts and Rafael Devers are the forever tandem on the left side of the infield that any MLB organization would dream about.

On Sunday, with the nationally-televised game on ESPN to finish off the three-game series, Bogaerts was a man on fire and Devers snapped out of his slow start to flash the leather at third base and come up clutch with a go-ahead homer in the seventh.

It was everything you could ask for if you’re the Red Sox. And they lost.

Bogaerts made headlines last week when he said the Sox are an offense capable of coming back in games, but when they have to score eight, nine, 10 runs every night, it’s tough. He was honest. It must’ve been hard for the pitching staff to hear, but it was the truth.

He’s the quiet leader of this team and has been for some time, and for him to go 4-for-4 with two home runs and lose a game when they scored seven, it’s gotta be more than tough. It’s gotta be heartbreaking. Demoralizing, even.

Bogaerts hit a two-run blast off James Paxton in the first inning to give the Sox an early lead.

Austin Brice was the opener for the Sox with a scoreless first inning, then Matt Hall gave up a few runs and suddenly the game became a Home Run Derby.

Judge went deep with a three-run shot in the second. Bogaerts and Devers keyed a three-run rally in the third. The Yanks scored two more in the bottom of the third, then Bogaerts homered again in the fifth to retake the lead.

The Yanks tied it up in the bottom of the inning with a Luke Voit homer, and Devers went deep in the top of the seventh.

Devers was a stud on defense, too, making a pair of highlight-reel plays, including a miraculous stop and throw to nail Judge by a hair at first base.

But when Barnes came in to shut the door, he recorded two quick outs and made the cardinal sin of walking the No. 9 hitter, Mike Tauchman. Tauchman then stole second base and scored on a single by D.J. LeMahieu. The next batter, Judge, got a belt-high curveball and sent it to the moon.

2. Judge is a one-man team.

His plate coverage is so big it’s got to be terrifying for anyone to pitch against him right now.

He’s homered in five games straight. He homered in all three games against the Sox. He homered twice on Sunday. And he continues to play a stellar right field.

Judge has six homers through eight games, a ridiculous pace for anyone in a short season. He’s locked in, radiating confidence and the Yankees can’t seem to lose.

They’re 7-1 after the sweep of the Sox and rolling.

3. Jackie Bradley Jr. and Michael Chavis need a breather

Bradley was 0-for-4 and is now 0-for-16 with eight strikeouts in his last 16 at-bats. He began the season red-hot in intrasquad games and looked ready to roll in the first four games, but has quickly fallen into a slump and might need a breather. Meanwhile, Alex Verdugo spent another game on the bench.

At first base, Chavis is struggling to give the Sox any offensive value. He was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and is now 3-for-19 (.158) with nine strikeouts on the season. He’s not competitive against anything high in the zone and looks like he’s guessing, an uncomfortable feeling to be sure.

Mitch Moreland came off the bench to pitch-hit late for Chavis, and if Moreland was fully healthy, one has to wonder if he’d be playing every day for the struggling sophomore.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3hVWoeE