Red Sox Notebook: Kiké Hernandez finding more comfort as he tries to take hold of leadoff spot

Kiké Hernandez is starting to catch fire at the top of the lineup, and the Red Sox are hoping it can continue as they try to solve their season-long leadoff conundrum.

With leadoff home runs on back-to-back days — including blasting Gerrit Cole’s first pitch to the Monster seats in Sunday’s win over the Yankees — Hernandez is starting to look more and more comfortable. The Red Sox’ utility man has been moving all over the lineup in the last month, but his consistency — he has an .865 OPS since June 7, and is batting .300 with four doubles and three homers and five walks since June 19, have earned him his No. 1 spot back, at least for now.

“He’s a guy, if he gets on a hot streak, he rocks and rolls for a period,” Red Sox hitting coach Tim Hyers said before Tuesday night’s game. “I think he’s found comfort in his swing and you also see a couple of walks in there, so he’s getting his pitch to swing at and not expanding as much. He’s been doing a great job. Probably, when he went down in the order, it probably relaxed him a little bit and then he’s taken off after that.”

After starting the season with Hernandez at leadoff, the Red Sox have cycled through four others at the top — in part because of Hernandez’s brief stint on the injured list — but manager Alex Cora has always wanted the order to start with Hernandez, who made his 48th start at leadoff on Tuesday. They like his aggressiveness, which he’s shown this week and which is something he’s learned to manage over the first three months.

“That’s his strength,” Hyers said. “Alex does a great job of talking to players and helping them understand their strengths and capitalize on them, and that’s one of them. We want him to be aggressive, but there’s a point where you’re overaggressive and you’re giving away at-bats, so I think right now he’s doing a great job and we couldn’t ask for any more right now.”

Sale set for another BP

Chris Sale will throw two innings to live hitters on Wednesday at Fenway Park in his next big checkmark in his Tommy John surgery recovery. Like Saturday’s session, it will simulate a game day as he warms up in the bullpen and goes through an up and down on the mound. He’ll throw 15 to 20 pitches in each inning in what Cora described as likely a more aggressive session.

“For me, like I’ve been saying all along, the live BPs are great, but how he feels the next day is the most important thing,” Cora said. “And so far, in between that live BP and to now, he’s feeling amazing. So, go through his work tomorrow and then we’ll see how he reacts on Thursday.”

Taylor continues dominant run

With a perfect eighth inning of relief in Monday’s win over the Royals, Josh Taylor ran his string of consecutive scoreless outings to 23, the most in Red Sox history by a left-handed pitcher that was previously set by Hideki Okajima and Tony Fassas, who each had 19. The franchise record is 27 by Koji Uehara in 2013.

“If people look at his numbers and they see what he’s done since the end of April, he’s been one of the best, if not the best lefty in the big leagues,” Cora said. “You can’t deny that numbers-wise. … Putting him in tough spots with two on and men on or facing a bunch of righties late in games. From my end, like I said, if you’re paying attention to what is going on, he’s been one of the best if not the best lefty reliever the last two months.”

Injury updates

Christian Arroyo (right shin bruise) is continuing to progress well. Cora said the second baseman will go on a rehab assignment with Worcester this week and should be ready to go for the west coast trip that begins Friday.

Kevin Plawecki (left hamstring strain) is farther behind, though. Cora said the backup catcher didn’t feel great on Monday and will need more time. He was going to get treatment on Tuesday and see how he feels, but the Red Sox aren’t rushing him back.

“This is not about this week or next week,” Cora said. “This is about the whole season, and we need you. So, just make sure you’re patient enough and we’ll see where it takes us.” …

Bobby Dalbec and Tanner Houck each celebrated birthdays on Tuesday as they turned 26 and 25, respectively. Houck started for Worcester on Tuesday, his third outing since returning from a flexor strain.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3dnkU8T