This is a flawed approach that indicates a lack of depth in the organization.
As the Sox continue to lose their postseason aspirations, Monday’s defensive performance could be another example of why they simply aren’t ready for games past number 162.
The team fell in the first game of its series and was once again undone by its greatest weakness: a 4-1 loss to the Mets at Citi Field.
The Red Sox fell behind 1-0 in the second inning with Brayan Bello on the mound, but a triple by Ceddanne Rafaela against New York starter Luis Severino that slipped under the glove of the diving, overly aggressive Brandon Nimmo in center, aided by an RBI single by Jarren Duran, quickly tied the game in the third inning.
But after Francisco Lindor singled in the bottom half to get the game started, the Red Sox’s chance to fight back was short-lived. Nimmo fed the ball to Duran in center. Duran came in, but the ball sailed over his head. Lindor scored and made it 2-1.
“He’s going to make mistakes sometimes, true,” said manager Alex Cora, who called Duran the best defensive center fielder in the major leagues. “So to me, it’s just a kid trying to make a play. He misjudged it and didn’t make the play. Those things happen.”
In the fourth inning, Connor Wong dropped a foul ball from Jeff McNeil. Bello struck out McNeil and forced a ground out from Starling Marte, but the next batter, DJ Stewart, kept the run alive with a two-out single.
Luis Torrens then tagged out a ball from Bello to left. The ball landed down the line near Tyler O’Neill, who appeared to have a chance but rolled to the point. O’Neill tried to backhand the ball, but it bounced off his glove. Stewart scored from first base on the error.
Lindor then delivered the final hit of this inning with an RBI single.
“The ball obviously bounced off the ground a little differently,” O’Neill said. “It just flew up like that. It bounced off the top of my glove. I tried to compose myself and catch the ball as quickly as I could.”
O’Neill, a two-time Gold Glove winner with the Cardinals, has committed seven errors in just 80 outfield games this season – two fewer than his career high of 131 games he set in 2021. The Sox have 101 errors, making them the first team to surpass the 100 mark this season.
“We’re not playing well right now,” Cora added. “Things aren’t going the way we want them to right now. And then we’ve got to show up tomorrow and try to win the game, man.”
Bello lasted five innings, needed 91 pitches and allowed four runs on seven hits.
“Obviously, that wasn’t my best performance today,” Bello said. “But I was out there and I competed.”
Severino, on the other hand, recorded seven frames in which he allowed just one run on six hits, dropping his ERA to 3.84.
Despite only getting six hits, highlighting their recent offensive failings, the Red Sox had runners on first and second base with two outs in the sixth inning for Rafael Devers. However, Devers hit a line drive to Nimmo in center to end the threat.
In the eighth inning, left-handed reliever Danny Young walked Romy Gonzalez and then hit O’Neill with a pitch. Again, Devers was at bat with two outs. A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position, but Devers managed a groundout to second base. He is 1 for 17 after missing three games with two shoulder problems.
“I mean, I know where he is,” Cora said. “He works hard.”
The Red Sox are also in contention. But they are equally caught in a downward spiral.
They have lost their last three games, eight of their last eleven, and are 13-17 since August 1.
The Twins beat the Rays 5-4 to move past the Royals in the standings. Although Kansas City has lost six straight games, including Monday’s 4-2 loss to the Guardians, the Sox are still 4½ games out of the final wild-card spot.
“We’re running out of time. Let’s put it this way,” said Cora. ”I know what the other teams are doing. They’re not playing well either. But the days we don’t take advantage of are lost days.”
You can reach Julian McWilliams at [email protected]. Follow him @vonJulianMack.
