The Red Sox are back in action on Friday night after deciding not to play their series final in Buffalo against the Blue Jays to protest racial injustice. On the pitch, the Sox have won four of their last seven games and are now 10-21 this season.
On Friday, Boston will start its longest homestand of the season: 10 games against the Nationals, Braves and Blue Jays. Washington is the first. Here is a preview of the series:
Washington Nationals (11-17) v Boston Red Sox (10-21) v Fenway Park Boston, MA
SERIES PROGRAM (and TV information):
Free. Ago. 28, 7:30 pm ET: NESN
Sat Aug 29, 7:30 pm ET: NESN
Sun. Aug.30, 1:35 pm ET: NESN
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT:
The Nationals, of course, are the reigning World Series champions, having defeated the vaunted Astros in a seven-game Fall Classic in October. After winning a wildcard spot with a 93-69 record, Washington stormed throughout October, defeating Brewers, Dodgers, Cardinals and Astros en route to their first ever championship.
Washington had a busy winter, losing third base Anthony Rendon (who signed a huge deal with the Angels) and re-signing the real Stephen Strasburg for a seven-year $ 245 million contract at the Winter Meetings. The Nats also re-signed Yan Gomes, Ryan Zimmerman, Daniel Hudson, Asdrubal Cabrera and Howie Kendrick from their championship team and added Starlin Castro and Eric Thames via free agency.
Washington had a slow start (11-17), starting 4-8 before going 7-9 in the last 16 games. The Nats lost three in a row before postponing their Thursday match against the Phillies to protest racial injustice.
The Nats are without Strasburg (carpal tunnel syndrome), Castro (broken wrist), left-handed Roenis Elias (flexor strain), and Seth Romero (fractured hand) and are unlikely to be back by the end of the season.
LIKELY TO PITCHING (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):
Friday, 19:30 – RHP Max Scherzer (2-1, 4.31 ERA) v LHP Martin Perez (2-3, 3.45 ERA)
Saturday, 19:30 – RHP Anibal Sanchez (1-3, 6.48 ERA) vs RHP Chris Mazza (0-1, 6.35 ERA)
Sunday, 13:35 – RHP Austin Voth (0-3, 6.65 ERA) vs. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (2-2, 4.98 ERA)
THREE SOX TO WATCH:
Nathan Eovaldi
Eovaldi’s departure was postponed from Wednesday to Saturday after he felt a cramp in his right calf last weekend in Baltimore and was further postponed to Sunday after Thursday’s match was postponed. He will present the series finale on Sunday – a 10-day rest period.
Martin Perez
Perez has been consistent with the Red Sox since his first inception, placing an ERA of 2.73 (8 points earned in 26th innings) in his last five games. Because he’s a commercial candidate, Friday could be the southpaw’s last start in a Red Sox uniform and his last chance to impress potential suitors.
Ryan Brasier
Brasier has been lighting things up lately, seeing a speed boost as he concedes just three hits in 5 5 innings out of five consecutive goalless appearances. The right took out seven batters in that time frame as he effectively became Boston’s setup man ahead of Matt Barnes with Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree traded to Philadelphia.
SERIAL NOTES (some info from the Red Sox):
- The Red Sox and the Nationals have not played since July 2018, when Boston won a three-game streak at Nationals Park. Washington hasn’t visited Fenway Park since 2015, when the Sox took two out of three in their first home series of the season.
- The Red Sox are 1-12 against the Yankees and the Rays this season, but 9-9 against all other teams (3-4 against Baltimore, 3-2 against Toronto, 2-2 against New York (NL), 1 – 1 against Philadelphia).
- Prior to Thursday’s postponement, the Sox were also in the midst of 30 games in 31 days from 8/7-9 / 6, having yesterday started a stretch where they are scheduled to play for 13 consecutive days, including a 10-game homestand against the Nationals (3), Braves (3) and Blue Jays (4).
- The Red Sox are 3-3 against National League teams this year, splitting a four-game streak with the Mets and a two-game streak with the Phillies. After the Nationals arrive in town, the Sox have 11 games to play against NL opponents (ATL – 6, PHI – 2, MIA – 3).
- Fourteen of the remaining 29 Sox games come against National League teams.
- The Red Sox used their 11th different starting pitcher on August 16 against the Yankees in their 22nd game. According to Elias Sports Bureau, they paired the 1958 Cleveland club and the 1952 Red Sox for the most diverse starting pitchers a team has ever used in its first 22 games of a season.
WHAT HAPPENS:
The Red Sox are home until August 6, when they finish their home and head to Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Miami.
Mon. 31/8 – Wednesday 9/2: against Braves (3)
Thursday 9/3 – Sun 9/6: against Blue Jays (4)
Mon. 9/7: OFF DAY
RELATED LINKS:
Boston Red Sox rotation: Martin Perez will start on Friday against the Nationals, Nathan Eovaldi rejected on Sunday
Why did the Boston Red Sox postpone the game to protest racial injustice? “The group was keen to support Jackie Bradley Jr.”
The Boston Red Sox have plans to play Jackie Robinson Day; ‘It’s probably important for all those guys to be out there’
