Red Sox Notes: Offense Falls Short Behind Tanner Houck
The Boston Red Sox fell to .500 with Friday’s 4-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. Boston has a talented lineup that’s yet to get going, with the exception of Wilyer Abreu, this season.
That struggle centers around Rafael Devers. His introduction as a full-time designated hitter started with and 0-for-8 stretch with seven strikeouts. That’s highly unusual for Boston’s best hitter and clearly marks the top attention point for the Red Sox through two games. Devers still has confidence in his approach and his fixes could be simple.
“Not catching up with fastballs,” Alex Cora told reporters, per NESN’s postgame coverage. “Very simple. 3-2 counts, the at-bats are OK, right? Not being able to catch up.”
“It’s only been two games,” Devers told reporters through team translator Carlos Villoria, per NESN’s postgame coverage. “I feel comfortable at the plate. I feel good. I haven’t hit the ball but I feel very good. It’s only been two games and I feel everything will change. … I know that I haven’t done my job and I haven’t done what I’m supposed to do. I know that will change.”
Devers only had 15 plate appearances during spring training, though Cora wouldn’t make that an excuse given Abreu’s early production after a 1-for-20 mark for the Red Sox in Grapefruit League play. Continued swings and at-bats will be the best thing for Devers in the coming games.
“There’s a lot of work in the cage,” Cora said. “Machine work, angle work and all that stuff they do over there. This is something sometimes that happens. It just happened in two games. We’ve seen it happen before. At some point, he’s going to catch up with one.”
In terms of advice, Devers said he hasn’t spoken to previous successful Red Sox designated hitters but noted he is “going to have to take the time to call” champions in J.D. Martinez and David Ortiz.
The Red Sox are going to mash at the plate in 2025. It will start with Devers. It just might take a few games or series.
Here are more notes from Friday’s Red Sox-Rangers game:
— Houck showed signs of improvement after a tough spring training but the Rangers did capitalize against the Red Sox starter. Houck tossed 5 2/3 innings with seven hits and four earned runs allowed with three walks and two strikeouts. The right-hander did feel that despite his final line, he felt improvement in the mechanics of his delivery.
“Good stuff to takeaway,” Houck told reporters, per NESN’s postgame coverage. “… Little rough last inning there, but some things to clean up.”
“A lot better than what we saw in spring training,” Cora said. “Good fastball. He actually used some four-seamers too up in the zone. That’s something that we’ve talked about to get some room down in the zone. I think overall he did a good job.”
— Kristian Campbell tallied two more hits after he earned his first MLB hit in his debut on Opening Day.
— The Red Sox sit at 1-1 after two games for the ninth time in 12 seasons, per NESN’s postgame coverage.
— Boston’s stretch of Devers, Alex Bregman, Triston Casas and Trevor Story went just 2-for-16 in the game.
— The Red Sox did not allow a run in relief once again after four scoreless innings Thursday. Greg Weissert allowed an inherited run from Houck, but the bullpen tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings Friday with Brennan Bernardino following the right-hander.
— Boston went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base.
— The Red Sox and Rangers continue their four-game series at Globe Life Field Saturday evening. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET. You can catch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.