BOSTON — Jackie Bradley Jr. is one of the hottest hitters in all of Major League Baseball, never mind the Red Sox.
The 26-year-old center fielder tallied another two hits Thursday night against the Houston Astros to stretch his hitting streak to 18 games, the longest active streak in the majors this season. He ripped an RBI single in the second inning, giving him an incredible 14 RBIs in his last four games. He’s batting .328, has six home runs and ranks fourth in the American League with 29 RBIs this season.
Oh, did we mention he’s Boston’s No. 9 hitter?
Bradley’s recent success from the bottom of the lineup is indicative of what has been an historic power surge for the Red Sox over the last four games. After Thursday’s 11-1 rout at Fenway Park, the Sox have tallied an amazing 51 runs in their last four games, scoring 11 or more runs in each of those contests.
The last time pulled off such offensive firepower: June 2 through June 5, 1950.
“The relentlessness up and down the lineup. That’s the word we try to take pride in,” manager John Farrell said of his offense. “That means you’re prepared. That means you’re not giving at-bats away or innings away from the mound. The more you can make that customary, you’re probably in pretty good shape.”
The Red Sox’s latest victim was reigning Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel, whom they roughed up for a season-high eight earned runs through six innings. Every Boston starter recorded a hit.
“We were again putting up quality at-bats throughout the course of the night,” Farrell said. “Balanced up and down the lineup. … We’re getting after it. Guys are locked in, in all phases of the offense.”
That balance means a guy like Bradley, who is hitting .412 over his last 18 games, will remain in the nine hole despite his white-hot bat. Farrell admitted as much even before his center fielder’s outburst Thursday. But it appears Bradley realizes the current situation is a good problem to have.
“I’m OK,” Bradley said when asked if he’d like to bat higher in the order. “You’ve seen the way this team can hit. Those guys that are in front of me, they’re pretty good at what they do. I’m glad I’m able to take advantage of the opportunities, and try to be the best hitter I can be.”
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Let’s hit a few other notes from the Red Sox’s big win:
— Along with Boston’s recent offensive awakening has come a sudden increase in power. The Red Sox clubbed two more home runs Thursday — a Xander Bogaerts two-run shot and a Mookie Betts three-run blast — and have hit at least one long ball in 13 consecutive games.
Bogaerts’ homer was especially impressive, as he turned on a low slider from Keuchel and golfed it onto the Green Monster.
“I don’t know how I did that,” Bogaerts admitted. “I knew once I hit it, it was a tough pitch. That pitch, sometimes when I’m going wrong, I strike out on it. But the way our team is playing right now, no one’s missing.”
— The Red Sox extended their win streak to a season-high five games and improved to nine games over .500 at 22-13. But the Baltimore Orioles, owners of their own five-game win streak, still sit atop the AL East at 21-12.
— Farrell doesn’t have a set date for Joe Kelly’s return, and said before Thursday’s game the right-handed pitcher could make another start in Triple-A Pawtucket before joining the big-league club.
But with two off-days coming up in the next 12 days, Kelly should be back sooner than later, and even could slide into the fluid back end of Boston’s starting rotation.
“The off-days upcoming, that’s going to give us an opportunity to be flexible with the rotation going forward,” Farrell said.
— The Red Sox likely will call up a left-handed hitter some time before beginning a three-game set Monday against the Kansas City Royals. Yet Farrell said Thursday it won’t be catcher-turned-outfielder Blake Swihart.
“Yeah, he’s got to keep playing (in Pawtucket),” Farrell said. “He’s got to keep swinging the bat, too. He’s taking on a new position, so that’s going to take added concentration on the defensive side. I know he swung the bat a little bit better (Wednesday)Â night, so that’s still got to come from him.”
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
