Drew Pomeranz’s first three starts in a Boston Red Sox uniform couldn’t have been more different.
Pomeranz pitched well for three innings in his Boston debut, but it all came apart for him in the fourth. Start No. 2 went much better, as he allowed only two runs in six innings. The third? Well, as Red Sox manager John Farrell said, it was somewhere “in between” the other two.
Pomeranz allowed five earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 5 1/3 innings in Boston’s 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
“Overall, he probably wasn’t as sharp as he was last time out,” Farrell said on NESN’s “Red Sox Extra Innings.” “And when they created some damage against him it was early in counts. … So, it wasn’t like he got into too many deep innings. The pitch count was relatively low. But they were able to capitalize on some pitches early in counts.”
“It’s been a mixed bag,” Farrell added. “The first one out, the first three innings were solid and then things unraveled in the fourth. I thought he was very sharp against Detroit and (Saturday night) was somewhere in between. So, three starts in, I know the numbers can look out of sync or not strong, but still there’s quality stuff being thrown. It’s a matter of consistency.”
It was an eventful night for Pomeranz and the Red Sox on and off the field. Here are a few more notes from the loss.
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— The Red Sox might be close to getting two position players back. Both Chris Young (hamstring) and Josh Rutledge (knee) are with the team on its current road trip, which manager John Farrell told reporters Saturday, via WEEI.com, “indicates they’re probably ready to go out on a rehab assignment once we get back.”
But catcher/left fielder Blake Swihart, who has been on the disabled list since early June with an ankle sprain, is in a different situation.
“It’s probably too early to tell yet. We felt once we left on the road trip these next seven to 10 days would be pivotal on what his next steps were,” Farrell said of Swihart, via WEEI.com. “As the intensity ramps up, how he was going to respond physically was going to be the predictor of a rehab assignment and eventual return. I can’t say he’s out of the woods yet with the ankle injury.
“… Blake is still in that almost ground-based testing and ramping up of intensity with the cuts and change of direction. That’s been step by step — two steps forward, one step back type of approach.”
— Speaking of injured players, closer Craig Kimbrel made another step toward re-joining the Sox with a rehab outing with Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday. Kimbrel actually got the start in the game, and here’s how he did:
— Steven Wright hasn’t looked like his All-Star self of late, and the extremely hot and humid weather in his previous start certainly didn’t help his knuckleball. Sleeves were pitched as a possible solution for the knuckleballer, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be wearing any Sunday against the Angels.
“I don’t feel like I need to wear sleeves,” he told reporters, via WEEI.com. “I haven’t had an issue with sweat.”
— Dustin Pedroia now has reached base safely in 33 straight games after he drew a walk and later scored in the first inning Saturday.
— Former Red Sox Daniel Nava, whose ground ball led to the game-winning run in Thursday’s game between the Sox and Angels, was designated for assignment before Saturday’s contest in favor of outfielder Shane Robinson.
— David Ortiz got the night off, and in a surprise move, center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. moved up to his usual spot in the lineup to hit cleanup. It was the first time JBJ has batted fourth in a long time.
Thumbnail photo via Richard Mackson/USA TODAY Sports Images
