Xander Bogaerts can jet around the bases, but it’s become clear he’s no match for Ramon Laureano’s arm.
One night after being thrown out at home by the Oakland Athletics center fielder, it was déjà vu for the Boston Red Sox shortstop Tuesday night at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
After the game, Bogaerts shed light on his aggressive base-running decision.
“I was like, you know what? Go for it,” Bogaerts said, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “Go for it and trust Mitch (Moreland) coming in behind me that he’ll have a better chance getting me in being at third. I was like, just try for it. In my mind, he (Laureano) had no momentum coming in. … I don’t know how he made that throw again. But that’s impressive.”
It’s tough to knock Bogaerts. Boston was shut out the night before and desperately needed a spark as it entered the game having dropped three straight and four of five to start the season. Not to mention, the visitors were tasked with trying to get through Blake Treinen, one of the better closers in the game.
“We’ve got to be honest,” Bogaerts said. “We haven’t been playing our best these last two games. And obviously, our hitting hasn’t been the way it normally is. I just tried to get to third because the chances against that guy (closer Blake Treinen) with a runner at third are obviously (better) than with a runner at second. Obviously, after the result, I wish I had stayed.
“We needed some type of energy, man. We just haven’t been the way we normally are. I think a spark there would have been much helpful.”
Bogaerts noted, per Smith, that he probably wouldn’t have pushed the envelope had it been in the seventh or eighth inning. And if he finds himself in a similar situation over the final two games in Oakland, he’ll probably play it safe.
“I’m like, ‘There’s no way he’ll do that again,’” Bogaerts said. “The night before, he was coming in. He had a lot of momentum.”
“Once I dove into third, I felt (Matt) Chapman hit me before I got to the bag. I already knew I was out. I mean, how can you do that two nights in a row? Next time I won’t run.”
The Red Sox will look to snap their four-game skid Wednesday night, with Nathan Eovaldi set to toe the rubber opposite Marco Estrada.
