Franchy Cordero is still getting accustomed to playing first base for the Boston Red Sox, and it showed Thursday night against the New York Yankees.
Cordero dropped a high pop up that landed on the infield grass in the sixth inning, which, instead of closing out the frame, allowed the Yankees to score what ended up being the decisive run in a 6-5 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Cordero explained to The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams that he took his eyes off the ball to take a glance at where the other infielders were positioned, which caused the ball to drop in for a hit.
Cordero’s on-the-job training has come with growing pains, something Red Sox manager Alex Cora frankly expected. The left-handed hitting slugger has played the majority of his career as an outfielder, and is still learning the nuances of a relatively new position.
Cordero usually bounces back from any blunders, like the dropped pop up or the error he made Wednesday in the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, with a strong play in the field. That was the case against the Yankees with Cordero showing off his athleticism on a bunt attempt to record an out in the ninth.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be perfect,” Cora said, as seen on NESN postgame coverage. “He made a great play on a bunt. (Wednesday) he dropped a ball. He’s still learning. He’s working hard. He’s getting better at a few things, but stuff like that is going to happen.”
For now, when Cordero plays at first you just have to take the good with the bad, even though it cost the Red Sox dearly Thursday.
