Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas tried to make a difficult defensive play in a key spot during Wednesday’s series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Alex Cora understands that.
And it’s why the Red Sox manager defended Casas’ decision one day after Boston was swept by the Pirates at Fenway Park.
“I think (Wednesday), you can’t get on Triston because he was aggressive trying to make a play,” Cora told reporters before Boston started its series against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith.
Cora, though, also hinted how Casas’ decision — throwing to third base with a runner on second and nobody out in the seventh — wasn’t one Boston will get comfortable with going forward. Casas’ attempt to throw out Pirates catcher Jason Delay ultimately didn’t work and thus Pittsburgh was rewarded with runners on first and third and nobody out in a then 2-0 contest.
“But you have to think about (the) worst-case scenario that guy is safe and,” Cora told reporters, “… it’s first and third instead of man at third, infield in, one out, we make a pitch and we get out of the inning.”
The Pirates ultimately extended their lead to 4-0 after the seventh inning. Delay scored on a sacrifice fly the very next batter after Casas’ throw to third baseman Rafael Devers.
“I knew the man at the plate was the fastest man on the field,” Casas told reporters after Wednesday’s loss. “I knew the catcher was running at second base. I anticipated a ball to my right, possibly throwing to third and trying to get that out to prevent a guy getting to third base with less than one out. So that was my thought process behind it.
“So I thought just where we were in the game, it would be a good play to try to take a shot and try to cut him down at third and keep the double play in order and hopefully get us out of the inning with the next pitch.”
Unfortunately for the Red Sox, it wasn’t their only defensive miscue in the series finale. And it’s why defense is one aspect Cora hoped to improve on entering the three-game series against the Tigers.
