The first two games of the Boston Red Sox season went well and while they should have an edge over the Detroit Tigers in this upcoming series, they are already facing some slight adversity.
Sure, they’re well-rested. They’ve had three days off this week. That doesn’t happen in baseball. Quite rare, to say the least. But that doesn’t mean they’re in the best shape.
Thursday, the Red Sox placed a pair of players on the bereavement list: Xander Bogaerts, and Matt Barnes. So no, they’re not hurt, but they’ll miss a few days. Deaths in the family are the most common cause of those, and Barnes is attending his grandmother’s wake. In the meantime, Noe Ramirez will take his roster spot while Marco Hernandez will take Bogaerts’ place. Guys on the list tend to miss 3-7 games.
But wait, there’s more…
In Wednesday’s game which ended with a Sandy Leon walk-off, Mookie Betts, Brock Holt and Robbie Ross Jr. were unavailable. So the Red Sox pretty much won with a 22-man roster. Not bad. Remember how Mitch Moreland had the flu? Yeah, that’s definitely a concern, considering Robbie Ross Jr.’s flu put him on the DL. Hello, Deven Marrero.
And then there’s the disabled list where David Price, Tyler Thornburg, Josh Rutledge, Carson Smith and (these two don’t count) both Drew Pomeranz and Roenis Elias. The last two bulk up the argument, but the truth is Pomeranz is pitching next Tuesday against Baltimore and Elias wouldn’t be in the big leagues but hey, he’s a depth starter. That’s worth something.
The team isn’t worn down from playing baseball, but their depth is going to be key here as they battle through some tight circumstances. Right now, the most they can do is play to the best of their ability and wash their hands before they eat. The rest is like out of their control.
Oh, and here’s that Sandy Leon walk-off again, in case you need a reason to feel good.