Yahoo! Sports

Boston Red Sox

27-18,
2nd AL East

Jump to a team Other Teams

Red Sox Team Report

Yahoo! Sports - 9 hours, 55 minutes ago

Inside Pitch
Notes, Quotes
Roster Report

Jacoby Ellsbury is 8-for-60 (.133) over his last 13 games, hardly what the Red Sox expect from their leadoff hitter and the 2011 AL MVP runner-up. But manager John Farrell isn't ready to drop Ellsbury in the batting order either.

"Not at the moment," said Farrell, whose Red Sox lost to the White Sox 6-4 Monday. "That's not to say that there are absolutes. But what we have to do, we have to get Jacoby going. And I know we're 175, 180 at-bats into the season already, and there's been a lot of opportunity. The month of May has been less than what he has shown he is capable of. But we have to continue to work with him and get him on track."

For now, Farrell is chalking up Ellsbury's problems to a lack of timing at the plate, an issue that can be fixed in the batting cage. But with free agency looming after the season, it's also possible Ellsbury has been putting too much pressure on himself to have a big year.

Ellsbury wouldn't be the first player to fall into that trap. Right fielder Shane Victorino and first baseman Mike Napoli have admitted they were impacted negatively last season by their impending free-agent status.

"I wouldn't say (Ellsbury is) pressing," Farrell said. "How do you differentiate pressing and frustrated? Because it feels like he's gotten pitches that he hasn't squared up. He's just missed them, so there's a little frustration. I wouldn't say he's pressing to the point of something's ticking on him, time is ticking. No. He's a good player, and we've got to get him back to that level."

Record:

27-18

Streak:

Lost one

Past 10 Games:

6-4

NEXT: Red Sox (Felix Doubront, 3-1, 6.03) at White Sox (Jose Quintana, 2-1, 3.97)

Player Notes:

RHP Andrew Bailey officially came off the 15-day disabled list on Monday. He was out of commission retroactive to April 29 with a right biceps strain. Bailey (1-0) had made 13 relief appearances and had a 1.46 ERA in 12.1 innings pitched. To make room, RHP Jose De La Torre was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday.
LHP Jon Lester (6-2) suffered his first loss of the season and first in a span of 10 starts going back to Sept. 26, 2012 against Tampa Bay. Lester matched a season high, allowing six runs over six innings pitched. He had given up five in three previous starts. He allowed a two-out home run for the first time this season, giving up a three-run shot to Adam Dunn in the first inning. His 5.43 all-time ERA against the White Sox is the highest mark against any American League team. Lester was the first Boston left-handed pitcher to open a season at 6-0 since Bill Lee (1978).
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia has a hit in 15 of his last 20 games. On Monday, he was 2-for-3 with a home run. All five of his homers have come against right-handed pitchers, including 28 of his last 29 dating back through the start of the 2012 season.
RHP Jose De La Torre was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket when RHP Andrew Bailey came off the disabled list. He pitched in two games for the Red Sox, allowing two runs on two hits.
2B Dustin Pedroia went 1-for-4 and extended his hitting streak to 12 games. He's 22-for-49 (.449) in that span with five doubles, a homer, eight RBIs and 14 runs scored. On Monday, he did not score a run for the first time in seven games.
3B Will Middlebrooks (1-for-4, double) has an extra-base hit in 20 of his 34 hits this season. He has 12 doubles and eight home runs. Middlebrooks is now hitting .213.
LHP Felix Doubront (3-1, 6.03) is unbeaten in two career starts against Chicago with a 3.0 ERA. He last faced the White Sox on July 18, 2012, going 6.0 innings to earn a win. Doubront won his first three decisions of the season, lost on May 3 against Texas and had a no-decision on May 16 at Tampa Bay after pitching five innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits as the Red Sox prevailed 4-3.

Quote To Note:

"It was a night where he had to battle. He gets two quick outs in the first inning and then after a base hit and the walk it was a 2-0 cutter that stayed in the middle of the plate to (Adam) Dunn, who's been hitting the ball well of late. All of the runs tonight were after two outs and maybe that third strike in a couple of cases were a little elusive for him."

—Manager John Farrell, on Jon Lester, who gave up five earned runs in a 6-4 loss to the White Sox Monday.

Medical Watch:

RHP Andrew Bailey (right biceps inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 29. An MRI showed no structural damage. Bailey threw a 20-pitch bullpen session May 14 and didn't feel any lingering effects. He threw 15 pitches in a simulated game May 16 and then allowed one on two hits in a rehab appearance May 18. He was activated from the disabled list May 20 in time for the series opener against the White Sox.
SS Stephen Drew missed back-to-back games over the May 18-19 weekend with soreness in his back. Drew was injured when he slid awkwardly into second base May 17. He doesn't expect the injury will linger long into the week.
C David Ross' (concussion) symptoms haven't subsided, causing him to stay in Boston. Ross is still experiencing symptoms as of May 17. He is scheduled to be examined by team doctors May 20.
RHP Joel Hanrahan (right forearm strain) went on the 15-day disabled list May 7, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 9. Hanrahan had season ending Tommy John surgery May 16.
LHP Franklin Morales (bulging back disk, sore left pectoral muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Greenville on April 17 and was shut down April 24 because of the pectoral problem. He worked two innings for Double-A Portland on May 8.
OF Ryan Kalish (right shoulder surgery in January 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list Feb. 20. He has missed most of the past two seasons with shoulder and neck problems. He hopes to get clearance to begin swinging a bat the week of May 20.