Alex Cora Just Admitted He's About to Make Red Sox Games Insufferable With Pitching Changes
By Ryan Giglio
The Boston Red Sox don't have time to waste.
But with a 21-man pitching staff, manager Alex Cora may have bullpen pieces to waste.
Hey, Red Sox fans? Get ready for some long September games, per your manager's latest words of wisdom.
Alex Cora on going with 21 pitchers:
— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) September 4, 2019
“We’re going winter ball-style,” Cora said. “That’s how we’re going to do it. The games instead of four hours are going to be five hours.”
The team currently sits 5.5 games back in the Wild Card chase and has seen a world-beating offense neutered by rough pitching all season.
Boston has failed to find the right mixture of pitchers to make up a competent bullpen and rotation this season. So, with the expanded September rosters, Cora will hope to figure out how to maximize his current "quantity over quality" situation.
The desperate defending champs are throwing all options at the wall in hopes of something sticking.
The Red Sox Playoff hopes are over, Thanks in part to the bullpen. https://t.co/66MGlYfCew
— Matt McElwain (@UltraMatt680) September 4, 2019
The bullpen was an obvious area of concern since the offseason, so shame on Dave Dombrowski for not making any meaningful moves to address the need.
With at least two legitimate AL MVP candidates in Boston's potent lineup, it is despicable that the team has a real chance of missing the postseason. That falls on Dombrowski and ownership.
Cora will not be afraid to use every single pitcher on the roster to find someone who can get outs late in games. Relievers on short leashes means multiple pitching changes a game, bringing us to four hours...and beyond.
The good news for Boston fans is that starting on Sunday, they get to watch the always-great Patriots on a weekly basis.