Analyzing the Red Sox's Potential in MLB Postseason
Joe Raineri and Craig Mish discuss the Boston Red Sox's playoff chances, focusing on their expert gap hitting and strong pitching lineup down the stretch.
Video Transcript
So what were your impressions?
What did you think of this Red Sox team who might be getting, I guess, what, Roman Anthony, maybe Crochet back.
What, what were your thoughts?
Yeah, they, they remind me a lot of, of like some of those Brewer-ish Rays type teams, Joe.
Like I, I don't, I don't think that Boston's, going into the postseason, hitting a bunch of home runs.
Like I, I don't, I don't think so.
Like I, I know that Willier Abreu can hit home runs, and Duran did hit a big home run.
He hit a grand slam.
But it's a lot of gap to gap hitting with this team.
It really it's, it's interesting.
And, and if you think about, you know, Roman Anthony has been out, he's coming back.
Maybe Trevor Story's coming back for them as well.
But their best players are kind of, you know, get on base, move a guy over, guy gets a double, guy gets a single, and that's how they're winning games, low scoring.
And their pit- they're pitching, Joe.
That's the difference.
You know, that's- it, it's g- Without Judge in a matchup, and we're gonna see four of them, I think, this weekend between the Yankees and Red Sox, but without Judge, it's, the teams are very similar.
They, the pitching is real good.
They don't hit a ton.
But I, I would be very worried about the Yankees playing the Red Sox t- i- in a, in a, in a series, because I think they're very similar.
The Red Sox could easily win.
You could make the case that the Red Sox may have the better pitching with Tolee, who's been way better than I ever would've imagined.
Ranger Surez, Sonny Gray, maybe Crochet coming back too.
Their bullpen is really good as well.
I don't think the Red Sox are winning the World Series.
I don't think they're winning the American League.
But they're positioning themselves, I think, very well for the future because, in a, in a day and age where you kinda have to have slug to win a World Series, I don't think they have that.
But they're certainly good enough to make the playoffs, and they're definitely good enough to, I think, win a series, maybe two.
But I, I think to me, like, Judge is the equalizer for the Yankees.
Boston, Joe, they do not have a guy like that.
They don't.
They don't have that guy.
They, they, they simply do not.
Yeah.
Abreu's a g- He's had a great year, and he's gonna hit 20 home runs and 25, you know, whatever, but there's just, you know, that three run home run.
Where's that coming from, from Boston in the postseason?
It's, it's, I, I, I don't think it's there.
Again, they remind me of the Brewers.
And by the way, they have three guys that used to play on the Brewers in their starting lineup too, that trade that they made where they traded Harrison to Milwaukee last year.
So Mickey Gasper, Joe.
Yep.
M- Mickey, I mean, Mickey Gasper- Yeah, like come on, but- hitting the ball like crazy.
And the- Well, I- Yeah, like I, I, I But, but again, credit to them.
They put themselves back in the mix.
And p- probably to me, a chance to, to win a first round series, from what I see in the playoffs.
Nothing more than that.
That's them this year.
Nothing.
So what did you think I, it was funny.
Sonny Gray pitched that, the game that you actually won, right?
I believe it was.
Uh- Right.
Yes, yes, yesterday.
Yeah.
W- what did you think about that, there?
Because I was like, oh boy- They made a lot of errors they're up against it.
They made a lot of errors for me.
It was just errors.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, so was- They, they were out of the game quick you seeing anything different from him though this year?
I- No I mean, it just- No just a lot of things going ri- his way, I guess.
Yeah, they, they Remember Rutschman didn't play the final two games.
Yes.
Connor Wong, I thought Connor Wong was a defensive catcher, Joe.
He made three errors in two games for them, the last two games.
Three errors, yeah.
Rutschman is a superior- That was terrible catcher to them.
And, and, look, I You know, what, what, on the broadcast, you know, we get, like, access to data and information and some talking points.
So the, the only thing- that I would say about Sonny Gray is that h- he's 16 and 4 now.
There's no question- Yeah that there's been some luck built in in that, because he's gotten a lot of run support.
And his FIP- Yes his fielding independent pitching, his ERA should be worse- Mm-hmm than it is.
But, but I, I'm not gonna sit here and bang on Sonny Gray.
Why?
Like he's had a really good year.
He's gonna start game one or game two for them in the postseason, unless Crochet, you know, magically comes back here at the end and, and starts dominating.
But really the guy, Joe, next year that I would say take a look at, like Cy Young Award wise, would be Tolee.
Absolutely.
I, I think next season- Tolee, you're impressed?
Yes.
I think it, it's like Skines from the left side, Joe.
Yeah, and, and if he gets- Really?
Yes.
And if he gets himself a little bit, in better shape where he can finish games, get a little bit deeper into the game.
It seemed like he tired out against Miami early, and that's an indoor park.
That shouldn't happen.
I, I think he w- he is an emerging star in the, in the big leagues.
Peyton Tolee, absolutely.
