dailyloe.com – Red Sox manager Alex Cora has placed Caleb Durbin in the No. 2 spot in the batting order. This move aims to spark the team’s sluggish lineup. Cora has been experimenting with different hitters in that position. He dropped Trevor Story in the order earlier in the week.
This decision is considered unorthodox through a modern baseball lens. Teams typically put a very good hitter in the second spot. They do this to optimize scoring chances. The Sox have faced top hitters like Yordan Alvarez in that spot this year.
Cora has tried Masataka Yoshida, Jarren Duran, and Andruw Monasterio for one game each. Durbin got his second consecutive start in the two-hole on Saturday. The game was against the St. Louis Cardinals. Durbin possesses a high-contact, low-strikeout profile.
“He’s not chasing,” Alex Cora said. “When you start doing that, good things are going to happen. That’s the reason he’s hitting second.” Durbin entered Saturday mired in a season-opening slump. His average was .103 with eight strikeouts and four hits.
His .186 on-base percentage was tied for fourth-worst among qualified hitters. Story was worse at .136. However, Durbin had struck out just 19 percent of the time. That is better than all other Sox regulars except Ceddanne Rafaela.
He has been effective at not swinging at pitches outside the strike zone. He also does not miss often when he does swing. Controlling the strike zone is central to the Red Sox’ offensive path forward. They need to swing at strikes.
“It’s what we need to do. We have to control the strike zone,” Cora said. “We have to take our walks when they pitch around you. That’s how good things start happening.” The manager acknowledged the challenge posed by opposing pitchers.
“To get going offensively, you have to chase less. Keep it simple,” Cora added. “But obviously that guy on the mound is trying to do a job too. It’s not that easy.” He highlighted Durbin’s recent plate discipline as a positive sign.
“Durbin, in the Milwaukee series, didn’t chase one pitch,” Cora noted. “And [Friday], although the results weren’t there, the approach was good.” Meanwhile, Roman Anthony returned to the lineup on Saturday as the designated hitter.
He played left field in four of the team’s first five games. Since then, he has started in left field in just two of nine contests. This is amid his issues with throwing. The team is managing these moving parts to make it work.[]
Source: The Boston Globe
