The Boston Red Sox just lost two of three to the New York Yankees and while their playoff hopes are likely sealed already, the team decided to bring up hot prospect Xander Bogaerts ahead of their series with the San Francisco Giants and a west coast swing that takes them to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers as well starting on Monday night.
The Red Sox and Giants are going into a possible pitching duel on Monday night with Tim Lincecum and Jon Lester going head to head and it'll be the first series for the two coast teams since back in 2010. Lester pitched in that series back in 2010 and won the game with a 5-1 victory while allowing just five hits and one run and now he has the chance to try and pitch a solid game again. In that season he won 10 games and now he comes in at 10-7 with a 4.21 ERA and he goes up against Lincecum, who comes in at 6-12 with a 4.38 ERA and now the Giants come in after losing on Sunday, which came after a three game winning streak. The Sox come into the game after losing a tough game to the Yankees on Sunday after a home run from Alex Rodriguez.
The game was fun filled for A-Rod, as he was pegged with a ball and also got the chance to be a hero with the home run. The field was only place that was nice for Rodriguez despite the loud boos, as off the field he has plenty of problems with his team and Major League Baseball itself. The Red Sox are heading into a nice stretch before September and they will have to try and avoid the issues that plagued them last time they were in the playoff hunt when they collapsed two years ago.
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According to ESPN.com, the team decided to bring up Bogaerts after trading away young star Jose Iglesias at the trading deadline in the deal to get Jake Peavy. Bogaerts is the top prospect for the Red Sox and he split his time in Double-A and Triple-A this season, hitting .297 with 15 homers, 67 RBIs and an .865 OPS in 116 games and now he will get his chance against major league pitching.
Bogaerts missed the action on Sunday night, as the Yankees and Red Sox went at it old school, with Alex Rodriguez getting plunked and a mini fight going down before A-Rod slammed a home run. The Yankees took two of three to remain somewhat in the playoff race, but they really have no realistic chance to win the division unless they go on some type of crazy winning streak and the Sox and Rays start losing in bunches. The team likely will use Bogaerts at shortstop and at third base and they also could use him in the outfield and his best bet will be playing against left-handed pitching.
The Sox have had some trouble this season against lefties especially from the shortstop position, as Stephen Drew is under .200 for the year in over 100 at-bats against lefty pitching and the team would like a boost in that category.
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