Sox Daily with Josh Lewin

We've got bush. League. The Rangers and Red Sox picked an odd hill to die on in the season's final road game. Staredowns and nonsense at the end of a 7-5 loss; Josh tries to find teh bad guys and good guys while also helping make sense of ths bizarre 2019 season. Sound from Alex Cora and free agent Rick Porcello. Happy trails for now...!

Pour one out for Porcello. And Mitch Moreland too while you're at it. As their respective red Sox tenures potentially wind to an end, each player was terrific in Texas Wednesday night. Josh recaps the 10-3 win; there's sound from Alex Cora and a deep-dive mystery player who hadtwo hits and you'd never believe would make an appearance on the post-game star of the game show.

Another four-hour game but this one goes in the win column. E-Rod gets #19 (although it sure wsn't easy) and Mookie homers before hurting his foot and leaving the game. Josh recaps and tells you what it all means; Alex Cora speaks after the game as does closer Brandon Worlman who saved #16 in his hometown.

Jhoulyis Chacin's no-hit bid hits the wall hard and the Sox fall to Tampa Bay, 7-4.  No more Rays games this year; two more E-Rod starts though, which Josh talks about in advance of the Texas series.  Alex Cora speaks about the pitching and more... Josh breaks down the throw of the year in MLB, the one that stunned Avasail Garcia into a damn coma.

With the Sox officially eliminated, they can at least do the spoiler thing in Tampa Bay now -- Sunday was a good start. JOsh recaps the three games played overthe weekend with sound from Alex Cora and JD Martinez, then previews the series finale.

Eddie Rodriguez has a higher WAR than MadBum and Kershaw?? Yup. He also has 18 of the team's 80 wins now too. The Thursday game was a 5-4 Red Sox winner: Josh recaps, Alex Cora speaks, and the Tampa Bay series is previewed.

After an 11-3 SF win, Bruce Bochy's at 2000 career wins as a manager. Alex Cora- wouldn't you have thought 200 by now? 108 last year and 92 this year? Nope. Gonna have to hustle to get to 82 this year now. Josh provides a brief recap of the Wednesday loss, professes his man love for Willie Mays, and looks ahead to MadBum's first ever Fenway start Thursday.

If you don't get the pun, see, Mike Yazstremski's grandpa was a famous Red Sox who had a bread named after him, and... ah, the hell with it.  The Jr Yaz HR was a poweful, fun moment at Fenway Tuesday night, but the other 5 hours and 53 1/2 minutes were fairly pointless and frustrating. At least we have some David Ortiz sound for you... and some fun nuggets about Mike Yaz's grandfather... and a brief recap of the 7-6 15 inning loss.

From the files of too little too late, a crisp two-game sweep in Philly for the Sox to keep 'em on life support. Josh recaps, and gets you sound from the hitting heroes of the weekend, Benintendi (game winning sac fly) and Christian Vazquez (who had 6 of the 8 RBI's.)  Alex Cora speaks; Josh peeks ahead to the San Fran series.

Staving off playoff elimination, NINE Sox pitchers combined for a 7-4 win in Toronto Thursday night. Josh rolls in sound from Alex Cora and run-scoring-machine Mookie Betts, looks ahead to the Phillies series, and throws out some ideas about things to watch for down the stretch.

Canadian exchange rate aside, 0 runs on 2 hits is sub-optimal. The Bobby Poyner & Co pitching staff got roughed up, the Sox lost their 5th straight and it's Josh's job to distract you from all that. Alex Cora speaks, the game is indeed summarized, but there are also odd asides about hand puppets, J-Lo and the '03 Cowboy Up Team.  So, yeah.

Oh my God, they killed Eovaldi and the bullpen.  Rowdy Tellez and the Jays find a way yet again against the Sox this year; a forgettable year that finds Josh searching for other things to talk about besides this game.  Yes, Eovaldi and Alex cora speak, but this is a Flashback to '99-intensive podcast with an ode to a starter who could really go deep in to games. (Hint: he rhymes with "Bay-dro.")

David, hello. David, goodbye. Ortiz returns; Dombrowski departs. Josh offers his take on the whirlwind events off the field... Alex Cora meets the media... Ortiz speaks... and there's a brief recap of a 5-0 lackluster loss to the Yankees as well if you listen long enough.

** RECORDED BEFORE THE GM NEWS ** Josh gives his take on taking just one out of three vs the Yankees and breaks down the pitching hardcore.  The games are recapped, the minor league stars are noted, and there's sound from Mitch Moreland Alex Cora. PS 23 pitchers in three games seems like plenty, right?

The Red Sox have been bad at Fenway all year, but even on a night where they allow only two hits they somehow lose on a play at the plate in the 9th. Josh recaps the game and walks you through the crowded house in the bullpen; there is sound from Nate Eovaldi and Alex Cora as well. Yankees series previewed if you care to listen all the way to the end.

The updated "Benny and the Jets" lyrics were the key to a 6-2 Sox win vs the Twins on Wednesday: Josh recaps, drops some old school Johnny Cash to explain the state of the bullpen and celebrates the breakout season of Rodriguez and continued greatness of Betts. Eddie speaks, Alex Cora speaks, and a prognosis of the last three weeks is offered.

The Sox' percentage chance to make the playoffs drops from 8 to 7 with a 6 to 5 loss.  Josh sings the praises of the top of the batting order; considers how awful the top of the pitching rotation has been; recaps the game and rolls in sound from losing pitcher Rick Porcello and frustrated-but-trying-to-stay-optimistic manager Alex Cora.

2 out of 3 in Anaheim means a 6-2 road trip and back to within five games of the playoffs with 25 to go. Josh cuts through all the math, reviews the Mookie and JD Show, recaps all the games from the weekend and tells you who the hell Gorkys Hernandez is. Sound from Cora and Workman, too.

Ye of little faith. Two wins vs the Rockies, a little help from the A's and Rays, and whaddya know- 5 out with 28 to play. Xander Bogaerts pounds two home runs; Devers and Martinez go yard as well as the Sox (legally) smoke Denver. Josh puts the top quadrant of the explosive batting order in perspective and JD Martinez speaks about his current surge.

In the land of the 420, JBJ hits one 478. Vazquez and Bogaerts homer too; Sox win 10-6. Josh recaps, tracks the wild card race, and Dustin Pedroia makes an appearance and speaks to the media. Josh also has sound from Brock Holt (on base 4x) and Alex Cora (happy with Rick Porcello.  Come for the baseball insight, stay for the Napoleon Dynamite references.

A full weekend of Anchorman quotes, ridiculous uniforms, he occasional fish taco, and two wins in San Diego. Shoulda been three.   Josh breaks through the glass cage of emotion and recaps the series, sprinkling in sound from Alex Cora and Saturday hero Brock Holt. Who loves lamp.

And that was that. Two weeks and 12 minutes later, the REd Sox walked it off against the Royals, and now it's on to the West Coast. Josh recaps the, um... 12 minutes, gets sound from Alex Cora and the hero Brock Holt, then takes some time to preview this three game series coming up against the San Diego Machados. 

The real Philly Surprise? Turns out it's that the Red Sox couldn't beat Drew Smyly. And it was costly. With Tampa Bay winning the Sox are now seven back of the second wild card; Josh recaps the game, plays sound from Alex Cora and quotes liberally from The Office.  Also- what are Devers and Bogaerts about to do that's never been done before?  Why are the Mets and Red Sox the most different same-record teams in sports?  Discuss.

Phrustrating. Sure, Aaron Nola was great, but the Sox had multiple chances to win vs Philly Tuesday night and simply didn't, costing them a chance to advance in the wild card standings. Josh shakes the branches of a 3-2 loss, plays post-game sound from Alex Cora and pre-game sound from the happy-to-not-need surgery Chris Sale.

Which do you want first? The good news is the Sox trounced Baltimore and swept the series.  The bad news is there will be no Labor Day Sale. And maybe no Chris Sale for a very long time. Dave Dombrowski lets everyone know what to expect regarding the lefty ace's suddenly-wonky elbow just as the team pushes back into wild card consideration. Sound from Rick Porcello and Alex Cora, a preview of the next series (vs Philly) and plenty of insight from Josh, not to mention dated movie and mousic references.

Devers slams another home run and Xander Bogaerts one-ups him as the Sox (rock and) roll in Cleveland. Josh takes you through the most baseball-in-2019 win of the year; the Red Sox runs all scoring on homers, and seven pitchers combining on a 4-hitter.  Devers speaks, Alex Cora speaks, and Josh puts the playoff chase in persepctive while scouting the next opponent - the home run-riddled Orioles.

Oh, sure. Sale gives up five runs, tomorrow's scheduled starter pitches the 8th and Andrew Cashner gets the save. After the ninth place hitter hits the big extra inning homer. (Dr. Evil voice:) "Riiiiiiight."  Josh recaps the magic, there's sound from JBJ and Alex Cora, and much discussion about the 6-hit 4-double bonanza from Raffy Devers.

Cleveland rocks (three home runs including the walkoff winner) and kicks the Sox further down the hill. Josh recaps the "almost" comeback, rolls in sound from Alex Cora and previews game two of the series. Meantime, the 2020 schedule is revealed. Not that 2019 is over, but... well, yeah, let's peek at that 2020 schedule anyway.

The unhearlded Anthony Bemboom -- not Trout, not Pujols, not Ohtani -- spoils Sunday and let's face it, Andrew Cashner didn't exactly help either. Josh recaps the weekend series vs the Angels that ended up with just one win against two losses. The two starting pitchers from Saturday and Sunday, Porcello and Cashner, try to explain what went wrong; Alex Cora weighs and Josh has plenty to say about what's been going on of late.  A homestand where the Sox needed six wins, they got three. Sub-optimal.

Shaw's/Star Market update: There's a Sale on Trout, and it's a bunch of ferocious fastballs.  Chris Sale dominates the Angels with a 13 strikeout masterpiece; two home runs are hit from spare parts and the Sox cruise 3-0 in a sacant 2:16. Josh recaps, and runs in sound from Sale and Alex Cora.  A preview of the rest of the series follows.

The bullpen and Ma Nature combine to make a mess of Wednesday night; a 4-4 suspended game means we haven't seen the last of Kansas City after all this year.  Josh recaps the weird "non-finish," details what it all means, explores some key stats about the pitching and the team in general, and has some more scheduling news beyond the resumption date of Sox vs. Royals. Alex Cora speaks as well.

If you didn't already believe in Soler power, well, Andrew Cashner certainly does. The embattled righty allwed a pair of long home runs to the Royals' masher and the Red Sox win streak ends at... one. Josh recaps, Cashner speaks, as does Alex Cora, and best of all, Josh has all the info (and curmudgeonly take-downs) regarding the annual Players Weekend soon to come.

Thank you, Royals.  The Sox desperately needed a night of good news and good fortune and thanks to Rick Porcello and the usual hitting suspects, the 8-game losing streak ended.  Josh recaps and rolls in sound from Porcello, Alex Cora and Sam "Home Run" Travis. 

The mirage of last weekend vs the Yankees at Fenway has faded completely: The Red Sox getting swept in the Bronx means the losing streak is EIGHT and the wild card tail lights are getting further and further off in the distance. Josh has a full if not painful recap of the Yankees games; sound from the ejected/dejected Chris Sale and Alex Cora, and a bunch of mind-bending stats that'll depress the heck out of you.

With no help at the trade deadline, it's up to the current pitching staff to smooth out the many wrinkles. (So many.) Andrew Cashner pitches poorly and meets the media after; Alex Cora talk as well, and Josh recaps what's going right and what's going wrong before previewing the weekend series in the Bronx.

The trade deadline is more of a trade dudline -- no moves made and the Status Quo Sox fall behind TB 8-2, ultimately losing 8-5. Josh has some thoughts; a game recap as well; and you'll hear from Dave Dombrowski and Alex Cora on the state of the state.

6 runs weren't enough vs the Yankees Sunday night and the same held true Tuesday vs TB at Fenway. A long, reliever-filled ballgame had the Sox in position to win it with a big hit mulltiple times but that big hit never showed up -- and as of now, a trade piece hasn't showed up either. With the deadline on approach, Josh looks at who's out there, recaps the game, and rolls in sound from Cora and Price. (Yes, in a four hour game, who did you think was pitching, Sale??)

What could've been a 4-game sweep of the Yankees fizzled Sunday night. Chris Sale was mediocre, the clutch hitting failed to show, but those first three gams of the seeries? Yeah, 38 runs, that'll play. Josh walks you through it with audio from Mookie "3 Homer Game" Betts, Sam "Very Intense Man" Travis and Alex "I Sound Exhausted After All This" Cora.

That'll leave a mark. The Sox pound out 7 first inning runs and wallop the Yankees like they'd never before walloped them in front of a packed house at Fenway. Josh recaps the carnage from the 19-3 de-pantsing of the Pinstripes; audio from JBJ and Alex Cora.

Sox lose 3-2... at least for now. Alex Cora protests after a wacky substitution situation gums up the works in Tampa Bay... must everything weird involve Angel Hernandez?? The umpire-of-note, Cora, the Rays' Kevin Cash, pitchers Morton and Price, and the bottom of the Rays' order were all key cast members in a loss that knocked th Sox back into third in the AL East. Josh tries to make sense of it and previews the Yankee series; audio from Cora and Price.

What seemed to be an easy win in TB became a tough one, but it's a win and it pulls the Sox even with the Rays in the standings.  Marcus Walden gets the final out then chats with the booth; Alex Cora meets the media after the game. (PS Please trade for some bullpen help. Thank you.)

Eduardo Rodriguez sparkles, the team hits a ton, and all is right with the world, at least for a night. Josh recaps the huge third inning explosion, wonders if Nate Eovaldi came back a little too soon, and rolls in sound from Andrew "Near Cycle" Benintendi and Alex "All Is Well" Cora.