BOSTON — Dallas Keuchel needs to pitch better Sunday, and he knows it.
Maybe wearing pink cleats on Mother’s Day will change his luck.
“I’ve pitched in pink cleats before and knock on wood done well,” Keuchel said Saturday. “I’d like to keep that trend going for my mom and the moms out there.”
Commanding his two-seam fastball better would go a long way. Trying not to nibble on the corners too much might help.
“Some umpires and hitters have dared me to throw strikes, so instead of nit-picking I have to be on the outer or inner third [of the plate] instead of trying to dot a gnat’s a— on the black,” said Keuchel, who starts against the Red Sox Sunday. “But I’ve been a perfectionist my whole life, I don’t know if I can get it out of my head.”
A former Cy Young winner, two-time All-Star and top five finisher in Cy Young voting his first season with the Sox in 2020, Keuchel has fallen on tough times after posting a 5.23 ERA last season and 8.40 ERA in four starts this season. Eleven walks in 15 innings has been problematic.
“I really feel like I’m close,” Keuchel said. “The walks are the most frustrating part. But dissecting things there were a lot of quality pitches within those walks. If I can clean up one or two pitches here and there, we’re looking at some 1-2 count instead of 2-1 and 3-2 counts. There has been a lot of weak contact so there is a lot of things to build on outside the Cleveland [10 runs, 10 hits, one walk, one inning April 20] game.”
Cueto Wednesday?
Michael Kopech starts Sunday and Lucas Giolito Tuesday against the Guardians. Vince Velasquez could go on four days rest Wednesday but the Sox list it as TBD, leaving the door open for veteran Johnny Cueto to debut.
“We’re going to have to start stretching, have to do something to get through this period of [18 games in 17 days] with pitchers,” La Russa said. “Keep the options open but it’s wait and see. It’s complicated. It’s a challenge and we just work our way through it.”
Jordanesque
Shortstop Tim Anderson has no bigger fan that La Russa, who raved about Anderson’s speed and baserunning Friday. On Saturday, he talked about Anderson’s desire to win.
“I say this very carefully ... but in the highest complimentary way he has a Michael Jordan kind of desire,” La Russa said. “It’s not about leading the league in hitting, it’s getting into October, winning a championship. Desire and talent and energy level.”
Tough fit for Mercedes
Yermin Mercedes is playing at Triple-A Charlotte after recovering from a broken hamate bone. Having converted to the outfield and essentially being a DH, a promotion to the major league roster doesn’t make much sense, even with Eloy Jimenez and Andrew Vaughn on the IL.
“One of the problems is, when our roster is 14 pitchers and 12 [position players], there’s three bench guys so you need the most versatility you can get,” La Russa said. “June 1 we go to 13 which only gives you four bench players, so that works against him.”
Keeping Grandal fresh
Yasmani Grandal will catch a second straight day Sunday, giving him 14 games behind the plate compared to 13 for Reese McGuire. Grandal has DH’d 10 times, and it’s about keeping Grandal, who had knee surgery during the 2021 season, as fresh as possible.
“The whole idea is, he has value from the offensive and defensive side,” La Russa said. “He goes at it hard on the defensive side and it’s going to take away from how often you can play so, especially in the first half of the season the stronger and healthier he can stay, the benefits to our club are [essential]. I’m sure he appreciates that.”
