Until arriving in Toronto on Monday, the Red Sox were riding their hot starting rotation.
In their seven-game winning streak, the starting pitcher had earned the win in all seven games, the first time that’s happened by a Red Sox team since a stretch in 2011.
In need of a starting pitcher to fill a hole in the rotation against the Blue Jays on Monday night, the Sox didn’t get what they needed.
Connor Seabold, who has been dominating hitters in Triple-A this year, was called up to make the spot start and got knocked around for seven runs in 4 2/3 innings as the Blue Jays steamrolled the Red Sox, 7-2.
The takeaways:
1. Blue Jays have the Sox number
Monday’s loss snapped the Sox’ seven-game winning streak, which tied their season-long. They also had a seven-game streak from June 5 through June 12.
It’s concerning given the Blue Jays have handled the Red Sox with ease all season. They’re 6-2 against the Sox and have the distinct advantage of using all their players for home games in Toronto, while the Sox have been without multiple players in both their trips to Canada this year. Kutter Crawford, who might’ve been the choice over Seabold, is back in the minors but has been unvaccinated against COVID-19. The Sox are also without closer Tanner Houck and leadoff hitter Jarren Duran, who are both unvaccinated.
To lose key players before the series begins has to be a thorn in their side. The Jays don’t need any help.
The Red Sox have handled some mediocre teams over the two months, going 33-17 in their last 50 games leading into Monday. But just five of those games were against American League East teams.
Against the A.L. East this year, the Red Sox are just 7-15. Six of their next seven series will be against A.L. East opponents.
“Everybody in this division can pitch, everybody in this division can hit the ball out of the ballpark and it’s going to be a grind,” manager Alex Cora said. “We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing. We had expectations this season to get into the playoffs and we’ll keep working at that.”
If only the Sox had signed right-hander Kevin Gausman instead of the Jays, who handed him a five-year, $110-million contract in the offseason.
Gausman stymied the Sox once again on Monday night, holding them scoreless over seven scoreless innings while striking out 10. He’s now thrown 21 innings and allowed just one earned run while striking out 27 in three starts against the Sox this year.
“We grinded at-bats but didn’t finish them,” Cora said. “He’s done that against us before. This is the third time. He pounds the strike zone early on and he expands. If you expand with him, you’re going to have nights like this.”
2. Seabold not getting it done
Seabold, who was acquired with Nick Pivetta from the Phillies in the trade that sent Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree out of town in 2020, was starting to fill the holes of the injured Garrett Whitlock and Nathan Eovaldi.
When Seabold was called on for his first big league start last September against the White Sox, he lasted just three innings, allowed two runs and didn’t strike anybody out.
Again on Tuesday he couldn’t handle big league hitters. The Jays are a tough lineup but Seabold made too many mistakes, leaving some mediocre off-speed pitches over the plate that were demolished out of the ballpark.
With a fastball that doesn’t tick higher than the low-90s and a slider that wasn’t biting, Seabold gave up three homers, two on hanging sliders and one on an 89-mph fastball at the top of the zone. He allowed seven runs on nine hits, though he did strike out seven.
“He was OK,” Cora said of Seabold, who has a 2.09 ERA in Triple-A Worcester. “Early on, the fastball was playing. Some swings and misses up in the zone. Changeup was really good tonight. The other stuff was just OK…
“Velo was down right there but where we were, we needed to push him to five innings. We didn’t get it. Overall, better than last year, even though the results show something else. But the fastball is really good and the changeup, Christian Vazquez gave me the report and he said the changeup plays. The fastball has some life up there. There are some good hitters on that team. To be able to do that against them, he’s a good one.”
3. At least they burned the Blue Jays closer
Gausman extinguished the fire in the Sox’ offense for seven innings, but at least they showed a spark in the ninth.
Jays right-hander Shaun Anderson brought an 18.00 ERA into the ninth inning and the Sox jumped all over him, scoring two runs off four hits before he retired Bobby Dalbec to end the game.
But by showing some life in the ninth, the Sox might’ve gained a little momentum going into a difficult matchup against Ross Stripling on Tuesday. And they forced the Blue Jays to start warming their closer, Jordan Romano, who has been lights out this year.
Michael Wacha takes the mound against Stripling on Tuesday night.
