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Red Sox Sign Collin McHugh

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With the departure of David Price and Chris Sale‘s full status as yet unknown, the Red Sox bolstered their pitching with the addition of free agent Collin McHugh on Thursday.

According to reporting by Sean McAdam, McHugh will earn $600,000 in salary for 2020 but has incentives that could net him as much as $3.625 million. Jon Heyman reported that McHugh’s incentives are triggered by innings pitched, with the first threshold at 30.0 IP. The incentive-heavy deal makes sense for a pitcher who is looking to re-establish himself as an option for the starting rotation.

To clear room on the roster for McHugh, the Red Sox designated Hector Velazquez for assignment.

Journey to Boston

An Illinois native, McHugh was originally drafted by the Mets in the 18th round of of the 2008 amateur draft and made his big league debut with that club in 2012. Mid-season 2013 McHugh was traded to the Rockies in a deal that sent Eric Young, Jr. to New York, but then placed on Colorado waivers.

The Astros signed McHugh and in Houston the righty put together some solid seasons, starting with an 11-9, 2.73 ERA record over his first 25 starts with the team in 2014. His work garnered him Rookie of the Year attention, ultimately ranking fourth in American League voting. Since his first year in Houston McHugh’s .624 winning percentage is 6th-best among AL pitchers with 75 or more decisions (former Boston pitcher Price tops that list at .658, Sale ranks 9th).

McHugh transitioned to a bullpen role with the Astros in 2018, recording a stellar 1.99 ERA over 58 appearances.

Efforts last season to return to the rotation went poorly, however, for McHugh with an ERA that ballooned to 6.37 over his first eight starts. After heading back to relief work, and despite a six-week stint on the injured list, McHugh recorded a 2.67 ERA in 27 relief appearances the rest of the season. His last game of 2019 came August 30 after which he was shutdown for elbow discomfort. In all, McHugh missed 60 games on the IL in 2019.

McHugh by the numbers

McHugh’s arsenal consists mostly of sliders (which he throws 43% of the time) and four-seamers (32%), with a mix of cutters (12%), curves (8%), changeups (3%) and sinkers (1%), too. In 2019 the average velocity of his fastball was 90.8 MPH.

Overall last season righties were 39-for-148 (.264) with 37 strikeouts and lefties were 23-for-132 (.174) with 45 SO against McHugh. Under 30% of his 2019 contact was hard hit, putting him in the Top 10% of the league for such contact.

Collin McHigh attended Berry College in Mount Berry, GA, and became the first player in school history to reach the major leagues. McHugh hosts an infrequent podcast called The Twelve Six. He and wife Ashley have a son named Elder. Welcome @Collin_McHugh to Red Sox Nation.


Bombshell for Astros, Red Sox Alex Cora Now on Hot Seat

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Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred issued year-long suspensions for Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch and general manager Jeff Luhnow today following the results of the league’s investigation into sign-stealing in 2017. Shortly afterwards, club owner Jim Crane, citing “higher standards,” went further, firing both Hinch and Luhnow.

Though no players were sanctioned, MLB’s dramatic action against Houston included a $5 million fine, the highest allowable fine under the newest Major League Constitution, which went into effect this month. Manfred further ordered that the Astros forfeit their regular first and second round selections in the 2020 and 2021 First-Year Player Drafts.

Manfred Takes Decisive Action

Manfred’s decisions on discipline came following a report conducted by the MLB Department of Investigations. Over the course a three-month review, DOI interviewed 68 witnesses, including players, field staff, and front office personnel, and reviewed more than 70,000 e-mails and text messages.

DOI found that beginning in 2017 the Astros used the live game feed from the center field camera to help decode and transmit opposing teams’ sign sequences. What’s more, according to Manfred, then-bench coach Alex Cora “arranged for a video room technician to install a monitor displaying the center field camera feed immediately outside of the Astros’ dugout.”

Decoded signs were surreptitiously relayed to other Astros through a signaling system. The team experimented communicating the stolen signs via clapping or whistling before settling on banging a trash can, sometimes using a massage gun.

Cora was involved in developing both the banging scheme and utilizing the replay review room to decode and transmit signs. Cora participated in both schemes, and through his active participation, implicitly condoned the players’ conduct.

Commissioner Rob Manfred
January 13, 2020

In his nine-page statement announcing the disciplinary moves Commissioner Manfred said that early in the 2017 season Cora “began to call the replay review room on the replay phone to obtain the sign information.” Manfred noted that while Manager Hinch neither devised nor participated in the banging scheme—and, in fact, twice physically damaged the monitors Cora had installed—Hinch, oddly, did not take decisive action to end it.

Astros Ignored Manfred’s Early Warnings

Red Sox fans will recall “the Apple Watch” incident of August 2017, when the Sox under then-manager John Farrell, were accused of relaying opponents’ signs from their replay review room to the dugout using smart watches.

At the time of that incident, Manfred reiterated the prohibition on the use of electronic equipment during games for the purpose of stealing signs or conveying information designed to give a team an advantage. Manfred went further, issuing a memo to all 30 MLB teams, stating that any future violations would be taken “extremely seriously.” And yet, the commissioner says, the “the Astros continued to both utilize the replay review room and the monitor located next to the dugout to decode signs for the remainder of the regular season and throughout the Postseason.”

Red Sox Next on Hot Seat

At a time of year when Red Sox Nation would expect to be focused on the Hot Stove, instead, we will be forced to watch the hot seat on Jersey Street. Beyond any stain to Alex Cora’s reputation for the events in Houston, there’s now a separate investigation into the Red Sox for potential sign stealing in 2018, Cora’s first year in Boston.

The commissioner today was unequivocal, stating that “Cora was involved in developing both the banging scheme [in Houston] and utilizing the replay review room to decode and transmit signs. Cora participated in both schemes, and through his active participation, implicitly condoned the players’ conduct.”

That certainly sounds like some form of discipline for Cora is coming, though Manfred said he “will withhold determining the appropriate level of discipline for Cora until after the DOI completes its investigation of the allegations that the Red Sox engaged in impermissible electronic sign stealing in 2018 while Cora was the manager.”


All the wrong headlines

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So far, this Red Sox season has been quiet—unless, of course, you count the bad news, of which there’s been plenty.

Chiefly, a new report in The Athletic alleges a cheating scandal that could mar the 2018 World Series Championship. The report, written by Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich, cites anonymous sources (including at least one member of the 2018 Red Sox) who claim Boston flouted MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred’s 2017 prohibition on the use of electronic equipment to capture opponents’ signs. Manfred’s warnings were subsequently reinforced before the start of the 2018 season.

The report says the sign-stealing wasn’t a factor in the 2018 postseason march because opponents constantly changed their sign sequences.

There will be investigations and the attendant cloud of suspicion following the team and, in particular, manager Alex Cora, as the whole sordid scenario unfolds in the weeks ahead. Cora, you’ll recall, was bench coach for the 2017 Astros and implicated by The Athletic (along with Carlos Beltrán and Houston manager A.J. Hinch) in their sign-stealing escapades that season.

For his part, former Red Sox baseball president Dave Dombrowski says he had no knowledge of any sign-stealing and that MLB has not contacted him on the matter.

Clubhouse Attendant Suspended

News also broke this week about a clubhouse attendant who was suspended by the Red Sox without pay last July after he was charged with 26 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault at a New Hampshire youth detention center in the late 1990s.

The incident brings to mind the horrific 2002 incident involving retired Red Sox clubhouse manager Donald J. Fitzpatrick, who pleaded guilty in Florida to four counts of attempted sexual battery of boys younger than 12. Some of Fitzpatrick’s abuse had occurred inside the Red Sox clubhouse at Fenway Park.

Now some news and notes on interest to Red Sox Nation:

  • Good to see former Red Sox key prospect Ryan Westmoreland has landed a coaching job at UMass-Dartmouth. In 2008 the five-tool Rhode Islander was a fifth round pick by the Sox in the MLB First-Year Player draft. But a tingling sensation in his fingers led to a devastating diagnosis of a malformation of his brain stem and a dangerous surgical procedure. Westmoreland recovered and attempted a comeback, but ultimately retired at just 22 years old.

    Westmoreland says he’s excited by the new opportunity. “Ever since I started coaching, I knew I wanted a future in this,” Westmoreland says. “I was looking to get into the college baseball world, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
  • In a sign of what may be next at other parks, the Arizona Diamondbacks will implement the “clear bag” policy for all home events this year. The move is aimed at speeding entry times for fans entering the park while, at the same time, meeting the team’s security requirements. Chase Field will offer storage lockers (for a fee) for fans who arrive at the park with unapproved bags, such as backpacks.
  • Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Umpires Association have reached a tentative five-year labor agreement through the 2024 regular season. The new plan includes pay raises and better retirement benefits for officials, as well as provisions for earlier retirement. As part of the agreement, umpires agreed to cooperate with MLB in the development and testing of an automated ball-strike system.
  • “The Red Sox have some rebuilding to do,” says ESPN’s Buster Olney, “but they appear set at catcher for at least the next few seasons, now that Christian Vázquez is fully established.” Olney ranked Vázquez the 4th-best catcher in the Major Leagues.
  • Red Sox Minor League catcher Elih Marrero, currently on the roster of the Single-A Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League, received a 50-game suspension without pay from MLB after testing positive for Amphetamine, a stimulant in violation of the  Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
  • Tyler Thornburg, who came to the Sox in 2016 with much promise but little good results, has signed a minor league deal with the Reds…Chris Owings, who likewise had limited impact on the Sox when he signed on mid-2019, has inked a minor league deal with the Rockies. As of this writing, free agent former Red Sox Mitch Moreland and Brock Holt (not to menttion Andrew Cashner, and Jhoulys Chacín) remain unsigned.

Red Sox Even ALCS

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They may have lost Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, but Red Sox Nation could take comfort from a good, come-from-behind 7-5 win in Game 2 on Sunday.

Starter David Price, far from invisible, was good enough to keep the Sox in the game, getting out of a two-walk, first-inning jam to be rewarded with two Sox runs in the bottom of the frame. Price immediately surrendered the lead, though, in the second inning, allowing a single and two doubles. Worse, he allowed a two-run home run by Marwin Gonzalez in the top of the third inning that had the Sox down 4-2. Boston answered back in the bottom of the third with three of their own to take and hold what would be a one-run lead until the seventh.

Despite the slim lead, Price wouldn’t qualify for the lead, exiting the game just one out shy of the prerequisite five innings of work.

What followed was 4.1 innings of solid relief by the Sox bullpen starting with Matt Barnes, who got out of a jam Price left behind and then worked all of the sixth inning, too. Barnes was followed by scoreless innings of work from Ryan Brasier and fiery Rick Porcello, who exploded with emotion after mowing down the Astros 1-2-3.

In the 9th inning, once again, close Craig Kimbrel kept the Nation on the edge of its collective seat. With a seemingly comfortable 7-4 Boston lead, Kimbrel got two quick outs before allowing a George Springer double and a José Altuve single. According to MLB.com, in his postseason career, Kimbrel has never had an outing with zero baserunners allowed when he comes into the game with a lead.

With Houston’s top player, Alex Bregman, representing the tying run at the plate, Kimbrel induced a pop fly to Andrew Benintendi that ended the game.

Offensive Might

Whereas the Red Sox offense looked missing in action in Game 1 (it was just the sixth of 180 Boston postseason games since 1903 with three or fewer hits), things were more like the regular season in ALCS Game 2.

Boston pounded out nine hits on Sunday, including four doubles, none more clutch than Jackie Bradley‘s two out, bases clearing, three-RBI shot in the third. Bradley is now tied with Andrew Benintendi for the third-most RBI in 29 postseason games for Boston since 2010. Only David Ortiz (14) and Shane Victorino (12) have had more in that time.

Mookie Betts, who has had relatively little production in the postseason, walked and then scored a key insurance run in the seventh on a passed ball by Houston backstop Martín Maldonado. Next inning Betts stepped to the plate with two outs and two on and doubled to bring in another run. Betts is now 6-for-24 (.250) since the start of the ALDS with three doubles and three RBI.

Boston’s seven runs on Sunday night were their most in an ALCS since beating the Rays 8-7 in Game 5 of the 2008 series.

Sale Hospitalized

Mid-game came the troubling news that Red Sox ace Chris Sale was hospitalized at Mass General with a stomach illness. Sale was held overnight for observation. After Sunday’s game, manager Alex Cora said the issue arose after Sale’s work in Saturday’s game and that it hadn’t affected his performance.


Red Sox Season Stops Short

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“You go a 100 miles an hour,” John Farrell said after the Red Sox season ended on Monday afternoon, “Then, all of sudden, you face plant into a wall when the season is over.”

That’s well said, even for fans who follow every game, every at-bat, and every pitch through a long season only to face the emptiness of another premature ending to a postseason drive. The Sox, who led by one from the fifth inning until the eighth, were undone on Monday by the least likely culprits.

As in each of the previous games in the series, Rick Porcello welcomed the Astros to a first-inning lead. Xander Bogaerts tied the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the frame, his 1st postseason extra-base hit since tripling in Game 3 of the 2013 World Series at St. Louis. Porcello allowed a 2-1 Astros lead in the second, but there the game stayed until the bottom of the fifth, when Houston turned to veteran pitcher Justin Verlander for his 1st-ever appearance in relief. Unimpressed, Andrew Benintendi pounded him with a two run, 383-foot shot and in so doing became the 7th-youngest player with a go-ahead HR in an elimination game.

Clinging To A Lead

Chris Sale, pitching in relief for the 1st time since May 8, 2012 with the White Sox, set the Astros down 1-2-3 in the fourth and fifth innings. In the sixth, Houston phenom Yuli Gurriel reached on a two-base error, but Sale worked around it for preserve the one-run lead.

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In the seventh inning there were signs of weakness, with Christian Vázquez reaching to corral Sale’s delivery. George Springer and Carlos Correa connected for singles, but Sale again preserved the lead with a strikeout of Houston’s RBI champ, Marwin González.

That should’ve been the day for Sale, but the Sox got greedy. Rather than turn to their set-up man, Addison Reed, they sent Sale back out for the eighth and Alex Bregman greeted him with a 368-foot home run to tie the game. With a man on first and two outs, the Sox turned to Craig Kimbrel only to watch him walk a man and allow a single from Josh Reddick that resulted in a 4-3 Astros lead.

Back out in the ninth, Kimbrel showed uncharacteristic lack of control, hitting a man and then giving up a single before pinch-hitter Carlos Beltrán knocked in an insurance run. Beltrán improved to a .325 career postseason batting average, second only to Steve Garvey (.338) for the highest such mark in major league history (minimum 200 at-bats).

Devers Inside-The-Park HR

With the Sox down 5-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Fenway was quiet. The crowd, however, roared to life when Rafael Devers became the 1st Sox batter in 102 seasons to belt an inside-the-park postseason home run. The only other Red Sox with postseason inside-the-park blasts were Larry Gardner on October 11, 1916 and Patsy Dougherty on October 2, 1903. The last such home run at Fenway during the regular season was Jacoby Ellsbury‘s on September 19, 2011 (Game 2) against the Orioles.

Devers’ home run was the 17th inside-the-park home run in postseason history and the 1st to come in the ninth inning or later. Devers is the 1st rookie ever with an inside-the-park HR in the postseason.

The last postseason inside-the-park home run was by Oakland’s Mark Kotsay‘s in Game 2 of the 2006 American League Division Series.

Paired with his home run on Sunday, Devers joins Mickey Mantle (1952) and Jimmie Foxx (1929) as only American League rookies with HRs in consecutive postseason games before turning 21 years old.

Postseason Plans Shattered

Tying the game with a feat like Devers’ would have been dramatic. Winning it that way would have been beyond description. But Devers homer, no matter how historic, was just one run and the Sox couldn’t muster a second to extend hope for at least one more postseson game.

Boston is now 6-6 in Division Series, with losses in back-to-back seasons. The team is 17-7 in 24 elimination games since 1999, including 15-9 when facing elimination at home.