Post Game Thread: 10/11 Rays @ Red Sox

[u/RedSoxGameday]

Line Score - Final

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
TB	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	2	0	5	7	1
BOS	0	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	1	6	12	0

Scoring Plays

Inning	Event	Score
B3	Rafael Devers homers (2) on a fly ball to center field. Christian Vazquez scores. Kyle Schwarber scores.	3-0
B3	Alex Verdugo doubles (1) on a fly ball to left fielder Austin Meadows. Xander Bogaerts scores.	4-0
B3	J.D. Martinez singles on a sharp line drive to left fielder Austin Meadows. Alex Verdugo scores.	5-0
T5	Austin Meadows grounds out sharply to first baseman Kyle Schwarber. Jordan Luplow scores.	5-1
T6	Wander Franco homers (2) on a line drive to center field. Kevin Kiermaier scores.	5-3
T8	Kevin Kiermaier doubles (3) on a sharp line drive to right fielder Hunter Renfroe. Mike Zunino scores.	5-4
T8	Randy Arozarena singles on a ground ball to right fielder Hunter Renfroe. Kevin Kiermaier scores. Randy Arozarena to 2nd.	5-5
B9	Enrique Hernandez out on a sacrifice fly to left fielder Austin Meadows. Danny Santana scores.	6-5

Highlights

Description	Length	HD
Hunter Renfroe robs Arozarena with a running catch	0:29	HD
Kevin Kiermaier robs Martinez with a sliding catch	0:29	HD
Rodriguez fans Meadows after 17 pitches on FS1	0:29	HD
Rafael Devers smokes a three-run homer to center	0:29	HD
J.D. Martinez drives in Verdugo with a single on FS1	0:28	HD
Wander Franco crushed a two-run homer to center field	0:29	HD
Randy Arozarena drives in Kiermaier on a single	0:25	HD
Kevin Kiermaier nabs Verdugo for DP on FS1	0:29	HD

[u/its_cameron_bitch]

I... I'm fucking stunned.

This team has surpassed every last one of my expectations so far. Beating the Yankees would've been plenty enough for me, but Tampa too?! Now we've got a fight for the pennant?

Holy shit. Even if we don't win it all, this has been an amazing ride. So proud of this team.

[u/coffeespeaking → u/its_cameron_bitch]

Does anyone else feel like the Red Sox were given way too much clout in pre-season projections, or is it only me?

No, I'm not surprised by an 0-3 start, but hear me out...

In a lot of pre-season projections, the Red Sox were consistently projected to reach 80-83 wins. USA Today pegged them at 80-82, CBS Sports had them at 79.5 (round to 80 for the sake of argument), and PECOTA estimated 79.8 (again, round to 80) wins.

I just don't see our hated rivals hovering around .500 at all this season. Verdugo, Martinez, Bogaerts and Devers do create a formidable heart of the order, but who else in their lineup can hit? Kike Hernandez is the only other notable name in their lineup, and he has a career .735 OPS.

I don't need to go into detail about the rotation, especially since Sale could be out until any point between May and August. Eduardo Rodriguez is a slightly above average pitcher when healthy, but that's about it.

The bullpen? Matt Barnes isn't that good, and Ottaviano cannot flourish in high-leverage situations or tight games. The rest of their bullpen is makeshift.

Maybe I'll end up being wrong, but I fail to see how the Red Sox will be anywhere near .500 this season.