Alex Cora expressed confidence in the Red Sox’ pitching staff even amid injuries

Morning Sports Update Alex Cora earlier in June, 2022. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

The Red Sox lost to the Blue Jays on Monday night, 7-2. Boston will face Toronto again this evening at 7:07 p.m.

Alex Cora’s thoughts on the Red Sox pitching staff: Despite enduring a stretch of the season in which the Red Sox have missed starting pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Garrett Whitlock (not to mention ace Chris Sale, who has yet to pitch for Boston in 2022), Alex Cora’s team is 19-5 in the month of June.

Even after a Monday loss to the Blue Jays, Cora was optimistic about the team’s pitching staff.

“We know they’re going to come [back],” Cora said, referencing the starters returning from injury. “The big guy [Sale] is pitching [for Double-A Portland] on Thursday. So he’s getting closer. Nate, he’s throwing a bullpen on Wednesday. This is part of 162.

“We’ve been able to do our thing with a lot of guys down, and just like other teams have done it, right?” Cora added. “We’re comfortable with these kids coming up and pitching. We are. Today was just — we were short in the bullpen and we had to try to get 15 outs with him. It just didn’t happen.”

Connor Seabold, who made his second career start in the Major Leagues, got 14 outs before he was pulled in the fifth inning. Seabold gave up seven runs, but also recorded seven strikeouts. Of the 46 pitches that Seabold got Blue Jays hitters to swing at, 21 were misses.

“That’s a lot, right? Like I said, the fastball has some life up there,” Cora noted of Seabold’s stuff. “There’s some good hitters on that team, and to be able to do that against them, he’s a good one. It just happened that was the first one this year against a tough team. He’s a guy that we really like.”

Trivia: Can you name the six teams that Alex Cora played for during his career?

(Answer at the bottom).

Hint: Three American League, three National League.

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On this day: In 1919, Red Sox pitcher Carl Mays threw back-to-back complete games in a doubleheader against the Yankees.

Mays scattered seven Yankee hits in a 2-0 win in the first game, but surrendered four runs in a 4-1 loss in the second contest of the day.

Daily highlight: Carlos Alcaraz with a “brilliant” winner. The 19-year-old eventually won his Wimbledon match against Jan-Lennard Struff in five sets.

Trivia answer: Dodgers, Red Sox, Mets, Rangers Nationals, Guardians

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