The search for production at first base led the Red Sox back to Franchy Cordero, and now Cordero is leading the Red Sox out of Oakland with a sweep.
Cordero’s three-run dinger off A’s ace Frankie Montas was the difference as the Sox’ valiantly finished their three-game sweep with a 5-2 win on Sunday afternoon.
It brought their season record to 27-27, bringing them back to .500 for the first time since April 22.
The takeaways:
1. Cordero taking advantage of an opportunity
With the score tied 1-1 in the sixth inning, Cordero stepped up with two outs against Montas, one of the better right-handers in baseball who entered with a 3.20 ERA.
Montas threw him a first-pitch splitter on the outer half of the plate and the left-handed hitting Cordero adjusted naturally, guiding the ball deep over the left-center field for a no-doubter to score three runs. It was his third homer of the year and pushed his RBI total to 18, double that of his total in all of the 2021 season.
What a ride this has been for the 27-year-old.
When the Red Sox acquired Cordero as part of the trade that sent Andrew Benintendi to the Royals prior to last season, they did so expecting Cordero’s raw talent and tools to make him a quality everyday left fielder.
Instead, he looked like a fringe big leaguer, at best. He was hitting .179 with a .501 OPS while struggling defensively when the Sox sent him to the minor leagues at the end of May.
It looked like a longshot he’d ever be back.
The Sox tried him one more time later in the season, but again Cordero struggled. He was designated for assignment in October and went unclaimed by the rest of the league, allowing the Sox to start him in Triple-A Worcester this year.
After Bobby Dalbec’s struggles opened the door at first base, Cordero capitalized on the opportunity and hasn’t looked back.
He’s hitting .247 with a .749 OPS, a huge upgrade as the Sox have been ranked dead last in production from first base for the most of the season. He was actually playing right field on Sunday as the regular right fielder, Jackie Bradley Jr., is currently on paternity leave after his wife, Erin, gave birth to their third child.
Cordero has clearly fallen into good favor with manager Alex Cora, who has been starting him at first base over Dalbec on most days. The native of Cuba has also looked better on defense this year as he tries to prove his worth as a big league player.
2. Rich Hill bounces back
Hill didn’t have the easiest time missing bats on Sunday and actually looked like he was going to have a rough day early in the game.
He allowed two doubles in the first inning as the A’s scored one off him and tied the game, 1-1. But Hill retired the next 16 batters in a row, taking the Sox into the seventh inning with the game still tied.
Jed Lowrie hit a leadoff single and Hill was removed after six strong innings, having allowed just one run on three hits and striking out five.
It was a big start for the 42-year-old, who was disappointed in his mechanics the last time out, when he allowed six earned runs, the most he’s allowed in four years. The Sox were hoping to catch lightning in a bottle with Hill, who was brought in on a $5-million deal as he searches for his first World Series title after 18 years in the big leagues.
Through 10 starts, he’s gone 2-3 with a 4.40 ERA and has at least offered some serviceable innings while the Sox wait for Chris Sale’s return.
3. Rafael Devers continuing his MVP pace
Devers was 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs, two RBIs and a solo home run in the eighth inning, when he sliced a line drive to the opposite field that barely cleared the wall near the left-field foul pole.
It was Devers’ 12th homer of the season as he now ranks tied for 14th in MLB in homers, second with 22 doubles, seventh with a .977 OPS and fifth with a .341 average.
