Red Sox slugger Tyler O’Neill stressed this final three-game series before the All-Star break against the Royals is an important one.
Red Sox' Rafael Devers strikes out swinging in the first inning Friday
“It’s a team over there we want to beat,” O’Neill said. “They’re in the hunt for sure and they’ve been playing well all year just like we have. So you know, it’s a big series.”
O’Neill added that he hopes for “better results” Saturday after Boston dropped the first game, 6-1, here at Fenway Park on Friday night.
The Red Sox and Royals are now tied for the third and final AL Wild Card spot, although Boston (51-42) is one game ahead of KC (52-43) in the lost column.
The problem Friday is becoming a recurring issue. Boston dropped to 12-15 against left-handed starters compared to 39-27 against right-handed starters.
The Red Sox faced All-Star lefty Cole Ragans who allowed just one run, four hits and one walk while striking out seven in 7 innings. He recorded 23 swings-and-misses.
Manager Alex Cora — who called Ragans “one of the best in the league” — said right-handed hitters Rob Refsnyder, Connor Wong and O’Neill all have been putting together quality at-bats against lefties.
“Obviously the production of (left-handed hitters) Raffy (Devers) and Jarren (Duran) is lower,” Cora said.
Against lefties, Boston ranks 17th in the majors in batting average (.245), 12th in on-base percentage (.323) and 17th in slugging percentage (.389).
“We’ve just gotta find a way to do it,” Cora said. “I think the last good one against the lefty was in Cincinnati (vs. Nick Lodolo on June 23). We’ve faced a few of them and they’ve done a good job. We’ve just gotta keep working. Today we switched the lineup. Ref got on base twice leading off. So just gotta be patient and keep working.”
Devers is batting just 26-for-108 (.241) with a .303 on-base percentage, .398 slugging percentage and .701 OPS against left-handers compared to 88-for-305 (.289) with a .372 on-base percentage, .577 slugging percentage and .949 OPS against righties.
He singled off Ragans in the fourth. But Ragans got Devers to swing and miss five times.
The All-Star third baseman, who went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, declined to speak with the media, something he has done multiple times after losses this season.
“It’s part of the season,” Cora said about Devers’ production against lefties. “He’ll get hot and start hitting the ball in the air.”
O’Neill said when asked about Boston’s struggles vs. lefties: “I haven’t noticed anything in particular. I know we have a good lineup and we have a lot of depth and a lot of potential here. Just running into some good pitching lately. A couple good teams and stuff. So just trying to be better.”
