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When Alex Cora came into the 2022 MLB season sporting a salt-and-pepper beard, it was a notable change: The Boston Red Sox manager had always kept a clean-shaven face. But the new look lasted only a month. On May 10, with the Red Sox in last place behind even the rebuilding Baltimore Orioles with a 10-19 record, Cora felt like he needed to make a change, to reset the vibe for the team.
“I’ll tell you what: If we win 10 in a row, it’s on me, because I should have recognized that before,” Cora said.
In the game after the shave, the Red Sox snapped a five-game losing streak with a victory against the Atlanta Braves, and Boston hasn’t looked back since. The team has gone 10-4 with a beardless skipper, passing the Orioles in the American League East standings and closing the gap between it and the New York Yankees, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays. The Red Sox had won six straight games before losing Wednesday night.
We sought out the four key stat lines that have helped Boston begin to turn their season around since Cora took out the razor and predict whether we should expect similar performances moving forward.
Trevor’s turnaround
Before May 10: .194 batting average, .545 OPS, no home runs
Since: .300 batting average, 1.173 OPS, eight home runs
Is it for real or a mirage? It’s for real.
Nearly two months into the 2022 season, Trevor Story said he finally feels like he can take a deep breath.
“It’s definitely been one of the craziest times in my life,” Story said.
Put aside the pressure that comes along with signing a six-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox. Story and his wife, Mallie, welcomed their first child — a boy, Stetson — seven weeks ago. Story is adjusting to life as a father while adjusting to a new city, a new ballpark, new teammates and outsize expectations.
Teammates noted, in the early weeks of the season, that Story was quiet. The Red Sox infielder admitted he isn’t quick to crack out of his shell.
“It takes me time…
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Source : espn
