The fateful decision came way before Tuesday’s game-defining moment happened.
In advance of their series against the Orioles, the Red Sox decided they would not challenge Orioles outfielder Colton Cowswer, who ranks in the top 20 in Baseball Savant’s arm strength metrics.
They stuck to that belief in the 11th inning Tuesday while trailing by a run with the tying run on third and one out when Roman Anthony lifted a 265-foot fly ball to center, keeping Nate Eaton at third even while the throw missed home plate by a decent margin.
Alex Bregman then popped out to end the game, sending the Red Sox to a two-game sweep by the last-place Orioles heading into their pivotal four-game set with the Yankees starting Thursday.
“That’s an impact arm in center field,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters after the 4-3 loss. “We prepare before the series and we decide who we’re going to challenge or not. So, we didn’t challenge him.”
The Red Sox are in the midst of a playoff race and cannot afford to blow games to inferior foes like Baltimore.
Thursday’s decision loomed especially large since Cowser fired a poor throw to the plate that likely would have allowed Eaton to score to tie the game.
Cowser positioned himself well under the ball and fired a bullet home, yet his throw took catcher Samuel Basallo about six steps toward the dugout.
Eaton ranks in the top 30 in Baseball Savant’s sprint speed and surely would have taken advantage of the off-line throw had he broke for the plate.
“(Eaton)’s going to bluff and it’s a really bad throw,” NESN announcer Dave O’Brien said while fans seemingly started to boo. “He stays at third, though, did not try to come home.”
Red Sox third base coach Kyle Hudson said he ultimately made the call and added that he believed Cowser was “close enough” to have a “good shot” to have a play at the plate.
“You see the play develop and use your instincts and make the decision,” Hudson said.
“That’s the decision I made. Obviously, the throw was off-line. We gotta live with it and I live with it. It is what it is at this point.”
The tough ending marred what could have been a nice come-from-behind win for the Red Sox after they rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the ninth inning on newcomer Nate Lowe’s game-tying two-run homer.
Dodgers 2024 World Series hero Walker Buehler lasted just four-plus innings while allowing two runs and walking four batters, bringing his season total to 54 in 100 innings.
His 4.42 walks per nine innings ratio is his highest since his eight-outing rookie season in 2017.
“It’s f–king embarrassing, man,” Buehler said, per masslive.com. “I think the last time I walked this many in a season, I threw 207 innings. It just sucks.”
The Red Sox are now tied with the Mariners for the final postseason spot, one game behind the wild card-leading Yankees.
Boston and Seattle are 2 1/2 games clear of the Royals for a playoff berth.
The Red Sox have their top arms in Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello and Garrett Crochet lined up for the first three games of this upcoming Yankees series in The Bronx.