The Red Sox announced their minor league award winners yesterday:
▶ Pitcher of the year:
RHP Casey Kelly (Single-A Greenville/Single-A Salem)
▶ Offensive player:
OF Ryan Kalish (Salem/Double-A Portland)
▶ Defensive player:
INF Ryan Dent (Greenville/Salem)
▶ Baserunner of the year:
INF Derrik Gibson (Single-A Lowell)
That sigh you heard emanating from Fenway Park yesterday was because of the news that Jon Lester and Josh Beckett are set to make their next scheduled starts — and pitch in that very order in the ALDS.
Lester was knocked out in the third inning of his last game after getting smoked with a line drive in the right knee, and Beckett was scratched from Monday’s outing with mild back spasms.
But they’re sure to take the mound soon, even though the Sox failed to make a wild card clinch easy last night, losing to Toronto 8-7.
“I think I’ll make my next start,” Beckett said of his scheduled Saturday outing. “I think if I had to, I don’t think we’re going to need this, but I could go sooner ... than Saturday. I think right now, we’re just kind of looking at Saturday to hopefully set things up.”
The relative lack of recent work could be a positive for the two. They’ve logged a combined 62 starts and 404-plus innings, and there’s no denying the fact the Sox aren’t going anywhere if they aren’t throwing effectively.
“We will try to manage that last few days to put our team in the best light possible,” manager Terry Francona said. “Whether it’s scaling a starter back, making sure bullpen innings are managed more in quantity as opposed to need, [we’ll be] trying to do some things like that.”
Beckett and Lester are a combined 9-4 in 17 postseason starts with a 2.78 ERA in 123 innings, and can cast a giant shadow over any playoff series.
Francona wouldn’t confirm that Lester is slated to start a potential Game 1 in Anaheim on Oct. 8.