The 'Aggressive' Reasoning Behind Alex Cora's Surprising Pitching Strategy Tuesday

The Red Sox manager will not be afraid to shake things up moving foward...

Aug 3, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora (13) gives a thumbs up to the umpire during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Red Sox picked up a crucial win over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night, but the sixth inning was a moment of terror for the entire fan base.

After cruising through the first five innings without allowing a baserunner, starter Kutter Crawford was staked to a comfortable 6-0 lead. But five batters later, Crawford found himself out of the game entirely.

Crawford allowed two singles, an RBI double to Marcus Semien, and a walk to Corey Seager. Then, manager Alex Cora came to the mound to pull Crawford, despite the starter only having thrown 67 pitches.

The move didn't exactly work as intended: Reliever Cam Booser allowed the next three runners to reach, narrowing the lead to 6-4 before righty Lucas Sims eventually shut down the threat. But Cora's reasoning behind the quick hook is a useful barometer of where the team's attitude is at this crucial juncture.

"We're going to be aggressive. We're going to use everybody and we're going to try to get 27 outs however we can to win games," Cora said, per NESN. "We're in the middle of a playoff chase... If I feel like that's the moment of the game, that's the moment of the game."

The Red Sox are just one game out of playoff position heading into play Wednesday, thanks to back-to-back losses by the Kansas City Royals. They'll need all hands on deck if they want to secure a Wild Card spot, which includes both Crawford and the relievers behind him.

Tuesday night looked like a step in the right direction for Crawford, who had allowed a staggering 13 home runs in his previous four starts. He struck out four in his five perfect innings to open the game, but ended up allowing four earned runs, bringing his season ERA to 4.21.

Cora's message isn't necessarily aimed at Crawford, but it's a warning to all of the members on the Red Sox pitching staff, both starters and relievers. If you aren't getting your job done, the skipper won't hesitate to call on somebody else.

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