Alex Cora, the manager of the Boston Red Sox, has clarified his comments regarding the Baltimore Orioles’ performance against pitcher Chris Sale on Monday night, stating that he was not accusing them of any wrongdoing. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde claimed that Cora’s remarks were disrespectful to the Baltimore hitters, but Cora denied this and offered to speak with Hyde to clear things up.
Cora explained that his comments were related to the possibility of pitch tipping by Sale rather than any sign-stealing or other underhanded tactics by the Orioles. He emphasized that he was in no position to accuse others of wrongdoing, having been suspended for his role in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal of 2017, when he served as the team’s bench coach.
The Orioles made contact on 40 of their 42 swings against Sale in their 5-4 victory on Monday, prompting Cora to comment on the difficulty of pitching against them. He suggested that Sale might need to make mechanical adjustments to his performance, noting that he appeared overly stiff on the mound.
Before Tuesday night’s game, the Red Sox announced that infielder Yu Chang would be placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left hand fracture sustained during Monday’s game. Chang is expected to undergo surgery on Thursday and could be out for up to six weeks. The team recalled Enmanuel Valdez from Triple-A Worcester to fill the vacancy.
In summary, Cora’s remarks were focused on the mechanics of Sale’s pitching rather than any wrongdoing by the Orioles. While Hyde took offense to the comments, Cora offered to clarify his position and emphasized that he was in no position to accuse others of misconduct. Meanwhile, the Red Sox will be without Chang for an extended period, prompting the team to bring in Valdez as a replacement.
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