“I think the team is a lot different than the last three. We’re more complete, we pitched better, our bullpen is in a great place.”
Alex Cora sat in on the Red Sox’ war room during their trade deadline negotiations. Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Alex Cora was fully in the mix and in the loop of what the Red Sox were doing on trade deadline day.
The Red Sox manager shared he was in the team’s war room on Thursday, which he said was the first time he had ever been in the war room for a trade deadline.
“It was interesting,” Cora told reporters. “I’ve never been in the room while that’s going and it was a great learning experience. [There were] a lot of people.
“I was there late [in the afternoon],” Cora added. “It was crazy. I don’t know how they do it. [I did it] just to be around. Honestly, we went to the party and we had plans later and I just wanted to see. I had never been [in that atmosphere]. I’ve never been.”
The party Cora was referring to was the birthday party for Alex Bergman’s son. In the eyes of most Red Sox fans, though, Thursday wasn’t much of a day to celebrate. They acquired pitcher Dustin May from the Dodgers minutes before the deadline after getting reliever Steven Matz from the Cardinals the prior evening.
As some felt that the Red Sox didn’t do enough to solidify their pitching staff, Cora feels differently.
“I feel good,” Cora said of the Red Sox’ pitching staff. “Obviously, Fitzy (Richard Fitts) is down there, [Kyle] Harrison is down there [in Worcester]. There’s other guys that may or may not contribute, but we’re better than a week ago in that aspect.”
May will slot in as the Red Sox’ No. 5 starter, but he hasn’t been too great this season. The righty is 6-7 with a 4.85 ERA, 1.346 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched over 19 outings.
Matz, meanwhile, was effective out of the bullpen for the Cardinals. The lefty is 5-2 with a 3.44 ERA, 1.182 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts in 55 innings pitched over 32 outings.
Cora seems to be a fan of Matz.
“Good fastball. Veteran. Strike thrower,” Cora said. “So we’ll see how we play it out. But I think he’s an important piece. I think he’s going to help us a lot.”
The addition of Matz should benefit a Red Sox bullpen that featured only a few other lefties before Thursday, with Brennan Bernardino notably being overworked. That’s why Cora seemed to think that Thursday was a good day for the ball club, even if others felt differently.
“I think we got better,” Cora said. “I think the team is a lot different than the last three. We’re more complete, we pitched better, our bullpen is in a great place.”
That good day for Cora also included his war room experience, which he said he enjoyed but didn’t want to say what he learned just yet.
“I’ll keep it to myself and use it for my future,” Cora quipped with a smile after being asked what he learned in his day in the war room.
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