Red Sox Journal: Kevin Boles steps down as PawSox manager

BOSTON — Kevin Boles stepped down Saturday after managing the Pawtucket Red Sox for the last five years.

"I was very surprised," Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said before his team hosted Houston at Fenway Park. "Our relationship was great, the way we worked the whole season."

Cora said he spoke to Boles on Thursday and wished him luck.

"Whatever he wants to do, he’ll accomplish," Cora said. "I told him that for being my first time doing this, he [...]

BOSTON — Kevin Boles stepped down Saturday after managing the Pawtucket Red Sox for the last five years.

“I was very surprised,” Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said before his team hosted Houston at Fenway Park. “Our relationship was great, the way we worked the whole season.”

Cora said he spoke to Boles on Thursday and wished him luck.

“Whatever he wants to do, he’ll accomplish,” Cora said. “I told him that for being my first time doing this, he was very helpful.”

Boles recommended that the Sox promote Brandon Phillips, who hit a game-winning home run on Wednesday in Atlanta.

Boles decided to leave on his own and was not forced out by the organization. In 2014, he managed Pawtucket, Boston’s Triple-A affiliate, to the International League championship. Prior to managing Pawtucket, he spent three years managing the Portland Sea Dogs, Boston’s Double-A affiliate.

Barnes rests

Right-handed reliever Matt Barnes has been shut down due to inflammation in his left hip, although he was not placed on the DL. Barnes underwent an MRI on Thursday after the hip bothered him for close to two weeks.

“For him to go out there,” Cora said, “and grind it out makes no sense for him or for the team. So when we feel that the symptoms are not there, then we’ll decide what’s next. Hopefully, it’s sooner rather than later.”

Cora said Barnes should feel better by resting and stretching with the trainers, but that no cortisone shot is scheduled at this point. Barnes isn’t worried.

“I'm definitely confident,” he said. “We’re doing everything we can right now. It should be all right.”

Barnes hasn’t pitched since Monday when he threw a scoreless eighth inning at Atlanta in his 58th appearance of the season. In his last two outings, he threw two scoreless innings after allowing 10 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings over his previous nine games.

For the season, Barnes is 5-3 with a 3.39 earned run average.

With Barnes unavailable on Friday, relievers Ryan Brasier and Joe Kelly turned a 2-0 lead into a 6-3 loss. Cora defended Brasier by saying he threw a great pitch that Astros pinch-hitter Tony Kemp slapped for a two-run double and he also had some advice for Kelly.

“I do feel that his fastball will play better somewhere else,” Cora said.

No, Cora didn’t mean he needs to play for a different team. He meant that he needs to locate his 100-mph fastball differently.

“We keep talking about elevating the fastball a little bit,” he said. “Maybe that’s not the spot that we have to use that 99, 100. Maybe it should be down in the zone or I don’t know, up and in somewhere, because he’s not getting swings and misses with it.”

The absence of Barnes should present opportunities for Brandon Workman, Heath Hembre and even Tyler Thornburg, Brian Johnson, Bobby Poyner, Robby Scott and Drew Pomerantz.

Slumping regulars

Phillips, normally a second baseman, and Blake Swihart, primarily a catcher or outfielder, both worked out at first base before the game.

Cora knows how difficult it is to learn how to play the position during the season because he tried to do it himself.

“Take a look at my numbers at first base,” he said, “and you’ll know why I say what I say. Awful.”

But it can be done. Cora remembers Mark Kotsay trying out the position when they were teammates in 2008 and Kotsay went on to start at first in Game 7 of the ALCS that year.

Cora said there was a good chance that Phillips will start at first or at DH on Sunday against Houston southpaw Dallas Keuchel and that Swihart may start at catcher with Rick Porcello on the mound.

The Sox are 33-9 since June 21 when Sandy Leon starts behind the plate, but Leon is slumping with the bat, going 0-for-17 and 1-for-29 to drop his average to .190. Cora said he’s not ready to “unplug” Leon, who he believes is swinging at too many pitchers down in the zone, but he wants his pitchers to be comfortable with all three catchers in case of injury. Christian Vazquez started at catcher on Saturday.

Regular first baseman Mitch Moreland entered Saturday in a 1-for-22 slump. Cora wants him to hit to the opposite field, but pitchers are making that difficult for him by throwing him fastballs up and away and breaking balls down and in.