After a quick trip for All-Star festivities, Alex Bregman is focused on good health the rest of the Red Sox' season
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The plan is to play two of three games against the Cubs in the series that starts Friday in Chicago then two of three against the Phillies on the second leg of the road trip.
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Bregman, 31, has hit .298 with a .927 OPS and 35 RBIs in 53 games for the Sox since agreeing to a three-year, $120 million contract that includes opt-outs after this season and next.
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'I love it. It's been great. I've loved being in Boston, obviously an amazing city, great ballpark to play, and the fans are incredible,' he said.
'Playing with great teammates. Organization has been awesome to be a part of, and we've been playing really good baseball right now. I feel like we have a real opportunity to win, and I've loved it.'
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Bregman and agent
Scott Boras
have signaled they're open to tearing up his contract in favor of a long-term deal.
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'Maybe,' Bregman said about the odds of a deal getting made. 'I think for me, I'm focused on playing good baseball and trying to help this team win games. We're obviously open to hearing whatever the Red Sox have to say.'
Unexpected thrill
Shane Smith
was pitching for Double A Biloxi in the Brewers organization at this time last year. Now he's representing the White Sox at the All-Star Game.
The 25-year-old rookie righthander from Danvers was taken in the Rule 5 Draft by the White Sox in December and made the team out of spring training.
Smith is 3-7 with a 4.26 ERA and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings over 18 starts.
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Under the rules, every team must have at least one player in the All-Star Game and MLB selected Smith.
'It's tough to realize you're here right now,' Smith said. 'You have to really soak it in and be present where your feet are. That's all I'm really trying to do. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity.'
Smith came up with 12 tickets for his family, his girlfriend, and his agent.
Smith last pitched on Friday, going three innings, and is available to pitch on Tuesday. He also hopes to use the time to talk to more experienced pitchers,
Garrett Crochet
and
Jacob deGrom
in particular, to get their advice.
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'The best pitchers in the world are here,' he said. 'I should use the time to my advantage.'
Smith played at The Governor's Academy in Byfield before going on to Wake Forest.
Sale can only watch
While
Chris Sale
took part in festivities after his ninth career All-Star nod and his second straight since being traded by the Red Sox to the Braves, he was left to lament his current place on the injured list with a fractured rib suffered while making a diving play on a comebacker.
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The 36-year-old, who is 5-4 with a 2.52 ERA in and 31 percent strikeout rate in 15 starts, hopes to begin a throwing progression this week.
'It sucks. But for me, I got hurt on a hustle play,' Sale said. 'It was one of those things where I was doing everything I could to get an out. So it's a little bit easier pill to swallow in terms of that.
'It wasn't some fluky freak thing or — knock on wood — it wasn't something with my arm. I'm doing all right. [Tuesday] will be four weeks, and for broken bones, the 4- to 6-week mark is kind of a peg in the board. So I'm hoping to be throwing here in the next few days, and we'll see where we're at after that.'
Mentor on the bench
American League manager
Aaron Boone
invited
Joe Torre
to be a member of his coaching staff …
Paul Skenes
is the first Pirates pitcher to start consecutive All-Star Games since
Bob Veale
in 1965-66. He's the first pitcher regardless of team to start consecutive games since Sale and
Max Scherzer
from 2017-18 … Seattle catcher
Cal Raleigh
, who will hit cleanup for the American League, committed to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
Peter Abraham can be reached at
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