Purple Sox nation wanted a purpose to smile on Opening Day after a trainwreck of a street journey (rail journey?) to begin the season. The 1986 group is all nicely and good, however profitable video games in 2026 is extra enjoyable than enthusiastic about video games that have been received 40 years in the past. Additionally they weirdly performed a video celebrating 250 years of america, which made me smile, not due to patriotism, however as a result of it felt actually misplaced for a gap day celebration. It was extra of a “what the hell is occurring” smile than an “I’m having fun with this video” smile. The girl in entrance of me was additionally astoundingly drunk for the early afternoon, and saved saying her companion was ingesting a darkish and stormy regardless of him clarifying it was a vodka lemonade. That was fairly humorous, too.
When the sport started, nonetheless, issues have been tense. Caleb Durbin grounded right into a one-foot, inning-ending double play that elicited a refrain of boos from the Fenway trustworthy. Thankfully, to maintain the group from a full riot, Sonny Grey introduced his A-game.
Grey threw six innings of two-run baseball on 87 pitches with the sport tied. He did it by getting forward, pitching to the sides, and altering speeds commonly. In opposition to righties, he does what he at all times does by pitching to the glove aspect. It was primarily a cutter that went for 60% strikes, albeit with a low zone charge, in addition to 5 outs on balls in play. He paired it with backdoor sinkers that went for 63% strikes, though just a few leaked again over the plate into the hazard space. With two strikes, he turned to his deadly sweeper, however the command wasn’t fairly there, and it solely returned one strikeout towards righties. The form and velocity have been in keeping with final season, so the pitch ought to proceed to overlook bats with the appropriate places.
In opposition to lefties, it was a extra balanced combine, led by Grey’s four-seam fastball that he likes to throw up and inside. He adopted it up together with his cutter, curveball, and even just a few well-spotted changeups that largely lived on the sides and created weak contact. Total, Grey saved the ball on the bottom and averted barrels. There have been one or two errors that have been hit, however even with out his finest put-away stuff, the veteran navigated the lineup two and a half occasions and gave the Purple Sox an opportunity to win. That’s sufficient studying, let’s watch the tape and see how he bought it executed.
When you’re new right here, I break down at-bats and attempt to clarify why pitchers select a sure pitch and the way they work collectively in sequence. I make notes as I watch the sport on what matchups are good to interrupt down, however for essentially the most half, I’m penning this as I rewatch, so I don’t keep in mind what pitches are coming subsequent.
2nd Inning vs. Miguel Andujar
We’ll begin with Miguel Andujar within the second inning.
It’s a cutter that begins down the center and cuts off the plate. Andujar is trying middle-in and whiffs. Nice begin. Grey throws all the pieces on the glove aspect towards righties and can seemingly proceed to keep away from Andujar till he proves he can lay off.
At 0-1, Grey goes to a sweeper that breaks off the plate for ball one. Good concept, poor execution. At 1-1, Grey may return to the cutter, a backdoor sinker, and even attempt to run a sinker in on the arms as a shock.
He does attempt to backdoor the sinker, however yanks it for ball two. He’s attempting to begin this pitch away and have it clip the skin edge with its horizontal motion, however he misses his spot. At 2-1, his choices are just like 1-1. He additionally has the four-seam fastball that he can attempt to land on the skin edge for a take.
It’s the four-seam down the center, and Andujar fouls it off. Andujar seems to be on the lookout for a sinker coming in the direction of him, as a result of he pulls off this ball and will get it off the tip of the bat. With two outs and no one on, a stroll isn’t the tip of the world, however Grey ought to throw no matter he feels finest about throwing to the sting.
It’s the backdoor sinker, and all Andujar can do is hit it on the bottom. With two strikes, Andujar has to swing, and that is in a location the place it’s laborious to do a lot with. Nice pitch.
4th Inning vs. Jackson Merrill
Right here’s Jackson Merrill within the fourth inning. Within the first assembly, all the pieces Grey threw was on the glove aspect, with Merrill finally grounding out towards a four-seam fastball.
Grey begins Merrill off with a curveball on the backside of the zone. It’s fouled off for strike one. Getting forward of hitters, particularly lefties, is big for Grey. He did a fantastic job of that on Friday, going 17/22.
He tries to go inside with a fastball, however misses above the zone. That prime above the zone won’t ever get a whiff, but it surely’s out of the hazard space so far as misses go.
Right here’s a changeup that’s in a very good location, however Merrill takes it for ball two. It’s laborious to say for certain, but it surely seems to be like he’s fooled by the motion and is fortunate it fades off the plate.
That is enjoyable. It’s basically the identical pitch, however this one is seven miles per hour more durable. Merrill is timed up for one thing mushy and is late, fouling it off. Now with two strikes, Grey may go to his sweeper on the again foot, a changeup away, or a curveball within the grime. He additionally likes to throw a sinker on the entrance hip of lefties with two strikes.
It’s the entrance hip sinker, but it surely begins too far inside to get the known as strike. So far, all the pieces inside Merrill noticed was breaking in the direction of him. Grey is attempting to begin it simply off the plate, so it runs again and Merrill takes it, but it surely begins proper at him. 3-2.
It’s a cutter that begins down the center and runs inside. Merrill will get round it and grounds out weakly to first. It’s not one of the best positioned pitch, however that is what Grey can do when he’s finding. He has pitches transferring in every route, and he can throw nearly all the pieces within the zone. It’s laborious for hitters to see a pitch in a sure a part of the plate and know what’s coming, and he misses barrels consequently. Properly executed.
fifth Inning vs. Ramon Laureano
Let’s do yet another. Right here’s Ramon Laureano within the fifth inning. He flew out on a sinker inside his first time up.
It’s a sinker that begins outdoors and comes again for strike one. In his first at-bat, all the pieces away from Laureano stayed away. This one begins away and comes again, and Grey is forward 0-1.
Right here’s a cutter that begins center and cuts away. Laureano fouls it off, and it’s 0-2. As a normal rule of thumb, if Grey is up 0-2 towards a righty, it’s most likely a sweeper.
That is disgusting. It begins on the within edge and breaks 18 inches throughout the plate. For reference, residence plate is 17 inches throughout. At 86 mph, it’s almost unattainable to hit when it’s positioned nicely.
Grey is at his finest when he will get forward of hitters and may throw his numerous fastballs in sequence. In his residence debut, that’s precisely what he did. When he falls behind, and hitters may be extra selective, he can get into hassle, however when he’s forward, and hitters are pressured to swing, they’ve a really laborious time. When he will get to two-strike counts, that sweeper is sort of unhittable. There hasn’t been loads to smile about for Purple Sox followers, however Sonny Grey is exhibiting he nonetheless has an arsenal that works.
