Dice-K Rehabs with PawSox Tonight
After being scratched from his previously scheduled start on May 22 at Norfolk, Daisuke Matsuzaka is scheduled to make his fourth rehab start for the PawSox tonight at McCoy.
Some positives from his most recent start in Durham in May 17:
- He went a season-high 6 2/3 innings
- Tossed a season-high 95 pitches (64 for strikes)
- He did not walk a batter
Some negatives:
- For the second consecutive start he surrendered two home runs
- Allowed five runs for the second-straight start (four earned)
Matsuzaka is 49-30 with a 4.25 ERA in 106 games (105 starts) with the Red Sox over five seasons. (Kelly O’Connor)
“I’d like to see his fastball with more of a downhill plane tonight,” said PawSox manager Arnie Beyeler. “Because he’s not that tall, he has to generate a downhill angle on his fastball or else it will stay flat.”
Beyeler went on to say that Dice-K’s first start with the PawSox on May 7 against Rochester was his best.
“In all the rehabs he’s done with me as a manager either here or in Portland, that was the best he’s ever looked. He kept the ball down and his slider had great bite and tilt.”
Tonight marks Day 1 of a second 30-day rehab assignment for Matsuzaka. His first rehab assignment saw him go 0-2 with a 4.62 ERA (13 ER/ 25 1/3 IP) over three levels (Salem, Portland, and Pawtucket).
Dice-K will be opposed by Toledo lefty Casey Crosby (4-2, 4.33). First pitch from McCoy is at 6:05, pre-game coverage begins at 5:50.
Talk with you then.
-AG
@aaronmgoldsmith
agoldsmith@pawsox.com
