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OAKLAND, Calif. — Managers typically give their best players a day off when they fall into a slump, the assumption being the rest will do them good.
Alex Cora looks at it from a different angle. He counterintuitively believes a player in the middle of a hot streak can benefit from a seat on the bench.
That helps to explain why J.D. Martinez was out of the lineup for Friday night’s 7-3 win over the Oakland Athletics.
Martinez was 8 of 12 with three extra-base hits, five runs scored, and two RBIs in the three-game series sweep of the Los Angeles Angels. But Hanley Ramirez was the designated hitter against Oakland with Mitch Moreland at first base.
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As bench coach of the Houston Astros last season, Cora saw that resting players such as Jose Altuve when they were hot at the plate helped to extend those streaks, not curtail them.
“For [Altuve], it was hard to accept the off days,” Cora said. “But with time he understood that there’s a lot of effort when you [get on base frequently]. It’s actually good when you’re hot.
“You’re going to be hot in two days. It’s not like because you don’t play today all of a sudden you’re going to lose it. I think physically it takes a toll.”
The Sox players have gotten used to the idea. Martinez went to Cora in the eighth inning of Thursday’s game and suggested Friday would be a good day for him to rest.
Through 19 games, only 21-year-old third baseman Rafael Devers has started 18 times. Martinez and Mookie Betts have 17 starts.
For their part, while martinez was sitting, Moreland and Ramirez combined to go 3 for 8 with Moreland hitting his game-deciding grand slam.
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FIFTH grand slam of the season. Is that good? pic.twitter.com/9f2KFkrSdB
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 21, 2018
On the run
Xander Bogaerts ran the bases after batting practice as Cora, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, and eight other staff members watched closely.
Cora said Thursday the Sox were unlikely to activate Bogaerts during the road trip because the final three games will be on artificial turf in Toronto. Bogaerts cracked the talus bone in his left foot April 8 and has been out since.
But a base-running drill is often the last hurdle for a player returning from a lower-body injury. The Sox may want to get Bogaerts back on the roster this weekend instead of waiting until next Friday when they return to Fenway Park to play the Tampa Bay Rays.
Bogaerts was 14 of 38 (.368) with nine extra-base hits and nine RBIs in nine games before he was injured.
Remembering Santos
Red Sox radio voice Joe Castiglione was an admirer of Patriots announcer Gil Santos, who died Thursday.
“When the Patriots won their first Super Bowl [in 2002] I turned down the sound on the television and listened to Gil’s call for the last five minutes,” Castiglione said. “What a moment. Gil was one of the great announcers.”
WBZ Radio Red Sox reporter Jonny Miller worked with Santos for many years at the station. Miller said Santos ranks with Johnny Most, Curt Gowdy, Bob Wilson, and other Boston broadcasting legends.
Wright exits start
In his first minor league rehabilitation start, Steven Wright pitched 2⅔ innings for Triple A Pawtucket against Gwinnett at McCoy Stadium then left the game with a stiff back.
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Wright allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits. He walked two, struck out three, and had a balk. The knuckleballer threw 38 of 61 pitches for strikes. The Sox were hoping he would get to 75-80 pitches.
Wright, who is coming back from knee surgery, is expected to remain with Pawtucket.
Lefthanded reliever Bobby Poyner is scheduled to pitch for Double A Portland on Saturday. That would be the second game in his rehab stint. Poyner appeared in six games before going on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain.
Sale is next
Chris Sale, who starts Saturday, did not get beyond six innings or 93 pitches in his first four starts. But Cora isn’t concerned with his ace’s efficiency.
“Not really. It’s more about the opposition,” the manager said. “They fouled off tough pitches. Sometimes you run into those then all off a sudden he goes 100 [pitches] in seven or eight innings.”
Sale is 4-2 with a 2.17 earned run average in eight career starts against Oakland.
Another night of Jim Buchanan locking down the W. pic.twitter.com/7cjtFY2YhM
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 21, 2018
Waiting on Kelly
While at Oakland Coliseum, Major League Baseball heard Joe Kelly’s appeal of a six-game suspension for fighting. Kelly declined comment on the proceedings. Cora said the Sox expect to get a decision on the appeal early next week. Kelly hit Tyler Austin of the Yankees with a pitch April 11, sparking a brawl. Austin, who was suspended for five games, had his appeal Thursday . . . With Drew Pomeranz coming off the disabled list to start on Friday, the Sox optioned righthanded reliever Marcus Walden to Pawtucket . . . Oakland made a series of roster moves before the game. Righthanders Chris Bassitt and Josh Lucas were recalled from Triple A Nashville. Lefthander Daniel Coulombe was optioned to Nashville. Righthander Lou Trivino was optioned to Nashville on Thursday. Bassitt returned to the majors for the first time since having Tommy John surgery in May 2016 . . . Boston College plays No. 17 Florida State at Fenway Park at 3 p.m. Saturday in the annual ALS Awareness Game. Tickets are $10 and proceeds will benefit the Pete Frates Home Health Initiative, a pilot program of the ALS Association. Frates, BC’s former captain, was diagnosed with ALS in 2012.
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Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.