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FanGraphs | Craig Edwards: One’s immediate reaction to Game One is that Eduardo Núñez’s home run was the most crucial play, but it was actually Manny Machado’s... sac fly. That’s because it was so high leverage that the out was worth more than the run, and it put the Red Sox in the right position to seal the deal.
Baseball Prospectus | Russell A. Carleton: The Opener is killing the starter, they said. That’s obviously wrong, mostly because it just means your “bulk out-getter” isn’t the first person who pitches. It means that “starters” were actually two kinds of pitchers (those who needed an Opener and those who don’t) and we were putting them in one box.
The Ringer | Michael Baumann: There are possibly a few future Hall of Famers on this current iteration of the Red Sox, so it’s kind of sad that Andrew Benintendi is overshadowed by them, despite being a top prospect who immediately performed at the big league level. This World Series is going to make him a household name, though.
The Athletic | Chad Jennings ($): Alex Cora silenced every possible critic in Game One after effectively utilizing Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi, as well as using Núñez instead of Rafael Devers. He has the Midas touch, and they’re very close to gold.