BOSTON — Jake Diekman was consuming a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as he sat in a chair in entrance of his locker within the Crimson Sox clubhouse at Fenway Park earlier than Saturday’s recreation.
“That’s good for you,” Diekman stated. “That’s on the spot power.”
Meet arguably essentially the most fascinating member of the 2022 Crimson Sox. The 6-foot-4, 208-pound left-handed reliever struck out sluggers Aaron Choose, Giancarlo Stanton and Joey Gallo so as with a one-run result in shut out Boston’s first win of the season at Yankee Stadium on April 10. He then advised a scrum of reporters he doesn’t actually give “two (expletive)” about being the nearer in essentially the most candid Crimson Sox postgame interview in a very long time.
Right here’s extra of a have a look at his persona: He describes himself as “an enormous Inexperienced Bay fan” — and he has advised his spouse Amanda, who was Miss Nebraska USA 2014, in the event that they ever have a son he want to title him “Favre.”
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Diekman and Amanda have a 3 ½-year-old daughter Parker Billie whose center title honors Diekman’s greatest fan, his late mom Billie Jean Diekman, who died Feb. 4, 2007.
Diekman also has a tattoo on the left side of his chest that pays tribute to his mom and his nickname “Intestine It Out” inked on his wrist. It’s an acceptable nickname for a aid pitcher residing a wholesome life 5 years after medical doctors surgically eliminated his colon due to ulcerative colitis, a power inflammatory bowel illness.
Diekman understandably had no thought {that a} colon may very well be eliminated till his medical doctors advised him. Who would know?
“And so they did it!” he stated.
Boston signed the southpaw in March to a two-year, $8-million contract that additionally features a $4 million membership choice for 2024. To date, he has used his fastball/slider mixture to strike out seven of the 13 batters he has confronted (54% strikeout share). He hasn’t allowed an earned run in three innings. He has one save and three holds in 4 appearances.
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He’s pitching effectively. However extra importantly, he’s feeling nice. He now not even takes drugs for his colitis and he’s capable of preserve an enormous food regimen, which in fact contains peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. What does he keep away from?
“Most likely like consuming a complete jar of salsa,” he stated, laughing. “Perhaps like a hot-(expletive) hen wing. As soon as they reversed it (the colostomy bag), and I used to be capable of begin introducing new meals, you discover out what sort of screws you up and what doesn’t. What sort of works for you.”
Dwelling with colitis
Diekman was first identified at 10 years outdated. Docs initially thought he was affected by water poisoning.
“That was not proper.”
He misplaced important weight throughout the 2016-17 offseason.
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“After the ‘16 season, I went dwelling and this was earlier than Thanksgiving or one thing like that. It was around-ish there,” Diekman stated. “And I acquired tremendous sick. I acquired down to love 180, 185-ish. I used to be like, ‘I have to go determine what the hell is improper.’ They had been like, ‘Hey, we’ve put you on like each shot, each infusion, each capsule. There’s not a lot else we are able to do. We are able to strive a capsule or a distinct shot. That may work for six months however your physique would possibly simply shut it down after which we’re again to sq. one.’”
The medical doctors as an alternative instructed surgical procedure.
“So we sat on that for slightly bit,” Diekman stated. “I turned 30 Jan. 21. After which Jan. 25 I had a complete colectomy.”
A complete colectomy is the complete removing of the colon.
“And I had a (colostomy) bag for, I don’t know, like six months after that,” Diekman stated.
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He established the “Intestine It Out Basis” which has a mission “to attach sufferers and caregivers via training and inspiration with a view to strengthen relationships and sources throughout the IBD (inflammatory bowel illness) neighborhood.”
“Ought to I be taking drugs? Perhaps,” he stated. “I used to be very lucky they had been capable of reverse the colostomy bag. However there’s some those that have it without end. I had it for like six months. I felt nice with it. I used to be throwing with it. I used to be throwing bullpens with it. I used to be very lucky as a result of they had been capable of reverse it. So that they introduced down my small gut.”
Crimson Sox’s Jake Diekman information a save towards the Yankees on April 10, 2022, in New York. The Crimson Sox received 4-3. (AP Picture/Frank Franklin II)AP
A blunt (and intense) postgame interview
Diekman’s eyes darted round at every reporter as he stood ready for them to ask extra questions.
He acted intense — like he wasn’t but completed pitching and was able to face the remainder of the Yankees lineup. It was the alternative of the calm demeanor he had earlier than the house opener when he sat again relaxed on the tarp and petted head groundskeeper David Mellor’s service canine.
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Right here’s how the interview went:
He was first requested about coming via in such a giant state of affairs (one-run lead, Yankee Stadium, 40,108 followers, ESPN Sunday Evening Baseball), particularly with such harmful hitters on the plate. As a substitute of breaking down his method towards the 2 right-handed sluggers — Choose and Stanton in addition to the left-handed energy hitter, Gallo — he gave a easy response.
“It’s good to take the final recreation,” Diekman stated. “Now we have a contented flight. We’ll prepare for tomorrow.”
He paused for a second.
“Yeah,” he added.
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He then obtained a query concerning the 11-pitch at-bat with Choose that ended with the power-hitter foul tipping a 94.7 mph fastball for strike three.
“Didn’t wish to stroll him. You don’t wish to put the primary man on. Simply continued to make pitches. However apart from that, simply hold attacking. I simply didn’t wish to stroll him.”
He was requested concerning the Crimson Sox not having a set nearer and if he felt perhaps his outing helped him get a deal with on the job.
“Probably not,” Diekman stated. “I’ve type of pitched all over the place. So like, if I can hold the rating the identical, both method we’re good.”
After a pause, he added, “I really feel like that’s the best factor to do as a reliever. Don’t fear about the place you go. Simply hold the rating the identical.”
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He then was requested if he desires to be the nearer.
“I don’t actually give two (expletive),” he answered.
“Yeah, do it. I don’t actually care,” Diekman replied.
That was it. The interview was completed. Followers on Twitter cherished his reply to the nearer query, mentioning that’s precisely how they’d need their nearer to say.
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So why doesn’t he give ‘two (expletive)’ about closing?
MassLive.com requested him Saturday why he couldn’t care much less about being the nearer.
“I’m 35,” Diekman stated. “I actually have by no means closed video games earlier than. I don’t actually care if I do or not. Yeah. I’ve by no means received the final recreation of the 12 months (World Sequence). Lots of people in right here have. Yeah, I don’t actually care.”
He has made 533 profession main league outings and recorded 15 saves. Seven of these saves got here for Oakland final 12 months.
“If I’m going in to pitch and I hold the rating the identical, I believe we’ll be good,” Diekman stated.
He pitches to win and pitches along with his mother in his thoughts and coronary heart. The tattoo on his chest has his mom’s title, the date she died, and an angel holding a baseball bat and carrying a glove.
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“I take into consideration her on a regular basis,” Diekman stated.
His daughter Parker Billie reminds him of her.
“They appear equivalent,” Diekman stated.
One last vital query: Will Amanda let a attainable future son be named after Brett Favre?
“She doesn’t hate it,” Diekman stated, however he then added, “I believe if we ever have a boy, she’s going to axe that (title) actually fast.”
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On a night when Rafael Devers blasted the longest home run of his career and pulled within single digits of his 1,000th career hit, the story of the Red Sox should’ve been just that: their talented young slugger doing what he does best.
Instead, the story of Tuesday night’s game was this:
A struggling Brayan Bello made the shortest start of his career, three players made an error, and the Blue Jays snapped a seven-game losing streak by scoring seven runs in an inning and beating the Red Sox 9-4.
Early on, it had the makings of a beautiful summer night at Fenway Park. Almost exactly three hours after Alex Cora said, “It feels like he’s about to take off,” Devers did just that, homering to put the Red Sox on the board early for the second consecutive game. Torched 467 feet deep to right-center at 111.2 mph, it’s the farthest “Raffy Bomb” of the slugger’s entire career.
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“That is havoc right there,” a mic’d-up Tanner Houck raved to the broadcast in real time.
The Red Sox scored another run when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. couldn’t nab Tyler O’Neill’s pop-up to shallow right – originally ruled a triple, later changed to an error on Guerrero – and Masataka Yoshida doubled to drive him in, increasing Boston’s lead to 2-0.
Almost immediately, however, the Red Sox were dealing with a far less enjoyable brand of havoc: After two 1-2-3 innings, Bello couldn’t make it out of the third. 10 Blue Jays batters came to the plate, and by the time a pitching change was announced, Boston’s 2-0 lead had become a 7-2 Toronto takeover.
The Red Sox starter opened the top of the third by giving up a double to Danny Jansen and a single to Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Kevin Kiermaier’s hit deflected off Enmanuel Valdez’s glove and into right field, getting the Blue Jays on the board. Abreu threw wildly to third, the ball soaring far and high above Devers. The rookie outfielder was charged with an error, the tying run scored, and after a brief meeting of the umpires, Kiermaier stood on third with no outs.
When Bello followed with a walk to leadoff man Bo Bichette, Andrew Bailey paid him a visit on the mound. Bello then proceeded to walk Spencer Horwitz to load the bases – still without an out – for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
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The slugger would’ve had a homer in 21 other ballparks, but at Fenway, he had a double, which clanked around the centerfield triangle long enough to score two. Justin Turner’s groundout plated another run, and George Springer’s home run to the Boston bullpen made it seven.
Finally, Cora called for Greg Weissert, who came in and got the remaining two outs. All told, Bello lasted 2.1 innings, the shortest start of his career. He allowed a season-high seven earned runs – the most the Red Sox have allowed in a single inning since April 13, 2023 – on five hits, walked three, and struck out two. He threw 52 pitches, 29 for strikes. His changeup was flat, and the Blue Jays hit it hard.
“I obviously didn’t want to come out of the game. I wanted to compete, I was kind of surprised when they took me out,” Bello said (via translator Daveson Perez). “But hopefully, moving forward I don’t have a terrible outing like the one I just had.”
Tuesday was the latest in a concerning line of high-traffic performances by the young right-hander, who hasn’t been the same since returning from the injured list on May 12. Bello went at least five innings and issued two walks or fewer in each of his first five starts of the season, and allowed no more than two earned runs in four of them. In nine starts since the IL, however, he’s failed to complete five innings four times, and allowed at least two earned runs in each game, and at least three in seven of them.
“Honestly no,” Cora answered when asked if he could pinpoint the reason for Bello’s control issues.
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“My mindset is good, mechanics are good. I can’t – I don’t really know what’s going on right now,” Bello said. “But I do know that I’m working with (Andrew Bailey) about attacking the zone, doing what I’m supposed to do. And there’s still a lot of season left for me. I know it hasn’t been great to this point, but I know what I’m capable of and I know what I can do.”
Lately, the Red Sox have been the comeback kids. In their first 65 games, they never won when trailing after seven innings, but entering Tuesday, they’d completed four such comebacks in their last 14 contests, including Monday night. Unfortunately, the largest deficit they’ve overcome this season is four runs; they were already down five when Josh Winckowski took over in the fourth and gave up another two (both earned).
Gausman’s start was eerily similar to his previous start, against the Red Sox in Toronto; after allowing five runs, four earned, on six hits, walking three, striking out four, and giving up two homers in 5.2 innings on June 19, he went six innings on Tuesday night. He gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits, including two home runs, issued one walk, and struck out five.
In the Blue Jays starter’s final inning, it seemed like the Red Sox might recreate Monday night’s comeback magic. Devers led off with a 426-foot double to the yellow 420-marker, the deepest part of center field. It might have clanged off the railing and into the stands above the Boston bullpen for his second homer of the night, but the fan seated at the end of the row reached out and made contact, and the ball deflected back onto the warning track.
Thus, Devers stood on second with a fan-interference two-bagger. Gausman wouldn’t be so lucky with O’Neill, who clobbered a first-pitch sinker to 448 feet to the left corner of the Green Monster seats for a two-run homer, his 16th of the year. It would be the last of Boston’s five hits.
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Winckowski settled in after the fourth and held the Blue Jays scoreless for the remainder of the game, giving his teammates ample time to chip away. By the top of the ninth, it became a career night for him, too: his seventh strikeout – Guerrero swinging – set a new personal best.
“We gotta throw more strikes, that’s the most important thing,” Cora said of Bello. “Regardless of the results, we have to be more aggressive in the zone. He was 3-1 to Vladdy, right? So I think that summarizes his outing, we gotta throw more strikes.”
“Winck was the opposite,” Cora continued. “He pounded the strike zone the whole night, and he gave us, he saved us today.”
The bottom of the ninth was a mirror image of the night before. Again, Jarren Duran was the last batter of the contest. But this time, there would be no glorious walk-off; the leadoff man struck out swinging for the club’s fourth 1-2-3 inning, the end of his 14-game hitting streak, and the loss.
It wasn’t the only streak to die on Tuesday night. Tied after two games, this will be the first Red Sox-Blue Jays series not to end in a sweep after eight consecutive sweeps since 2022.
The Boston City Council appears to be headed toward a complicated final budget vote Wednesday after failing to achieve the required two-thirds consensus for a straight override of a mayoral veto that fully restored the body’s public safety cuts.
Seven Boston parks will get an infusion of local beer, food, music, and art this summer in a mobile beer garden series starting in South Boston this week.
Hyde Park’s Roundhead Brewing Co. is partnering with Fresh Food Generation, a farm-to-plate Caribbean American restaurant and food truck in Dorchester, on the beer gardens. It’s a series they’re calling “Alianza,” or alliance, speaking to Roundhead cofounder Craig Panzer’s desire to unite folks from different Boston neighborhoods. As BIPOC business owners in the city, Panzer and Fresh Food Generation CEO Cassandria Campbell do more than talk about representing all Bostonians.
“Roundhead is all about building community, and we are darn proud of our place and neighborhood in Hyde Park,” says Panzer. “The mobile beer garden is the perfect opportunity for us to continue doing what we’re doing.”
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The rotating beer gardens are structured as follows: At each location, Alianza will operate from Wednesday to Sunday for two consecutive weeks, before traveling to the next neighborhood park. The South Boston beer garden opened June 19 and operates Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
Those unfamiliar with Roundhead’s beer offerings should expect brews inspired by the founders’ Peruvian heritage, including a cherry rosemary saison and a Peruvian red ale brewed with purple corn.Courtesy of Roundhead Brewing
Fresh Food Generation’s Campbell says that “every two weeks, not only will the location change, but we will be featuring a new menu item in honor of each neighborhood.” The company’s typical dishes combine New England ingredients with Caribbean flavors for mains like jerk chicken and sides like Haitian beet salad. Campbell says that in addition to food and beer, each beer garden will reserve space for local artists and musicians.
Those unfamiliar with Roundhead’s beer offerings should expect brews inspired by the founders’ Peruvian heritage, including a cherry rosemary saison and a Peruvian red ale brewed with purple corn.
“Roundhead is designed as the smallest brewery in Boston for a reason — so we can constantly rotate in fresh batches, and new recipes,” says Panzer.
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Introducing craft beer to groups who might not have been familiar with it before has been rewarding, says Panzer.
“People who come to Roundhead in Hyde Park are curious,” he says. “That’s what happens when you intentionally bring different cultures to the customer’s brewery experience.”
The seven beer garden locations were chosen by the city. Future beer garden neighborhood locations, in order, are in the Fenway, East Boston, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, and Brighton. For more details, go to roundheadbrewing.com/alianza-park-series.
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Gary Dzen can be reached at gary.dzen@globe.com.Follow him @garydzen.
