Red Sox right-hander Cooper Criswell was perfect through four innings Sunday against the Detroit Tigers.
He threw just 52 pitches, struck out five batters, and didn’t appear to be injured in any way.
Then, before the fifth, manager Alex Cora unexpectedly decided to remove him from the game in favor of left-hander Rich Hill. Hill allowed a two-run homer, as the Red Sox went from up 1-0 to down 2-1.
The most likely rationale is that Cora wanted a lefty to face lefties Kerry Carpenter and Jace Jung. But, the strategy backfired, as Carpenter walked, Jung struck out and right-handed hitter Spencer Torkelson launched a two-run shot.
Another possible explanation for the swap is that Criswell hadn’t pitched five or more innings since a seven-inning outing against the Rockies in late July. But, he threw 72, 80, and 79 pitches, respectively, in his last three outings.
Regardless, the decision shifted the complexion of the game significantly. The Tigers added two more in the sixth, on another two-run shot, to take a three-run lead.
