BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo was scratched from the starting lineup about two hours before the first pitch of a 5-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday, and the decision became the focal point of manager Alex Cora's postgame media availability.
While Cora declined several opportunities from the media to get into specifics, he did mention often that it was "a manager's decision," and that "we need to be available, and one of us was not available."
Cora, hired by the Red Sox in 2018, was blunt and short in answering questions after Boston's second loss in as many games this series, saying "we took a step back as a team today.