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AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 16, 2018

Rick Porcello

Houston, Texas - pregame 3

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Rick Porcello.

Q. Is it fair to say when you come into games in relief you're pitching with more emotion than you would as a starter because it's a shorter stretch?
RICK PORCELLO: I don't know that I'm pitching with more emotion. I think as a starter you're trying to cover the course of a whole ballgame. So you're kind of trying to keep your emotions in check just because you've got a lot of baseball to pitch. You don't want to get too high, too low, whatever it is.

But I feel like I've had the last inning of the start, if I get a big out, big strikeout, I've shown emotion the same as I have coming out of the bullpen. So really I don't feel like I'm doing anything different besides trying to lock down those three outs and it's just about that one inning for me. I don't have to worry about facing a lineup three times through and covering a whole ballgame.

Q. Based on your body language it looks like you're enjoying it when you're out there?
RICK PORCELLO: Yeah, they're big innings trying to hand the ball over to Craig with the lead in the playoffs is not the easiest thing. When you do get those outs out you're grateful and want to keep the momentum going for your team. So I think showing some emotion is good.

Q. Just a thought in your mind what are the biggest things -- keys in pitching in this ballpark?
RICK PORCELLO: Well, I think it's very similar to Fenway. The more you can keep the ball on the ground, the better off you are. That's easier said than done.

With traffic on the bases, you've got to work really hard to keep their guys off balance. They do a really nice job of putting pressure on you and then they have a lot of guys that have power that can run into pitches that you leave in the middle of the zone especially with runners on base. So be aware of that and do the best you can to avoid those mistakes, especially with runners on.

Q. Can you talk about pitching to Bregman and what will be some of the keys in pitching to Bregman?
RICK PORCELLO: Well, I think the biggest key is hopefully he mis-hits it. Not a lot of holes. Very disciplined. He's aggressive. He's a hungry hitter. He's tough. He's had the year he's had for a reason. So I can't tell you exactly what the keys are besides keeping them in the ballpark and that's it.

Q. Obviously Chris had to go to the hospital and I guess is rejoining you guys today. How, I guess, unsettling was that for you given the role he has and how important he is?
RICK PORCELLO: Well, none of that really matters. He went to the hospital. First and foremost, we care about his health and how he's doing. Once we found out he was doing okay, we just wait until he gets back and talk to him. None of us really know what happened. So we know he's okay and that's the most important thing. And it's crazy to say, because these are some of the biggest baseball games of our lives, but somebody goes to the hospital, who really cares about what game he's starting or anything like that; we just are worried about him and his well-being.

Q. Have you heard from him or had chance to communicate with him?
RICK PORCELLO: Yeah, we talked to him. And now that we know that he's okay, when the hell is he going to pitch? (Laughter).

Q. Adding Eovaldi in-season, what did he bring not just to the rotation but to the clubhouse and maybe to you, what did you maybe learn from him, if anything?
RICK PORCELLO: Obviously the stuff he brings on the field, he's got a 100-mile-an-hour fastball and five pitches and been incredible since he came over. And it's easy to kind of blow smoke about guys coming into clubhouses and the impact they have, but he's had a big impact on the guys in our clubhouse and pitching staff. One of the hardest working guys I've ever been around. And his focus and kind of -- he's a real even-keeled guy. It's a nice presence to be around when you see him. Good, bad or indifferent, he's the same guy, he's got the same focus.

And, honestly, when you get fresh players that come in halfway through the season and you see a new energy coming to the clubhouse, it rubs off on you. So he's made a big impact just kind of, he's aggressive, he works his tail off and he's got that mental makeup that we need in this clubhouse.

Q. Alex said you have to push him out of the weight room occasionally.
RICK PORCELLO: Yeah. His workouts are ridiculous. He's like warming up with 300 pounds on the squat rack. Can't even think about that this time of year.

Q. Talk about how important the outfield defense is in this park, and can you talk about the Red Sox defense in the outfield?
RICK PORCELLO: Well, I think we have three of the best outfielders in the game, and we're fortunate enough to have them all out there at the same time in Andrew and obviously Mookie and Jackie. But it's not just our outfield defense, it's everything. It's all important. The outfield defense is big, the infield defense is big. Pitching. Timely hitting. It's all crucial. It all plays a part. I don't think there's any particular emphasis on outfield defense or things like that. Those guys have been doing an unbelievable job all year. They'll continue to do that.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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