AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 16, 2021

Jake Odorizzi

Yuli Gurriel

Minute Maid Park

Houston Astros

Postgame 2 Press Conference

Red Sox - 9, Astros - 5

Q. Jake, when you see Jeremiah go out to Luis, is that a signal for you to get up, or what was going through your mind when it started, and can you take us through your preparation to get ready to pitch?

JAKE ODORIZZI: I was caught off guard by it, obviously. I didn't know what was going on. I knew he was healthy coming into the game, so I was caught off guard by it. I think everybody was. My typical routine is out the window at that point. I hadn't even stretched, thrown, anything, so it was going to take me a good while to warm up. I think all things considered -- I'm sure it felt like forever for y'all -- but for me that was about the fastest I can warm up.

Usually takes me 30 plus minutes, and I think I did it in under 15, so not ideal, and it's not like it's a fun warmup. You're sitting there pretty much naked in front of the other team. They get to watch every single pitch you're throwing. They get to see every shape, everything. It's not an ideal way to warm up. Especially when I know I'm going to be asked to throw 80 to 100 pitches. I made the most of my time and tried to go as fast as possible and felt the game out as it went.

Obviously, it's probably the worst situation you can come in as a starting pitcher. Usually you need to be prepared for extras, but that situation is definitely a tough one.

Q. Jake, having said all that, how would you assess your time out there today?

JAKE ODORIZZI: I sucked up four innings. That's the best way of putting it. Those can be crucial as we move forward in the series. That first inning when I came in, I was, I don't know, throwing about 70 pitches between warmups and the inning there. I don't know if I've been asked to do that or capable of really doing it. I was getting tired towards the end of that inning. It's unfortunate that, you know, Devers kept that ball fair. I thought it was a well-located cutter in, and he did a nice job on it.

Take that away, the rest of the outing went pretty well. They worked at-bats. Did exactly what you would expect them to do. But overall four innings saved for the bullpen, I think, can mean a lot down the road.

Q. Forgive me as I look ahead, but this thing quickly moves ahead in this series. If I could ask both of you, how do you feel about the series being tied 1-1, where you are. Dusty adamant that no matter what you guys face, you simply don't quit. You kind of forget it and move on.

JAKE ODORIZZI: Yeah, I thought we did a nice job of staying in the game today. We were able to put some good at-bats against Nate, and then towards the end of the game Yuli had a big swing. Castro had a big swing. Still good to put up runs and the bullpen put up pitches, and I think that's important in a game like that where we've been trailing the whole game. Have their guys throw as much as possible, and we put good at-bats together, and obviously today is not a great day for us, but we still did well overall, and I think moving forward we're in the same spot. Got a lot of confidence in this team.

YULI GURRIEL: Yeah, we got to go to Boston and just put our best foot forward and try to do whatever we can to win games out there. We know we're going through a little bit of a tough stretch right now with the injuries that we've suffered to the pitching staff, but we got to do our job. We got to go out there and try to put up as many runs as we can.

Q. If I could have two questions in Spanish for Yuli.

(Question in Spanish)

YULI GURRIEL: Yeah, I think we've been taking care of business. Still scoring runs, which the main thing is to still continue to produce. I think the key for us has really been the damage that we've done hitting with runners in scoring positions that we've a pretty good job of that so far this series.

Q. (Question in Spanish)

YULI GURRIEL: A lot of things can still happen. They don't automatically just have the advantages because they're at home. It's just a matter of taking things one game at a time and seeing what happens from there.

Q. It seems like you're trying to be pretty pragmatic about this whole situation coming in kind of between a rock and a hard place, but how would you describe just the emotions that you have had and kind of being thrown into that situation and having to do what you did?

JAKE ODORIZZI: Just pretty much go until I can't go anymore. I knew after Framber's shortened start yesterday and then Luis coming out early, it was pretty much on me to give as much length as possible, try to save our guys as much as possible. There's really no thought. You just get kind of thrust into that role and go as long as you can go until there's nothing left.

I'm sure I'm going to feel it tomorrow, but like I said, four innings of not having to use our big guys I think is important, and hopefully I can bounce back pretty quick from this and be available a couple of games down the road. But it was something I didn't really expect, but it's the playoffs, and I just tried to make the best out of the situation and wish I could have either done a little bit better, even get in a little more length. I would say I'm disappointed in it. I think even under the circumstances I could have done some stuff better.

Q. Jake, Dusty said that he had been trying to save you for a Game 4 start, and that probably is going to be hard for you to do. What position does it leave a team in in the postseason in a series like this where you kind of have to adjust your rotation on the fly?

JAKE ODORIZZI: Yeah, it's a tough situation. We can piece it together the best way we can. I think that's the best way to look at it is focus on each game, try to make the most out of each game, win that game, move on to the next game. We'll figure out. Let's just push the problem as far as we can. Let's focus on today and worry about the next day. If we start looking down the road of trying to set things up, there's a lot of time that passes in between.

So I don't think I'll probably be able to start that game now. I don't think that's much of a secret, but hopefully I'll be able to contribute soon around that time and do everything I can to bounce back quickly. But we're just going to be focused on Game 3, getting off to a good start there, and, you know, we'll see where we're at after that. We just have to take it one game at a time from a pitching staff and piece it together.