AL DIVISION SERIES: RAYS VS RED SOX

October 10, 2021

Kevin Plawecki

Fenway Park

Boston Red Sox

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Kevin, talk about Nate Eovaldi and what it's been like catching him this year.

KEVIN PLAWECKI: He's been dominant pretty much the whole season, just pounding the zone, getting ahead of guys, making pitches when he has to in big situations. He's been incredible.

It starts with him attacking the zone and attacking their hitters. I'm sure that we'll be trying to do the same thing tonight, and Nate's been tremendous all year. I'm sure he'll have another good one tonight.

Q. Can you talk about being platooned with Vazquez, and how are you keeping sharp offensively?

KEVIN PLAWECKI: Christian and I both just want to win the game. Doesn't matter who's in there. We both support each other. Offensively just try and stay ready as best we can and treat every day, whether I'm starting or not, like I am, just so I stay ready offensively and stay consistent with my routine hitting-wise.

You know when I am playing, it's just like any other day. I think we both just try and stay ready.

Q. Nate obviously has a variety of pitches. Does it take an inning or two to figure out kind of what's going to be working that day, or do you guys kind of go into the game saying, okay, we're going to focus on these particular things?

KEVIN PLAWECKI: As you know, Nate's got five really good pitches. With him, he's got such a good plan going into the game, and he's able to execute it extremely well. There's really no time for his pitches to really -- they're pretty much working from the first pitch on, knock on wood.

He's really well prepared. We go into it with each batter having a good game plan. He does a heck of a job executing, and he knows what he wants to do to each guy. Like I said, when he's got all five of his pitches working, it makes it pretty difficult on the other team.

You also have to respect their lineup. We know what they're capable of doing, and we've just got to stick to our game plan and try to execute the best we can.

Q. What's it been like working with this bullpen that has seemingly changed -- the roles have changed significantly over the course of the season? In terms of working through a game, do you feel like you have a good sense of who you're going to be matching up with where, or is it kind of, okay, let's see who's coming in at this point?

KEVIN PLAWECKI: In regards to our bullpen?

Q. Yes.

KEVIN PLAWECKI: Yeah, all those guys, like you said, it's been a lot of different roles for a lot of different guys all year, but they've all handled it extremely well. They come in. They're well prepared. They've got a game plan when they come in, and that's really all you can ask. They attack hitters. They attack the zone. They've been tremendous all season long.

We wouldn't be anywhere without those guys, and a lot of credit to a lot of those guys doing different roles in different situations. I know that's not easy, but all of them have put their egos aside and have come in and just tried to put up zeros. A lot of times they've done that.

Q. Kevin, you and Nate have built a really nice rapport working together. When did that start? Why do you think the two of you kind of work so well together as a pitcher and catcher?

KEVIN PLAWECKI: I don't really know. We lived with each other in Spring Training. It might have started then. Our families weren't with us in the spring, so we stayed with each other in Spring Training. I don't think it has anything to do with how we work together on the field, but it definitely made us closer off the field.

In game, we're definitely in sync and talk through what we want to do with certain guys. He gets on me. I get on him in a joking manner a lot. We definitely have a good relationship, and I definitely think it helps when we step between the lines.

But when we go out there, it's time to work, and we're pushing each other to try to be the best we can.