The Boston Red Sox began a crucial stretch for their potential 2019 postseason run on Monday. They took on the Tampa Bay Rays in a three game set, trying to make up some ground in the American League East. The series is now over, with some good news for all of you Red Sox fans out there. Let’s recap this series, breaking it down game by game.
Game 1: Red Sox 9 Rays 4
The Red Sox came out in game one and flat out punched the Rays in the mouth. This one saw a lot of power out of the Red Sox bats from the start. Rafael Devers kicked off the scoring with a two run RBI double. J.D. Martinez hit a three run home run and led the way with a 2-5 night with four RBI’s. Andrew Benintendi and Sam Travis also hit home runs as part of a seven run third inning that gave way to an easy 9-4 win for the Red Sox. On the mound, Eduardo Rodriguez threw seven shutout innings, giving up two hits, four walks, and six strikeouts on the night. It was safe to say that the Red Sox got off on the right foot in this series after game one.
Game 2: Red Sox 5 Rays 4
This one was not as much of a walk in the park as the first game. The Red Sox had to use all 27 of their offensive outs, and a shaky last half inning in the bottom of the ninth, to come away with a 5-4 victory. Andrew Benintendi led the way with a 2-4 performance with 2 RBI’s. Christian Vazquez found himself hitting a deep home run for his 16th of the season. Chris Sale was on the mound in this one and he looked like the Sale we’re used to seeing. He threw six innings giving up 4 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks, and 10 strikeouts; and still had a no decision. The combination of Brandon Workman and Marcus Walden helped secure a one run victory for the Red Sox. That also secured a series win going into the final game of the series on Wednesday.
Game 3: Rays 3 Red Sox 2 (For Now!)
The “For Now!” part we’ll get to in a second. The Red Sox struck first in this one with a two run single from Rafael Devers in the third inning. Unfortunately, that would be the only scoring the Red Sox could muster in the series finale. Charlie Morton kept the Red Sox off the scoreboard after that, going seven innings with 11 strikeouts to his credit.
Here’s the “For Now!” part. The Rays apparently had 10 players in their lineup, including two pitchers. The Red Sox tried to argue this, which led to a 19 minute delay in the game, with umpires even confused about the move. This game is under protest and some think the Red Sox have a legitimate case here. So we’ll see what happens with that. For now, the Red Sox lose this one 3-2. David Price was the tough luck loser in this one, going six innings and giving up three runs.
In Conclusion
The Red Sox proved they can be better than the Rays. They are one game back of the Rays and can catch them this weekend. The only downside: the Yankees are in town. If the Red Sox can prove that they can beat the Yankees in a series right now, the trade deadline can be extra crucial. Also, there could be another postseason in Boston with a good two months of baseball ahead of them. One series at a time though!
As the numbers extend higher, the pickings continue to thin. Fewer and fewer players have worn the numbers as they climb into the sixties and beyond. The numbers have also generally been worn for shorter amounts of time, assigned to rookies just making the Majors. If the rookie succeeds, they usually change their number the following season. If they don’t make it, well, they aren’t wearing the number long. Therefore, I am going to do more than just five players at a time and close out this series of articles with just two more articles. Unfortunately, no Red Sox player has ever worn the number 69, so here are the greatest to wear the numbers 61-68.
Number 61 – Bronson Arroyo
Bronson Arroyo is one of the few players who stuck with his high number, wearing 61 for his entire career. The Red Sox grabbed Arroyo off waivers before the 2003 season, and what a find it was.
Arroyo pitched in Pawtucket for almost the entire first season and threw a perfect game down there, just the fourth in International League history. He pitched 17.1 innings for the Red Sox out of the bullpen, allowing just four earned runs. This earned him a spot on the postseason roster, where he performed well.
Arroyo earned himself a rotation spot in 2004, making 29 starts. He finished the year 10-9 with a solid 4.03 ERA and 1.22 WHIP. He made a good start in the ALDS, allowing two runs on three hits over six innings. In the ALCS, he was involved in the famous Alex Rodriguez “slap” play at first base.
In 2005, Arroyo made 32 starts and pitched over 200 innings, starting a streak of nine straight seasons with 199 innings or more thrown. He went 14-10 with a 4.51 ERA in the regular season.
The Red Sox mistakenly traded Arroyo in the offseason for Wily Mo Pena, but he left his mark on Boston.
Honorable Mentions: Brian Johnson, Felix Doubront, Clay Buchholz (2007-09)
Alex Rodriguez illegally slaps the ball out of Bronson Arroyo’s glove as he went to tag him out running to first base in game 6 of the ALCS.
Number 62 – Jon Lester
This is the second number Lester has been chosen for, as he was the winner for his typical number 31. Jon Lester wore the number 62 during his rookie season of 2006. Once he was an established Major Leaguer following the season, he changed to the lower number.
A highly touted prospect, Lester was rated as the 22nd best prospect in all of baseball entering 2006. The former second round pick was coming off an excellent season in AA Portland. He began the year in Pawtucket and posted a 2.70 ERA over 11 starts before being called up to Boston.
Lester would go 7-2 for the big club that season, although with a mediocre ERA. However, he pitched very well for the first half of his time with the Red Sox before possibly hitting a wall. Young pitchers don’t generally throw many innings, so the amount of innings and the impact of the innings being pitched may have caught up to him. Through his first eight starts he was 6-2 with a 2.38 ERA. In that eighth start he allowed just one hit over eight shutout innings against the Kansas City Royals.
Although he faded later in the year, Lester was still 7-2 and helped add another reliable starter for over a month.
Honorable Mention: Rich Hill (2015)
Number 63 – Junichi Tazawa
Tazawa was given an honorable mention at the number 36 for his work from 2013-2016. However, before that he was wearing the number 63 from 2009-2012. He is here for his work in 2012 alone.
Junichi Tazawa at one time was a pretty decent prospect for the Red Sox as a starting pitcher. He made his debut in 2009 and got the loss against the Yankees in his first game. He did not fare much better after that either, making four starts and two relief appearances total.
In 2010, he blew out his arm in April and missed the whole season. When he came back in 2011 it was as a reliever. He only made three appearances for the Red Sox that season. With the slim pickings at the number, Tazawa earns the top spot on the strength of 2012 alone.
Tazawa pitched 37 games in 2012, allowing just seven runs over 44 innings. He struck out 45 batters while posting a 1.43 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. He was arguably the best reliever on that mess of a team.
Honorable Mentions: Justin Masterson, Robby Scott
Number 64 – Will Middlebrooks
Will Middlebrooks arrived in 2012 as the Red Sox best hitting prospect. He was ranked number 51 by Baseball America at the start of the year and only improved his standing as the year wore on. After raking at Pawtucket for a month, Middlebrooks was called up and made his Major League debut on May 2nd.
Middlebrooks hit all season for the Red Sox, bashing 15 home runs over 267 at-bats. He batted .288 and posted a slugging percentage of .509 at the big league level that rookie season. This would be the only season he wore the number 64, and it was easily the best season of his career. However, he did win a World Series ring with the club the following season.
Number 65 – Steven Wright
Wright might be the unlikeliest winner of two different numbers, having gotten the nod at number 35. There was little competition at that number, and there is zero competition at this one. The only other player I noticed who contributed anything pitched 3.1 shutout innings in 1998.
Steven Wright wore the number 65 for the 2014 season. That year he threw 21 innings, mostly in relief, and had his first Major League success. Even with the knuckleball, Wright struck out 22 batters against just four walks. He posted a 2.57 ERA and 1.19 WHIP that season for the Red Sox. He has worn the number 35 ever since.
Honorable Mention: Carlos Valdez
Sep 7, 2014 Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Steven Wright (65) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Number 66 – Bobby Poyner
As you can see, there isn’t a lot to choose from at some of these numbers. Not to take away from Poyner, he did a good job for the Red Sox this past season, but he has only thrown 22.1 innings. Only five players have ever donned the uniform 66 for the Red Sox.
A left-handed reliever, Poyner had a fantastic spring and surprisingly pitched his way onto the ballclub. He pitched effectively over 20 appearances, going 1-0 with a 3.22 ERA. His WHIP was an excellent 1.12 and he struck out 24 batters against only three walks. The low walks are an excellent total for a lefty reliever, as they generally walk a fair amount of guys.
Honorable Mention: Daniel Nava (2012 only), Drake Britton
Number 67 – Brandon Workman
Workman is one of four Red Sox to ever wear the number, and the only one to play in more than 11 games. He has had his positives for the club though, this past postseason aside.
Workman first appeared with the big club in 2013. He struck out 47 batters over 41.2 innings that season, making three starts and 17 relief appearances. He had a 6-3 record despite a 4.97 ERA. Workman did make three straight good starts to close out July. A few rough outings skewed his overall solid body of work. Workman then pitched 8.2 innings without an earned run over seven postseason appearances. His work out of the bullpen certainly helped the Red Sox as they won their third World Series in nine years.
The next season, Workman had a 3.27 ERA at the end of June before the wheels came off. He finished 1-10 with a 5.17 ERA. Workman wound up hurting his arm and it was a long road back to the Majors.
He found his way back in 2017 and had a 3.18 ERA over 33 relief appearances. This past season he wore the number 67 for a bit and the number 44, going 6-1 with a 3.27 ERA in the regular season. This gives him a 3.22 ERA over 81 innings since making it back to the big leagues.
Number 68 – Matt Barnes
Barnes wore the number 68 for his first four seasons before switching numbers for the 2018 season. Of course, 2018 is his best season to date, but he did enough prior to this season. He is the only player worth mentioning at the number.
Barnes debuted late in 2014, then struggled as a rookie in 2015. He had an up and down 2016, but showed some promise as he struck out over a batter per inning. He finished 4-3 with a 4.05 ERA.
In 2017 he took another step forward, leading into this past season. Barnes was 7-3 with a 3.88 ERA in 2017, posting a career best 1.22 WHIP. He struck out 10.7 batters per nine innings, surpassed only by this past seasons 14 strike outs per nine.
Jul 6, 2016 Matt Barnes (68) throws a pitch against the Rangers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Knuckleballer Steven Wright has said he believes he is healthy enough to pitch in the World Series. Wright was initially on the ALDS roster but was removed after complaining about renewed soreness in his knee. This left Wright ineligible for the ALCS roster as he was replaced for both series by Heath Hembree. Assuming Wright’s simulated game Sunday went well, what should the Red Sox do for the World Series?
The Pros
Steven Wright has been a very effective pitcher for the Red Sox, both as a starter and as a reliever. Wright was an all-star back in 2016 but has missed much of the past two seasons. Wright has a troublesome knee which keeps barking and sending him back to the disabled list. After a DL stint earlier in the season, the Sox moved Wright to the bullpen where he enjoyed great success.
In 16 games as a relief pitcher this year Steven Wright was 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA and one save. Some of that work came early in the year however, before he began starting in June. When Steven Wright returned to the Red Sox in September he allowed just one run over 13.2 innings pitched. Wright was even used in high-leverage spots, picking up a win, three holds and a save over the final month.
Bringing a knuckleballer in out of the pen following a conventional pitcher can be highly effective. After seeing a healthy dose of fastballs and curves, seeing a slow knuckleball all of a sudden can really mess with a hitters timing. Then, once Wright was removed from the game again for a new reliever, one likely throwing in the upper-90’s, imagine how that would mess with the batters. There’s a reason he has had success.
The other pro Steven Wright would offer out of the pen is giving the Red Sox another relief pitcher who could eat innings if needed. If the starting pitcher were knocked out of the game Wright could pitch for several innings. If the game went extra innings, Wright could essentially pitch for as long as the team needed him to.
The Cons
The first con would have to be the health of Wright’s knee. As stated before, Wright was put on the ALDS roster only to be removed after the first game due to the discomfort in his knee. What if Wright’s knee acted up again?
This really should not be a reason to keep Wright off the World Series roster. The team has other pitchers traveling with them; if Wright’s knee acted up again they could just replace him on the roster like they did in the ALDS.
The only other con I can see would be timing. Just like Wright’s knuckleball can mess with a hitters timing after seeing a healthy dose of fastballs, maybe it could do the same to the catcher trying to catch his knuckleball. But again, Wright has put up some impressive numbers out of the pen already down the stretch this season and can be a real weapon to have out of the bullpen.
The Verdict
I am definitely a proponent of adding Steve Wright to the roster for the World Series. His ability to pitch multiple innings if need be as well as his knuckleball messing with opponents’ timing is too much of a weapon to pass up. The team should replace Brandon Workman on the roster with Wright.
Although Workman was effective this year at 6-1 with a 3.27 ERA, he has not been the same pitcher of late. Workman allowed five runs over his final 2.2 innings this season. Small sample size, yes, but it has continued into the postseason. Workman has an ERA of 45.00 since the playoffs began. He has pitched three times, getting just one out in all three outings. He put on three baserunners in his first outing and allowed a run. His next outing he managed to get the one out without allowing a run, but did put two men on base. His outing in the ALCS was the worst yet, giving up four runs on three hits, two walks and two home runs. Workman can not be trusted in any meaningful role at the moment.
Workman has an ERA of 45.00 this postseason.
Other Roster Moves
The other roster move I would consider would be to add Bobby Poyner to the team. Poyner would give the Red Sox another lefty out of the pen, as currently all they have out there is usual starter Eduardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez isn’t exactly someone who would come in to face a lefty in a tight spot. With the Dodgers having Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson, not to mention the fact Yasiel Puig struggles mightily versus lefties, and it might be a good idea to have someone throwing from the left side out there.
Poyner proved his worth when on the team this season, pitching to a 3.22 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and over a strike out per inning. Lefties batted a measly .143 against the rookie left-hander with only one walk and one extra-base hit. He could come in handy against the Dodgers.
Heath Hembree would be the other pitcher to go if the Sox were to add both Wright and Poyner. Hembree has pitched 3.2 shutout innings in the postseason, albeit in lower leverage spots. He also walked four guys over those innings, so he hasn’t been entirely sharp. This comes on the heels of a 4.20 ERA and 1.33 WHIP during the regular season. The only other option would be Eduardo Rodriguez, who has an ERA over 9.00 this postseason. Rodriguez has more value in his ability to pitch several innings if need be though, so I would keep him on the roster.
A few quick thoughts on the return of Red Sox-Yankees postseason baseball, right after I hand out some high fives to Will, Chuckie, Morgan, and Billy…
What a way to kick things off, huh? The Sox jumped out early, and managed to hang on for a 5-4 win to take Game 1 at Fenway Park. Boston hit the ground running, thanks to a 3-run laser over the Monster from JD Martinez:
From there, the Sox seemed like they were on cruise control, extending the lead to 5-0 after plating a couple more runs in the third. Everything was working in their favor early. Guys were getting on base. Alleged “Red Sox Killer” JA Happ was bounced after 2+ innings. Chris Sale was dealing.
Then, Alex Cora decided to take his ace out in the top of the 6th, and it all (almost) went to hell.
I completely understand the logic behind pulling Sale. He wasn’t right all September, and the plan all season long has been to conserve the lanky lefty as much as possible. Sale also had allowed two hits already that inning, and had thrown 93 pitches (his highest total since July 27th).
On the flip side, Sale was nearly untouchable while he was in the game. His much scrutinized fastball velocity returned to the 94-96 mph range, after sitting in the low 90s during his final regular season start. His slider was in peak form, both in terms of break and placement:
Sale was charged with 2 runs in 5.1 innings, while striking out 8. All things considered, it was a great bounce back performance from his last postseason start. However, it wasn’t enough for Cora to trust him to work out of a 6th inning jam.
The Yankees immediately stormed back with Sale out, while Ryan Brasier and Brandon Workman took turns spiking curves 8 feet in front of home plate. To Workman’s credit, he did manage to stop the sixth inning bleeding with a BALLSY 3-2 hook to Gleyber Torres with the bases juiced.
Brandon Workman striking out Gleyber Torres with the bases loaded and a full count was HUGE pic.twitter.com/da5eYGwQtd
Cora stuck with Workman to start the 7th, and he promptly gave up a pair of singles to Andrew McCutchen and Aaron Judge. Enter Matt Barnes, who then walked Brett Gardner to load the bases.
Barnes eventually was able to slither out of trouble, allowing only one run to score on a fielder’s choice.
All of this is to say that things were so indescribably shaky that Cora felt the need to bring in former AL Cy Young Award winner and scheduled Game 3 starter Rick Porcello to bridge the gap to Craig Kimbrel. It worked – Porcello recorded two 8th inning outs on only 15 pitches to set up a 4-out save for Kimbrel. However, it was a move that reeked of desperation. Perhaps a more seasoned manager would not have pressed the Porcello panic button in Game 1. Either way, it goes to show that this Sox bullpen is clearly going to be a problem going forward this postseason.
Kimbrel was able to shut the door on this one, despite giving up a leadoff home run to Judge in the 9th. Outside of that, Kimbrel had his good stuff, including this obscene knuckle-curve to hand Giancarlo Stanton his Golden Sombrero:
Kimbrel mopped up Luke Voit with a 98 mph heater to end it, and give the Sox a white-knuckle playoff win. Phew.
Other Observations
David Price is on the hill tonight for the Sox. I feel better about him in a Game 2 at home than an elimination game in Yankee Stadium. That isn’t saying much.
The Red Sox bullpen wasn’t great (le duh). The bottom of the lineup, however, was even worse. Nunez, Kinsler, Leon and Bradley went a combined 1-13. Granted, the Sox have been top-heavy all season long. But it’s hard to feel great about their chances this month if the bottom half is going to be a collective zero.
It’s hard to fear Stanton after a 4 K effort at the plate. I am, however, terrified of Voit and Judge. Just wanted to update where my head is at.
Sandy Leon was the real MVP last night. He made block after block while the Red Sox middle relievers played “Who Can Bounce A Baseball Best?”. On a night where Ron Darling described Gary Sanchez as an “excellent” defensive catcher, it was nice to see Leon step up and show why he’s in the lineup.
All that being said, HUGE win in Game 1, to (somewhat) silence the doubters that this 108-win team would get steamrolled by their second-place rivals. We’re on to Game 2.
Brandon Workman has not had an easy major league career since making his MLB debut during the 2013 season. After a solid rookie campaign it seemed as if he had a secured spot in the Red Sox rotation. His second season did not go as well. In fifteen starts he had one win and ten losses. The Sox as a team struggled in 2014 and sent Workman down to get a look at their other prospects. He did not return to the majors until last season after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Last year, the right-hander proved to be an effective reliever, and since his recent recall that has not changed.
Workman’s Early Days
In 2013, Workman appeared in twenty games including three starts. The following season the Sox tried to make the righthander a starter, and he recorded a 5.17 ERA. He gave up fifty earned runs in eighty-seven innings of work. The 2014 campaign was a season that Workman was ready to turn the page on, and things only got worse in 2015. Workman began the season in Pawtucket, and after trying to put off surgery he had Tommy John, ruling him out for the rest of the season and all of 2016. He returned to the majors last year and reminded people of what they had missed.
Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images
Workman Makes His Return
When the Red Sox recalled Workman last year, many did not know what to expect. The right-hander was out to prove his doubters wrong, and did exactly that. In thirty appearances he recorded an ERA of 3.18. In thirty-nine innings, he struck out thirty-seven batters and held opponents to a 2.52 average. Before last year the lowest average he held batters to was .263. Workman did not make an appearance in the playoffs, but it was still his most effective season by far.
Photo Credit: AP Photo Michael Dwyer
What to Expect Going Forward
Workman did not begin the season on the Opening Day roster. The Red Sox recalled him on June 5th and he has been very effective. In five innings he has five strikeouts and has not allowed a run. How long Workman stays in Boston is unknown as he was recalled to fill in for an injured Drew Pomeranz. If he can keep pitching like he has, then it may be very hard to send him down once Pomeranz returns. For the Red Sox it is not the worst problem to have.
The regular season hasn’t begun yet, but new Red Sox manager Alex Cora is already making sweeping changes within the organization, specifically with the bullpen. Cora recently announced that he has considered the idea of going with an all-righty bullpen, which would be a major shift in the typical team-building philosophy. However, Cora’s unconventional thinking is exactly what Boston needs. The Red Sox don’t need a lefty reliever, and Cora should be credited for his outside thinking.
Lefty Relieve: The Boston Red Sox Don’t Necessarily Need It
The Current Bullpen
The top of the bullpen is set. The depth…not so much
Image credit: SI.com
Barring injury, three of the bullpen roster spots will belong to Craig Kimbrel, Carson Smith, Matt Barnes, and Joe Kelly. Assuming Tyler Thornberg won’t be ready for the regular season, that probably leaves three remaining spots in the bullpen.
The contestants for those spots are Heath Hembree, Brandon Workman, Robby Scott, Austin Maddox, and Brian Johnson. Of those five, Scott and Johnson are the only lefties. Johnson can be taken out of the equation, as injuries to Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez thrusted him into the starting rotation. Essentially, Scott is the only lefty option for the bullpen.
What Does Robby Scott Bring?
2017 was Scott’s first season consistently in the majors, and served as the teams primary lefty arm in the bullpen. Scott got plenty of playing time, appearing in 57 games and pitching 35.2 innings. While he’s only been in the majors one year, there’s plenty of data and tape to determine what kind of player Scott is.
On a positive note, Scott was highly effective against lefties. His sidearm delivery naturally works well against left handed hitters, and Scott was very reliable against left handed hitter. In 20.2 innings, Scott held lefties to a slash line of just .119/.224/.303.
On the negative side, Scott struggled mightily against righties. While his aforementioned sidearm motion made him a nightmare against lefties, righties ate his motion up. In 15 innings against righties, Scott gave up a far less impressive slash line of .241/.323/.494.
Basically, Scott showed that he has the potential to be a good lefty-only bullpen arm. While there’s certainly value in that type of player, he’s basically only good for one batter a game. The league has steadily evolved to the point where the bullpen is more important than it’s ever been. It’s not uncommon for the bullpen to be utilized the first second a starter starts to struggle, so teams need guys that can go longer in games than just one batter.
With that in mind, the Red Sox still need somebody that can consistently get lefties out. The top bullpen options, like Kimbrel and Smith, can get anybody out, but what of the other guys? Can any of Workman, Hembree, or Maddox consistently get lefties out if they need to?
The Non-Robby Scott Options
Could Austin Maddox be the bullpen’s secret weapon?
Image credit: WEEI
If Cora’s looking for a righty that can get lefties out, he may look towards Austin Maddox. Maddox, admittedly, has a very small sample size against lefties, but he has promise. Maddox only faced six innings worth of lefties last season, but he held said hitters to a .280/.280/.440 slash line. That’s pretty promising, especially considering he does his best work against righties.
Scott could only face one or two batters at a time, whereas Maddox could go as long as he needed to. Sending Scott to Pawtucket allows the major league bullpen to remain fresher, longer, and it might not cause a drastic drop off in performance against lefties.
Additionally, Cora has stated that he believes in putting his best pitchers in during the games biggest moment. In previous years, former manager John Farrell had always reserved his best bullpen arms for the very end of the game. While that’s great in theory, there’s no point having your best arms available late if you’ve already blown a lead.
Cora has already announced that he won’t shy away from using his best arms in the biggest moments. Perhaps, instead of turning to Robby Scott or Robby Ross Jr. to get a lefty out in the sixth, Cora will turn to Carson Smith. There’s enough talent in this bullpen for one of the other relievers to handle later innings, so Cora shouldn’t shy away from using his best arms when the game matters most.
What to Expect on Opening Day
At the end of the day, Scott will still probably end up on the Opening Day roster, and frankly, that’s probably the right move. Maddox has a very limited workload, and he should probably get more time to develop in Pawtucket. Chances are the three final bullpen spots will go to Hembree, Workman, and Scott.
However, the fact that Cora is looking at unconventional ways to make the best team possible is fantastic news for the Red Sox. The game of baseball is constantly evolving, and you can’t afford to fall behind the curve. The previous Red Sox administration relied too heavily on outdated thoughts and ideas, and it’s a breath of fresh air to see new, out of the box thinking.
The Red Sox face a roster crunch for the postseason. Many bullpen arms have stepped up down the stretch and pitching well in critical spots. Of course, not a bad problem to have. It does however beg the question, which ones will make the postseason team?
Bullpen Arms
Craig Kimbrel is obviously on the team as the closer. That’s the number-one bullpen spot. Addison Reed will no doubt set him up. Despite a couple hiccups with the Red Sox, Reed has pitched well since coming over. With reports that David Price will pitch out of the pen in the playoffs, that’s three automatic spots occupied. Price is intriguing out there. It’s been a long time since he shut the Red Sox down in the ALCS in his rookie season coming out of the pen. However, he doesn’t have to worry about lasting and can just rear back and throw. He could be an effective left-handed option for them in crucial spots. Price would also be available for multiple innings at times in big spots if innings are needed. As for the other options…
Matt Barnes has been with the team all year, leading with 66 appearances. He can be hit or miss though, and his 3.88 ERA is high compared to the teams other relievers. Is there a chance one of their most used relief pitchers over the last two seasons off the postseason roster? He does strike out a lot of players — 75 batters in 65 innings. He’s not very trustworthy though.
Heath Hembree has pitched for the Sox a lot this season, appearing in 60 contests as of this writing. Hembree has a decent 3.58 ERA, but his 1.46 WHIP is the worst of anyone with more than 20 appearances. He puts a lot of men on base, which would be awfully nerve-wracking in the playoffs. Hembree, like Barnes, strikes out more than a batter per inning.
Joe Kelly has to be on the roster. With his 2.68 ERA and .207 opponent average, I trust Kelly much more than I trust either Barnes or Hembree. His 100 mph heat can be overpowering and elicits a lot of weak contact.
Brandon Workman has been outstanding for the Sox since coming back from injury. He has worked 37.1 innings to a 2.41 ERA. He can work multiple innings if needed, and do so effectively, a key weapon to have in the postseason.
Carson Smith shows us all what we have been waiting for. Somehow fleecing the Mariners in acquiring Smith (and Elias) for Wade Miley, Smith hadn’t pitched in almost two seasons for the Sox until this month. In 2015 he struck out nearly 12 batters per nine innings and had a 2.31 ERA. This kid has an electric arm. Since returning, Smith has struck out five batters over 4.1 shutout innings. I’d want him on the roster.
Austin Maddox has come out of nowhere to throw his hat in the mix. A guy hardly anyone knew anything about not long ago, Maddox is a 26-year-old career minor leaguer. His career ERA in the minors is 4.27. He’s pitched better the further into his professional career he has gone, posting a sub 4.00 ERA each of the past three seasons. This year his ERA was below 3.00 combined between Portland and Pawtucket. Since joining the big club, Maddox has thrown 12.1 shutout innings! Very shocking. He has allowed only 10 base runners and struck out 10 batters.
For left handers, I have to think at least one other than Price will make it. We have two options. Robby Scott pitched great in a few appearances late last season. This year he has been a little up and down, but when you only face a couple batters a game at most, your ERA fluctuate wildly. Batters hit only .186 off of him and he has a 1.03 WHIP. Beyond that, lefties bat an anemic .131 versus Robby. His should only face a lefty in a big spot. Why wouldn’t you want someone that dominant versus them?
The other option is Fernando Abad. John Farrell can’t seem to get past the fact he stunk last year. Abad is 2-0 with a 2.98 ERA this season however, showing why Dombrowski acquired him to begin with. Abad has a much better ERA than Scott, but his peripherals aren’t as good, allowing more hits and putting more men on base. Also, he isn’t as effective at getting lefties out, which is what the Sox will need from their left hander in the pen.
If I were to pick, I would say Kimbrel, Reed, Price, Kelly, Workman, Smith and Scott. Could even choose to keep eight, with four starters instead of five it opens another roster spot. The 4th rotation spot seems to be up for grabs, but whoever loses out in that battle won’t make the playoff roster as a reliever.
The Cons
