Red Sox: Bullpen remains elite despite meltdown in Kansas City
By Daniel Riggs
One of the most concerning aspects coming into the season for the Boston Red Sox was the bullpen. That has certainly changed.
The Boston Red Sox entered 2017 as AL East favorites because of a stellar looking starting rotation and a lineup that returned essentially all but one starter from last year’s high-powered offense. Through this point, however, the Red Sox have been anchored by a fantastic bullpen that has saved an often sub-par rotation and a lineup that is just 14th in the majors in runs scored.
Wednesday afternoon’s meltdown in Kansas City certainly isn’t the best example, yet one game should not diminish what Boston’s bullpen has been doing this season. The Red Sox bullpen is tied for fourth in the American League with a collective 3.7 WAR. That is a stat that you can feel as you watch this team, because the bullpen has saved so many poor starting pitching performances.
Last week, the Red Sox demonstrated for three specific nights in a row in a row that Boston has been blessed with a better-than-anticipated bullpen. Last Wednesday, Brian Johnson left the game in the third inning after giving up three runs and experiencing shoulder discomfort. After that, the bullpen provided 6+ innings of scoreless relief for the third night in a row.
Last Tuesday night’s six inning scoreless stint from the Boston bullpen mirrored Monday’s six innings of scoreless relief. The starters of those games, Rick Porcello and David Price, gave up 5 and 3 runs respectively. Both games entered extra innings, and superb pitching from the bullpen is what allowed the Red Sox to walk-off the Philadelphia Phillies two nights in a row.
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The Boston bullpen was supposed to be one of the weaker units on the team. This was not for lack of effort, as Dave Dombrowski had traded for Carson Smith and Tyler Thornburg— both stellar relievers with their previous teams– and both had experienced arm/shoulder injuries.
Other rising stars have yet to be celebrated. Robby Scott, a rookie, has been an incredibly effective lefty specialist this year– even in high leverage situations. Blaine Boyer has been a pleasantly effective bullpen arm as well.
Then, of course, there is Craig Kimbrel. Kimbrel is having one of the best years of his already illustrious career. With a 0.85 ERA so far this year, Kimbrel has 20 saves and only one blown save opportunity. Kimbrel has consistently slammed the door on opponents this year. Best of all, he has whittled himself a 0.44 WHIP, showing that his command problems have dissolved.
The most exciting part of this is the opportunity to get even better. Carson Smith is attempting a comeback from a plague of injuries.
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If Smith comes back and is close to his form with the Seattle Mariners, the Red Sox will surely have one of– if not the best– bullpens in the league.