Anthony Ranaudo has made three starts with the Red Sox this season but they have rather sporadic; thus far, he has made starts on August 1st, 13th, and 29th. However, with the roster flexibility of September call-ups, the Red Sox will be able to keep Ranaudo in the rotation for the duration of the season and reports indicate that they full intend to do so.
Ranaudo hasn’t been spectacular by any stretch through his first three starts, as he currently holds a 4.50 ERA and 7:8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 18.0 innings pitched. However, he was phenomenal in Triple-A this season, as he won the International League’s Most Valuable Pitcher award by going 14-4 with a 2.61 ERA in 138.0 innings for the PawSox. While it’s unreasonable to expect he can continue that performance in Boston, the Red Sox will hope that a four to five-start sample will help give them a better idea as to how Ranaudo can contribute to the team next season.
SoxProspects ranks Ranaudo as ninth-best prospect in the Red Sox stacked farm system while MLB.com ranks him fifth. Either way, there’s a lot to like about Ranaudo, starting with his size. Ranaudo stands at 6’7″ and 230 pounds and, as is to be expected, throws a power fastball, which sits in the low-to-mid 90’s and can top out around 96 mph. He also throws an excellent curve, but there are concerns over both the development of his change and his fastball control. Regardless, this last month of the season will give the Red Sox a chance to determine if Ranaudo can start next season in their rotation.