Red Sox looking for a pitcher to grab No. 5 starter role
By Sean Penney
In the time that it takes you to read this slide, there’s a good chance that Owens will have walked another batter.
An inability to find the strike zone is what has held Owens back from reaching the lofty potential we once saw in him. He was already given a shot in the rotation earlier this year, but in this three starts he walked a baffling 13 batters in only 12.1 innings. No wonder he owns a 5.11 ERA and failed to go deep into games.
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The results have been slightly better in Pawtucket, where he is 4-2 with a 3.86 ERA, while striking out nearly a batter per inning this season. The issue again comes back to the walks though. Owens has issued 30 free passes in only 44.1 innings, which isn’t a pace that can continue if he wants to make it back to the big leagues.
He’s still only 23 years old and has tantalizing talent, but he needs to prove he can harness it. Owens will certainly get another chance to pitch at the major league level again at some point, but two weeks may not be enough time for him to prove he has fixed his control issues.
Chances at being No. 5: Walking slowly back toward the majors
Next: Clay Buchholz