Red Sox: Will Rick Porcello Make Blue Jays Hit Panic Button?

With the Boston Red Sox moving ahead in the American League East division, would facing Rick Porcello make the Toronto Blue Jays hit the panic button?

Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reported that “a 1-5 end to a nine-game road trip that started promisingly with two wins in Baltimore spread worry among portions of the uneasy [Blue Jays] faithful.” Although, Davidi also stated that “the Blue Jays remain very much in control of their own destiny, possessing the top wild card spot, although the walls are closing in there, too, with the Orioles just one game back, and the Detroit Tigers two off the pace.”

Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin, while also conceding that Boston’s starting pitchers have been very successful lately, had this to say about the Red Sox coming into Toronto: “Just play good baseball, man. It’s really simple. Go out there, score more runs than the other team, make the plays you need to make, make good pitches, have good at-bats.”

Yet, how likely is that going to happen tonight?

Porcello, the Red Sox starter this Friday, has had trouble with Toronto’s big three sluggers, but has a 2-0 record against the Blue Jays this season. Jose Bautista is hitting .375 and Edwin Encarnacion is hitting .393 against the 27-year-old righty, while Josh Donaldson is hitting .286. The three men have combined for seven home runs and 17 RBIs against Porcello in their careers. In fact, Porcello’s first game of the season had Bautista hitting two homers off of him, and Edwin did the same in the second time the Red Sox pitcher saw the Blue Jays. Both times, Toronto stretched out to an early lead but the Red Sox bats came alive and gave both victories to Porcello.

That was remnant of the old Porcello of 2015, the one who went 9-15 with a 4.92 ERA.

Sep 7, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) reacts after a called strike in the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /

Porcello had much to prove, especially after signing a contract extension in that same year for $82.5 million. In April, it didn’t seem like much changed. If anything, Porcello was thanking his lucky stars that the Red Sox bats were just that hot. He had a 5.11 ERA after seeing the Jays a second time, and much of Red Sox Nation were still on the fence about the pitcher their team traded for in a one-for-one deal that sent powerhouse punisher of pitches Yoenis Cespedes.

That’s all changed. Porcello has found his form when he was a member of the Detroit Tigers. He has earned a 19-3 record, the most wins in the majors, and has a 3.23 ERA. In his last 15 starts, Porcello is 12-1 with a 2.77 ERA and 11 walks to 81 strikeouts.

The last time that Porcello didn’t reach the sixth inning was in June. He’s been a workhorse for the Red Sox, going seven frames or more since July 29th. That’s the last eight starts. Much of that success has to do with the fact that his opposing batting average is much lower than last season, from .287 to .232. He’s kept the ball down, inducing more groundouts instead of trying to strike everyone out. Ironically, the strategy has also increased his strikeout total from last year, and the season isn’t even over yet.

Porcello still gives up the long ball, allowing 20 home runs compared to the 25 he coughed up in 2015. However, with not many extra base runners, the homers have been often solo-shots and have not damaged the ship too badly before a Red Sox comeback.