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Red Sox Review: Evaluating the first third of the 2018 season

By Rick McNair

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 05: Members of the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays stand for the national anthem before the Red Sox home opening game at Fenway Park on April 5, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 05: Members of the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays stand for the national anthem before the Red Sox home opening game at Fenway Park on April 5, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 06: Craig Kimbrel #46 of the Boston Red Sox stands on the pitcher’s mound in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros during game two of the American League Division Series at Minute Maid Park on October 6, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 06: Craig Kimbrel #46 of the Boston Red Sox stands on the pitcher’s mound in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros during game two of the American League Division Series at Minute Maid Park on October 6, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

Pitching – Bullpen

My mind is made up so don’t confuse me with facts. That innocuous statement applies to the Red Sox bullpen and how perception can fog over reality since fans have a tendency to focus on meltdowns and bypass the long stretches of statistical accomplishments.

The Red Sox are just behind the Astros with a 3.17 ERA and third with a 3.26 FIP.  Despite Craig Kimbrel’s sudden propensity for allowing home runs the Red Sox are rather stingy with a league-best 0.81 HR/9. And walks?  Those very painful kidney stones of pitching. Just a 3.08 BB/9. Second best.

The bullpen for Red Sox fans is often viewed as spending an evening with Tomas de Torquemada, but there is a reality – this is a very good bullpen. The blown saves? Just five for the season or one less than the AL-leading Athletics. If holds are a statistic you cherish the Red Sox are second with 38.

I can cherry pick numbers and the fact is simple – the bullpen is reliable, very good, and balanced. For shock value is Joe Kelly who suddenly has decided that this would be a most opportune time to take advantage of his impending free agency by being unhittable. And Matt Barnes is under the radar as his ERA is getting skinny. Maybe Heath Hembree will decide to match Barnes?

Carson Smith was back after an almost two-year hiatus and was showing why the Red Sox corralled him in trade. Then it happened and Smith may be gone – again. And Tyler Thornburg remains a health mystery. If’s are unpleasant since you cannot have a certainty with them. “If” Smith and Thornburg were 100% this would be the best ‘pen in baseball, but maybe that would have excluded the advancement of Kelly and Barnes?

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