Red Sox: End of 2018 BoSox Injection roundtable discussion
By Sean Penney
Who had the best pitching performance of the year?
Brendan: Nathan Eovaldi in Game 3 of the World Series. Eovaldi was set to start Game 4 but came in and threw 97 pitches and wouldn’t let AC take him out. It was a dominant heartfelt performance that solidified his spot in Red Sox Nation.
Rick: Rick Porcello‘s one-hit and one run complete game against the Yankees on August 3. That one hit was a home run by Miguel Andujar. How good was Porcello? The grand total was 86 pitches and 69 were for strikes. And it gets better. The game lasted just 2:15. And it gets still better! The next game, Eovaldi went eight innings of three-hit shutout ball, but the game staggered on for all of 2:33.
Josh: The best pitching effort of the year was clearly Eovaldi in that 18-inning slog against the Dodgers in the World Series. That performance will be talked about forever. Though he lost the game, he inspired the team and saved the bullpen from further damage. It was nothing less than heroic.
Robert: Porcello in the third game of the four-game sweep against the Yankees could go down as an all-timer. He gave up a solo homer to Andujar in the third inning, but that was it. No walks. No other hits. Nine strikeouts. 86 pitches. Against the Yankees, again, during an important series at the end of July. Porcello has always had it in him, but this was simply on another level.
Steve: Eovaldi’s performance in Game Three of the World Series is one people will be talking about for a long time. Not only did the game last 18 innings but Eovaldi pitched a gem. Cora sent Eovaldi to the mound for the third time in four days. In the seventh inning of relief, he was still throwing 98 MPH. Even though the Sox lost the game that pitching performance really brought that team together. They rallied around Eovaldi and supported him even though they lost.
Rudi: Porcello’s 0 ER pitching performance against New York, I think remains a strong contender. But in the postseason, Eovaldi’s World Series heroics stole the show.
Jason: I think it’s Porcello’s complete game 1-hitter against the Yankees with Eovaldi’s six innings of relief in World Series Game 3 as a close second. It was Porcello’s best start of the season and potentially of his career, pitching 9 innings with only 86 pitches. He gave up a home run early to Andujar, but that homer was the only run and only hit gotten off him as he retired 21 straight batters after it. He also struck out 9 while walking 0 batters.
Hunter: David Price’s Game Five start against the Houston Astros in the ALCS. It was the series-clinching game but meant so much more than that. Price went six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and no walks while striking out nine. There were definitely “better” starts this season. This was, however, the postseason start that finally got Price over the hump. His postseason struggles were highly documented before this, but he threw two strong starts and one relief appearance after this. Price no longer having the postseason struggles on his shoulders makes this the best pitching performance of the year.