The Boston Red Sox bullpen showed up big in their win on Thursday, but with a major series with Tampa starting on Friday was it worth using so many arms?
The Red Sox are rolling and things are looking good in Beantown right now. They’re the proud owners of a 4-game winning streak and have been able to knock off 3 games in as many days from their deficit. Thursday didn’t offer an easy victory to Boston though as they had to eat through their bullpen to achieve it.
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Ryan Weber was pegged to man the mound for Boston in the series finale with Kansas City and unfortunately for the Sox, he didn’t last very long. Going just 1 1/3 innings Thursday afternoon Weber would give up 5 hits and 2-runs while only striking out a single batter. Not the start that Alex Cora was hoping to get from the righty.
A day after Chris Sale had one of the best outings in his Red Sox career the pitching was far from what we witnessed on Wednesday. Cora would have to call on six more pitchers to finally get the “W” against KC. Colten Brewer, Marcus Walden, Josh Taylor, Ryan Brasier, Heath Hembree, and Matt Barnes all get work in against the Royals.
Seven pitchers in total were used by the Red Sox on Thursday all with varying levels of effectiveness. It’s great to get the win and to keep the charge towards the top of the division going but what was the cost? The Sox kick off a 4-game series against the Rays this evening with two of those games coming in a doubleheader tomorrow.
Rick Porcello will be on the mound tonight which usually means the Red Sox shouldn’t have to dip into the bullpen too much. Hopefully, Porcello will mirror more of Sale and less of Weber tonight and Cora will get to rest the majority of his pen for tomorrow.
This series against Tampa could be the opportunity that the Sox are looking for as far as returning to the standard that they put forth last season. The Rays are currently in second place and a series win could mean a world of difference for Boston. But with much of their platoon depleted yesterday, will they have the energy and strength to pull it off?
The short answer is yes. Cora may have used his big bullpen arms but none of them went too long in the game to the point I’d be too worried. But with pitchers, it could be a quick inning and it can still throw their bodies off. They still have to warm up and then go out and perform. So even a quick day at the office can have repercussions.
But then we look at the other side of the coin and the fact that this isn’t a normal series. If it were four games in four days I wouldn’t have a shred of worry, but it isn’t. The doubleheader tomorrow does make me a tad nervous since the Sox will absolutely have to dip into the pen at some point. And what if Porcello doesn’t have his top stuff tonight and gets bounced early? Yesterday may have more lasting effects than we think just looking at the surface.
Based on how everyone pitched yesterday it wasn’t ideal to leave any single pitcher in for longer than they needed to be, it just wasn’t that type of day. It didn’t feel like anyone was fully electric from start to finish. Brewer got the longest shift at 2IP and he was one of three pitchers along with Brasier and Hembree that didn’t give up a score.
There are some nights where we’ve seen the bullpen put on stellar performances but yesterday I didn’t have that confidence so I understand why Cora kept cycling through his arms. Everything starts and ends with Porcello tonight though as a good outing from Ricky Raindrops could mean a night off for much of the pen.
This series with the Rays could be the spark that the Red Sox need in order to turn this season around. Yes, it’s only June, but if the Sox can end this weekend right behind the Yankees then we’ve got ourselves a brand new season. Cora and Boston will need the starters and bullpen to be on point as it’s going to take a full squad effort to topple Tampa.