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Boston Red Sox: Top five starting pitchers of this decade

By Rudi Richards

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 28: Christian Vazquez #7 jumps into the arms of Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox to celebrate their 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Five to win the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 28: Christian Vazquez #7 jumps into the arms of Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox to celebrate their 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Five to win the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – JUNE 23: Rick Porcello #22 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on June 23, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 23: Rick Porcello #22 of the Boston Red Sox pitches in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on June 23, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) /

2. Rick Porcello (2016)

Right now, Rick Porcello is an unrestricted free agent. After five years with the Red Sox his contract ran out this offseason, and with the new front office looking to make cuts to the payroll it looks as though Rick’s time in Boston has sadly come to an end.

He has, however, given a lot to this franchise. He’s been an integral part to this team’s success over the last few years, and was a key player in bringing the ninth World Series title home to Fenway Park, recording 17 wins that season.

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Individually speaking, Porcello’s 2016 season was by far and away his greatest pitching season over his time in Boston, over his entire career and probably one of the best in recent franchise memory. Rick’s 22-win season made him the fourth Red Sox pitcher of all time to win the Cy Young award.

During that season, Porcello pitched 223 innings over 33 starts, which included three complete games. 26 of Porcello’s 33 starts were deemed as quality starts – which tied for the league lead with his former Detroit teammate Justin Verlander, which shows what kind of company he was in. If you look up single-season pitching records in franchise history, Porcello’s 2016 season will come up numerous times under many different statistical categories. It really was that good of a year.

Although the 2016 season ended in terrible fashion, as Boston got swept by the Indians in the ALDS, it remains a very notable season in recent memory as it’s one of the most impressive individual years that you’re going to see from a pitcher. Porcello’s time in Boston will definitely be remembered as positive. Winning a Cy Young award and a World Series championship isn’t too bad.

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