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Red Sox starting pitching candidates for potential six-man rotation

By Joseph Scurto

FT. MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox high fives Nathan Eovaldi #17 and Darwinzon Hernandez #63 during a team workout on February 20, 2020 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
FT. MYERS, FL - FEBRUARY 20: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox high fives Nathan Eovaldi #17 and Darwinzon Hernandez #63 during a team workout on February 20, 2020 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 18: Martin Perez #54 of the Boston Red Sox reacts during the sixth inning of a game against the New York Yankees on September 18, 2020 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 18: Martin Perez #54 of the Boston Red Sox reacts during the sixth inning of a game against the New York Yankees on September 18, 2020 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. The 2020 season had been postponed since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /

Red Sox starter Martin Perez

Perez day is back and is set to be a reoccurring event held at Fenway Park in 2021. In the offseason, the Red Sox re-signed Martin Perez to pitch in Boston for at least one more season. You could make the argument that someone like Jake Odorizzi would have been the better option but Perez was one of the few starters in this rotation that has durability and does not have so many question marks. Odorizzi would have just been another injury liability added to the mix.

Perez’s numbers are not known to be anything special but he is the definition of an innings-eater which makes him valuable as the fourth starter in the rotation. He led the team in innings pitched a year ago with 62 and had a record of 3-5 with a 4.50 ERA striking out 46 and walking 28. Again, nothing to brag about but when you have a below-average bullpen it makes a large difference.

Being the team’s fourth starter could improve his performance even more rather than being a number 2 like he was last season and being so dependent on. He is a perfect middle-of-the-rotation type of pitcher and can keep you in games and that bodes well when you have a lineup that can score with the best of them.

Expect him to put up similar numbers he had last year and to continue to pitch deep into games and allowing the bullpen to stay fresh. Get ready for a lot of Perez days this season because he will play a vital role in the team’s success. It is encouraging that you know what you will get out of Perez and he should be able to hold his own.

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