Boston Red Sox: Grading the team after their fast 2021 start
By Rick McNair
Red Sox have two standouts leading the ‘pen
The Boston bullpen is ranked behind the Yankees with a 1.7 fWAR that is certainly skewered by Matt Barnes. Barnes is perfect in saves and will give you high heat or a knee-buckling “Uncle Charlie” curveball. The free agent to be will get a pile of money.
Josh Taylor (11.3%), Darwinzon Hernandez (18.6%), Adam Ottavino (16.2%), and Austin Brice (11.1%). That is all BB%! Walks just kill, especially leadoff walks which is now the specialty of each. Best on the relief corps? Garrett Whitlock at 3%.
Whitlock has been the surprise so far on the staff. A steal from the Yankees via Rule 5 makes it even more delicious. A bullpen second best 90.9 LOB%. Whitlock does it with a fastball and killer change that have a 13 MPH difference.
Next to Barnes, the top heater belongs to Hirokazu Sawamura. Sawamura has a 97.2 LOB% and that stat is generally muted by just what the conditions are when you come into the game. A 42.5 Hard Hit% is not enticing for anyone unless they are a hitter.
Itinerant righty Phillips Valdez is proving 2020 was no fluke. Since I am in a loop on hard-hit percent Valdez has a team-low 17.1%. I am more comfortable seeing Valdez enter a game than Ottavino.
Matt Andriese is as advertised A bullpen version of Pivetta. A solid veteran who can dice out multiple innings or even get a start. After Barnes and Whitlock this crew slides down appreciably.
GRADE B-