Red Sox: 3 pitchers deserving of their first career All-Star selections
Could these Red Sox pitchers be heading to their first All-Star Game?
While the Red Sox have a chance to send at least four position players to next month’s All-Star Game, manager Alex Cora would like to see some of his team’s pitchers make the trip to Colorado as well.
Shortstop Xander Bogaerts, third baseman Rafael Devers, designated hitter J.D. Martinez, and outfielder Alex Verdugo were all announced as finalists to start the All-Star Game for the American League over the weekend.
Voting for All-Star starters at all eight defensive positions in both leagues plus the designated hitter spot in the American League is left in the hands of the fans while voting for position player reserves and pitchers is determined “through a combination of Player Ballot choices and selections made by the Commissioner’s Office,” per MLB.com.
Having said that, Cora — who is appreciative of how fans have recognized the likes of Bogaerts, Devers, Martinez, and Verdugo thus far — is hopeful that the players and league officials who help fill out both All-Star rosters will show some love to Red Sox pitchers as well.
“Hopefully the four of them and then obviously, on the pitching side, we can get a few there, too,” Cora said Monday (as transcribed by NESN.com). “It’s a great recognition.”
With that thought from Cora in mind, here are three Red Sox pitchers who could very well be vying to make their first All-Star teams between now and the time All-Star rosters for both leagues are announced on Sunday, July 4.
Red Sox closer Matt Barnes
As the Red Sox’s surefire closer, Matt Barnes is an obvious candidate here.
Coming into play on Tuesday, the flame-throwing right-hander has posted a 2.73 ERA, and a .491 OPS against to go along with 54 strikeouts to just nine walks through his first 33 relief appearances (33 innings pitched) of the 2021 season. He has also converted 17 of a possible 20 save opportunities.
Among qualified American League relievers, Barnes ranks second in saves, third in strikeouts, first in strikeout percentage (43.9%), fourth in batting average against (.167), third in FIP (1.87), second in xFIP (2.08), second in SIERA (1.76), and first in fWAR (1.6), per FanGraphs.
The 31-year-old fireballer has done all this while ranking in the 99th percentile in expected weighted on-base average, the 99th percentile in expected ERA, the 99th percentile in expected batting average, the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage, the 99th percentile in strikeout percentage, the 95th percentile in whiff percentage, and the 92nd percentile in chase rate, according to Baseball Savant.
To put it simply, Barnes has to this point put together a season worthy of All-Star consideration. Expect him to earn that honor for the first time in his big-league career this coming weekend.
Red Sox reliever Josh Taylor
For how poorly of a start he got his 2021 season off to, Josh Taylor has quietly become the Red Sox’s most valuable left-handed reliever thanks in part to stringing together 23 consecutive scoreless appearances out of the Boston bullpen dating back to April 30.
Over that sizable stretch of games, the southpaw has produced a 0.00 ERA, a .420 OPS against, and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 24:7 in his last 18 1/3 innings of work.
Among 22 left-handed relievers in the American League who have tossed at least 18 innings since April 30, Taylor ranks first in ERA, first in hits given up (nine), 15th in strikeouts, first in batting average against (.145), first in on-base percentage against (.243), first in slugging percentage against (.177), first in weighted on-base average against (.196) fourth in strikeout percentage (34.3%), first in FIP (1.84), and seventh in xFIP (3.18), per FanGraphs.
While Taylor’s usage may not match that of other relievers on this list of 22, the 28-year-old has certainly emerged as one of the most dominant left-handed relief options in baseball and has clearly become one of Cora’s most trusted weapons out of the Sox bullpen.
For that, he should garner at least some All-Star consideration, especially considering where he stood at this point two months ago.
Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi
Last but not least, it’s only right to include the Red Sox’s most valuable starter on this list, and that is Nathan Eovaldi.
On the surface, some of Eovaldi’s numbers so far this season (3.67 ERA, 1.24 WHIP) may not necessarily jump off the page, but you can make the case that the right-hander has been one of, if not the most consistent starting pitcher in Boston’s rotation.
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79 games into the 2021 campaign, six different hurlers have made at least one start for the Sox. Among them, Eovaldi — who has made 16 starts — ranks first in innings pitched (90 2/3), first in wins (eight), first in ERA, second in expected ERA (3.61), first in FIP (2.63), third in xFIP (3.55), first in win probability added (1.11), and first in fWAR (2.8), according to FanGraphs.
Additionally, Eovaldi has only allowed a total of four home runs in his 90 2/3 innings on the mound, making him one of the toughest right-handed starters in the American League to go deep off of.
With Chris Sale still on the road back from Tommy John surgery and Eduardo Rodriguez falling victim to a healthy amount of poor luck so far this year, Eovaldi has essentially become the de-facto ace of Cora’s starting rotation.
Next. Red Sox 2021 All-Star ballot finalists who deserve to start. dark
Because of this, the fiery 31-year-old deserves some recognition and what better way to do that than have the players and those in the Commissioner’s office send him to his first career All-Star Game in a few weeks?