Red Sox trade deadline bullpen upgrades proving valuable down the stretch
By Sean Penney
The Red Sox found a lights-out lefty
Davis hasn’t allowed a run through 3 2/3 innings spread over six appearances this month. He’s allowed only three hits and two walks while striking out three. This isn’t a case of putting up results in mop-up duty either, as Davis has appeared in three games this month that were ultimately decided by one run and he’s been credited with a pair of holds.
The key to unlocking Davis has been figuring out the opportune spots to utilize him in. The lefty has been abused by right-handed hitters this year but he’s been lights-out against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .130 average and .515 OPS.
MLB’s “three batter” rule has eliminated the lefty specialist role but the Red Sox can still be creative to put Davis in a position to succeed. Relievers aren’t required to face three batters if they make it to the end of the inning, which is why Davis hasn’t faced more than a batter or two in most of his recent appearances and hasn’t pitched a full inning in nearly a month.
Tuesday night against the Mets, Ryan Brasier bailed starter Eduardo Rodriguez out of a jam by retiring the final two batters of the fifth inning. Brasier was sent back out to begin the sixth to face a right-handed hitter. Manager Alex Cora then handed the ball to Davis for the next three batters, which included left-handers Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith. The lefty gave up a two-out single to the right-handed Kevin Pillar before retiring Smith to finish the inning unscathed.
Boston needs to be careful about when they use him but Big Fudge gives Cora another option to shut down left-handed threats alongside Josh Taylor and Darwinzon Hernandez.