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A deeper look into two surprising arms in the Red Sox bullpen

By Tom Balestracci

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 05: Members of the Boston Red Sox bullpen look on before the 2021 American League Wild Card game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on October 5, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 05: Members of the Boston Red Sox bullpen look on before the 2021 American League Wild Card game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on October 5, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /
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Red Sox RHP Garrett Whitlock
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 8: Garrett Whitlock #72 of the Boston Red Sox delivers during the sixth inning of the 2022 Major League Baseball Opening Day game against the New York Yankees on April 8, 2022 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) /

The Red Sox bullpen is above league average in key categories

The Boston Red Sox bullpen was projected to be in the middle of the pack of all major league teams. Statistically, what they have been able to do to start off the season has shown a slight improvement to that middle of the pack grading.

The Red Sox bullpen has done great in a number of key categories when grading against the league’s top relief pitching corps. They are above average in wins in relief with four, coming into games with runners already on base with 25, an average leverage index of 1.118, and the number of times a pitcher completed more than three outs with 13.

Categories in which they have been league average include converting three save opportunities and seven holds.

The Red Sox bullpen is below average in inherited score percentage and games entered with medium leverage.

All of this is to say that the Red Sox bullpen has done a fairly good job when called upon. They rank second in leverage index which means they are coming into games more than most teams when the pressure is on. The ability to get out of those jams with little damage is what is going to push the Red Sox to more wins throughout the season.

While Garrett Whitlock gets most of this hype, rightfully so the way he has been pitching, there are two other pitchers in this bullpen that could emerge as key contributors. They have shown in a small sample size what they could potentially do all season.

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