Disproving Boston Red Sox fans’ most foolish complaints

Red Sox bullpen sucks!

Bullpens are a lot like NFL kickers. When kickers hit a field goal, nobody celebrates them. After all, that’s what they’re supposed to do. Yet when they miss a field goal of any variety, they get flamed on every social media outlet imaginable.

The same is true with bullpen. What is the first thing you think of when I say “2022 Red Sox bullpen?” It’s not John Schreiber carving up righties, or Tanner Houck making people look silly, or Matt Strahm’s run of dominance. It’s Hansel Robles hanging sliders, or Matt Barnes getting rocked, or Ryan Braiser watching a ball sail over the fence.

As fans, it’s natural to remember the bad times more vividly than the good. However, it should be noted that there have been a lot of good,  and the good has come from the teams most important relievers. The bad, meanwhile, has come from relievers who are not going to see the field come October. Said relievers are only getting innings these days because of injuries to relievers like Garrett Whitlock and Josh Taylor.

The returns of those pitchers, along with the inevitable additions at the trade deadline, will push the troublemakers of the relief corps to the curb. If everything goes to plan, Robles, Barnes, and Braiser, who have combined to blow 10 saves already this season, won’t be throwing meaningful innings down the stretch.

Look, no amount of bullpen success will ever be enough for a Red Sox fan. But just look at this potential post-deadline bullpen:

Tanner Houck                                                                                                                                                          Garrett Whitlock                                                                                                                                                            John Schreiber                                                                                                                                                                Matt Strahm                                                                                                                                                                  Jake Diekman                                                                                                                                                                  Josh Taylor                                                                                                                                                                      Hirokazu Sawamura                                                                                                                                                    (Trade Deadline Acquisition)

There’s not one liability on that list. So if I can, I urge Red Sox fans to be just a little but patient. The makings of a great bullpen are there, and it should arrive within the month.