The hunt for October for the Red Sox needs a closer
Shall we run the closer numbers for the 2022 Boston Red Sox? The traditional numbers show a total of 39 saves and 27 blown saves. Indeed, this is a disappointing statistic based on the results of 2004 (36/13), 2007 (45/11), and 2018 (46/20), but in a similar niche to 2013 (33/24).
The position needed serious stability, which became a theme as the season started its slow death roll to last place. Social media, traditional media, and anyone interested in the Red Sox realized the obvious.
When Matt Barnes decided to crash and burn in the second half of 2021, he continued down the path in 2022, forcing manager Alex Cora to get creative. A lifeline was discovered in the sometimes starter and sometimes relief operation in Tanner Houck. Houck soon joined that long line that punched their ticket to the IL.
So who in house can take the ball in 2023? Should or can the team avoid tossing part of a sudden abundance of cash to a free agent? Make a dramatic trade? I’ll slim this down to the most obvious.