Red Sox: Why Boston’s Pitching Will Be Their Downfall

After winning their fourth World Series since 2004, the Boston Red Sox entered the 2019 season with exuberant confidence. Why the team’s pitching might just be their downfall this season.

Entering last nights matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox pitching was 0-6 with a staggering 9.20 ERA. The beatings continued last night after 2016 AL Cy Young Rick Porcello served up 7 ER in just 4.2 innings of work, Sox pitching is now 0-7 with a 9.60 ERA.

Analysts and fans were worried about Sox pitching entering the 2019 season. However, it wasn’t the starters that people were concerned about, it was the relief pitching.

In all, so far this season Sox relievers have outpitched Sox starters. In fact, Red Sox relievers are responsible for the teams only 2-wins, sporting a 2-0 record with a 4.28 ERA. That’s exactly TWO more wins than the starting rotation and an ERA more than FIVE runs better.

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What’s worse, no Red Sox starter has an ERA under 6 and combined they have served up a league-worst 16 dingers while being worth a pathetic -1.5 fWAR.

So, what exactly is it about Red Sox starters that is resulting in such poor performance?

Well, with Chris Sale (0-2, 8.00 ERA, 9.61 FIP, 1.444 WHIP), like Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 8.10 ERA, 9.04 FIP, 1.800 WHIP), it seems to be a drastic increase in HRs that has resulted in such poor performance. Combined, Sale and Eovaldi have served up approximately a third of the team’s HRs. Together, Sale and Eovaldi have an atrocious 3.8 HR/9 rate.

With Eduardo Rodriguez (0-2, 12.38 ERA, 6.69 FIP, 2.75 WHIP) and Rick Porcello (0-2, 13.50 ERA, 9.00 FIP, 3.14 WHIP), their inability to keep runners off base has been their death knell. Combined, E-Rod and Porcello have served up a combined 32 Hs and 13 BBs. This results in a WHIP approaching 3 between the two – it’s 2.980 to be exact.

Then there’s David Price, who in just one start earned a loss in SIX innings of work. Tonight, however, in the second game against the D-Backs, Price is looking to right the ship not only for himself but for his team as well.

Currently, the Red Sox have the worst record in the AL East. They also have the worst run differential in baseball at -26.