Boston Red Sox: A Plan for Long-Term Success

As of July 16, 2019, the Boston Red Sox sit 9 games back in the AL East and 2 back in the AL Wild Card. The issues include, but are not limited to their bullpen. Dave Dombrowski must heed this advice in order to give them a shot- albeit slim- at a repeat.

The Boston Red Sox have just traded for a depth starter in Andrew Cashner, who will help with the predicament, yet will not solve all of the problems. These problems are an overall middling team ERA, highlighted by a magnificently awful save percentage of 51.35% and 18 blown saves.

The only reason they are not sitting at last in the league at this point is due to the fact that the New York Mets have somehow found a way to be worse. One way Boston has decided to deal with their situation is to continuously tinker with their roster.

They have sent down the underperforming Ryan Brasier in favor of Darwinzon Hernandez, who has posted less than stellar numbers in the minors. Outside of Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree, the bullpen has been inconsistent in performance and consistent in their disappointment.

Recently Dave Dombrowski took to the media to try to motivate the starting rotation to pitch better. However, this completely ignores the fact that he has neglected the bullpen in the offseason. While it is almost certainly due to financial issues, some type of clever move was there to be had, either for a cheap contract or in the form of a trade.

Dombrowski and the previous regime had many a miss-allocation of team funds, therefore they must find a way around it. Pablo Sandoval and David Price both have not lived up to their sizeable contracts- too far different degrees admittedly- and thus the smart deadline moves can correct past mistakes.