Well, That Sucked, Part 20
Sox bats fall asleep against Atlanta
There’s really two ways yesterday’s game could’ve gone after the Red Sox got one run combined out of a bases loaded no outs situation in the first inning and a first and third no outs situation in the second. Either the Red Sox kept getting base runners and eventually broke through, scored a ton of runs, and won 11-2, or they never saw another chance after that and lost 3-1. As it turned out, it was the second option.
Alex Cora brought back his actual lineup but it didn’t end up mattering much. Alex Verdugo, Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, and J.D. Martinez combined to go 1-for-13 with a single and two walks in the middle of the lineup because they read yesterday’s Sox Outsider and they wanted to make me look stupid. Mission accomplished, my dudes. Thanks for that.
The rest of the lineup was equally limp, though you probably didn’t need to read that to know. In fairness, the majority of the blame for that can be laid at the feet of Charlie Morton. Morton came into the game with a surprisingly-high-to-me ERA of 4.60. Also surprising was that he pitched like it in the first few innings. He walked guys, he hit Devers with the bases loaded, he gave up hits, and his defense let him down as well. The results could’ve been ugly, and in fact they were ugly, but the score never got there because the Red Sox let him off the hook twice, striking out in big moments and grounding into double plays to end both innings. At that point you kinda knew he’d get himself together and he did. After that it was lights out for Boston.
So yeah. That sucked. Losing sucks. Aren’t you glad you subscribe to this newsletter?
But there is always a bright side if you look hard enough, so let’s see if we can find one...
Despite not having his best stuff, Garrett Richards toughed through what is a surprisingly difficult lineup. He gave up all three runs technically, but one of them was a base runner who scored when Hirokazu Sawamura, who had relieved Richards mid-inning, gave up a double to Ronald Acuna. For the most part Richards was effective, though he did give up a good amount of hard contact. Ronald Acuna alone had three hits over 100 mph, only one of which went for a hit.
Hard contact or not though, the results were good, and this continued a string of at least serviceable pitching by Richards. If you exclude his first start of the season (no real reason you should, but go with me here), the one in which he gave up seven runs in two innings, he’s pitched to a 2.77 ERA on the season. Even with that horrifi-start, the ERA is only a run higher. Richards has shown that he’s a good starting pitcher, and has been well worth the money he received in the off-season so far. In fact, he’s looking like a good bet to have his $10 million club option picked up next season, though there’s lots of time left before that decision has to be made.
The other Garrett, Garrett Whitlock, also pitched last night. He threw his customary two innings, with two strikeouts and no walks. His only blemish was a double by Freddie Freeman, who he stranded at second. Whitlock has been fantastic, needless to say. His innings last night didn’t end up altering the outcome of the game, but they very easily could have. Atlanta’s bullpen has been middle-of-the-road this season, certainly not the shutdown pen that would… uh, shut down this Red Sox offense. Whitlock worked his way through the back and then the front of the Braves lineup, keeping them scoreless in the process. The Red Sox offense had two shots at the Braves pen and while they did nothing with them, they were kept in the game thanks to Whitlock’s pitching.
There isn’t much else from that game worth crowing over. The Yankees and Rays both lost so the Red Sox are still only a half game out of first place, so that’s nice, I guess.
Beyond all that, Chris Sale is making strides in his recovery from both COVID-19 and Tommy John surgery. Reportedly he’s throwing off a mound and feeling “like a pitcher again” which is fortuitous because that’s exactly what the Red Sox need him to be. Where he slots into the rotation right now isn’t important as there is still at least a month if not more before he could be able to help the major league club. That leaves tons of time for the constant churn of the major league season to alter the Red Sox roster. In other words, make those choices when necessary, but for now, a great pitcher is on his way back to health and that can only be good news.
One more against the Braves today before another day off and then a gauntlet run of Miami, Houston, the Yankees, the Astros again, Toronto, and the Braves again. Then it’s three against the floundering Royals before six against the Rays and Yankees. Yeesh.
Thanks for reading, everybody.