SEATTLE - Back in 2015 the Red Sox went into the season banking on their five starters - Rick Porcello, Clay Buchholz, Wade Miley, Justin Masteron and Joe Kelly - to evolve into the best versions of themselves. They were going to be the five aces.
And, for the first time through the rotation, it worked perfectly. They threw a combined 31 1/3 innings, managing a 2.30 ERA while striking out 34 and walking just nine. And, most importantly, the Red Sox won four of those five games.
The next time through the rotation? Not so good. The combined ERA ballooned to 10.50 ERA and suddenly the narrative was heading down a path it would take for the remainder of that season.
This feels different. This feels like it might have some lasting power.
The Red Sox headed out of Seattle having split their four-game series thanks to a 5-1 win over the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. And within the series finale victory was yet another dose of superb pitching, with starter Garrett Whitlock giving up just one run over five innings before giving way to the relief-pitching trio of Greg Weissert, Joely Rodriguez and Justin Slaten.
What Sunday's win did was punctuate a four games in which the Red Sox' went head-to-head with the perceived best pitching staff in the American League and emerged with the upper-hand. The plan put in place throughout the offseason and spring training has taken root in somewhat remarkable fashion.
Brayan Bello. Nick Pivetta. Kutter Crawford. Whitlock.
All approached doing what the Red Sox desperately need them to continue to do - become the best versions of themselves.
“We've been talking about these guys for a while,” Cora told reporters after the win regarding the collection of starters. “They're very talented. We’re going to miss Lucas (Giolito), but at the same time, these guys are getting a chance to perform and the first four have been solid.”
But it hasn't just been the starters. Three pitchers Craig Breslow identified in three separate trades - Isaiah Campbell, Weissert and Slaten - have all offered the appearance of reliable relievers with unique stuff.
In fact, the pitching package across the board has presented an out-of-the-ordinary appearance.
When asked during spring training what the biggest difference was between the previous pitching program and this current one, the participants pointed to an emphasis on more breaking balls. Sure enough. So far, no staff has thrown a higher percentage of breaking stuff - coming in at 54.7 percent - than the Red Sox. Conversely, the Yankees' pitchers have tossed breaking pitches just 27.7 percent of the time.
But it's not just that they are throwing stuff with spin, it's that they are getting outs with it. Only the Guardians have gotten more outs via breaking balls than the Red Sox, thus far, with Andrew Bailey's guys. They also have the third-highest strike percentage when throwing breaking balls, which is obviously part of the plan.
And when it comes to starting hitters off, the Red Sox are throwing four-seam or two-seam fastballs just 6.9 percent of the time, last in the big leagues.
It started in spring training - with the Red Sox carrying the majors' second-best ERA and fourth-best WHIP - and now it has carried over in somewhat remarkable fashion.
Other things are going right for the Red Sox, as well, as was evident with another Breslow acquisition, Tyler O'Neill, boosting his OPS to 1.538 with his second home run of the season.
But, make no mistake about it, the biggest takeaway from this first regular season glimpse is how Plan A has emerged for this team's pitching approach.
"It’s really big,” Whitlock told reporters. "We build off of each other. We're all there competing with each other and cheering each other on so it was huge to rally together. We’ll be behind Tanner tomorrow to just keep it going."