It took Hansel Robles 17 minutes to throw 23 pitches and escape from a bases loaded jam in a rollercoaster sixth inning for the Red Sox in their ho-hum loss to the Rays Monday.
Dennis Eckersley’s rollercoaster of emotions in the NESN booth matched the performance.
Robles has been an enigma since the Red Sox acquired him last month, alternating between roles as a human arsonist and heart attack stopper. His outings over the last 10 days encapsulate the dichotomy: a clean ninth-inning one day and five-run implosion the next; surrendering a key run to the Indians in their comeback effort and then getting out of torturous inning without allowing an earned run.
With Matt Barnes temporarily on the shelf due to Covid-19 protocols — along with seemingly the rest of the team — Robles’ role in the bullpen should become even bigger.
Buckle up your seatbelt.
Robles’ start to the sixth Monday was strange. Instead of featuring his upper-90s fastball, he relied on an array of breaking balls that seldom crossed the plate. He threw an 0-2 changeup to Mike Zunino before walking him and sent Brandon Lowe to first on four straight pitches — not featuring a single fastball. The sequence propelled Alex Cora to start warming Raynel Espinal, and Eckerlsey to sound the verbal alarm bell.
“It’s kind of alarming — for a guy who can bring it,” he said incredulously.
After Kevin Kiermaier scored on an error from Rafael Devers, Robles found himself in another full count, this time with Wander Franco at the plate. Once again, Robles was missing with changeups.
“[These are] some of the strangest sequences,” Eckersley said. “I don’t know why he wants to throw so many off speed pitches.”
Finally, Robles retired Franco on a fly out. “Three-and-two just to stay in shape,” Eckersley added.
It seemingly took Robles several minutes to throw his first offering to the next batter, Austin Meadows.
“There’s no hurry. He’s never in a hurry,” Eckersley said in an annoyed tone.
Then Robles’ fortunes changed: He fanned Meadows on a 97 mph heater and struck out Yandy Diaz on a slider.
"Boy Robles, he goes to a different drummer, doesn't he?," Eckersley said. "He does his own thing. That cat is out there."
Indeed. Welcome to the Hansel Robles show. August was quite the opening act, and now we’ll see what September brings. The possibilities are cringeworthy and exciting.