After dropping the weekend series to the Los Angeles Dodgers and with their playoff hopes dwindling, the Red Sox entered Monday night’s series opener with the Astros in a must-win situation.
The Sox turned to Chris Sale, one of the acquisitions from their “mini trade deadline,” with the hope of kicking off this critical series with a win. Instead, the blows kept coming for the Red Sox.
Sale pitched just 4.2 innings as the Red Sox struggled to find length from a starting pitcher yet again. Through 26 games in August, Red Sox starters have thrown at least six innings just six times, with four of those coming courtesy of Brayan Bello. The lack of length from their starters is a driving factor behind their 13-13 record this month.
With many of Boston’s high-leverage and bulk relievers unavailable due to the extensive workload as of late, Alex Cora had no choice but to turn Kyle Barraclough, who was recalled from Triple-A Worcester earlier in the day. Barraclough had made two appearances for the Red Sox this season before Monday night, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing just one earned run.
Though he had been pitching well in Triple-A, Barraclough isn’t the guy the Red Sox would like to have to use in a high-leverage spot, in a must-win series, against a team they are chasing for a Wild Card spot.
But that’s where they are.
Barraclough entered the game in the top of the fifth and worked around a jam with runners on the corners, getting Chas McCormick to ground out, but the wheels fell off quickly.
After the red-hot Adam Duvall put the Red Sox back on top in the bottom of the fifth with a go-ahead two-run homerun, Boston sent Barraclough back out for the top of the sixth.
The 33-year-old surrendered six runs in the frame, allowing nine baserunners, tied for the second-most by a Red Sox reliever in franchise history.
The worn-out bullpen, paired with the inability to find length from their starters, caught up to the Red Sox, and unfortunately for Barraclough, he was the one who had to wear it, as Cora would ride him for the remainder of the game.
“It’s awful,” Cora said when asked how he feels about having to leave Barraclough in the game.
“I feel bad,” the manager added.
Barraclough finished the night throwing 94 pitches, which topped his previous career-high of 92.
Monday night’s meltdown all goes back to the trade deadline. Pitching was a necessity at the trade deadline, but the front office stood pat, and now they are paying the price. Aside from the embarrassment on the field, it’s putting players (like Barraclough) in an uncomfortable situation, and the same goes for Cora.
After receiving a harsh reminder of the mistake they made in trading Mookie Betts over the weekend, things didn’t get easier for the front office on Monday night, as they were reminded of how badly they mismanaged the trade deadline.
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