The Red Sox have the best record in baseball at 68-30, remain ahead of the Yankees by 4.5 games in the American League East, and have had the best first half of the 2018 season imaginable.
But as good as the team has played thus far, the question remains as to whether or not Boston can exorcise the playoff demons of the past two seasons and avoid a first-round exit in the postseason.
A thin starting rotation got even thinner this weekend when Eduardo Rodriguez twisted his right ankle that has "serious damage" according to Red Sox manager Alex Cora. Cora said Rodriguez will be in a boot for two weeks before the team reassesses his situation, with the hope Rodriguez can pitch again before season's end.
There was some discussion last week on Ordway, Merloni & Fauria hoping David Price could possibly pitch out of the bullpen come the postseason, and avoid pitching on the biggest stage when lights are shining the brightest as a starter. Price has been maligned during his time with the Red Sox courtesy of his 0-5 record and 10.44 earned run average against the Yankees, and his disastrous lone postseason start against the Indians in 2016 (five earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings in a 6-0 defeat.)
After praising Boston's historic start to the season, host Glenn Ordway is still concerned about how the Sox will perform in October.
"I'm going to sit here and tell you I feel good about them when we get into October?" he asked. "And now I watch E-Rod go down over the weekend, he's one of those starters you're depending on. Now you're going down that ladder. We looked at it before and said, 'maybe they can avoid David Price as a starter. They really need bullpen help and they can put [Price] in the bullpen. So they'll have [Chris] Sale, [Rick] Porcello, E-Rod and Price can give you what we know he can do in the postseason and that's work out of the bullpen.' That goes by the boards now.
"Now, all the lights are on David Price … He's the key to the season."
Price has been about an average pitcher for the Sox in 2018, posting a 10-6 record with a 4.42 ERA and a 1.250 WHIP in 109 innings. Co-host Christian Fauria was not optimistic about Price's chances if forced to take the ball to start a playoff game.
"Then you're in trouble," he said. "In the end, it is interesting that he should be [the key]. Based on the money and the history, he should be the key, and he should embrace it. 'I want to be the reason why we win.' That's what he should say."
"He's going to pitch in two weeks on ESPN against the Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball. Does anybody feel good about that one?" Ordway asked.
"And even if you get one, you're not really believing in it," Fauria replied. "Even a blind squirrel can find the occasional acorn, and that's what we'll look at. There's no consistency with him yet."
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