How the Red Sox will, or won't, be hanging around
Different team. Different time. Same record.
This was the story of the Red Sox heading into Game 61 Tuesday night, living life with the exact same 30-30 mark they owned the previous year. So, in Alex Cora's eyes, what's different.
"Pitching," the manager succinctly said.
Fair.
Through 60 games in 2023, the Red Sox pitchers carried a 4.65 ERA and .747 OPS against, with the starters' ERA sitting at 5.27, having surrendered a .790 OPS. The starting pitchers also had totaled 300 1/3 innings.
This time around through 60 games the staff's ERA sat at 3.37 with a .652 OPS against. The starters? Their ERA clocked in at 3.25 with hitters managing a .644 OPS over 310 1/3 innings.
Get the picture? Well, if you didn't Game No. 61 should have also cleared things up a bit.
For just the second time this season, the Red Sox starters went back-to-back games giving up four runs or more. This time it was Kutter Crawford who allowed four (6 total) over six innings. It paved the way to the Sox' seventh loss in their last 11 games, an 8-3 defeat at the hands of the Braves.
If anyone wanted any clarity on how important keeping the Red Sox' starting staff at an above-average level is to this team, just take a peak at this aforementioned 11-game stretch. Over the period, the starters have managed a 6.02 ERA, which is the second-worst in all of baseball.
The quest to stay in this race - which currently has the Red Sox' 3 1/2 games out of a Wild Card - is rooted exactly what Cora identified, pitching. And that's never been more of a reality than now with another middle-of-the-order staple Wilyer Abreu headed to the injured list with an ankle injury.
Yes, Tyler O'Neill is coming back, with Masa Yoshida's return not that far away. But the expectation that this lot of rookies and unproven bats would be able to keep the Sox afloat without next-level pitching isn't realistic.
After their first 60 games last season, the Red Sox went 26-22 up until the trade deadline, sitting a game out of the Wild Card. During that stretch they had two six-game win streaks and one five-gamer. The run was buoyed by four offensive players (Triston Casas, Rafael Devers, Justin Turner and Jarren Duran) who had OPS' of .918 or better.
This time, the Red Sox can't count on such offensive outbursts. Their stars are more likely going to be found on the mound. They will have to be.
