Boston Red Sox 100 game Report Card: Grading a World Series contender
By Gio Rivera
Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel (The pitching staff trailblazers)
The two most dominant arms in Boston’s pitching staff and two of the most feared in all of baseball. None who’ve originally come up via the Boston Red Sox farm system. Yet, despite escaping low market and poor performing organizations, expectations and pressure haven’t touched Chris Sale or Craig Kimbrel. Think about where the two came from? The White Sox and Padres.
Granted, Kimbrel played for a few very solid Atlanta Brave teams coming up in the big leagues. As a matter a fact, the Braves averaged 89.8 wins per season during Kimbrel’s 5 years in Atlanta. Unfortunately for Kimbrel, the same couldn’t be said for the failed Padres experiment of 2015. A veteran stacked roster with a $131 plus million dollar payroll.
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The highest since Kimbrel left San Diego. Due to an off-season where it appeared the Padres were all in. Remember back when the Boston Red Sox failed to resign Jon Lester and lost him to Chicago? Boston then missed out on James Shields via free agency during the Padres spending spree of 2015. Veteran names like Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, and Craig Kimbrel took part in that fourth place finish. An 88-loss season.
Yet, Boston struggled with to find an established player for that position as well. Names like Andrew Bailey, Joel Hanrahan, and even Bobby Jenks took in that role at a point. Luckily, Boston knocked off the nonsense and brought in Kimbrel for the 2016 season.
One of the dominant closers in baseball. Plus that hasn’t changed. Craig Kimbrel sits today with the second most saves in all of baseball (31) and a 1.73 ERA. Strikeouts have also come at a rapid rate for Kimbrel. Last season he finished off, striking out 126 batters which was 1 shy of his career high. He also sits in legendary conversation.
What do I mean? Well there are three closers with the 8+ consecutive 30-plus save seasons. Mariano Rivera (9), Trevor Hoffman (8), and… Craig Kimbrel (9). He’s also been remarkably reliable as of late, converting 21 of his last 21 save chances. That’s 11 games with Kimbrel going 11.2 innings, allowing just 4 hits and striking out 20 batters.
Current stats: 2-1/1.73 ERA/31 Saves/41.2 IP/63 SO/0.888 WHIP
And… Chris Sale.
Another situation in which Boston knocked off the experimental attempts. We can all recall the front office’s sorry excuse for a starting rotation of 2015. Justin Masterson, Clay Buchholz, and Wade Miley??? Yeah even today it sounds nonsensical. Refusing to pay three-time World Series Champ, Jon Lester.
A laughing stock of an attempt at improving a 2014 4.63 ERA which was fifth worst in baseball. However thanks to a 2015 international signing, Boston repaired that broken rotation. In February of 2015, $31.5 million dollars landed Cuban prospect, Yoan Moncada. A now 23 year infielder which put veteran ace, Chris Sale in a Boston Red Sox uniform. Thus.. Sale Day was born.
Sort’ve like a mini holiday for Red Sox fans. The Chris Sale start every five games provides Boston with a sense of confidence and assurance. One we haven’t seen since well, Pedro Martinez. In just two seasons in Boston, Sale has also joined legendary conversation. Sale is one of just three pitchers in franchise history to rack up 500 strikeouts through two seasons. Sale’s fellow accomplices, Roger Clemens and Pedro Martinez. The Pedro comparisons came incredibly early for Sale; and they’re not outlandish by any means. Think about it. Through Sale’s 53 career starts in Boston, the numbers are neck and neck with Pedro.
Chris Sale vs. Pedro Martinez (first 53 games as a Red Sox):
- Sale: 28-12/.700/349.1 IP/2.60 ERA/0.93 WHIP/74 BB/505 K’s
- Martinez: 34-10/.773/375.0 IP/ 2.74 ERA/1.06 WHIP/92 BB/445 K’s
Now in some cases the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Through the 53-game span with Chris Sale, the Boston Red Sox went 35-18. With Pedro, Boston went 38-15. Yet remember all those times where run support haunted Sale’s quality outings? This season alone, Sale has lossed four games in which he allowed two or fewer runs through at least six innings of work. That’s another four potential wins on his now 11 win season currently. S
ale currently leads the AL in ERA (2.13) thanks to having only allowed 1 run in his last 34 innings. Homeruns? Those are rare. Sale hasn’t allowed a home run in his last 57 innings, a career high. While run support hasn’t been the most friendly, Sale’s Boston Red Sox tenure certainly has been. Back-to-back All-Star starts for the American League under Boston. There is no doubt that Sale is someone who needs to remain here for the future.
Current stats: 11-4/2.13 ERA/135.0 IP/197 SO/0.87 WHIP.