Boston Red Sox: This starter is best equipped to solve bullpen issue

If the Boston Red Sox are going to succeed in October, they’ll need to bolster their late-inning pitching approach. Here’s why a starter could help brilliantly.

There’s no question the Boston Red Sox are the best team in baseball. At this point, arguing anything to the contrary would seem far-fetched. However, the local nine still have one fatal flaw, and we all know what it is.

Since the trade deadline on July 31st, Sox relief pitchers in the 8th inning have produced the following numbers: 35 IP, 42 H, 21 ER, 9 HR, 11 BB.

Woof.

Furthermore, the bullpen has struggled beyond the eighth inning. Whether it’s Heath Hembree, Joe Kelly, or anyone else, they have been inconsistent at producing in the later innings. Should this go unchecked, the Red Sox will pay for it in October.

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The silver lining to this issue is that Alex Cora was a part of Houston’s championship team last season. The Houston Astros blueprint was to maximize their starting rotation depth by converting some of their starters to middle and long relievers. Part of me believes that Cora will attempt to do the same thing with this year’s Red Sox team.

So with that idea in mind, which Boston Red Sox “starter” is best equipped to make the transition?

Some have speculated that it would be a combination of Nathan Eovaldi, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Brian Johnson. In the ALDS when there are only five games, it’s likely that Chris Sale, David Price, and Rick Porcello will be the three starting pitchers while the previous three will come out of the ‘pen.

I don’t know how I feel about this proposition but if I had to create a scenario it would be something along the lines of starting pitcher for five, Eovaldi for one or Rodriguez for two, then handing it over to the real bullpen. The less tax you put on a starter early, the more likely it is that they could come in later in the series in a crucial spot.

Ultimately, I believe it will be Eovaldi and Rodriguez. Johnson’s stuff doesn’t play well against power hitting lineups and I’m not convinced he could pitch longer than three innings in big spots. I would rather have him available as a lefty matchup guy along with Bobby Poyner. Likewise, Eovaldi and Rodriguez have better velocity and therefore can air it out better for short periods of time.

Additionally, the fact that the Boston Red Sox have Brandon Workman is also worth noting because he too could air it out for short stints before handing the ball over to the late inning guys.

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This will have to be reordered should the Red Sox make it past the ALDS, but in theory, my dream scenario for game one would be:

Chris Sale for five or six innings, should he be fully healthy.
Nathan Eovaldi for one inning.
Eduardo Rodriguez for one.
Matt Barnes or Ryan Brasier for one, if healthy.
Craig Kimbrel for one, if necessary.
Poyner and Johnson available for matchup scenarios.
Joe Kelly, Tyler Thornburg, and Heath Hembree available for situations with big leads/deficits.
Rick Porcello and David Price as the other two starters.
Not sold on Steven Wright yet.

Whatever the Boston Red Sox decide to do in October, the bullpen is going to be what decides the fate of this 100-win team.

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