Boston Red Sox: The bullpen will be the X-factor in beating L.A.

When it comes down to the final two teams in the MLB, the little things start to matter more. For the Boston Red Sox, that means their bullpen has to produce in the World Series.

When looking at both the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers, there’s really not much you could say that’s different about either team. Sure, Boston’s hitting probably deserves a slight edge, but when it comes to the pitching side of things, both teams have definite question marks after their respective aces (Chris Sale and Clayton Kershaw).

When it comes to the World Series however, even the smallest play can make a difference. The games become more tedious, and the situational decision-making becomes more integral. Many of the times, this happens during the latter part of these ever-important contests.

With that in mind, Boston’s bullpen could be the difference between a ninth World Series title, and another disappointing exit in the postseason. When it comes to discrepancies, the ‘pen is where both of these squads tend to differ.

More from Chowder and Champions

Surprisingly, for such a young bullpen, the Red Sox have looked magnificent in that department, specifically the middle relievers.

According to Yahoo Sports, Ryan Brasier, Matt Barnes, and Joe Kelly have thrown a combined 18 2/3 innings, giving up only two runs throughout the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Ironically though, the ‘pen has still not been anywhere close to perfect. They still have a 3.62 postseason ERA, and have given up 35 strikeouts to 25 walks. The Dodgers on the other hand have consistently been the best bullpen in these playoffs, acquiring a 1.30 ERA on 51 strikeouts and 13 walks.

One of the main reasons for L.A.’s dominance is closer Kenley Jansen, who hasn’t given up a run in 6 2/3 innings of baseball. He’s also recorded ten strikeouts during the NLDS and NLCS, according to MLB.com.

The Boston Red Sox closer on the other hand, Craig Kimbrel, has been one of the only inconsistencies for Boston, which is unusual considering the fact that he is supposed to be the only constant in the bullpen.

It’s not like he’s been horrible too, just not as dominant. He’s given up five earned runs in his five appearances in October, and has really failed to close out any game in a clean manner.

A lot of people argue that his problems have stemmed from a lack of control with his curveball, which is usually one of his best pitches. Kimbrel has also allowed six walks in this 2018 postseason, which is unheard of for a closer who basically appears in only one inning of work every other game.

Fans can complain all they want, but Kimbrel’s a solidified superstar. He knows how to fix his mistakes. As long as he controls his pitches better, and doesn’t get caught up in the moment. No one would have thought the middle relief would hold its own like it did against a really formidable lineup in the Houston Astros. But they did, which really shouldn’t be surprising if you’ve watched the 2018 Red Sox.

We know what they’re hitting can do. Against Houston, which featured two of the best starting pitchers in baseball (with Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole), Boston’s offense scored seven or more runs in three out of the five games in the series. L.A’s starting rotation significantly takes a dip after Kershaw, where Hyun-Jin Ryu (4.40 ERA in the 2018 postseason) and Walker Buehler (5.40 ERA in the 2018 postseason) have both have mightily struggled at certain points so far.

The 5 greatest Boston Red Sox World Series teams of all time. dark. Next

Same goes for the Red Sox though, who haven’t had consistent pitching for at least six innings of playoff baseball after Chris Sale (Price if he stays hot, maybe).

With that in mind, the bullpen discrepancy must be much more narrow for the Boston Red Sox to have a chance at preventing the Dodgers from finally getting that chip off of their shoulder. If Craig Kimbrel gets it together, I don’t see why this couldn’t be the case.

Home/Boston Red Sox