Boston Red Sox: Eyes will again turn to bullpen in World Series

The bullpen of the Boston Red Sox drew the ire of many a fan throughout the 2018 regular season. The playoffs so far have been a different story.

The usual stories are playing out for the Boston Red Sox in the build-up to the 2018 World Series. Will we see the best of Chris Sale and David Price? Can Jackie Bradley Jr. duplicate his success from the ALCS? And will we see Mookie Betts at second base?

Okay. So maybe some of the stories aren’t so usual.

While talk is of Betts possibly playing second base in Dodger Stadium and Sale’s alleged infection from a belly button ring, the Boston bullpen is prepping for round three.

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Perhaps quietly going about their business is how this collection of all-stars, former starting pitchers and journeymen is how they like it.

This group faced a lot of scrutiny throughout the regular season, some warranted and some not. For every wild performance from Joe Kelly, there was a shutdown effort from Ryan Brasier.

It was certainly an up-and-down season from many members of the bullpen, but over the last few weeks, they’ve risen to the occasion. In shutting down two of the top offenses in the American League, the bullpen has garnered much-needed confidence and support.

They’re gonna need it in the World Series.

The Los Angeles Dodgers led the National League in home runs with 235 and rely on the long ball for much of their scoring. And they are coming off an NLCS in which they scored 16 of their 23 runs in the 6th inning or later.

While we’d like to see starting pitchers go seven innings or more, that is not baseball in 2018. This means the Red Sox bullpen will likely be leaned on heavily once again.

Boston Red Sox bullpen in the playoffs

Fear and stress levels took a turn for the worse when the Red Sox bullpen took to the hill at various points throughout the 2018 season.

Games 1 and 2 of the ALDS between the Red Sox and New York Yankees saw these fears come true. A victory in Game 1 was sweated out while the bullpen labored their way through the game, and game 2 wasn’t much better.

Since then, it’s been close to lights out.

The relievers threw six innings over the last two games of that series, allowing only one hit and two runs, both attributed to Craig Kimbrel.

Kimbrel has not been his self as of late, with an ERA of 4.50 in the playoffs. He’s pitched six innings, allowed six hits and five runs while also walking six.

On advice from former MLB closer Eric Gagne, who said Kimbrel was tipping his pitches, Kimbrel looked closer to himself in the Game 5 clincher over the Houston Astros.

Overall, outside of Brandon Workman (0.1 IP, 3 hits, 4 ER), the bullpen of the Red Sox threw 20 innings in the ALCS. The relievers, Rick Porcello among them, allowed only 12 hits and 4 runs while striking out 18

Brasier continued to have an impressive season, making seven appearances in the playoffs. He has not allowed a run in seven innings of work.

Also making seven appearances was Matt Barnes, who has probably been the most reliable reliever out of the Boston bullpen. Barnes had not allowed a hit or a run in the playoffs until his appearance in the Game 5 victory.

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A fourth championship in the last 14 years is four wins away. If the bullpen continues to pitch well, it’s going to make things a lot easier. And a lot less stressful.

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