Boston Red Sox: Despite rough start, team can easily rebound
By Max Bozicas
At 4-8, the Boston Red Sox are not off to a good start. However, the next two series present an opportunity to bounce back into wild card contention.
Maybe I’m too optimistic, but I’m not at the point of apathy when it comes to the Boston Red Sox. Sure, they’re currently last in the AL East, but the competition isn’t exactly stiff beside the New York Yankees.
The Red Sox square off against the Yankees again next weekend, and in-between now and then they play the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays. Those are two very winnable series regardless of how good the team is.
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The Blue Jays are 4-5 coming into this weekend’s series, and the Rays are 5-7 and the Red Sox just split a two game set against them.
Assuming the pitching staff can build off of the 5-0 shutout they posted last time out against Tampa Bay, it’s entirely feasible to think that the Sox could be second in the AL East going into the next showdown with New York.
In fact, the actual starters (all two of them) haven’t been bad so far. With three starts under both of their belts, Nathan Eovaldi and Martin Perez have 3.94 and 3.45 ERAs respectively. That isn’t exactly elite but it is certainly serviceable. Unfortunately, those two can only pitch so often and the opener method to this point has been rough.
The sense of urgency needs to see an uptick, but I’m not ready to give up after 12 games. While it’s highly likely that we don’t see the spark of hope over the next week, there’s enough talent in this lineup to drag this pitching staff kicking and screaming to wins.
It’s just a matter of certain guys such as J.D. Martinez, shaking off the rust and playing the way they are capable of playing. If and when that happens, it changes everything.
Next. Three players who shined in win over Rays. dark
It might sound far fetched considering that their record isn’t exactly the product of a tough schedule. Maybe the Red Sox just suck this year and I’m hanging on by a thread because it’s hard to enjoy a baseball season, or any sport for that matter when your team isn’t competitive. If that’s the case, at least it’s only 60 games this time instead of 162.