Boston Red Sox: Standouts on the mound amid tough week

A snow day postponed last Friday’s game for the Boston Red Sox. In a way, the unpredictable weather set the tone for the team’s performance the six days after.

Boston was a step slow here and a swing late there. Bats were silent one day and overpowering the next. Through a four-game split with the Chicago White Sox and a two-game split with the Toronto Blue Jays, the starting pitchers and bullpen alternated between outstanding and lackluster.

All came into play against the Seattle Mariners, where a no-hitter turned into a four-run loss over the course of the game’s final four innings.

The 7-3, 10-inning loss to Seattle meant a 3-4 record for the Boston Red Sox over the last week. Despite the struggles, the team managed to maintain a hold on first-place in the American League East.

A trio of members from the starting rotation have providing a nice punch in the early season success of the Red Sox. The top of the list belongs to none other than Nathan Eovaldi.

Boston Red Sox power trio

Eovaldi (3-1, 3.04 ERA) has won his last three starts since the hard-luck, 3-0 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Opening Day. The veteran has collected 24 strikeouts against only four walks in 23.2 innings and had been excellent in his first three starts, allowing only four earned runs.

That run total was matched in his last start against the White Sox. Thankfully, Eovaldi struck out ten and the Red Sox plated 11 runs in that game.

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Throwing nearly as well, if not better, is Eduardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez (3-0, 3.38 ERA) has picked up right where he left off in 2019 and has allowed six runs in 16 innings of work. His work has been efficient, with 18 strikeouts and only two walks.

Nick Pivetta had a minor hiccup against the White Sox, but has been strong in four starts. Pivetta (2-0, 3.48 ERA) no-hit the Mariners for 5.2 innings, finishing out the inning allowing one hit and two runs.

Control has been an issue early for Pivetta, issuing 14 walks in 20.2 innings of work. Still, he’s proving to be an adequate member of the rotation.

While these three pitchers have been powering the Red Sox, Martin Perez and Garrett Richards have left a lot to be desired. The two have combined for seven starts and given up 21 earned runs in 30.1 innings, with Richards issuing 13 walks and only striking out 12.

Quality starts have been another issue as Boston pitchers have only three among the season’s first 20 games. Early season and pitch counts have something to do with that, so expect that ratio to improve. But one thing to not want to worry about is an overtaxed bullpen before the calendar even flips to May.

Boston Red Sox upcoming games

The Red Sox will finish out their current home stand with three more games with the Mariners, with Eovaldi and Rodriguez tentatively scheduled to close the series on Saturday and Sunday.

Boston will get a travel day before taking on the New York Mets for a two-game set. The Mets have already battled COVID-19 delays and rain delays in this young season and are playing .500 ball. The two teams split four games against each other in 2020.

The Red Sox will then head to Texas, with the start of a four-game set scheduled for 4/29. Boston went 4-3 against the Rangers in 2019. Texas has been relying on the surprising success of their starting rotation in the early going in 2021 and has also been hovering around .500.

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Pitching was a question mark for Boston entering the season and so far, between the trio of starters and mostly solid bullpen performances, has been a nice surprise. If Perez or Richards — or both — can get going, there should be a lot less to worry about from the rotation as the season moves on.

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