Boston Red Sox: Among all the muck, Kutter Crawford shining through
Positive news for the Boston Red Sox has been hard to come by in the last month. Bullpen failures, injuries to star players, and trade deadline quandaries have all played their part in a 5-17 record since a July 4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Among all the muck, however, are the strong performances from pitcher Kutter Crawford.
Crawford has made the transition from early season bullpen disappointment to reliable starter. His performance has come at a time Boston is in need of stability, and Crawford’s record could be even better if not for a lack of run support, bullpen problems, and a couple of bad innings.
Crawford settling in for Boston Red Sox
Overall, Crawford (2-3, 4.15 ERA) hasn’t exactly put up eye-popping numbers. He’s not overwhelming opponents and he doesn’t necessarily have a lot of flash.
Crawford does have consistency, and he’s coming off a strong month of July to show for it.
Things did not start off rosy for Crawford, working out of the bullpen in mostly long-relief. Command was a bit of an issue (eight walks in 10.2 innings) and Crawford and his 8.44 ERA were sent down to the Minor League to get some work in.
This was a move that paid off, with Crawford rejoining the Red Sox roughly a month later. He pitched twice in June, allowing four earned runs in nine innings of work.
The month of July is where Crawford has really found his groove.
Crawford made five appearances in the month of July, posting a 2.57 ERA. He was 1-1 in these games, tossing 28 innings while allowing only eight earned runs.
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The strikeout rate for Crawford is a bit worrisome. He struck out 26 in these five games but only six in the last two. However, after issues with command slowed him in the early months, Crawford has only walked eight batters in seven appearances since being recalled.
The important thing is Crawford is finding ways to get outs and giving the Red Sox the fighting chances they need.
The Red Sox are 4-3 in games that Crawford has pitched the last two months. A bit more run support, and this number might be even better. Boston is only averaging 3.3 runs per game in Crawford outings, and three times they have scored two runs or less for Crawford.
A nice array of pitches — five, to be exact — has helped keep opponents off kilter. Crawford does seem to run into a bad inning on occasion, giving up three or four runs, but overall, he’s been a revelation and consistently giving the Red Sox five to six innings.
Crawford’s next start for Boston Red Sox
Barring a surprise trade, Crawford will next be taking the mound for the Red Sox against the Houston Astros. Another test for the righty in facing the Astros for the first time in 2022. But Crawford has faced some mighty bats this season and performed decent against the likes of the Yankees and Rays, to name a few.
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Hopefully, even as some starters seemed primed to return in 2022, the Red Sox keep trotting out Crawford every fifth day. He has earned the right to keep working on his game as a starter. As Crawford continues to improve, hopefully he will be an important player for the Red Sox moving forward.
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The possibility of the playoffs are slipping through Boston’s hands each passing day. Positivity can be hard to find most days in regards to the Red Sox. For the time being, that is placed in Crawford when he takes the hill. A little bit more run support for Crawford would go a long way in helping this young pitcher shine even brighter.