The 2022 MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone and there is still not too much to get excited about if you’re a Boston Red Sox fan, except they may have found themselves another pitcher in the starting rotation in the name of rookie right-hander Josh Winchowski.
Coming off a win in his last start, the rookie took the mound Friday night against the Kansas City Royals and showed off some toughness and a bit of craft in recording his second consecutive win.
In a 7-4 victory over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium, the Red Sox offense gave Winckowski an early 3-0 lead that he held by battling on the mound. In showcasing some mental toughness, the Red Sox rookie got into a jam in the fourth inning as the Royals loaded the bases with one out and threatened to at least get back into the game.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Winckowski tough, crafty, and winning on the mound
It was a moment any pitcher could’ve wilted, but Winckowski battled Royals outfielder Kyle Isbel who hit a dribbler back to the mound. Showing off some craftiness, Winckowski fielded the ball and did a little glove-flip to the plate to force the second out of the inning, securing the 3-0 lead.
He further secured the lead by ending the inning and the threat with this fist-pumping strikeout:
https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1555731308730540036
In what was a momentum saver for the team not only in the game, but perhaps the season as the Red Sox are one of a few teams in the mix for that final AL Wild Card spot. Winckowski went on to give up a solo home run off the bat of Salvador Perez, but the offense, led by Xander Bogaerts and highlighted by Eric Hosmer’s first RBI in a Red Sox uniform, made it count.
Overall, an impressive performance from the rookie and one that had Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora praising the young righty after the game.
"“He’s learning on the fly and doing an outstanding job for us,” Cora said, via MLB.com. “He gave us five innings, the same as [last Sunday against Milwaukee]. Made a nice play on the comebacker, too.”"
Allowing just three runs over 10 combined innings in those two starts Winchowski is giving the Red Sox a bit of hope as the season moves through the month of August. If the team can get Michael Wacha back and pitching how he was prior to the injury and if Nathan Eovaldi and Nick Pivetta find their consistency on the mound, we could be onto something folks.
At the very least, Winchowski is putting himself in the mix for a starting spot in 2023. At this point, no one wants to get caught up in the future, but it’s good that the Boston Red Sox, particularly Chaim Bloom sees what they have in some of these younger players.
Hopefully we haven’t jinxed Josh Winchowski.