4 Red Sox on Thin Ice After Disastrous Series Against Orioles

After a horrific three-game sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles, changes feel like they're on the way in order to prevent the 2024 Red Sox from spiraling out of control.
Apr 10, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Isaiah Campbell (44) throws a pitch
Apr 10, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Isaiah Campbell (44) throws a pitch / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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4. Isaiah Campbell (RP)

Mar 30, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Isaiah Campbell (44) pitching against his old team
Mar 30, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Isaiah Campbell (44) pitching against his old team / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Maybe Alex Cora is a mind-reader; as I'm writing this, multiple reports have surfaced that Cora called Isaiah Campbell into his office to inform him of a potential roster move early Friday afternoon.

Campbell isn't necessarily on "thin ice", but it wouldn't be entirely shocking to see the second-year man optioned to Worcester for something of a reset following back-to-back catastrophic outings. After getting hammered for three earned runs in the sixth inning on Wednesday, the Orioles touched Campbell for five more on Thursday, pushing what had been a 2.08 ERA to 12.79 in the span of 24 hours.

It's harder to pinpoint issues with relievers than it is with almost any other position; they're volatile players by nature, often pitching in tiny sample sizes with vastly different variables on a night-to-night basis.

Nonetheless, Campbell's implosion is notable. Despite being just a second-year player, he was brought over this offseason to be a key member of the Boston bullpen. He started off looking the part, with six strong outings, before back-to-back blowups sullied his numbers and cost the Red Sox two wins. I won't pretend to be some pitcher guru, but giving Campbell a week or so in Worcester to get himself right wouldn't be the worst idea, especially if the Red Sox are counting on him to play an important role going forward.

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