The Boston Red Sox are certainly limping their way towards the regular-season finish line. After losing two of three to the Athletics and making the playoff race even tighter, they have gone just 8-10 since sweeping the Baltimore Orioles in a four-game series in August. Many people are pointing to the anemic offense as the main culprit for the September slide after Roman Anthony was injured.
While the offensive struggles have played into the issues. Unless there is a drastic change from here on out, this month will be the third straight September where the Red Sox have had their least productive month of the season in terms of runs scored. In fact, this would be the fourth time since 2019 (excluding 2020) that September has been the Red Sox's least productive of the season.
However, the offense is hardly the only reason for the team's latest slide. The starting pitching also deserves a decent-sized piece of the blame here. Outside of ace Garrett Crochet, the starters haven't been going deep into games. In games not started by Crochet, Red Sox starters have gone more than five innings just six times in the last 18 games and just three times since Sept. 1. A lot of that has to do with high pitch counts, and if they want to play October baseball, that needs to be fixed. Of late, one starter, Lucas Giolito, in particular, has struggled with walks, and if the Red Sox want to not only make the playoffs but make a little noise, he must right the ship.
Lucas Giolito Must Regain His Mid-Summer Form if the Red Sox Want to Reach the Postseason
There was a time this summer when Lucas Giolito was pitching like the Lucas Giolito of old. He was arguably the best pitcher in the American League not named Crochet or Skubal. From May 24 to Aug. 31, he was 9-1 with an ERA of 2.68, compiling 88 strikeouts and walking 36. It's that last number that needs more examination, because something has changed.
In his career, Giolito has always had good control, with a career walks-per-nine of 3.4. After his last start against the Athletics, he has awarded 52 free passes. While his 3.3 walks-per-nine this season seems in line with the rest of his career, recently things have been different. Of those 52 walks, half of them have come in his last nine starts since beating the Minnesota Twins on July 29. Those walks have led to the aforementioned high pitch counts and his inability to give the team the length it needs from other starters. In his three September starts, Giolito has averaged 94 pitches in five innings pitched, which is not good enough.
The Red Sox are in the home stretch, and the pack is tightening up. If they want to play deep into October, getting Giolito back to the guy he was this summer will go a long way in accomplishing that goal. Giolito opens the Red Sox’s series at Toronto on Tuesday, and staying away from the base on balls will be good news for the team and its fanbase.