Following two solid wins, and despite a disappointing loss, against a shoddy Minnesota Twins team, the Boston Red Sox seem to have things back on track. The offense has regained its form, and the pitching has really improved after a few lackluster series against the Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays.
Steven Wright is the Ace for Boston
In a six game stretch from June 2nd to the 8th, Boston racked up only two wins in six games. With things back on track, Boston has looked much sharper, and Wright is a key reason why. The 31-year old knuckleballer continues to dazzle opponents while earning victories for his team. Almost inevitably, fans are beginning to realize that Steven Wright is the ace for Boston.
In his last start, Wright was able earn his third straight victory while holding the Twins to seven hits and allowing only a single, unearned run. Wright’s control improved drastically in this game; he walked only two batters in 7.1 innings. If Wright can keep his control at this level, he will undoubtedly be in the Cy Young race come September. The former Rainbow Warrior is beginning to make a name for himself as one of the best in baseball, similar to R.A. Dickey‘s run in 2012 with the New York Mets.
Wright leads the AL in ERA for starters at 2.09, while also being a workhorse. He’s averaging just under seven innings per start. The only issue that Wright provides on the mound is the unpredictability of his primary pitch. His knuckleball dances around, making it tough not only for hitters, but also for his catchers. Both catchers, Ryan Hanigan and Christian Vazquez, have had moments in games where they’ve struggled to keep the physics-defying pitch in front of them. The catchers’ troubles have led to an unusual amount of unearned runs through either passed balls or wild pitches.
While Wright has impressed baseball fans with his performances, the more impressive fact for the Red Sox is the value of Wright. Heading into the season, all the hype surrounding the Red Sox was regarding David Price. The former Tampa Bay ace signed a colossal $217 million contract, the breakdown of which can be seen here. So while the Red Sox pay Price $30 million a year for a season that has been mediocre so far, Wright throws like the multi-million dollar pitcher at a salary of just over $500,000.
Wright’s numbers not only top the Boston staff, but they compare competitively with guys like Jon Lester, Madison Bumgarner, and Johnny Cueto. The difference between these pitchers is their price. Lester relaxes with a salary of $20 million for this year. San Francisco’s stud pitcher makes about twenty times the salary of Wright, raking in just under $10 million in 2016. Cueto’s earnings are also impressive, at $15 million for this season. It’s becoming more and more obvious how much of a steal Wright is for the Red Sox.
The front office has to be ecstatic about Wright and his efficiency, but also disappointed that the pitcher they paid over $200 million for has been simply average. Some of Boston’s other pitchers might not be living up to expectations, but as we approach the All-Star break, the knuckleballer has proven to baseball fans everywhere that Steven Wright is the ace for Boston.
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