The 2018 season for the Boston Red Sox has been nothing less than excellent so far. There have been little problems of late. However, the lack of run support for the starting pitchers has vastly dropped.
The Boston Red Sox Rotation is not Getting Any Support
Chris Sale Affected
Run support has been a problem on many occasions this season. It has been significantly evident in games where Chris Sale has started. Among those is a no-decision during his 15-strikeout game against the Toronto Blue Jays back in early May. Also, Sale had an unbelievable outing against his former team, the Chicago White Sox, as he went eight innings with 10 strikeouts and an earned run. Unfortunately, he took a loss in that game.
These type of performances should be adding to his Cy Young Award resume. But, because of the lackluster offense, these two outings added to his 6-4 record. This is very disappointing after what we have seen from Sale this season. He has provided excellent pitching for the majority of his time on the mound. Sale’s most recent start in the final game of the Orioles series saw a better display from the Red Sox offense as five runs secured Sale his sixth win of the season and sealed a series sweep in Baltimore.
Red Sox Offense
With the loss of Hanley Ramirez and the absence of Mookie Betts due to injury, there has been a lack of presence of a big bat in the lineup. Although Andrew Benintendi and J.D. Martinez have both been producing huge numbers, more run support is needed for Boston to keep pace with the New York Yankees. The excellent pitching, throughout the entire rotation, can only do so much. This has been seen too often. If the Red Sox continue to be shutout in a game where the staff only allows one run, something will need to change by October.
However, with a healthy lineup, the Red Sox offense can and should be deadly to opposing pitchers. Betts is currently the best player in baseball and batting him leadoff has been doubted by many, as this puts him in a tough place to get RBI. Still, Alex Cora cannot mess with a winning formula. With Benintendi, Martinez, Mitch Moreland, and Rafael Devers hitting deeper down the order, the Red Sox look like a tough team to beat by any standards.
Outlook
For now, the Red Sox are in a tremendous place. The firepower throughout the entire line up will be even scarier for any pitcher come postseason. With Betts back in the lineup, the Red Sox will have that boost the lineup needs to pull through this stretch. Boston is set to play Baltimore, Seattle, and Minnesota before returning back to Fenway where they have so clearly shined through the early months of the season.
If they continue this form, the pitching staff continues to thrive, and there is more run consistency, the Red Sox will definitely be able to compete with the likes of Houston and New York down the stretch. Anything is possible once the postseason arrives, and Boston’s lineup can go toe-to-toe with any in MLB.
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