Rick Porcello: Back From the Dead?

The Boston Red Sox have a had a rough 2015 season as big off season acquisitions have failed to live up to expectations, especially in the starting rotation. Boston rested a lot of those expectations on the right arm of Rick Porcello.

Porcello was not only traded for by Boston, but also given a contract extension signaling their faith that he would be a mainstay of their rotation. Unfortunately, for the Boston faithful, Rick Porcello has been absolutely shelled most of this season to the tune of a 5.12 E.R.A and only 7 Wins.

Porcello’s season really never got off the ground, he managed an above 5.00 E.R.A over the first five months of the season. It has undoubtedly been a struggle, but there has been a sliver of hope since he has returned for a DL stint that cost him most of August.

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Over his last three starts, Rick Porcello has looked like the promising pitcher in Detroit. He has lasted at least seven innings per start, given up no more than three earned runs in each start, and has a solid 6 SO/9.

Those three starts were against the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. Even though the White Sox offense has largely unperformed, those are three stout offenses, especially when you take into account the offensive exploits of the Jays and Yanks.

With the playoffs either here or a week away, finding pitching value can be paramount when we see pitchers shut down for the year or when the, ever loathsome, innings limit come into play.

Prior to these last few starts, Porcello has done nothing to warrant a pickup so he is going to be largely available across all formats. I am also encouraged that his success has come immediately after he returned from the DL.

He hit the DL because of triceps inflammation, which is obviously problematic for a pitcher. The rest and rehab had to go a long way in his rebound. Porcello isn’t as bad as his stats speak to this season, so the potential is still there.

Picking up Rick Porcello is certainly a leap of faith, his stats are not appealing by no means. But, I think owners can find value in Porcello down the stretch. Especially when his next start comes versus the lite hitting Rays in Tampa.

It serves as a low risk gamble, which also offers a chance at decent value down the stretch. These inconspicuous moves can make the difference in the playoffs. At this point, these are the options that remain on the waiver wire. It all depends if you can trust his recent success.

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