It has been a trying season for Boston Red Sox fans. This team has all the hallmarks of a contender — elite bats, big-name pitchers, a solid blend of youth and experience — but the Red Sox are two games below .500 and it's bleak. It is far too early in the campaign for genuine panic, but Boston only has so much time to right the ship.
So, what's wrong? If you're new to the Red Sox and find yourself scrolling the depths of social media, you'd probably think it's Rafael Devers. His dissastisfication with being moved to DH in spring training was a huge story. Then, when Triston Casas got hurt, the Red Sox considered moving Devers to first base — only for him to publicly reject the idea. Boston already told him to put down his glove; why would he pick it back up? That was his rationale, at least.
What many perceive as Devers' ego has certainly generated negative attention, but the slugger's performance has actually been quite solid. He's hitting .289 with a .920 OPS and nine home runs. The "real" issue is the pitching staff.
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Red Sox' pitching staff deserves far more blame than Rafael Devers for early struggles
Boston's team ERA (4.16) is currently the sixth-worst in the American League. Their starting ERA (4.45) is even worse. The offense has not been perfect, but Boston's top five of Jarren Duran, Devers, Alex Bregman, Kristian Campbell and Wilyer Abreu has been remarkably solid. The Red Sox lineup looks like that of a contender.
What has truly kept Boston from getting over the hump and building momentum in the AL East is their pitching. Some of that is beyond their control, as Lucas Giolito, Walker Buehler, Brayan Bello and Tanner Houck have all dealt with injuries this season. There is only so much a front office or coaching staff (or even the players) can do when the Injured List wraps around the block.
That said, the issue remains prominent — and the Red Sox need to go searching far and wide for solutions. Garrett Crochet has performed beautifully as Boston's new No. 1 ace, but behind him it's a mess. Giolito has a 7.08 ERA through four starts since his return from a strained hamstring. Before his stint on the IL, Walker Buehler posted a 4.28 ERA through six starts. He was trending in the right direction, but then he got hurt. That is the brutal, give-and-take nature of sports.
Boston's front office operated with a renewed aggression this past offseason. It did not yield Juan Soto, but it led to multiple soon-to-be All-Stars joining the Red Sox in Bregman and Crochet. That job isn't finished, though: Craig Breslow needs to keep his ear to the ground in hopes of augmenting the rotation as Boston trudges through a fallow period. Health should eventually double back in Boston's favor, but by then, it could be too late. The Red Sox are built to contend. It's time for Breslow to prove his commitment by addressing Boston's foremost weakness.