The Boston Red Sox lineup is as deep and dangerous as they come; Rafael Devers, Alex Bregman, Jarren Duran, Kristian Campbell and Wilyer Abreu are capable of slugging this team well into October, and you have to assume that at some point Triston Casas is going to start hitting like we know he can. (Not to mention two more elite prospects, outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Marcelo Mayer, are waiting in the wings.)
The question as it pertains to Boston's ceiling is whether this team has enough pitching to at least get by. For the most part, that question has focused on the Red Sox rotation, which has already dealt with an almost comical array of injuries ā including shoulder discomfort for Walker Buehler that sent him back to Boston for further testing on Thursday.
But those injuries have masked what actually looms as this team's fatal flaw, a flaw that got exposed for the world to see on back-to-back nights in Toronto.
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Red Sox bullpen is a problem Alex Cora has to solve
Twice, Boston's starter handed the bullpen a late lead against the Toronto Blue Jays. And twice, that lead got coughed up in dramatic fashion. On Wednesday, Lucas Giolito's triumphant debut got ruined when Garrett Whitlock gave up a game-tying three-run homer to Anthony Santander in the seventh inning of an eventual 10-inning loss. Just 24 hours later, it was Justin Slaten's turn, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doing the honors.
Boston entered the night with a reliever's ERA of 4.26, 19th in baseball. Obviously both of those figures will be worse on Friday morning. This lineup can make up for all manner of sins, but it's very hard to compete for championships when you don't have a consistent formula for getting outs and protecting leads late in games.
The outline of that formula is there: Aroldis Chapman's left arm is still as live as ever, and you can talk yourself into Slaten, Whitlock and others as solid late-inning options. But that requires a good deal of squinting, and Craig Breslow knew the risk he was taking when he opted against a meaningful investment this offseason.