The Red Sox are headed into a pivotal four-game set with the Yankees, and the biggest question isn’t who they’re facing. It’s who they can actually run out there.
Boston enters August 28-30 with only New York ahead of it in the American League Wild Card standings, and the clubs will play four games, including a Saturday doubleheader, with the top spot hanging in the balance. That’s the kind of series that can bend a season, and for the Red Sox, the pitching situation is still in flux.
The good news is that Boston has some real arms lined up. Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle and Sonny Gray are set to pitch in the series, giving the Sox at least three starters they can trust. Suarez and Gray are the most seasoned names in the mix, and Gray is sitting near Cam Schlittler on the AL Cy Young Award favorites list, even if Red Sox fans would clearly argue he should be higher.
Tolle has been especially sharp lately, even with the workload piling up on the rookie. Over his last four outings, he’s posted a 2.16 ERA and 1.00 WHIP while striking out 31 batters across 25 innings. He also handled the Yankees well on June 26, when he struck out seven and gave up just one hit.
Still, three starters won’t be enough for a four-game series, and that’s where things get interesting. Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reported that Chad Tracy mentioned the possibility of Alec Gamboa opening for Brayan Bello in a bulk role, though that plan would depend on how Boston uses its bullpen in the series before against the Miami Marlins.
If the Red Sox can make that work, Bello would be a major addition for the Yankees series. The right-hander has been Boston’s best reliever by the numbers, with a 0.85 ERA and 0.85 WHIP over 52.2 innings, and he’s also had success against New York before. In 11 starts against the Yankees, he has a 2.35 ERA and 1.139 WHIP.
Boston may also catch a break in the matchup itself. Unless the Yankees shuffle their rotation, the Red Sox won’t see the top end of it.
Gerrit Cole, who has a 3.11 ERA in 92.2 innings, is scheduled to miss the series because he’s lined up to pitch the final game against the Houston Astros. Ryan Weathers was placed on the injured list on August 23, and Schlittler, who has a 2.16 ERA in 158 innings, will likely go against Houston as well after last pitching on August 21.
That leaves the Red Sox with a chance to put their best pitching in position for a massive weekend. But first, the offense has to do its part in Miami and keep the bullpen in shape if Boston wants Bello available for a bulk day in the Bronx.
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