This story was excerpted from the Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. This edition was guest-written by Thomas Harrigan.
The Red Sox built what they believed would be an elite starting rotation this offseason -- strong enough to carry them through offensive slumps and keep them competitive even when everything else went sideways.
They could have used that over their first 10 games, as their offense put up just 36 runs. Instead, their rotation posted MLB’s fourth-worst ERA (5.40) in that time, contributing to the club’s 2-8 start.
But things have begun to shift. The Red Sox’s starting staff has started to look more like the elite unit chief baseball officer Craig Breslow envisioned when he acquired Sonny Gray from the Cardinals and landed Ranger Suarez on a five-year, $130 million deal in free agency.
In their third turn through the rotation, which began with Garrett Crochet’s outing against the Brewers on Tuesday, Boston’s five starters combined to post a 1.52 ERA over 29 2/3 innings, with four quality starts in five outings. The Red Sox went 4-1 in that span.
Red Sox’s latest turn through the rotation:
• Garrett Crochet, April 7 vs. MIL: W, 6 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 7 K, 2 BB
• Sonny Gray, April 8 vs. MIL: W, 6 1/3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 K, 2 BB
• Connelly Early, April 10 at STL: ND, 4 1/3 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 5 K, 2 BB
• Ranger Suarez, April 11 at STL: W, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 6 K, 2 BB
• Brayan Bello, April 12 at STL: W, 6 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 K, 2 BB
Suarez's start against the Cardinals on Saturday night was especially encouraging. The lefty entered the game having allowed eight runs in 8 1/3 innings over his first two starts in a Boston uniform, raising alarm bells throughout Red Sox Nation, but Saturday’s performance was more in line with his outstanding Phillies tenure.
“He can pitch, man,” manager Alex Cora said after Saturday’s game. “It started with the mechanics. He was more on balance, more grounded and he was able to execute.”
Bello, who, like Suarez, had struggled over his first two starts (9.00 ERA), followed suit on Sunday to help Boston notch its second straight series win.
Crochet will look to keep Boston’s hot streak rolling when he faces the Twins on Monday at Target Field. The ace lefty owns a 3.12 ERA with 22 strikeouts over 17 1/3 innings, picking up where he left off when he finished second in the AL Cy Young Award race last season.
Gray, who placed second in the 2023 AL Cy Young voting as a member of the Twins, is due to face Minnesota on Tuesday. His strikeout rate (15.2%) is down from his typical level so far, but that hasn’t stopped him from posting a 2.76 ERA through three starts.
On the year, the Red Sox are 6-0 when they throw a quality start, and 0-9 when they don’t.
“When we pitch, we win,” Cora said Saturday. “And when the starters go deep into games, we have a better chance.”