This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
BOSTON – When the Red Sox departed Fenway Park on Father’s Day for a three-city trip to the West Coast, they were riding high as a three-game sweep of the Yankees increased their winning streak to five games.
But everything changed before takeoff from Boston’s Logan Airport when Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants.
As they started the road trip 3-1, it looked like the Sox might continue to take flight, even after trading their best hitter.
Then the rest of the trip happened and things went decidedly south before the club flew back East on Wednesday night.
After a well-timed off-day to regroup on Thursday, the Sox will show up to Fenway Park the opposite of the way they left – with a five-game losing streak.
Now at a critical point in their season, here are some ways manager Alex Cora’s 40-42 club can remedy itself before it is too late.
Offense from someone -- anyone
Sure, Devers is a special hitter. But nobody could have forecasted the offense would shut down as dramatically as it has since his exit.
In the 73 games prior to the trade, the Sox averaged 4.84 runs with a slash line of .253/.328/.422 with a 23.8 K % and 8.9 BB %.
In the nine games after the deal, Boston’s bats have generated a mere 3.11 runs per game with a slash line of .188/.251/.322 to go with a 28.4 K% and 6.9 BB %.
The .573 OPS the Red Sox have since the lefty slugger was traded is last in the Majors. So, too, is the strikeout percentage.
The quickest fix for the offense would be a return to form for Jarren Duran, who simply hasn’t come close to his All-Star season of a year ago. On the trip, Duran was 6-for-35 with a .194 OPS and no RBIs.
Given his speed and athleticism, Duran has often been an ignitor for Boston in recent seasons. If he can get his game back in gear, it could free up others in the lineup.
A boost from the kids
While it’s a lot to ask for a 21-year-old and 22-year-old to be saviors in a market like Boston, a hot streak for Roman Anthony (MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 prospect) and/or Marcelo Mayer (No. 8 in Pipeline’s Top 100) could serve as a significant boost in energy.
Mayer, in particular, is showing flashes of being ready to come on at the plate. He had the best game of his young career on Tuesday with a single, double and triple in a 10-inning loss.
Anthony (.114, one homer, five RBIs) is only 44 at-bats into his career and is still searching for his first multi-hit game. However, he has hit the ball hard on plenty of occasions and not been rewarded.
“You can see that he's a quick learner,” said Cora. “He understands what the pitcher is trying to do with him. The results are not there, numbers-wise, but everything that we take into consideration and we study, or the information we gather is telling us that he'll be OK.
“It’s part of baseball, right? And I think at one point it’s going to turn around, and people are not going to be talking about average or whatever. They're going to be talking about the hitter. That's what we see is the hitter. And the at-bats, he’s been really good.”
Buehler … Buehler … Buehler
Walker Buehler, who signed a one-year, $21.05 million contract, was expected to be Cora’s No. 2 or 3 starter behind ace Garrett Crochet.
Thus far, he is arguably the biggest disappointment on the team, notching a 6.29 ERA in 13 starts. Buehler still has the arsenal to reverse that. His inability to command his pitches has been a big issue both in terms of walks and not being able to put hitters away with two strikes.
Buehler’s two starts on the road trip were gruesome, as he went 7 1/3 innings while giving up 11 hits, 13 runs and 11 walks.
“It’s embarrassing,” Buehler said. “It’s just not who I want to be as a baseball player. I’d rather get whacked around than [walk a bunch of guys]. And somehow, this year I’ve managed to do all the negative things you can.”
The activation of Hicks
The Red Sox will have something to show for the Devers trade when righty setup man Jordan Hicks is activated within the next few days.
Hicks, coming off right toe inflammation, is expected to make a second Minor League rehab appearance on Friday. With top setup man Justin Slaten out indefinitely, the addition of Hicks could make a significant difference for a bullpen that is a high-leverage pitcher or two short.