Red Sox vs Astros Series Review
The Beginning Of The End?
Overall Takeaway
Feels like a broken record at this point, but this pitching will be the death of this team. A wasted start from Houck is frustrating enough, but on a Saturday against a team fighting for the playoffs, to have a BULLPEN game is just a gut punch. It is the cross the team bears by having Cora and Bailey turn relievers into starters the past two years. That is not a critique, and I love Houck/Whitlock/Crawford, but it is just the reality. Couple that with Paxton, the team's “big” deadline move, going down today, and it just feels like the beginning of the end for this season.
Game 1: Astros 8-4
Game 2: Astros 5-4
Game 3: Astros 10-2
What I Loved
Masataka Yoshida
There is not much to love in this series, so I will put JUST Yoshida in this category so he can get the shine that most Red So fans won’t give him. Here is the last month of his season.
.311 AVG/ .870 OPS/ 2 HR/ 14 RBI/ 12 R
I know these aren’t eye-popping numbers, but for the season, he is closing in on a .280A AVG and .800 OPS. Considering Cora and the Front Office tried to essentially murder him earlier this season, I would say this isn’t half bad.
What I Was "Mid" About
Bullpen
They choked in Game 1, got fed to the wolves in Game 2, and were drawn and quartered in Game 3. I am putting them here just as a sympathy for everything they had to go through this weekend.
What I Didn't Love
The Fact That The Team Is Doing Bullpen On A Saturday.
The weakest part of this team, by far, is their bullpen. The fact that on a Saturday, against a team also fighting for a playoff spot, they are rolling out a bullpen game does not give me faith for a run into October.
James Paxton Injury
Needing to get helped off the field after five pitches does not typically equal a few days out. I expect him to hit the IL tomorrow. It looks like a strained right calf, according to reports during the game.
What I Am Looking Forward To
Yep, I needed to make a new category this week because, frankly, there was nothing but pain to talk about. So, here is what I am excited about as the season comes closer to an end.
Liam Hendriks
It is not an overreaction to say that he might be the savior of this Red Sox season. If he can come in and be the 1B to Jansen, then there is a shot this team can still make it to the playoffs.
Devers On Another Silver Slugger Campaign
Jose Ramirez hit another home run today, and there were plenty of “HOF!” posts. But I hope that the voters look at all the numbers and realize that Devers is the superior offensive choice. I hope he can eek that OPS back over 1.000 to solidify this.
The Big Three… Maybe Coming Up?
It is not likely, but I am keeping an eye on Teel, Mayer, and Anthony. If this team falls apart in August, I would not be surprised to see one or two of them come up in September to test the waters. It would make the season a little more palatable.
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