The Red Sox held an 8?-game lead in the wild-card race on Sept. 1. Since the start of the month, Boston has had one of the worst pitching staffs in the majors, and that lead dwindled to two games after splitting a doubleheader against the Orioles on Monday. “It’s all about starting pitching, and that’s why [the Red Sox] have been limping in September,” TBS analyst Dennis Eckersley said.
The Red Sox can make up for some pitching struggles with one of the top scoring offenses in the majors. But the way Boston has been pitching in September is unsalvageable.
The Red Sox have gone 5-14 in the month and have allowed three or more runs in 13 straight games. Only the White Sox (6.15) have a worse ERA than Boston (5.98) this month.
With Josh Beckett missing a couple weeks, the rotation got even weaker. Andrew Miller lost both starts he made in September. Kyle Weiland dropped to 0-3 with a 7.99 ERA after earning the loss Monday. John Lackey has been awful all season, posting a 6.19 ERA and 1.59 WHIP. And 45-year-old Tim Wakefield has allowed at least five earned runs in his last three starts.
But the pressure down the stretch is going to fall on the top of the rotation.
“It’s all about [Jon] Lester and Beckett,” Eckersley said.
Lester has pitched well most of the season but allowed four earned runs in each of his last two starts.
In Beckett’s first start since Sept. 5, he allowed two earned runs in six innings to earn a critical victory over the Rays on Friday.
Boston’s postseason hopes rely on a pitching staff that has consistently come up short in September. Not a good sign.
– Jeffrey Tomik
