Even in the “worst” of times, Wakefield is mopping up a lopsided loss but doing plenty to spare the rest of the bullpen of any unnecessary innings. When things are a bit rosier, both for Wakefield and the team, the 44-year-old is doing what he did Sunday night against the Chicago Cubs.
Both scenarios can provide a major boost for a pitching staff that has seen its fair share of injuries and inconsistencies this year.
Facing a group of hitters that had little experience against him, Wakefield dazzled on a chilly Sunday night at Fenway Park that saw him pick up his 180th career win as a member of the Red Sox and his 194th overall. He allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings of a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs, leading Boston to its eighth win in nine games.
Once seemingly upset with his part-time starter role, Wakefield is cherishing the opportunity to give the Red Sox the lift they need.
“I take a lot of pride in that because you’re asked to do a job and you do it well,” he said. “It’s obviously what you’re trying to do. Tonight was one of those nights where you take a huge golden nugget out of it.”
In a lot of ways, the fact that Wakefield does what he does while filling in for injured starters may mean even more to the team than if he was a full-time member of the rotation. When he is given a spot start (or several, as the case may be), he leaves a void in the bullpen that needs to be filled, putting the staff in a bit of flux. To dominate the opponent allows everyone to settle down for a night.
To the man who has to call the shots, it is a blessing.
“The role’s changed a little bit now, but boy what a lift that gives us,” said manager Terry Francona. “Throw a guy in there when somebody gets hurt and he’s so professional. I guess it shouldn’t amaze us because he’s been doing it a long time. I guess the better word is appreciative.”
The Cubs likely weren’t appreciating the way Wakefield was treating them. He faced the minimum through four and the only reason that run did not extend to five innings is because a third strike got past catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, allowing a man to reach with two outs in the fifth. Wakefield got the next hitter, Alfonso Soriano, on a grounder to second base, and he was through five with a miniscule pitch count of 50.
The veteran admitted that he soon began to have thoughts of a complete game, something he has not accomplished since 2009. Knowing Wakefield had not thrown more than 84 pitches all year and had appeared just once since May 6, Francona was settled on just trying to get his starter through seven. A few hard-hit balls in that inning, a double by Jeff Baker providing Chicago with its only run, made that an impossibility.
Daniel Bard was summoned from the bullpen and Wakefield walked off to a rousing ovation, doffing his cap to the 37,688 on hand.
Not to take anything away from Wakefield’s effort, but it didn’t hurt that he was facing an average National League offense. Get the veteran into interleague play and he looks like the 1995 version of himself.
Wakefield is now 6-3 with a 3.02 ERA in his last 12 starts against NL opponents. He has gone at least six innings in every one of those starts and has now allowed one run or less in four of them. His eight scoreless innings in Philadelphia last May opposite Roy Halladay stands out as the best of the bunch, but Sunday’s effort was no slouch.
In fact, his teammates raved about the quality of the knuckleball.
“It got to the point where with men on base I was uncomfortable because it was moving so much I didn’t want to miss it,” Saltalamacchia said. “He looked really good.”
Fortunately, for Saltalamacchia, only five men ever reached. That’s where first baseman Adrian Gonzalez learned what Saltalamacchia already knew.
“His knuckleball was all over the place,” Gonzalez said. “The few guys that got on base kept talking about how much it was moving.”
Wakefield is now six wins shy of becoming the 111th pitcher in major league history to reach 200 wins. He is 12 victories shy of matching Roger Clemens and Cy Young atop the franchise leaderboard. To his credit, Wakefield said those milestones aren’t even on his mind, only his next start is.
That, too, speaks to what has and forever will endear him to his teammates.
“That’s the part we all admire of him,” second baseman Dustin Pedroia said. “He’s accepted his role, that’s why we all love him. That’s why he’s been here since…”
Pedroia trailed off, unable to recall how long Wakefield had been pitching at this park. It has been a long time, 16 seasons to be exact. And still, he continues to give the Red Sox a boost.
