Usually, the problem for MLB teams at this point in the season is not having enough pitching. That’s not the case for the Boston Red Sox.
They actually have too much starting pitching right now, and don’t know what to do with it all. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Aaron Cook, Franklin Morales and Felix Doubront all have to take turns, and the Sox could consider the unorthodox move of considering a six-man rotation the rest of the way.
Bobby Valentine has been put in a tough position, where he has to massage these starters and make them all happy. With Beckett returning to the mound on Wednesday after getting his last scheduled start pushed back due to injury, the Sox now have a six-man starting staff to balance in the short term.
Franklin Morales is set to start this Saturday against the Indians, he has pitched well as a starter all season. Along with Aaron Cook, who pitched well his last time out, the Sox have a couple of guys right on the fence of hanging onto their starting spots.
A six-man rotation would give all of the usual starters an extra day’s rest for the entirety of the season. Considering how the Red Sox faltered down the stretch last year — and the unprecedented workloads Morales and Doubront are facing — the Sox could do well to minimize the chance of fatigue. Then again, that extra rest could throw off a routine of going out to the mound every fifth day.
Should the Red Sox use a six-man rotation the rest of this season?
