True Life: I’m a knuckleballer.
The latest episode of Steven Wright’s tenure in the Red Sox’s rotation was much like the first two in that he gave Boston a chance to win. It’s really all anyone can ask of Wright, who’s been as advertised since taking Justin Masterson’s spot, and Friday’s 7-4 loss to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park shouldn’t do anything to dissuade the Red Sox from keeping the right-hander in their rotation.
“For the time he was on the mound, he kept the game under control,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “He fielded his position well, gave us a chance and kept us in the ballgame, for sure.”
Wright allowed three runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four, walked one and threw 82 pitches (55 strikes) before handing things over to a Red Sox bullpen that struggled in the later innings.
Wright was victimized by two solo home runs from Josh Hamilton, who has looked in vintage form over the first two games of the teams’ four-game series in Arlington. The five-time All-Star turned on a 3-2 knuckleball located on the inner half of the plate to open the scoring in the second inning, and he later took advantage of a 2-2 knuckleball that stayed up in the fourth inning to recapture the lead for Texas.
“They weren’t great pitches. They were good pitches to hit. You kind of have to tip your cap,” Wright said. “He put good swings on them and hit them out. They broke in to him. If those pitches break away, he doesn’t get them out. But that’s his hot spot. That’s definitely where he likes it and he proved it.”
The other run Wright allowed came in the third inning after Adam Rosales led off with a double and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt. Wright pulled within an out of escaping the jam unscathed by inducing a comebacker against Leonys Martin, but a pitch down and in to Shin-Soo Choo traveled past catcher Blake Swihart and to the backstop for a wild pitch that plated Rosales.
“That’s the nature of the beast sometimes with the knuckleball,” Wright said. “It kind of broke a little too far in. That’s the pros and cons of throwing the knuckleball.”
The whole “nature of the beast” concept is a perfect description of Wright’s effort against the Rangers and his three-start sample since Masterson landed on the disabled list. There are going to be ups and downs. And more often than not, the downs will be a product of ineffective knuckleballs that either leave the yard or cause problems for the catcher. But as long as Wright doesn’t let things snowball — and he hasn’t — there’s no reason why the Red Sox shouldn’t be able to live with the types of performances he’s been providing to date.
Wright hasn’t given up more than three runs or five hits in any of his three starts. He’s issued just three walks and kept his pitch count well within reason. In short, Wright has been consistent, albeit not flashy. And that shouldn’t be discredited within a rotation that’s been inconsistent since Day 1.
The Red Sox, who plan to deploy a six-man rotation through their next homestand, likely will choose between Wright, Eduardo Rodriguez and Joe Kelly for the final two spots alongside Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello and Wade Miley come decision time June 8. Both Rodriguez and Kelly have higher ceilings, but Wright’s steadiness makes him intriguing.
The “nature of the beast” means it won’t always be pretty with Wright. But the end result should reign supreme, and the Red Sox have had an opportunity to win each time behind the knuckleballer.
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports Images
