It’s hard to imagine things getting much worse for Rick Porcello.
The first half of Porcello’s first season with the Boston Red Sox was a disaster, as the right-hander went 5-9 with a 5.90 ERA in 17 starts. Knowing this, Porcello is looking to turn the page and perhaps even use the disappointing stretch to his advantage in the second half.
“You can take struggles however you want, but ultimately it’s a learning experience,” Porcello told WEEI.com’s John Tomase last weekend before the Major League Baseball All-Star break. “You have to take the positives out of it. There are a bunch of things I can take away from the first half, note it, and do some things to avoid some of the struggles I’ve had and get back on track.”
Porcello entered Friday with the third-worst ERA among qualified starters this season. He ranked 83rd of 97 qualified starters in WHIP. It’s hardly the type of production the Red Sox expected when they signed Porcello to a four-year, $82.5 million contract extension on Opening Day, though the 26-year-old has been adamant that the lofty expectations aren’t to blame. For Porcello, it’s all about execution.
“They brought me over here because of what I’ve done and who I am,” Porcello told Tomase. “That’s the most important thing. There’s no added pressure on myself. I am who I am. I can’t try and be somebody else or do something I’m not capable of doing. So that hasn’t factored into it at all.”
Porcello has a track record of success. He had his best season with the Detroit Tigers in 2014, when he went 15-13 with a 3.43 ERA. Perhaps the second half will mark a rebound. His first start out of the break Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels offers an opportunity for a fresh start.
“It is what it is,” Porcello said of his woes. “There have been some inconsistencies, but it’s not something I can’t turn around in the second half and be consistent and do what I know I’m capable of doing.”
Porcello certainly is capable of much more.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
