Sometimes a second chance at a first impression is all someone needs to turn things around.
That’s exactly what Josh Taylor did when he was called up to the Boston Red Sox from Triple-A Pawtucket in June. Taylor’s first go-around in Major League Baseball did not go well, as the left-hander surrendered six runs in five innings with a 10.80 ERA over five games.
He was sent back down to Pawtucket on June 10, but it wasn’t long before he got a second chance at redemption.
Taylor was back with the Red Sox on June 14, where he’s been ever since, and has shown vast improvements on the mound. He has an ERA of 1.26 while striking out 20 and walking just four batters over his last 13 outings.
So, what changed?
“The first time coming up, every outing felt like a debut,” Taylor said, via MassLive. “I think that second call up really helped me feel like, let’s get back to work. Let’s give them a reason not to make that decision again.
“I feel like I’m proving myself as opposed to the first time up when I had a couple rough ones. I think I bounced back. I think I’m showing them I can compete up here and I can do what they need me to do,” he added “They have me here for a reason, that’s to pitch when ever they feel the need to. I think I have that opportunity. It’s up to them to determine how they want to use me in whatever situation.”
Taylor’s most recent outing only continued to add to his improvements as he tossed a scoreless sixth inning in the Red Sox’s eventual 12-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
