It’s now or never for the 2019 Boston Red Sox.
The Red Sox finally appeared to be flipping the switch last week when they took three of four from the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. But what followed was a potentially season-defining stretch: a three-game sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays in Boston followed by a four-game sweep to the Yankees in the Bronx.
The reigning World Series champions now sit 6 1/2 games back of the second American League wild-card spot with 48 games remaining on their regular-season schedule. Boston will need all hands on deck if it’s going to re-enter the playoff picture, but ESPN believes one player, in particular, needs to shine for the sake of the collective.
“Chris Sale is averaging 13.1 strikeouts per nine innings — that would be the third-highest rate ever for a starter — but he’s also 5-11 with a 4.68 ERA. Batters are hitting .211 off him with the bases empty, but .260 with a .500 slugging percentage with runners on,” ESPN’s David Schoenfield writes. “The strikeout rate is nice, but the runs allowed rate is what matters most. He needs to have a dominant stretch run.”
Sale routinely has failed to deliver when needed this season, In fact, four of his five wins on the campaign came over teams currently at least 10 games below .500. The veteran left-hander has struggled mightily against the league’s best, including an 0-4 record against the Yankees.
In Sale’s defense, Boston’s starting pitching as a whole hasn’t been acceptable of late. But the fiery southpaw is the club’s ace, and he’ll need to pitch like one down the stretch if the Red Sox have any hope of playing in October.
