The Boston Red Sox bullpen has hit some peaks and valleys through the first two months of the 2022 season, but one of their arms has been consistent from the start, and he's starting to get some national recognition.
In a recent article for MLB.com, writer Will Leitch pointed to Austin Davis as the Red Sox's most secretly dominant pitcher.
"Matt Strahm was also an option here, but you might have heard of Strahm," Leitch wrote. "You probably haven't heard of Davis, who has been knocked around his entire career until finding a home in a Boston bullpen that desperately needs him. (He's the guy the Red Sox got for trading Michael Chavis, by the way.)"
While Red Sox fans certainly have heard of Davis, it isn't very often that a middle-reliever is given some shine nationally. A stat that was pointed to to help signify Davis' secret dominance was his hard hit rate, in which he ranks in the 93rd percentile.
Since arriving to Boston in a trade last July, Davis has a 3.16 earned run average in 37 innings pitched. Those numbers improve when you narrow things down to the 2022 season.
Davis brought his current earned run average down to 1.79 following his scoreless appearance on May 28, the best mark on Boston's staff among qualified pitchers. He entered May 28 with the second most appearances of any Red Sox pitcher.
