The front end of the Boston Red Sox’s bullpen was a clear detriment in 2022.
Though Garrett Whitlock was always successful in that role, his injuries and switch to the rotation left a hole that was unshakable. The Red Sox didn’t have a long reliever, which made the middle innings a hellish experience for most of the season.
That’s why headed into 2023, after adding Kenley Jansen to sure up the closer’s role, Boston was planning on having Tanner Houck fill that role with Whitlock making a full-time move to the rotation. Well, plans change, and Houck is starring in the rotation alongside his pal Whitlock leaving it open for the taking. So, who has taken over the role?
Josh Winckowski, and he’s done a damned-near perfect job.
Winckowski was the star of Boston’s win in Milwaukee on Friday night, piggybacking Nick Pivetta and guiding the Red Sox through 2 1/3 scoreless innings to get to Jansen in the ninth. The 24-year-old pushed his ERA to 1.65 on the season in the performance, drawing praise from manager Alex Cora.
“He came in and did his job,” Cora said, as seen on NESN’s postgame coverage. “That’s what we’re going to do with Wink and Kutter (Crawford). When we use them, it’s to go multiple innings. He’s been outstanding. We can talk all we want about (Alex Verdugo) and whatever, but this kid Wink, he put work in the off season. He cleaned up a lot of stuff physically, mechanically, mentally, and we’re pleased with the way he’s throwing the ball.”
In having Winckowski and Crawford eat up innings, the Red Sox are set up nicely on their staff. Boston has a six-man rotation, two long relievers, a high-leverage arm in John Schreiber and one of the best closers in the game in Jansen. Not too shabby.
Here are some more notes from Red Sox-Brewers on Friday:
— Rob Refsnyder’s RBI single in the sixth inning lifted the Red Sox’s pinch-hit average to an MLB-best .429 (9-for-21) through 21 games. Boston’s 24 pinch-hit at-bats this season lead the American League, per NESN’s Tom Caron.
— Verdugo pushed his batting average to .341 with his 2-for-5 performance from the plate. That average ranks seventh in Major League Baseball and third in the AL. He spoke about his recent success at the plate afterward.
“I’m just not trying to do too much up their, man,” Verdugo told NESN’s Jahmai Webster. “I’m trying to stay inside the fastball, trying to work the other way. I feel like when I’m doing that — I kept off-speed pitches out in front a little bit better instead of hooking the foul. We’re starting to see them stay fair and get out of the ballpark.
“… I like the way I feel right now. It’s just constant every day, working on what I need to work on.”
— Rowdy Tellez continued his crusade against the Red Sox, homering in the fourth inning and finishing the night 1-for-3 from the dish with a walk. It was the 28-year-old’s 13th home run in 36 career games against Boston.
— The Red Sox will return to NESN on Saturday for the second of a three-game set against the Brewers. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET following an hour of pregame coverage.
