How Three Red Sox Players Sparked Boston’s Impressive 2023 Turnaround

On June 14, the Red Sox stood at 33-35 and needed a spark to jump back into the postseason conversation. There still is plenty of baseball left, but Boston returns from the All-Star break as the hottest team in the American League one month later. 

The Red Sox are an AL-best 15-8 over the last 30 days. Boston also posted the league’s best batting average at .279 and a 3.64 ERA that’s the third-lowest in the AL, per Red Sox manager of media relations and baseball information J.P. Long.

Boston is five games over .500 at 48-43, as of Friday. The team heads to Chicago on a five-game winning streak and winner of eight of its last nine games. 

The Red Sox needed a boost to ignite during that stretch. Since June 14, three players, in particular, have done just that.

1. Brayan Bello
It has been quite some time since a homegrown Boston arm has developed in the way that Bello has. The right-hander had some carryover of his 2022 struggles to start the season. Since then, Bello might just be the team’s most reliable starter as his run of excellent starts continues. 

In four starts since June 14, Bello is 3-1 with a 1.62 ERA. In 27 2/3 innings, he struck out 21 batters and walked only five. He went seven innings in three of those four starts. His only loss in that stretch came against Miami when he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. 

Bello’s fastball command and electric changeup continue to improve. He gets the nod Friday in Chicago as the first starter to throw after the All-Star break with a chance to prove his frontline potential.

With other starters such as Chris Sale, Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck and Corey Kluber all missing time with injuries, Bello’s ability to not only make each start but competitively pitch deep into games has more than fueled Boston’s resurgence when the team needed him the most.

2. Jarren Duran
After years in the minors, Duran returned to the majors to fill in for the injured Adam Duvall in what felt like a pivotal call-up for the tested young outfielder. 

Duran took the opportunity and ran with it. Literally. 

Throughout the year, Duran’s improved bat and speed on the basepaths have added an element of dynamism to Boston’s offense. He currently sits tied for third in all of baseball with 27 doubles. His speed plays both on the basepaths (17 stolen bases) and in center field as part of this breakout season.

Since June 14, Duran’s batting average rose from .287 to .320. He also saw his OPS rise over 100 points from .783 to .886. There might not be a game more reflective of his growth than Boston’s win over Toronto on July 2 as part of a three-game sweep. In the victory, Duran was a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate with four doubles and three runs scored. 

Duran headlines the greatest improvement of any Red Sox player from last season and is growing into the premier outfielder the organization saw him to be. His second-half performance will be crucial for Boston’s playoff chances, beginning with a series in Chicago at a venue he enjoyed success at in 2022.

3. James Paxton
Paxton entered 2023 as a low-risk, high-reward arm for the Boston rotation after picking up a team-friendly $4 million player option to return to the organization that led his rehab process in 2022. 

After some early season inconsistencies, Paxton has rewarded the Red Sox with his own run of excellent starts. The AL’s Pitcher of the Month for June is 3-0 in four starts since June 14 with a 2.25 ERA. The left-hander tallied seven strikeouts twice in that span against Minnesota and Toronto. 

Paxton’s velocity has returned, allowing him to consistently challenge hitters. Like Bello, Paxton’s ability to stay healthy in June and consistently pitch effectively kept the Red Sox alive and well throughout this surge of momentum.