Red Sox’s Formula For Success Is Volatile, Not Outlandish

The Red Sox will have to keep winning games like Friday’s if they want to find themselves in contention for a postseason spot.

Boston did juuuuuust enough to squeak by the Baltimore Orioles Oriole Park at Camden Yards, eventually securing a 12-10 win that was representative of both its strengths and weaknesses.

Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes, who entered the matchup with a 2.71 ERA in 24 starts, hadn’t allowed more than four earned runs in any game this season. The Red Sox got him for eight.

“I think just being picky, man. I think we were just so locked in on the spot we wanted, and we stuck to it,” Duran said, per The Boston Globe. “We didn’t chase him around too much and we had quality at-bats. We kind of grinded him down a little bit, making him throw quality pitches, and I feel like sometimes, it’s hard for a pitcher.”

Boston’s offense — which is one of the best in the American League — popped, so it must have been an easy night, right?

Nope.

Cooper Criswell, Luis Garcia and Chris Martin (yes, we’re naming names) made things much more difficult than they needed to be, and were perfectly representative of the Red Sox’s biggest issue heading into a playoff race; the bullpen cannot be relied upon.

It isn’t lost on us how ironic saying that after winning what is known as a “bullpen game” is, but it’s the truth.

Garcia has a 14.08 ERA since being acquired at the deadline, giving up four mammoth home runs in the process. Boston’s bullpen ERA (7.11) and OPS-against (.948) since the All-Star break would be enough to make Alex Cora’s hair fall out — if that were still something he had to worry about.

The Red Sox, after teeing off on one of the best pitchers in baseball, shouldn’t have needed Kenley Jansen or Martin on Friday. Cora is managing every game like it’s do-or-die, so it totally makes sense why the two veterans were brought on, but any competent unit should have been able to piece together that win without them.

Triston Casas returned to the order, and his impact was felt right away.

“Good swings. Good at-bats. Smart hitter,” Cora said of Yoshida, per The Globe. “I think there are certain guys that are going to benefit from having Triston in the lineup. Raffy (Devers), hitting behind him, because Triston is going to see pitches and Raffy can do whatever he wants and be aggressive. Masa is going to benefit from those two at-bats, just watching.”

The Red Sox, though, can’t just enjoy sparks of offense like they saw Friday. They’ll be relying on them down the stretch.

“What exactly is that ‘formula for success’ that got me to click?” you ask with annoyance because we haven’t provided the answer yet. The Red Sox need to take care of business against team’s they’re supposed to beat, but they also need to steal a few games that should be losses on paper — which is exactly what they did Friday.

It’s a volatile strategy, but it isn’t totally outlandish.