John E. Sokolowski USA Today Sports
The Boston Red Sox rotation has just been a disaster this season. Entering today, the Red Sox sit in fourth place in the AL East with a 15-18 record and 5.5 games out of first place. The fact that they are only three games under .500 is a win in itself, considering how bad the rotation has been so far.
The Red Sox have the second-highest team ERA in all of baseball (5.05), only trailing the Colorado Rockies (5.48). Wade Miley has been at the center of the criticism all season long, pitching to a 1-4 record with an abysmal 6.91 ERA. However, the problems don’t stop with Miley, as fellow starters Joe Kelly (1-2, 6.35 ERA) and Justin Masterson (2-2, 6.37 ERA) have both struggled on the mound for the Sox.
These numbers were in large part the reason why pitching coach Juan Nieves was fired earlier this week. It is becoming more evident by the day that none of the Red Sox starters are aces.
The strategy in the offseason was to acquire a collection of middle of the road pitchers, rather than a true ace. And that strategy appears to be an overwhelming failure, given the success, or lack thereof, this season.
The Red Sox have some options in terms of pitching help, whether that means through trades or through their stockpile of arms in Triple-A. Something needs to change with this rotation if the Red Sox want to be in the picture come October.
The biggest available option out there would certainly be Cole Hamels, but only time will tell if the Red Sox are willing to meet the price tag to acquire the Philadelphia Phillies‘ ace.
