The MLB transfer window is used by rival organizations to bolster their rosters. Teams like the Seattle Mariners have gone all out this season, signing players like Randy Arozarena (TB), Yimi Garcí (TOR) and Justin Turner (TOR). While the Boston Red Sox haven’t necessarily gone all out like Seattle, they have signed several players to help a struggling group. The Red Sox pitching staff has been faltering since the All-Star break in July. But despite the new additions, Boston is still struggling on the mound. Recent additions can’t stop a troubling Red Sox trend.
Recent acquisitions can’t stop the Red Sox’s troubling trend
The statistics
For the entire 2024 season, Boston ranks 18th in baseball with a 4.17 ERA. The Red Sox have few baserunners, are fourth best in walk percentage, and 15th in WHIP. However, that’s not the whole story. From March to mid-July, Boston had a pretty strong pitching staff despite various injuries. Since the All-Star break, however, nothing has been the same. In fact, the Red Sox have been completely thrown off course in the last month.
Since July 19, when baseball resumed after the All-Star festivities, Boston very last in the MLB for team ERA. Worse than the Chicago White Sox, who are 3-22 over that span. Below the Colorado Rockies, who play in a stadium where balls constantly go out for runs. The Red Sox just haven’t been able to perform on the mound. That’s affected their record, as Boston has won 11 of its 26 games since the break. Through Saturday, the club has failed to make any ground in the AL wild-card race and is 2.5 games behind the Kansas City Royals.
The Red Sox pitching numbers since the break:
Worst ERA in baseball: 6.10.
Most goals conceded (274).
The most runs allowed is 182. The next highest is 151.
The most home runs allowed is 55. The next highest is 43.
The opponents’ batting average is .287.During this period, they also had the most hits in the MLB (272).
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) 17 August 2024
The Red Sox’s hitting power has been anything but a problem. They rank second in baseball with 6.19 runs per game last month. Masataka Yoshida, Rafael Devers and Jarren Duran are the best. First baseman Triston Casas is finally back. Boston knew it had to do something at the deadline and wisely decided to specifically improve its pitching group. Despite those efforts, however, the Red Sox’s pitcher transfers have been nothing short of a disappointment. And if things don’t change soon, Boston could put itself out of the running for the postseason.
The acquisitions
The Red Sox signed four players on the trade deadline who have since played in the major leagues. The only hitter Boston signed was catcher Danny Jansen, who has a .333 batting average and hit two home runs with the club. The Red Sox focused primarily on pitching, signing three players. It began with left-hander James Paxton, who was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers and then traded to Boston on July 26. On trade deadline day, the Red Sox signed relievers Lucas Sims from the Cincinnati Reds and Luis García from the Los Angeles Angels. All three were immediately integrated into Boston’s lineup. All three had their own problems in the Red Sox uniform.
James Paxton – Left-handed – Starting pitcher
Paxton was a familiar face for Boston. He spent the entire 2023 season with the organization, posting a 4.50 ERA in 19 starts and 96 innings. Paxton was coming off a year in which he hadn’t played. In 2024, the 35-year-old started with the Dodgers, posting a 4.43 ERA in just over 89 innings. Paxton’s troubling 1.46 WHIP in LA raised alarms. But the Red Sox needed rotation help and chose Paxton as the man to step in.
The biggest issue with this decision wasn’t his stats or recent performances. It was Paxton’s track record. He hadn’t pitched more than 105 innings since 2019. Paxton threw just 21 ⅔ frames in three seasons from 2020-2022. Boston needed consistency, especially given the attrition of its rotation. Bringing in someone who doesn’t fit that mold, isn’t reliable, and frankly isn’t very good shouldn’t have been the decision.
Paxton’s stint with the Red Sox in 2024 was brief. He allowed five runs in his first 10 ⅓ innings. Then, on August 11 against the Houston Astros, he stepped onto the mound and pitched less than an inning before getting injured. Paxton strained his right calf while attempting to run to first base. He was later ruled out for the season. Although he had never dealt with an injury like this before, a 35-year-old with unreliable resilience was bound to break down. Paxton’s situation essentially forced Boston to return to its rotation before the deadline. The move didn’t work out at all. The organization is now praying that recently signed 44-year-old Rich Hill can help.
Just brutal for the Red Sox.
It wasn’t easy for James Paxton to leave the field. pic.twitter.com/AyqmbyOF6g
– Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) 11 August 2024
Lucas Sims – RHP – Relief Pitcher
Sims came to Boston after a successful season and a half of baseball in Cincinnati. The former first-round pick had a rocky start to his career but found his stride in 2023 and 2024. Sims threw just over 35 innings for the Reds before being traded to the Red Sox, posting a 3.57 ERA and 12 holds. Things were different in Boston. Sims pitched seven times. He allowed runs on two separate occasions, including a four-run disaster against the Astros. That has resulted in Sims having a 7.11 ERA in August and a 6.43 overall with the organization.
Of course, if you ignore the one big slip-up, things look better. But you can’t just forget that something happened. Sims was brought in to solidify Boston’s bullpen and add another veteran to the fold. He definitely hasn’t been a disaster for the club. But since he’s surrounded by weak pitchers, he hasn’t really done much to improve the current situation. Sims is the best of the three pitchers the Red Sox brought in, but that’s not saying much.
Luis García – RHP – Relief Pitcher
If we’re talking about disappointments, García has been the biggest since the deadline. With the Angels, he threw just under 45 innings and allowed four home runs. In Boston, he pitched just 7 ⅔ innings and allowed just as many. A 3.71 ERA in Los Angeles turned into a 5.26 ERA for the season. Overall with the Red Sox, García has allowed 16 hits and 12 runs and has an ugly 14.09 ERA. If there’s a definition of disaster, this is it.
Luis Garcia this season:
Angels: 4 HR allowed in 43 2/3 IP
Red Sox: 4 HR allowed in 7 2/3 IP— Nugget Chef (@jayhaykid) 17 August 2024
Boston wasn’t expecting an absolutely dominant pitcher when it signed the 37-year-old. But the Red Sox couldn’t have imagined that the new addition could turn out so badly. García has been one of the biggest disappointments in the entire baseball world. Instead of helping the team, he is actively making the organization worse. Boston is lucky that García is only on loan and will be a free agent after the season. If that weren’t the case, things would somehow be much worse.
The solution
Unfortunately, the Red Sox can only hope that their current pitching staff can turn things around. There aren’t many outside options, Boston doesn’t have strong pitching prospects, and the trade deadline is way back. A rotation of Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Nick Pivetta, and Brayan Bello can do damage. The bullpen isn’t bad on paper. But it’s not about what they can do, it’s about what they actually do. And if it continues like this, that reality isn’t pretty.
Main photo credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
