Summarizing the Sox: Finding Silver Linings After A Rough Week

It’s Week-In-Review time! Here’s what was happening in Red Sox Nation, 9/5/22 - 9/11/22.

Record

2-4

The Red Sox’s AL East woes continued this week as they dropped four of six to Baltimore and Tampa Bay. They are now 20-40 vs. opponents from within the division, 48-32 against everyone else. We all knew this division would be tough to compete in but I didn’t imagine the Sox would handle that challenge this poorly.

Run Differential

+7

This is a misleading number boosted by a 17-run outing against the Orioles on Saturday that made up a majority of their scoring for the week. They averaged two runs per game in the other five contests.

Player of the Week

The Red Sox might have lost every game that Zack Kelly pitched in this week but that wasn’t his fault. He didn’t give up a run over 3.2 innings pitched over three appearances. He posted an opposing batting average of .083 and lowered his season ERA to 2.70 for the season. He gave up his first runs of the season 10 days ago, but Kelly has been out ever since.

Connor Wong had high praise for Kelly’s change-up in particular.

“(It’s) something else. I haven’t had to hit against it but I can only imagine. Some of the swings he gets on that thing are just unreal. So I can imagine it’s a nightmare at the plate”

Play of the Week

Trevor Story is an absurd defender, reason No. 346:

Nemesis of the Week

Randy Arozorena was a tough out for Red Sox pitching during their three-game stint in Tampa Bay this week. He went 5-11 with three doubles, a homer and four RBIs — at least one in each game against the Sox, all wins — and reached base safely in 50% of his at-bats.

Favorite Red Sox Content

Brayan Bello made a couple of appearances on Pitching Ninja this week and I ate it up. Bello has been my favorite Red Sox prospect to watch, even before he made it to the Majors. His stuff is electric and he’s starting to throw with more confidence now. You can see it not just in the pitch selection over his last few outings but in the way he’s carrying himself on the mound. I can’t say for certain what the rotation will look like in 2023 but I hope he’s a part of it.

Bold Prediction for Next Week

The Red Sox earn a two-game sweep against the Yankees behind good starts from Nick Pivetta and Bello. I think the offense rebounds from a tough week and the Sox will continue to play the struggling Yankees close. I love watching some of the kids get major league experience but I’d also like to play spoiler with the division in play.

Favorite Thing I Ate While Watching

I enjoyed a lovely halftime hot dog while checking in on the Sox from the press box of Acrisure Stadium, where I was working my full-time job covering University of Pittsburgh football as they took on Tennessee. It was just what I needed to get me through a hectic four hours of football. I watched Rafael Devers launch a first-inning grand slam during the stoppages of a pretty wild college football game unfolding in front of me.

Looking Forward

After an off-day on Monday, the Red Sox are at home for their next five — two against the Yankees and three against Kansas City.

This Week in Red Sox History

On September 7, 1923, Howard Ehmke threw the 11th no-hitter in Red Sox history as they beat the Philadelphia Athletics 4-0 at Shibe Park in Philly. Ehmke went the distance while striking out just one and allowing a single walk that separated him from a perfect game. He added two hits in four at-bats to really round out his afternoon. Right fielder Ira Flagstead’s three hits and two walks sparked the offense, who took advantage of five walks surrendered by A’s starter Slim Hariss.

The Red Sox finished that year 61-91 and in eighth place in the American League so this was a pretty nice distraction from how bad they were that year. That win broke up a streak of four straight losses.