Red Sox 1, White Sox 4: Robert Rakes, Red Sox Roadie Roils

Jekyll, meet Hyde. Coming into this AL Central road trip, the Red Sox spent time on a six-game winning streak making up a ton of ground on their AL East opponents. While not out of the basement, they pulled themselves to within a game of the Blue Jays. They swept their age-old rival Yankees, pounding them with runs. Did they lose a series to the Rockies in between? Sure, but they were at least hitting the ball well. Even to start the Minnesota series, they put up nine runs and ten runs each in two wins.

They end up going 3-4 on the roadie, culminating in this embarrassing 4-1 loss to the White Sox. This whole series was very strange. Game 1 with the victory despite striking out 17 times and logging only four hits. Today, five hits certainly didn’t do. Kutter Crawford went deep but threw an average game...you know what, I’ll do Crawford better than that: aside from Luis Robert Jr. having his number, Crawford threw a better-than-decent game. The Red Sox bats didn’t do anything to help their starting pitcher out.

In what was admittedly a bullpen game for the White Sox, a team that’s ten games UNDER 500, not even to take the series let alone put up big numbers feels like not just an underwhelming result, but a massive opportunity lost. They lost a lot of the positive energy they built up over the week and a half prior, now three games back of Toronto. No more than four runs scored in a single game across their last five games. They got lucky Brayan Bello is playing amazing baseball and tossed a gem Friday. They lost Saturday all on their own when it was right within their grasp. Sunday, they barely put up a fight.

The All-Star Break starts two weeks from today. A series at home against the surprisingly good Marlins. A beyond pivotal trip up north to face the Blue Jays. Then a long homestand against the Rangers and Athletics. This pretty much is make-it-or-break-it for who the Red Sox become for the rest of the season. What can they do with it? Will they be Jekyll, the team that pitches well enough and puts up runs, worth saving with additions? Will they be Hyde, the team that falls apart and whimpers leaving the ballpark? Who knows at this point.

FanGraphs

Three Studs

Adam Duvall (.167 WPA, 2-for-4, 1 RBI)

Duvall’s RBI double almost fooled everyone it was rocketed so fast. I thought it was a line drive that would just clear the yellow line in left field, but it hits the base of the wall. The pop is starting to come back to Duvall’s bat.

Jarren Duran (.023 WPA, 1-for-2, 1 K)

Comes into the game for a very lackluster Caleb Hamilton and hits a single with one down to try and do something in the 7th inning. Nicely done for a small sample size.

Justin Turner (.017 WPA, 1-for-3, 1 run scored, 1 BB, 1 K)

Even in a game when he had one hit, his walk was actually pretty impactful. Getting on put the pressure on Tanner Banks leading to Adam Duvall’s RBI double.

Three Duds

Kutter Crawford (-.187 WPA, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 HR, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K)

Admittedly, a lot of WPA gets hoisted onto a pitcher. Crawford threw three quality innings. Luis Robert Jr. let that all go by the wayside. Let’s also not forget about Andrew Benintendi getting a little revenge.

Rob Refsnyder (-.108 WPA, 0-for-4, 1 K)

An absolutely quiet game for Ref. A lineout on one pitch, a strikeout, and not working deep into counts. It’s not gonna do it.

Christian Arroyo (-.100 WPA, 0-for-4, 1 K)

Striking out with two on in the top of the second is pretty damning when you could have put up a lot more runs for your starter.

Play of the Game

By WPA with .243, it’s Robert Jr.’s first homer in the bottom of the 4th inning. The Red Sox wouldn’t hold a lead at any point after that. For the Red Sox with a WPA of .157, it’s Adam Duvall’s RBI double in the third inning.