5 takeaways from the Red Sox' opening series vs. the Mariners originally aired on NBC Sports Boston
After a disappointing offseason, the Boston Red Sox gave fans a boost with a solid performance in Seattle.
They started the season with a 2-2 series split against the Mariners. It's too small a sample size to feel strongly one way or the other, but the first four games showed this Red Sox team to be more competitive than expected.
Before Boston begins its third straight game in Oakland, here are five takeaways from an encouraging start to this campaign.
Maybe the rotation isn't that bad after all
By far the biggest plus in Boston's opening series against Seattle was the collective performance of its starting rotation. All four Red Sox starting pitchers temporarily quieted the naysayers with impressive pitching.
Brayan Bello took the mound on opening day and allowed two earned runs on five hits (one home run) while striking out two Mariners batters until the fifth inning. The young right-hander helped Boston start the season with a 6-4 win.
Nick Pivetta continued where he left off last year with an ace-like performance in his first start of 2024. The veteran right-hander pitched six innings, allowing only one run (a solo home run) on three hits. He had 10 strikeouts and didn't walk anyone.
Unfortunately for Pivetta, the lineup couldn't hold up until the end of the deal. The Red Sox were unable to score against Mariners starter George Kirby and Seattle's bullpen and lost 1-0.
Nick Pivetta joins Pedro Martinez as the only Red Sox to pitch at least 6.0 innings in three consecutive games and allow fewer than five baserunners. (Pedro accomplished that in 2002, playing in four consecutive games.)
— JP Long (@SoxNotes) March 30, 2024
Cutter Crawford started Game 3 and had a great performance. The 28-year-old right-hander pitched six innings, allowing just one run (no earned) on three hits and one walk, with seven strikeouts. Mariners starter Logan Gilbert also pitched well, and with the game tied 1-1 going into overtime, Seattle star Julio Rodriguez hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning.
Garrett Whitlock put the finishing touches on a strong rotation in the final game of the series. He allowed only one run on three hits through the fifth inning, with eight strikeouts.
Boston's starting pitcher posted a 1.64 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, and .177 batting average in the four-game set. He struck out 27 total and walked only one batter.
As John Tomase put it, the “Andrew Bailey effect” on rotations is already being felt. Boston's new pitching coach has made some notable changes to his staff's approach, including becoming more aggressive in the strike zone while deemphasizing fastballs. There is a long way to go, but so far this strategy has proven successful.
Don't sleep in this bullpen
For the most part, the Red Sox bullpen followed the lead of the rotation with good pitching, especially by rookies.
Isaiah Campbell, who was added in the offseason, played against his former team and allowed one hit (a solo home run in the opening game) in two innings and struck out three. Greg Weissert, acquired in the Alex Verdugo deal, also allowed one hit and struck out three in two scoreless innings.
Justin Slaten, another under-the-radar player, has shown sharpness through his first two big league appearances. He allowed just one hit in 2.1 innings and struck out two batters.
The only blemish for the bullpen was Joely Rodriguez, who allowed two hits and three runs in Boston's 4-3 overtime game. He appeared in a high-leverage situation as closer Kenley Jansen missed the night with a sore back.
In addition to that, the bullpen seems to be a bright spot. Campbell, Weissert, and Slaten have each had impressive performances and could develop into key contributors as the season progresses. That would make new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow's offseason much better in retrospect.
Regardless of how the Red Sox' season goes, Sedan Rafaela will give fans a reason to pay attention. The fourth-ranked prospect within Boston's system was a spark plug, making his presence felt at the plate, on the basepaths, and in the field in the first series of his rookie year.
Rafaela went 4-for-12 with a double and a triple in three games. At third base, he showed the speed and hustle that the Red Sox lineup has lacked in recent seasons.
Rafaela is big at the plate, but he's even more fun to watch in center field. Already an elite defender at the age of 23, he showcased his talent with a sensational diving catch to steal a hit from JP Crawford.
“This is why I love center fielder Rafaela.”
4th @Red Sox Up and coming Sedanne Raffaella shows off her 70 grade field tools with a great diving glove. pic.twitter.com/ojWNXtd97l
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 31, 2024
This was just a preview of the Sedan Raffaella Experience. With consistent playing time, he could sneak into the American League Rookie of the Year conversation by season's end.
Story was one of Boston's hottest hitters in spring training, but his early season struggles were even more disappointing.
The veteran shortstop went 3-for-17 (.176 batting average) with five strikeouts against Seattle. That's not enough for a two-time All-Star who is expected to lead the Red Sox lineup alongside Rafael Devers.
Story could use the injury as an excuse for his lackluster performance in his first two years in Boston. Now that he's finally healthy, he needs to get back to the form he was as a feared hitter during his time with the Colorado Rockies.
Story provides value with his elite defense, but he signed a six-year, $140 million contract to do some damage at the plate. He has yet to make his mark in that department, and it's safe to say Sox fans' patience is wearing thin.
A healthy Tyler O'Neal is a weapon.
The Red Sox' trade to acquire Tyler O'Neal from the St. Louis Cardinals went under the radar during an offseason slump. But if he can stay on the field, he could be a game-changer for Boston's lineup, which is in desperate need of a big right-handed hitter.
O'Neal got off to a spectacular start to his Red Sox tenure, setting an MLB record for home runs in five consecutive opening days. The hard-hitting outfielder hit another home run in the final game of the series.
In addition to his power, O'Neal displayed impressive bat discipline with three walks and just one strikeout in 13 at-bats. He made two solo jacks and finished the series with 4 hits for 10 at bats.
O'Neal's biggest question mark is his health. The 28-year-old has been plagued by injuries throughout his six-year MLB career, appearing in more than 96 games only once. It was 2021, and he hit 34 home runs, posted a .912 OPS, and finished eighth in National League MVP voting.
O'Neal, a two-time Gold Glover winner, has the talent to be an all-around star in 2024 if he can stay healthy. That's a big “if” at this point, but perhaps things will change to be exactly what the doctors think. ordered.
