Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Rick Porcello Showing Why The Red Sox Traded For Him

(Getty Images)
Rick Porcello's shutout performance last night (6.1 innings) is another example of how valuable the right-hander has become in the 2016 Red Sox rotation. After a disappointing inaugural campaign in Boston, Porcello is rapidly becoming the joint ace (along with Steven Wright) of this year's staff. After last night, Porcello is 12-2 with a 3.47 ERA and a rotation-leading WHIP of 1.16. In 119.1 innings, he's given up just 115 hits. Although control has sometimes been an issue, he's been better lately (he walked just two last night, for example). He's given up 14 long balls, but he's kept opposing hitters to a .252 average (compared with .262 for David Price). All in all, he is delivering the goods we expected when we sent Yoenis Cespedes and Alex Wilson (via Dave Dombrowski) to the Tigers for him.