Column: Will latest bullpen meltdown force Dombrowski to act?

Timing is everything – in life, and, yes, at the trade deadline, too.

Had the Red Sox suffered the kind of late-inning implosion that took place Sunday, say, a few weeks ago, it could have been more easily dismissed.  These things happen to the best of bullpens at some point or another.

But precisely because the Sox spit back a two-run lead with six outs to go on July 30, resulting in a 5-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals, it’s likely to be more noteworthy and maybe more consequential.

Until Sunday, the Red Sox were 42-2 in games in which they were leading after seven innings. That’s a percentage with which most teams would be proud.  And the Sox’ collective bullpen ERA of 2.91 before Sunday – third in all of baseball, second-best in the American League – is evidence that their group of relievers has been highly effective, even dominant at times.

But the arrival of the trade deadline tends to magnify potential weaknesses. After Monday at 4 p.m., president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski will see his window close to improve the team for 2017. Sure, it’s possible some small pieces could be obtained in August, but that would involve a player getting through waivers, in this era of parity and more than half the teams still within hailing distance of the playoffs, that route to improvement offers no guarantees.

For seven innings Sunday, it appeared that the Sox were on their way to their first series win in almost a month (at Texas, July 3-5). But an error by Xander Bogaerts to start the inning “open(ed) the door,’’ according to John Farrell. “All of a sudden there’s life. Instead of the potential for an out and nobody on, that’s a crack.’’

And the Royals made full use of the opportunity. Next came a smash by Eric Hosmer that hit Barnes in his right pinky and the chest for an infield single. Two more singles off Barnes plated two more runs, and Alex Gordon greeted lefty Robby Scott with a two-run triple.

Bye-bye lead, hello trade deadline anxiety.

“Matt Barnes has been very good for us,’’ said Farrell. “He’s been in that role. He’s pitched the eighth inning for the majority of the season and has had success against both lefties and righties.’’

That much is true, especially of late. In his previous 13 outings before Sunday, Barnes had allowed just two earned runs in his last 17.1 innings while holding hitters to a .130 batting average.

The problem – if there is one – for the Red Sox isn’t so much performance as it is experience. While the bullpen has been reliable, there’s not a long track record.  This is just the second full year in the big leagues for Barnes, which also makes him the longest tenured member of the bullpen not named Craig Kimbrel.

Heath Hembree is in his first full season. Brandon Workman missed almost two seasons after Tommy John surgery. Blaine Boyer is a journeyman now with his eighth team. Robby Scott made his major league debut last September. And when Joe Kelly returns from the DL later this week, he’ll be in the middle of his first full season as strictly a major league reliever.

That’s not exactly a big sample size, which could prompt Dombrowski to act. The Red Sox are known to be engaged with the New York Mets in discussions centered on Addison Reed, who has both experience and closing experience. Others are available, too.

But given the market for pitching, Reed – or anyone else of merit -- won’t be cheap, and the Red Sox’ organizational depth has already been severely compromised in the last two seasons.

Perhaps a case of recency bias will lead Dombrowski to search for a solution outside the organization. If the question asked of the Boston bullpen is “What have you done for me lately?’’ the answer, based on Sunday, is, fairly or unfairly: not enough.

“Whatever the front office thinks we need and whatever’s going to make us a better team,’’ said Barnes,  “I think everyone in here would welcome that. We’re trying to be as good as possible. I think our bullpen’s very good. We may have had some scuffles here and there, but I think, for the entirety of the year, we’ve been a pretty good bullpen and more times than not, we’ve gotten the job done.

“In terms of welcoming an arm, anybody and everybody that can help this team and the Boston Red Sox as a whole win and get to our ultimate goal of winning the World Series, I don’t think you’ll find a guy in here that’s going to say they don’t want to get better.  Whoever the front office deems is a guy who can come in here and help our team, absolutely (I’d welcome that).’’
The clock is ticking. And the last look Dombrowski got of his bullpen before the deadline was not a favorable one.