McAdam: Rick Porcello has had his own October transformation

HOUSTON -- So much attention has been focused on David Price's inability to win in the postseason, it's easy to forget that, until very recently, Rick Porcello carried the same burden.

Price's string of futility -- 11 career postseason starts without a victory -- has been intensely documented. Price routinely faces questions about his myriad playoff failings in every media availability. Broadcasters highlight his record, and on Sunday, there was great anticipation as the lefthander carried the lead into the top of the fifth inning.

When Price trudged off the mound, one out shy of qualifying for a potential win, that, too was duly noted.

The same fascination has never followed Porcello, in part, perhaps, because while he's highly-paid -- he's three-quarters through a deal which will pay him $82.5 million over four seasons -- he doesn't carry the stigma of being the game's highest-paid pitcher the way Price does.

Still, Porcello had been only slightly more effective than Price before this postseason began. In 11 career games, starting in 2011 with Detroit, Porcello had appeared in 11 games, compiled a 5.47 ERA and was 0-3. His teams -- the Tigers, then the Red Sox beginning in 2016 -- never won a game in which he appeared.

Without a lot of fanfare, that track record has been dramatically altered this fall. Porcello was the winning pitcher in the clinching Game 4 of the ALDS last week in Yankee Stadium, limiting the Yankees to a single run on four hits as the Red Sox held off New York, 5-4, to advance to the American League Championship Series.

But apart from Porcello's first career victory in the postseason, there have been two stellar relief appearances -- one before that Game 4 start, one since -- that reveal just how much trust Porcello has earned with the Red Sox.

In Game 1 of the ALDS, Alex Cora used Porcello as a secure bridge from his middle relievers to closer Craig Kimbrel. Porcello quickly recorded two outs before allowing an infield dribbler for a single.

Then, after Porcello has contributed his Game 4 clincher, Cora again went to him for a relief appearance in Game 2 of the ALCS against Houston. Once again, Porcello validated that confidence with a 1-2-3 inning, with a particular emphasis on strike-throwing (15 of his 18 pitches were strikes).

And now, for the second time this postseason, Porcello gets the ball Wednesday night for a big road start. This time, he can't pitch his team into the next round, but he can bring them one important step closer.

Over the last few weeks, he's balanced two vastly disparate roles -- road starter and home reliever -- and found a way to succeed at both. They demand different approaches, both in terms of preparation and execution.

"I think, as a starter, you're trying to cover the course of the whole ballgame,'' said Porcello. "so you're kind of trying to keep your emotions in check, just because you've got a lot of baseball to pitch. You don't want to get too high, too low, whatever it is.''

Porcello wasn't shy about showing his emotions in Saturday's opener. When he ended the eighth inning with a strikeout, he let out a fierce yell and his competitiveness was on full display. As a starter, he has a more business-like demeanor, knowing there are more innings to pitch; in relief, in shorter stints, he can be more aggressive with his pitch mix, and also, more demonstrable when the occasion allows.

"Those are big innings,'' he said. "Trying to hand the ball over to Craig with the lead in the playoffs is not the easiest thing. When you do get those outs, you're grateful and want to keep the momentum going for your team. So, I think showing some emotion is good.''

For Game 4 Wednesday night, the Red Sox would be thrilled with a duplicate performance of his first-round start. And that's something they wouldn't have necessarily thought before this postseason, for while his teammate remains in search of his October mojo, Porcello appears to have finally found his.