For a change, the Red Sox have assembled a nice inventory of starting pitching prospects at the upper levels of their farm system.
Included in that group are Brayan Bello, Bryan Mata, Connor Seabold, Jay Groome and Brandon Walter, all of whom are considered among the organization's best prospects. Several of them are projected to be part of the team's starting rotation in 2023, if not sooner.
For now, the performance of the parent club's starting rotation has been among the strong points of the 2022 season, lessening the need to summon any of the most prized arms to the major leagues. Some will probably get opportunities -- either as starters or bullpen pieces -- in the second half of the season.
For now, Mata is in extended spring training, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery a year ago. Groome and Walter have yet to pitch above Double A, and Seabold is dealing with a pectoral strain than landed him on the International League IL last week. And while Bello has the highest ceiling of the bunch, the Red Sox aren't about to interrupt his development after just two starts -- impressive as they were -- at Triple A.
In the short-term, then, all five are being bypassed. In need of an extra starting pitcher thanks to a doubleheader with the Orioles set for Saturday, the Red Sox will turn to Josh Winckowski to handle the honors for Game 2. Winckowski will be added as the Sox' 27th player for the doubleheader, and then, almost certainly, be immediately returned to Worcester after the game.
Still, even though it may only be a day pass, it's the stuff of dreams for a young pitching prospect. Winckowski is understandably trying to treat it as any other start.
"I can't really say if it's hit me just yet,'' said Winckowski, 23. "So far, I've been pretty calm and haven't really felt any nerves. But I'm sure maybe (Saturday) I'll start feeling something and it may add a little (anxiety) to it. But I don't think it will be anything crazy.''
The big righthander was told Wednesday that his major league debut could come this weekend, then got it officially confirmed a day later.
"It was a pretty awesome moment,'' acknowledged Winckowski. "I figured this would be somewhat of a possibility, but for it to finally happen, I would say it's pretty surreal. Pretty excited.''
With enough advance warning, Winckowski had time to provide notice to family and friends -- some in his hometown of Toledo, and some in Fort Myers, where he grew up and currently lives -- to make travel plans for Boston. He expects eight or nine relatives and friends to be on hand for Saturday's nightcap.
Easing the adjustment somewhat is the fact that Winckowski spent the last two spring trainings in the Red Sox' big league camp, getting to know some of the veteran players and the coaching staff.
"Now, I won't be a complete stranger to these guys,'' he said. "I think it helps out a lot. Pitching behind and being in the dugout with some of these guys brings a little bit of familiarity. It's definitely helped out a ton.''
Winckowski was 1-1 with a 3.13 ERA in seven starts for Worcester this season. That strong start in his first full year at Triple A helped him get this spot start, but so, too, did his work in spring training, when he impressed the major league staff with his competitiveness and his ability to get a lot of weak contact.
From the standpoint of pure stuff, Winckowski may not be able to match, say, Bello or Mata. But there's an intangible in Winckowski that the Sox prize: his competitiveness.
"He competes with himself, with everybody,'' said Alex Cora. "And he wants to be great. It should be fun.''
Change is nothing new to Winckowski. He's already on his third organization, having been drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2016, then traded to the New York Mets, who in turn dealt him to the Red Sox in February of 2021 as part of the three-team swap that saw Andrew Benintendi land in Kansas City.
He spent most of 2021 at Double-A Portland before earning a September promotion to Worcester for two starts. Added to the 40-man roster over the winter, he knew he only needed an opening and a phone call to get an opportunity in the big leagues.
As excited as he is to be making his debut, Winckowski wants to be careful that he doesn't get over-amped for his outing.
"The biggest message I've gotten,'' he said, "is be yourself and stick to what you do, don't try to re-invent yourself.''