The irony was almost as obvious as the bunting that decorated Fenway for Thursday's frigid season opener.
If the Red Sox had a central theme in their roster rebuild this past winter, it was to improve their control of the strike zone on both sides of the ball.
When it came to signing or trading for pitchers, the Red Sox focused on finding strike-throwers. And when it came to position players, the Sox emphasized hitters that could provide quality on-bats with a special emphasis directed toward on-base ability.
So, naturally, in the regular season opener of the 2023 season, the Red Sox worked just one walk over the first seven innings. As bad as that was, it was nothing compared to what their own pitchers did.
Together, six Red Sox pitchers combined to issue nine walks -- the most for the franchise on Opening Day in 57 years. And that doesn't count a hit batsman and the two wild pitches.
It's possible to win a game in which you walk just once in seven innings and end up with just three for the game. The fact that the Sox managed to score nine runs Thursday is proof of that.
But it's almost unimaginable to win a game in which your pitching staff issues 10 free passes. And sure enough, the Red Sox did, dropping an ugly 10-9 decision to the Baltimore Orioles.
The first hint of trouble was the fact that starter Corey Kluber, whose calling card has always been his impeccable control, walked four in just 3.1 innings. To put that in perspective, those four walks tied a career high. (Last season, Kluber's 3.1 percent walk rate was the lowest of his career).
Things really got out of hand, however, when Alex Cora, in recognition of Kluber's wildness and climbing pitching count, turned to his bullpen in the fourth inning. Into a bases loaded, one-out jam came Zack Kelly, who proceeded to uncork a wild pitch and walk two of the first three hitters he faced.
For the fifth, Ryan Brasier entered. After a double-play quickly wiped out a hit batsman and had Brasier an out away from getting out of the inning, he, too, walked two of the next three hitters he faced. All the while the Orioles ran wild on him on the bases, successfully swiping three bases in three tries as the Orioles opened up a 7-2 lead.
"Just one of those days,'' said Brasier. "I pride myself in not walking guys and I couldn't tell you the last time I let three guys get on base for free. Obviously, you want to come into today, wanting to have a good start. But like I said, walking three people....it just can't happen. There's no excuse for walking two and a hit by pitch.''
Kelly and Braiser aren't likely to be entrusted with a lot of high-leverage spots this season. Both will be used more when the Red Sox are either behind early or up big. But had the two done a better job of containing the Orioles in the middle innings, the Red Sox might have found a way to come up with an Opening Day win. Instead, the Orioles built such a big lead that not even three multi-run innings by the Red Sox offense in the final four innings were enough to overcome what the pitchers had done.
Its loss was also a reminder that, even with 13-man pitching staffs, no one is inconsequential. Especially early in the season, when starters aren't yet fully stretched out, outings will be shorter and relievers will be called on earlier. Having an improved back end -- in the persons of set-up man Chris Martin and closer Kenley Jansen -- won't do the Red Sox much good if they've spotted opponents too large a lead.
"Too many walks, a lot of traffic,'' said Cora. "We've got to be better at that. In the middle of the game, we felt like we had a chance and we've got to do a better job holding them down. Nine walks as a team....we've been talking about throwing strikes and attacking the zone....''
That was the offseason plan, at least. Too often last year, led by dispatched closer Matt Barnes, Red Sox relievers weren't aggressive enough in the strike zone, so the shopping list paid special attention to finding relievers who could fill up the zone. Martin was signed in part because he walked a mere five hitters in 56 innings last year. So, naturally, he, too, caught the bug and walked the first hitter he faced in a Red Sox uniform.
On Thursday, it was as though nothing had changed. And when Red Sox pitchers weren't handing out free passes, they were too often falling behind and having to throw the ball over the plate in hitters' counts -- with predictable results.
"Not great,'' concluded Cora. "We've got to be better in that aspect.''
If it's any consolation, it can hardly get any worse.
Unless, that is, they want a repeat of last season.