The Red Sox are coming off a series win against the Padres over the weekend. James Paxton and Chris Sale are starting to give the rotation stability while Corey Kluber has been just the opposite. The Red Sox will utilize a six-man rotation this week to complete the homestand and then will decide what's next once their home. In addition to Kluber's woes, the club released a long-time reliever, there's a reinforcement on the way and how has Kaleb Ort's new cutter been working out?
1. Another Kluber Clunker
The Red Sox are going to stick with Corey Kluber in the rotation, at least for one more start. Alex Cora told reporters he’s sticking with the veteran right-hander following the Red Sox' 7-0 loss to the Padres on Sunday.
Kluber wasn’t sharp, his command was an issue that has been his modus operandi all season. His start on Sunday was an absolute dud, Kluber tossed just 2 1/3 innings and surrendered five runs (one earned), walking three and his ERA sits at 6.26 on the season.
The Red Sox' opening day starter has been a massive disappointment. It begs the question as to how much longer the team can afford to keep him in the rotation?
With his three walks in the first inning on Sunday, Kluber now has 18 walks in 41 2/3 innings. Keep in mind, he only walked 21 batters in 164 innings last season with the Rays.
Following Kluber’s start on Sunday, the Red Sox would have played 53 games. With all the analytics that the team utilizes on a daily bases, why can’t they figure out what’s wrong with Kluber?
“If I knew, I would put it in a bottle, drink it, and throw strikes over there, to be honest with you,” Alex Cora said post-game. “We’re working hard with him because we know when he’s around the zone, it’s tough to hit. But we’re just putting ourselves in a bad spot.”
Kluber has lived on his sinker throwing it 28.4% of the time and cutter 28.2% of the time this season. Opposing batters' eyes light up when Kluber throws his sinker, they’re hitting .409 against and have a .367 XBA this season. They’ve also been feasting off his cutter, he’s thrown it 195 times and hitters own a .297 batting average and a .337 XBA.
The moral of the story: either Kluber is dealing with an ailment resulting in his effectiveness on the mound or Father Time has caught up to the 37-year-old.
“There’s probably some getting in my own way trying to make too many adjustments and striking a balance of finding the right one,” Kluber said.
Kluber understands the walks are a problem, it’s a glaring issue when he’s on the mound. The bigger issue is the fact he acknowledged there is no one reason for his poor command.
“I wish there was one thing because I feel like it would be easier to make the correction,” he said. “It’s not something I’m accustomed to doing. It’s definitely frustrating.”
2. Bye Bye Brasier
The Red Sox made it official on Sunday releasing veteran reliever Ryan Brasier. Boston designated him for assignment following the 9-1 loss to the Cardinals last Sunday.
Brasier was subpar this season, posting a 7.29 ERA, 1.57 WHIP in 21 innings. Over the course of his time with the Sox, Brasier recorded a 4.55 ERA in 222 regular season outings (209 2/3 innings) spanning from 2018-2023.
“Honestly, a new start might not be bad,” Brasier said after being designated last Sunday. “Obviously getting to play at Fenway every day is a dream come true. Two parks you want to play at growing up are Yankee Stadium and Fenway. And I got to do both a lot. So grateful. It sucks obviously but new start.”
This past offseason, fans were clamoring for the Red Sox to move on from the embattled reliever. Instead, Boston committed to the veteran tendering him a one-year, $2 million deal.
One of the main reasons that Brasier returned to the club was his final month of last season, where he posted a 2.25 ERA in 13 appearances. Boston was hopeful that some mechanical adjustments would lead to success this season, but that was not the case.
“We needed to make a move and it was him. It’s as simple as that,” Cora said. “I know a lot of people are crushing him and all that. A lot of people wanted to get rid of this guy in the offseason and all this stuff and he struggled but I’ll tell you what... You don’t have a job, you go to spring training in ‘18 with no guarantees you’re going to make a minor league team. You make the team, you pitch for a World Series team, you contribute, you pitch four games in a row in the last week of the season in ‘21 to get a team (to the postseason), that’s really good.
“He struggled and we stayed with him all the way to the end,” Cora added. “It just didn’t work out. The kid is Class A. Accountable.”
3. What’s next for Garrett Whitlock?
Garrett Whitlock tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings in his final rehab start for Triple-A Worcester on Sunday. He gave up four hits and walked one while striking out four.
Cora told reporters on Tuesday that Whitlock will start for the Red Sox on Saturday against the Diamondbacks in Arizona.
Whitlock has been rehabbing back from right ulnar neuritis which he started to feel during the Brewers series in April.
The 26-year-old described what the feeling of neuritis was like after his first rehab start with the WooSox.
“For me, it was when I got to full extension, everything kind of just went numb, that’s probably the best way to kind of describe it,” he said. “But the nerves have calmed down, so we’re all good now.”
Whitlock is no stranger to arm injuries, the righty underwent Tommy John surgery back in 2019. Despite the feeling of neuritis in his arm, the Red Sox and Whitlock were never worried about it being a long-term issue.
The Red Sox treated his injury with anti-inflammatory medication as well as patches placed on his elbow with anti-inflammatory cream to reduce the swelling around the nerve.
“I felt really food, none of the nerve (tingling) feeling anymore,” said Whitlock.
Cora told reporters that Whitlock has also been working on his changeup. His changeup was one of his more lethal pitches during his rookie campaign. Opponents were held to a .185 batting average (10-for-54), one homer and one double against it.
This season, Whitlock wasn’t fooling anyone, opponents are 8-for-20 (.400) with two homers and three doubles against it.
“The changeup I think got away from him for a while there,” Cora said. “It was actually too hard so we’re making adjustments and I think it’s getting back to the changeup he used early in his career, ‘21. If we can get that one, I think we’re going to be fine.”
4. Kaleb Ort talks about his new cutter
Earlier this month, Kaleb Ort was demoted to Triple-A Worcester in an attempt to get the hard-throwing right-hander back on track.
Ort reported right away and got to work with WooSox pitching coach Paul Abbott. During bullpen sessions, the Michigan native began to work on throwing a cutter to play off his slider and devastating fastball.
“Ort moved over on the rubber, we have him over on the first base side now. We’re going to explore the benefits of throwing a cutter. It will go along with his slider and his fastball. It’s something for lefties to get into their hands. It’ll give him another weapon,” said Abbott.
The move on the pitching rubber was new for Ort but he’s the right-hander said he’s transitioning well with the move.
“I’m transitioning into it, you’re not moving that far, it’s an adjustment. I was missing spots here or there at the beginning but since then it’s been a pretty easy adjustment so far.”
Ort’s pitching repertoire features a four-seam fastball, slider and changeup. He predominantly features his fastball, throwing it 76.2% of the time and then uses his slider 21.3% and only has thrown the changeup six times. He gave up the two home runs off the slider in Baltimore and opposing batters are hitting .500 off that pitch this season.
The addition of the cutter will give him a different version of a fastball, one that will have movement. One knock on Ort has been his fastball is flat with no movement.
“The cutter has been going really well. I don’t know all the analytical numbers on it but the swing and misses and weight contact have been better.”
Ort has posted a 1-0 record with a 7.30 ERA, 12 strikeouts, 1.78 WHIP in 12 1/3 innings pitched over 12 games. Opponents are tattooing the ball off of him with a .308 batting average and he’s given up three homers. Including two against the Orioles back on April 25 in a low-leverage situation.