Doubront wasn't a favorite for the rotation going into spring training, but he wooed the Red Sox management enough to get himself a spot.
Now, three cycles through the starters into the season, he may have had one of the best performances for the rotation all year.
Doubront went six innings for the Sox, throwing 99 pitches and scattering four hits and seven strikeouts. He allowed just one earned run, on a home run to Mark Teixeira in the sixth.
"It seemed to be a no-brainer," manager Bobby Valentine said of taking Doubront out. "He had over 100 pitches in six innings. Young pitcher who had gone from 95 (miles per hour) to 92 that inning. Gave up his run. He definitely wasn't going to complete the game. And I had a rested bullpen and all that good stuff."
Neither Valentine nor Doubront had any idea how that "good stuff" would turn bad so fast, but Doubront did say he was a little surprised to come out.
"Those things happen," Doubront told Reuters. "That's baseball. I deserved better, but I’m with my team. For me, it was great, but I don’t feel that good because we lost."
Saturday was Doubront's best performance of the year, but it wasn't the first time he's been strong for the Sox. He pitched five innings in his both of first two appearances, against the Blue Jays and then the Rays, at a time when going five was not the norm for the Red Sox starters. He allowed six earned runs over those two outings and struck out 13.
With the seven strikeouts Doubront recorded Saturday, he now has 20 Ks through 16 innings.
Doubront didn't just do well by the numbers. He had the Yankees flummoxed the whole time he was on the mound. He had them looking (Curtis Granderson) and whiffing (Teixeira), and what happened in the final three innings was full proof that it wasn't just on an off day for the Yankees.
"You've got to give Doubront credit," said Nick Swisher, who slugged his way to six RBI after Doubront left the game. "He keeps us off balance. We really didn't do anything all night."
The Red Sox left plenty to be unhappy about after Saturday's game, but Doubront's start was a serious bright spot for Boston in the young season.
