It's difficult to focus on a silver lining when discussing a struggling team with such high expectations, but throughout the Red Sox' recent woes, the bullpen has been just that.
The unit's latest mastery came in Boston's 8-3 loss to the Indians on Thursday night.
Starter Josh Beckett lasted just 2 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs, before manager Bobby Valentine was forced to hand the ball over to his bullpen. Considering the workload that Red Sox relievers have endured recently, it's becoming more and more important for Sox starters to provide quality innings. But even when that hasn't happened, the team can at least take solace in the fact that the bullpen has been there to pick up the slack.
"The pen's been doing great, been throwing the ball well," catcher Kelly Shoppach said after Thursday's game. "We've asked them to do a lot here the last few weeks, and they've done a great job for us. We're fortunate that they've been throwing the ball so well."
Thursday's game seemed pretty much over from the start, with the Indians scoring three runs in the second and four in the third off Beckett. But the bullpen hung tough, allowing the Red Sox the opportunity to bring the tying run to the plate in the eighth inning.
When all was said and done, the Red Sox bullpen worked 6 2/3 innings, allowing just one run, which came in the ninth inning off Alfredo Aceves. And even that was the first run that Aceves has allowed since the Red Sox blew a nine-run lead against the Yankees on April 21.
The Boston pen, which started off the season so poorly and was seen by most as the team's most glaring weakness, has suddenly become the team's greatest strength.
Red Sox relievers have posted a 1.46 ERA with 59 strikeouts in the club's last 17 games dating back to April 23. On Thursday, it was Andrew Miller, Rich Hill, Scott Atchison and Franklin Morales who kept the Cleveland offense at bay before Aceves took the ball in the ninth. Had the Sox bats come alive, the outcome of the contest may have actually been much different.
What's startling for the Red Sox, however, is how much the bullpen has been taxed. The Boston pen has gone more than six innings four times in the last seven games. In fact, since May 1, the bullpen has pitched more innings (48 2/3) than the starters (42 1/3 innings).
That's an unfortunate trend that can't keep up if the Red Sox are ever going to shake off their 12-19 start.
"It's killing the bullpen," Beckett said of not going deep into the game. "The bullpen did an unbelievable job tonight. You can't expect those guys to go out there and continue to do that. You can't pitch every night. It's just you can't do it."
So far, they have done it. And they've done it well. But as we get deeper into the season, even if the bullpen continues to perform admirably, fatigue could start settling in for some members of that Corps.
For now, however, Sox fans can at least view the bullpen as a gem amidst the rubble.
