4 struggling Red Sox players who need to turn it around before fans really lose it
The Boston Red Sox don’t exactly look like a team of All-Stars. Boston has been plagued by injuries, so its best lineup isn’t taking the field each day, but some Sox are struggling more than others.
Some Sox aren’t performing well at the plate, some haven’t shown out in the field, and some are struggling on both sides of the ball. Surprisingly, Boston’s pitching staff, which many fans and reporters expected to be its biggest weak spot, has been lights out.
Defense has revealed itself to be the Red Sox’s biggest weakness and their fielding may be even worse than last year. Boston holds league-worst numbers in errors and unearned runs, and the Sox have cost themselves multiple games already.
If these four Red Sox hit their stride, many of the team’s issues would subside.
4 struggling Red Sox players who need to turn it around before fans really lose it
Kenley Jansen
Jansen’s spot on this list exists on a technicality. He hasn’t performed poorly in the grand scheme of things, but his recent lack of command has been giving Sox fans a lot of stress.
The veteran closer has struggled with control in his recent outings and he’s been walking batters at a higher clip than normal. In April, Jansen has posted seven walks in 5.2 innings pitched. He blew his first save against the Guardians on April 16 after they collected three hits in the ninth inning to send the game to extras. The Red Sox ended up losing that game after an electric middle-innings rally.
Jansen’s velocity has also noticeably slowed. The righty used to crack 100-plus miles per hour frequently, but his cutter — far and away his most-used pitch — has dropped to an average velocity of 91.9 miles per hour.
Jansen’s rougher performances add insult to injury after the Red Sox tried to pursue a trade involving him for weeks during the offseason. He admitted to feeling “frustrated” with the way Boston’s offseason went, and fans can’t blame him. But he may be better suited to a different role in the bullpen at this stage in his career.
David Hamilton
David Hamilton showed out in his first game as Trevor Story’s replacement at shortstop, and that’s about it. The 26-year-old homered and made a few slick defensive plays to set expectations high for his tenure with the Sox, but he’s missed the mark since.
