Through four games of the season, Boston Red Sox pitchers are enduring one of the worst starts for a staff in recent memory.
Just five months after winning the World Series, the Red Sox lost three of four to the Seattle Mariners from Thursday through Sunday while allowing 34 runs — tied for the most of any team in the first four games over the past 10 years.
The Red Sox have also given up 11 home runs so far this season, tied with Boston’s 2011 team for the most at this point in the year in the franchise’s past 100 seasons. Last year, Red Sox pitchers did not allow their 10th homer of the season until April 19, in their 18th game of the year.
Red Sox starters have a 13.20 ERA, the worst for any starting staff through four games in the past 10 seasons
On Opening Day, the Mariners tagged Red Sox ace Chris Sale for seven runs, the most he has allowed in a game since August 2017, in just three innings en route to a 12-4 win.
Though the Red Sox were able to rally to win Friday’s game, postseason hero Nathan Eovaldi was also ineffective, giving up three homers — the same number he gave up in all of his 54 regular-season innings with Boston last year.
On Saturday, the Mariners also got to Eduardo Rodriguez for six runs in 4⅓ innings. And in Sunday’s 10-8 loss, Boston starter Rick Porcello couldn’t get out of the third inning after giving up nine runs, though only four of them were earned.
In all of 2018, Red Sox starters had only 12 games in which they gave up at least five earned runs in less than five completed innings.