Red Sox starters own MLB's worst ERA after first turn through rotation

BOSTON -- We all knew that the Red Sox starting rotation was a giant question mark heading into the 2023 season. We knew there was potential that the rotation would be quite bad -- at least to start.

But we didn't think it would be this bad. Boston has made one turn through its rotation, and the team's starters are the worst in the majors.

Nick Pivetta actually turned in the best outing of the five Tuesday night, when he held the Pittsburgh Pirates to just three runs (only one of which was earned) off three hits and three walks. Pivetta struck out six over his five innings at Fenway Park, but two of those three hits that he allowed left the yard, leading to a 4-1 Pittsburgh victory.

Boston starters are now 1-3 on the season, with Tanner Houck the lone victor in the rotation. Houck picked up a W on Sunday when he held the Orioles to three runs over five innings in a 9-5 Boston victory.

But that one win is where the positivity ends with Boston's starting rotation. Corey Kluber and Chris Sale were a mess in the first two games of the season. Houck was OK on Sunday, Kutter Crawford was roughed up Monday, and Pivetta needed 87 pitches to get through his five innings on Tuesday.

The Red Sox have gotten a mere 20.1 innings out of their starting rotation over its first five starts, the fewest innings any rotation has turned in thus far. Boston's 10.18 ERA from the team's starters ranks dead last in baseball, over a full run worse than the 9.13 ERA that the Athletics have received from their starters.

Red Sox starters have allowed 23 runs off 29 hits so far, and they've been serving meatballs like Fenway Park is part of the North End. Boston starters have surrendered 12 home runs, which leads the Majors by a large margin. The Pirates are second in baseball, with Pittsburgh starters giving up eight dingers over 24.2 innings.

Following Tuesday night's loss, Boston manager Alex Cora stated the obvious when it comes to his starting five.

"There's no secret, right? We have to pitch better," Cora said bluntly.

Cora noted that both Pivetta on Tuesday and Houck on Sunday at least gave the team a chance to win. Unfortunately for Pivetta, he wasn't able to make a pitch when he needed to, getting bit by the longball on two occasions.

The first came in the top of the second inning, after the Red Sox gave him a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Pivetta had struck out Pittsburgh outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba for what should have been the inning's final out, but catcher Reese McGuire couldn't handle Pivetta's curve and Smith-Njigba reached on the passed ball.

Three pitches later, Pivetta surrendered a two-run homer to light-hitting second baseman Ji-hwan Bae, and the Pirates jumped on top 2-1. Pivetta gave up another homer, a solo shot to Red Sox killer Bryan Reynolds, to lead off the top of the third.

That had been an easy deficit for the Red Sox offense to overcome over the first four games, but the Boston bats fell silent on Tuesday night. But as Cora noted, at least Pivetta gave them a chance with his outing.

That was not the case with Kluber on Opening Day (five runs allowed off six hits and four walks over 3.1 innings) and Sale (seven earned runs off seven hits over three innings), though Boston was able to come back and win after Sale departed against the Orioles. Crawford also allowed a touchdown in his four innings against the Pirates on Monday night.

The good news is the rotation should look a lot different in the near future. Garrett Whitlock will make a second rehab start on Thursday, and could be back in the Boston rotation as soon as Tuesday against the Rays in St. Petersburg. Promising young arm Brayan Bello could take his spot in the Boston rotation a few days later.

But the rotation that started the season will get one more turn over the next five days, staring with Kluber closing out Boston's three-game set with the Pirates on Wednesday. The Red Sox will then visit the Tigers for three games before opening a four-game set with the Rays in Florida.

Even with changes on the horizon, Boston's starting rotation has to be much, much better if the team wants any shot at success this season.