Red Sox Rotation Just Did Something Not Seen Since 1988 During Yankees Sweep

The Boston Red Sox are sitting at 36-46. That’s bad. But for one weekend at least, they looked like a completely different team against their biggest rival.

Over three games against the New York Yankees, Boston’s starting pitchers put together a stretch the franchise hasn’t seen in nearly four decades. Connelly Early, Payton Tolle, and Jake Bennett each turned in quality starts in the first three games of the series. Then Sonny Gray capped it off Sunday with 7.1 shutout innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out nine. The Red Sox won that one 5-4 in extra innings on a Jarren Duran walk-off single.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, that gave Boston 11 straight quality starts from its rotation. That’s the longest such streak for the franchise since 1988 and ties the second-longest stretch since 1933. For context, a quality start means at least six innings pitched with three or fewer earned runs allowed.

Wait, what’s a quality start again?

It’s a bit of a low bar in some circles, but stringing together 11 of them is rare company. The Red Sox have had some really good rotations over the years — 2004, 2007, 2013, 2018 — and none of those groups pulled off this streak. That’s not nothing.

Gray nearly got hung with a no-decision after the Yankees tied it in the ninth, but Duran bailed him out. Before Gray, Early held New York to two runs over six innings. Tolle matched Gray’s shutout vibes with seven scoreless innings and seven strikeouts. Bennett gave up one run in 6.1 innings. Four guys, all under 25 years old except Gray, and they made the Yankees lineup look stuck in mud.

It’s worth noting the Yankees are not exactly the 1927 Murderers’ Row right now. But a sweep is a sweep, and Boston’s rotation just did something no Red Sox staff has done since Bob Stanley and Roger Clemens were out there.

The offense is still a problem though

Here’s the catch. The Red Sox rank 29th in MLB in runs scored. Dead last in the American League. The pitching staff is suddenly carrying the load, but you can’t win 2-1 every night over a full season. The lineup needs to wake up. Duran is doing his thing. Rafael Devers is still Rafael Devers. But the bottom of the order is an adventure most nights.

If Boston wants to make any kind of second-half push — and let’s be real, they’re 10 games under .500 — the hitters have to start pulling their weight. The rotation just gave them a blueprint. Now it’s on the bats to follow it.