Three weeks ago, the Boston Red Sox addressed two of their biggest needs at the MLB Trade Deadline. They acquired left-handed reliever Steven Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals and right-handed starter Dustin May from the Los Angeles Dodgers, adding some much-needed depth to their bullpen and rotation for the stretch run without giving up any Major League talent in return.
While some initially viewed the moves as disappointing given that the Red Sox had been heavily pursuing Joe Ryan, both moves have worked out great so far. Both pitchers are off to strong starts with their new team despite joining Boston in the middle of a playoff race.
After struggling with the Dodgers (6-7, 4.85 ERA, -0.3 WAR), May has pitched much better for the Red Sox, who have encouraged him to use his cutter more and bring back his changeup. Those adjustments have paid huge dividends for May, who has a 2.87 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings over his first three starts for Boston.
Meanwhile, Matz has been terrific out of the bullpen, posting a 1.42 ERA and a 0.63 WHIP in six appearances for the Red Sox. Their bullpen has struggled a bit lately, so Matz has provided a nice boost.
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Together, they’ve helped their new team stay in contention during a tough August schedule. Since the trade deadline, Boston is 9-7 with a plus-23 run differential, surging into second place in the AL East.
May’s resurgence is particularly exciting given his postseason experience as a two-time World Series champion. If the Red Sox have truly unlocked something with him, he could be a valuable weapon for them in October.
Given Craig Breslow’s pitching background, it’s not surprising that he identified two quality arms to add at the deadline. While neither has the star power of Ryan, they’re proving to be tremendous additions in their own right.
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