As we often learn, most everything comes with a tradeoff. When the Red Sox reworked their pitching staff over the winter, for instance, they did so with an emphasis on strike-throwing. The downside? So far in the 2023 season, the Sox are serving up home runs as if they’re doling out Halloween candy.
Last night, right-hander Kutter Crawford became the latest victim of his own generosity, allowing three home runs in the Sox’ loss to the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates. While Sox starters have combined to allow a major league-leading 10 home runs this season, Corey Kluber (two), Chris Sale (three), Tanner Hauck (two) and Crawford (three) all rank among the top 10 in baseball in home runs allowed.
Here’s a starter-by-starter breakdown of the home runs:
Corey Kluber
(0-1, 13.50 ERA, 3.1 IP, 2 HR)
Chris Sale
(0-0, 21.00 ERA, 3 IP, 3 HR)
Tanner Houck
(1-0, 5.40 ERA, 5 IP, 2 HR)
Kutter Crawford
(0-1, 15.75 ERA, 4 IP, 3 HR)
