Drew Pomeranz Reverts Back To The Dud We All Know He Is
How’d you spend your Sunday night? I’m guessing it wasn’t watching the Red Sox get smoked by the Tigers in a nine-inning game that took over four hours to play.
Trust me, you didn’t miss anything. As someone who watches every single game, this one was by far the most boring, most uneventful, most miserable game to watch. After Drew Pomeranz had turned in a whole two good starts consecutively, I had a teeny tiny minority of fans who thought that I had been too hard on Pomeranz overall. These people apparently don’t watch the games. Two good starts does not erase the full body of work, which has been so incredibly underwhelming. And every time I shit on the guy, I’ll inevitably get that one reader who’s like, “YA DOOD, BUT MEMBA WHEN YOU PUT HIM ON YOUR TOP 10 BEST STARTERS LIST LAST YEAR? ALL CREDIBILITY LOST, BRO!”
Yeah, that was a blog about which pitchers were having the best statistical seasons to that point in 2016, not a list of who the best pitchers in the MLB were based on their talent, ability, or career numbers. So, let’s talk about that list then, where Pomeranz appeared at number six. The blog was posted on July 19, and to that point, Pomeranz was sixth in the majors in ERA (2.47), second in opponents batting average (.184), and second to only Clayton Kershaw in opponents OPS (.555). That’s how good he was up until he came to Boston. And it’s easy to mock his appearance on that list now, but that’s how good he was when he appeared on it.
Pomeranz made his Red Sox debut the next day (July 20), allowed five earned runs in three innings, and that was pretty much a preview of how it was going to go from there. Last night, Pomeranz made his 25th start with the Red Sox. Since making his Red Sox debut, there have been 43 pitchers in Major League Baseball who have made at least 25 starts over that span. Of those 43 pitchers, Pomeranz is the only one who hasn’t averaged more than five innings per start. He’s averaged exactly 5.0 innings per start since arriving in Boston, the worst mark among all starters who have made as many starts as him.
In that same group of 43 pitchers, his ERA ranks 34th (4.58), his WHIP 32nd (1.41), and his home runs allowed per nine innings comes in at a solid 41st (1.69). I’m of the belief that the quality start statistic is more or less useless (min. 6 IP, 3 ER or less), because over the course of a full season, if a starting pitcher goes six innings and gives up three earned runs every start, that equates to a 4.50 ERA if the pitcher makes 30 starts. That’s not good. But if you wanna tell me that six innings is what you should expect from your starting pitcher more often than not, then I’m buying into that.
The league average among qualified starters this year in the majors is exactly six innings per start. In his 25 starts with the Red Sox, Pomeranz has pitched at least six innings nine times (36%). How many times has he pitched MORE than six innings? Three times, only once this year (12%). Last night, Pomeranz lasted four and a third innings, allowing six runs, five earned, with a pair of walks, only two strikeouts, and served up an obligatory bomb to Nicholas “Don’t Call Me Nick” Castellanos. Pomeranz has allowed at least one home run in 19 of his 25 starts (76%). This was also the eighth time that he’s failed to complete at least five innings (32%), never mind six.
You can clearly see why the Red Sox wanted the guy initially from what he did with the Padres in 2016, but I can’t remember another example of a time when the Red Sox gave up a top prospect and got such a dud in return. Could he turn it around? I mean, in theory, sure. He has his spurts where he can actually look pretty good, but they never last very long. We’re about a month away from the one-year marker since he was dealt to Boston, so if you’re asking me how optimistic I am that he’ll eventually pan out with the Red Sox, I would say maybe try watching the games and you tell me.
On a more positive note, today’s the MLB Draft, so just a friendly reminder that the Red Sox could’ve drafted Aaron Judge, but they took Trey fuckin’ Ball instead, who has a 5.53 ERA with the Double-A goddamn Portland Sea Dogs. Ugh. But no, that’s actually not fair because every team essentially passed on Judge with their first-round pick, including the Yankees. The Yankees took infielder Eric Jagielo with the 26th pick, who is no longer in their system because he was part of the package that went to the Reds for Aroldis Chapman. New York selected Judge with the 32nd pick, not knowing that he was created in a lab by using DNA from Barry Bonds, Frank Thomas and The Ultimate Warrior.
Final score: Tigers 8, Red Sox 3