Robles has delivered shorthanded Red Sox bullpen a needed save
WASHINGTON, D.C. — At the trade deadline, the Red Sox received considerable criticism for their relative inactivity, particularly with the pitching staff. Instead of adding a true late-innings complement, the team acquired left-on-left reliever Austin Davis and a struggling middle-innings contributor in righthander Hansel Robles.
Fast forward two months, and Robles has emerged as a key late-innings contributor. In 26 outings since the trade that sent minor league reliever Alex Scherff to the Twins, he has a 3.75 ERA with a 30.5 percent strikeout rate that’s 20th in the American League since the trade deadline.
Robles entered Saturday having made 13 straight scoreless appearances since Sept. 1, with 14 strikeouts and three walks over 11 ⅔ innings. Opponents had a .353 OPS against him in that span.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Robles, 31, has been able to use improved command of his high-90s fastball along with an effective slider and changeup to resemble the pitcher who excelled as an Angels closer in 2019 (2.48 ERA, 26.5 percent strikeout rate).
“His stuff has played,” said Cora. “I think the way he’s throwing the ball now is the way he threw the ball [then]. He’s been amazing.”
With Matt Barnes and Adam Ottavino struggling and Garrett Whitlock and Josh Taylor on the injured list, Robles has become one of the team’s foremost late-innings options in its final push towards the postseason. He’s recorded three saves with the Sox, including in a 4-2 win on Friday night.
Relief does not come easy. Ottavino went 58 consecutive outings to start the year without allowing a homer. The righthander has now yielded five in his last 10 outings. All have come on his slider — the most homers he’s allowed on his signature pitch in any season of his career.
“There’s been some damage,” said Cora. “He thinks it’s staying in the same plane.”
Whitlock, who on Friday threw his first bullpen session since suffering a strained right pectoral muscle on Sept. 19, is “50-50 for activation on Sunday, according to Cora. The Sox don’t want to rush his return if it would mean risking a more severe injury. Taylor, who had been expected to join the Sox in Washington on Friday, instead remained in Boston while rehabbing his lower back strain. He still isn’t throwing, suggesting a low likelihood of a return anytime soon.