Pair Of Red Sox Hurlers Prove Why They Should Not Have Been On Roster

Boston could use some upgrades in the bullpen

The Boston Red Sox lost to the Baltimore Orioles 10-9 on Opening Day at Fenway Park due to some horrendous pitching performances that solidified the opinions of the majority. 

Of the six pitchers to appear in the game for Boston, right-handers Chris Martin -- a notable free-agent signing this winter --  and Josh Winckowski were the only two who pitched well. 

Corey Kluber had a rough start but has the pedigree to dispel any ideas that his five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings are anything but an outlier. Zack Kelly struggled but he was thrown into a bases-loaded jam and likely will be a solid back-of-the-bullpen arm moving forward. 

Ryan Brasier and Kaleb Ort however, pitched exactly how Red Sox media and fanbase expected -- and feared. 

Brasier wasted no time putting up a terrible stat line to pick up right where he left off a season ago. The 35-year-old allowed three earned runs on two hits, two walks and a hit batsman in just one inning of work.

Ort followed that performance up by posting one strong inning, recording a strikeout, single and then forcing a double play. Unfortunately, he was run out there for another inning and ended his day with two earned runs on four hits. 

At this point in time, it appears that Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and manager Alex Cora are the only two people on the planet that do not see just how bad these two right-handers are. 

Neither player should still be on the 40-man roster, never mind the Opening Day roster. This is not an overreaction to Thursday's outings, it's simply a confirmation of something the majority have been saying for months -- Brasier and Ort have no business pitching in Boston this season. 

Cora is a fantastic overall manager and Bloom could become a fixture in the city if his farm system produces at the level it's expected to but both of them seem to have blind spots with the two worst pitchers on the team. Two players that seemingly have an unlimited leash after both were terrible a season ago. 

A betting man would feel really good about both players getting designated for assignment by mid-season but as per usual lately, the Red Sox seem to wait until disaster has struck before moving on. 

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