Red Sox Hurler Reportedly Will Make Opening Day Despite Negative Speculation
The Boston Red Sox have some healthy competition in spring training while they attempt to finalize the pitching staff and bench roles for the upcoming season.
While media and fans alike wait out the Jordan Montgomery sweepstakes hoping for good news, manager Alex Cora has to prepare as if he will not receive external help.
In doing so, he's grading out a notable battle for the final spot in the rotation -- a race between Garrett Whitlock, Tanner Houck and Josh Winckowski. Among the three, Winckowksi appears to be on the outside looking in. Fortunately, he does have a spot on the roster despite an unclear role at the moment.
"There has been some speculation Winckowski might start the year in the Triple-A rotation, but as of now, that doesn’t seem to be part of the plan," The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reported Monday. "The Red Sox begin the season with 23 games in 25 days, including a two-week stretch on the West Coast, and Cora has said it’s likely they’ll use a sixth starter in there somewhere."
Cora also stated that the two who lose the battle for the final rotation spot will be in the bullpen.
Winckowski posted a 2.88 ERA with an 82-to-31 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .267 batting average against and a 1.42 WHIP in 84 1/3 innings last season across 59 relief outings and one start.
While it's important to have players in Triple-A stretched out and ready to start at a moment's notice, it never made much sense to consider Winckowski as a candidate to start the season in Worcester.
It's important to note that the aforementioned speculation was not driven from inside the clubhouse and it's unlikely Cora ever truly considered that option.
The Red Sox are not nearly good enough to move a player as impactful as Winckowski off the roster voluntarily. With that said, he's also not a prime candidate for a promotion back into the rotation.
The 25-year-old's game-level production was positive but his high batting average against, WHIP and 3.91 FIP imply that he might have received a little luck last season -- though that's a confusing notion with the defense he had behind him a year ago.
A multi-inning relief role makes the most sense for Winckowski while he attempts to build on an impressive 2023 campaign this season.
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