The Boston Red Sox built their playoffs on a strong launch, and they will count on one of the headliners – residing in the right -hander Lucas Giolito – when they face Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday in Phoenix.
The Red Sox had two starters classified among the first seven in the era of the American League entering the weekend, the Gazzer Garrett Crochet and the right-hander Brayan Bello. Giolito would be 11th if he had enough sleeves to qualify.
Giolito (10-2, 3.38 ERA) should oppose the right-hander of Arizona, Brandon Pfaadt (12-8, 5.33) while the Red Sox turn to the series. The Diamondbacks won 10-5 on Friday.
The manager of Boston, Alex Cora, puts his faith in his pitching staff.
“I think we have to continue launching,” said Cora. “This is something that I always thought that we were going to do from the start. We were going well because we were going to launch.”
The Red Sox (78-64) lost 4 1/2 games behind Toronto in Al East and remained half a game behind the New York Yankees in the first position of Jaueuse.
The Arizona (71-71) won three consecutive and seven of the nine to climb 0.500 for the first time since July 20. They are 5 1/2 games from the third point of Joker NL with 20 to play.
“It is not our final destination either,” said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo, returning to 0.500. “We want to fight every night, see where it leads us. We just have to keep your head down, keep working, because we can return to this thing while playing games like that.”
Giolito launched 125 1/3 innings, less than his 184 1/3 in 2023. He missed 2024 after undergoing surgery on his right elbow and was delayed from spring training with a strain of left hamstrings before joining the rotation on April 30.
He has won his last four decisions – and the Red Sox won seven of his last eight, a duration in which he launched five quality departures. He had his best outing on August 26, when he abandoned four strokes and withdrew eight in eight goalless rounds from a 5-0 victory in Baltimore.
Giolito, who launched every 202 career games except six, in the American League, made an appearance in relief against Arizona and will see Chase Field for the first time.
PFAADT is equally with sixth other for fourth place in the NL in victories, but the opponents have found occasional successful success. The opponents strike. 287 against him, the highest in the league, and his time was the fifth higher.
“What happened this year, perhaps growth pain, very normal growth pain, where the teams have understood and understood what it uses and what it is like the form of height,” said Lovullo.
“He transported us a little, and he was very consistent by taking the ball every fifth days.”
PFAADT granted 10 points in seven -rounds in his last two outings, without a decision against the Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers Milwaukee.
“The good outings he had, it was a mixture with three or four bets to which he can surrender,” said Lovullo.
“For me, he is based on the sweeper. If the sweeper landed, he will have a very good day.”
– field level media
