Written by Maureen Mullen at USA Today.com
It was a season that started out with so much promise — and even higher expectations. Acquiring left-hander Chris Sale from the Chicago White Sox in December in exchange for four prospects was supposed to deliver the ultimate prize to the Boston Red Sox.
Adding the perennial Cy Young Award top-six finisher to David Price, the 2012 American League Cy Young winner, and Rick Porcello, the reigning AL Cy Young winner, would give the Red Sox a big three at the top of their rotation unlike many others in baseball. Combine that with a solid bullpen, anchored by closer Craig Kimbrel, one of the best at his job, and an offense that might not be as potent as 2016 but would still be productive, and the Red Sox would be nearly impossible to beat.
That was the plan, but plans don’t always turn out the way they’re engineered.
Porcello had a dismal season, finishing 11-17, leading the majors in losses and with the most homers allowed, 38. Price missed 93 games to two stints on the disabled list and ended the season working out of the bullpen (where he performed admirably, including his brilliant performance in Boston’s Game 3 American League Division Series win over the Houston Astros). And Sale — who was the leading Cy Young candidate for much of the year — faltered late in the season.
Boston’s flaws showed up in their 5-4 Game 4 ALDS loss to the Astros on Monday afternoon at Fenway Park.
Manager John Farrell was gone in the second inning of Game 4, ejected by home plate umpire Mark Wegner while protecting Dustin Pedroia from a similar fate after arguing a called third strike.
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