BOSTON — Does any Red Sox pitcher want to claim the final roster spot for the postseason?

It’s a rhetorical question, of course. But recent performances would suggest the answer might be no, as Joe Kelly, Tyler Thornburg, Bobby Poyner and Robby Scott have all encountered their share of adversity over the last two weeks.

Boston Manager Alex Cora still won’t commit on the topic. He’s exercised caution with members of his roster throughout the season – allotting frequent days off for position players, creating extra rest days for pitchers between starts – and a 25-man playoff discussion is no different. Cora reiterated before Saturday’s game against the Mets that he’s yet to begin deliberations, either alone or with his staff.

“I haven’t sat down yet with (president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski) or any of the coaching staff to start thinking way ahead,” Cora said. “We’ve still got time to make those decisions. Trying to hopefully finish off the division sooner than later, and we can sit and go over stuff like that.”

Let’s start with what feel like some easy decisions. Chris Sale, David Price and Rick Porcello will each start a game if the Red Sox are able to capture the American League East and clinch a berth in the best-of-five Division Series. Eduardo Rodriguez figures to be behind them. That shifts Nathan Eovaldi to the bullpen, and he likely joins Craig Kimbrel, Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier and Heath Hembree.

Kelly’s season can be divided into two distinct halves – before and after June 1. He rebounded from an Opening Day meltdown at Tampa Bay to post a 1.73 ERA through his first 25 appearances, striking out 28 and allowing no home runs through 26 innings. Since then, Kelly has a 5.94 ERA in 43 appearances, allowing at least one earned run in three of his last five games.

“We still have time, and he’s going to get the ball,” Cora said. “We’re going to put him in situations that we feel fits him, and hopefully he can turn it around.”

Like any talent evaluator, Cora is seduced by Kelly’s 100-mph fastball. But that alone won’t get batters out in October, and Kelly’s role, should he make the roster, could be a low-leverage one.

That might be more than what’s planned for Thornburg, who has worked just three times in September and was tagged for a pair of home runs in the eighth inning of Friday’s 8-0 loss.

“It was more about location than anything else,” Cora said Friday. “(Catcher Blake Swihart) felt that the fastball had some life, actually, but location-wise it wasn’t his best night.”

Poyner and Scott – along with Drew Pomeranz – are generally in the discussion because they’re left-handed. Cora has spoken multiple times this month about potentially employing a left-left matchup piece, but Poyner’s reverse splits at Triple-A Pawtucket – a .300 batting average by left-handers, a .236 batting average by right-handers – would suggest he doesn’t fit that role.

Scott shredded left-handers with the PawSox this season, allowing just nine hits and recording 24 of his 53 outs against them via strikeout. His numbers haven’t carried to Boston, with Scott hitting five batters and allowing a home run in just 10 plate appearances against lefties. Even that small sample would seem to disqualify him from taking the ball in any game of consequence.

“He’s getting ahead, but then after that he hasn’t been able to throw his breaking ball for strikes,” Cora said on Friday. “I was talking to (pitching coach Dana LeVangie) throughout the game as far as mechanics and what we can do. Like I always say, Triple-A and the big leagues – there’s a big difference.”

Will Brandon Workman or Steven Wright force their way onto the roster? Both helped their case Sunday, as Workman got the win after a scoreless eighth inning and Wright pitched the ninth for his first major league save.

Could the Red Sox opt to take a long man like Pomeranz, Brian Johnson or Hector Velazquez? Can the pitchers higher up in the pecking order render all of this moot by working deep into games and never faltering?

We’ll soon find out.

Copy the Story Link