Sam Kennedy acknowledges ‘low level’ in Crimson Sox season, maps out high offseason focus

Crimson Sox

“We don’t have the depth proper now, and we noticed it present itself the opposite evening.”

The 2023 Crimson Sox are nonetheless mathematically within the American League Wild-Card race as of Thursday evening.

However after getting swept by the Houston Astros at Fenway Park as a part of a 13-15 exhibiting in August, Boston at present sits 6.5 video games again from the third Wild-Card spot with a report of 69-65. 

With somewhat over a month left within the common season, FanGraphs has tabbed Boston with solely a 4.6% likelihood of punching a ticket to the postseason. 

Throughout an look on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Present”, Crimson Sox president Sam Kennedy acknowledged the group’s unenviable place in what’s already a cutthroat Wild-Card race.

“It’s a powerful, powerful blow,” Kennedy stated of Boston’s current slide. “We’re simply not pitching. We don’t have the depth proper now, and we noticed it present itself the opposite evening. Once you’re actually skinny along with your beginning pitching, and also you don’t have starters that it’s essential go deep, and also you’ve received 15 video games in a row in opposition to the category of baseball, it simply was not a great recipe.

“We’ve had a extremely brutal August. I feel we’re 13-15. So, look, it does really feel just like the low level. The chances are stacked in opposition to us. However nobody’s giving up. Till our playoff odds are zero, I feel that the clubhouse, our gamers, Alex Cora, the employees — they’re going to grind to try to get again on this factor right here. We’ve received 28 video games to go, so let’s soar onboard and see what we are able to do over the subsequent 4 or 5 weeks.”

Given Boston’s struggles with depth, particularly with regard to pitching, Kennedy was requested if there are any regrets over Chaim Bloom and the group’s determination to largely stand pat on the commerce deadline and never bolster a tiring bullpen and banged-up rotation. 

“I feel it’s pure to query and to look again and study every part, nevertheless it’s not acceptable for us now — for these of us within the entrance workplace who’re accountable for this stuff, beginning with me and our complete group. We’re a group,” Kennedy stated. “Others can look again and query and decide aside, however for us, we’ve received to deal with what’s in entrance of us the 4 weeks in entrance of us and staying optimistic and making an attempt to get again on this factor, no matter strikes that have been made or not made.”

With Boston’s playoff hopes dwindling, Bloom and the remainder of the Crimson Sox front-office employees will should be aggressive this winter in hopes of bolstering a younger core of expertise.

In the case of potential offseason priorities, Kennedy’s response didn’t come as a lot of a shock.

“Properly, I feel we’ve seen it, and it’s type of tried and true in baseball: Pitching, pitching, pitching, extra pitching, is all the time wanted,” Kennedy stated. “And I feel we’ve received some younger gamers and pitchers on this group which are going to assist us.

“We’ve received to be lively within the free agent market as we go ahead within the subsequent 5 years. As a result of pitching and protection wins championships. Everyone knows that. And in order that’s received to be a giant focus as we go ahead.”

Despite the fact that the Crimson Sox have a promising younger pitcher to construct round in 24-year-old Brayan Bello, Boston might use one other top-line hurler (or two) this winter. 

The Crimson Sox have reportedly scouted Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto a number of occasions throughout the NPB season, whereas Blake Snell, Julio Urias, Lucas Giolito, Aaron Nola, and Jordan Montgomery are just some of the highest begins set to hit the open market this winter.