The Boston Red Sox have turned some heads this season with their 36-23 start to the year.
There was nowhere to go but up after an abysmal 2020 season, but few people expected such a strong resurgence just one year later.
The Red Sox have gotten key contributions from a variety of players, but there are two guys in particular who deserve more credit than they are getting.
2. Alex Verdugo
Alex Verdugo is certainly getting a fair amount of recognition from fans, but it still feels like he spends a lot of time in the shadows of two of Boston’s other young stars, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers.
Verdugo came into Boston with huge shoes to fill.
If you don’t recall, he was the jewel of the Mookie Betts trade for Boston.
There’s no intent to stir the pot here, but let’s take a look at how Verdugo and Betts have performed since the trade:
- Betts in two seasons with LAD: .276 BA, .369 OBP, .504 SLG, 21 HR, 5.6 WAR
- Verdugo in two seasons with BOS: .298 BA, .357 OBP, .470 SLG, 14 HR, 3.2 WAR
On the whole, Betts has been better, but it’s closer than you’d think.
Verdugo deserves tons of credit for the role he has played with the Red Sox.
Beyond his production, he gives this club an identity.
Look at the energy:
Alex Verdugo reached all the way back to rob this home run 😱 pic.twitter.com/R1N7KNscJy
— ESPN (@espn) August 8, 2020
Since May 15 this season, Verdugo is batting .323 with a .947 OPS.
He’s arguably the most important bat in this Red Sox lineup, and here’s why.
In wins, Verdugo is batting .313 with a .904 OPS.
In losses, Verdugo is batting .243 with a .646 OPS.
The 25-year-old may very well be the X-factor for this team.
1. Martin Perez
The Red Sox took a flyer on Martin Perez in 2020 when they inked the veteran to a one-year deal worth roughly $2 million.
Expectations were low, given Perez’s struggles over recent years.
From 2017-2019, Perez pitched to a 5.21 ERA and 1.58 WHIP during tenures with the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins.
The lefty’s 2020 season with Boston, however, was not half bad.
He managed a 4.50 ERA and 1.34 WHIP over 12 starts.
Nothing to write home about, but serviceable for a back-of-the-rotation arm.
It was enough for the Red Sox to give Perez another shot in 2021.
He was brought back on a one-year deal worth $5 million.
And over 11 starts this season, the 30-year-old has pitched at an All-Star-caliber level.
Perez leads the Boston rotation with a 3.09 ERA.
He also has a 3.48 FIP and 1.23 WHIP.
Perez has allowed three runs or fewer in 10 of his 11 starts, and in his most recent outing, he turned in the best start by a Red Sox pitcher all season, tossing 7.2 shutout innings in a win over the Houston Astros.
Boston’s rotation has been extremely decent all year long, but it’s hard to imagine that would be the case if Perez was pitching at, say, a 2018 level, when he posted a 6.22 ERA, or a 2019 level, when he posted a 5.12 ERA.
Remember when people criticized the #RedSox for bargain hunting with Martin Perez instead of spending up for a bigger name like Jake Odorizzi?
Perez
Today: 7.2 IP, 0 ER, 6 H, 1 BB
Season: 4-2, 3.09 ERAOdorizzi
Today: 3 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 3 BB
Season: 0-3, 7.16 ERA— Sean Penney (@spenney83) June 3, 2021
If the season ended today, Perez would have a very strong case to start the Wild Card Game.
It’s impossible to overstate his importance to this club.
NEXT: 3 Obstacles Boston Red Sox Must Overcome In 2021