Red Sox takeaways: Walker Buehler pitching well, offense still searching for consistency
BOSTON — After seven seasons pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Walker Buehler knew about Boston's Marathon Monday matinee, but had never experienced it. So when manager Alex Cora let him know he'd be making the 11 a.m. start a few weeks ago, Buehler made sure he was prepared.
He stayed at a hotel near the ballpark Sunday night to avoid road closures around Fenway Park near the marathon course, woke up at 6:45 a.m. to get to Fenway by 7:15 a.m. and got to work with his pre-game routine.
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All the preparations paid off in his best start thus far for Boston — and the longest start he's made in three years — as the Red Sox beat the White Sox 4-2 in the holiday game. It marked the Red Sox's first win on Patriots Day since 2021.
'Obviously an important day for the city and one that we needed to win and are supposed to win on this day in this place,' Buehler said. 'So, good day to have a good one.'
Buehler allowed one run on four hits and three walks, striking out nine over seven innings. It was his longest start since May 8, 2022.
Buehler's road back from his August 2022 Tommy John surgery has been a long one. After an uneven season last year in his return to the big leagues, he capped his comeback with a memorable performance for the Dodgers in the World Series.
But the start to 2025 with the Red Sox wasn't especially smooth. In his first two starts, the 30-year-old allowed nine earned runs in 9 1/3 total innings and had an 8.68 ERA.
Over the last three starts, however, Buehler has found his rhythm. In 18 1/3 innings, he's had a 1.96 ERA, walking seven but striking out 19.
Buehler opened the game by allowing consecutive singles and a ground out to score a run, but then settled down, working around two more hits and three walks to keep Chicago off the board.
'I think a lot of times last year I kind of had it for a second and lost it, so it's nice to sustain it at least a little bit,' Buehler said of success on the mound. 'Today I think was more of what that middle-ground-feeling start should be like for me. Against Toronto, I felt really, really good, but I didn't quite execute the way I did today. It's kind of finding that balance.'
The Red Sox offense still isn't quite what it should be, but they had just enough hitting on Monday to hold off the White Sox.
Rob Refsnyder, who's only started six games this season, continues to be an asset off the bench. He tied the game with a solo homer in the second inning in a 1-for-4 day. He's hitting .333 with a .902 OPS in just nine games.
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The Red Sox were just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left eight on base, but were able to push three runs across the board in the third with Trevor Story's RBI single and a two-run single from Kristian Campbell.
Like Buehler, the rookie Campbell was playing in his first Marathon Monday game.
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'It was electric,' he said. 'The city. The fans. The people. They were super excited the whole game. It seemed like it was sold out. Everybody was packed. It was a great experience overall. To top off with a win in this series is great.'
Despite a 10-3 win on Friday night, the Red Sox had trouble this weekend putting together a sustained offensive output. They needed extra innings on Saturday to push past the White Sox, winning 4-3 in the 10th, then lost on Sunday 8-4 after the offense stalled once again early in the game and the bullpen imploded late. The Red Sox's team OPS of .720 is currently the fifth-highest in the American League, but they lead the league in strikeouts with 225 in 24 games.
After losing two of three games in Chicago two weekends ago, the Red Sox couldn't afford to lose another series against the White Sox. With Monday's win, they were able to finish off the season series by winning four of five (three of four in the just-completed home series).
Still, losing three of seven games against the White Sox might come back to bite the Red Sox later in the season. The White Sox only have five wins total on the season, and three of them came against Boston. The White Sox won their first road game of the season on Sunday after Tanner Houck's strong start was wasted by a rough outing for Zack Kelly in relief.
The schedule hasn't done the Red Sox any favors with different start times each of the last six days, dating back to Wednesday, but the White Sox had to play with the varying start times, too.
'I think from tomorrow on, as a group, we finally are going to have our routines back,' Cora said. 'It's been a grind. A lot of games, different times. This weekend is a tough one, and for us to be in the position we're in, regardless, it's really solid. I think from now on, guys are gonna slow down and get their work in and extra work.'
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After missing the first 24 games of the season, starter Brayan Bello is set to return to the Red Sox on Tuesday for his first start of the season. Bello opened spring training with shoulder inflammation. He missed a week or so of throwing, but the delayed start to camp pushed back his schedule.
After four rehab starts, Bello will take the mound in the series opener against the Mariners. The Red Sox have not announced yet who will be optioned in his place, but Cora did confirm Sean Newcomb will start on Wednesday against Seattle. Garrett Crochet is scheduled to pitch on Thursday.
With projected rotation members Bello and Lucas Giolito starting the season on the injured list, Newcomb took over one of the rotation spots alongside Richard Fitts. Newcomb doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, so the Red Sox would have to designate him for assignment if they remove him from the active roster. It's possible the Red Sox option a reliever like Kelly, especially with Liam Hendriks now in the bullpen mix.
Fitts, meanwhile, has been sidelined with a pectoral strain, but has been throwing. Catcher Connor Wong has been hitting off a tee and progressing well since breaking his right pinky finger on April 8. The Red Sox recently signed catcher Yasmani Grandal to a minor-league deal, but Cora noted Grandal will need several games to get going, given that he did not play for any team in spring training. Grandal has gone 3-for-10 in three Triple-A games.
Giolito made this fourth rehab start on Sunday for Double-A Portland and was pleased with his improved strike-throwing after a rough outing in his previous start. He threw 65 pitches, 47 for strikes, and didn't issue any walks over five innings. He gave up three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and is likely to make one more rehab start.
(Photo of Buehler: Winslow Townson / Getty Images)
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