On Wednesday night, one of their All-Star pitchers from last season couldn’t make it through the second inning. On Friday night, it was the Cy Young Award winner who got roughed up.
Those offseason boasts about their starting pitching depth are steadily unraveling for the Red Sox. The latest example was a 10-5 loss against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Rick Porcello was booed off the mound in the fifth inning after allowing eight runs against a light-hitting team he beat five times last season en route to the Cy Young. He gave up four home runs, the most of his career.
Porcello did not throw his glove when returned to the dugout or kick a water cooler. But there was anger in his eyes that hadn’t dissipated by the time the game ended.
“It’s just make pitches. That’s it,’’ he said. “I’ve been in this situation before. Everybody gets roughed up a little bit. Just take a deep breath, slow the game down [and] make some pitches.’’
Through three starts, Porcello (1-1) has allowed 14 earned runs on 25 hits over 16⅔innings. A 7.56 earned run average and 1.74 WHIP can be whittled down over a long season, but last season’s excellence has so far looked more like an outlier for Porcello, not a harbinger of similar results.
The eight earned runs Porcello allowed on Friday were his most since April 19, 2015 when he gave up eight against the Baltimore Orioles.
Manager John Farrell used the word “location’’ six times when describing Porcello’s problem. It was not a physical or mechanical issue; the righthander simply threw too many hittable pitches.
“More so than we’ve seen. They made him pay for some pitches up over the plate,’’ Farrell said.
The Sox arrived at spring training with what they thought was a surplus of starting pitchers.
Now David Price is on the disabled list with an elbow injury and not expected back until sometime next month.
Steven Wright, an All-Star last season, allowed 12 runs in his first two starts. Eight of them came on Wednesday. Eduardo Rodriguez could not complete six innings in his first two starts.
Even with the shining work of Chris Sale, who starts on Saturday, the rotation has a 5.66 earned run average.
“We’re capable of better,’’ Farrell said. “Honestly, the way we’re built we need consistency out of the rotation and I’m confident we’ll get that.’’
The Rays snapped a three-game losing streak. They had 12 hits against four Sox pitchers, eight for extra bases.
Porcello fell behind in the second inning and never recovered.
Logan Morrison doubled to center field and scored on a two-out home run to right field by Shane Peterson, a 29-year-old who spent the last two seasons in the minors.
The Rays loaded the bases in the third inning when Evan Longoria walked, Brad Miller singled and Steven Souza Jr. walked.
Porcello then left a changeup over the middle of the plate that Morrison drove into the stands in right field for his third home run and first career grand slam.
Porcello had allowed one grand slam previously in his career, that by Mike Trout in 2013.
Down 6-0, Porcello managed to retire the next six batters in order. But back-to-back home runs by Miller and Souza ended his night in the fifth inning.
“Obviously, the walks in the third inning caused a big problem for me,’’ Porcello said. “I got put into a jam, and they left the ballpark four times. Got to make better pitches.’’
For Porcello, the game snapped a string of 20 consecutive starts lasting at least six innings. It also ended a run of 15 straight quality starts.
It was the first time since Aug. 26, 2015 that Porcello was unable to complete five innings.
As Porcello struggled, Rays starter Chris Archer ended a streak of 11 consecutive losses against the Sox.
Archer allowed one run over 5⅔innings for his first victory against the Sox since Sept. 19, 2012, his rookie season. He came into the game 1-11 with a 5.38 ERA in 16 career starts against the Sox.
There were a few promising developments for the Sox. Mookie Betts, in a funk at the plate all season, was 4 for 5 with a double and one RBI.
Xander Bogaerts had three hits, drew a walk and drove in a run. The Sox had 14 hits in all and scored three runs in the ninth inning, forcing Rays manager Kevin Cash to use his closer, Alex Colome, for the final two outs.
Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @peteabe.
