It’s getting to the point where Alex Cora has to start thinking about replacing Drew Pomeranz with Steven Wright. This is a tight AL East race with the Yankees and while no team (well, except the Astros) has five starters clicking at the same time, when you have a stray pitcher among the group it hurts the team.
Such is the case with Pomeranz these days. It’s been a struggle for the lefty. David Price called him the “Big Smooth’’ last season, but he’s been more like the “Big Struggle’’ this season.
In this very competitive situation, and where there are options (in the form of Wright and Brian Johnson), Pomeranz is likely not to get too many more chances to iron this out.
Pomeranz has certainly tried to get back on track to the point where he pitched a simulated game during the week in St. Petersburg in an attempt to work out his control issues. Well, Pomeranz lasted only 3⅓ innings Saturday, allowed six hits, three walks, and five runs in a game the Red Sox came back to beat the Braves, 8-6.
Cora said after the game that Pomeranz will get the ball Thursday in Houston. After that, who knows?
Pomeranz was a 17-game winner last season, so normally he should get every benefit of the doubt, but the team can’t rest on past laurels in such a competitive atmosphere.
“I was having trouble getting off my back leg today,’’ Pomeranz said. “One thing I’ve been searching for is getting that drive off my back leg. When I get into a jam I used to be able to bring out 93, 94, and 95 miles per hour. I don’t have that right now. Everything is a few miles an hour off. It’s a pretty good indicator something is missing there. There’s some attachment between my upper and lower body not firing right now.’’
He came back from a strained flexor muscle in his left forearm, so the team took it easy on him in spring training and he didn’t start the season. He made his first start April 20 at Oakland.
He’s made seven starts, but has lasted into the sixth only twice.
He had a split nail in what turned out to be his best start May 8 at New York when he went six innings and allowed two runs and pitched more like the 2017 version of himself. But he hasn’t been able to sustain it.
Wright, who pitched three scoreless innings of relief Saturday, is capable of getting on a roll with his knuckleball as he did in 2016 when he made the All-Star team. Wright has had ailments with his shoulder and knee since getting hurt while running the bases two years ago, but he appears to be healthy again and his knuckleball has played well since his return from a rehab assignment.
Pomeranz also has experience out of the bullpen. He could work his way back to the rotation by ironing some things out. It’s not great timing for him because he’s scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season, but the Red Sox have to think about the here and now. They need to get their rotation in order and their bullpen set up.
“I’ve been working on a lot of stuff this week,’’ Pomeranz said. “I felt good coming into the start, but then I got out there and I feel like something’s off. I talked to [assistant pitching coach Brian] Bannister a little bit after the game. It’s frustrating for me to put in all of this work and then go out there and know this isn’t me throwing.
“It’s really frustrating, especially knowing how good this team is. I pitched like crap and we still find a way to win a game because our offense is so good. I’ve put so much time into it and it seems like there’s one little thing off.
“I have to figure it out. I’m running out of time where I need to get results and be where I want to be.’’
Pomeranz, who has one of the better curveballs in baseball, is also not throwing that signature pitch effectively either. He thinks whatever is not working with his back leg is affecting his entire repertoire.
Wright, meanwhile, earned praise from Cora for “keeping us in the game and allowing us to make a comeback,’’ but did not speak about Wright’s possible ascension into the rotation.
Wright was politically correct when asked if his goal is to return to the starting rotation.
“My goal was to get back into the games,’’ he said. “Since 2013 [when he broke into the majors], it doesn’t matter starting or relieving. I just want to take the ball and go as long as Alex needs me to go.’’
Cora said of Pomeranz, “We trust this guy. He was in the same spot last year and all of a sudden he turned it around.’’
Pomeranz was asked about the possibility of losing his starting spot.
“I’m not focused on those things,’’ he said. “I’m just trying to figure out how I was because right now I don’t feel like the same guy I was last year.’’
Cora will stick with him for sure, but this won’t be a long leash. Cora knows he has an accomplished starter ready in Wright. Pomeranz is right that the Red Sox have won four of his starts, but that luck will eventually run out.
It’s a competitive game, a competitive league. Pomeranz knows it. Nobody wants to do the job more than he does, but there will come a time soon when Cora is going to have to move on if it’s not working out.
Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickcafardo.
