Welcome back, Josh Beckett. We wish you well, Kyle Snyder. To make room for the Red Sox ace - who has been on the disabled list not because of back spams, but due to a hip problem - Snyder was designated for assignment.
Beckett's return to the rotation is sorely needed. Though the Sox starting pitching has been adequate - Clay Buchholz pitched well enough for the team to win yesterday, allowing four runs (three earned) and six hits with seven strikeouts in five innings - the bullpen has been woeful in the first two games of the series at Toronto.
Last night, after Buchholz departed, the game was still within reach for the Sox as they trailed 4-2. Circumstances changed in the bottom of the sixth, when Toronto knocked around Snyder (who coughed up two runs in one-third of an inning) and Bryan Corey (who was charged with four runs and four hits in one-third on an inning). Only Julian Tavarez, who tossed 2.1 scoreless frames, could solve the Blue Jays' bats.
Corey has now allowed runs in three of his five appearances, and chances are he will be the next reliever to go when Mike Timlin is activated from the disabled list. It is becoming more apparent that the Sox will keep Tavarez and David Aardsma.
With Boston's bats still asleep, the Sox will need a dominant outing from Beckett this afternoon. Fortunately, the intimidating Texan specializes in dominance on the pitching mound. There is no other starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who is better in an important game than Beckett. An ideal formula for today's series finale against the Blue Jays would be seven innings from Beckett, one from Hideki Okajima and a one-inning save by Jonathan Papelbon.
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