Calm the Aaron Wilkerson bandwagon for a minute, please. And realize Sean O’Sullivan is the right man to take the mound for the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
Is it a popular move? No. A lot of people are probably calling for John Farrell to be fired because of it. But hold the pitchforks for a moment.
The Sox really don’t even need a fifth starter before the All-Star break. But they’d like to use one at least once just to give their guys a little extra rest. So in other words, said starter, who would be pitching on Sunday, will only be used by the Red Sox once before being sent back down.
And in O’Sullivan’s case, it won’t be being sent back down. He’s not on the 40-man roster right now, so the Red Sox will have to make some sort of move so he can start — a Tommy Layne DFA would work. But what seems likely is optioning Pat Light back down to Triple-A Pawtucket and outright Mike Miller to gain a spot on the 40-man roster.
Numbers have little to do with this decision, some have criticized. O’Sullican has a career ERA near 6.00. He pitches to contact and will be facing a Los Angeles Angeles Angels of Anaheim lineup that has both Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. Not to mention the game is at Fenway Park, a hitter-friendly park — especially for right-handed batters (like Trout, Pujols, and a few others in the Angels lineup).
This is probably what a lot of people are expecting to happen tomorrow:
This is going to be a one-and-done. After the start, there is No Doubt the Red Sox DFA O’Sullivan. The Sox probably didn’t want to do that to Wilkerson — and risk losing him. Plus they kind of know what O’Sullivan will give them.
O’Sullivan will serve his purpose — and do exactly what the Red Sox ask. Certainly, they would like to keep him in the organization because he provides them with valuable pitching depth. And he throws strikes.
He’s better than Owens and Elias.