The Boston Red Sox fired pitching coach Juan Nieves on Thursday. The team has not yet hired a replacement.
Nieves joined the Red Sox in the offseason prior to the 2013 season. Though Nieves coached the staff that won the World Series that year, its clear that it was time for a change.
The Red Sox, who entered Thursday with a 13-15 record, good for last place in the American League East, have had a 3.98 team earned run average since Nieves was hired, 22nd in the majors over that time period. In 2013, Nieves’ first season with the squad, the Red Sox finished in the top half off baseball in team ERA, coming in at 14th overall with a respectable 3.79. Since then, however, the wheels have really come off.
Last season, which was an unmitigated disaster for the Sox from start to finish, Boston finished 23rd with a 4.01 ERA. And while 2015 had a promising beginning, the staff currently owns a 4.86 ERA, second-worst in the bigs. The starters bear the brunt of that; they have combined for a 5.54 ERA in the early going.
The Sox can score with the best of ’em. They rank eighth in runs scored, eighth in home runs, and eighth in runs batted in. Within the division, only the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays have scored more. It could not be more clear that the Sox currently reside in the basement because of the failings of the pitching staff, and in particular the starting rotation. And while Nieves did not, as a coach, take the mound once every five days, he was responsible for the pitchers, and their shortcomings are his.
Whoever replaces Nieves will have to try to fix a ship that is, if not quite sinking, rapidly taking on water. It is likely that, in addition to finding a new pitching coach, the Sox will have to make some changes to their rotation if they intend to compete this season. Whether they promote internally, which they have the prospects to do, or bring in outside help via trade, something must be done, and soon.
An unlikely, but intriguing, solution for the new vacancy would be manager John Farrell taking a more direct role in coaching the pitchers. He served as the teams pitching coach from 2007-2010, and was highly respected by the staff over those years. It is unlikely that Farrell would or even could take over the duties of the pitching coach completely. He is the manager and is therefore responsible for the team as a whole. But it would not be shocking to see the job filled by a committee, with Farrell at its head.
Another option would be to bring in former ace, and new member of the baseball Hall of Fame, Pedro Martinez to fill the job. Whether Martinez would want the job is the real question, but it would undoubtedly be a popular choice amongst both fans and the players. Martinez already serves as a team consultant and works with the pitchers in the offseason, and it has long been speculated that he might one day be brought in to fill the role of pitching coach. The Sox should name a replacement soon, as a long wait will only exacerbate the staff’s issues. Until they do, though, all we can do is speculate.
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