Felix Doubront
Felix Doubront will look to start a new winning streak for the Red Sox on Tuesday night, as he takes the hill for the middle game of the three-game set against the White Sox. He’ll be matched up against another young lefty, Jose Quintana.
Despite a 3-1 record, Doubront’s performance in 2013 has the Red Sox looking at what other options they have to round out the rotation. They tried skipping his turn in the rotation in favor of rookie Allen Webster, but Doubront ended up pitching 5 1/3 innings out of the bullpen after Webster gave up eight runs in 1 2/3 innings. Doubront’s last outing was good enough to earn him another shot at sticking in the rotation. He allowed two runs on three hits to the Rays, but the red flags still were evident. Doubront walked a season-high six batters, the fourth start this year in which he’s walked four or more. The 25-year-old lefty also failed to go more than five innings for the fourth time in six starts this season.
The dilemma that the Red Sox face with Doubront is a complicated one. In 2012, the starter faced some of the same problems he’s been struggling with this season. Lack of control has been a big issue for Doubront over the course of his short career; he averaged four walks per nine innings in 2012, and that rate has risen to 5.30 through seven games in 2013. He’s also been very inefficient, failing to go more than six innings in 21 of his 29 starts in 2012, while 6 2/3 innings remains his high-water mark for 2013, managing to make it into the seventh in his last two starts in April. Regardless, Doubront remained in the rotation for the entirety of 2012 (except for a brief DL stint in mid-August). But 2013 brings another confusing issue for the young lefty. Doubront has lost more than two mph on his fastball, which averaged 93 mph in the last two seasons. Both Doubront and manager John Farrell insist that the loss of velocity is not being caused by a physical issue, however.
The job still belongs to Doubront as of Monday night, when he’ll take on an underperforming White Sox offense, looking to lower his 6.03 ERA. Doubront has only faced the White Sox twice in his career, making two starts against them last year. He allowed only four runs on nine hits in 12 innings against Chicago, striking out four and walking six.
Jose Quintana
Doubront will be matched up against the 24-year-old Quintana, who is 2-1 with a 3.97 ERA in his second year in the majors. Quintana has seen the Red Sox only once, back in 2012. The lefty gave the White Sox eight innings of shutout ball, allowing only five hits while fanning two without walking a batter. Quintana got very little run support, however, and the Red Sox took the contest thanks to a three-run walk-off home run from outfielder Cody Ross.
Quintana made his major league debut for the White Sox in May of 2012, throwing 5 2/3 innings in relief, holding the Indians to only one hit without allowing a run. He earned a spot in the rotation after starter John Danks was placed on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. The lefty finished the year with a 6-6 record and 3.76 ERA in 22 starts and three relief appearances. Quintana skipped over Triple-A, making the jump from Double-A to the majors last year.
The young starter doesn’t have overpowering stuff, with his fastball sitting in the low-90s. He’s struck out an average of 6.75 batters per nine innings, while he’s walked 13 in 45 1/3 innings this season. Quintana uses a four-seam fastball and a cutter that sits in the low-80s, as well as a sinker, curveball and changeup.
Red Sox vs. Quintana (LHP)
Jacoby Ellsbury (4 plate appearances): .000 BA/.000 OBP/.000 SLG, 1 strikeout
Pedro Ciriaco (3): .333/.333/1.000, 1 triple
Will Middlebrooks (3): .000/.000/.000
Dustin Pedroia (3): .333/.333/.333
Mike Carp, Stephen Drew, Jonny Gomes, Ryan Lavarnway, Mike Napoli, Daniel Nava, David Ortiz, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Shane Victorino have not faced Quintana.
White Sox vs. Doubront (LHP)
Jeff Keppinger (9): .375/.444/.500, 1 double 1 RBI, 1 walk
Alejandro De Aza (6): .333/.333/.500, 1 double, 1 strikeout
Adam Dunn (6): .000/.333/.000, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
Paul Konerko (6): .500/.667/.750, 1 double, 2 RBI, 2 walks
Alex Rios (6): .000/.000/.000
Alexei Ramirez (5): .000/.200/.000, 1 walk, 1 strikeout
Dayan Viciedo (5): .600/.600/1.200, 1 home run, 1 RBI
Casper Wells (3): .000/.333/.000, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
Tyler Flowers, Conor Gillaspie, Hector Gimenez, Tyler Greene and Dewayne Wise have not faced Doubront.