Red Sox Prospect 'Unlocked Something Different' In September, Could Get Call-Up

Boston has nothing to lose heading into the season's final days

Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

The Boston Red Sox have watched a couple of their pitching prospects excel after being called up recently, and it might be time to promote one more pitcher before the season ends.

Neither Richard Fitts nor Luis Guerrero have allowed an earned run since debuting in the show, and Boston could keep the ball rolling by calling up another of its young arms, Quinn Priester.

Especially given the Red Sox’s crushed playoff chances, throwing Priester into the big league fire with one week remaining presents no risks and some potential rewards in the form of experience for Priester. Such a scenario was proposed by FanSided’s Katie Manganelli on Tuesday.

“Because the Red Sox's chance to make the postseason is so slim … Quinn Priester could be a prime candidate for his Red Sox debut,” Manganelli said.

“Priester logged a 2.45 ERA over 18.1 innings across four starts in September. His Sept. 4 start against Triple-A Rochester was the best appearance of his short Red Sox tenure by far — he clocked six, four-hit, scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and no walks.”

“Priester threw strikes at a higher clip in September than he did in August. He clocked 24 strikeouts in his four September starts, the most for any month of his season. He collected 18 strikeouts in August and 19 in April, but he unlocked something different in the final month of the season.”

“Priester already has big-league experience under his belt, and the Red Sox don't have much to lose. They could rest their exhausted rotation and give a potential future starter an early opportunity to show his stuff.”

With the Red Sox in dire need of a pitching makeover next season, they might benefit from expiditing Priester’s development. Boston fans would certainly perk up at the opportunity to see Priester on a big league mound during a final week that promises to be mostly uninteresting. 

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