Red Sox's Second-Half Offensive Struggles Hit New Low Despite Win Over Rays

Not the kind of history you want to be making...

Sep 18, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot (44) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Offense was the strength of the Boston Red Sox for most of the 2024 season, but the bats have hit a noticeable rough patch recently.

Beginning in late August, when the Red Sox still appeared to have a reasonable shot at the playoffs, the team-wide slump began. Rafael Devers' shoulders started acting up, the bottom half of the order has been a black hole, and lately, even spark plug Jarren Duran has had his scuffles.

The Red Sox won their matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Wednesday night, but the offense still found a way to reach a new low. And it was aided by the brilliance of the talented first-year starting pitcher on the other side.

Ryan Pepiot, who arrived in Tampa Bay this offseason as part of the Tyler Glasnow trade, mowed down the Red Sox all night, setting a new career-high with 12 strikeouts despite throwing just 76 pitches. The efficiency and strikeout stuff combined for a rare achievement in the top of the fifth.

Pepiot struck out Connor Wong, then Wilyer Abreu, then Triston Casas, all on three pitches each. That made it an immaculate inning, the fourth in Rays franchise history. The last Ray to do it was current Philadelphia Phillies reliever José Alvarado, against the Milwaukee Brewers back in August of 2017.

Allowing an immaculate inning is more rare than being no-hit nowadays. There have been four no-hitters this season, including one combined, but only two immaculate innings. Michael Kopech, the current Los Angeles Dodgers reliever, did it when he was still on the Chicago White Sox in July.

Pepiot had Boston mystified all night with his four-seam fastball, which sat in the 95-95 mile-per-hour range and had impressive carry through the top of the strike zone.

Strikeouts have proven to be the undoing of the Boston offense, which finished one shy of a season-high with 14 punchouts on Wednesday. They have struck out 547 times since the All-Star break, second behind only the Colorado Rockies in all of baseball, contributing to the 23-33 record in that time span.

Sometimes you have to tip your cap in this sport, and Pepiot was brilliant on Wednesday. But the Red Sox have a real issue on their hands with the outbreak of punchouts, and it's something that will need to be addressed for the offense to succeed in 2025.

More MLB: Red Sox's Most Disappointing Trade Deadline Acquisitions Eye Late-Season Comeback