Ryan Dempster: Mr. Bad Luck

Sam Galanis
Contributing Writer

Ryan Dempster has the most strikeouts (90) of any of the Red Sox’s regular starters. He has the third best ERA (4.23). But even with numbers that look good, he still has the most losses and a sad looking 4-8 record.

Photo by Gail Oskin/Getty Images

Still, to put the blame on Dempster would be far from the truth. Just look at last night’s game against the Rays. Dempster pitched six solid innings. He let up three runs, but that happens. And that can’t be too bad when you play for a team that averages just over five runs a game, right?

In most cases, that would be right. But it seems as though Dempster pitches on all of the worst days. In his 15 starts for the season, the Sox have scored three or less runs in 11 of them.

“Seemingly there’s a guy on each staff that might be pitching on the wrong day,” John Farrell said according to the Boston Globe. “That’s probably been the case with Ryan on a few occasions. But that’s something completely out of his control. But yet at the same time we’re in position to win most every time he walks to the mound.”

In theory, Dempster’s bad luck can’t last all season. As long as he continues to pitch well (and maybe lets up less home runs) the Sox will be able to get more wins out of him. His record should definitely improve. All he needs is run support from the rest of the team.

“I just wish we were winning more of the games that I’m starting,” Dempster said. “That’s all I care about, is the day I pitch that we win and we’re not winning those right now.”




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