David Price warms up in the Sox bullpen April 11. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- At least statistically, Red Sox have the third-best pitching staff in baseball.
Boston's been carried by its starters. The group has an MLB-best 2.06 ERA. That's significantly better than the bullpen's 4.19 mark, which ranks 21st.
Still, manager Alex Cora likes his relievers.
"We feel, going into each game, that if we get 18 outs out of the rotation, out of the starter, we can go different ways," he said. "We feel good about our bullpen."
Red Sox To Get First Look At Japanese Sensation Shohei Ohtani
Last time David Price pitched, he gave up four runs in the first inning, then left with numbness in the fingertips of his throwing hand. Sox needed the pen for eight innings, and those secondary arms struggled. They combined to allow six runs, nine hits, and three walks--with just one strikeout.
That was also Boston's only setback in its last 14 games.
Red Sox will hope for better results when the two best teams in the game clash tonight in Anaheim at 10:07 p.m.
Price will oppose Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani. Price is 1-1 with a 2.40 ERA in three starts. Ohtani's made a pair. He's 2-0 with a 2.08 mark.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports