Cy Young Profile: Rick Porcello, 2016

Pitcher, Boston Red Sox

Age: 27

2^nd season with Red Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 2016:

A New Jersey native and grandson of major league infielder Sam Dente, Porcello starred at Seton Hall Prep, where he developed an impressive fastball as well as a curve, slider, and changeup. He went 10-0 as a senior in 2007 with a 0.18 ERA and 112 strikeouts over the course of 71 innings pitched and hurled a perfect game against Newark Academy. The team won the Non-Public Class A state championship. Ready to attend the University of North Carolina after high school, he instead signed with the Detroit Tigers, who chose him in the first round of the ‘07 amateur draft for $7 million over four years with a $3.58 million bonus. Initially assigned to Lakeland of the high Class A Florida State League in 2008, he was a league All-Star with an 8-6 record, league-leading 2.66 ERA, and 72 strikeouts over 125 innings while developing a sinker. Moving up to the Tigers in 2009, he went on to a solid rookie season with a 14-9 tally, 3.96 ERA, and 89 strikeouts in 170.2 innings pitched. He placed third in AL Rookie of the Year voting. He was less impressive in 2010 and was briefly demoted to the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA International League. Overall with Detroit he posted a 10-12 mark with a 4.92 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 162.2 innings. He returned to a 14-9 record in 2011 with a 4.75 ERA and 104 strikeouts over 182 innings. He also saw his first postseason action with the division-winning Tigers, appearing in four games (two of them starts) and going 0-1. The fifth starter for pennant-winning Detroit in 2012, Porcello was an uninspiring 10-12 with a 4.59 ERA and 107 strikeouts over 176.1 innings. He saw limited action out of the bullpen in the postseason. In 2013 he pitched his first career complete game on his way to a 13-8 tally and a 4.32 ERA with 142 strikeouts. Porcello got off to a 10-4 start in 2014 that included consecutive shutouts against Texas and Oakland on his way to a final tally of 15-13 with a 3.43 ERA and 129 strikeouts. In the offseason he was traded to the Red Sox as part of a four-player deal. He was signed to a four-year contract extension worth $82.5 million. Porcello had a rough first season with the Red Sox, posting a 9-15 tally with a 4.92 ERA and 149 strikeouts.

2016 Season Summary

Appeared in 33 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 33

Games Started – 33 [4, tied with seven others]

Complete Games – 3 [3, tied with Corey Kluber]

Wins – 22 [1]

Losses – 4

PCT - .846 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 223 [4]

Hits – 193 [11]

Runs – 85

Earned Runs – 78

Home Runs – 23

Bases on Balls – 32

Strikeouts – 189 [8]

ERA – 3.15 [5]

Hit Batters – 13 [2, tied with Ian Kennedy]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up J.A. Happ

Midseason Snapshot: 11-2, ERA - 3.66, SO - 97 in 113 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 7 IP) vs. Tampa Bay 4/20, (in 6.1 IP) at Tampa Bay 9/24

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 7 IP) vs. Arizona 8/14

Batting

PA – 5, AB – 5, R – 0, H – 1, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .200, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 22

Put Outs – 6

Assists – 15

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .955

Postseason Pitching: G – 1 (ALDS vs. Cleveland)

GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 4.1, H – 6, R – 5, ER – 5, HR – 3, BB – 0, SO – 6, ERA – 10.38, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Comeback Player of the Year: Sporting News

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Rick Porcello, Bos.: 137 points – 8 of 30 first place votes, 65% share

Justin Verlander, Det.: 132 points – 14 first place votes, 63% share

Corey Kluber, Clev.: 98 points – 3 first place votes, 47% share

Zack Britton, Balt.: 72 points – 5 first place votes, 34% share

Chris Sale, ChiWS.: 40 points – 19% share

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The Red Sox went 93-69 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 4 games over the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (9) and fewest home runs surrendered (176). The Red Sox were at or near the top of the AL East throughout the season but rode an 11-game September winning streak to the division title. Porcello was dominant at Fenway Park, posting a 13-1 home record. Lost ALDS to the Cleveland Indians, 3 games to 0. Porcello lost Game 1, giving up 5 runs in 4.1 innings.

Aftermath of 2016:

Porcello had a rough season in 2017, posting an 11-17 record and a 4.65 ERA while striking out 181 batters and leading the league in hits and home runs surrendered (236 and 38 respectively). He rebounded in 2018 to 17-7 and a 4.28 ERA with 190 strikeouts as the Red Sox not only topped the AL East but went on to win the World Series. He relieved as well as started in the postseason and went 1-0 with a 3.58 ERA in five appearances. In 2019 Porcello dropped to 14-12 and a 5.52 ERA with 143 strikeouts in 174.1 innings. Departing Boston as a free agent in the offseason, he signed a one-year deal with the New York Mets and struggled through the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, going 1-7 with a 5.64 ERA. Once again a free agent, he didn’t pitch in 2021 or ’22 and retired at age 33. For his major league career, Porcello produced a 150-125 record with a 4.40 ERA, 10 complete games, and 1561 strikeouts over 2096.1 innings. With the Red Sox he was 73-55 with a 4.43 ERA, 6 complete games, and 852 strikeouts in 964 innings. Appearing in 16 postseason games, he went 1-3 with a 4.73 ERA and 34 strikeouts over 40 innings pitched. Typically a steady starting pitcher, his outstanding 2016 season proved to be the pinnacle of his career.

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Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league.