Can the Yankees avoid the missteps of the Red Sox and Mariners?

A Pun Using the Word Sale

The same could be said for Chris Sale in 2017. As always he was untouchable for the first four months of the season…and touchable for the last two.

Overall, his regular season ERA of 2.90 was exactly what Boston hoped for. Too tired by October. However, he went five innings in his first start of the ALDS and walked off with a 12.60 ERA.

The more you look at Boston, the more the word inconsistent comes to mind. Take Rick Porcello. He went from the AL Cy Young Winner in 2016 to a 4.65 ERA in 2017, a snapshot of his career.

He has had more seasons (6) with an ERA above 4.00 than below in his nine years and carries a 4.25 career ERA. However, he has also been alternating good years and bad the last five seasons, so he could be great again in 2018.

RHP Steven Wright looks good, although he has now joined Aroldis Chapman in being charged with domestic violence.

But, he too, has had but one good season out of the last two, pitching to a 3.33 in 2016 but injured this year. The Red Sox are a win now team, so the fact that he is 33 is not an issue.

Drew Pomeranz also looks good and is still young, just 29 next season. Best of all was his 3.32 ERA this year. But, as always, there is bad news here: The lefty Drew is an unrestricted free agent next year.

It seems as if there are as many questions right now for the Red Sox as for the Mariners. Answers, however, might be almost as hard to come by.