NEW YORK -- There was no disguising how poor the performance of the Red Sox bullpen was Tuesday night, and manager John Farrell didn't try.
"Once (starter Henry Owens) came out of the game, they had their way with our bullpen,'' said John Farrell after the Yankees kicked around the Red Sox, 13-3. "We tried to find guys to at least stem the tide, get an out when needed. But the way (the Yankees) are swinging the bat, the runs they're scoring of late, it was not a good matchup against our bullpen tonight.''
That may have been a massive understatement. Four Red Sox relievers -- Robbie Ross Jr., Jean Machi, Craig Breslow and Alexi Ogando -- combined to pitch three innings while allowing eight hits and 10 runs with four walks and two homers allowed.
And that's not an outlier in performance, either. Over the last eight games, covering 31 1/3 innings, Red Sox relievers have given up 40 hits and 24 earned runs for an ERA of 6.89.
Ogando has given up six homers in his last 10 appearances, including one on the very first pitch he threw Tuesday night. Ross and Breslow, meanwhile, own ERA's north of 4.00.
In a nine-run seventh inning, the Yankees sent 13 hitters to the plate.
"Every guy that we brought to the mound, some pitches found their way to the middle of the plate and they didn't miss 'em,'' said Farrell. "A nine-run inning...that's a rough night. Obviously, we're looking for better. Like I said, their lineup had their way with our bullpen.''
Boston Red Sox
Closer Koji Uehara and set-up man Junichi Tazawa have pitched well for the Red Sox. But beyond those two, the Boston bullpen has been mostly horrendous.
The Sox have tried some younger arms from Pawtucket (Jonathan Aro, Noe Ramirez) who haven't produced much. But they -- or anyone else -- could hardly do worse than some of the veterans who are regularly being battered.
Asked if the Sox had to start looking at other relief options, Farrell said: "I'm not going to rule it out. But to answer that with specific names at this point is a little premature. But you're looking for better, you're looking for more. Particularly from guys that have had some stretches of success this season. That was a rough night tonight.''