This Stat Absolutely Proves Pitching is Holding 2019 Red Sox Back From Repeating Easily

When a team wins 108 games and a World Series thanks to the deepest lineup in the league with two MVP candidates at the heart of it, you would think that the fact they are scoring even more runs the year after means they'd be coasting to a championship, right?

Well, the Boston Red Sox find themselves scoring 5.778 runs per game this season, more than the 5.41 they put up last year. However, they are still in third place in the AL East and 10 games .out of first. The Yankees, who are in first, are scoring 5.794 runs per game.

The Red Sox, are allowing over a full run more per game this season, due in part to Chris Sale's regression and one of the worst bullpens in the major leagues.

If this isn't a clear sign that Dave Dombrowski needs to swing for the fences at the trade deadline, nothing will be. The Red Sox offense is even more potent than a year in which they were outclassing almost everyone, but they have been forced to use Nathan Eovaldi as a closer due to their tragic bullpen.

Dombrowski is a smart, savvy guy, so he probably has a big trade brewing. All Red Sox fans can do is pray that whichever pitcher Dombrowski adds isn't another Tyler Thornburg or Carson Smith.