Paxton chased as Boston's postseason hopes fade

KANSAS CITY -- Time is running out for the Red Sox.

After a disappointing homestand to cap August, the start of September got away in a hurry.

The Red Sox lost 13-2 in a spiritless opener against the Royals on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium. Boston has now dropped six of its past seven games, falling back from 3 1/2 games to 6 1/2 games for the final American League Wild Card spot in six days.

The Red Sox (69-66) have lost five in a row. They have 27 games to turn it around.

“We’re getting punched, but we have to bounce back tomorrow,” manager Alex Cora said. “It hasn’t been easy. Obviously we are running out of time here. We need to play better baseball. … Hopefully now that we’ve lost five we get into a hot streak and start playing better baseball.”

For that to happen, the Red Sox need to get more innings out of their starting pitchers. Boston starters have failed to go at least five innings in six straight games, the last being Kutter Crawford who went five in a loss to the Dodgers on Aug. 25.

James Paxton was the latest Red Sox starter to depart early, throwing just 1 1/3 innings and allowing six runs on five hits and two walks against Kansas City. It was the second shortest start of Paxton’s career, and the first time this season that he ended an outing without a strikeout.

“I’m not executing on pitches very well,” Paxton said. “I’m not throwing my breaking ball for strikes. I’m falling behind in the count and leaving fastballs in places where they can get to them. Those are not recipes for success.”

Paxton threw his fastball 24 times, his curveball eight and his changeup three times. He threw just one cutter. Without feel for his breaking pitches, the lefty saw Royals batters attack him early, including back-to-back homers in the first inning. Paxton, who has thrown 96 innings this season after combining for just 21 2/3 innings over the past three seasons, has now allowed four or more earned runs in three straight starts.

“Not a lot of feel with the breaking ball right now. Fastball feels lifeless,” Paxton said. “Trying to figure things out mechanically. It’s just not feeling good right now.”

The Royals scored a season-high 13 runs and snapped their six-game losing streak with their biggest win by run differential since 2020. Paxton entered with a 4-0 record and a career 1.51 ERA against Kansas City, which included a scoreless start against the Royals on Aug. 10.

“To be an elite pitcher, you have to be able to throw breaking balls for strikes,” Paxton said. “These guys are too good to throw one pitch. So I have to be able to throw that for a strike and execute my fastball location so I give myself a chance out there.”

Paxton held a 2.73 ERA across 10 starts in the first half, but that number has spiked to 6.98 since the All-Star break. Boston has received reinforcements with Tanner Houck and Chris Sale -- who will each start in this series against Kansas City -- returning to the rotation, but the Red Sox will need Paxton to return to his first-half form if they want to make a serious run at the postseason.

But the opportunity for Boston to gain ground is there.

The Red Sox will travel to Texas, which currently holds the final AL Wild Card spot, and Toronto, the other team ahead of Boston in the postseason picture, later in September. Boston has already clinched the postseason tiebreaker against Toronto (7-3), and holds a 2-1 advantage against Texas with three to go.

“This was a tough one, obviously, started by me. But we just have to get back to doing the little things,” Paxton said. “Focus on having good at-bats, throwing quality starts, getting ahead of hitters and ultimately winning ball games.”

After two more games in Kansas City, the Red Sox will play 19 of their final 25 games against teams currently above .500, but the feeling around the clubhouse hasn’t changed. Boston believes it has the pieces to make a run during the season’s final month.

“This team is good. We have a lot of professionals, a lot of vets, guys who know how to bounce back from this,” said Alex Verdugo, who provided Boston with its only offense with a two-run homer in the eighth inning. “This is just one game. Chalk it up and be ready tomorrow.”