Rick Porcello loves pitching in Boston, which is not a feeling shared by every member of the Red Sox rotation. He offered to take less money to stay here over the winter, but the team declined.
He then went out and authored the kind of season that made them look smart for saying no, gutting his way to the worst ERA of his career during a trying 2019.
On Wednesday, his Red Sox career likely came to an end in a start that pretty much perfectly encapsulated his five years here: six innings, three runs, lots of run support, win.
After the 10-3 victory in Texas that saw Porcello allow three runs in the first and then find his groove, he laid bare his emotions over what his Red Sox career has meant to him.
"I sat there and said, '(Expletive)! It's been a tough one this year,'" Porcello told reporters in Texas. "I don't want to get too emotional or close the door on anything. Who knows what's going to happen in the offseason? But from the bottom of my heart, it's been an absolute pleasure to wear this uniform and pitch for the Red Sox organization the last five years for Mr. Henry and Mr. Werner and all these guys. The coaching staff, all these players, it's as good a group as you're going to find. I know this year hasn't worked out the way we wanted to, but it doesn't take away from the special human beings we have in this clubhouse and that's really for me, sitting there and soaking that in, that was nice."
Despite posting one of the worst ERAs in baseball for a full-time starter (5.52), Porcello actually finished the season with a winning record (14-12) but on a little bit of a roll. He went 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA in his last three starts, striking out 20 and walking one.
Boston Red Sox
He's still probably looking at a one-year, incentive-laden, make-good contract for 2020, which means it's possible he returns to Boston at a greatly reduced salary.
"Who knows what's going to happen?" he told reporters. "You never close the door on anything. It was definitely a special night for me. Just to go out there and get a win with all these guys who have gone through a lot together the last five years, it was a lot of fun. I knew going into it it was going to be my last one for the year but other than that you can't predict what's going to happen in the future. That was it."
If there's an argument to be made for retaining Porcello, it centers on (a) his durability, and (b) the possibility that he's a different pitcher next year if he reverts back to the sinker-balling style that helped him reach the big leagues at age 20 with the Tigers a decade ago.
On the former front, Porcello takes great pride. He has made at least 32 starts in each of the last four seasons.
"My body hurts," he told reporters. "It's not easy to do. Definitely take a lot of pride in that. We have a lot of guys who go out there and play every day as position players and things like that and that's the one responsibility and thing I can control as a starter is preparation, putting myself in position to take the ball every fifth day. Through some of the tough results and some good results, that was definitely something I can hang my hat on since I've been pitching here for the Red Sox."
In the end, after a Cy Young Award and a World Series title, Porcello hopes he leaves behind a positive impression, if this is indeed the end.
"I love every part of the game and I put everything I have into it," he told reporters. "Hopefully that sets a good example for guys coming up who take the ball for this organization and have success in the future. That's what it's all about. You're not good for anybody if you can't take the ball. That's one thing I've always prided myself on. Hopefully that's kind of a leadership that rubs off on some of the young guys and leave an impression like that."
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