Archer’s Kryptonite Strikes Again

Photo Credit: Brian Blanco - Getty Images

Photo Credit: Brian Blanco – Getty Images

While Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Chris Archer’s impressive 2015 campaign deserves mention for Cy Young award candidacy, the Boston Red Sox remain the obstacle he has yet to master.

The Rays failed to overcome the power of the Red Sox in their 5-3 loss on Sunday.

Archer may have struck out 10 over six innings of work, but his effort to suppress the power that stemmed from Pablo Sandoval, Alejandro De Aza, and his rival, David Ortiz, was simply not enough.

Archer began his struggles on the day in the top of the second, when Sandoval and De Aza scorched a pair of solo shots over the wall. Big Papi later belted a two run homer of his own in the fourth.

From there on, Archer had no choice but to rely on his team to catch up. Despite some impressive hitting, including from former BoSox player Grady Sizemore, the opposing pitching was too much to overcome.

In Archer’s nine starts against the Red Sox, he has accumulated a 1-6 record with an ERA of 5.48. Against other AL East opponents he boasts a 2.88 ERA and a 28-18 record. Even with the continuous struggles the Red Sox have on all levels imaginable in recent times, Archer has yet to neutralize the team. His last victory against the Red Sox would go all the way back to 2012, when he was a rookie.

Archer is still on pace for a possible Cy Young winning season with his still impressive ERA, 133 strikeouts, and 9-5 record…as long as he is not continuously facing the Red Sox.

The Cy Young favorite is expected to start in the Tampa Bay series opener against the Yankees on July 3, in which we can expect redemption, as he has yet to lose to the team in his career.