With ace Garrett Crochet on the mend, the Red Sox rotation has proven it has quality depth

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – At the start of the season, it wouldn’t have been shocking to imagine the Red Sox rotation performing at a level that ranked among the league’s elite for any month of the season.

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However, the notion of the Sox as having one of the top starting groups in baseball rested on another ace-caliber season from Garrett Crochet. This month, the Sox rotation has a 3.09 ERA that ranks third-best in the big leagues – without a single pitch thrown by Crochet in a game.

“It’s been incredible,” said Crochet. “Everyone kind of knew back in spring [that] Payton Tolle and [Connelly Early] were both going to be called upon at some point. Obviously, Early broke camp with us, and then Tolle got called up, and hasn’t really looked back. We felt like we had the depth, and it’s really proven itself.”

Offseason acquisitions Ranger Suarez and Sonny Gray have combined with Tolle to post a 1.09 ERA in nine starts this month. Tolle, who starts Friday in the series opener against the Twins, has been particularly impressive, not only for his dominance (1.35 ERA) but also for his workload (6⅔ innings per start), a product of his willingness to attack the strike zone. He has 15 strikeouts and just two walks in 20 innings this month.

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Marcelo Mayer did extensive pregame work at shortstop throughout the series in Kansas City. As of Wednesday, the team wasn’t sure when or if Mayer would play short in a game, a decision that will hinge on the duration of Trevor Story’s absence due to a sports hernia. Story has had three medical consultations, most recently with core injury expert William Meyers in Philadelphia, while deciding on a course of treatment.

The Red Sox are promoting righthander Tayron Guerrero to the big leagues from Triple-A Worcester, according to a major league source. Guerrero had a 0.92 ERA in 19⅔ innings, leaning heavily on a four-seam fastball that has topped out at 102.6 miles per hour in Triple-A this year. Despite elite velocity, the 35-year-old’s success this year has drawn more from his ability to get weak contact rather than missing bats. His 70 percent groundball rate is the fourth-highest among International League pitchers with at least 10 innings pitched. To make room on the roster for Guerrero, the Sox are optioning righthander Zack Kelly back to the WooSox. In 17 big league appearances this year, the 31-year-old has a 3.31 ERA with a 20 percent strikeout rate and 10 percent walk rate. Andrew Parker of SoxProspects.com first reported Guerrero’s promotion. . . . The Sox enter the forthcoming six-game stretch at Fenway Park with the worst home record (8-14, .364) in baseball. Their 14-13 (.519) road mark is tied for fourth-best in the AL . . . The Double-A Portland Sea Dogs recorded 20 strikeouts in a 1-0 win on Thursday, setting a franchise record for a nine-inning game. Starter Blake Wehunt punched out 11 in five innings, with relievers Patrick Halligan (2 innings, 6 strikeouts) and Cooper Adams (2 innings, 3 strikeouts) continuing the revolving door of whiffs against the Reading Fightin’ Phils.

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