Archer pitched six innings Thursday against the Red Sox, allowing four earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out six.
Archer's final line is an unfair reflection of the way he pitched Thursday, as two of his earned runs came on a routine flyball that his defense misplayed resulting in an inside-the-park home run. Otherwise, Archer looked sharp, starting 17 of the 24 batters he faced with a strike. One thing to monitor going forward will be Archer's leash to pitch deep into games, as he was pulled after six innings despite throwing just 81 pitches Thursday. That may have been due to the fact that it was Opening Day and the Rays didn't want to push him in his first start, but they have shown the tendency to pull their starters early in the past.
