Winckowski (2-1) was tagged with Wednesday's loss to the Reds, allowing three unearned runs on three hits while striking out two over 1.1 innings.
Boston's shoddy infield defense reared itself once again when Rafael Devers' throwing error triggered a three-run inning for the Reds. The previous night, Enrique Hernandez committed a pair of throwing errors, one that led to a run in a 9-8 loss. "We're not a good defensive team," manager Alex Cora bluntly told Chad Jennings of The Athletic. "We have a pitching staff that doesn't have swing-and-miss stuff. When we get to two strikes and induce weak contact, we've got to make the plays. When we're really good, we're making plays. When we're not, we struggle." Winckowski, who's pitched well this season, put an end to an uprising in the sixth inning before the seventh went awry. The right-hander maintains a 2.14 ERA over 33.2 innings with 25 strikeouts and six walks.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Records three-inning save
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Winckowski picked up the save in Friday's 6-1 win over the Padres. He allowed one walk while striking out two over three scoreless innings.
Winckowski's lone walk in the seventh inning was the only baserunner he allowed in this near-perfect outing. The right-hander has now tossed scoreless appearances in five of his last six games. The second-year hurler is pitching well as a multi-inning reliever this year, and he has a 2.15 ERA and 0.99 WHIP across 29.1 innings.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Has first clunker
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Winckowski allowed three runs on four hits over two-thirds of an inning in Friday's 8-6 loss to St. Louis.
It was a blown save for Winckowski, who came on in the sixth inning after Boston took a 4-2 lead. Winckowski has been dominant out of the bullpen; the right-hander entered Friday's game with a 1.50 ERA over 24 innings.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Collects first save
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Winckowski allowed one hit over a scoreless inning to pick up the save in Tuesday's 7-6 win over Toronto.
The Red Sox were working with a short bullpen Tuesday. Kenley Jansen (back spasms) was unavailable, Kutter Crawford threw four innings Friday, Chris Martin was just off the injured list and wasn't going to be used on back-to-back nights, and Brennan Bernardino had pitched three days in a row. As such, manager Alex Cora turned to Winckowski to close out the game. He recorded the save on seven pitches, which was needed after the right-hander threw 30 pitches to record a win the night before. It was the first save in the majors for Winckowski, who was used mostly as a starter in the minors and majors until assuming a multi-inning relief role for Boston in 2023.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Picks up win
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Winckowski (2-0) allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and one walk while striking out one over two innings to record Monday's win over Toronto.
Winckowski was victimized in the eighth inning by shortstop Enrique Hernandez, whose two throwing errors contributed to the Blue Jays knotting the game at 5-5. The right-hander came back out to throw the ninth and was the pitcher of record when Alex Verdugo walked off Toronto. Boston manager Alex Cora would have had the pitcher come back out for a third inning if Verdugo hadn't ended the game, per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. Winckowski has been valuable out of the bullpen and gets a lot of chances to pitch in support of a starting staff that ranks 27th with a 6.01 ERA. Monday's outing was the eighth multi-inning relief effort for the 24-year-old starter-turned-reliever, who is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA, 17 strikeouts and five walks over 21.1 innings (11 appearances).
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Proving value in 'pen
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Winckowski allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four over 2.1 scoreless relief innings to earn a hold in Friday's 5-3 win over the Brewers.
Winckowski stranded a runner in the sixth inning and bridged the gap to closer Kenley Jansen. Winckowski has been outstanding out of the bullpen to start the season. The right-hander lowered his ERA to 1.65 and has gobbled up 16.1 innings over eight appearances. The Red Sox currently carry six starters, so his effectiveness in a multi-inning relief role has been valuable.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Earns win Friday
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Winckowski (1-0) allowed one run on four hits, one walk and a hit batsman over three innings Friday, earning a win over the Angels.
Winckowski has been stellar out of the Boston's heavily used bullpen. The 24-year-old right-hander has allowed two runs in 12 innings over six relief appearances. He came through the system as a starter but is expected to remain in a multi-inning relief role for now. Winckowski's a strike-thrower and not afraid to pitch to contact.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Now starting Thursday
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Winckowski is starting Thursday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates after Kutter Crawford (undisclosed) was scratched, Mac Cerullo of The North Andover Eagle-Tribune reports.
Winckowski was scheduled to pitch Thursday in a relief role, but with Crawford unavailable, the right-hander will instead pitch in a tradional starting role. A strong outing for the 24-year-old might make him the favorite to win a spot in the rotation for the Red Sox, but he also may have locked up that role if there's any sort of injury plaguing Crawford.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Will pitch in relief Thursday
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Winckowski will pitch in relief during Thursday's spring game against the Pirates, Mac Cerullo of The North Andover Eagle-Tribune reports.
Winckowski will pitch after Kutter Crawford during Thursday's Grapefruit League game against Pittsburgh. The right-hander is competing with Crawford for the final spot in the Boston rotation, and he has yet to allow a run this spring with a 10:4 K:BB in his 10 innings of work in Florida. Winckowski or Crawford could also be options out of the bullpen, and the odd man out also is a candidate to head to Triple-A Worcester to remain stretched out for a possible promotion back to the big leagues over the summer.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Throws multiple relief innings
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Winckowski allowed two hits and two walks while striking out four over three scoreless relief innings in Saturday's spring game against Houston.
As the injuries to projected rotation members mount, Winckowski's chances of being part of the rotation early in the season improve. Brayan Bello (forearm), James Paxton (hamstring) and Garrett Whitlock (hip) are in various stages of recovery and could miss Opening Day. If all or any of the projected starters aren't ready for the early April turns of the rotation, Winckowski, Tanner Houck or Kutter Crawford could be part of the starting staff initially. The Red Sox have a couple of off days within the first nine days of the season and could get by with four starters until April 13.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Sent back down
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Winckowski was optioned to Triple-A Worcester on Monday.
Winckowski was called up by the Red Sox on Saturday and allowed three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three in three innings Saturday against the Blue Jays. He'll head back to the minors after Darwinzon Hernandez was recalled Monday.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Recalled by Red Sox
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Winckowski was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on Saturday.
Winckowski was sent to the minors in early September, and he posted a 3.77 ERA and 1.81 WHIP in 14.1 innings over three appearances following his demotion. He should serve as a multi-inning option out of Boston's bullpen over the final few games of the regular season.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Last four innings in no-decision
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Winckowski allowed two runs on three hits and three walks while striking out three over four innings in a 5-2 win Sunday against Texas. He did not factor into the decision.
Winckowski tossed at least 20 pitches in three of his four innings and was removed after throwing 82 pitches (47 strikes), with the Red Sox leading 5-2. Both runs against him came in the first inning, as the Rangers put together a walk, two hits and an RBI groundout. He's struggled to strike out batters at the big-league level and Sunday was just the second time in his last seven starts for Boston that he fanned more than two batters. The 24-year-old was recalled from Triple-A Worcester before the game to fill in for Kutter Crawford (shoulder) and, should he continue in Crawford's spot in the rotation, his next start will likely be next weekend in Baltimore. It's no guarantee Winckowski will get another turn, as the Red Sox could utilize Thursday's off day to deploy a four-man rotation.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Back in majors, starting Sunday
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The Red Sox recalled Winckowski from Triple-A Worcester on Sunday. He'll start Sunday's series finale with the Rangers, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
The 24-year-old was sent down to Worcester on Aug. 24 after he surrendered six runs over 2.2 frames to Toronto, but he's now back in the majors with Kutter Crawford (shoulder), who was scheduled to start Sunday, moved to the injured list. Since Winckowski hasn't seen game action in the minors since last weekend, he shouldn't face any major workload restrictions Sunday as he steps into Boston's rotation.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Demoted after rough start
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The Red Sox optioned Winckowski to Triple-A Worcester on Wednesday.
For the second time in a week, Winckowski will be sent back to the minors after giving up exactly six earned runs in a start. His latest outing came Tuesday, when he was lifted after just two innings while entering the rotation for the injured Nathan Eovaldi (shoulder). Brayan Bello (groin) was activated from the 15-day injured list in advance of his start Wednesday and looks poised to fill Eovaldi's spot in the rotation moving forward now that Winckowski is out of the picture.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Returning to bigs to start Tuesday
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The Red Sox will recall Winckowski from Triple-A Worcester to start Tuesday's home game against the Blue Jays, Bill Koch of The Providence Journal reports.
Because Winckowski was optioned to Triple-A less than a week ago, the Red Sox will have to place another player on the injured list before the right-hander's return to the big leagues is official. Given that Nathan Eovaldi (shoulder) had already been pushed off Tuesday's start, there's a high likelihood that he'll end up going on the IL in a corresponding move. If that's the case, Winckowski could be in store for multiple turns through the rotation as Boston's fifth starter, though it may hinge on how he fares against Toronto. Over his first 12 big-league starts, Winckowski has generated a 5.19 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 36:21 K:BB across 60.2 innings.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Optioned to Triple-A
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Winckowski was optioned to Triple-A Worcester after Thursday's loss, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Winckowski returned to Triple-A after he gave up six runs on seven hits and a walk over five innings against the Pirates on Thursday. The right-hander owns a 5.19 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 36 strikeouts over 60.2 innings in 12 starts for the Red Sox this year. The transaction opens a roster spot for Matt Strahm (wrist), who's expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list Friday.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Ineffective in spot start
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Winckowski (5-6) took the loss Thursday in Pittsburgh, allowing six runs on seven hits and a walk while striking out two in five innings.
Winckowski took Nathan Eovaldi's (neck/shoulder) spot in the rotation Thursday and was greeted with a two-run blast by Bryan Reynolds in the first. Pittsburgh tacked on two more runs in the third and Reynolds tagged Winckowski with another two-run shot in the fifth. In five starts since the All-Star break, the 24-year-old has a 6.46 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, six homers allowed and a 10:7 K:BB in 23.2 innings. He's punched out two or fewer batters in five of his last seven starts.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Making spot start Thursday
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Winckowski will start Thursday's game against the Pirates, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
The 24-year-old was expected to piggyback Rich Hill in Wednesday's contest, but he'll instead start Thursday's series finale since Nathan Eovaldi (neck/shoulder) is banged up. Winckowski has made 11 starts for Boston this year and has a 4.69 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 34:20 K:BB across 55.2 innings.
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Red Sox's Josh Winckowski: Available in relief
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Winckowski will move to the bullpen and piggyback Rich Hill in Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Hill's spot in the rotation is shaky after a couple of troubling outings off the injured list -- eight runs allowed over seven innings -- but he'll stick in the rotation for at least one more start. With Michael Wacha returning Sunday, the rotation is at full strength, which means Winckowski can serve as a bulk reliever for now.
