Across the human population, right-handedness is the norm. Somewhere around 90% of the general population is right-handed. In Major League Baseball, the numbers are different. In 2026 around 20% of players throw with their left hand and just over 31% hit from the left side. That’s not a small variation from the population – it’s huge. And while there are some variations year to year, this is essentially the reality in MLB. There are a lot more lefties playing baseball than you’ll encounter in your
normal day-to-day life. Some of this is due to switch-hitter/throwing players. Some of these lefty players guys who are natural righties but learned to play baseball using the other hand. The rest are coming from that small left-handed population.
On Tuesday evening, WooSox pitcher Jake Bennett was scratched from his scheduled start. While there were some swirling rumors that he might replace Brayan Bello or give him a breather, those were shot down during the broadcast with comments indicating that Bello will make his regularly scheduled Wednesday and Bennett would be, maybe, a possibility for the weekend to help lighten the load. With Sonny Gray on the IL, the Red Sox are a load-bearing Bello away from an entirely southpaw rotation.
Garrett Crochet.
Ranger Suárez.
Connelly Early.
Payton Tolle.
In the entire John Henry era of the Red Sox, there have been 57 player seasons for lefties as primarily starting pitchers. Jon Lester (9), Chris Sale (6), Eduardo Rodriguez (6), David Price (4) make up a little under half just on their own. They also represent everyone with more than two seasons meeting the criteria. But we’re really overcounting to list 57 names. This isn’t ketchup. Erik Bedard made three starts in 2011. Brian Johnson made one start in 2014. Kason Gabbard had seven starts. If we add an innings minimum, let’s say 100 IP as a starter, and we’re down to just 28 player seasons.
David Wells sits alone in 2005. As does Lester from 2008-2011. In 2012 and 2013, though, Lester is joined by Feliz Doubront. Then it’s Lester alone in 2014 before he was traded.
Eduardo Rodríguez and Wade Miley share the rotation in 2015.
E-Rod swaps Miley for David Price the following year and is joined by Chris Sale and Drew Pomeranz (remember him?) for the 2017 seasons. 2018 and 2019 feature a three-lefty rotation with E-Rod, Sale, and David Price. E-Rod and Martín Pérez make it happen in 2021. Rich Hill, Chris Sale, and Garrett Crochet are the lefty starters for 2022, 2024, and 2025, respectively.
If you’re keeping score, that’s three seasons with three lefty anchors for the rotation. And all three featured Chris Sale and Eduardo Rodríguez with one other player. No seasons with four lefties. Definitely none with five.
If Brayan Bello does need a break from the rotation while Sonny Gray is out, we’re not in for history necessarily. 2017 (Brian Johnson, Drew Pomeranz, David Price, Eduardo Rodríguez, Chris Sale) and 2015 (Rich Hill, Brian Johnson , Wade Miley, Henry Owens, Eduardo Rodriguez) did feature five starters who were lefthanded. No, the real history will be if Tolle and Bennett each top 100 innings. Although if they each make more than five starts, that would be more of a five man southpaw “rotation” than we’ve seen this century.
