Pitch Perfect

Don’t let his struggles this season fool you. Red Sox ace Rick Porcello still has one of the best arms in baseball.

- Keith Gordon

Rick Porcello shifted anxiously in his chair, waiting for his interview with the MLB Network to begin. Surrounded by family and friends, the Red Sox right-hander had just completed his best season in the majors, putting up career-topping numbers in wins (22), innings pitched (223), ERA (3.15), and strikeouts (189). Now all he could do was wait to find out if the campaign was enough to earn him the American League Cy Young Award, presented to the league’s best pitcher.

It was.

When the decision was announced, live on air, the New Jersey native was swarmed by his loved ones in a giant bear hug. They had reason to be thrilled, and not just because the Cy Young is one of baseball’s top honors. It had been a tough road there for Porcello. A celebrated prep star, a struggling young pro, an ace with unhittable stuff—Porcello had been all of these things over his career. But if anything, the ups and downs that defined Porcello’s journey to Cy Young winner made the celebration even sweeter.

Indeed, if there’s a living, breathing example of what makes baseball such a rewarding, and frustrating, game, look no further than Porcello, a towering pitcher with a masterful sinker. Mere months after winning the prestigious award, Porcello’s unhittable 2016 seems like a distant memory. This year has gotten off to a rocky start for the 28-year-old right-hander, who has struggled through the spring, unable to find last year’s consistent form. But that’s just part of being an elite pitcher in the big leagues. “The real challenge is the ability to stay at the Major League level,” Porcello tells Maxim. “I am sure you’ve heard the saying ‘It is a game of adjustments.’