Mark Melancon did well enough in AAA action to find his way back up to the Boston Red Sox's lineup for their series finale against the Washington Nationals Sunday. Melancon compiled a 0.83 ERA in 21 innings while allowing just 15 hits and two earned runs in his minor league stint. He also recorded a 9.00 (27:3) strikeout-to-walk ratio.
That's the kind of performance it takes to get the job back, but Melancon said it had nothing to do with confidence or the lack thereof, rather his approach and aggressiveness that allowed him to pitch so well.
He was demoted in April after he debuted for the Red Sox in four outings that resulted in 11 runs on 10 hits in 2.0 innings. Read what Melancon had to say about being demoted to AAA and his quest to return to the majors:
"After five or six times of doing it, you realize it doesn't help to go down there and get pissed off," Melancon said. "It's tough to go down there after you've had a couple bad outings, but you've got to make the best of it. That's what I was trying to do."
Rich Hill was put on the DL with reported left elbow/forearm soreness to make room for Melancon. Hill plans to visit Dr. James Andrews, the famed Tommy John specialist, on Monday.
Read more about the Red Sox at Over the Monster.