Brian Bannister has helped out the major league team all year, but it wasn’t until early July that the Red Sox gave him a spot on the coaching staff. The former big leaguer doesn’t have a dugout seat during games, but he also doesn’t need one, making his greatest impact beforehand and behind the scenes.
A month in, here’s how the Sox pitching picture has changed — likely in part due to Bannister’s help, and because of the natural flow of the season and the regular work put in by pitching coach Carl Willis, bullpen coach Dana LeVangie and other staffers.