Porcello gets crushed for career-worst 4 home runs

Rick Porcello won the 2016 AL Cy Young Award.

After Friday's outing, Boston Red Sox fans will be asking "What have you done for me, lately?"

Awards don't buy patience in sports.

Porcello was pulled from Friday's start against the Tampa Bay Rays after 4 1/3 innings after allowing eight earned runs on eight hits. The early exit breaks a 43-game streak where Porcello was able to finish at least five innings.

He allowed a whopping four home runs - the most he's ever allowed in a single start - and also walked a pair.

It was the second time as a member of the Red Sox that Porcello allowed eight runs in a start, and that came all the way back in 2015.

One of the big reasons he took home the Cy Young was due to his consistency in 2016. Last season, Porcello allowed five earned runs in only one start in a season that saw him go 22-4 with a 3.15 ERA.

The Rays also represented a somewhat surprising opponent to take advantage of the starter. In six starts against the Rays in 2016, he never failed to finish six innings, and allowed a total of three home runs, one fewer than he managed in this one start.

In addition to that, Porcello allowed only 14 earned runs to the Rays over the entire season. He's already over halfway there.

It's the second home run-palooza against a Red Sox starting pitcher in three days. Knuckleballer Steven Wright allowed four home runs in only 1 1/3 innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

Porcello will get his next start when the Red Sox travel to Toronto to play the Blue Jays. He'd better hope the Blue Jays offense is still floundering, or more trouble could be on the horizon.