John Lackey had a bad outing. Let’s everybody give him a big hug! After getting lit up on Wednesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays, Lackey sounded off to the media, not holding back any of his frustration and even taking a cheap shot at Toronto utility infielder John McDonald. It was a classless moment from a guy who’s clearly struggling to be the guy everybody – including himself – expects him to be.

“Everything (bleeps) in my life right now to be honest with you,” said Lackey in the post-game scrum. That’s too bad. Maybe he can find comfort in that $82.5 million contract he signed a couple years ago. Or maybe not. He did give up a two-run double and a home run to McDonald, and as Lackey notes, “everybody's had success with him in the past. You can't give up hits like that to him when you have other guys in that lineup who can hurt you.”

Unfortunately for Lackey, McDonald’s had success against him, too. In a 13-year career, McDonald only has 21 home runs, two of which have come against the Boston righty. But it wasn’t just him on Wednesday. Lackey was touched up for nine runs on nine hits and five walks over 6.2 innings. Lackey’s season ERA actually rose from 7.16 to 8.01 and his record fell to 2-5. The Boston Red Sox, whom many thought would run away with the AL East title, have yet to break .500 this season, and that is largely due to poor performances from Lackey this season.

The truth is, Lackey has been a victim of himself as much as anybody else. He doesn’t seem to control his emotions when he’s on the mound, constantly calling out teammates for a lack of hustle or yelling at himself or the umpire for poor pitches. It’s not unrealistic to think that as Lackey continues to get rattled, it gets harder and harder for him to solve his own problems. If he can learn discipline and tune out the demons in his own head and those hanging around Boston, maybe then he’ll again become the pitcher he was in an Anaheim Angels uniform.