The Boston Red Sox have some problems in their starting rotation and they were further exacerbated when Chris Sale hit the IL with left elbow inflammation. Sale, mired in a frustrating season, will be out for at least 10 days and according to Dave Dombrowski, Dr. James Andrews is going to take a look at Sale's MRI in the coming days.
In addition to Sale's injury, David Price is on the 10-day IL with a wrist injury and Andrew Cashner was shifted to the bullpen after he struggled immensely as a starter with the Red Sox. Now, the team is going to have to rely on some other members of their staff to carry the load. And one of those guys may be Nathan Eovaldi.
Before Saturday night's game against the Baltimore Orioles, Red Sox manager Alex Cora expressed confidence in Eovaldi's ability to return to the starting rotation.
"We feel he can be really quick" to get back to speed, Cora said per Matt Porter of The Boston Globe. "Obviously it would be cool to have 10 pitches, 10 strikes, three outs. We know where he’s at physically . . . he’s in a good spot."
Eovaldi had opened the season as a starter in the Red Sox' rotation, but he was sidelined for a few months by "loose bodies" in his elbow. The team brought him back to serve as a reliever but are in the process of stretching him back out given the need the team has in the rotation.
As a starter this season, Eovaldi has logged a 0-0 record and 6.00 ERA in four outings all of which came in April. He will return to the starting rotation on Sunday and will hope to build upon his recent success (2.53 ERA, 13 strikeouts in his last eight outings, 10 2/3 innings).
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In addition to Eovaldi's return, Price was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday. So, perhaps he will come back soon and help bolster the team's depleted rotation.
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