Boston Red Sox: Nathan Eovaldi an instant favorite at Fenway Park

Making his Boston Red Sox debut Sunday afternoon, Nathon Eovaldi brought the heat in front of the Fenway Park crowd in the team’s 3-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

The Boston Red Sox may have something here.  Just days after acquiring starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi from the Tampa Bay Rays, the right-handed pitcher stepped on the mound and had an unforgettable debut in front of the Fenway faithful.

With a live fastball, Eovaldi did an excellent job of mixing up his pitches in allowing just four hits in seven scoreless innings.  If there were nerves, the Red Sox newest addition did not show it.  Not only did he lead his new team to a 3-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins, he has the team feeling good about what he brings to the table.

Following the game, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was impressed by Eovaldi’s overall efficiency.

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"“He was very good,” Cora said, via MLB.com.  “Good mix of pitches, cutters, four-seamers, breaking ball.  He was very efficient.  [I] took him out [after seven], he hasn’t pitched in a while. What a great way to start his career with the Red Sox.”"

Eovaldi had just five strikeouts, but his array of pitches kept the Twins guessing throughout the game.  He also saw some amazing defense behind him as Jackie Bradley Jr. made a diving catch in the gap in left-center.

The outstanding defensive gem helped cover up one of the few mistakes Nathan Eovaldi made all day.  If Bradley Jr. did not come up with the web gem, there is no telling how the inning or the game would’ve gone for Eovaldi who admitted that the third-inning play by the Red Sox center fielder was a huge one for him.

In all, Eovaldi showed a glimpse of the pitcher he was prior to his Tommy John surgery.  With a fastball that averaged 97.4 mph and a very effective cutter, the new pitcher in the Boston Red Sox rotation has the stuff to really help the team hold on in the AL East.

After making his debut and improving his record to 4-4, Eovaldi is already looking forwards to his next outing against his former team, the New York Yankees.

"“I mean, I like pitching against the Yankees, and I feel like it’s the competition I look forward to most,” Eovaldi said.  “I know being a part of the Yankees, that rivalry and everything and how the fans really get into it – and, you know, like I said before, it’s all about competing.  And with the fans that involved in it, it makes it that much more fun.”"

It’s also fun when the team is able to make a transaction that really works out for the team.  It was just one game, but Nathan Eovaldi looks and sounds like a player who is going to be an instant favorite amongst Boston Red Sox fans.

That can all change with one bad outing against the Pinstrips, but following a shutout performance at Fenway Park on Sunday afternoon, the pitcher, the team, the front office and the fans feel very good about the hard-throwing right-hander.