Boston Red Sox: Eduardo Rodriguez the top starting pitcher
Boston Red Sox starting staff is led in 2020 by an emerging star, Eduardo Rodriguez.
Eduardo Rodriguez will be depended upon to be the Boston Red Sox No. 1 starter in 2020. Fortunately, he is emerging as a top starter in the American League at a time the club needs him most.
The loss of Chris Sale to Tommy John surgery and the trade of David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers has opened the door for Rodriguez to lead the Sox staff in 2020 when the season hopefully resumes. And he’s the only hope.
It is clear that Rodriguez is emerging as a top starter in the American League and it couldn’t have come at a better time for Boston.
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The Red Sox pitching staff is severely depleted and it is essential that Rodriguez performs at his best if the Red Sox are to have any chance whatsoever to compete in the tough American League East.
Last season was Rodriguez’s best. He went 19-6 while posting a 3.81 earned run average. That was the best win total on the Red Sox in 2019.
With the two aforementioned losses to the staff, a poor or even just average season for Rodriguez will essentially end any chance Boston has to compete in the AL East. Only E-Rod and Nathan Eovaldi are established for the Sox rotation in 2020.
Eovaldi had an injury-filled 2019 and he is also being counted upon to produce for a very thin Red Sox starting pitching staff. This lack was not addressed significantly by Red Sox top baseball man Chaim Bloom in the offseason. It will be up to him to fill in the blanks for the starting staff.
Among the other possibilities are Martin Perez, who was acquired as a free agent signing. Perez is a 29-year old lefthander who went 10-7 with a 5.12 ERA for Minnesota in 2019. He’s not exactly a marquis signing. Yet, he seems to likely be the “best of the rest” after Rodriguez and Eovaldi.
Ryan Weber is also a possible 4th starter for Boston. Weber went 2-4 with a 5.09 ERA for Boston in 2019. Not exactly a line that will have Red Sox fans overjoyed. The 5th starter is anyone’s guess at this point.
So that’s an early look at the Red Sox starting rotation for 2020. If you’re not seeing stars over their prospects, you’re not alone. It looks bleak.
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Hopefully, though, Rodriguez, at least, will continue his ascent to the top of the heap of American League pitchers. If not, the Boston Red Sox are toast.