Boston Red Sox: 5 players to watch when 2020 MLB season begins
By Sam Minton
Can Eduardo Rodriguez be the Boston Red Sox ace?
Now that Chris Sale is out for the season, all the pressure is on Eduardo Rodriguez. He is Boston’s ace and will have to have an almost perfect season.
Rodriguez is coming off the best season of his career. He was 19-6 with a 3.81 ERA and 213 strikeouts. E-Rod was also a workhorse pitching over 200 innings.
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But this is a different season and a whole different situation. The pressure will be on Rodriguez.
Hopefully, Rodriguez continues to improve. He appears to be the future of the Red Sox’s rotation. If he could get that ERA down closer to 3 he could help the Red Sox win a lot of games in 2020.
The loss of Mookie Betts can’t be forgotten. It will be more difficult for Boston to put up as many runs as they have in previous seasons.
Sale has passed the magical age of 30. This is when we start to see a player decline rather than get better. Also, you need to consider how hard and violent Sale’s throwing motion is. It doesn’t lend itself to a long career.
If Rodriguez continues to improve it will allow the Red Sox to shift their focus to him and not an aging Sale.
So Boston Red Sox fans will be paying attention to E-Rod and will be hoping that he is able to replicate his 2019 season or somehow do even better.