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Boston Red Sox: Eduardo Rodriguez has perfect return to mound

By Sam Minton

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 08: Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez #57 of the Boston Red Sox throws to a Baltimore Orioles batter in the first inning during the Orioles home opener at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 08, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - APRIL 08: Starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez #57 of the Boston Red Sox throws to a Baltimore Orioles batter in the first inning during the Orioles home opener at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 08, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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One of the best stories of 2021 for the Boston Red Sox has to be the return of Eduardo Rodriguez. For him just making it to the mound was a challenge but once the game was underway, he did even better.

2020 was a very tough year for Rodriguez. He had to miss the entire MLB season due to complications from COVID-19.

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Rodriguez suffered from heart issues stemming from his battle with coronavirus. He even told the media that there was a point where he struggled to walk.

Eduardo Rodriguez’s perfect return to the mound for the Boston Red Sox

But Rodriguez returned to the mound on Thursday and led Boston to yet another victory. E-Rod pitched five innings and was able to strike out seven batters while only allowing four hits.

After missing time due to a dead arm it seems as though E-Rod is feeling great. He almost reached 95 MPH with his fastball.

Having Rodriguez back on the mound is big news for the Red Sox. It means that they have their ace back.

Rodriguez was amazing in 2019. He was Boston’s best pitcher going 19-6 with a 3.81 ERA and 213 strikeouts.

In that season Rodriguez also showed his longevity. He had over 200 innings pitched by the end of the 2019 campaign.

There is no doubt that Rodriguez will be a key part of the rotation for Boston moving forward. He will be the ace for the Red Sox, especially with Chris Sale’s health continuing to be an issue.

Rodriguez needs to be the ace that he was in 2019. He has to be a guy that can constantly be relied on to win games.

The Boston Red Sox’s have some power at the plate. Christian Vazquez, Rafael Devers, J.D. Martinez, and Xander Bogaerts have been hitting quite well to start the season.

But there will be nights when the bats are silent. You can go 3-4 from the plate one game and 0-4 the next. This is when Boston needs Rodriguez to perform.

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So Thursday was a great start to the 2021 season for Rodriguez. Just making it to the mound was a feat for the lefty, but he also ended up having a great performance. It truly was a perfect return for Boston’s ace.

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